In the tenth episode of the second season of Supernatural, Dean finally reveals what John told him before he died, and Sam is VERY UPSET because EVERYTHING HERE IS UPSETTING. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Supernatural.
Good lord, this show is testing my heart. STOP IT. It’s with “Hunted” that Supernatural answers a question posed in this season’s premiere, but only to do so by opening up an entire world in the process. OH GOD, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE AT WORK HERE THAN I THOUGHT, ISN’T THERE? Damn it, stop sucking me in, Supernatural. I CAN’T DO THIS.
Let’s discuss.
The Secret
As simple as John’s final message to Dean seems, it’s telling that his warning about Sam revolves around a possibility that must have seemed very real to him: that one day, Sam would become evil. It’s not guaranteed, but it’s enough of a threat that John has to tell Dean about it. But why? Why would Sam ever need to be killed? It’s such an absurd thought, one that’s outright acknowledged throughout “Hunted.” SAM WOULD NEVER BECOME SOMEONE LIKE THAT.
Oh god, I had no idea what this was going to do to me.
Split
It’s because of this that Sam decides to split from Dean, at least until he can figure out more about who he is. This episode is yet another in line with what we’ve seen this season about how Dean and Sam are switching places. It’s Dean who wants to lay low here, while Sam is ready to take on evil headfirst. It’s just that Sam has a more personal stake in how this all plays out because he’s the one with the possibly corrupt destiny. If he learns as much about this “destiny” as he can, perhaps he can stop himself becoming…whatever it is that the yellow-eyed demon wants. (oh god NOW I KNOW. In a second, I swear, I’ll address that.) So, he heads to Harvelle’s Roadhouse so that Ellen can grace our screens again, and all is right with the world because more Ellen. There’s no Jo, though, because, much like Sam, she’s decided to go off on her own to be who she wants to be. Well, I already can’t wait for the episode where the writers explore this dynamic because IT IS RIPE FOR THE PICKING. It’s tough to see Ellen so torn up about it because we know she’s upset that her daughter ran off. But it’s true, none of this is Sam and Dean’s fault, and even if John Winchester was on the hunt with her husband, it’s not really his fault either. God, are all the hunters this guilt-ridden and fucked up? THE ANSWER IS YES. ALWAYS. Which means that if Bobby comes back on the show, we’re gonna get some sad backstory of his, right?
Ava
Y’all, I just love Ava Wilson for so many reasons. It’s fascinating to see her play the straight woman to Sam’s absurdity here, especially since a lot of her characterization feels like a meta-commentary on the sort of life that Sam lives. She was compelled to reach out to Sam because of a moral imperative she felt to save Sam’s life. After discovering that her vision of Scott Carey’s death came true, she knows she can’t let Sam die. Which is why she’s so frustrated that Sam is ready to go straight into the trap set for him! She can’t even fathom why he would do this. Even after Sam tries to explain about the possible mystical connection between them all, she’s still reluctant to do much beyond telling Sam about the tripwires. What’s so compelling about Ava is that aside from the visions, she’s so ordinary. And I don’t mean that in an insulting way; she’s an exceptional character who possesses compassion and a zest for life! It’s just that she has no real desire to leave the life she has to go chasing after whatever it is that Sam is fighting. She just wants to help and return to how things used to be.
Oh gods, I wish she could have done that.
Gordon / The Oncoming Storm
I made a comment in the video commission for “Hunted” that if any character were to play the role that Gordon does here, I couldn’t imagine a better one than him. He represents obstinance, a stubborn refusal to engage with an idea and analyze the implications of it. It’s perfectly in line with his characterization the last time we saw him in “Bloodlust,” except now he kind of hates the Winchesters. A lot. I mean, Dean did leave him in that cabin for three days. I’d be furious, too. But when he’s revealed to be Scott’s killer, as well as the sniper trying to kill Sam, the writers hint at something truly terrifying here: the idea that Sam could really become something to be hunted. After disarming and trapping Dean within the very house that Ava saw in her vision, he details what it was that he learned about Sam. Sam is a pawn – one of many – for an upcoming war. He’s going to be a soldier, ostensibly for the yellow-eyed demon. IN SOMETHING. WHAT THE HELL. No, NOT OUR SAMMY.
And it’s here that Gordon’s lack of an imagination when it comes to morality becomes a huge problem. Gordon doesn’t believe in exceptions. He doesn’t believe in rehabilitation. Things are evil, and that’s it. So, when he hears that Sam Winchester is going to be some sort of soldier, he just makes Sam part of a hunt. It’s that simple for Gordon, which is why this is so UPSETTING. Gordon is absolutely certain about everything he says here. At no point does he consider that Sam is a person with his own willpower or agency, and it’s SCARY. Y’all, that scene with the grenades was NOT OKAY. Actually, let’s just talk about why.
Dean’s FACE
There’s a line I picked up on where Sam tells Ellen that Dean can’t always protect him. The word “protect” was important because it meant different things to each of these characters. Sam meant that he didn’t want Dean to “protect” him from the truth about his destiny; Dean meant it in a much more literal way, as if to protect his brother from harm. So that’s what Dean sets out to do in this episode. He’s the one to call Ellen and ask where Sam is. I loved the fact that Ellen understood Dean’s desire and decided to break her promise to Sam. If anyone was going to understand Dean’s quest here, it was her, especially given that her daughter is out in the world somewhere.
So yeah, Dean’s face is A BILLION PERCENT RUDE AND UNFAIR during that entire sequence where the grenades explode, and I’m going to desperately hope that this show never airs that footage again because I will not be able to take it. It’s heartbreaking. I didn’t even think Sam died at all, and it still hurt to watch. And then Dean’s face when he sees that his brother is alive? Wow, Supernatural, you just need to stop. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO FEEL THAT WAY.
Sam’s Plan
First of all, I must take a moment to acknowledge the pure brilliance Sam exhibits by CALLING THE COPS ON GORDON. Never in a billion years would I have expected a Winchester to deliberately involve law enforcement in one of their cases, but THERE YOU GO. Oh lord, it’s so hilarious and perfect.
It’s after this that Sam and Dean have to have a tough conversation about what it is they plan to do given recent news. Like before, Sam refuses to let this go. He isn’t going to cower from whatever the future holds, no matter how scary or how overwhelming it is. Again, I can’t ignore the clear role reversal here, and it’s so fascinating to me! Dean is the one who wants to lay low and RESEARCH. Oh god, what’s happening?
Which is a good question to ask, given how “Hunted” ends. Y’all, NO. I REALLY LIKED AVA. Which should have been a clue that she couldn’t last. The scene they find at her house has such horrifying implications. Does this mean any of the Special Children can be manipulated by the demon? How did the demon convince her to murder her own fiancé??? Is the demon going to tempt Sam, too? HOW POORLY PREPARED AM I FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS SEASON? Don’t answer that, don’t answer that.
The video commission for “Hunted” can be downloaded right here for just $0.99.
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