In the tenth episode of the sixth season of Supernatural, A LOT HAPPENS IN THIS EPISODE. A LOT. If you’re intrigued, then it’s time for Mark to watch Supernatural.
Trigger Warning: For discussion of misogyny and rape.
So let me start off with a brief set of complaints before I address the billion plot twists and developments in this episode. Because holy shit, “Caged Heat” just made everything a million times more complicated AND EVERYTHING HURTS, TOO.
I think this show has a bizarre relationship with women, which is more complex once you consider how many women watch the show. I’m distracted by how often the characters use gendered insults so willingly, and it’s gotten to the point where it’s glaring in how they’re all directed towards women. They are delivered blatantly towards Meg throughout this episode, and you never see them directed towards any of the demons who are men. (Or in male meat suits, I should say.) Then you’ve got Meg strapped in to that absolutely ridiculous contraption, which… come on, REALLY. And on top of it all, you’ve got the double whammy of a rape joke and a gay joke told by two different Winchesters. LIKE CAN WE NOT GO THERE. I’m not getting into it because it’s way too personal for me, but I have taken one of those showers. It’s not a thing to joke about, and I assure you, Supernatural writers, it is not akin to feeling like you’ve betrayed your own standards. The whole Shawshank Redemption line is also absurd because, as I’ve pointed out, when you have so few canonical gay characters that there are actually more gay jokes than gay people, you don’t actually make it feel that welcoming to us.
Anyway, let’s talk “Caged Heat.”
New Alliances
This season has forced the Winchesters into an awkward place because they’re so far from their usual routines. Now working for Crowley, they’re not hunting just for the sake of it, and that means that even the regular stories don’t feel the same. I will admit that’s made this season feel wonderfully refreshing because this allows the writers to explore new dynamics between the Winchester brothers and to give us a new take on monster-of-the-week style episodes. But it’s clear that this is weighing heavily on Dean’s conscience because… I mean, it’s right there in the open! They’re working for a demon who is known for not fulfilling his side of the deal!
So when Meg shows up to try and get Crowley’s location out of the Winchesters, it’s not like Dean was going to be thrilled by the process. As Sam says, though, what choice do they have? Their hand has been forced into this, and it’s the only avenue they have left. Well, at least the only one I can see. I AM NOT VERY GOOD AT FIGURING THIS STUFF OUT. I will say that I generally love it when stories force characters into awkward alliances. Which is something that Supernatural has done in the past! And who is more awkward for these two than the demon responsible for Ellen and Jo’s death? YEAH, IT’S AWKWARD FOREVER.
To me, it speaks to the constantly shifting loyalties of season six. From Samuel to Crowley to Meg, the Winchesters end up with only one person by their sides who’s reliable: Castiel. Granted, I can’t bring that up without talking about the fact that Sam threatened Cas into helping them, so let’s talk about the other huge elephant in the room.
Should Sam get his soul back?
This seemed like an obvious answer prior to this episode, and regardless of whether or not Sam wanted it back himself, it was pretty clear to me that he’d be better off without it. However, “Caged Heat” makes matters a million times worse by not only openly discussing if this is a good idea, but whether it’s even possible without destroying Sam in the process. It’s also undeniable to me now that Sam is – full stop – a better hunter without his soul. He is ruthless in this episode, and all of it results in him and Dean getting pretty much what they want. Sam threatens Cas with death if Cas does not help them; he also deflates Meg’s bravado; he also SUCKS HIS OWN BLOOD OUT TO MAKE A DEMON’S TRAP; and then he saves Dean from ghouls without any hesitation. It’s kind of cool to watch???
But it’s also deliberately made to seem unnerving because Sam never feels quite right to the audience. I picked up on it in “Exile on Main Street,” and it’s never been more obvious. (And let me also note right now that IÂ now remember Brigitta from that same episode. She looked so different to me during the prison scenes that I absolutely did not recognize her as the djinn from the premiere of season six. I will also blame this on the fact that I last watched that episode in JUNE, not a couple weeks ago, since I had to finish writing about it back before I left for tour. It’s been almost three months since I’ve seen it!) Since abandoning all pretense of pretending to fit in, he’s become… a replicant. Shit, sorry, that reference Dean made was so fantastic. OF COURSE DEAN HAS SEENÂ BLADE RUNNER. If you haven’t seen it, you’d not know how eerily spot-on that reference is.
Anyway, not the point. This episode reveals the horrifying possibility that Sam faces if he does get his soul back: his body will not be able to handle the psychic torture that his soul suffered trapped in Lucifer’s cage. Because Sam lacks a soul, he can only view his predicament with a cold logic that infuriates and frightens Dean. If Crowley can’t pull Sam’s soul out of Hell, and if they’ll keep getting close to death every time they try, and if after all that, it destroys Sam’s physical body, then is it even worth trying?
The final image of “Caged Heat” suggests that Sam’s given up the pursuit, so… what? WHAT. LIKE. Is this what Sam really wants? Can Dean even do anything to change his mind? THIS SEASON IS DESTROYING ME.
The Importance of Family
Oh, hey, were you not fucked up enough already? Then how about that reveal from Samuel Cooper, eh? I now sort of regret stating that Dean is basically a stranger to Samuel because THAT LINE CAME BACK TO HAUNT ME. The man chose his own daughter over Sam and Dean, and to him, that’s the better option. And the whole thing is such a mess of loyalty and love and obsession, and it’s just SAD. I’m not even really surprised by it because I’m sure Crowley got a kick out of pitting this family against one another. Of course he would promise Samuel something that would put him at odds with Sam and Dean. And look, I definitely believe that Crowley would have double-crossed absolutely everyone here. His thing is manipulating humans to do his bidding, and then walking away unscathed.
That doesn’t make this LESS UPSETTING. Because I feel horrible for Samuel, who believes that there’s a chance that Crowley will actually fulfill his end of the deal. I feel horrible for Dean, who has to look his grandfather in the face and accept that he is not considered part of Samuel’s blood family. I FEEL HORRIBLE FOR EVERYONE FORCED INTO THIS NIGHTMARISH SITUATION. Absolutely no good can come of it, and guess what? SO FAR, THAT’S TRUE.
Retribution
Well, count me as utterly unprepared, because I did not think that this episode would end with Meg still alive AND CROWLEY DEAD. Like…. oh my god???? The show just killed off the only avenue to get Sam’s soul back, and Samuel’s going to be so pissed, isn’t he? But it also allows Castiel to play a larger part than usual. Initially, he complies with Sam’s threat, but I’d like to think that he genuinely does care about the Winchesters regardless of threats. I think that his story this season suffers because so much of it happens off-screen, and that’s not really my favorite narrative device. We haven’t seen almost anything of the war within Heaven; instead, we just hear about it. This episode at least shows us the exhaustion that Castiel is under, since he’s not faring too well, but I think that it would work better if we actually saw it.
Still, Castiel’s the one to save the day here, since he somehow locates Crowley’s bones AND ACTUALLY LIGHTS THEM ON FIRE. Y’all, Crowley is dead. ALREADY. I genuinely thought he’d be here throughout all of season six, BUT NOPE. I’m not ready. I AM NOT READY FOR THIS.
The video for “Caged Heat” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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