Here we are, settling into the middle of season 12 and can you believe it? TWELVE seasons. I have trouble believing it sometimes. It’s not hard to believe we’ve all followed the Winchesters this far, they’re easy to love. The thing that gets me is that twelve seasons in, the story remains compelling. The core of the show retains our hearts. I have a friend who recently began watching. When I told him he’d probably make it through the first eleven seasons in time to catch twelve before episodes began leaving the CW app, he didn’t believe me. Turns out, he watched eleven seasons in three months. Even with a job and kids and a life and everything.
Anybody surprised?
Me neither. Anyhow, let’s get to this week’s episode, shall we?
Captain has turned on the SPOILER ALERT sign.
Ah, the Thule Society. Did you know the Supernatural version is based loosely upon the real version? That there IS a real version? Though there are rumors of their involvement in the occult, in reality it seems it was nothing more than a society of Nazi sympathizers. People who believed in and supported being a “pureblood”, as it were.
Fitting, then, that they should hide the soul of Hitler in a horcrux. Haha of course Sam would know what a horcrux is. Dean has tons of pop culture knowledge but when it comes to something like Harry Potter, he’s a bit useless.
So, the Thule have been a thorn in our sides since season 8, and when they popped up, immolating people using one of my favorite unexplained phenomenon, spontaneous human combustion, Sam and Dean turned to Aaron again. Aaron, the boy with the Golem, explained the Thule were up to something big, something to do with blood. I don’t care what it is, when the Thule are up to something big, you should probably not let them do that thing. I think we all remember how that turned out for Europe last time.
Once the Thule smoked someone else, hipster Tinder guy, our boys were onto their trail. Which also happened to be the trail of Hitler’s heir. From the first moment Ellie opened her mouth I loved her. I don’t know about you, but I just loved Allison Paige from start to finish in this episode. I desperately hope we see her again, even though I know that’s a long shot. Her performance was gold. Maybe she’ll show up again in season 50.
Quick aside, did you see this outtake? These beautiful people sent that out to us on Wednesday, when we needed a laugh more than ever.
Back to the Thule. I know what happened at the end of this episode, but that doesn’t change my mind. These people created Hitler. While losing him, and most of their high command, was certainly a blow, I in no way think they are done. I think the British Men of Letters have been trying to fight them for decades, almost a century, and at some point it is possible that the Winchesters will team up with the BMoL to fight them. I feel like the Thule are the BMoL’s white whale, and at the very least, some of them will see how powerful an alliance with the Winchesters could be after the way the boys handled this situation.
Let’s talk about that scene with Hitler. I can’t leave here without talking about it.
I thought him ridiculous. Not good ridiculous, though he made me laugh. Like, I’ll dance around and be stupid and then feed my great great grand niece to the dogs ridiculous. A dancing, unhinged, buffoon. You know, that might not be too far off. It was a surprise though, and the whole scene set my teeth on edge even as I pointed and laughed.
But let me tell you. If you’ve read any of my blogs, particularly this one, you know I love Dean. That will never, ever change. I’m a Dean girl for the long haul. But I don’t regularly actively swoon. I just love him in that deep red way you love someone you’ve known forever. And I don’t usually gush over him. I tell you what though. When he squared off against Hitler, knocked him to the ground, and aimed his gun in his face, SWOOOOOON. Oh my swoon. I rewatched the episode before sitting down to write this, and there was no less swoon the second time around. My hero. Just thinking about it knocks my brain a little off kilter.
Something that was new watching the second time though, was the true import of the discussion they had walking back to the car. When Dean said he was going to get “I killed Hitler” tee shirts made, and Sam told him no one was going to believe him, Dean shook his head. Smiled like he was on top of the world, and said, “But you believe me.” But you believe me. And that’s all that truly matters to Dean, isn’t it? That Sammy believes in him.
As they released the kid, I thought back to season 10. Remember the Styne kid Dean killed? Episode 10.22, “The Prisoner”. Yes, it was the Mark of Cain controlling him, but I flashed on it nonetheless. This kid, this Thule child, he was just as much a part of evil as the Styne kid. Maybe more. But Dean let him go. If that doesn’t show you how horrible what the Mark did to him was, I don’t know what will. Corrupting Dean’s soul like that was the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever seen happen to him. It’s at least equivalent to the first time Sam died.
Haha. The first time he died. How many shows can say that?
Anyhow, I’m going to circle back around to the boys to wrap this up. We got several good brother moments in this episode. As Sam pushed his feelings off on Dean, yet again (Season 2, anyone?), explaining to Dean he was sublimating, I said back to the TV, “It’s called sublimation, Sam.” I was proud of Dean though, again demonstrating that his vocabulary is more diverse and rich than he usually lets on. Yes Dean, sublimation is kinda your thing.
The comedic moments Jensen added in the antique store absolutely killed me. I think a corpse is writing this, guys. That scene was too funny, and the whole time it was going on and on I wondered if it was improvised or not. Either way, it is so nice to have those comedy moments. It’s been a long time since we had a funny episode, we need those kind of moments. Somebody tell me, how long has it really been? Like, “The French Mistake”? Someone tell me we’ve had one since then. Hang on, let me look.
Oh you know, I guess I’d count a few here and there. “Dog Dean Afternoon”, maybe “Fan Fiction”, possibly “Plucky Pennywhistle’s Magical Menagerie”, although that was just funny because Sam + Clowns. We’ve had a serious few seasons, huh? Eleven had no funny episodes at all. But “Baby” was an instant classic, so I’ll let it slide.
Either way, sorry I got sidetracked. By the end of the episode Dean was ready to move on a bit, heal his heart a bit more. I have to wonder though, how does Sam feel? All he does is ask Dean how he feels, but he hasn’t mentioned his own feelings. Not once. Also he’s a total meanie for not letting Dean play with the grenade launcher.
Overall, I enjoyed the episode. I’m almost certain next week will deal with plot. I know a certain someone is coming back for the first time this season, and I know another certain someone will share the screen with her and I CANNOT WAIT. This week though, it was nice to look in on Aaron and the Thule. I do wish we’d seen more of Adam Rose, but I’m sure we’re not done with him. The Thule are still out there, planning, scheming, killing, Naziing. But I look forward to getting back to the plot and seeing what’s in store for the boys and their mom. And what we’re going to do about the Lucifer problem.
Did Dean mention? He killed Hitler.
Bethany A. Perry 