Devil May Care

Devil May Care is the 2nd episode of Season 9. It aired on October 15th, 2013.

Summary
ABADDON RISES --- Dean shocks Sam by popping open the trunk of the Impala and showing him that he has kidnapped Crowley. Kevin freaks out when he sees the King of Hell, but Sam and Dean convince him that they need Crowley to find the demons on Earth. Meanwhile, Abaddon re-emerges and plans to take over Hell.

Plot
A demon, Jason, drags a burnt body into an old church. Dean and Sam pull over and Dean brings his brother up to speed about Castiel. Sam worries that Castiel might not make it but Dean figures that their friend can handle it. They wonder what to do about the angels that are hunting them, and Sam wonders what happened to Crowley. Dean admits that he would have liked to but figured that the King of Hell might know a few useful things. He takes Sam over to the Impala and shows him Crowley, bound and gagged in the trunk.

At the church, we see black smoke, hovering over the man. The man cuts his arm and lets it bleed on the body. The bath tub lights up and after a moment, Abaddon crawls out of the tub.

 At the Men of Letters headquarters, Dean comes in and Kevin almost hits him with a crossbow bolt. He explains about how everything freaked out and the machines all went off as the place went into lockdown. Dean tells him that the angels fell and then takes out his cell phone. Kevin confirms that the systems are back up as Sam hauls Crowley in. They take him to a cell and Dean immediately punches him. Sam tells him to give them the names of every demon on Earth and who they are possessing. Crowley isn't interested but Sam points out that he saw him break down and become human. The demon figures that they won't kill him and they won't seal off the gates of Hell, and they can't torture him more than he would torture himself for kicks. The brothers shrug and walk out, locking the doors behind them.

Kevin demands to know why Crowley is there and why they're keeping him alive. The Winchesters explains that they can hunt down all of the demons, and figure that he'll break. After that, Kevin have the honor of ganking Crowley. The brothers have Kevin check the archives for anything to reverse Metatron's spell.

Abaddon meets with a group of demons and demands to know what is going on in Hell. She says that they should be taking, not paying and making deals. Abaddon tells them that a true king fights and conquers, not sit around and read contracts. Now that Crowley is dead, Abaddon is taking over. She promises to give them new bodies and march into Hell and force everyone to bow to them. One demon is skeptical, pointing out that they all thought Abaddon is dead and they're not sure about Crowley being dead. She demands proof from Abaddon that Crowley is dead, and Abaddon grabs her, forces her demonic essence out of the body, and tells it to go to Hell and warn them that she's coming.

At the Letters headquarters, Dean calls a hunter, Irv Franklin, and tells him what's going on. Irv says that he's on it and signs off. Three US Navy sailors get onto a bus where Jason and two other demons are aboard. The demons take over the sailors, and Abaddon, posing as the bus driver, smiles in satisfaction.

A woman, Tracy Bell, has pulled over and is working on the engine of her car when a man pulls up and offers to help. He offers her a lift and she gets into his van, unaware that he has fangs. A few minutes later, they pull over and the woman, a hunter, kills the monster. However, the demon sailors are waiting and capture her.

The Winchesters get word when the bus turns up empty and drive to the scene. They pose as FBI agents and try to get the MP on duty, Sgt. Miranda Bates, to let them through. When she refuses, they call Kevin and tell him to pretend to be their FBI superior. She soon realizes that he's bluffing, but Kevin checks her background on the Internet, finds her risqué photos from vacation, and tells her to do whatever Sam and Dean say. The sergeant quickly walks off and Kevin tells Dean that he hacked the military computers. The brothers board the bus and confirm that all of the bodies have fatal wounds and are at least ten years old. Sgt. Bates provides them with security footage showing the three sailors walking off along with Abaddon, and they recognize the Knight of Hell.

That night, the three demon-sailors beat another hunter, Pete, and demand to know where they can find the Winchesters. When he refuses to give them up, Abaddon puts a noose around his neck and lifts him up off the ground, choking him.

Kevin gets a call and Abaddon wonders who he is. She says that she got Dean's number and tells him to inform the Winchesters that she has two things that they want. Once she gives Kevin the coordinates, she hangs up. Kevin calls the Winchesters with the information and they put him to work trying to find a way to kill a Knight of Hell. Sam warns that it's a trap and Dean agrees, and figures that they'll walk in guns blazing.

Crowley sits in the darkness and remembers breaking after the injections. The lights come on and Crowley realizes that it's Kevin. The demon calls to him, saying that he always runs, and says that he's weak. After a moment, Kevin comes in.

The Winchesters follow the coordinates to a contaminated city block and find Irv and Tracy. Irv tells them that Abaddon has been trying to find the brothers by torturing hunters for the information. The Winchesters dose them with holy water to make sure that they're legitimate, and Irv introduces Tracy.

Kevin asks Crowley how to kill a Knight of Hell, and the demon offers to kill her if Kevin releases him. The prophet refuses to bargain, but Crowley figures that he's there for revenge for killing Kevin's mother. Crowley points out that Kevin never saw the body and she could still be alive, and Kevin punches him. When Crowley dares him to do better, Kevin glances over at a shelf of torture implements and the demon tells Kevin to let it all out.

The four hunters set up in a local diner and check their weapons. The demon-sailors walk down the street, carrying assault rifles, and Dean calls to them. When the demon-sailors burst into the diner, they realize that Dean has left a iPod with a recording. Meanwhile, the hunters prepare to split up. Sam prepares to go with Tracy, but she shoves him back, saying that a demon celebrated by killing her parents because Sam let Lucifer out of his cage. Dean takes Tracy and Sam goes with Irv as they split up to flank their opponents.

Once Kevin takes a break from beating Crowley, Crowley offers to return his mother. He assures the prophet that he wanted to keep her alive to suffer, and points out that the Winchesters are only keeping Kevin there to help them. Crowley notes that the Winchesters will toss Kevin aside once they're done with him, and that there's always another prophet if Kevin dies. Crowley suggests that they both escape and win for once, and Kevin considers his offer.

Dean and Tracy move into position to pick off the soldiers. As they wait, Dean tells Tracy that Sam thought he was doing right, and they need to focus on killing demons, not each other. Meanwhile, Sam and Irv come in from the other side. Irv asks for the angel blade and says that he'll go in on his own while the others escape. He admits that he screwed up and let Abaddon capture him, and he gave up the name of the other hunters.

Before Sam can say anything one of the sailors takes out Irv using a sniper rifle. Sam returns cover fire and runs back into the diner, only to find another sailors waiting for him.

Abaddon ambushes Dean and stands there, laughing, as Tracy shoots her. The Knight of Hell reveals that she's wearing a bulletproof vest, but Dean throws holy water in her face, distracting her momentarily. Dean gives Tracy the keys to the Impala and tells her to get every weapon she can, and then turns to face Abaddon as the demon recovers. Dean draws an angel blade but Abaddon easily disarms him and drives him to the ground.

The sailor and another one attack Sam, and the third one arrives. They soon subdue him.

Abaddon compliments Dean on being so obedient and demands to know where she can find Crowley. She promises to kill Dean cleanly if he gives up the demon's location, or peel off the anti-demon tattoo and possess him if he doesn't.

As the sailors beat Sam to the ground, Ezekiel takes over. The diner explodes in light and Abaddon realizes that an angel is responsible. She tosses Dean into a nearby storefront and leaves. Dean goes inside and Ezekiel tells him that they were going to kill Sam. The angel insists that he was protecting Sam and Dean admits that he's still getting used to things. Ezekiel says that Sam won't remember anything and hand Dean the demon-killing knife. The angel realizes that Dean is still bothered and he says that it's on him because he convinced Sam not to seal Hell. Ezekiel tells him that he knows all of Sam's thoughts and he knows that Dean did it out of love. Dean warns Ezekiel that he's trusting him and all he can do is hope that he's one of the good guys, and Ezekiel says that he is. All the angel can say is that Dean is doing the right thing.

Later, Dean packs up their gear as Sam wakes up. Sam is surprised that Dean killed three demons on his own but Dean dismisses it as luck. Sam buys it and they go out as Tracy pulls up in the Impala. After they drop her off, they grab some takeout and go to the Letters HQ. There's no sign of Kevin and they go to Crowley's cell. Crowley is still there and gives them two demon names. When they wonder why, Crowley explains that it's payment for the enjoyment that Kevin is giving him.

Dean checks on Kevin and discovers that he's leaving. Kevin says that he's going to find his mother, even though Dean warns that even if she's alive, she's dead in every way that matters. Dean tells Kevin that the demons and angels all want to get their hands on a prophet, and the Letters HQ is the safest place for him to be. Kevin wonders if they want him there because he's useful, and Dean tells him that he's family. As Kevin starts to cry, Dean says that they'd both gladly die for him, because they're all that they have.

Sam is checking on the demon names when Dean comes in and tells him that Kevin is resting but will bounce back. When Dean notices that Sam is looking distracted, Sam admits that what Tracy said about him was right. Dean offers him a drink and assures him that he's helped a lot more people than he's hurt. They share a toast to the present and forgetting the past, and Sam says that he's feeling better than he has in a long time because he has friends and family. He's happy with his life for the first time in forever. Dean sits back, still worried that Ezekiel isn't all that he's claimed.

Characters

 * Sam Winchester / Gadreel
 * Dean Winchester
 * Kevin Tran
 * Crowley
 * Abaddon

Featured Supernatural Beings

 * Angels
 * Demons
 * Vampire

Featured Music
Rockin' Down the Highway by The Doobie Brothers.

Quotes

 * Kevin: It's been a bad couple of day, I haven't slept, I haven't eaten... I'm pretty backed up.
 * Dean: Okay, overshare.


 * Dean: Check the net for anything angel-y.
 * Sam: Or demon-y.
 * Dean: Or monster-y or ghost-y. It's going to be a busy year.
 * Kevin: Cabo, last year.
 * Miranda: What?
 * Kevin: That's my reason... Oh, my favorite's you wearing a sombrero doing a body shot off some naked guy in a luchador mask. Super classy.
 * Miranda: How did you find that?
 * Kevin: Cause I'm Kevin freakin Solo.


 * Dean: So this whole place is poison? (covers crotch)
 * Sam: That's not going to help.
 * Dean: It doesn't hurt.


 * Dean: (to Abaddon) So are we going to fight or make out? 'Coz I'm getting mixed signals here.


 * Dean: This is nuts. You're Sam but you're not Sam. He's the one I'm used to talking to about all this stuff. I'm trusting you Zeke. I just gotta hope that you're one of the good guys.
 * Ezekiel: I am. But I suppose that is what a bad guy would say. Dean Winchester, you are doing the right thing.


 * Crowley: Torture? Brilliant. Can't wait to see Sam in stilettos and a leather bustier really putting the S-A-M into S & M.


 * Abaddon: You know, I've loved this body since the moment I first saw it. You're the perfect vessel, Dean. You give a girl all sorts of nasty ideas. So go ahead and play hard to get, and I'll peel off this "No Demons Allowed" tattoo and blow smoke up your ass.


 * Sam: I'm happy with my life for the first time in....Forever. I am. I really am. Things are good.


 * Dean Winchester: (about Crowley) He's a junk in my trunk.

Continuity

 * Sam and Dean discuss Castiel's loss of grace and the fallen angels from Sacrifice. They also discuss Castiel's phone call from a payphone in Colorado and Dean keeping Crowley in the trunk of the Impala in I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here.
 * Sam discusses Crowley breaking down during the cure in Sacrifice. Crowley tries to blow this off, but seems to have been slightly affected and has flashbacks of the cure.

Trivia

 * The title may be a reference to a James Bond novel of the same name by Sebastian Faulks or a reference to Devil May Cry based on its similar theme of the main characters killing demons.
 * After Crowley says "Hello", Dean punches him in the face before he can say "boys."
 *  The coordinates Abaddon gives Kevin are 44.053051, -123.12786 and point to an industrial estate in Eugene, Oregon.
 * Dean refers to Crowley as Limey which is slang for an English person.
 * This is the first episode that Castiel doesn't appear in this season.

Pop Culture references

 * The episode title could also be a reference to the video game series Devil May Cry, where the characters Dante, Nero and Vergil, who are part-demons, hunt and battle demons.
 * (Kevin fires an arrow from a cross bow)
 * Dean: "What the hell?"
 * Kevin: "Dean, you're alive."
 * Dean: "Yeah, because you're a crappy shot... Katniss."
 * Katniss is a reference to the character Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of The Hunger Games book and film series. She is noted to be an expert with bows.
 * Dean: "Cas is a big boy, if things go Breaking Bad, he's got our number."
 * Breaking Bad is TV show about a high school teacher who establishes a drug empire.
 * Dean: "Well, I figured the King of Hell might know a few things, so why not Zero Dark Thirty his ass?"
 * Refers to the film Zero Dark Thirty
 * Dean: "And why's she playing G.I. Joe?"
 * Refers to the toy G.I. Joe
 * Dean: "We gotta flank SEAL team douche in there"
 * Refers to the United States Navy SEALs
 * Sam: "I'll take demons for a thousand, Alex."
 * Refers to the TV game show Jeopardy! where contestants must answer in the form of a question. The highest score in a category is a thousand points, in Double Jeopardy.
 * Dean refers to himself and Sam as Agents Stark and Banner, referring to the superhero characters Tony Stark aka Iron Man and Bruce Banner aka The Incredible Hulk.
 * Kevin used the last name "Solo" referring to Gary McKinnon (alias: Solo), a hacker who "perpetrated the biggest military computer hack of all time".

Goofs

 * Sgt. Miranda Bates is wearing Private First class rank on her Patrol cap and uniform, as well as missing her name tag on the back of her cap.