The End

The End is the 4th episode of Season 5.

Synopsis


Dean travels five years into the future and is attacked by zombies who were turned into monsters after being infected with a demonic virus. Dean soon learns that the Virus is Lucifer's tool to destroy mankind.

Summary
The episode begins as Dean parks in front of a hotel in Kansas City, as a sidewalk preacher tries to reach passersby. As Dean enters the hotel, the man approaches him and asks him if he's thought about "God's plan" for him. "Too freakin' much, pal.",  he replies, and pushes past him. Inside his room, he discusses with Castiel on the phone about how the demons keeping the Colt makes no sense; they would surely have melted it down by now. But, Castiel is sure that it is about, and that finding it is the only way they can kill Lucifer, if they are still intent upon the insane task of trying to do so. Castiel gets Dean's location and wants to meet immediately, but Dean demands that he leave it for at least 4 hours, as he's just driven a straight 16 hours and needs rest. Cas, standing on a roadside, relents and says he'll wait.

Later that night, Dean's phone buzzes and he picks it expecting it to be an anxious Castiel. Instead, it's a panicked Sam. He tells him that Lucifer has approached him and declared him as his vessel. Sam wants to resume hunting with Dean so that they can hunt Lucifer together. However,  Dean is sadly resolved that they are better hunters separately than they are as a team. Especially now that it's revealed that they are "the Fire and the Oil of the Armageddon,"  the chosen but unwilling vessels of Heaven and Hell, they should probably pick different hemispheres to live in. He reminds Sam that the players in control will always use their devotion to each other against them in order to reach their own ends. Sam begs him to reconsider, insisting they can defeat them. But, Dean tearfully refuses and hangs up on him.

Dean wakes up in a trashed-out hotel room, confused. He looks out the broken window and sees that Kansas City has been laid to waste. There are no other people around. He leaves the hotel on foot to explore the rest of the city, encountering no one until he comes across a little girl cowering in an alley. He approaches her slowly, asking if she's lost or hurt, but she suddenly growls and jumps at him swinging a chard of glass. Dean reactively swings and knocks her unconscious. He then turns and sees the word "Croatoan" painted in red on a brick wall. Dread comes over his face just as a small army of Croatoan-infected people come around the corner and begin to chase him through the destroyed city. He eventually runs into a dead end, with little hope of climing the barbed wire fence in time. Just before they descend upon him, a heavily armed military unit appears and opens fire, barely missing Dean, but allowing him time to escape into an alley.

Night falls, and he emerges from his hiding place and breaks though a fence. He looks back to see the No Entry warning sign on the fence designating Kansas City as a Croatoan Virus Hot Zone. It's dated August 1st, 2014. He is confused. He hot wires an abandoned car and speeds off. As he tries to find a cell signal or even a radio station, Zachariah teleports into the car, much to Dean's dismay. "I thought I smelled your stink on this 'Back To the Future' crap," Dean snarls. Zachariah has arrived with a newspaper and languidly begins reading the horrible headlines aloud: Croatoan Pandemic Reaches Australia; President Palin Defends the Bombing of Houston; there are no more sports because what's left of Congress has revoked the right of Public Assembly. Dean wants to know how he found him (he has an Enochial sigil etched into his ribcage). Zachariah mockingly laments that they've had to resort to the unorthodox method of using of human informants; the angels have made "inspirational visits," complete with Dean's image, to some members of the "fringier Christian groups." Dean then recalls the sidewalk preacher that approached him as he entered the hotel. Dean demands that he send him back to 2009, but Zachariah says wants him to remain in the future for three days, because needs to see the state the world will be in if he continues to refuse to be Michael's vessel. Zachariah vanishes.

Dean arrives at Bobby's place. It's in shambles. He finds Bobby's wheel chair tipped over with bloody bullet holes in it. He goes the secret hiding place of Bobby's journal and finds a picture of several men with shotguns, Bobby and Cas among them, posing beside the welcome sign to Camp Chitaugua. He goes to the camp under cover of darkness and illudes the guards at the gate. He recognizes his junked out Baby amongst the vehicles in the compound and swoops in to inspect the damage to her. While he does, a figure approaches from behind and knocks him unconscious with one blow.

NowDean awakes to find himself hand cuffed to a fixed ladder and FutureDean staring at him from across the room. "What the hell?," NowDean mutters.  FutureDean is just as confused. He tells NowDean that he's searched him and used all the known methods to check if he was a supernatural creature while he was knocked out, so he knows he's not one. But, he wants an explantion as to why NowDean has every single tool and trick on his person that FutureDeans carries and, most of all, he wants to know why they share such a striking resemblance. NowDean explains that he has been transplanted into 2014 from the year 2009, courtesy of Zachariah. FutureDean still disbelieves and challenges NowDean to tell him something that only he would know. NowDean recalls that when 'they' were 19, Rhonda Hurley made them try on her pink satiny panties, and that they kinda liked it. FutureDean cracks a little smile and says "touch&egrave:."

They discuss the demons' endgame to finish off the human race with the Croatoan virus. NowDean asks about Sam. FutureDean him that there was a "heavyweight showdown in Detroit," and that from what he understands, Sam didn't make it. NowDean looks sad and somewhat ashamed to learn that he wasn't with him at the time, and that he hadn't spoken to Sam in the five years previous to the showdown. He asks FutureDean if  'they' ever tried to find him, FutureDean glumly replies that he's got other people to worry about.

FutureDean has a mission to do and leaves Now Dean shackled. Eventually, Now Dean manages to claw a nail out of the wood flooring and free himself from his cuffs. He tries to sneak out into the compound but is approached by Future Chuck, who concernedly asks him for guidance about dwindling perishable and hygiene supplies for the community. A flustered Now Dean suggestes, that they maybe, uh...share?? Chuck is confused by his answer, and then suddenly remembers and queries: "aren't you supposed to be out on a mission right now?" Now Dean, still flustered, says, yes, he was just  leaving for 'the mission.'  Before he can turn to go, Risa approaches him from behind and takes a very purposeful swing at him, followed by a kick. Dean leaps behind Chuck, using him a shield from further abuse. Risa is angry that Future Dean spent time in another woman's cabin the night before. She angrily departs. Dean recovers, and asks Chuck if Cas is still in the camp. Chuck laughingly says, yeah, he doesn't think Cas is going anywhere.

Now Dean finds Future Castiel in his cabin in half lotus, uttering nonsense at the head of a circle of entranced women. Cas sees Dean slip in and, referring to Dean as their "fearless leader," tells the ladies that he needs to confer with him, and suggests to them that they all go get "washed up for the orgy." He stands and stretches.

"What are you, a hippie??," says New Dean. Initially irritated about being labeled by Dean again, Cas turns and immediately recognizes that the Dean in front of him is from another time. Castiel knows it was only Zachariah who would have done such a thing. Dean, mistakenly believing that Cas could simply wisk him back to his proper time, tells him to do so. When Cas breaks into laughter at this request, Dean asks him if he's stoned. Cas replies, "Generally, yeah."

Future Dean returns to camp with his fellow hunters, and the men file out of the jeep. They all crack beers in celebration of returning from a successful mission. As Now Dean walks toward them, Future Dean raises his gun and shoots a member of his hunting party in the head. Now Dean screams out, horrified. Everyone else is just as horrified at the sight of another Dean. Future Dean assures all onlookers that while the situation is messed up, he will inform them of anything they need to know, when they need to know it.

Future Dean shoves Now Dean back into his cabin, and they argue about which is more disturbing for the community: seeing their leader kill one of them in cold blood, or watching their leader converse with his clone. Furious Future Dean points out that times are such that killing the Croatoan infected (" Croats") is commonplace, while conversing with one's clone is not. Future warns Now to back off, because this is not his time. Now Dean backs down, and apologizes. Future accepts his apology, and then pours drinks for them. Now Dean asks about the mission they went on. Future Dean reveales The Colt. Now Dean thought it was long gone, but Future Dean tells him that the demons have been moving it around as much as they could but, after five years of searching, he finally found it. "Tonight," he says, "I'm gonna kill the Devil."

Future Dean has a meeting with Risa, Castiel, and his past self. Risa is skeptical about the capabilities of the Colt, and about the prospects of finding Lucifer's whereabouts. Future Dean says the demon they captured last week was an important part of Lucifer's entourage, and that he revealed Lucifer's location. Risa is dubious that a demon would be honest, but Dean assures her that the intel is correct. Castiel informs her that Dean is "all too well-schooled in the art of getting to the truth. Now Dean voices his disgust that Future Dean has resorted to torture.

Dean shows them a map of the area they'll be raiding in order to get to Lucifer. Castiel points out that it's a hot zone, filled with Croats and demons, and suggests that rushing up the driveway is a bit reckless. Future Dean sternly asks Cas if he's coming. He says of course he is, but asks Future why he's allowing Now Dean to go. Future refuses an answer, only shouting that he is coming. Cas gives up the debate, and he and  Risa leave to gather the other soldiers. Now Dean is also curious as to why his future self wants him to go along; Future Dean finally reveals that he wants Now to see what happened to Sam. Now Dean thought that Future's earlier statement that Sam didn't make it out of the showdown in Detroit meant that Sam was dead. Future Dean reveals that Sam didn't die, but he did say "the big yes" to becoming Lucifer's vessel. Now, after everything, he realizes he has to kill his brother. Future Dean then begs Now Dean to say yes to being Michael's vessel when Zachariah zaps him back. NowDean protests, saying that the battle that would ensue would torch half the planet. Future Dean points out that half a planet would be better than no planet, which is what they have now. NowDean asks why he didn't say yes eventually, Future says he tried but that by the time he did, the angels had already bailed. NowDean is still adamant that there must be another way. FutureDean sadly realizes that he will not convince NowDean to submit.

As the team departs, Chuck, who stays behind, tries to impart upon NowDean how important it is to start hoarding toilet paper as soon as he gets back to 2009. NowDean rides with shotgun with Cas. He is curious about why the historically uptight Cass is now all about sex, drugs, etc. Castiel says he's no longer an angel, and knew it had something to do with the other angels bailing on Earth. His angel mojo just drained away. He misses being an angel and is depressed about it, but figures a bit of decadence is in order, considering the state of things.

The next morning the group arrives in a city torn down by the infection. They search and finally locate the building they need to break into. FutureDean, Risa, and Castiel prepare their weapons. FutureDean tells the tem to go in through a 2nd story window. Risa voices concern about the game plan and she and Cas exchange glances. But, FutureDean tells them to trust him; "They'll never see us coming." They comply. NewDean senses that something is a amiss and pulls Future away for a talk. He tells Future that he can tell that he's lying to everyone; he's seen his lying expressions in the mirror. When NowDean threatens to take his concerns to the rest of the team, FutureDean finally that admits he knows the path to Lucifer is a trap, and that he's using the team as a front door diversion while he sneaks in the back way. NowDean is horrified that Future would sacrifice his friends, including Cas, as a means to an end. Future puts it to him that that sentiment is part of what got the planet into the state it's in now. His job is to kill Lucifer and save what's left of the planet, and that is what he intends to do. NowDean tries to stop him, but he's knocked unconscious by Future.

NowDean wakes up to the sight and sound of gunfire on from the second floor. He runs around the building, just in time to see Lucifer - now in Sam's body - snap Future Dean's neck.

Dean asks Lucifer why doesn't he just kill him now. Lucifer turns and looks at the body of FutureDean and states that it would be "redundant". Lucifer says e realizes how traumatizing it must for Dean having to see him in his brother's body - but it's the only way it things could have turned out. Lucifer speaks about how beautiful the Earth is and about how he fell from Grace. Lucifer tells Dean about how he loved God completely. Then, He created humans and commanded the angels to love them even more. Lucifer maintains that his only crime was his to refusal to love the "little hairless apes" more than he loved God. Dean retorts that he's not buying Lucifer's "sympathy-for-the-Devil crap." The only difference beween him and the monsters that he's been hunting and killing his whole life, is the size of his ego. Lucifer gives him a condescending smile and declares that he likes him; He gets what the other angels see in him. Lucifer says 'goodbye', they'll meet again soon, and walks away. Dean shouts after him that he won't stop until he finds a way to kill him. Lucifer retorts that he already knows he will try, and he will not say 'yes' to Michael, and that he would never kill Sam. But no matter what choices or details Dean changes, Lucifer  says, they will always end up where they are right now. Dean, sobbing, tells him that is is wrong. Lucifer gives him a condecending smile and says " rbegins to lecture him telling him he would end up in this future. Lucifer teleports away and Zachariah found Dean ready to return him to the past.

Zachariah told Dean that he needed to say yes to Michael, to prevent the death of billions but Dean continues to refuse. Zachariah was upset, and Dean stated he had another lesson. Suddenly Castiel used his powers to get Dean to his location and the latter told his angel friend to never change. Castiel asked questions about how Zach located Dean and the latter didn't have enough time. Dean stated to stay away from Jehovah's witnesses and called Sam, meeting up with him the next day. Dean had Ruby's knife and he gave it to Sam. Dean apologized for leaving Sam and stated they needed each either to hunt together. Dean decided they needed to create their own future.

Featured Supernatural Beings

 * Angels
 * Lucifer
 * Croatoan-infected Zombies

Major Characters

 * Dean Winchester
 * Sam Winchester / Lucifer
 * Zachariah
 * Castiel

Minor Characters

 * Chuck
 * Risa
 * Yeager

Featured Music
"Do You Love Me" by The Contours

Continuity

 * Sam and Dean are still separated, until the end of the episode.
 * The Colt returns in this episode.
 * Future Dean attempts to kill Lucifer with the Colt but fails. Sam and Dean will attempt to do the same later in the present, but also fail because Lucifer is immune to the Colt.
 * The Croatoan Virus was first introduced in Croatoan.
 * This is the first time we see Sam Winchester as Lucifer  we won't see this again until the season 5 finale.

Trivia

 * Antagonists: Zachariah, Lucifer
 * For the scene with future Dean and present Dean, Jensen did the scenes with his stunt double (this is after they hired some guy to do it, but it didn't work out).
 * This is one of the only four episodes where Lucifer is not portrayed by Mark Pellegrino. The other three are Lucifer Rising, Sympathy for the Devil and Swan Song.
 * There was mixed opinion amongst fans as to whether the future shown here is "real" or merely constructed by Zachariah to persuade Dean to become Michael's Vessel. Commentary on 5.04 The End on the Season 5 DVD by Ben Edlund and Eric Kripke supports that this is an alternate universe model, rather than time travel.
 * Originally it was supposed to be more an effect of time travel, as the future Dean would discuss remembering these events from present Dean's point of view, but the premise became so complicated that they changed it to an alternate universe instead.
 * The future version of Dean was not wearing his amulet Sam gave him. It is possible this is because he disposed of it when he lost Sam. Interestingly, later on in the season the present Dean disposes of the amulet.
 * This episode is very popular in fandom.
 * At one point Dean says, "You're not fooling me, you know that? With this sympathy-for-the-devil crap. I know what you are." "Sympathy for the Devil" is the name of a song by the Rolling Stones and the title of the Season Five premiere.
 * The filming for the episode started on August 6th, and ended on the 18th.
 * When Dean looked out the window the theatre sign said "NOW PLAYING: ROUTE 666". Route 666 was the name of a Season 1 episode.

Quotes

 * Castiel: This isn’t funny, Dean. The voice says I'm almost out of minutes!


 * Dean: Ronda Hurley. We were... 19. She made us try on her panties. They were pink and satiny, and you know what? We kinda liked it.
 * Future Dean: *Thinks on it a minute* Touche.


 * Dean: Oh come on! You don't trust yourself?!
 * Future Dean: No. Absolutely not.
 * [Future Dean leaves]
 * Dean: Dick.


 * Risa: You spent the night in Jane's cabin last night, didn't you?
 * Dean: Uh, what? I—I don't — did I?
 * Risa: I thought we had a "connection".
 * Dean: Well, I'm sure that we do.


 * Dean: Jeez. I'm getting busted for stuff I haven't even done yet.


 * Dean: What, are you stoned?
 * Future Castiel: Uh, generally, yeah.
 * Dean: What happened to you?
 * Future Castiel: Life.


 * Lucifer: You don't have to be afraid of me, Dean. What do you think I'm going to do?
 * Dean: I don't know. Maybe deep-fry the planet?
 * Lucifer: Why? Why would I want to destroy this stunning thing? Beautiful, in a trillion different ways. The last perfect handiwork of God.
 * (Dean doesn't answer)
 * Lucifer: You heard the story about how I fell from grace?
 * Dean: Oh, Good God, your'e not gonna tell me a bed time story, are you? My stomach is almost out of bile.
 * Lucifer: Do you know why God cast me down? Because I loved him. More than anything. And then, he created-  you. The little... hairless apes. And then he asked us all to bow down before you, to love you more than him. And I said, "Father I can't." I said "These human beings are flawed, murderous." And for that, God had Michael cast me into hell. Now, tell me, does the punishment fit the crime? Especially when I was right?. Look what six billion of you have done to this thing. And how many of you blame me for it.
 * Dean: Your not fooling me, you know that? With this sympathy for the devil crap. I know what you are.           Lucifer: What am I?
 * Dean: The same thing, only bigger. The same brand of cockroach I've been sguashing my whole life. An ugly, evil, belly to the ground, supernatural piece of crap. The only difference between them and you is the size of your ego.
 * (Lucifer smiles)
 * Lucifer: I like you Dean. I get what the other angels see in you. Goodbye. We'll meet again soon.
 * (Lucifer turns away to leave)
 * Dean: You better kill me now!
 * (Lucifer turns back)
 * Lucifer: Pardon?
 * Dean: You better klll me now. Or I swear, I'll find a way to kill you. And I wont stop
 * Lucifer: I know you won't. I know you won't say yes to Michael, either. And I know you won't kill Sam. Whatever you do, you will always end up here. Whatever choices you make, whatever details you alter, we will always end up - here. I win. So I win.
 * Dean: Your wrong.
 * Lucifer: See you in five years, Dean.