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 with a man trying to stop people and preach to them, Dean Winchester thinks about being Michael's vessel when the man mentions "God's plan". Dean goes inside a hotel going to his room, where he speaks to Castiel about how the demons keeping the Colt makes no sense. Castiel speaks about how finding the Colt is the only way they can kill Lucifer. Castiel gets Dean's location and plans to go to Dean. The latter tells Cas he needs to rest and Castiel planned to go to him the next morning. Later that night Dean's phone buzzes and he picks it expecting Castiel. Instead, it's Sam, who wants to get back together with Dean so they can resume hunting demons, but Dean says they were weaker together and better separate.

Sam tells Dean how he is Lucifer's vessel, and Dean tells Sam how hunting Lucifer down for revenge is bad. Sam wants redemption, and Dean reminds him how they helped start the Apocalypse. Dean stated they needed to avoid Michael and Lucifer separately, despite Sam's pleas. Dean told Sam goodbye and went back to sleep. Dean woke up in the hotel, which was trashed and messed up. He left his hotel to explore the destroyed Kansas City, MO. He located a little girl crying in the street and she attacked him with a knife. Dean knocked her unconscious and saw Croatoan spray painted on a wall. A large amount of Croatoan infected people began to chase Dean through the streets of Kansas City. They cornered him but members of the US Army came and began killing the Croatoan infected people.

Dean escaped into a nearby alley hiding, while watching the battle. Later at night he emerged from his hiding place seeing a warning sign that showed the year was 2014. He hot wired a damaged car and left Kansas city. Zachariah teleported into the car with newspaper speaking about how the Croatoan pandemic reached Australia. Dean knew Zach had to be involved with the time traveling mess, and how President Palin supported the bombing of Houston. He spoke about how there were no more sports and he stated he used Christian Fringe group to locate Dean. The latter remembered the Christian from earlier, and Dean asked to return to the past. Zachariah wanted Dean to see the future and remain in the future for three days. Zach spoke about how this was the future of saying no to being Michael's vessel.

Zach vanished and Dean left to Bobby's place. He came in seeing the place torn apart and finding a wheel chair with bullet holes. He found Bobby's journal and saw a picture of Camp Chitaqua and decided to head there, seeing future versions of allies in a picture at that place. He went there and saw the future Impala, his favorite vehicle damaged. He was knocked unconscious and later re-awoke cuffed to a wall. Future Dean began interrogating him after having searched him and used all the methods to check to see if he was a supernatural creature. Dean explained he was from the past and spoke about how Zach pulled him from the past. Future Dean didn't believe him and Dean spoke about how Rhonda made him try on her pink and satiny panties. Future!Dean spoke about how the demons planned to finish off the human race with the Croatoan virus and Dean asked about Sam.

Future!Dean spoke about how Sam got into a showdown in Detroit and died. Dean was saddened and Future Dean spoke about how he hadn't spoke to Sam in five years. Future Dean had a mission to do and told Dean to stay cuffed up to a wall. For the next few hours Dean picked the wooden floor getting a screw out and managed to free himself from his cuffs. He escaped and found Future Chuck. Future Chuck spoke about how they were running out of hygiene supplies and Dean suggested sharing. Future Chuck began asking about the mission he was suppose to be on, and Dean spoke about how he was leaving to go to his mission. Risa came trying to harm Dean who hid behind Future Chuck. Dean asked Future Chuck about Castiel and left to find Future Castiel with several women, organizing an orgy.

Dean began to label Future Castiel, who instantly knew that Dean was from another year. Future Castiel knew it was Zach and Dean wanted to get back to his present team. Future Castiel revealed he wished he could take Dean back to present time, and announced he was stoned. Future Dean returned with some men all drinking beer and one man turned out to be a Croatoan infected. Future Dean killed him quickly, and Dean had revealed his presence. Future Dean led Dean back to his cabin, and they argued about the methods of dealing with the Croatoan infected. Future Dean had decided to kill them and spoke about how in 2014 killing Croatoan infected was a common thing. Dean apologized and the two shared some beer. Dean asked about the mission and Future Dean revealed The Colt which had been wrapped up in a jacket. Future Dean stated how the demons had been moving The Colt around and how after five years he located it.

He planned to kill Lucifer later that day, and later gathered Risa, and Castiel, to meet up with him and his past self. Risa asked about finding Lucifer and Dean spoke about why she was upset. Future Dean spoke about how an important demon they captured last week, had revealed Lucifer's location. Castiel spoke about how useful Future Dean's torture methods were, and Dean commented. Castiel spoke about how it was a spot filled with Croatoan infected and demons. He spoke about how dangerous the plan was and with Risa decided to gather the other soldiers. Dean began asking his future self questions, and the latter wanted Dean to see Sam. Future Dean spoke about how Sam agreed to be Lucifer's vessel, and Future Dean knew he had to kill his brother. Dean was sad his future self was going to kill Sam, and Future!Dean warned him that when Zach took him back to the past, to agree to be Michael's vessel.

Dean spoke about how if Michael possessed him and fought Lucifer half the planet would be destroyed. Future Dean spoke about how half a planet was better then no planet. Future Dean spoke about how he yelled yes multiple times and how he had lost the battle against Lucifer. Future Dean knew Dean would never agree to be Michael's vessel and Future!Chuck told Dean to hoard toilet paper. Future Chuck remained at the base, while the group left to kill Lucifer. Later Dean spoke to Future Castiel about the drugs and other things wrong with him. Future Castiel spoke about how he was no longer an angel, and knew it had something to do with the other angels leaving. Future Castiel spoke about how he missed about being an angel,and how he was depressed. The next morning the group of soldiers lead by Future Dean arrived in a city torn down by the infection.

The group searched the city for Lucifer and finally located the building they needed to break into. Future Dean, Risa, and Future Castiel gather their weapons. Dean knew Future Dean was lying about something and they went to talk alone. Future Dean revealed how the area should have been infested with Croatoan infected and how they had made a path. Dean was upset after learning his future self planned to enter through the back, while letting all his friends die including Future Castiel. Dean decided he would stop Future Dean's plan, but the latter knocked his past self unconscious. Dean woke up hearing gun fire and yells. Dean ran towards the building seeing a fight ensuing inside. There, in a cemetery, Dean confronts Lucifer - now in Sam's body - and witnesses Lucifer kill the Future Dean.

Dean asks Lucifer why doesn't he just kill him now, and Lucifer states that it would be "redundant". He then apologizes 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 told Dean about how he loved God, then humans were created, and he refused to love humans more then God. Dean retorts that he's not buying Lucifer's "sympathy for the devil" talk. Dean stated he would find a way to kill Lucifer and the latter stated he would not say Yes to Michael and would never kill Sam. Lucifer begins 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.