The Curious Case of Dean Winchester

The Curious Case Of Dean Winchester is the 7th episode of Season 5.

Synopsis
Bobby plays a high-stakes poker game with a witch and bets 25 years of his life for a chance to be free of his wheelchair, but he loses. As he begins to rapidly age, Dean attempts to save him, but he also ages into an old man.

Plot
On Bobby's tip, the Winchester brothers look into the case of a twenty-five year old man who apparently died of old age. They broaden their search to include local missing persons cases. While interviewing the wife of a missing man, Cliff Whitlow, Dean searches the house for clues and discovers a receipt from an hourly hotel in the missing man's jacket.

Dean and Sam go to the hotel to the room the man frequents and are about to pick the lock when they hear yelling. They bust down the door, only to discover a fit young man in bed with two women. Dean is ready to leave, but Sam looks through the wallet by the bed, and it's Cliff Whitlow's. Sam and Dean threaten to tell his wife unless he tells them how it is that he's so much younger now and Cliff reveals that he'd won a poker game at a bar against an Irish guy named Patrick.

The boys split up to search because of the number of bars in town and the time constraint. Dean bribes a bartender $100 for directions to the poker game and is headed toward it when he runs into Bobby, who'd already found the game. Dean asks him if he'd stopped the game and Bobby admits that he'd played and lost twenty-five years.

Below, Patrick is demonstrating his ability to "read people" (he says he's not a mindreader; "No such thing") on a couple of marks and flirting with the woman. Dean interrupts and discreetly shows Patrick that he's armed and he comes along quietly to a private room. Dean demands that the he-witch restore Bobby's twenty-five years and threatens him with a pistol. Patrick refuses to give the years back and says that shooting would merely "tickle" him, but that if Dean wants years he can play for them. Dean agrees to play, cashing out 25 years for Bobby up front.

When Sam returns to the motel room, he's startled to discover an old man there: Dean. Bobby shows up soon after. Together, they conclude that the poker chips are the key and that they should steal fifty for Dean. Before they leave, a young woman comes from housekeeping and Dean tries to flirt with her. She compares him to her grandfather and says that he's adorable.

The three hunters are in Bobby's van shadowing Patrick when he gets hit by a convertible. The owner of the car runs to find help and Patrick gets up and steals the car. They follow him to a luxury apartment high-rise and when he leaves, sneak in. The elevator is out of order, so Bobby can't come with them to the he-witch's apartment. Dean huffs and puffs his way up the stairs. The brothers search the apartment and Dean finds a safe that he describes as a "dime store model; piece of cake" to break into, but his failing eyesight makes it impossible for Dean to crack it. Sam shoves him aside and opens the safe, but the woman who was half of the couple at the bar interrupts them and uses telekinesis to restrain the boys. Patrick interrupts her, saying that the Winchesters are harmless and explaining that the chips and incantations are just plywood and showmanship, that the power is in him and the only way to get years is to win them off of him. Dean is eager to go another round, but Patrick says that Dean's too old and that he's not a murderer, but that Sam's welcome to play. Dean orders Sam not to. Patrick allows them to leave, saying that Dean's already punished but that Sam needs a parting gift and claps three times, but refuses to tell him what he did. Exiting the building, Sam starts pulling at his crotch and Dean realizes that the he-witch gave Sam "the clap", aka gonorrhea.

The next day, Sam again says that he wants to play and Dean and Bobby again say that he's not good enough. Bobby, the acknowledged best player in the group, wants to try again, but Dean insists that he doesn't have enough years to spare. Bobby then bursts out that he's got no reason to keep living anyway and that if he wasn't a coward that he'd have killed himself the day he got home from the hospital. When Dean and Bobby return to the motel room, Patrick's girlfriend Lia is waiting for them. She gives them the instructions for "the most powerful reversal spell you ever laid eyes on," saying that it will restore everyone who isn't dead to their original condition, including herself and Patrick. Bobby points out that her giving them this information doesn't make sense. She counters that she has her reasons, fondling her locket.

Patrick is playing an elderly man, Ash; there are two kings in the community cards and we see that Patrick's hole cards are the other two - a strong hand. Ash has two nines. Patrick folds though, calling it a night and letting Ash win a total of thirteen years. When Sam comes up, Patrick tells him that Ash is now going to live to see his granddaughter's bat mitzvah. Sam is somewhat baffled by this apparent altruism, but tells Patrick to that he wants to play. Meanwhile, Bobby and Dean are digging up a grave to get the jawbone of a murderer for the spell (well, Dean's digging and Bobby's watching). Dean whines about his various aches and pains and Bobby tells him that those are normal and to keep digging, as they don't have a Plan B.

Patrick asks Sam if his big brother knows he's playing and Sam doesn't answer. He then continues to poke at Sam's little brother status, saying that he's not treated as an equal but he's still trying to clean up Dean and Bobby's mess. Lia comes in and distracts Patrick, who asks for a short break. Sam takes the toothpick Patrick had been chewing and gives it to Dean to be used in the spell and then returns to the game.

Dean and Bobby do the ritual, but nothing happens. Patrick reveals to Sam that the toothpick he took never past his lips and begins to telekineticlly choke Sam. Lia stops him though, confessing that she gave Sam the spell. Patrick and Sam return to the game. Sam wins on a poor hand by bluffing, but then Patrick reveals that Dean is going to die within minutes. Sam tries to leave, but Patrick again grabs him telekinetically and tells him that the game isn't over until he says it is. Bobby and Dean head back to Patrick's apartment in search of DNA for the spell. Dean sees a used wine glass that would work for the ritual, but collapses before he can reach it.

Sam is obviously upset over his brother's plight and Patrick mocks him about it. Sam then shoves all his chips in and Patrick matches his bet and reveals a hand to two aces, joined with one of the community cards to make three. Sam trumps it with a pocket fours with a pair of fours in the community and cashes the chips in for Dean, who then comes out of the apartment building, restored to his proper age again.

Patrick and Lia are alone and she opens the locket, showing two pictures, one of an infant and one of an elderly woman, saying that both are of her deceased daughter and that she misses her family and can't go on, although she does love Patrick. He plays her for all her chips and he wins with the king and queen of hearts.

Back at the motel, Bobby expresses disbelief that Sam won, but Sam says that he just got lucky and heads out to "nowhere", but in response to the look that Dean gives him, admits that he's going to get a booster shot. Dean apologizes to Bobby for calling him an idiot and admits that he'd never stop complaining if he were in Bobby's situation. He says that Bobby hasn't ceased to be a soldier just because he's injured and explains that he and Sam don't have much left and that he needs Bobby.

Featured Supernatural Being

 * Witches

Major Characters

 * Sam Winchester
 * Dean Winchester
 * Bobby Singer

Minor Characters

 * Patrick
 * Lia

Featured Music
"Early Blues" by APM "I Want All My Money Back" by Loonie Brooks

Continuity

 * This episode corroborates Jo's statement that Hunters suck at poker. (No Exit)

Quotes
[the brothers exchange an uneasy glance] Sam - S'cuse me? Coroner - It's just that you're a day early. First time in history I haven't sat on my ass waiting for you people. Dean - New administration. "A change you can believe in." Coroner - ...Right. [claps three times] Sam - What are you doing? Patrick - You'll find out soon enough. [the brothers exit hotel; Sam crouches, feels obvious discomfort in pelvic area] Dean - Dude, I believe that he-witch just gave you the clap. [Sam's face goes blank, straightens up, walks away briskly] Bobby - Brains trumps legs, apparently. Bobby - We don't. We ain't got a plan B. Now less flapping and more digging. Dean - Oh, god. My elbows. I'm all creaky. Bobby - Hurry up, you crybaby. Dean - Pound it up your ass, Ironsides. Bobby - One little grave. Dean - Then you do it. Bobby - Fine! I'll hop right in. Dean - At least your legs are numb. Bobby - Shut up and dig, grandma. Dean - Ow! Now it's my back. Bobby - Can you straighten up? Dean - Yeah, but a little sympathy wouldn't hurt. Bobby - Butt-cheek tingling? Dean - Well, that's kinda personal. Bobby - So, yeah? It's sciatica. You'll live. Keep digging. Dean - You know, Bobby, killing you is officially on my Bucket List. Dean - Where you goin'? Sam - Uhm...nowhere... [awkward pause] Sam - ...A booster-shot. Don't say it. Bobby - Planting daisies. What's it look like?
 * Coroner - You expect me to believe you're CDC?
 * Patrick - You're free to go. Oh, but, Sam. Your brother's situation, that's punishment enough...but I can't let you leave without a small parting gift...
 * Dean - How'd you get here so fast?
 * Dean - [digging up a grave] Jawbone of a murderer. Great. You know, this really sucks. How do we even know her spell's gonna work?
 * Sam - Hey, uh, I'll see y'all guys later.
 * Bobby - Now are we done feeling our feelings? 'Cause I'd like to get out of this room before we both start growing lady parts.
 * Dean - Bobby, what the hell you doing here?