Reading Is Fundamental

Reading Is Fundamental is the 21st episode of Season 7.

Synopsis
CASTIEL AWAKES FROM HIS COMATOSE STATE - Meg calls Dean and Sam and tells them Castiel is awake and talking. Meanwhile, a teenager named Kevin gets hit by a bolt of lightning and is turned into a reluctant prophet. Sam and Dean believe Kevin holds the key to defeating the Leviathans but must fight off two Angels who want him for their own purposes.

Plot
The episode begins with a young Asian American honors student named Kevin at home practicing his cello and talking with his friend on the phone about an upcoming test. At the same time, Sam and Dean secure a new hiding place. They wonder what could be in the slab of clay they stole from Dick Roman, and Dean starts whacking at it with a hammer. This sets off a sudden lightning storm in the area. Sam remarks that someone is trying to tell them to stop, and Dean agrees, then resumes hammering the clay. It breaks open, revealing a stone tablet with symbols carved into it. At the same time, a lightning bolt strikes Kevin, sending him into a seizure and filling his mind with the symbols on the tablet. He then falls unconscious. Meanwhile, back at the mental hospital, Meg discovers that Castiel has woken up.

Meanwhile at the construction site for the Leviathans' slaughterhouse, Edgar and another Leviathan are going over the plans for the plant. Edgar is commenting that the line might panic when they see the blades, when he receives a call from Dick Roman. He takes the call, musing out loud why someone would want to name themselves "Dick".

Kevin wakes up in his room, which is in a state of complete disarray. His phone rings and he answers it. It's his mother, who believes he's at school about to take the test. Kevin is alarmed to realize it's morning and he's late for school. His mother hangs up before he can explain anything, and suddenly he begins seeing more visions of glyphs.

At the same time, Dean wakes up at the hiding place. There's a report on the radio about the strange storm that occurred last night. Also, Bobby is present, but they can't see or hear him. Sam speculates that Bobby used up a lot of his energy attacking Dick. The brothers turn their attention to the stone tablet, but are unable to interpret it. They decide they should head for Rufus' cabin for safety. Just then Sam's phone rings. It's Meg. She tells the Winchesters that Castiel has woken up and that they'd better see him now.

Kevin, now driving his mom's car, gets a call from his friend, Channing, who's ranting about how he missed school, a student council-meeting, and his test. His eyes glow...again, and he keeps driving, while claiming he's been chosen - but he doesn't know for what.

The Winchesters meanwhile arrive in Indiana during the night. They go into the psychiatric ward, where they're stopped by a nurse, as it's after visiting hours. Meg, however, shows up and covers for them, saying she's been expecting them. She takes the brothers to Castiel's ward. The fallen angel is waiting for them and greets the brothers happily. He then asks Dean to pull his finger. Dean does so, and all the lights in the room shatter, and Castiel laughs.

While Meg replaces the lights, Sam and Dean speak with Castiel - who has clearly gone crazy. Though he remembers who he is, he seems to be more interested in talking about watching honeybees. Sam gives him the stone tablet, and Castiel reveals it is one of the Word of God. He is unable to translate it, however. Meg wants to look at the tablet, but Dean refuses to let her. They start to argue, which causes Castiel to teleport away, dropping the tablet in the process. It breaks into three pieces. Meg tells them that Cas has probably gone to the dayroom. Dean goes down there to check on him, while Sam collects the pieces of shattered tablet. Meg questions Sam, and when he doesn't answer her, she threatens to leave and take Castiel with her. While they're arguing, someone breaks into the room and steals Sam's bag containing the pieces of tablet.

Outside the hospital, Kevin is running away with Sam's bag. Sam and Meg give chase, and Meg eventually catches him. They quickly figure out he's not a demon or a Leviathan. Kevin begs them not to kill him and apologizes for stealing the tablet, but continues to hold onto it.

More TBA

Major Characters

 * Sam Winchester
 * Dean Winchester
 * Castiel
 * Meg

Minor Characters

 * Kevin
 * Kevin's mother
 * Angels
 * Hester
 * Inias
 * Metatron (mentioned only)
 * Demons
 * Edgar/Detective Collins

Featured Supernatural Beings

 * Angels
 * Demons
 * Leviathans (Edgar)

Quotes

 * Sam: Metatron?!? You're saying a Transformer wrote that?
 * Dean: No, that's Megatron.
 * Sam: What?
 * Dean: The Transformer, it's Megatron.
 * Sam: What?


 * Castiel: Did you know that a cat's penis is sharply barbed along its shaft? I know for a fact that females were not consulted about that.


 * [Castiel and Dean are playing a board game]
 * Castiel: I'm sorry, Dean.
 * Dean: (angry) No, you're playing "Sorry!"

Continuity

 * Castiel and Meg last appeared in "The Born-Again Identity".
 * This episode marks Meg's 10th appearance in the series.
 * This is the first appearance of the angels since "The Man Who Knew Too Much".
 * Due to the civil war in Heaven and Castiel's actions, there are said to be few angels left.
 * This is the first appearance of Edgar since "How To Win Friends And Influence Monsters".
 * Upon seeing Meg and Sam together, Hester remarks, "A demon whore and a Winchester... again." referring to Sam's relationship with Ruby.