Clip Show is the 22nd episode of Season 8. It aired on May 8th, 2013.
Summary
Digging through Men of Letters' files turns up film of an exorcism rite that could be the key to the Third Trial. Metatron enlists Castiel to take on heavenly trials of his own.
Plot
<place lat="39.2686" lon="-105.4681" width="300" height="200" zoom="8" caption="Lost Creek, CO"></place> In Lost Creek, Colorado, Tommy Collins nervously gazes out a cabin window with his girlfriend, remembering the Wendigo attack from years before. Tommy hears a noise that his girlfriend dismisses, and when Tommy assumes the worst and prepares to fight another Wendigo, his head begins gushing blood until it finally explodes.
<place lat="39.8106" lon="-98.5561" width="300" height="200" zoom="8" caption="Lebanon, KS"></place> Back at the Men of Letters base, Sam and Dean pore over old possession files, while Dean remains bitter toward Castiel for not trusting him and Sam with the angel tablet. Following a note from the files, Sam and Dean look through an old storage room, finding a mysterious demon dungeon behind a trap door, before Sam finds the old film they're looking for.
After setting up the projector, the three watch film of two priests performing a unique exorcism, filmed by Josie Sands. The older priest performs an usual exorcism variant that ultimately kills the chained-up demon, though unintentionally. Sam finds that the older priest died some years later, but that the younger continues to practice. Castiel offers his help, but Dean angrily benches him and tells him to get better.
Sam and Dean meet with the priest, who explains that the late Father Thompson had unorthodox ideas about exorcism, and kept materials on saving demons in storage. Sam starts coughing up blood mid-sentence, but Dean assures the concerned priest their plan will succeed. Meanwhile, Castiel awkwardly purchases food, beer and porn to get in Dean's good books, before Metatron appears and asks for a word. Metatron brings Castiel up to speed telling him that Naomi represents one of many warring factions in Heaven, that they might put Heaven back together by confining the angels upstairs to hash things out.
Sam and Dean return to the base to find Castiel gone, before listening to a recording of Father Thompson's final exorcism. Thompson repeatedly injected a trapped demon with his own "purified" blood, each time asking the demon to feel guilt for its actions. When it finally did, begging Thompson to stop the injections, Thompson performed the ritual successfully, apparently cleansing the demon soul of its evil ways. Sam and Dean marvel at the revelation, and opt to test the procedure themselves by reassembling Abaddon in captivity.
<place lat="34.4492" lon="-119.2467" width="300" height="200" zoom="8" caption="Ojai, CA"></place> Castiel follows Metatron to a brunch restaurant in California, where Metatron suggests they complete the angel tablet trials to close the gates of heaven, lest the fighting spill on to Earth. Pointing out their waitress as an angel/human offspring "abomination," Metatron tasks Castiel with killing the young girl as the first trial. After sewing Abaddon back together, minus hands for safety, the demon explains it was she herself who killed Father Thompson years ago. Before the boys can begin the trial, Crowley calls to clue them in to the brothers former save Tommy Collins' death, and provides an address for his next target.
By the time Sam and Dean return to Abaddon, the demon has managed to will her disembodied hands to set her free and escape.
<place lat="40.1792" lon="-85.6719" width="300" height="200" zoom="8" caption="Prosperity, IN"></place> With no other options, Sam and Dean visit the next address to find another former save Jenny Klein, having burnt to death in her own oven. Crowley calls to explain that his sources have given enough intel to kill one of Sam and Dean's past saves every 12 hours until the Winchesters give up the tablet and Kevin Tran.
<place lat="39.7910" lon="-86.1480" width="300" height="200" zoom="8" caption="Indianapolis, IN"></place> Sam and Dean race to the next location in Indianapolis, finding Sam's old love interest Sarah Blake. Meanwhile, Castiel and Metatron follow the young waitress, who quickly reveals she knows their true nature, and attacks to save her own life. After a brief struggle, Castiel manages to stab the angel/human hybrid, narrowly saving Metatron. Sam and Dean do their best to demon-proof Sarah's hotel room before Crowley's deadline, as Sam catches up on Sarah's recent marriage and daughter. Crowley calls a few seconds before midnight, as the brothers prepare for the attack, when Sarah begins choking to death. Sam and Dean frantically search for the hex bag responsible, as Crowley explains that he plans to rip apart their life's work until they give up, keeping all demons away as a precaution. Sarah finally chokes to death, as Dean hurls the phone across the room, revealing the hex bag inside.
Back at the base, Sam considers giving into Crowley's demands, but Dean insists that they soldier on and defeat this challenge as all the rest.
Characters
- Dean Winchester
- Sam Winchester
- Castiel
- Crowley
- Metatron
- Sarah Blake
- Tommy Collins
- Jenny Klein
- Abaddon
- Jane
Quotes
- Sam: My whole body hurts. I feel nauseous and like I'm starving at the same time. And everything smells like rotting meat.
- Dean: I've had that hangover. Jaeger, man.
- Waitress: Cool coat.
- Castiel: No, it's actually quite warm.
- Crowley: Either the cutest little prophet in the world is with you two lugs or you'd better find him tout-bloody-suite because time, she is a-wasting.
- Crowley: Saving people, hunting things, the family business. Well, I think the people you save, they're how you justify your pathetic little lives. The alcoholism, the collateral damage, the pain you've caused. The one thing that allows you to sleep at night, the one thing, is knowing that these folks are out there, still out there, happy and healthy because of you, you great, big, bloody heroes.
- Sarah: You're not the same. Look, it's been years and I can't even imagine the things you've been through. But I don't know, you just seem more focused, confident, like you know what you want. You grew up, Sam. I do miss the old haircut, though.
- Abaddon: I'll stump you to death. It'll be swell.
- Crowley: What the hell. I'm sexting you an address. Check it out. Then we'll talk. Cheerio.
Trivia
- Antagonists: Crowley, Abaddon and Jane.
- Clip Show is a word which refers to an episode which uses clips from the previous episodes. The title is a reference to the re-appearance of three previous characters.
- The line "Saving people, hunting things, the family business" that Crowley speaks, was originally spoken by Dean in the episode Wendigo, which featured Tommy Collins who is killed in this episode.
- It is mentioned in the episode that files on exorcisms that occurred many years in the past have records on both Lizzie Bordon, famous for the accused murders of both of her parents, and Ichabod Crane, who was the inspiration for the "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" story.
- The running gag of Dean never getting his pie continues in this episode too. Castiel goes to a store to shop for Dean. The store has everything that Dean likes, except pie.
- Carver Edlund's Supernatural books make an appearance. Crowley uses the information from these books to track down every single person saved by the brothers.
- The fact that Crowley received information on Jenny Klein, a Season 7 character, from Carver Edlund's books would mean Chuck was still writing the books during Sam and Dean's run-ins with the Leviathans.
Continuity
- Tommy Collins was last seen in Season 1's Wendigo.
- Jenny Klein was last seen in Season 7's Shut Up, Dr. Phil.
- Sarah Blake was last seen in Season 1's Provenance.