Inherit the Earth is the 19th episode of Season 15. It aired on November 12, 2020.
Summary[]
There was something about being there... It felt pure. This episode summary is an official CW press release. It may contain errors. DO NOT CHANGE! |
Everything is on the line as the battle against God (guest star Rob Benedict) continues. A familiar face returns to join the fight.
Plot[]
Across the Earth, buildings and parks sit abandoned as everyone has disappeared. Sam and Jack walk through the empty streets, and Dean pulls up in the Impala and greets them. They compare notes, and realize that everyone else is gone. Dean says that Castiel is dead, having sacrificed himself to save Dean from Billie by summoning the Empty. Sam tries to call their friends Jody and gets her voicemail.
Sam and Dean go into an empty bar and figure they're all that are left. Outside, Jack prays to Castiel but gets no response. He walks near some plants, and his presence causes them to die. He goes in to join the brothers, and Sam blames himself for failing to "rewrite" Chuck and eliminate him. Jack says that they can't give up, and Sam wonders what other choice they have.
That night, Sam and Dean drive to a deserted street and wait for Chuck. Chuck appears and Dean tells him that he won, and the brothers tell him that they'll kill each other for Chuck's benefit, once he puts everything back... including Castiel. Sam says that they're surrendering, and Chuck tells that it's too little too late and he's enjoying the new "story" of them on Earth alone because they wouldn't do what he wanted earlier.
The trio return to the bunker, and Jack lies on his bed staring at the ceiling. Sam finds Dean sleeping in the kitchen after drinking, and wakes him up. Meanwhile, Jack sits up and goes to the kitchen. He says that he's sensing a presence of something out there besides them. He admits that he doesn't know why he's feeling it.
The trio follow Jack's senses to a gas station. Dean finds a dog. He names it "Miracle" and shows it to Sam, and suggests that there might also be people who survived Chuck's purge. Dean puts Miracle in the Impala and says that he's the best thing that happened in the last few days. The dog disappears, as a taunting Chuck waves to Dean from a nearby field.
As the trio drive back to the bunker, Dean complains that they can't even save a dog. Jack directs them to a church, and says that the presence he's picking on up is in or near the church. They go in and finds the archangel Michael waiting for them. Michael explains that he took refuge in the church when the Rapture began, and says that he's avoided using any powers that might draw Chuck's attention. He admits that Chuck exterminated Adam, and Dean explains that Chuck left them alive out of a sense of humor.
Michael has been reading through the Bible, and says that he made sure all of the angels and prophets burnished Chuck's images on earth and Jack then asks what Michael will do now that he's seen what his father's done. The archangel asks them what they need him to do. They go to the bunker and Sam shows Michael the Death Book about God. The trio hope that he can read it, but Michael is unable to do so.
Later, Sam asks Dean what they can do . Dean figures that they're screwed, just as Castiel seemingly calls and says that he's hurt, and they should let him in. Dean opens it to find Lucifer is there, posing as Castiel, and teleports in when Dean slams the door in his face. He explains that the Empty booted him out with instructions to find the Book and use it on Chuck. Lucifer warns that the Empty is not happy, and is thrilled that they're a team again. Dean tells him that's not what's happening, and Lucifer points out that Empty called him in because the Winchesters can't handle it.
Lucifer says that he brought a token of good faith, and makes a gagged woman appear. He explains that Betty is a reaper, and Lucifer stabs her with an angel blade. Once she dies, Lucifer says that it's the first reaper to die since Billie. Betty comes back to life, and Lucifer introduces Betty as the new Death.
Dean ungags Betty, who head butts him and frees herself. The ring and scythe appear in her hand, and she tells the Winchesters to hand over the Book. They take her to the Book, and she takes it on her own. They join Jack, Michael, and Lucifer in the main room, Michael asks if the Winchesters are thinking of trusting Lucifer. When his brother inquiries about his first banishment to hell, Michael insisted he did what was the right thing to do, not to please God. Lucifer points out that Chuck had no love to give to anyone.
Betty arrives with the Book and says that she knows how God ends. She reads from the Book, but Lucifer destroys her and transports the open Book to his hands before she can finish. Lucifer then explains that Chuck left him out of the Empty, and knocks the brothers away when they come after him. He easily avoids Michael's divine bolts, and blasts him back.
Lucifer turns to Jack and asks him whether he's going to join Lucifer and Chuck, or die. As the Winchesters recover, Michael appears behind Lucifer and stabs him with an archangel blade. Lucifer drops the Book and dies, exploding into ash. Michael thanks Sam for the blade.
Later in the kitchen, Dean checks on Michael. Michael admits that he's winded, and Dean figures that Chuck is getting desperate because he sent Lucifer instead of coming himself. The archangel says that the Book is useless without Death to read it. Sam has recognized some of the writing as Enochian and is using the Book of the Damned to try and translate it.
Dean, Jack, and Michael go through the lore. Sam joins them and says he was able to piece together the spell to kill Chuck. It has to be done at a precise place, and warns that it will release an unstoppable force that will find Chuck and finish him.
The group drive to the spot and cast the spell. White light surges out and then the spell ends. Chuck appears and knocks the Winchesters and Jack away. Michael greets his father, as Chuck thanks him for the warnings. Michael responds that it’s always been his destiny to serve him. Chuck says that he couldn't tolerate Michael siding with the Winchesters. Michael tries to plead with his father, but Chuck silences and destroys him.
Once Chuck is done, he tells the Winchesters that eternal suffering is kind of boring. He says that he's canceling their show, as Sam states then he has to try something and punches him. The blow has no effect, and Chuck gestures and drops them to their knees. Rather than snapping his fingers and destroying them, he instead settles for beating them. They keep coming at him and he keeps beating them down, breaking their bones.
The Winchesters get up again, and Chuck beats them some more. Despite his advice to stay down and give up, they keep getting up and Chuck keeps beating them. After becoming bloodied, Chuck mocks the brothers on the sad attempt. However, the pair get up again and smile. Chuck wonders why, and Sam tells him that he loses.
Chuck turns and sees that Jack has recovered, glaring at his grandfather. Chuck tries to destroy him, but his finger snapping doesn't work. Jack approaches and grabs his grandfather by the head and absorbs his divine power. After a minute, Chuck collapses to the ground. With a snap, Jack heals the Winchesters' injuries. Sam picks up the open book. Dean tells Chuck that they won, as Chuck asked if this was in his book and Sam shows him the open Book. A shocked Chuck finds the pages are blank, and the Winchesters point out that only Death can read it, so they came up with a Plan B.
The brothers faked being able to read the book because they realized that Michael would side with Chuck. It turns out since Jack exploded from being a bomb, it made him a power vacuum. The Winchesters noticed Jack had sucked up the power from plants and Michael and Lucifer when they were fighting and died, So when Chuck showed up, he released all kinds of power. The Winchesters reveal that they allowed Chuck to beat them senseless so that Jack could absorb some of that power and become God level.
Amused, Chuck laughs and says that that's why the Winchesters are his favorites. He remarks he has no idea on what comes next and wonders if they will kill him, because he can't think of an ending where he loses at the hands of the brothers. Chuck admits that dying at their hands is kind of glorious, but Dean sarcastically apologizes. The Winchesters and Jack start to walk away, and Dean tells him that he's not a killer. Jack assures Sam that Chuck's power won't come back to him, and Dean tells him that it's the ending where Chuck is mortal now. They state that he will get sick, old, and will die, while nobody cares and he is just forgotten. As the trio leaves, Chuck begs them to wait but they ignore him and drive off while he collapsed to the ground in despair.
In the nearest city, Jack uses some of his new power to return everyone in the world back to life, with no knowledge that they were ever gone.
The Winchesters congratulate Jack, and Sam wonders what they call him. Dean doesn't care, and Jack confirms that Amara is with him and that now they're "in harmony". Jack refuses to go back with them to their "home", saying that he's already everywhere. When Sam wonders if Jack is God, Jack says he is him and that he'll be around in everything. Dean says that everyone is looking to Jack for answers, and Jack tells the brothers that the answers are within everyone... someday. All they need to know is that Jack is a part of them. Jack assures the brothers that he won't be hands on, and he won't write himself into the story the way that Chuck did, feeling that was his mistake. Jack waves goodbye and walks away, then disappears.
Back at the bunker, Sam and Dean drink beers and talk about how quiet it is. Dean offers a toast to everyone that they lost along the way, and Sam notes that they get to write their own story instead of Chuck. Dean figures that they're finally free, and the brothers leave together.
A musical montage to "Running on Empty" of the past fifteen years of the show is played as Sam and Dean drive into the sunset.
Characters[]
Starring[]
Guest Stars[]
- Jake Abel as Michael
- Rob Benedict as God
- Kimberly Sustad as Betty
- Kim Rhodes as Jody Mills (voice)
- Misha Collins as Castiel (voice)
Special Guest Star[]
Co-Stars[]
- Meena Mann as Casey Ahuja
Featured Supernatural Beings[]
- Angels (Zachariah, Anna Milton, Metatron and Anael, flashback only)
- Archangels (Michael and Lucifer; Gabriel, flashback only)
- Crossroad Demon (Crowley, flashback only)
- Demons (Ruby, Meg and Belphegor, flashback only)
- Dreamwalkers (Kaia Nieves, flashback only)
- Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Death, flashback only)
- Knight of Hell (Abaddon, flashback only)
- Nephilim (Jack)
- Primordial Entities (God; The Darkness, The Shadow, mentioned and flashback only)
- Prince of Hell (Asmodeus, flashback only)
- Prophet (Kevin Tran, flashback only)
- Psychics (Pamela Barnes, Patience Turner, Missouri Moseley, flashback only)
- Reapers (Betty; Billie, mentioned only)
- Seraph (Castiel, mentioned and flashback)
- Vengeful Spirit (Sailor's Ghost, flashback only)
- Werewolf (Garth, flashback only)
- Witch (Rowena MacLeod, flashback only)
- Zanna (Sully, flashback only)
Continuity[]
- God previously appeared in Unity.
- Jody Mills previously appeared in Galaxy Brain.
- Garth Fitzgerald IV previously appeared in The Heroes' Journey.
- Michael previously appeared in Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven.
- Lucifer previously appeared in Jack in the Box.
- Castiel was mentioned and shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Despair.
- Donna Hanscum was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Despair.
- The Shadow was shown in a flashback. They previously appeared in Despair.
- The Darkness was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Unity.
- Anael was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Destiny's Child.
- Ruby was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Destiny's Child.
- Alex Jones was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Galaxy Brain.
- Kaia Nieves was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Galaxy Brain.
- Eileen Leahy was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in The Trap.
- Rowena MacLeod was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven.
- Adam Milligan was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven.
- Becky Rosen was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Atomic Monsters.
- Belphegor was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in The Rupture.
- Arthur Ketch was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in The Rupture.
- Kevin Tran was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Raising Hell.
- Mary Winchester was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Absence.
- John Winchester was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Lebanon.
- Pamela Barnes was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Nihilism.
- Kelly Kline was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Byzantium.
- Gabriel was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Exodus.
- Asmodeus was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Bring 'em Back Alive.
- Daphne Blake was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Scoobynatural.
- Claire Novak was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Wayward Sisters.
- Patience Turner was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Wayward Sisters.
- Missouri Moseley was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Patience.
- Crowley was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in All Along the Watchtower.
- Mick Davies was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in The British Invasion.
- Vince Vincente was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Mamma Mia.
- Metatron was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in All in the Family.
- Bobby Singer was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Safe House.
- Rufus Turner was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Safe House.
- Sully was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Just My Imagination.
- Death was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Brother's Keeper.
- Charlie Bradbury was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Dark Dynasty.
- Marie was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Fan Fiction.
- Siobhan was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Fan Fiction.
- Abaddon was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in King of the Damned.
- Dorothy Baum was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Slumber Party.
- Meg was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Goodbye Stranger.
- Jo Harvelle was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Defending Your Life.
- Ellen Harvelle was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in My Heart Will Go On.
- Tink was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Clap Your Hands If You Believe.
- Zachariah was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Point of No Return.
- Anna Milton was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in The Song Remains the Same.
- Bela Talbot was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in Time Is On My Side.
- The Sailor's Ghost was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Red Sky at Morning.
- The Sailor's Ghost's brother was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Red Sky at Morning.
- Jessica Moore was shown in a flashback. She previously appeared in What Is And What Should Never Be.
- Lucas Barr was shown in a flashback. He previously appeared in Dead In The Water.
Trivia[]
- According to Jensen Ackles, the COVID-related shutdown happened right after the cast shot one day of this episode.[1]
- Mark Pellegrino is credited as a Special Guest Star in the end credits instead of appearing in the opening credits. This was likely done to keep the surprise of Lucifer's return, similar to how he was credited at the end of Stuck in the Middle (With You) and Stranger in a Strange Land in order to keep a surprise the return of Lucifer and Nick respectively.
- Misha Collins is credited as a guest star in the end credits, likely because of his voice cameo.
- This is the first time that Jack interacts with his uncle Michael.
- Dean reveals to Sam and Jack what Chuck did and about Castiel and Billie's deaths.
- It's revealed that Chuck wiped out all animal life on Earth, not just humans.
- However, Dean finds a living dog before Chuck wipes him out too.
- Michael reveals that Adam Milligan was killed along with humanity, giving Michael control of Adam's body.
- He also reveals it was his efforts that started religions that worship God as all-caring or all-loving creator on Earth.
- Lucifer reveals that God resurrected him from the Empty to find Chuck's Death Book after initially claiming that it was the Shadow.
- Michael kills Lucifer like he previously wanted to do in the first apocalypse. This time, Lucifer turns to ash rather than leaving behind remains.
- He kills Lucifer with an archangel blade.
- The process of a Reaper becoming the new Death is seen.
- The new Death, Betty, gets a new scythe and ring that is unique to her.
- Betty's ring can be see to have tape on the inside to make it fit her finger.
- Michael sees his father for the first time in the series.
- God kills Michael after he warns him about Dean and Sam and Jack's plan against him, as he was spiteful of his son briefly siding against him.
- Both of Chuck's eyes flash blue for the first time, as he smites Michael to death.
- As of this episode, all living archangels are extinct.
- It is revealed after Jack's explosion in the previous episode, he becomes a vacuum for powers and he keeps absorbing from plants or supernatural beings like Michael and Lucifer as they clash and fight, even from Chuck.
- Chuck loses his powers and they all go to Jack, who becomes God. Jack also states that he and Amara now exist in harmony.
- Dean, Sam and Jack leaves Chuck to live and die as a mortal and be forgotten.
- Jack brings back all of the people zapped away by God.
- This is the first time that God interacts with Michael.
- This episode reveals that Archangels, or at least Lucifer, are capable of killing Death. Lucifer kills the new Death, Betty, without the need of her scythe.
- However, it is possible Chuck powered-up Lucifer's power in order for him to kill Death and recover his death book.
- When Sam calls Jody, her voice is heard. When Sam calls Garth, his voice doesn't sound like him, and the only mention of his name is in the subtitles.
- The episode ends with a flashback to Sam throwing a gun into the Impala's trunk and shutting it from Pilot.
- Raphael is the only archangel who doesn't appear in some form in this episode. Michael and Lucifer both appear in person while Gabriel is seen during the flashback sequence at the end.
- Castiel and Jack's names have joined Sam, Dean and Mary's initials carved into the bunker's table.
- Kimberly Sustad, Betty's actress, previously portrayed Amanda Willer in Adventures in Babysitting.
- As Jack and the brothers talk near the end, there's a shot of a gas station with the name "Showalter" on it. John Showalter is a co-executive producer on the show and directed the episode among many others.
- The diner that the Winchesters find empty is called Sammy's Highway Cafe and the beer tap that Dean shuts off is the Family Business brand, the brewery founded by Jensen Ankles, his wife Danneel and his relatives. Dean is seen pouring himself a drink of the Family Business beer as Jack enters.
- Miracle was played by an American dog actress named Lexi.
- Although this is the penultimate episode of the series, it acts as the conclusion of the myth arc.
- A photo from the script of episode 15.18 Despair was anonymously uploaded online, revealing an "Appendix A" scene. This scene depicted the return of Donna, Bobby, Charlie, Jules, and other Apocalypse World refugees who had been taken by Chuck in the silo, presumably restored by Jack. It remains unclear if this scene was actually filmed during Despair or why it was omitted from Inherit the Earth as initially planned.
Quotes[]
- Lucifer: Wow. Look at you, bro. The almost-mighty. Hmm. I cheated.
- Michael: Are you seriously thinking about trusting him?
- Dean: Uh, I wouldn't exactly say "trust."
- Lucifer: Mikey, Mikey, come on, man. I get the bitterness. For all you did for the old man, you got no better from him than me. The son voted 'Most Likely to Suck' and that sucks!
- Michael: I did what I did because it was the right thing to do not to get his love.
- Lucifer: Alright, well, that a good thing 'cause the man had no love to give -- not to you, not to me, not to... humanity. You see that now, right?
- Betty: I have opened the book.
- Dean: And?
- Betty: And it's in here, all that you want. I know how God ends.
- Sam: Wait a second. You're sure about this?
- Betty: Of course I'm sure. I'm Death.
- Dean: You've been Death for an hour.
- Lucifer: So... buddy... you're gonna have to make a decision now. Uh, dump the losers and join Gramps and me on the winning team. Of course, this is the only way you're getting out of here alive 'cause your not strong enough to fight me now so... What do you say, kid? What do you say? Come on. Somebody's behind me, right? You don't learn.
[Michael kills Lucifer with an Archangel Blade]
- Michael: (to Sam) Thanks for the blade.
- Chuck/God: Why are you smiling?
- Sam: Because, you lose.
- Chuck/God: This... This... This is why you're my favorites. You know, for the first time I have no idea what happens next. Is this where you kill me? I mean I could never think of an ending where I lose. But this, after everything that I've done to you... to die at the hands of Sam Winchester... of Dean Winchester, the ultimate killer... It's kind of glorious.
- Dean: Sorry, Chuck.
- Chuck/God: What? What?
- Dean: See, that's not who I am. That's not who we are.
- Chuck/God What kind of an ending is this?
- Sam: His power. You sure it won't come back?
- Jack: It's not his power anymore.
- Sam: Then I think it's the ending where you're just like us and like all the other humans you forgot about.
- Dean: It's the ending where you grow old, you get sick and you just die.
- Sam: And no one cares. And no one remembers you. You're just forgotten.
- Jack: Dean, I'm not coming back home. In a way... I'm already there.
- Dean: Where?
- Jack: Everywhere.
- Sam: So you are him.
- Jack: I'm me. But I know what you mean.
- Sam: What if we want to see you? You know, or have a beer or whatever?
- Jack: I'm around. I'll be in every drop of falling rain, every speck of dust that the wind blows, and in the sand, in the rocks, and the sea.
- Dean: It's a hell of a time to bail. You got a lot of people counting on you, people with questions. They're gonna need answers.
- Jack: And those answers will be in each of them. Maybe not today but... someday. People don't need to pray to me or to sacrifice to me. They just need to know that I'm already a part of them and to trust in that. I won't be hands on. Chuck put himself in the story. That was his mistake. But I learned from you and my mother and Castiel that... when people have to be their best... they can be. And that's what to believe in. Well... I'm really as close as this. Goodbye.
- Sam: See ya, Jack.
- Sam: It's pretty quiet.
- Dean: To everyone that we lost along the way.
- Sam: You know, with Chuck not writing our story anymore, we get to write our own. You know, just you me going wherever the story takes us. Just us.
- Dean: Finally free.
Deaths[]
- Miracle (reversed)
- Adam Milligan (mentioned only; reversed)
- Betty (reincarnated as the new Death and killed again)
- Lucifer
- Michael