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Lazarus Rising is the season premiere of Season 4. It aired on September 18th, 2008.

Summary[]

Dean Purgatory Blade.png 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!

It's four months later and Dean wakes in a pine box. He's been freed from Hell. He has a joyful reunion with Sam and Bobby (Jim Beaver), but it isn't long before the three wonder what exactly pulled Dean from Hell and what it will want in return.

Plot[]

Dean in Hell

Dean's remembrance of the atrocities he witnessed in Hell

The episode starts with flashes of Dean's eyes with terrified screaming in the background. The next scene has harsh breathing, and then a lighter is lit. Dean is in a pine box. He calls for help, but his throat is dry from no use and his voice is raspy and quiet. He looks around as best as he can and finally breaks the top of the coffin. He digs himself out and emerges in a field. All the trees have fallen, radiating out from his grave.

DeanLives

Dean climbs out of his coffin after having been mysteriously pulled out of Hell

He walks until he finds an empty gas station, where he eagerly drinks some water. He also examines himself for signs of the hellhound attack, but finds that he has completely healed with no trace of the attack. While examining himself, he finds a raised, red handprint on his shoulder. It appears to be burned into his skin and he does not seem to recognize where it came from.

ChestCheck

Dean checks for hellhound scars.

Dean grabs some more water, protein bars and a copy of Busty Asian Beauties. As he prepares to leave, a TV and radio switch on. Thinking it is a demon, Dean starts to pour salt along the windows, but he is soon crippled by a piercing sound that shatters all the glass in the building. Then, as quickly as it started, the sound stops.

Headline

Dateline:Thursday, September 18, 2008

Dean tries to call Sam from a pay phone, but his number is out of service. He calls Bobby and identifies himself, but Bobby immediately hangs up. He tries again and Bobby threatens to kill him if he calls again. Frustrated, he looks around and eyes an old car. He hot-wires it and takes off.

BobbyDean2

Bobby can't believe it's really Dean.

When Bobby finds Dean on his doorstep, he assumes he is either a shapeshifter or a revenant and tries to kill him with a silver knife. After a tussle, Dean wrestles the knife away and proves his identity by cutting himself with it. Bobby is amazed and embraces him. Bobby then checks once more to see whether Dean is possessed by throwing holy water to his face. After there is no demonic reaction, he relents: "Sorry, can't be too careful." He finally believes that it's Dean, resurrected from Hell.

Dean asks where Sam is. Bobby tells him that he hasn't talked to him in months. Dean admonishes Bobby for not looking after Sam; Bobby fires back that he tried to, but that they both have had a really hard time since Dean died. He took off and doesn't return phone calls; he has tried to find Sam but couldn't because he doesn't want to be found. Bobby says he hasn't seen Sam since they had to bury Dean. Dean asks why they didn't burn his body, as is ritual for hunters, and Bobby says that Sam was dead set against it. Sam insisted Dean would need his body because he was going to find a way to bring his brother back. Dean concedes that he is glad Sam won that argument and confesses that he would have done the same thing. But he is worried.

He tells Bobby that his grave site looked like a nuclear blast site, and tells him about the presence he experienced at the gas station. Dean then shows him the large red handprint deeply branded on his left shoulder. Bobby is horrified. They deduce that it might be the mark of a demon that yanked him, or rode him, out of Hell. The only reason a demon would do that, they decide, is to keep up its end of a bargain.

Dean tracks Sam using the GPS in his phone. They find him in Pontiac, Illinois, a town very near the place Dean was buried.

Reunion2

Bobby convinces Sam that it's really Dean.

Bobby and Dean arrive at Sam's hotel room. The door is answered by a scantily-clad girl. Sam rounds the corner and has the same reaction to seeing Dean as Bobby did. Dean and Bobby, believing that Dean's resurrection is the result of some deal that Sam made, are surprised by his reaction. Bobby has to restrain and convince him that it's really Dean. He's finally convinced, and they have a tearful hug.

ReunionHug1
ReunionHug2

The girl asks whether the boys "are like, together??" but Sam tells her they are brothers. The girl says, oh, she should probably leave then, and Sam agrees that would be best. It's an awkward moment as she departs, as Sam calls her by the wrong name.

After Dean physically challenges him to confess, Sam promises Dean he didn't make a deal to get him out of Hell. In fact, he is extremely apologetic that it wasn't him that saved Dean, because he tried everything he could think of to bring him back and couldn't do it. Dean relents, sadly telling him that he doesn't need to apologize; he believes him. However, this causes them to question on what being broke Dean out. Dean asks Sam why he is in the same place where he was buried, he tells them he was following a pack of demons who lead him here; he figured Lilith might possibly be around and he was eager to dish out some payback. Bobby suggests they get on the road to visit a psychic he knows, to see if they can find out how Dean got out of Hell. They need to know who, or what, did it and what the cost is.

Amulet1

Sam takes Dean's amulet off his own neck and returns it to him. Sam asks Dean about what Hell was like; Dean says he doesn't remember a damn thing. They set off, after a little jab at Sam for "douching up" Baby, by installing an iPod jack.

On the road, Dean tells Sam that he has been perplexed by the fact that Sam survived the night he was sent to Hell, since Lilith really wanted to kill him. Sam replies that she did try to kill him, but her burning demon ray didn't work on him. Apparently, he was immune to it. Sam says that he and she were both shocked, and that she vanished pretty quickly after her failed attempt. Dean looks confused and inquires about Ruby's whereabouts, Sam replies that she's either dead or in Hell. Dean asks him if, now that he knows he has "got immunity, whatever the hell that is," has he been using any of his "freaky E.S.P. stuff?? " Sam adamantly denies having done so, claiming that he is honored Dean's practically dying wish that he wouldn't go down that road. Dean doesn't look completely convinced and says "Yeah, well, let's keep it that way." They both look back toward the road with worried faces.

MeetPamela4

The boys meet Pamela.

Bobby and the boys arrive at the home of Pamela Barnes, an old friend of Bobby's. After flirty interaction with the boys, she starts a séance and touches the handprint on Dean's shoulder to reveal who saved Dean. She conjures a being called Castiel who is the one that rescued Dean. She says the being is warning her to turn back, but she responds "No, sorry, Castiel. I don't scare easy." Bobby suggests that maybe they should stop, but Pamela refuses, saying she's "almost got it." When she finally makes visual contact with the being, she lets out a blood curdling scream and falls to the floor; the guys rush to her. Her eyes have been burned out.

PamsEyes3

Pamela does not heed Castiel's warning to turn back.

Later at a diner, Dean and Sam get a call from Bobby letting them know that Pamela is out of ICU. Dean laments that it's their fault that she's blind, and they debate about what to do. Dean recklessly suggests they summon "Castiel, or whatever" and "work him over." Sam points out that Pamela got one peek at him and her eyes were burned out of her skull as a result; a face-to-face with him is a very bad idea. Dean challenges him for a better one. Sam says they should just find the demons he followed to town and find out what they know. Just then, their waitress sits down beside them and reveals herself and the other people in the diner to be the demons Sam was trailing.

DemonSmack

Dean faces off with a demon.

She addresses Dean by name and threatens to drag him back to Hell after he smart-mouths her. He trumps her, pointing out that obviously something with a lot of juice wants him in play, and since neither of them know who that is, an underling like her wouldn't dare touch him unless she's ready to be smited. He slaps her twice for effect. She does not retaliate. He hisses: "That's what I thought." The demons back down and Dean pays for the pie, as he and his brother leave, hurriedly. Although Sam wants to stay and slay the demons, Dean points out that the place was full of them, and that they only have one demon knife between them.

Later that night, Sam sneaks out after Dean falls asleep. Dean wakes up when the TV switches on, as it did at the gas station and at Pamela's séance. He arms himself. The piercing sound that he heard in the gas station begins and intensifies, and he is floored. Bobby bursts in just as all of the glass in the room shatters.

CasCalling2

Dean and Bobby are on the road. Dean calls Sam and sternly asks him what he's doing. Sam is surveilling the diner, but lies and says he just went to get a burger because he couldn't sleep. He asks Dean what he's doing and he lies and tells him that he and Bobby are just going out to have some beers. Dean tries to persuade Bobby that that they need to try to summon the being that is haunting him.

Sam goes into the diner and finds one of the demon vessels lying dead with his eyes burned out. The possessed waitress attacks Sam. Her eyes are also gone, and she screams that everyone is going to die. Sam asks what it was that she saw, but the demon refuses to answer.

Burnwaitress1

The demons at the diner have seen what Pamela saw.

Sam lifts a hand and silently exorcises the demon. The host dies in the process. As he finishes, the girl who was in his hotel room earlier enters. It is Ruby in a new body. She and Sam had performed an act when Dean and Bobby arrived at his hotel room earlier, as if she was just some girl he'd picked up. Sam has been working with her for some time, developing his powers.

HelloRuby1

Ruby found a new vessel.

They talk about Dean and how he could have come back. Sam demands that she tell him what's going on in this town; Ruby claims she doesn't know. No demon has the power to pull a human soul out of Hell and put it back in its body that easily. They then discuss what they are going to say to Dean about what they have been doing the past few months. Sam tells Ruby he will tell Dean what he has been doing when he figures out the right way to tell him. She points out that he will find out, and that if he doesn't find out from Sam," he's gonna be pissed". Sam is well aware that Dean will be pissed anyway. He knows, though, that Dean is so hard-headed about " this psychic thing" that he'll only try to stop him. Sam believes that his powers are saving humans and he feels good about that, even though he doesn't completely trust Ruby, and tells her so. But, he decides that he wants to keep going on with their covert activities.

CasIntro1

Bobby and Dean prepare to summon an unknown force.

Meanwhile, Dean and Bobby are in an abandoned barn gearing up for a summoning ritual, although Bobby has persistently declared that it is a bad idea. After the summoning, a man in a trenchcoat appears, causing the lights to go haywire. He walks over the Devil's Trap and is unharmed when Bobby and Dean shoot him with rocksalt. Dean asks who he is and the man says, "I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from Perdition." Dean thanks him then stabs him with Ruby's Knife. It has no effect. Bobby tries to attack from behind, but the man easily wards off the attack and then renders Bobby unconscious, so that he can talk to Dean alone.

CasReveal

Castiel, Angel of the Lord.

The man reveals to Dean that he is Castiel, an angel of the Lord. Dean doesn't believe him, as Castiel criticizes his lack of faith. Castiel reveals a pair of shadowy Angel's Wings that emerge briefly from his back. Though surprised at this, Dean angrily berates him for burning Pamela's eyes out, as Castiel states that his true form can be overwhelming for humans, and that he did warn her to turn back. He also explains that he tried on two occasions to talk to Dean in his true voice which was the shrieks Dean heard. Castiel states certain people can hear him however, Dean turned out not to be one of them, so now Castiel has taken control of a "vessel" - a willing human host who desired to serve Heaven.

Dean asks why an angel would rescue him from Hell. Castiel slowly approaches him, staring into his eyes intensely, and says "You don't think you deserve to be saved." Dean winces, then asks him again why he did it. Castiel tells him that he saved him from Hell on God's command. They have work for Dean to do.

Characters[]

Main Cast[]

Recurring Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

Co-Stars[]

Featured Supernatural Beings[]

Continuity[]

  • Dean was dead from Season 3's finale, until now.
  • Four months have passed since the end of No Rest For The Wicked.
  • Ruby has acquired a new meat suit.
  • At one point Dean jokingly refers to himself as the "smarter brother." While this is meant to be in jest, the later episode Metamorphosis reveals Sam feels Dean behaves condescendingly towards him because the latter deems the former to not be wise.

Trivia[]

  • Antagonist: Castiel and Demons
  • This episode marks the first appearance of Castiel. He later becomes a main character on the show in seasons 5-6 and 9-15.
  • Busty Asian Beauties makes another appearance, this time on the magazine rack at the gas station Dean raids.
  • This is the first appearance of Ruby, as played by Genevieve Cortese. Genevieve would later become Jared Padalecki's real life wife.
  • One of the talismans and symbols that Bobby draws to try and trap Castiel is Jacob Karns' talisman from Hook Man.
  • Sam exorcises a demon with his "abilities" for the first time in this episode.
  • Apparently the Winchesters are Star Wars fans. When Dean is trying to get the location of Sam's phone, he says his name is "Wedge Antilles." Wedge Antilles is a recurring character in all three original Star Wars films, a major character in several Expanded Universe novels, and the main protagonist of the X-wing series; Antilles was the Corellian pilot and later general who led Rogue Squadron, which he co-founded with Luke Skywalker.
  • The episode's name comes is derived from stories of Lazarus of Bethany who was restored to life four days after his death by Jesus. This is mirrored slightly different in this episode.
  • The date on the newspaper Dean looks at in the first scene is the date the premiere aired.
  • This season marks the start of Genevieve Cortese and Jared Padalecki's courtship. They met and fell in love on set. This is later laughed at in The French Mistake. They're married now and have three kids.
  • Although Gabriel appeared in Season 2, this marks the formal introduction of an Angel.
  • The CW's official summary for this episode includes an error where actor Jim Beaver is not cited as a guest star, as per the usual format.
  • Castiel told Dean he raised him from perdition, which, in this case, means Hell, but in lore, it means purgatory.

Deaths[]

  • Demons
  • Demonic Vessels

Errors[]

  • Dean uses the silver knife to cut his arm to prove to Bobby that he is not a Shape Shifter or a Revenant, however just a minute or 2 later when Dean shows Bobby the Handprint on his shoulder the cut has vanished.

Featured Music[]

  • "You Shook Me All Night Long" - AC/DC
  • "Fight Song" - The Republic Tigers
  • "Vision" - Jason Manns
  • "Wrapped Around Your Finger" - Martyn Laight
  • "I'm So Blue" - Katie Thompson

Quotes[]

Bobby: "Dean, your chest was ribbons, your insides were slop, and you'd been buried four months. Even if you could slip out of Hell and back into your meats --"
Dean: "I know. I should look like a "Thriller" video reject."
Bobby: "What do you remember?"
Dean: "Not much. I remember I was a hellhound's chew toy... and then lights-out. Then I come to six feet under. That was it."

[Dean sees the modifications Sam has made to the Impala]
Dean: What the hell is that?
Sam: That's an iPod jack.
Dean: You were supposed to take care of her, not douche her up.

Waitress (Demon): "Tell me, what makes you so special?"
Dean: "I like to think it's because of my perky nipples..." (awkward pause) "...I don't know."

Dean: Who are you?
Castiel: "I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."
Dean: Who are you?
Castiel: I'm Castiel.
Dean: Yeah, I figured that much. I mean what are you?
[Castiel turns to face him]
Castiel: I'm an Angel of the Lord.
[Dean stares at him in disbelief]
Dean: Get the hell out of here. There's no such thing.
Castiel: This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith.
[Lightning flashes. The shadows of a pair of Angel's Wings emerge from Castiel's back]
Dean: You mean the gas station and the motel. That was you talking? Buddy, next time, lower the volume.
Castiel: That was my mistake. Certain people, special people, can perceive my true visage. I thought you would be one of them. I was wrong.
Dean: And what visage are you in now, huh? What, Holy Tax Accountant?
Castiel: This? This is... a vessel.
Dean: You're possessing some poor bastard?
Castiel: He's a devout man, he actually prayed for this.
Dean: "Why'd you do it?"
 
Castiel: "Because God commanded it. Because we have work for you."

Gallery[]

International Titles[]

  • German: Lazarus erhebt sich (Lazarus is rising)
  • Brazil: A Ressuscitação de Lázaro (Lazarus’ Resurrection)
  • Hungarian: Feltámadás (Resurrection) 
  • French: La main de Dieu (The hand of God)
  • Polish: Powrót Łazarza (Lazarus Returning)

External Links[]

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