Castiel helps Sam and Dean hunt down Cupid on Valentine's Day, after townspeople start to kill each other for love. However, after Cupid tells them he's innocent, they discover Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, has arrived in town.
Full Synopsis
In a small town, Russell and Alice are finishing their first date. They've had a good time, and Russell asks her on another date on Valentine's Day. They kiss, tentatively at first, then more seriously. Then Alice backs away for a moment. They end up inside, undress and start kissing each other. They become increasingly frenzied and Alice bites him on the neck. She panics for a moment but Russell tells her it's okay. They start biting each other as the blood sprays across the room.
Dean and Sam arrive to investigate and the roommate says that she found them, almost dead, but Russell was still chewing. She explains that Alice was a nice girl, and was a virgin with a promise ring. However, it was Alice's first date in months and she was excited.
Sam returns to the motel and tells Dean that there are no signs of ghosts or possessions. Dean has come back from the coroner and explains that both of the victims had full stomachs. Sam tells Dean that he can go out to celebrate Valentine's Day, his favorite holiday, but Dean doesn't feel into it. Sam figures something is wrong but Dean insists that everything's okay and goes back to work.
At an office, Jim is checking his cell phone for his girlfriend Janice and his friend Brad figures that Jim is whipped. Brad tells him to focus on their project. However, Janice comes in and insists he can't choose work over her. When Brad makes a snide comment, Janice shoots him. They realize that something will always keep them apart, including prison. Jim has an idea to stay together forever, and the two of them shoot themselves.
Sam and Dean go to the hospital to check out the bodies. In the hallway, Sam passes a tall balding man in a suit and senses something unusual behind him. They meet with the coroner, Dr. Corman, who leaves them alone to conduct their investigation. They check over the organs and Sam notices that the victims' hearts have identical marks. He realizes the mark is an Enochian brand, like the tagging on their ribs. Dean calls Castiel, who immediately teleports in. He confirms that the marks are angelic, and represent a destined union. The marks are placed there by Cupid, which is actually a lower order of angel, a cherub. Castiel figures that it's gone rogue and they have to kill it before it kills again.
The trio goes to a singles bar and order food. Castiel explains that Cupid will be drawn there by human reproductive urges, but then stares at Dean's plate of food. When Dean says he's not hungry, Castiel asks if he can have his sandwich. Castiel notices something and says that Cupid is there. A couple starts kissing and Castiel tells them that Cupid has struck. He tells the brothers to meet him in the back and teleports away. They go out and find Castiel seemingly facing empty air. The angel tells them that he's tethered the cherub, and mutters an incantation to make it appear. A naked Cupid suddenly appears behind Dean, hugs him, and lifts him into the air. Giggling, he runs to embrace Castiel, and then hugs Sam. Castiel explains that a hug is a cherub's handshake.
Once Cupid has settled down, he asks what they want and Castiel explains that they're there to stop him from killing. Cupid breaks into tears and Castiel ends up trying to apologize. Cupid embraces him and says he doesn't know what happens to his targets after he follows his orders. He invites Castiel to read his mind and confirm that he's innocent. Castiel does so, and Dean asks whose orders he was follow. Cupid explains that Heaven gave him his orders, and that some relationships have a very high priority. He notes that John and Mary Winchester was one of his special assignments, and Sam and Dean needed to be born. Dean punches him without effect, and the cherub teleports away. Sam wonders what Dean's problem is, but Dean refuses to discuss it.
At the morgue, Corman calls in Sam and shows him another bizarre death: Lester Finch, who ate himself to death on a Twinkie binge and shoves them down his throat with a toilet brush. Outside, Sam calls Dean and tells him that Finch didn't bear the mark. Dean has checked the police blotter and confirmed there have been eight suicides and nineteen ODs in the last few days. They realize there's something more going on than just love. The man in the suit leaves the hospital and Sam notices something about him. He runs after the man into an alleyway, shoves him against the wall, and cuts him with the demon-killing knife. Sam realizes that he's a demon and cuts him to prove it. The demon manages to break free and runs away, dropping his briefcase, and Sam looks at the demon blood on the knife. He stares at it for a minute and then wipes it off.
Sam takes the briefcase to the motel and they carefully open it. A bright light bursts out. When it fades, Castiel arrives and explains that it contains a human soul. They're surprised to see that Castiel is eating White Castle hamburgers. The angel explains that his hunger is a clue, and the entire town is suffering from starvation. Specifically, Famine, as in the Horseman. Famine can apply to anything: love, drugs, and food. Castiel admits his vessel Jimmy's appetite for red meat has been activated by Famine, riding on a black steed.
Demons take Famine, in the form of an elderly man confined to a wheelchair (symbolic of a steed -- a kind of working horse), to a restaurant. Once he enters, everyone begins gorging themselves on food, stealing money, eating drugs, and kissing.
Castiel explains that Famine must devour the souls of his victims. Linch's soul was in the briefcase. Lucifer has sent his demons to care for Famine until he's ready to march across the land.
At the restaurant, flies gather on all of the corpses. Famine looks up as Sam's demon comes in and explains that Sam is at the hospital. The demon managed to grab Sam's key motel key and demands the soul. When Famine realizes that the demon lost the soul, he pulls the demon essence out and consumes it.
At the motel, the brothers wonder how they can stop Famine. Castiel asks how they stopped War, and Dean explains that they took War's ring and forced him to flee. Castiel confirms that Famine has a ring, but can't stop eating. In the bathroom, Sam is trying to get control of himself. He finally tells Dean that he can't go because Famine has got to him, and he's hungry for demon blood. Dean asks Castiel to teleport Sam away, but the angel says that it's too late and the infection will go with him. Sam tells Dean to get the ring after locking him in the motel. Dean obliges and then departs with Castiel.
At the hospital, Dean finds Corman's assistant Marty. Marty gives them the news: Corman went home and drank himself to death. Castiel confirms that Corman's soul is still there and Dean figures they can use it as bait. Dean watches the hospital from outside while Castiel continues to eat, giddy with happiness. He wonders where Dean's hunger is, because everyone else in town has fallen prey to Famine. Dean admits that he gets everything that he wants when he wants it. They spot the demon coming out with the briefcase and trail it.
At the motel, Sam tries to break free without success. Two demons come in and prepare to torture him a bit. As they free him, Sam attacks and stabs one of them, and then drinks her blood. When the other one attacks Sam, he uses his demon-fueled powers to shove him away.
Dean and Castiel follow the demon to the restaurant. The plan is for Castiel to take the knife, teleport in, cut off Famine's ring, and teleport back out. He teleports away but after a minute, Dean realizes it's taking too long. He goes inside and finds Castiel eating raw meat. The demons find Dean, capture him, and take him to Famine. Castiel is too busy eating to grab the nearby knife. Famine is happy to be in America, where everyone wants more, all the time. Dean points out that he's unaffected and Famine notes that there's a deep, dark nothing inside of Dean that he can't fill. He knows how broken and defeated that Dean is, knowing that he can't win. He's not hungry because he's already dead.
Sam arrives and Famine tells the demons to leave him alone. He says that he sent Sam a snack and assures him he'll never die from drinking too much blood. He assures Sam that he's just as Satan wants him, and invites him to cut the demons' throats. Sam uses his powers to destroy the demons while Dean grabs the knife. However, once Sam is done, he says he won't drink their blood. Famine sucks up their black essence and Sam tries to use his powers on the Horseman. Famine assures him that his power won't work on a Horseman. Sam agrees, but uses his power to rip the demons out of Famine's body. Castiel snaps out of his spell while Dean stares at his brother in shock.
Later, Dean and Castiel lock up Sam in Bobby's vault so he can go through withdrawal again. Castiel assures Dean that Sam will be okay once he gets it out of his system. Dean goes outside with a bottle of alcohol, but then looks up to Heaven and says he needs help.
Major Characters
Minor Characters
- Cupid
Featured Music
Continuity
Notes
- The title of this episode is based off the movie "My Bloody Valentine" in which Jensen Ackles starred in.
Quotes
- Dean: Where am I going?
Sam: Dean, it's Valentine Day. Your favorite holiday, remember? I mean, what do you always call it--uh, Unattached Drifter Christmas? - Dean: Cherub?
Castiel: Yeah, they're all over the world. There are dozens of them.
Dean: You mean the little flying fat kids in diapers?
Castiel: They're not incontinent. - Dean: Are we fighting?
Castiel: This is their handshake
Dean: I don't like it
Castiel: No one likes it
- Cupid: Love is more than a word to me, you know? I love love, I love it! And if that's wrong, I don't want to be right!
Castiel: Yes, yes. of course. I, uh... I have no idea what you're saying. - Sam: Dean, enough!
Dean: What?
Sam: You just punched a Cupid!
Dean: I punched a dick! - Dean: Hey, when I want to drink, I drink. When I want sex, I go get it. Same goes for a sandwich or a fight.
Castiel: So... you're saying you're just well-adjusted?
Dean: God, no. I'm just well-fed.