Red Sky at Morning is the 6th episode of Season 3. It premiered on November 8th, 2007.
Summary[]
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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! |
Sam and Dean investigate the mysterious demise of drowned victims who were nowhere near the water at the time of their death. The brothers learn each of the victims saw a ghost ship shortly before they died. Upon investigation, they cross paths with Bela, who is being paid handsomely by one of the murder victim's family members to solve the case. Sam and Dean warn her to stay out of their way, but she has other plans.
Plot[]
A woman, Sheila Case, is jogging at night when she glimpses the apparition of a ship in the harbor. Later, while she showers, a figure appears. It attacks her and she dies of drowning.
Dean confronts Sam about having killed the Crossroads Demon, a fact he deduced due to a bullet being missing from the Colt. He is angry that Sam put himself in danger, but Sam is unapologetic.
The boys visit Gertrude Case, Sheila's aunt, inquiring about the circumstances of her death. They are surprised when Gert, who is obviously attracted to Sam, suggests Sheila may have seen a ghost ship, and asks if they are working the case with "Alex". Dean agrees that yes, they are working with Alex - whomever that may be - and she immediately becomes more friendly.
Outside, Dean panics when the Impala is missing, until Bela Talbot appears and admits she had it towed. She tells them she scams old women by selling them fake charms and doing seances for them. She says that she, calling herself Alex, had convinced Gert that she had solved her niece's murder, but after the boys showed up Gert is withholding her payment.
That night a man dies again by drowning at home. Sam and Dean speak to his brother, Peter Warren, and find out that they both saw a Ghost Ship while night diving. They try to protect Peter, but that night he too is visited by the Sailor's Ghost and drowned.
Bela turns up at the house that the Winchesters are squatting in with information – the ghost ship is the Espírito Santo, and it is a death omen. The ghost is that of a sailor who was hanged for treason. His hand was removed after death to make a Hand of Glory, and Bela suggests they need to retrieve and salt and burn it in order to vanquish the spirit. The brothers question her motives, but she brushes them off.
Gert obtains invitations for Sam, Dean and Bela to a function at the Maritime Museum where the Hand of Glory is kept. While Sam keeps Gert - and her wandering hands - busy, Dean and Bela steal the Hand of Glory.
Bela tricks Dean and leaves with the object, which she sells to a client – her goal all along. But then she too sees the Ghost Ship.
Meanwhile, Sam and Dean have deduced that what links all the deaths is that the people were involved in the death of a family member. Bela turns to the boys for help, and although she admits to having been involved in someone's death, she won't elaborate.
At the sailor's grave, Sam summons the ghost of the ship's captain who had the sailor killed – his brother. Upon confronting each other, their spirits 'merge' and disappear, and Bela is saved. She shows her thanks by giving the boys $10,000.
Dean is keen to head to Atlantic City for some fun. He apologizes to Sam for the pain his bargain with the Crossroads Demon is causing, but Sam angrily counters that he doesn't want Dean to worry about him, he wants Dean to care about himself.
Characters[]
Main Cast[]
Recurring Cast[]
Co-Stars[]
- Robert Moloney as Peter Warren
- Ellen Geer as Gertrude Case
- Samantha Simmonds as Sheila Case
- Michael Patrick Denis as Waiter
- Tobias Slezak as Steve Warren
- Steve Lawlor as Sailor's Ghost
- Steve Archer as Security Guard
- Peter Grier as Sailor Ghost's Brother
Featured Supernatural Beings[]
- Angel (Castiel, mentioned in prayer)
- Crossroad Demon (Dean's Crossroad Demon, mentioned only)
- Death Omen (Espírito Santo)
- Vengeful Spirit (Sailor's Ghost)
- Cain (mentioned only)
- Abel (mentioned only)
Continuity[]
- Bela Talbot previously appeared in Bad Day at Black Rock.
- In the brothers' opening scene, Dean confronts Sam on his confronting the crossroads demon at the end of the previous episode.
- Sam angrily reminds Bela that she shot him in the shoulder the last time they met.
- Dean asks Bela why she is the way she is, and taunts her by asking if her father didn't give her enough hugs. Flashbacks to her childhood in Time Is On My Side strongly imply that her father sexually abused her.
- Sam and Dean last squatted in an unused house in Bugs. Ironically, like "Bugs", "Red Sky at Morning" was not well received by fans and was dubbed "bad writing" in The Monster at the End of This Book by series creator Eric Kripke's stand-in.
- Bela is revealed to be responsible for the death of a family member. This is further explained in Time Is On My Side.
- The summoning spell that Sam uses invokes Castiel's name. Castiel later debuts in Lazarus Rising and goes on to become a major recurring and eventually main character.
Trivia[]
- The episode's title refers to an old mariner's adage: "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning." Similar declarations are also made in Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis" and in the New Testament book of Matthew (Chapter 16, verses 2-3).
- The name of the Ghost Ship is "The Espírito Santo", which ironically translates to "The Holy Ghost" or "The Holy Spirit". This is also a reference to The Holy Trinity in the Christian faith.
- At one point in the episode, Bela makes a remark to Sam and Dean saying that Peter is cannon fodder and they shouldn't try to save him. Dean shoots back that they have souls and will try to save him. At the time, Dean had already traded his soul in a crossroads deal.
- Sam refers to Gertrude as Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham is an elderly spinster in Charles Dickens' 1861 novel Great Expectations.
Deaths[]
- Sheila Case
- Father of Peter and Steve (mentioned only)
- Steve Warren
- Peter Warren
- Brian (mentioned only)
- Sailor's Ghost (Human, mentioned only)
- Sailor's Ghost (Vengeful Spirit)
- Sailor's Ghost's brother (Ghost)
Quotes[]
- Sam: "How do you sleep at night?"
- Bela: "On silk sheets, rolling naked in money."
- Dean: "Can I shoot her?"
- Sam: "Not in public."
- Bela: "You know, when this is over, we should really have angry sex.
- Dean: [after thinking very hard] "Don't objectify me."
- Dean: "So you shot her!?
- Sam: "She was a smartass..."
- Bela: "It's $10,000. That should cover it."
(Boys look at her confused)
- Bela: "I don't like being in anyone's debt."
- Dean: "So ponying up 10 grand is easier for you than a single "thank you". [pause]... [looks exchanged] You are so damaged."
- Bela: "Takes one to know one."
International Titles[]
- German: Morgenröte (Red Sky at Morning)
- Brazil: Céu Vermelho (Red Sky)
- Hungarian: A kísértethajó (The Ghost Ship)
- French: Le Vaisseau Fantôme (The Ghost Ship)
- Polish: Czerwone niebo o świcie (Red Sky at Dawn)
External Links[]
- Supernatural: "Red Sky at Morning" IGN review