Editing Stuck in the Middle (With You)

{{Infobox Television episode
|Image = Team1212.jpg
|Title = Stuck in the Middle (With You)
|Series = [[Supernatural]]
|Season = [[Season 12|12]]
|Episode = 12
|Airdate = February 16, 2017
|Writer = [[Davy Perez]]
|Director = [[Richard Speight Jr.]]
|Previous = [[Regarding Dean]]
|Next = [[Family Feud]]
|Episode list = [[Season 12]]}}
'''Stuck in the Middle (With You)''' is the 12th episode of [[Season 12]]. It aired on February 16, 2017.

==Summary==
{{Summarywarning}}[[Mary Winchester|Mary]] (guest star [[Samantha Smith]]) asks [[Sam Winchester|Sam]], [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] and [[Castiel]] for help on a case she's working but neglects to mention the [[British Men of Letters]] are involved. When Mary is double crossed, everything is revealed.

==Plot==
At 5:20 PM, Dean, Sam, Castiel, Mary, and a man named [[Wally]] are in a diner discussing a case, in which she had called the three to come. Wally explains he brought Mary in when he realized it was a possible demon, and Mary has all the intel. He expresses nerves about the case. Mary reassures Wally that everything is going to be fine.

The scene suddenly changes hours later, nighttime of Mary carrying a wounded Castiel into a barn. Another flashback appears five minutes prior, to a fight between Sam, Castiel, and two demons outside [[Ramiel's house|a farmhouse]]. Sam stabs one demon, but Wally is killed by the other. As the demon bears down on Sam, Dean kills the second demon.

A title card titled "The Wounded Angel" cuts to Castiel earlier in the day, sitting in his truck listening to a radio sermon about the brevity of life as Sam, Dean, Mary, and Wally arrive at the diner.

Another title card "Earlier" shows a flashback of the boys and Castiel meeting Wally and briefly discussing the whereabouts of Kelly Kline, in which he has no lead.

Cutting back to the opening scene, they finalize the plan to kill the demon. Dean tells Wally not to die (to calm his nervousness), and the scene ends with Mary reassuring Wally.

Later that evening with everyone arrives at the demon's house. Sam paints the devil's trap, Dean loads his gun with devil's trap bullets, and Castiel catches Mary coming up from the basement. She claims she was using the bathroom. Wally calls from his position as the look-out to tell Mary the demon is home early.

The demon approaches, and everyone gets into position. When the demon enters, Dean shoots him twice, only to realize the bullets don't work. The demon discovers the devil's trap under the rug; Dean shoots him three more times, but nothing happens. Sam stabs him with the demon blade, and the demon throws Sam. Mary and Castiel enter the fight, and the demon cuts them off from Sam and Dean. As the demon stalks towards Mary, his eyes flash yellow. Castiel throws himself on the demon and tells Mary to run. She takes off out the back, Castiel is thrown out the window, and the boys are met in the front by Wally announcing the arrival of two more demons.

Sam and Wally fight the demons while Dean goes to assist Mary and Castiel. Meanwhile, the demon reaches for a spear that magically appears at his back and stabs Castiel as he tries to crawl away. Wally is killed. Mary arrives in Wally's Jeep and knocks the demon away before he can kill Castiel. She loads Castiel into the Jeep, then carries him into the barn. When she tells him to heal himself, Castiel says he can't. Sam calls Mary to get their location.

At 9:05 PM, Sam and Dean reunite with Mary and Castiel. Mary learns Wally didn't survive, and she asks Sam if he saw the demon's eyes. She tells him they were yellow, and Sam asks her what she got them into.

A title card "Mother Mary" and on indicating "11 Hours Ago – 10:07 AM" flashes back to Mary and Wally watching the demon's house as Wally tries to understand why Mary needs him to pretend this is his case. Mary says it's so her sons won't ask too many questions. She thinks she's protecting them. Wally knows Mary got her intel on this demon from the British Men of Letters, and he's suspicious of them and why Mary trusts them.

Flash forward to the diner scene again and another discussion of the BMOL where Sam and Dean make clear to Wally that they do not trust the BMOL.

At 8:23 PM Sam, Dean, Castiel, Wally, and Mary approach the demon's house. Inside, Sam talks to Mary about being back in the life she never wanted. Mary responds coldly, "Since when is life about getting what you want?" Mary goes to the basement, cracks a safe using BMOL tech, steals something from the safe, and hides it in her clothes. Upstairs, she lies to Castiel about being in the bathroom.

Flash forward to the fight as Sam and Dean try unsuccessfully to take down the demon; flash forward to Castiel being stabbed; then to 9:03 PM as Mary ends her call to Sam from the barn. Mary tends to Castiel's stab wound and sends a text to someone from BMOL about the yellow-eyed demon. Her contact blames it on bad Intel and tells her to leave the area immediately. Sam and Dean enter the barn. Dean tends to Castiel and Mary tells Sam the demon had yellow eyes. Castiel tells Dean he's dying. As Dean, Mary, and Sam gather round Castiel, Crowley arrives and tells them they're all going to die. Dean and Sam aren't too surprised to see him, as Mary is shocked to meet Crowley but threatens to kill him after he greets her. Crowley notices Castiel, as Sam realizes the demons they killed were his. Crowley confirms this and tells the gang that the demon they're fighting is [[Ramiel]], who the Winchesters are unfamiliar with but Castiel breaks in and explains he is a [[Prince of Hell]]. Crowley and Castiel explained these were demons created by Lucifer after [[Lilith]] to lead armies of demons in the battle against Heaven. Crowley also reveals to Castiel that the rumors of the prince's deaths were meant to prevent searches for them. Mary then realizes [[Azazel]] was one such demon, to which Crowley confirms by stating they have the latter's eyes something that disturbs Sam and Dean.

[[File:Ramiel meets Crowley.jpg|thumb|242x242px|Ramiel meets Crowley.]]
A flashback of six years ago shows Crowley's first encounter with Ramiel. Crowley introduces himself as the King of the Crossroads to an unimpressed Ramiel. With [[Lilith]] and Azazel's death, and Lucifer's return to the cage, [[Hell]] needs a new king. Crowley offers the throne to Ramiel. He's bearing gifts of the [[Lance of Michael]] and the same glowing item Mary stole from Ramiel's basement. Ramiel refuses the Kingdom of Hell since its meaningless to him and the rest of his siblings and gives it to Crowley because of his ambitious personality. Crowley accepts the offer and Ramiel tells him that his only condition is that he and his siblings are left in peace or else there would be consequences.

Back in the present, Crowley explains that Castiel has been stabbed with the Lance of Michael. He will not recover from his injuries, nor do the boys have time to defeat Ramiel. Dean tells Crowley to help or leave, and he immediately disappears. At 9:07 PM, Ramiel approaches the barn as Sam lays a holy oil trap for him. They load up their strongest weapons as Castiel lays dying. Outside, Crowley tries to talk Ramiel out of killing the four and explains that the Winchesters are powerful assets and allies for Hell, and he offers to make a new deal with Ramiel. Ramiel's response sends a screaming Crowley flying through the barn wall and crashing into a tractor as well as knocking him out, much to everyone's shock.

A title card name, "A Real Barnburner" shows the scene of Dean threatening Crowley to help them save Castiel or leave. Crowley disappears. At 9:12 PM Castiel tells Sam, Dean, and Mary that he's not going to live, that he loves them all, and he wants them to leave. He will face Ramiel alone so they can save themselves. The Winchesters refuse and gear up to fight Ramiel. Sam pours a holy oil ring, and they load up their weapons. Crowley comes flying through the wall with Ramiel behind him.

[[File:Ramiel's Death.jpg|thumb|250px|Ramiel is killed by [[Sam]] with the Lance of Michael.|left]]
Sam traps Ramiel in the circle of [[Holy Oil|holy fire]] and the Winchesters try to convince Ramiel to heal Castiel. Ramiel tells there is no cure expresses his complete lack of concern for the battles between heaven and hell, including his knowledge that Lucifer has fathered a child and reveals his sister Dagon is watching over it. Ramiel then accuses them of stealing something from him as Sam and Dean are confused. Ramiel says if they don't return it, he will kill them all. Mary refuses to admit to her actions, and Ramiel produces the Lance of Michael, snuffs out the holy fire in [[Energy Blasts|an impressive blast of energy]], and the fight begins. Ramiel overpowers Sam and Mary before he engages Dean in battle and soon does the same to him. Just as he's about to deliver a killing blow to Dean, Sam disarms him of the lance and uses it to stab Ramiel, [[Molecular Combustion|killing]] him.

Castiel begins screaming and writhing in pain, a thick, black slime pouring from his mouth. The Winchesters gather round him. Crowley regains consciousness, sees Castiel on the verge of death, grabs the Lance of Michael and snaps it in two. Castiel is enveloped in angel-grace light and healed instantly. Crowley drops the pieces and vanishes. Castiel asks what Ramiel meant about them stealing something, but Dean waves it off. They take off for home.
[[File:Mary visits Arthur after taking the Colt.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Mary visits Arthur after stealing the Colt and complains to him that the mission nearly cost her]]
A title card named "One Last Thing" cuts to a meeting between Mary and Mr. Ketch. Mary's furious about the BMOL's lack of intel on Ramiel, Wally's death, and Castiel's near death. She threatens to destroy the BMOL if this happens again. Mr Ketch admits their error and apologizes. He asks to see the item Mary stole from Ramiel, and she produces [[The Colt]].

Crowley, in [[Needham Asylum (Crowley's Lair)|his throne]] in, is on the phone demanding Ramiel's house be searched for the gun. From a nearby cage, a man sings about a gun. He belittles Crowley for his relationship with Sam and Dean, asserting it's only a matter of time before the Winchesters kill him. When Crowley tells him to shut up and calls him "dog", Lucifer's eyes (in [[Nick]]'s [[Vessels|meat suit]]) glow red and he coldly says that it is not his name.

==Characters==
===Main Cast===
*[[Jared Padalecki]] as [[Sam Winchester]]
*[[Jensen Ackles]] as [[Dean Winchester]]
*[[Misha Collins]] as [[Castiel]]
*[[Mark Sheppard]] as [[Crowley]]
*[[Mark Pellegrino]] as [[Lucifer]]

===Recurring Cast===
====Guest Stars====
*[[Samantha Smith]] as [[Mary Winchester]]

====Co-Stars====
*[[David Haydn-Jones]] as [[Arthur Ketch]]
*[[Jerry Trimble]] as [[Ramiel]]
*Donavon Stinson as [[Wally]]
*Donna Benedicto as [[Mandy (Waitress)|Mandy]]

==Featured Supernatural Beings==
*[[Archangels]] {{c|[[Lucifer]]; [[Michael]], mentioned and painting}}
*[[Crossroad Demon]] {{c|[[Crowley]]}}
*[[Demons]] {{c|[[Ramiel's Protector]], [[Wally's Attacker]]}}
*[[Nephilim]] {{c|[[Jack Kline]], referenced only}}
*[[Princes of Hell]] {{c|[[Ramiel]]; [[Azazel]], mentioned and flashback; [[Dagon]] and [[Asmodeus]], mentioned only}}
*[[Seraph]] {{c|[[Castiel]]}}
*[[White-eyed Demons|White-Eyed Demon]] {{c|[[Lilith]], mentioned only}}

==Continuity==
*Mary seeking help from the British Men of Letters was briefly mentioned at the end of ''[[First Blood]]'', when [[Mick Davies]] speaks to her at the diner.
*[[Castiel]] continues to drive the truck he stole at the beginning of ''[[Keep Calm and Carry On]]''.
*[[Azazel]] is revealed to be one of four yellow-eyed demons and a [[Princes of Hell|Prince of Hell]]. Previously, ''the Yellow-Eyed Demon'' name was attributed only to him.
*[[Ramiel]] is revealed to have had [[the Colt]] since the defeat of Lucifer in ''[[Swan Song]]''. It is now in the hands of the [[British Men of Letters]].
*[[The Colt]] appears in the present for the first time since the [[season 5]] episode ''[[Abandon All Hope...]].''
*Lucifer previously appeared in ''[[LOTUS]]'' and is shown to be locked in a different cage in Crowley's throne room.
*[[Davy Perez]] revealed that ''[[Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets]]'' is "tied in" to this episode.
*This is the first time Mary physically meets Crowley.

==Trivia==
*This is the most watched episode of [[Season 12]] since the premiere episode, ''[[Keep Calm and Carry On]]'' with 1.82 million viewers and a 0.7 rating.
*[[Castiel]] is the third main character to say "I love you" on Supernatural, the first being [[Sam Winchester|Sam]] to [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] in [[Season 5]]'s ''[[Sam, Interrupted]]'' and the second being [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] to [[Mary Winchester|Mary]] in Season 5's ''[[Dark Side of the Moon]]''.
**Notably, [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] was supposed to say it to Castiel in [[Season 8]]'s ''[[Goodbye Stranger]]'', but was replaced with "I need you" instead as it was considered to have been "out of character."
*This is the second episode directed by ''Supernatural'' actor [[Richard Speight Jr.]] He previously directed [[Season 11]]'s ''[[Just My Imagination]]'', which was his directional debut. He is best known for playing the [[Archangels|Archangel]] [[Gabriel]]. Mark Pellegrino returns as Lucifer's actor for the first time since [[Season 11]]'s ''[[Hell's Angel]].''
**Similar to [[Mark Sheppard]], [[Jim Beaver]], and [[Samantha Smith]], his appearance is credited as 'Special Appearance By,' in order to surprise viewers with Lucifer's return at the end of the episode.
*Michael is revealed to have created [[Lance of Michael|a lance]] specifically for torturing Lucifer.
*Mary is revealed to see Castiel, as part of the family and sees him as one of her boys.
*In this episode, it's revealed that [[Crowley]] tried to offer [[Ruler of Hell|rule of Hell]] to [[Ramiel]] who was next in line as one of the [[Princes of Hell]]. However, Ramiel rejected the offer and instead suggested that Crowley take power instead, seemingly inspiring Crowley to do so.
*[[Azazel ]] is revealed to not be unique in [[Hell]]'s hierarchy, as previously thought, rather one of the four [[Princes of Hell]], a class of demonic generals with distinctive yellow eyes.
*Donna Benedicto, who portrayed the waitress Mandy, revealed that Castiel sniffing her wasn't scripted. She didn't even know it had happened until the scene was shot and Richard Speight Jr. asked Misha if that's what he did, and he admitted it.
*Richard describes the scene in which Ramiel stabs Castiel in the middle of the road as "iconic".

==Cultural References==
*"Stuck in the Middle (With You)" is a reference to the Dylan-esque pop bubble gum favorite of the same name from 1974 by British folk/rock band Stealers Wheel. The song is most famous for its use in Quentin Tarantino's first feature film, Reservoir Dogs.
*This episode is largely an homage to the works of Quentin Tarantino, through the use of non-linear storytelling, title cards in scene transitions, and "spaghetti" Western music.
*In the first scene you can see "Big Kahuna" on the menu, which is a reference to the fictional themed fast-food restaurants in multiple Quentin Tarentino's and Robert Rodriguez films.
*Reference to ''From Dusk Till Dawn: ''Dean's line "All right, ramblers, let's get rambling" mirrors Seth Gecko's line in the movie.
*References to ''Reservoir Dogs:'' the scene in the diner references the similar scene in the film; Wally's death mirrors Mr. Brown's death; Castiel's injury during the heist mirrors Mr. Orange's.
*References to ''Kill Bill:'' Ramiel's whistling references Elle Driver hospital scene in the film.
*References to ''Pulp Fiction:'' the glowing item in the box Mary steals references the glowing item in the suitcase Vincent Vega sees.
*When Mary texts the British Men of Letters about the yellow-eyed demon, it is shown that she has them labeled as "Hobbits" in her phone.

==Errors==
*It's not clear if Crowley lists the names of all of the [[Princes of Hell]] to the Winchesters and Castiel when he tells them about his meeting with [[Ramiel]]. He only mentions [[Dagon]] to them by name. In [[Season 13]]'s ''[[The Rising Son]]'', the Winchesters know [[Asmodeus]] by name without him being introduced, and that Asmodeus is a Prince of Hell, suggesting that Crowley did actually mention the names of the other Princes in this episode.

==Deaths==
*[[Wally]]
*[[Ramiel's Protector]]
*[[Wally's Attacker]]
*[[Ramiel]]

==International Titles==
*'''Hungarian:''' Ismeretlen ellenség ''(Unknown Enemy)''

==Gallery==
===Promotional Pictures===
<gallery type="slideshow" position="center" widths="320">
TFW1212.jpg
Dean1212.jpg
Sam1212.jpg
Mary1212.jpg
Wally1212.jpg
Team1212.jpg
CasMary1212.jpg
Flirt1212.jpg
</gallery>

===Behind the Scenes===
<gallery type="slideshow" position="center" widths="320">
Jerry-trimble.jpg
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</gallery>

==Videos==
[[File:Supernatural 12x12 Promo "Stuck in the Middle (With You)" (HD) Season 12 Episode 12 Promo|left|330px]]
[[File:Supernatural 12x12 Sneak Peek "Stuck in the Middle (With You)" (HD) Season 12 Episode 12 Sneak Peek|right|330px]]
[[File:Supernatural 12x12 Inside "Stuck in the Middle (With You)" (HD) Season 12 Episode 12 Inside|left|330px]]

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