About Richard Pulfer
Location:
Occupation:
Bio:
Posts: 30
More from this author
Dean’s time is up.
The episode begins with Dean running frantically through the woods, pursued by something. He soon finds himself face-to-face with a hellhound (indicated by grainy “hellhound vision” and the sound of accompanying growls), who chases him down – and Dean wakes up. Sam tells him Bobby has a way to track Lilith, but Dean’s time is short: he’s already beginning to see demons everywhere - even in Sam.
Bobby tracks Lilith to Harmony, Indiana, but Dean doesn’t want to go in half-cocked, especially without the Colt. Sam has a solution, but its one Dean doesn’t like anymore: Ruby. After a heated debate, however, Sam persists in summoning Ruby, who tells him he can save Dean by embracing his dormant psychic powers and becoming more powerful than Lilith. But their conversation is interrupted by Dean, who ultimately punches Ruby and goads her into fighting – and leading her right into a Devil’s Trap. After taking the knife, Dean tells Sam he doesn’t want Sam sacrificing his own soul to save his brother’s. They try to leave, but find the Impala won’t start, thanks to Bobby, who demands to tag along.
Lilith, meanwhile, is on “shore leave” – tormenting a family by possessing their young granddaughter like a suburban kid in the cornfield right out of The Twilight Zone. On the way to Harmony, Dean and Sam talk some more, blaring – and singing to – Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive” on the radio, until they are pulled over by a state trooper. Seconds after handing over his license and registration, Dean stabs the officer with the knife – revealing him to be a demon. Closer to death’s door than ever, Dean can know recognize demons without hesitation.
Sam, Dean and Bobby arrive in Harmony and identify the demon – but also find Lilith to be guarded by sleeper agents scattered all throughout the neighborhood. Silently dispatching Lilith’s guard, Sam and Dean prepare to go after Lilith, only to be stopped by Ruby, who has escaped the devil’s trap. But their confrontation is spotted, as they are attacked by more demons. Bobby covers their retreat with sprinklers filled with holy water, while Sam, Dean and Ruby enter the house. Sam prepares to kill the little girl, but Dean realizes the demon is no longer in her – Lilith has moved to someone else. Sam begs for Ruby to unlock his powers, but Ruby insists it’s too late. Dean tells Sam good-bye, as he sights a hellhound in the corner of the room. The three of them run another room and use hex dust to keep the hellhounds at bay, but soon afterwards Dean realizes where Lilith has gone – inside Ruby.
Lilith restrains both of them as she confronts Sam. When Dean questions her ultimate plan, Lilith opens the doors, and the hellhounds start to maul Dean, leaving Sam to Lilith’s blinding hellfire. But Sam is strangely immune to this otherwise all-consuming attack. Lilith retreats just as Sam is about to stab Ruby. It may be too late for Dean though – as he lies bloody and motionless on the floor. As Sam cries while he cradles his brother’s limp body, the camera pans within Dean’s eyes, revealing Dean bound in darkness, yelling for Sam. The final credits roll.
We’ve come to expect cliffhangers from Supernatural before, but this one really didn’t match either of the last two seasons. While it matched the brutality of Season 1’s face-off with Yellow Eyes, it lacked the break-neck pacing of Season 2, and ultimately, Season 3 failed to cover nearly as much ground as the previous myth arcs combined.
Katie Cassidy did turn a sinister performance as Lilith. As Ruby, she’s always struck me as some sort of faux-Kristen Bell-Lite. She was just slightly more engaging than Bela, but she hasn’t hit her acting stride yet. But the way she turned to child-like Lilith was downright creepy – and really engaging.
Overall, “No Rest for the Wicked” was a good episode – it was intense, scary and funny all at the same time. But it still didn’t match the dangerous curves of any of the previous finales. By comparison, Season 3 moved in a straight line – straight down to Hell. But whatever its flaws, No “Rest for the Wicked” did do one thing right, as Supernatural fans everywhere are already dreading the summer wait.
