Supernatural - Episode 5.22 - Swan Song - Recap

So. How about that Vampire Diaries finale huh?? That was shocking! But of course we’re not here to talk about VD (giggle) but Supernatural! And oh my god. That was… well, where to begin? You know, just this once, I think I’m going to start with “the end.”



I watched this episode in a hotel room in Birmingham, the night before attending the Asylum Supernatural convention. My first convention. It was awesome, and I would love to tell you all about it but I think this recap is going to be long enough! After watching the final episode, I turned to my friend (who was on her 3rd viewing at this point) in shock. What just happened?! This was supposed to be the final episode of the show, and while obviously they must have changed some things, I’m pretty sure that for the most part this was Kripke’s intended ending. And I’m not sure how I feel about that, but I don’t think that should necessarily impact on the recap itself so here’s what’s gonna happen: first I am going to recap the episode as per usual, going through it and analyzing all the scenes. Then I’m going to give my own personal opinions on the finale, and what I thought changed when the show was picked up for a 6th season (and why me and Jim Beaver think that adding another season was an excellent decision on the CW’s part), and finally I will summarise and conclude my findings, and…….oh wait, no, this isn’t an essay. Never mind!


Move over Kansas, Metallicar’s theme song is “Back in Black!”

I loved the return of Chuck, and the focus on the car. I LOVED it. That, for me, made the episode. You might even say that this episode was car-centric… it was not chosen by the Winchesters, it had literally always belonged to them through the time travel loop of Dean making his father buy it. It was the anomaly, which along with Dean was the Variable factor which would eventually override destiny and prophecy (spoiler alert!). Really, the Winchesters were just inhabitants of the Metallicar, the true star of the show. Beautiful writing, and I think satisfying to a lot of fans who have always held the car in such high regard. It’s a lot of people’s third favourite character, and how brilliant is that? A TV show has managed to make a car a fan favouirte, I mean come on! That’s brilliance. The only comparable franchise I can think of would be Star Wars and the Millennium Falcon… and I don’t think that Kripke and co. would mind that comparison!

Plus, of course, the fact that they weaved in Kerouac’s On the Road, with Dean and Sal, the Winchesters’ namesakes.

It was also a brilliant storytelling device. Through the story of the car we got the flashbacks to the brothers’ childhood (the only thing missing would be a cameo by Jeffy D., but you can’t have everything) that would later come back and be instrumental, and it managed to give the episode an incredibly final, wrapping-up, emotional feel. If I hadn’t been watching this episode with other people I probably would have cried, I’m not gonna lie.


All children grow up… except one. This child did, though, finally.

Dean is going to let his little brother grow up - finally. Of course this technically happened earlier in the season too, but that never really panned out. Here we have it though: if Sam wants to jump into Hell and suffer eternal torment, darn it if Dean is going to stand in his way! You go, bro. (Am I being sarcastic? Ah, I leave that up to you to decide.)

“The truth is… watching out for you, it’s kind of been my job, you know? But more than that, it’s kind of who I am. But you’re not a kid anymore, Sam. And I can’t keep treating you like one. Maybe I gotta grow up a little too.”

Here’s the thing though, I’d like this exchange a lot more if it wasn’t about letting Sam sacrifice himself. But I’ll hold it in till the end, cause I’m sure there are many different opinions on this issue.


It’s kinda the end of the world, so let’s hug it out! Or, you know, not. Whatever.

There was no hug between the brothers in this episode! Let’s just get that out of the way now. Not ONE hug, people! I live for those hugs (I’m such a sucker) and we were just supposed to go out without the brothers even saying goodbye?! But I’m getting sidetracked.

The merry band of misfits bleed a demon, and then they head out. The Devil’s in Detroit, where Lucifer predicted it would all go down. Sam wants Dean to move on, after he has gone – because of course the best outcome they can see is Sam ending up in eternal torment, so let’s root for that – and Dean reluctantly agrees. No need to panic. Dean and Sam are facing separation, Dean is preparing to watch his brother die, Sam is preparing to die, but hey. There’s a season 6, so no need to dwell on it. At least Dean protested a little. “What am I supposed to do?” he asks. Have a normal life, of course… because being who he is, plus destroyed by pain, guilt and anguish that’s gonna be easy as pie for Dean Winchester? Meh, Lisa was a yoga instructor after all. Made an impression.


“See you around.” Awkward… Ooh, hug!

Yaay Bobby and Sam hugged. I love Bobby. I might have mentioned this a couple of times before. It was extremely touching, especially the “yes, sir,” because that has previously been reserved only for John. Bobby has truly become the father at this point, and it’s just a tiny ray of happiness among all the torture and sadness in the brothers’ lives.

So to sum up this scene, the so carefully constructed plan fails completely and spectacularly. Lucifer knows about the rings, of course, and at least for now Sam is no match for Lucifer. Samcifer leaves Dean alone to cry heartfelt-ly, and gathers all the demons that have been pulling Sam’s puppet strings all his life. The mirror scene was awesome, with Lucifer and Sam battling for control. Was it just me, or was Samcifer way more attractive than Sam in the mirror?! It was something about the self-confident smirk and the hair, I think. Interesting.


Copious quantities of alcohol… that’s a Cas that will not come to pass.

Castiel is ready to embrace his future self as we glimpsed in ‘The End,’ and even Bobby knows that it’s too late. Their plan failed. All they can do now is let destiny play out. Angel vs. Demon – no place for man, right?

At this point I am wondering what exactly it is that Dean is not ready to give up on. The fight, or his brother? Or is it that he wants to prove that Sam can do this, that Dean’s little brothers has the power to save the world? At this point I think Dean is in denial, it’s the only way I can justify his willingness to see this through: somehow, he still believes that Sam can defeat the devil and still survive, that he is actually that strong, and even though he knows deep down that whichever way this goes his brother is gone, he refuses to give up while there is still a fight, any fight. Because it’s only when the fight is over that Sam will truly be gone.


They were never, in fact, homeless. That’s a good line.

I’m saving some important points about Chuck for a later moment, but I loved this sequence about how the Impala was the brothers’ home. I never saw it like that before, but I really like the idea. This was where they lived and worked and hung out and sometimes slept, and, yeah, the closest thing they had to a home. That, and of course each other. Dean was never whole without Sam, and I think the feeling was mutual.

Dean calls Chuck to find out what happens next, and he’s able to tell Dean when and where it all happens. Now – does this mean what happens next was part of the prophecy? I’m gonna say no. And I’ll tell you why, too!


Lucifer, Michael, Heaven, Hell, pfft! Dean Winchester is the badassest mofo in the fricking UNIVERSE, y/y?!?!

I mean come on! In the car, with the song (oh, the song!), being the human element! That’s what we keep saying, the brothers were always the variables in this equation of good versus evil, the big Biblical foretelling – they were so carefully manipulated into their positions, but guess what: they could not be manipulated into what they each accomplished in this episode. Sam and Dean managed that because of their spirits, sheer willpower, and their love for each other. Family saves the world, folks, how awesome is that?! By far the best part of the finale, and what I believe the whole show has been leading up to (however I feel about the specifics): the fact that in the end, it came down to the brothers and their fierce desire to protect each other.

What was so important, too, when the incredible awesomeness of Dean faded, was that Sam was able to break through Lucifer in that moment. In the past, the only people we have seen able to break through possession were John and Bobby, both out of love for the boys, and those were incredible feats in themselves. Sam broke free of Lucifer, for crying out loud, and for Dean. I think this kind of levels the playing field somewhat in terms of which brother loves the other the most, yes? The lack of music, the flash of all the scenes we saw earlier in the episode (again, the Impala being the silent constant connecting it all together), was so incredibly moving.

Oh, and how could I forget – Michael versus Lucifer! That exchange was fantastic. The third Winchester brother often gets overlooked (and I myself am happily guilty of this), but it was great to see him back with a true purpose other than a metaphorical shark for the brothers to jump over, and the scene was spectacularly acted. See, they don’t want to fight, they don’t want to kill each other. But it has been foretold so they must. Makes me wonder what will happen to Armageddon now that both brothers are stuck in Hell and most of the Arch Angels have been killed. Has it been postponed? Will a New New Testament have to be written? I totally agreed with Lucifer in this scene too. “We’re brothers. Let’s just walk off the chess board.” Let’s not end the world to prove we’re “good sons”.


“The End.”

Yaaaay Castiel and Bobby came back to life! It was kind of funny (but not really) cause before this episode I remember being terrified that either Bobby or Cas would die in this episode – then when they were both killed without warning I couldn’t even be upset, I was too shocked – and then they both came back! I was like, huh. The first thing I wondered about whether was changed because of season 6. Do you reckon they would have stayed dead, had this been the series finale? I like to think they would still have come back. Someone should sit down with Eric Kripke and ask him these questions (hey, I volunteer!).

Castiel becomes the lord of Heaven (“Cas are you God?” LOL), and Bobby goes back to his lonely life (won’t speak to Dean for a long time my ass, wtf people?!), and Dean… Dean… well, Dean… I’m sorry, I can’t say it. Dean goes to get some microwavable instant-family-mix and gets ready for normal, despite his obvious despair and vendetta against God and the fact that his already abnormally big level of messed-up-ness has just been multiplied by about a thousand. Good luck, Lisa. “Every part of him, every fiber in his being tells him to die, or to find a way to bring Sam back. But he isn’t gonna do either, cause he made a promise.” That’s a recipe for a happy ending if I ever saw one.

Meanwhile, Chuck finishes telling his story – and then he ends. And here’s what I think (not terribly original I’m sure): Chuck was Eric Kripke, who has also finished his story. This was his way of saying that he wasn’t able to tie up all the loose ends, that fans like me are always gonna bitch (I’m sorry! I love the show really), and Sure, it may continue next fall (because no story ever really ends, right guys?), but this was Supernatural, this was what had been planned and written, the complete series and franchise. Over and out, Kripke wrote, and whatever happens next is not part of the master plan. That is simply extra.

Oh. But wait. Who’s that under the Narnia lamp post? Dun dun DUN!



Settle in. Get your popcorn. It's gonna be a bumpy rant.

So here’s where I offer my two cents. Cause I know how you all appreciate my candidness – it gives you a chance to disagree with me, and please, go ahead! I appreciate it a lot, especially because I don’t like feeling this way. As you can probably gather, I wasn’t all that happy with the finale. There were parts I loved, don’t get me wrong, and overall I actually think it was really good and moving. But… okay, here’s the deal.

First of all can I just say, I am so relieved that there is going to be a 6th season. Because if this had been the end? Then I would have been very unhappy with it. I didn’t necessarily want a happy ending for the brothers, but in my opinion this episode gave both brothers the worst possible ending, and after five years of watching them be all angsty and learn to be brothers again, how, how, could they expect an ending in which they ended up apart to be satisfactory? Sam in eternal torment (payment for what, all his good deeds? “The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” my friend told me when I ranted at her, but I don’t care!) and Dean alive, alone (as in season 2, but a million times worse because this time he knows that Sam will be suffering whereas if he’d left him dead the last time he’d have gone to Heaven), left to reconnect with Lisa. And let’s call a spade a spade, they spent one night together 10 years ago and she has a nice kid, that’s it. When exactly did she become the love of his life? What happened to that nice girl in ‘Dead in the Water’ with the son who couldn’t speak, or, I don’t know, Cassie? That girl he was with for years? It was too random and rushed.

However, I realize that I might become quite unpopular for this opinions. The friends I watched the episode with – far more serious, committed fans much more involved in the fandom – all said it was the perfect end to the show. It tied up as much as it could, the show couldn’t really have ended a better way, etc. Well, while this might be true (and please don’t misunderstand: I LOVED this episode in a lot of ways and I agree that most of it was perfect), I say screw that. If this had been the end of the show, with Sam send to Hell – eternal, insufferable torment – and Dean had been left alone with some half-assed suggestion that he would magically be okay and suddenly able to sustain a “normal life”, I think it would have haunted me for the rest of my life. Kind of like some moments in BSG that still make me uncomfortable whenever I think about them. I would never have been able to watch the show again, knowing what was to come, how every episode took the brothers one step closer to a merciless end. So much for being servants of “the lord”. And while some might argue for dramatic irony and for tragedy equating “good television”, that doesn’t mean I would have to like it. I found it hard enough watching the fanvids they showed at Asylum (and consequently wrote part of this review standing outside by myself), because for me this show has been about the brothers reconnecting, learning to live with each other, eventually growing up and resolving at least some of their issues. If this happened somewhere in this episode I missed it among all the torment and grief. Things got worse and worse for the brothers, and then they got a little worse and then it ended. Sam condemned to eternal suffering, Dean stuck in the worst possible life for him (because it didn’t include Sam, and because of the knowledge that Sam (partially) sacrificed his life for Dean). Whatever Dean said about letting Sam grow up, his biggest nightmare has always been harm befalling Sam. In this episode, his biggest nightmare was realized. That’s not a good ending, I don’t care about Lisa or “normalcy”, I’m sorry. Therefore, I will be eternally grateful to the network for giving the show a second chance to give the brothers another ending. Whether this ending will be good or bad, I hope that it will see Sam and Dean together, on the same side, and “home”.

Honestly, my issues with this episode mostly come from the fact that I imagine this as the final episode and that Sam under the lamp post wouldn’t have been there in this case. If this is how Kripke saw the end of the show, that makes me sad. The brothers divided, each in their own hell, suffering as the ending of five years of, well, suffering? It screams unfinished business (I haven’t forgotten about the necklace either!).

But now that’s out of the way, I just briefly want to, once again, comment on some of the brilliant moments in this episode. The Chuck-narration sequences were all fantastic, the Impala focus was a stroke of absolute brilliance which added an extra stroke of poignancy to the final showdown when Dean came in with the car – and of course, Dean’s entrance is another moment in itself. The idea of the human element being stronger than demons, angels and prophecies was fantastic, a true Supernatural message to send… and again, three cheers for Bobby and Castiel not being dead. I wonder if Cas will be back next season.

I of course have a lot more to say. I feel like this review has been quite negatively loaded and for that I do apologise, I didn’t mean to end the season like this but I had to be honest, I was very taken aback by what I felt were some quite abrupt, unnerving themes in the finale. But hey, I’m absolutely stoked for season 6, and I’ll be back to review it in September! Have a good summer, everyone! Be proud of your boys, whichever you prefer, because they both did fantastically in this finale! Sam and Dean are some of the bravest, best fictional heroes in contemporary fiction.

And that’s it. Let me have it in the comments, then! What did you all think of the finale?