Supernatural 8.05 "Blood Brother" Review

           Supernatural 8.05 “Blood Brother” gave us a lot of answers and left us asking more questions. It’s likely to be an episode that evokes a lot of fan reaction. With a finely crafted Ben Edlund script, expertly directed by Guy Bee, and stunningly acted by the entire cast, this is going down as one of the best episodes of the series for me, even if the final scene had me screaming at the television.

            Tonight’s episode went a long way towards filling out the back story of Amelia and Benny. And here’s where fandom is likely to be polarized. I’m really enjoying Jared Padalecki’s work this season because I really like this Sam. He still cares about the world around him. In fact, he’s enjoying being able to connect with people in a way that he can’t when he’s hunting. And he’s really connecting with Amelia. Liane Balaban has done an outstanding job conveying a quietly wounded woman; her performances are subtle and believable, and I’m really looking forward to finding out more about her. I like that she’s observant and logical, her comments on Sam’s wardrobe all coming from army surplus comes to mind. It feels very right to me that this relationship between Amelia and Sam comes about because they recognize and understand each other on a very deep level. It’s telling and important that this relationship doesn’t simply start with sex as so many of both brothers’ relationships do. I also really appreciate how the flashbacks are being done. Sam’s flashbacks in this episode felt a lot like Dean’s in previous episodes as something happening in the present triggers a memory from the past year – it’s a good technique that mimics how we really do remember things.

            The bulk of this episode really rested on Benny’s back story, and his relationship with Dean. Ty Olsson is outstanding in this episode and solidifies himself as a terrific addition to the show. Now, let’s just hope that we can keep him! He too delivers a subtle and nuanced performance. Benny is going to present problems of acceptance for viewers as well as Sam, but it’s one of Supernatural’s greatest assets that it can force us to think again and again about what it means to be a monster and to keep coming up with new answers. Olsson delivers an outstanding performance to bring Benny to life and to make him a sympathetic character. His slow southern drawl is equally adept at relating the heart wrenching tale of his death and lost love and the hilarious banter that always punctuates an Edlund script.

            I have to admit, I don’t think it will be possible to have enough Dean, Benny, and Castiel in Purgatory scenes, watching the expressions fly across Jensen Ackles’ face as Benny baits Castiel. Misha Collins is always a joy to watch and this version of Castiel is very much like the Cas we came to know and love in seasons four and five. Of course Cas, under Edlund’s prompting, would be the one to muse about the metaphysics of where a monster’s soul goes when it’s killed in Purgatory! We also learn that Castiel is a seraph. This is the first time we’ve learned what his standing is in the angel hierarchy. Of course, this information is of limited use because the hierarchy is different whether you are talking about the Judeo or Christian mythology and Supernatural usually has some version of the mythology of its own anyway. What it could mean, however, is that Cas is actually a fairly high ranking angel.

            It’s interesting that both Cas and Benny try to convince Dean that Cas is dangerous to have around and that it’s likely he won’t be able to get out anyway. Benny says that Purgatory wants to spit Dean out because he’s human and Benny insists that without “the fangs and fun” he was human once. What everyone fails to point out is that Cas is currently inhabiting a human vessel. Surely that must count for something. Dean keeps insisting that he isn’t leaving without Cas.

            The flashbacks to Purgatory are once again stunningly shot and lit. I love the use of freeze frames and quick edits in the fight scenes and the gritty washed out colors. They are contrasted by the saturated colors of Sam’s flashbacks that are so full of life and so at odds with Purgatory. The fights are violent and the camaraderie between Dean and Benny starts to make sense.

            Even after a year in Purgatory, they seem to still be learning about each other, or perhaps re-learning about each other topside. Dean is amazed at how Benny is able to heal from his injuries, and Benny is amazed that Dean’s loyalty and friendship extend to him. It’s possible that Benny accepted Dean’s loyalty while still in Purgatory because they were both useful to each other and didn’t think it would continue once they were out, but Dean is nothing if not loyal to a fault. It’s one of the reasons why Dean is always so hurt by anyone being less loyal. It’s one of the things that Sam could never understand about Dean’s relationship to John: that he would remain loyal regardless of the others actions or inactions.

            Benny does recognize this loyalty in Dean and witnessed it between Dean and Cas in Purgatory. Benny does try to let Dean off the hook, but Dean knows Benny is in over his head in trying to go after his maker and insists on helping. This is another parallel between Sam’s flashbacks and the present story between Dean and Benny. Sam has that same instinct to help. And of course, that is the central tenant of the family business that both boys have learned: helping people. Sam may have stopped hunting but the flashbacks in this episode prove that he didn’t stop helping people.

            I loved the scene between Benny and Dean as Benny explains what his old nest does. The dialogue is some of Supernatural’s best and there’s nothing more fun than watching Dean when he thinks he’s been clever:

“Vampire pirates. That’s what you guys are. Vampirates!”

But what makes this scene work so well is the obvious chemistry between Olsson and Ackles and the subtle things in the episode like the gentle amusement of Benny to Dean’s vampirates comment and Dean covertly pocketing the dead vampire’s cash. Both Ackles and Olsson marry an economy of movement with expressive delivery in their acting styles.

            It’s important that the scene in which Benny tells Dean about falling in love with Andreas and being killed by his maker takes place in the Impala. It’s a significant nod to the depth of this relationship as this is where we’ve come to expect the brothers to have their serious conversations. Benny is more open and honest and bares more of his soul than Sam and Dean have done with each other in a long time, however.

            It was also a great choice on Bee’s part to set the scene where Benny voices his problems in determining what’s real in the same forest that they use to shoot Purgatory. It looks very different shot with the usual lighting of the show. Once again a shout out to the entire production crew for their attention to every detail to reinforce the story.

            The phone calls between Sam and Dean as he’s trying to rescue Benny are a terrific example of how seamlessly Edlund can blend comedy with drama with the result being an increase to the tension and drama.

            Olsson is fantastic in the scenes with his former nest, simultaneously exuding anger and remorse, wrestling with trying to do what’s right. Andreas reminds Benny of what it’s like to be turned when all you think about is blood, and she points out that Benny severed his ties with Quentin when he died, so he’ll be able to kill him. Benny, we learn, only came back to stop the killing, and in the end, he does what he sets out to do, and Dean killing Andreas spares Benny from having to do that, but it does mean that with the death of his nest, Benny is left on his own. Benny wanted to put Andreas’ memory to rest and he realizes that what he loved “it ain’t here anymore. It was snuffed out a long time ago by monsters like me.” The parallel between Benny’s nest and family is underscored by Quentin’s calling him his “wayward son”, an obvious shout out to the familiar Kansas song that ends every Supernatural season “Carry On My Wayward Son.” But Benny has truly changed.

            Benny tells Dean in Purgatory that he “drinks blood, he doesn’t drink people.” He wasn’t killing people before he went to Purgatory because he’s seen something in humanity that shouldn’t be taken. He promises Dean he isn’t going to start killing people once he gets out, which is completely consistent with what we see in this episode. In fact, Benny seems to find life or humanity more sacred than Dean. Sam and Dean's conversation at the beginning of the episode in which Dean defends his attempt to kill Mrs Tran because he was trying to kill Crowley, reinforces the theme in this episode. Benny helps to prove himself to Dean by saving Cas even after he insists that Cas is going to get them killed. Benny has somewhat lost his way with the killing of his entire nest, and he tells Dean he isn’t sure what he is anymore, but he’s proven once again to Dean that he is loyal and a man, or vampire, of his word. Dean is genuinely worried about Benny, but he sees the goodness in Benny.

            The final scene of this episode is a tour de force of acting and directing and editing. Sam meets them on the docks and we have his first meeting with Benny. All the dialogue is Olsson’s. This may be my favorite scene of Jared Padalecki’s in the entire run of the series. He’s not happy with Dean, but doesn’t hesitate to shake Benny’s hand, then in close up we see as it registers that Benny’s hand is not the hand of a living person. Dean looks unrepentant. Shock gives way to steely hunter on Sam’s face and we get a close up of Sam’s hand unbuckling his weapon with Dean’s out of focus face in the background. An overlay of a heartbeat punctuates the now slow motion shot as Benny tilts his head to acknowledge Sam reaching for his weapon. Benny clearly was ready to accept his fate. Had Sam tried to kill him, I doubt Benny would have tried to stop him. More because he’s in a bad place after losing Andreas again, but I wonder if he will go out of his way not to get between the brothers. Then we cut to Dean slowly and subtly shaking his head no. Sam acquiesces to his brother and stands down, but his face becomes a mask of anger. Dean’s face closes down. Dean is not going to apologize for Benny because that is what loyalty means for Dean. Dean and Benny have a relationship forged in Purgatory that I don’t believe will ever replace his bond with his brother – the episode title is blood brother – but there is more than one way that you can share blood with someone – in battle or in your veins. Benny acknowledges that the brothers have a lot to talk about and he leaves. Sam and Dean’s eyes meet, and we fade to black... 

           And I started screaming at my television because I simply can’t wait for that conversation! Is it next week yet???