Supernatural
CW, Thursday, 9PM
“In the Beginning”
Written by Eric Kripke and Jeremy Carver
Directed by Steve Boyum
Warning: this review contains some spoilers. If you’d rather not know what the story is going to include, bookmark this page and read it after viewing.
It is rare that a show produces quality material week after week, but this is exactly what Supernatural is doing with each new episode. “In the Beginning” opens with the angel Castiel taking Dean back to his hometown of Lawrence, Kansas (circa 1973) with only the vague warning to “stop it.” The warning sets up the purpose of Dean’s visit, but its meaning does not become clear until the end.
The relevance of the episode is arguable, since Castiel could have told Dean all he needed to know about Sam’s origins and the dangerous path he is going down by training with Ruby. Instead, the angel forces Dean to live through the critical moments in his parents’ lives as the yellow-eyed demon makes deals with people in order to come calling ten years later. Although it is interesting to see Dean interact with the younger versions of his parents, most of what Dean experiences in the past does not produce story-changing revelations.
However, the episode succeeds brilliantly in bringing Supernatural‘s story arc full circle by re-introducing the yellow-eyed demon to both Dean and to the audience. The significance of the episode lies in the fact that the yellow-eyed demon is now an active presence in Dean’s mind, which wouldn’t have happened if Castiel simply told him what he needed to know. Dredging up the yellow-eyed demon, from past seasons, succeeded in bringing him into a current storyline and creating an impressive multi-season story arc.
Dean’s visit to the past allowed him to learn for himself what the angels already know: the yellow-eyed demon changed Sam and the others, but his end-game remains a mystery. Yet, it seems evident that there is a relationship between Sam and the unfolding plot. Why else would God command his angel to pull Dean out of Hell, the seals continue to be broken to free Lucifer, and the yellow-eyed demon put together an army of psychic children. The fact that God and Lucifer are on the verge of taking active roles in the story can only mean one thing—Armageddon is coming. But where does Sam fit into this plot?
At the end of the episode, after Dean fails to save his family, Castiel explains that no one can change destiny—all roads lead to one destination. However, in his next breath, the angel tells Dean that if he can’t get Sam under control, the angels will be forced to act. Can Dean help Sam? Or stop him? The look on Dean’s face leaves those questions unanswered, for now.
Supernatural‘s greatest asset is its ability and willingness to raise thought-provoking questions. Why was the lesson about destiny tied to the angel’s warning to stop Sam? How does this fit with the idea that Armageddon may be coming? If it was Sam’s destiny to become one of the yellow-eyed demon’s children, how does that affect his future destiny? Will Dean be able to stop whatever is happening to Sam? If not, what does that mean for Dean? For Sam? For the world?
Supernatural is easily one of the best genre shows on television this season. Few television shows pay such close attention to character development. Usually plot rich stories win out, producing a much flatter and more lifeless show. Thankfully, that is not happening with Supernatural. The excitement of the unfolding plot and the intellectual engagement of the writing continue to produce a show that is well worth watching.