| Recap added by Journalbookbinder
Lost Creek, Colorado
Tommy (who appeared in season one's Wendigo epsiode) and his girlfriend are at a cabin. It sounds like she's been trying to get him to go up there for quite awhile but he's been reluctant. Now he's nervous and looks out the window thinking he hears something. He tries to shrug it off.
He continues to hear growling sounds. His girlfriend doesn't hear anything. He tells her to get away from the window, he's sure the sound is a Wendigo. He tells her to hide. She thinks he's crazy.
Tommy lights up a blowtorch. He hears growling (seemingly in his head) and falls to the floor. His ears start bleeding. Then his eyes start bleeding. He asks what's happening before his head explodes off his body.
At the Men of Letters bunker, Sam and Dean are trying to learn more about what the Men of Letters knew about demonic possession since they now know that the third trial consists of "curing" a demon.
Dean walks out with a thick folder. Sam is hopeful that's all the info. there is. Dean says, "not even close" because the Men of Letters kept tabs on every demon possession for the last 300 years; Lizzy Borden to Ichabod Crane.
Sam grimaces in pain. He says his body hurts and he feels nauseous and starving all at the same time. Everything smells like rotting meat. Dean says it sounds like a Jagermeister hangover he's had. Sam looks at him like Dean has no idea what he's talking about. Dean tells Sam he should take a break, but Sam just wants to keep working.
Dean says he'll go get Sam some food.
Cas comes in and says good morning. He comments thatthe likes the bunker because it's orderly. Sam insinuates the orderliness won't last; Dean wants to get a ping pong table.
Cas says his wound is taking longer to heal than he thought. But he's getting better. He observes that Sam is getting worse. Sam tells Cas that the final trial is to "cure a demon". Cas says, "of what?". Sam says he has no idea, that's what they are trying to find out.
Dean brings in some food; half a beer, some jerky, and 3 peanut butter cups. Dean points out they are running a bit low. He's going to go make a food run. Cas says he wants to come with him, but Dean ignores him.
Cas tells Dean he's sorry; for everything. Dean is holding a grudge because Cas ignored them, ran off with the angel tablet because he didn't trust Dean with it, then lost the tablet altogether. Dean can't believe Cas didn't trust him. Dean says "sorry" isn't good enough this time. He tells Cas to cram his apology up his a s s . Cas looks at Dean with great sincerity and tells him that he thought he was doing the right thing. Dean says "you always do".
Sam interrupts the tense moment asking, "Do we have a room '7b'?".
Sam and Dean open the door to a storeroom. Sam tells Dean to go easy on Cas since Cas is one of the good guys. Dean says he's have much less patience with anyone else, so why should he cut Cas so much slack? "Because it's CAS," answers Sam. Dean blows him off and asks what they are looking for in the storage room.
Sam says they're looking for case #1138 from 1957...referred to as a "class 5 infernal event". It's a rating system that the Men of Letters came up with. An exorcism is a "class 2". Sam says this case was noted to be "weird" with 3 exclamation points. Sam finds the file. Dean discovers that there's a secret door leading out of the storeroom.
Inside is a huge devil's trap painted on the floor along with chains and handcuffs. The chains have
spellwork cast into them. Sam says, "so we have a dungeon," to which Dean replies, "finally" and gives Sam a little smirk (obviously he's referring to a sex dungeon).
Dean asks Sam about the file he found. Inside is an old reel-to-reel movie.
They hook it up and watch it with Cas. They have popcorn.
It's a film of a priest (an older priest with a younger assistant who says it's his first exorcism).
Apparently, this exorcism is going to be different. We see that the person filming is Josie; the woman later possessed by the demon Abaddon.
They continue to watch as a possessed woman with black eyes kneels chained to the floor. The chains on the demon are the same as those they have in their dungeon.
The older priest tries to do the exorcism with the younger priest looking on in extreme fear and shaking as he holds out a rosary. The older priest says some words in Latin and holds his hand over the demon's mouth. She seems to combust from the inside and you hear them say, "she's dead". Josie asks what happened, but the priest tells her to stop filming.
Sam realizes that the words used were different from a standard exorcism. Cas points out that "lustra" means "wash" or "cleanse".
Dean asks if there's any more information. Online, Sam finds that the older priest in the film, Max
Thompson, died in 1958, but the younger one is still alive and in St. Louis. Sam says this exorcism was all new; like nothing Sam and Dean had seen before and they've seen almost everything. They should go to St. Louis and find out more about it.
Dean agrees, but excludes Cas. Cas points out that he's in better shape than Sam is, but Dean says that even when he's banged up, at least Sam come through (ouch!). Cas says he just wants to help. Dean says they don't need his help; he should stay behind and get better.
Later....
Sam and Dean are talking to the now much older priest from the home movies. He confirms that the late Father Thompson had some unorthodox ideas. That's why the Men of Letters were interested in him.
Father Thompson believed demons could be saved. They were human souls who had been corrupted by their time in hell, but he believed they could be cleansed. Neither Dean nor this priest is sure how that can work.
The father explains that they witnessed one of the attempted "saving" exorcisms that went wrong and allowed the demon to escape the host's body into the world. He says Father Thompson kept trying and experimenting, but this priest never could bring himself to witness another one.
When Father Thompson died, the priest says that something "tore him apart".
Sam asks if Father Thompson kept records (Sam is interrupted by his coughing and asks to use the bathroom).
While Sam is gone, Dean talks to the priest. He explains that Sam isn't okay. Dean tells the father of their plan to rid the world of demons for good. The father is skeptical that Sam can do that "in his condition".
Dean tells him that over the past few months, he's seen Sam do things he never thought were possible. Dean says he has no doubt that Sam can do it. He asks for the father's help. He agrees and goes to get them Father Thompson's records.
Elsewhere....
Cas is in a convenience store. He's shopping for everything he knows Dean loves. Jerky. A Busty Asian Beauties magazine, beer, and other supplies. He looks everywhere for pie. He's kind of clumsy, leaving doors open, breaking an egg, knocking things over. (editor's note; this is supposed to be funny, I think, but it's such a sad scene because it's like Cas doesn't know what to do to get Dean to trust him again so he's going to buy everything he knows he likes...though of course this wouldn't work with Dean, it's like Cas is desperate and doesn't know what else to do to save the friendship.)
Cas gives the clerk money but gets physical with the clerk and grabs him by the collar when he tells him that they are out of pie.
Metatron unexpectedly appears behind Cas in the store and tells him to put down the virgin (clerk) because they need to talk.
Outside the store, Cas and Metatron talk. This is the first time Cas has met him. Metatron says his public name is "Marv" and that Kevin Tran has told Metatron that he and Cas are a lot alike. They are both free thinkers and both on heaven's most wanted list. Metatron says he's trying to catch up on what's been going on while he's been out of the loop. He wants to talk about what's going on in heaven and the fact that it's a huge mess without the archangels.
Cas though Naomi was running things. Metatron says she's only one of many "players". He says there are many many fighting factions. Cas says he's the one who broke heaven when he mistakenly thought he could lead the angels. Cas explains that he tried to atone and do penance...he betrayed his friends to keep the angel's secrets (the angel tablet), but he's failed all around.
Metatron says that heaven needs he and Cas to come to the rescue. Cas is skeptical. Metatron argues that the angels need to be locked in a room together along with he and Cas until they can work it all out. To do this, Metatron says they have to shut down heaven.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Metatron says he's going to take off for a crepe restaurant in Ojai, California and he's gone.
Back in the bunker, Sam can't find Cas. Dean isn't surprised. Dean says that Father Thompson recorded all of his demon-curing attempts. Dean finds the reel-to-reel audio tape of the last exorcism attempt right before the father died.
On the tape, the father asks the demon how he felt when he ate the children of the man he possessed. The demon responds that it felt "orgasmic" (editor: Eeewwww! Inappropriate; but I guess that's a demon for you!). Then the father injects the demon with something; Sam reads to Dean that it was the father's own "purified" blood. Purified by confession.
The father repeats this procedure over and over (4 hours later, the demon is still resistant). On the 6th dose, the demon begs him to relent. The man returns and the demon seems to be subduded. By the 8th hour, the father recites his alternate exorcism, he stabs himself in the hand and clamps his bloody hand over the possessed man's mouth. Light shoots from the possessed man's eyes and he collapses. The demon appears to be gone and the man is back, only it seems to be the man that the demon used to be when human, not necessarily the man he possessed. The priest pronounces the man "saved".
Sam can't believe it. Dean wants to test it all out. Sam asks if Dean plans to summon a demon to try it out on. Dean responds that they could use one they already have and asks if they have dad's old Army field surgeon's kit.
Elsewhere...
Cas and Metatron are sitting at the crepe restaurant. The waitress flirts with Cas. Cas asks what Metatron means by locking heaven. He says that like locking a demon in hell or sending a leviathan to purgatory, maybe the angels should be locked in heaven. He knows what's on the angel tablet; he wrote it down.
Metatron says he can't complete the trials to close heaven because he's just a "pencil pusher" and not strong enough. But Cas is a soldier; a warrior; Cas could carry out the trials with Metatron's instructions.
Cas figures that he's the one that caused these problems, maybe he should be the one to fix them. Metatron says it won't be easy. Cas says he understands. Metatron says no he doesn't; the waitress is the first trial; Cas will have to cut her heart out. Cas objects saying she's just a girl. Metatron says no, she isn't; she's actually a nephilim; the child of an angel and a human. She's the only one on earth because that sort of coupling is forbidden.
Cas points out that she's innocent; she didn't choose to be born a nephilim. Metatron says it's not easy, but that's what has to happen. Cas hs to choose between her life and his own angel family.
In an empty warehouse, Sam and Dean are getting what they need. Dean figures that can sew Abaddon back together because they've seen Young Frankenstein about a million times. (editor: I guess they never buried Abaddon in cement like they said they would.)
Sam opens the box containing Abaddon's head and says this is going to be disgusting. Dean agrees.
Next we see Samas he finishes sewing Abaddon's head back on. Her eyes open almost immedately. Dean can't believe it worked. Abaddon says she owes both of them and can't wait to tear out their eyes. They point out that she doesn't have any hands; they didn't sew those back on. She gets angry and says she'll "stump them to death; it's be swell" (editor: love the way they remind us by the way she talks that she's from an earlier era.) She struggles against her restraints. She can't move. Sam reminds her that she has a bullet with a devil's trap carved on it lodged in her head, holding her in place.
  Dean acts cocky; telling her they have to run a little experiment on her. She surprises him by saying she knows all about it; Father Max Thompson and the dates of his birth and death. She says she was the one who killed him; ripped him apart; after word got back to the home office that he was messing with the natural order of things. She made an example of him. Father Thompson told Abaddon about Josie Sands and so Abaddon found her, possessed her, and rode her into the Men of Letters meeting to massacre them.
She says the alternate exorcism will never work. They are interrupted when Sam gets a phone call. It's Crowley.
Abaddon can't believe it's Crowley. She asks if it's Crowley "the salesman". Dean says, "try King of Hell". She's angry about this and says it must be a joke. Sam and Dean walk away from her (editor; they would never turn their back on a demon like her!!!!) and go outside (!!!!!) to talk to Crowley.
Crowley asks them if they've been reading the papers like the Denver Times from yesterday.
Alone inside, Abaddon looks towards the box holding her other body parts; namely her hands. Using the power of her mind, she gets her hand to crawl out of the box on its own and make its way over towards her.
Outside, Crowley tells Sam and Dean he's "sexting" them an address, then they'll talk. Dean writes the address down. Crowley hangs up.
Inside the warehouse, Abaddon wills her hand to jump to her shoulder. Then it crawls up her neck,
reaches into her mouth, and pulls out the bullet with the devil's trap on it.
Outside, Dean looks up the address Crowley gave them. It's for Tommy Collins. Dean says the name sounds familiar and Sam reminds him that they saved Tommy from the Wendigo on Blackwater Ridge eight years ago. Dean wonders if Crowley blew Tommy's head off. Dean says they'll have to eulogize Tommy later, and screw Crowley because they have everything they need to close the gates of hell forever. They head back inside.
Abaddon's chair is empty. She's gone. Sam sees the bloody bullet she pulled out laying on the floor.
Sam gets a text message from Crowley; an address in Prosperity, Indiana. Dean remembers working a case there, with witches. They figure it's a trap, but Sam points out that if it's a trap, then demons are probably involved and they need a demon now to try out the demon-curing exorcism.
Prosperity, Indiana.
They roll up to the address and enter the darkened house. They find a woman in an apron half inside the oven baked to a crisp. It's Jenny Klein; a woman they saved from a witch.
Sam's phone rings again. It's Crowley. Sam asks what he's doing. Crowley tells Sam that he's killing everyone that Sam and Dean have ever saved. Dean wonders how he knows where all of these people are. Crowley says he has his sources and even though Sam and Dean don't know it, we seen that all of the Carver Edlund books are spread out on Crowley's large desk.
Crowley says that Sam and Dean are probably wondering why there aren't demons in Prosperity, Indiana attacking them right now, as they expected there would be if this were a trap. Crowley explains he's going to kill someone that Sam and Dean saved every 12 hours until they bring him the demon tablet and stop trying to close the gates of hell with the trials.
Sam says they don't have the tablet; Kevin took it. Crowley reminds them that he tried to take Kevin, but someone else (Metatron) took Kevin back. Crowley has heard it wasn't heaven that took Kevin, and figures he must be with Sam and Dean or Sam and Dean have to find him as fast as possible in order to stop Crowley from killing the people they saved.
Crowley says they won't be able to stop him even though of course they'll try. The next victim is in
Indianapolis at the Ivy Hotel and they have 57 minutes to get there before Crowley kills again.
Crowley hangs up.
Elsewhere...
Metatron and Cas watch the waitress/nephilim leave the restaurant. Metatron asks Cas what his decision is.
In Indianapolis, Sam knocks at the door. It is opened by Sarah (from season one's episode Provenance; she was Sam's first love interest after Jess.). Sam is shocked to see her. He can't believe it's her. She knows immediately it must be something bad and asks what's going on.
Elsewhere...
Metatron and Cas follow the nephilim/waitress. She turns and faces them, saying she knows what they are; she can see their halos. Metatron says they know what she is too; an abomination. She says she tries to be nice and live her life. Cas says he knows, but he's sorry. He takes a step towards her. She says Cas WILL be sorry and she punches him, then flings him. Her eyes glow white. It appears she plans to continue to attack Cas, so Metatron grabs her and hits her, which doesn't seem to phase her at all. She throws Metatron and leaps on him to choke him. Cas, in order to save Metatron, grabs his angel blade and stabs the nephilim, killing her. Now Cas has completed the first trial to close the gates of heaven, according to Metatron.
 In Indianapolis, Sam has just explained that Crowley will be coming to kill Sarah in 16 minutes. Dean knocks at the door. He brings in a bunch of equipment and says hi to Sarah, acknowledging that it's been forever since they saw her. He makes some small talk; asking what she's doing in Indy. She says she's scouting and estate sale for her dad.
Sam explains they are going to put devils traps everywhere and basically pull out all the stops to protect her. He knows it's insane, but insane is kind of what they do. He says they'll keep her safe. She's nervous, but agrees...they've done it before. Dean is surprised she's not more freaked-out.
As Dean spray-paints protection symbols on the windows, Sam sits down next to Sarah and notices her wedding ring. She tells him her husband is Ian and they have a daughter Bess who is almost one. Sam tells her that's great. She asks about him. He says he's pretty much the same. She says he's not. She can see that he's been through so much, but he seems more confident and focused; like he knows what he wants. She admits she misses his old haircut though.
The cell phone rings. Dean answers. Sam and Sarah both stand with guns drawn, ready for whatever may be coming. Crowley starts counting down and Sam and Dean look around frantically for anything to fight.
When Crowley gets to zero, Sarah starts choking. She falls to the floor. She can't breathe.
Crowley continues to talk; he says Sarah is dying and there is nothing they can do about it. "Son of a b i t c h !" Dean yells. Crowley corrects him, "Son of a witch, actually". He says that his mom, apparently a witch, taught him a few tricks. Sam yells that it's a spell; they need to find the hex bag.
Crowley said he thought about sending in some demons to do the killing, but since the first two trials had to do with hell (killing a hellhound, then rescuing an innocent soul from hell), Crowley figures the third trial must be hell-related too so he's going to keep everything to do with hell away from Sam and Dean.
Sam and Dean continue to toss the room looking desperately for the hex bag.
Crowley continues talking on the speaker phone saying he thought this way of killing Sarah was especially fitting since he understands that, way back when, Sam took her breath away.
Crowley mocks them; "saving people, hunting things, the family business"...he says he thinks that the people they save are the only way that Sam and Dean can justify their pathetic lives....the alcoholism, all the pain they've caused, all the people who die around them. The people they save are the only thing that lets them sleep at night because they can think of themselves as heroes.
Crowley has decided to rip apart their life's work, because he can and they can't stop him. When all of those people they saved are gone, they'll have nothing left.
Sarah takes her last breath and dies on the floor with Sam over saying, "no, no, no, no, no....".
Crowley says he wants complete and utter surrender. They need to give up the demon tablet and give up on the trials, or Crowley will continue killing everyone they saved. Crowley says it's their choice and hangs up.
Sam is heartbroken looking at Sarah dead on the floor. Dean is incensed. Dean throws the phone with all of his strength and it shatters against the wall. Amongst the pieces of the phone on the floor is the hex bag. Dean was holding it all along. They both look defeated and sickened.
Later....
Sam and Dean come dragging back into the bunker. Dean asks Sam if he's okay. Sam asks, "What do you think?". Dean says he knows it bad right now, but they have to stick to the plan to close down hell.
Sam asks how, exactly, are they supposed to do that? Dean says they'll get a demon....Sam interrupts, reminding Dean that Crowley said he wouldn't let any demons near them.
Sam says that, without a demon to complete the third trial, all they can do is sit around and watch people they've saved die; like Sarah.
Dean asks what Sam is trying to say...
Sam says he's saying that maybe this is one they can't win. Maybe they should just take Crowley's deal.
Dean says they'll figure it out; they'll get it done; they'll kick it in the a s s like they always do. He asks Sam, "Are you with me?".
Sam looks down at the floor, then back up at Dean. He doesn't answer.
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