A Very Supernatural Christmas

In “A Very Supernatural Christmas,” season three episode eight, Sam and Dean investigate the reason why people are being killed and pulled up their chimneys. They go through a few different theories, such as a Krampus, before finally realizing a pagan god is responsible. There are also flashbacks to past Christmases with the Winchesters, and Sam and Dean decide to celebrate Dean’s last Christmas before his deal comes due.

                This episode honestly freaked me out a bit the first time I saw it. As someone who does not like horror movies as all and loves all things Christmas with the enthusiasm of a five year old, this episode just did not fit into my picture-perfect idea of Christmas. But I suppose that’s Supernatural for you.

                There are quite a few important topics packed into this episode, while still providing the “monster of the week” element. It is pretty well written in that it is able to cover so much in just forty minutes of screen time.

                “A Very Supernatural Christmas” first addresses the dysfunctionality of a Winchester holiday. Dean is trying to actually celebrate his last Christmas on earth, while Sam would rather not think about Dean’s impending deal and ignore the holiday altogether. Through the flashbacks throughout the episode, you can see how excited Sam was about the holiday. Dean, however, seemed to be more excited about Christmas for Sam’s sake; stealing presents so he could tell Sam that John – essentially Santa – had actually stopped by.

                A few important questions are answered in the flashback scenes. We learn how Sam learned about hunting and the truth about the world he lives in. It also shows how badly Dean and John wanted to protect Sam and give him a semi-normal childhood. After finding John’s journal and confirming everything in it was real, Sam is understandably worried. He fearfully and rather logically thinks through the situation and what information he does have. If one parent can be taken by monsters, then the other one can, too, and if adults are not safe then why would children be? However, Sam is probably still under the assumption that John knew about the supernatural when Mary was killed, rather than thinking of that as the trigger event. We also finally learn about the amulet.

                For three seasons that gold amulet has been hanging around Dean’s neck. Attention has been drawn to it in other episodes – most memorably “Skin” (season one episode six) when the real Dean snatches it off of a shapeshifter’s neck. However, it is the Christmas episode of season three where we finally learn where it came from and its importance. As seen in the flashback Sam is planning on giving it to John, but decides instead to give it to Dean. From then on it is mostly seen as a symbol of their bond as brothers. We find out later in the series that it has importance to the supernatural world – Bobby said it was special, after all – but for now at least the origin story is out of the way.

                The flashbacks themselves are also pretty well written into the story line. They use various methods to fade the scenes in – music, similar setting, commercial break – and manage to fade them out pretty seamlessly as well – profile, commercial break, or object – and seem relevant to the present day. They are not just random flashbacks. The first flashback starts with present day Dean calling Sam and Grinch and walking away, and ends with young Dean storming out of the motel room. The second flashback is triggered by the conversation about Dean’s deal while they’re sitting on motel beds. In the flashback, Sam discovers the supernatural and starts to think everyone is going to die while he and Dean are sitting on motel beds. The third flashback is the past gift exchange with the amulet, which then morphs into the present day gift exchange.

                While this episode does dwell on the past, it also dwells on the future. Dean’s deal is looming ever closer, and Sam cannot bring himself to celebrate when he knows that his brother will be dead within the year. Dean, on the other hand, is trying to do something upbeat for Christmas. It is an interesting dynamic that leads to the brothers celebrating, even if it is in a motel room and mildly awkward.

                The last thing this episode brings is the “monster of the week.” In the midst of all the brotherly drama and ghosts of Christmas past, something is dragging people up chimneys. The pagan gods behind the gruesome murders are playing the role of the “apple pie” couple, which I think was a wonderful writing choice. The two images clash so spectacularly. They have bloody bones in their basement, and yet they say things like “fudge” instead of cursing, “Gloomy Gus,” and “All righty roo,” and chuckle while taking blood, nails, and almost teeth. The effect is a strange combination of disturbing and humorous, which lends itself to the skill of both the writers and the actors.