SPN 4X4 Metamorphosis

Part One: Summary

     Sam's journey with Ruby to control his powers continues as he has been traveling around exorcising demons and saving the human vessels they were using. Dean appears per Castiel's instructions to stop Sam before his powers get out of control which provokes a fight between him and Ruby. Once Sam and Dean make it back to the hotel room, Dean begins packing to leave Sam behind and when Sam tries to confront him, Dean physically attacks him. All of this is interrupted when Sam gets a call from a hunter friend, Travis. Travis explains to the boys that there is a case for them in Carthage, Missouri involving a man named Jack Montgomery who supposedly carries the rugaru bloodline. A rugaru is a creature that manifests in a normal human being once they reach a certain age and completes the takeover of the human host once they take a bite of human flesh. The boys go over to investigate and catch a glimpse of Montgomery beginning the transformation as he relentlessly feds on raw meat in the fridge. The boys go to Montgomery to explain to him what's going on, but he doesn't believe them and kicks them off. Later that night Montgomery attacks his wife, which causes him to freak out and Travis comes along to try and eliminate him only to get himself killed by Montgomery as he devours his body. Sam and Dean arrive just in time to save Montgomery's wife, but unfortunately have to burn Montgomery in order to keep them all safe.

Part Two: Review

     When reviewing this episode from the writer's perspective, there is a purpose behind the Sam and Dean being called out to do this case. The transformation of Montgomery parallels that to what Sam is going through with Ruby. Montgomery was tempted by all the raw meat in the fridge which gives me a sense of power just as how Sam is tempted by gaining control over his abilities and saving souls. The way that the brothers confront each other in the hotel room earlier in the episode parallels to Montgomery's wife's reaction to his transformation. This is showcased through how Dean started packing up his things to leave. Mrs. Montgomery ran out the door even though Montgomery begged her to stay, just as how Sam begged Dean to stay. Both Dean and Mrs. Montgomery love their partners deeply, but the pain of seeing them be taken over by evil severs the bond. They see no other choice but to run because they don't know how to stop them, or at least they don't want to know how.
     Thinking about the direction of this episode, it seems to be different from how most of the episode are filmed. Instead of someone being killed within the first three minutes of the episode, it begins with Sam saving a human from demonic possession. Instead of the boys finding their next case online, they get a call from another hunter. And, instead of barely knowing the victims or targets on the case, with the way the scenes inside the Montgomery house were filled the audience was able to get an in-depth look at a family being torn apart by the transformation, making it appeal to the emotions of the viewers. These differences place this episode outside the norm and was most likely filmed this way because of foreshadowing. With the episode being placed this early on in the season, foreshadowing can be more effective and here it is foreshadowing that Sam is going through a dark transformation. One that could potentially tear the boys apart for good.

Part Three: Questions, Problems, Concerns

     Because a rugaru doesn't appear again within the series, I feel as though this episode is unique. I also feel as though because of it being unique there could have been more done with it. The writers could have covered more ground by tying in another plot point in the episode, perhaps with Castiel. It's nice that this episode was created to draw sympathy for the a rugaru from the audience, but there could have been more time spent on other scenes. Maybe even extending the one with Ruby in the beginning.