Summary: Sam and Dean discover that the ashes of a Phoenix
are essential to killing Eve. After finding Samuel Colt’s diary in which he
writes of killing such a creature, Sam and Dean enlist Castiel’s help to travel
back in time to 1861. Upon arrival, a man, Elias Finch, is hanged in front of
the town. Finch proves himself to be the Phoenix and reappears throughout the
episode to the judge, the sheriff, and his partner, burning them to ashes. Sam
finds Samuel Colt and retrieves his gun, which Dean uses to kill Finch in a
western-style duel. They are unable to collect the ashes before being
transported back to their contemporary time, but a package from Colt himself,
delivered to their address and date, contains the remains. Meanwhile, Castiel
has a secret that he is keeping from everyone in an effort to win the angel
war. One of Castiel’s lieutenants attempts to kill him, but is instead killed.
Review: “Frontierland” is an all-around great episode. It displays
attention to its crafting of characters, and, while entertaining and at times
humorous, the stakes are clearly high, both within the context of the episode
and the series. The episode centers itself around a “Wild West” theme, as
depicted through its title. Dean is allowed to live out his cowboy dreams,
buying western-style outfits before traveling backwards in time and calling
himself Clint Eastwood. Later, he becomes Sheriff of the town when the former
one is murdered. However, Dean’s romanticized vision of the past causes him to
be disappointed when the actual western town does not live up to his standards
of excitement. This disappointment is furthered as he finds himself unable to fully
fit in due to his clothing and cleanliness. This provides not only humor and
entertainment, but also an insight into the character of Dean that goes beyond
his “macho-man” aura.
This focus
upon character is not limited to the older brother—the episode’s writing is well-crafted.
The writing maintains the characters that the audience knows, develops them in
a way that fits both the plot and entertainment values of the episode and
season, and even allows for the minor characters or monsters to gain elaboration.
Finch, the monster of the week, is allotted a lengthy scene that provides
substantial backstory for his character. Dean and the audience gain insight
into Finch’s motivation when he cites his human wife’s horrific death. As a
result, the audience come to think poorly of his victims, even as the
supernatural creature murders those who wronged him.
Sam’s changed perspective of
hunting is exemplified through his discussion with Samuel Colt. Colt is a
retired hunter who neither wants to participate in the hunting life anymore,
nor be found. Early on, two demons threaten him in his home, but Colt swiftly
kills them with his gun. Soon after, Sam finds Colt and explains that he is a
hunter from the future on a mission to obtain the ashes of the Phoenix. The
episode’s plot suggests that no matter what Colt wants, he is a hunter, and is
thus unable to fully remove himself from that lifestyle. Sam Winchester argues
with Colt and persuades him for his help, having difficulty understanding the
elder’s perspective. He states, “Everything you did, it all means nothing?” Sam
shows himself to have fully accepted his life as a hunter and perceives his
unorthodox occupation as having a purpose.
Also brought to light by this
episode is the issue of the morality of Castiel as he commands his army of
angels. Castiel’s leadership and ethical standards have become questionable at
best. He kills his lieutenant after she confronts him about the integrity of
utilizing a secret weapon, with which Castiel intends to win the war. While
this is a kill-or-be-killed scenario, Castiel seems more cold-hearted than in
previous episodes. When Cas is injured and travels to Bobby’s to recover, he
asks to tap into Bobby’s soul to heal him, sharing that a false move could mean
Bobby’s death. Castiel is taking risks that he might not have formerly taken,
especially when it comes to the death, or potential deaths, of angels or humans
he cared about. There seems the potential that the rogue angel loved by the
Winchesters and the audience is gradually morphing into a cold, bureaucratic personality.
While the episode is well-crafted
as a whole, its flaw lies within its use of time travel. With six seasons into
its series, Supernatural has the
opportunity to explore new realms and add to its narrative. The creation of time
paradoxes or alternate realities as a result of time travel is entirely glossed
over, and its shallow purpose as a plot device is both understandable and
disappointing. If the show explored the possibilities or effects of time travel
in Supernatural, would it result in
the taking of time and focus away from the episode or season’s agenda, or might
it provide a new and unique narrative?
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