Supernatural Episode Review: "Road Trip," 9.10

Summary: Gadreel is in full possession of Sam’s body and mind. After he kills Kevin under Metatron’s orders and disappears, a distraught Dean enlists the help of Castiel and Crowley to locate him. Once found, they attempt to hack into Sam’s mind to inform him that the dreamlike state in which he is enveloped is not reality. Crowley compromises with Dean, offering to possess Sam and have him cast the angel out in exchange for his freedom. Dean acquiesces and Sam expulses Gadreel, who flees to his former vessel. Abaddon arrives at the bunker and while Dean, Sam, and Castiel escape out the back door, Crowley confronts her. The two potential leaders of Hell now must campaign for the allegiance of their fellow demons.

Review: “Road Trip” is a well-crafted episode, on almost all fronts. Not only does it provide a heart-wrenching narrative on behalf of Kevin and Dean, but also presents the unorthodox notion that Heaven is authoritarian and Hell is a democracy. Dean is, to a certain extent, broken by the losses that he has caused. The burial scene depicts this through its cinematography. As Dean stands over the fire that consumes the body of Kevin, the long, mournful wails of the lead guitar of a classic rock stand out. The song’s lyrics provide further insight into the distress, “Think in terms of bridges burned… think of seasons that must end.” As this music plays, the imagery that the shot produces gives the effect that the fire, obscuring Dean’s face, looks to be consuming him as well. As the scene transitions to the second part of the montage, in which Dean looks at Kevin’s personal belongings lying where he left them in the bunker, the song continues with “… from the famous final scene.” It then cuts to the almost silent opening credits of the season’s Supernatural logo. This creates a chilling effect and understanding on behalf of the viewer, as well as an interesting juxtaposition that what sounds and feels like the “final scene” is actually the episode’s opening scene. There is a sense that, while challenging and tumultuous, life, as well as the Winchester story, will continue on.

The episode also exposes the diversity in the moral character of the angels. The angel posing as a pop star, who Gadreel kills, is an unabashedly despicable person. Metatron, with the help of Gadreel, is ordering the mass murder of his angel enemies. The episode is a discourse on the varying moral standards of the angels, who are traditionally thought of as protagonists in other literary connotations. Here, the angels are not penitent. They are immoral. The only moments in this episode in which the viewer is given evidence of a “good” or “just” angel only occur twice, in cases in which the angels have rejected their intended purpose and have become humanized. Castiel is one such individual who has undergone this transformation. He consoles Dean by saying, “You were stupid for the right reasons.” Cas gives into his rage multiple times, but also shows his emotional compassion for Dean and Sam. The second instance of a good angel is Abner. The audience is given a considerable amount of screen time to understand the graciousness of the angel. He loves his human daughter, his human wife, and his human job. His vessel was an abusive individual, and he views “The Fall” as his second chance. Gadreel, the angel on a mission from Heaven, kills him, and leaves his body in the house, which his family will inevitably return home to discover.

The angels’ depictions in “Road Trip” become even more curious when paired with an examination of those of the demons. For the demons, the competition between Crowley and Abaddon is not a brutal fight, but is instead, as Crowley calls it, a campaign. Both potential leaders of Hell are in competition to collect the most support from an undecided demon body. The demons constitute a democratic republic, in which candidates vying for leadership positions campaign for support from their constituents. Heaven, on the other hand, is comprised of a mass-murdering authoritarian with no respect for life or anything besides himself. Metatron commands those under him to do terrible deeds, only through the power that he has gained by usurpation. This episode in particular creates an unorthodox contrast between the audience’s prior conceptions of Heaven and Hell that feeds directly into the thoughtful mechanics of the plot and the entertainment value of the story. How will this dynamic play into future seasons? It is unclear, though it seems another angel civil war is on the way.