Roundtable Discussion on Supernatural 12×5 “The One You’ve Been Waiting For”
Welcome to this week’s Supernatural roundtable. This week’s episode was entitled “The One You’ve Been Waiting For” and it’s written by the new writer, Meredith Glynn. We are joined by Kelly Silva, Jackie Bojarski, Michele Villery, Debbi Bach and Liz Schweitzer.
As always we love hearing from you, so please leave your comments in and join in the discussion.
Here are this week’s topics.
Sam and Dean:
Jackie: The fact that these writers are recapturing Sam and Dean’s dynamic makes me very happy. For all intents and purposes, this episode was more about showcasing the easy camaraderie between the boys while working a case than it was about character development, which is perfectly fine. I rather enjoyed being able to watch the boys just be for once. I do hope that they have a meaningful conversation about their mother sometime soon, though; they’re both in pain and need each other now more than ever.
Michele: I love the way these two are being written this year. They are in sync, and it’s what I so love about the show. In this episode, they were on the same page, and it showed how well they work together. It was just great to see their partnership. Also, it’s good to see how in different ways, they both view their relationship with their mother.
Debbi: This is a throwback to good old-fashioned brothers on the road adventure, I just love the banter between these two. It was so sweet that Sam brought Dean pie and it was kind of funny that Dean didn’t respond right away to the allure of the baked treat. There is the playful bickering, combined with the “I’ve always got your back” brotherhood which has carried this series into its 12th season. This is Supernatural done right. While I love angsty Winchesters, I love playful, BAMF Winchesters even better and this episode brought that out in spades.
I love that the writers/showrunners don’t forget the history of the show and that we occasionally see old foes return – as we would in real life. It was fun seeing Adam Rose as Nazi hunter Aaron Bass and the Thule Society makes a formidable opponent. I also liked that we see Sam’s gun go skittering away mid-fight – as per the usual – it never fails to remind me of the German guy asking Chuck why Sam and Dean don’t bungee cord their weapons to their hands. LOL.
We again get to see sensitive yet BAMF Sam and kick-ass fighter, but also young at heart BAMF Dean. I kind of hope we get to see Ackles saying “I killed Hitler” a couple more times this season, because you know Dean would never, ever let that slide.
Kelly: It always warms my heart when I see Sam trying to take care of Dean. The episode starts with Sam buying food and bringing it back to the bunker. This time he didn’t forget the pie. However, Dean, who is still brooding over Mary’s leaving, didn’t want the pie. The significance of pie in Dean’s life is that he always associates it with Mary. Example: Mary was serving Dean pie in his version of heaven. Pie has always been more than food for Dean.
I thought that Sam and Dean worked well together in this episode. It feels to me like the boys have turned a corner and are doing what they do best which is solving cases together. I have to mention Dean repeatedly telling Sam that he killed Hilter reminded me of younger Dean.
Liz: I LOVE this season! Sam and Dean are back to the brothers that we know and love. They have each other’s backs, and I love how concerned Sam is for Dean’s emotions over his mother. Hopefully, the trust problems are over for good because I love THIS Sam and Dean dynamic.
Thule Society:
Jackie: I’m a history buff so incorporating this obscure part of Nazi history into the show was very interesting. I confess that I was a little nervous about this episode’s subject matter–and part of that nervousness wasn’t unfounded. I could’ve done without the whole “Hitler is psycho but he’s also a boisterous clown!” angle that the writers decided to take. Regardless, I enjoyed this storyline as a whole.
Michele: I love this ongoing story about the Thule Society. It’s the history girl in me. I love that now in three different episodes throughout the history of SPN, they have been woven into the show’s history. It’s also fitting that they have been a lore directly from the MOL storyline which is a central theme in this season.
Although “Hitler” was a bit OTT, I get it.
Debbi: This little-known offshoot of the Nazi party is shadowed in enough layers of historical fact, rumor, and innuendo that they are perfectly utilized here as the big bads of the episode. If trapping Hitler in a Horcrux (love the pop culture reference and Dean’s reaction to it) had been possible, this is the group that would have headed up that project. It is well-known that Hitler was obsessed with the paranormal, but less is known about what kind of research and results Hitler’s scientists achieved on his behalf. I love the use of obscure historical fact here. I think it is part of what makes Supernatural special.
It was a little disappointing (if not possibly accurate) to see Hitler portrayed as a lunatic. I think the better characterization would have been a threatening madman with a touch of a macabre sense of humor.
Kelly: The Winchesters capture Christoph. He divulges the Thule’s plans to resurrect Hitler. Christoph escapes back to his father, Commandant Nauhaus. Nauhaus explains to his son that they are resurrecting Hitler now because the people are divided, the empire is failing and the millennials are weak minded. Commandant Nauhaus turns on his son and orders his execution.
Christoph goes back to Sam and Dean and helps them find Ellie. In the end, Sam and Dean tell Christoph to run because any Thule that is left will be hunting him.
Liz: I loved the past episode, “Everybody Hates Hitler,” that dealt with The Thule Society, so seeing Aaron and his Golem still kicking Nazi butt was a great addition to this episode. I also loved how the actor who portrayed the resurrected Hitler did little mannerisms to show how much of a lunatic coward Hitler was. When Hitler was running away, he had his wrists bent and was more prancing away. I am really enjoying seeing the writers bring back some of the old storylines to life.
Necromancers:
Jackie: Has this show featured necromancers in the past? I feel like it has. Anyway, I’m intrigued by the possibility that these Necromancers might have more souls trapped in more objects that they’re intent on resurrecting. With any luck, we’ll see them again.
Michele: To answer Jackie’s question Necromancers may have been in and/or spoken about in the earlier seasons of SPN. Before the Thule Society storyline began in Season 8. Since season 8, this would be the third time (or fourth) they’ve dealt with Necromancers.
Since Sam said there were more out there, we will see them again. And hopefully, instead of a brief appearance, we’ll see more of Adam Rose as hunter Adam Bass!
Debbi: Bringing people back from the dead is something that people have been trying throughout the ages. Many cultures’ funerary rites actually revolve around preparing the deceased for a second life – whether spiritual or physical varies from culture to culture. Grimoires are rumored to have necromantic spells; Voodoo built an entire religion around the magic used to raise and animate zombies and of course, Christianity – one of the world’s most practiced religions – has the story of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. Not to mention Christ’s own accession into heaven. So, it is not surprising that Hitler and the Thule society may have studied this ‘science’ during their reign.
Kelly: I love that Supernatural has several episodes that involve Necromancers. I like that the Thule found a way to bring back Adolf Hitler. The Thule stored his soul in a watch waiting to find a blood relative so they could resurrect him. I look forward to more stories involving necromancers.
Liz: Who doesn’t love Zombies?! We have seen several episodes in the past of resurrecting spirits, so the fact that Dean was able to kill Hitler was so bad ass!!!!!
Predictions:
Jackie: I have no idea what will happen next. There are so many loose ends. Will the Darkness and God resurface? Will Lucifer seek revenge on Rowena? So many questions!
Michele: I have no clue. I really don’t. I am enjoying this season a lot more than I expected to. Both Jensen and Jared have said, it’s gone back to its roots so to speak. We’re learning about the hunting life.
Debbi: It would be pretty cool if Sam and Dean run into the young Thule member again, but it’s not necessary. I hope we continue to see the boys relating to each other with this sense of ease and comradery.
Kelly: I think soon the British Men of Letters will show themselves, and Sam and Dean will learn what they’re really up against.
Liz: This was a good old-fashioned monster of the week episode, so my only prediction is that the writers have gone back to what works and will give us more ‘monster of week’ episodes and Sam and Dean will continue with the family business 🙂
Overall Score
Jackie: A; the writing and the acting more than made up for Hitler’s disappointing character portrayal.
Michele: Solid A. The writing and the acting from everyone, especially the guest actors made this a fun hour of television.
Debbi: This was a solid episode. I give it an A- with the minus tacked on for Hitler’s portrayal.
Kelly: B. I was entertained throughout the entire episode.
Liz: A+! The only way it could have been better is if there was more Aaron. I really like that character 🙂 Great job to the whole supernatural team!