Supernatural 13×20
“Unfinished Business”
Warning: This article contains spoilers from the last episode of Supernatural. Read at your own risk.
Supernatural‘s latest episode, “Unfinished Business”, was the epitome of that popular Xzibit meme. You know the one. Writer Meredith Glynn probably giggled to herself as she wrote the episode that practically screamed: “Yo dawg, we heard you like Dick, so we put some Dick on your Dick so you can watch Dick direct both Dicks”.
You heard that right. Richard Speight Jr. (Gabriel) directed episode 13×20 “Unfinished Business”, which featured Gabriel facing off against Loki. It’s not often that actors get the opportunity to direct themselves, even less often that they get to direct themselves opposite…themselves.
The Archangel Gabriel: A Recap
Then- We have a lovely nostaligia-inducing credit opening featuring some of Gabriel’s (Richard Speight, Jr.) best moments on the series, as early as season two. It closes with snippets from the last scene of 13×18 “Bring ‘Em Back Alive”, with Castiel telling Dean that Gabriel refused to help them. This adds to Dean’s own failed attempt at finding Jack and Mary in apocalpyse world. His frustration boils over in an emotional display that had all of us on the edge of our seats.
Now– The episode opens with a character that- due to his seemingly careless attitude and some suggestive directing and lighting options- is likely going to meet a bitter end. It’s true, only this time the supposed monster is none other than Gabriel himself. He emerges from the dark alley playing a golden kazoo. Whether it was intentional or not, I like to think of this as a nod to friend and castmate Rob Benedict. If you’ve never been to a convention I highly recommend it if you’re able. At the very least attend the Saturday Night Special, which is a concert performed by Rob and his band, Louden Swain. It features a fan favorite song, “Medicated”, that’s accompanied by a chorus of kazoo playing.
Long-Awaited Norse Mythology, Anyone?
Gabriel proclaims the burly, bearded “first five minutes of a Supernatural episode” character to be Fenrir Odinsbane, and yes, you heard that right. The Fenrir, mythological wolf from Norse mythology. Gabriel makes it clear he’s not exactly there for polite conversation, brandishing a sword, and the fight commences. He wins but is badly injured, and it just so happens, the very next scene we find out Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) are close by.
We get an update on Cas, who’s in another state also looking for Gabriel, because
Supernatural — “Unfinished Business” — Pictured (L-R): Richard Speight Jr. as Gabriel and Jared Padalecki as Sam
Rowena worked a spell that tracked him to both places. Sam and Dean are the ones Gabriel finds, knocking on their hotel room door badly injured. He asks them if there’s any of his grace left to power himself back up, and they admit that the last of it was used to open the last rift. Meanwhile, Fenrir’s brothers, Narfi and Sleipnir, figure out that Gabriel is the one hunting them down.
Cut to Jack (Alexander Calvert) and Mary (Samantha Smith) in apocalypse world, talking about Michael and his angel army’s sudden disappearance. We’re lead to wonder where he’s gone, what his plans are, and what he plans to do about Jack, Mary, Bobby, and all the others who stand against him.
Whips and Chains Excite Me
Supernatural — “Unfinished Business” — Pictured (L-R): Fletcher Donovan as Sleipnir and Michael Adamthwaite as Narfi
Back with the Winchesters, Gabriel prepares to say goodbye again when the door is kicked in by Narfi and Sleipnir. Gabriel hides while the demigods engage in fighting Sam and Dean. Just as he has Sam in a chokehold, he jumps in to stab Narfi in the back. Sleipnir- who until now had attacked Dean with a rather large flogger-type weapon- immediately retreats. Dean ensures Gabriel’s presence and help with a nice pair of Enochian handcuffs. Dean insists he tell them what’s going on and why two Norse demigods are after him.
Back in apocalypse world, some of Jack and Mary’s people find Kevin (Osric Chau), who Michael kept locked in a cell when he left. Kevin confesses that he was being kept to find a way to open another rift, which he was unable to do.
They Were Porn Stars, Sam
Supernatural — “Unfinished Business” — Pictured (L-R): Samantha Smith as Mary Winchester and Osric Chau as Kevin Tran
Back with the Winchesters, Gabriel explains how he faked his death by Lucifer’s hand. He went to Loki, who helped him change his face and hide from the people after him. He spends this time after that surrounded by porn stars and booze and gambling. His crew sells him to Asmodeus when the events of the first apocalypse were unfolding to avoid Lucifer’s wrath should he find out about their hospitality. Now he’s out for revenge on all of them- including Loki himself.
Jack and Mary find a map of Michael’s people, and Jack insists on going after them. Mary and Kevin agree they should wait for Bobby and his people to arrive, and they both try to convince Jack to hold off a little longer.
Revenge: A Dish Best Served in Candy-Coated Form
Gabriel tells the Winchesters that Loki owed him a favor for helping him out of a bad situation once. Loki was his witness protection, providing his likeness and backstory. Dean insists that going out for revenge is a bad idea. Gabriel delivers an impassioned speech about how Asmodeus tortured him for years, stating: “What I went through, you don’t forgive.”
Sam convinces Dean to help Gabriel and he reluctantly agrees. They take off after Sleipnir next, assuming he’d have gone back to Loki after Narfi’s death. Gabriel guesses they’re in the penthouse of a hotel that Loki has no doubt bedazzled with his demigod powers.
Kamikaze Kev
Supernatural — “Unfinished Business” — — Pictured: Alexander Calvert as Jack
Jack insists on going after Michael again, but Mary continues to try to talk him out of it with a declaration of: “I can’t lose another boy”. Cry with me now that I remember that Mary still thinks Castiel is dead!
Kevin now refuses to let them leave, tearing open his shirt to reveal a sigil he’d drawn on his chest. Michael promised that he’d get to see his mom again if he killed all the people standing with Jack. He activates the spell and there’s a bright light as the collective fandom lost another Kevin (R.I.P.). We get the first flash of Jack’s angel wings in shadow as he wraps them in protection around Mary.
A Nod to Absent Fathers
Sam, Dean, and Gabriel find Sleipnir fairly quickly, accompanied by two guards. Gabriel cuts the lights in the hall, and a neat gunfight scene ensues. The only light during is the flashing of the guns as they’re fired. When he turns the lights back on he’s standing over Sleipnir with the sword. He kills him just before Sam realizes that Dean has disappeared.
Dean’s gone after Big Papa Loki, of course. Loki, it turns out, has a particular sort of vendetta against the brothers for getting his father, Odin, killed by Lucifer. Following the theme of absent fathers, Loki expresses his disappointment in his father’s death. He states that despite the fact they didn’t get along, “he was still my father”. When the camera cuts to Dean we’re reminded that he would have also done anything to avenge his own father. I’ve sensed a lot of nods this season to absent fathers and in particular, John. I have to wonder if this isn’t gearing up toward some sort of John closure. Since Jeffrey Dean Morgan said recently that he’d make it back to Supernatural before the end, I’ve tried to find some sort of indication as to when that may happen. It makes sense within the narrative to give the boys the opportunity to confront their father as part of their ultimate endgames.
Deception: A Theme
Speaking of themes of this season, we’ve had a lot of people/things pretending to be other people/things they’re not. Dean attempts to stab Loki only to find a hologram trickster. The real Loki is back out in the hall confronting Gabriel. In short- Loki’s pissed- for everything Gabriel did to his family and for him having the audacity to come to him for help again despite that. Just when things are looking really grim for Gabriel, Sam and Dean come to the rescue. They slide him the sword and give him the opportunity to kill his doppleganger. But not before Loki delivers one of my favorite lines of the episode: “You live for pleasure. You stand for nothing, and in the end, that’s what you’ll die for.”
Andddd cue that redemption arc for Gabriel that he so eloquently pointed out for us in “Bring ‘Em Back Alive”.
When we see Jack again, it’s in a room full of people who died in Kevin’s blast, save for him and Mary. We see poor Jack question the motives and outcomes of his decisions. We’re reminded that he’s still grappling with whether he can be good while having the supposed predisposition to be evil.
Cut back to Sam and Dean talking to Gabriel, who thanks them for helping complete his revenge kick. He asks what they’re going to do about Michael, and he joins them back at the bunker.
Classic Bro-Mo
The episode goes out with a heavy brother moment, when Sam asks Dean why he went after Loki by himself. Sam expresses that he feels that Dean is being overprotective. Dean tells him that it’s because while he doesn’t really care what happens to himself, he does care what happens to Sam. And we’re heavily reminded here about the fact that Dean is still very much depressed and has done nothing to address the problem. As an avid Dean fan, it’s worrisome that he thinks so little of himself. Even more so that it seems Sam is not only oblivious, but potentially encouraging the unhealthy behavior with a line like: “And if we die, we’ll do that together, too”.
While I’m confident that our showrunners will not lead us back down that road of toxic codependency, I do hope they find a logical and healthy way to approach both of the boys’ depression so they can begin to heal. I love the brothers’ relationship and I’ve been thrilled to see last season and this season seemingly making an effort to break the toxicity. Dean, while still depressed, has been much more open and honest this season about who he is. I’m anticipating that we’ll see more of that from Sam too, although his self-deprecation doesn’t usually run as deep as his brother’s. Castiel has also struggled with his own form of depression for several seasons, but this season has done well showing him pulling himself out of it. It doesn’t get any more blatant than him actually getting himself out of The Empty, which I like to view as the writers’ metaphorical and symbolic acknowledgement of Castiel’s depression.
Foreshadowing or Subversion?
This ending scene was obviously important, because it features two of our heroes talking about their potential (read: inevitable) demise. While I think I could potentially get behind a series end where our boys go out guns blazing, the one thing I need to see is them functioning as entities outside of their relationship with one another. That leaves a lot of emotional and mental damage for the writers to address and square away, if they want their devoted fans to be happy with our favorite characters’ eventual endgames. Alternatively, the writers could be subverting the plot, making us believe there is no other alternative for our heroes than a likely violent death. That would also explain making us believe that both brothers are satisfied with their toxic codependency.
I don’t know how the series will end. I don’t even have any good guesses as to how the season may end, but I have confidence that the writers will address and break down the rest of Sam and Dean’s codependency before wrapping up the final plot. Whether the brothers live or die in the end, they deserve to feel like they’re worth something on their own. They deserve to know that they matter to other people on their own, just like others matter to them. They deserve to know that they’re enough on their own.
