Eight Things We Loved about Supernatural “Form and Void” 

“Form and Void” is an odd episode for me. I couldn’t figure out how I felt about it while it was going on. The action kept jumping from the hospital to Jenna’s house to wherever Cas was getting tortured. I don’t know if it was the pacing or the way our favorite angel was brutalized by his “brothers.” Or the fact that the Winchesters were separated for almost the entire episode. I couldn’t get a handle on my feelings.

Then things wrapped up at the end with the boys back together and Cas at the bunker asking them for help because God knows his fellow angels are complete and utter asses that aren’t worth his time. Plus, Crowley really acted like Crowley should. This all made me incredibly happy.

I guess my emotions were all over the place but by the end of it all, watching “Form and Void” was a positive experience. In fact there are eight things I thoroughly enjoyed about the episode.

Sam meets a Reaper. At this point, Sam’s infected. He’s looking all beat up and black veined. He hears something out in the hall. It turns out to be a reaper named Billie (Lisa Berry, Continuum, Nikita, Combat Hospital) who claims that Sam’s not her type. She must not have gotten the memo. The Winchesters are EVERYONE’s type.

And how much does it say about this show that while its unofficial theme song may be “Carry on Wayward Son,” its back-up theme song could very well be “O Death?” I applaud the use of this dark, depressing tune every time the powers that be want to use it. The fact that this new reaper beautifully sang it over the dead bodies of those rabid Superior, Nebraska residents only serves to cement the song’s status as Supernatural‘s unofficial theme song number two. At least in my book. Having said this, hearing it also reminds me of how Dean killed Death. And I loved Death. So much. Boo.

But I digress. Billie’s a fierce individual. When I saw her in that crazy awesome promo J2 tweeted out before the season premiered, I couldn’t wait to meet this woman. Her presence helps raise the stakes for the Winchesters again. Because she tells Sam that should the Winchesters die — again — that’s it. No bringing them back or resurrecting them or sending them to hell or heaven or purgatory. They’ll be thrown in the “empty” which I’m not sure what that is. Probably some sort of abyss where they will have their faculties about them for all eternity which is simply terrifying. I guess this is a good development — it will really up the drama. Although…I know what she said but I don’t know if I believe her. I mean I think this needed to happen. But I’ll believe it when I see it. For the record, I don’t want to see it. Don’t test this out, boys! Stay alive! Will this be the only consequence of killing Death? Because I figured there might be something more painful in it for Dean since he was the one to do the deed.

Billie also referred to the “Old Death.” Does that mean there’s a new Death? In other significant news, Billie tells Sam he’s “unclean, in the Biblical sense.” That gets him thinking.

And that gets me thinking that I definitely want to see Billie again. I’d like to see what she has to say to Dean. That might be a tense situation.

Sam turns to God. After his rendez-vous with the reaper, he pays a visit to the chapel and he prays. He asks God for a sign. I love the way he talks about Dean and he takes responsibility for his part in causing the world’s latest Darkness Drama.

Sam: So…I know it’s been a long time but…Dean and I, we’ve — we’ve been through a lot bad but this is different. This is my fault and I don’t know how to fix it. And if I have to die, I’ve made my peace with that but…please. Dean deserves better. Dean deserves a life. There are people out there, good people, who are going to suffer because of me and I am not asking you to clean up my mess. Hell, I don’t even know if you’re out there. But…if you are and if you can hear me, I uh, we need your help, God. We need to know there’s hope. We need a sign.

Sam still doesn’t realize that without his brother, Dean doesn’t have a life. But oh well. Sam leaves the chapel and he almost immediately gets a sign. A twisted, effed up one, of course. It’s some sort of vision. It’s Sam and he’s looking all Clockwork Orange-esque and everything is red and there are chains and it feels like a Cage in the Depths of Hell kind of thing. Scary stuff that causes Sam to scream, “What does that mean?!!” Show, please keep making references to hell and the cage. It keeps me hopeful for more Michael and Lucifer mentions in the future.

Hell’s Best Bromance is back. Sort of. Not really. Dean drops Jenna and the baby off in Iowa where she can proceed to raise the little one with her grandma in peace. Yeah, right. That’s not going to happen here. The baby immediately starts exhibiting powers and she doesn’t keep it to herself. So Jenna summons Dean back and when he arrives, a priest is already there — grandma calls him an “exorcist.” And wouldn’t you know it but when Dean encounters said Man of the Cloth, it’s none other than the King of Hell himself, Crowley.

Crowley: Hello, my son.

So glad we didn’t have to wait too long to get these two in the same vicinity. After all, they “broke up” last season after Demon Dean proved to be too much for Crowley. Needless to say we got some great dialogue from Crowley and Dean:

Crowley: Dean was a rather scrumptious young altar boy.

Crowley: I’m sorry, aging, pathetic, has-been rock star, did I offend your delicate sensibilities?

Dean: Listen, Velma, this isn’t the Scooby Gang, okay? So either shut up or get out!
Crowley: Easy, tiger, just trying to help. I’m way more of a Daphne.

Crowley: The child likes you. No surprise, really. You’re very maternal.

Crowley: I was getting bored.
Dean: You killed her!
Crowley: You’re welcome!

Crowley: Come on, Darling. Don’t play coy.

I don’t know about you guys but these two had me laughing out loud. I loved every bit of it.

Sam finds a cure. Somehow the book smart Winchester equated “unclean in the Biblical sense” with the cure. He googled Bible Purification and found a passage in the Gospel of Mark which talked of purification and holy oil. Since the boys always have holy oil handy for any occasion, Sam’s able to use it to cure himself. It totally works and he’s gotten himself out of this mess. I know it’s not a big picture thing but it’s something he can hang his hat on. If he had a hat. He can borrow one of Jared’s. He then starts curing the town that’s still standing. Go, Sam.

Dean and Amara have a connection even when she’s a baby. Amara said she and Dean are connected. I’m so curious how this is going to bite him in the butt down the line. But, for now, it’s so great how every time he’s around, the baby behaves and goes quiet. It doesn’t matter what form Amara takes, the two are going to have an interesting rapport. And by the way, I just love how Dean has a way with babies. Like his parental instincts kick in every time one’s around. It’s awesome.

The baby’s transformation. Kudos to the visual effects department. When the baby starts to morph into an older child, it looked so subtle and a bit scary, to be honest. But I thought the whole effect as the baby’s face evolved and transformed was so well done. What’s the budget on this show again?

Crowley exerts his King of Hellness even with Dean in the room. Too bad the Crowley/Squirrel buddy comedy couldn’t last. There was drama to be had. Amara the “baby” ate Jenna’s soul causing her to murder her grandmother. Crowley ended up killing her, which Dean didn’t appreciate. As much as I worship this bromance, I do dig my Crowley living up to his King of Hell title. And he, once again, asserted his King of Hellness, even in the face of one of his favorites.

Crowley: Oh, Dean. Adorable little Dean. I want that child and I get what I want. You and Sam don’t understand. I’m not your bloody sidekick! We’ve had some good times. So I’m gonna give you one chance, just one — to walk out that door or I”m gonna take you apart atom by atom, do you understand?

Dean gets the best of Crowley (for like two seconds) and then Crowley gets away. End of this chapter of their relationship. But they will meet again. I’m curious to find out under what circumstances.

Cas ends up at the Men of Letters bunker with Sam and Dean. I’m sorry but it was beyond difficult to watch Cas get tortured for most of the episode. For one, he’s been through this before. Two, the non-angelic angels were so horrible, just awful. Thankfully Cas is able to attack dog his captors to death, but not before one of them offs Male Hannah. Those douches deserved it. When Cas eliminated the last one, it was kind of hot. But I still didn’t appreciate seeing him brutalized for an episode. It was too much. And he’s still under that ridiculous spell? Boo. I’m so happy Cas is at the bunker with the Winchesters. He’s struggling right now. Hopefully Sam and Dean can help fix him. Sam’s recently had some success finding a cure. So it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Team Free Will is reunited and it feels so good. Well, Cas isn’t feeling good but you know what I mean, right?

Supernatural airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on the CW. And it’s time to rejoice. We’re about to get another Jensen Ackles-directed episode. Yay!