Season 5 Episode 1: Sympathy for the Devil

At the beginning of season 5, Sam has broken the last of the 66 seals by killing Lilith. Lucifer begins to rise and the brothers hold onto each other as a white light emulates from the floor. By chance, some strange force places them on a plane flying over Ilchester, Maryland. Confused as to how they escaped Lucifer, they head to Chuck's house. Dean immediately asks about Castiel, but Chuck insists that their friend was blown apart by an archangel. Chuck then says that he can feel the angels returning, and when Dean turns around Zachariah is behind him. Zachariah demands that Dean comes with them, his argument being that both Dean and the rest of the angels want Lucifer dead. Dean refuses, still angry that the angels have "jump started judgement day" and using a sigil he blasts the angels from Chuck's house.

Later on in the motel, Sam arrives with hex bags that will protect them from both angels and demons, a trick he learned from Ruby. Sam wants to address the elephant in the room- that he didn't listen to Dean's advice about Ruby and the demon blood, and started the apocalypse in the process. However, Dean says that he doesn't want to put the situation 'under a microscope'. His inability to talk about his brother's betrayal suggests that he is still deeply hurt by it.

In the next scene we see a typical fangirl, Becky Rosen, writing fanfiction on her computer when she receives a video call from Chuck asking her to pass on a message to Sam and Dean. Becky is hesitant at first, but goes to the brother's motel room and gives them a message that seems like a load of nonsense, "The Michael sword is on earth. The angels have lost it. [It can be found] in a castle, on a hill made of 42 dogs."

The brothers immediately turn to Bobby for help, who arrives at the motel room later on in the day. Bobby tells them that 'the Michael sword' is referring to an actual sword from the archangel. This sword was the same one that Michael used to put Lucifer in the cage. Bobby starts to divvy up the research, when he notices that something is off with Sam. He asks Sam if he is alright, and Sam, stricken with guilt, confesses to Bobby that he started the apocalypse by killing Lilith. Bobby's response is gut-wrenching:

You're damn right you didn't listen. You were reckless and selfish and arrogant...Oh, yeah? You're sorry you started Armageddon? This kind of thing don't get forgiven, boy. If, by some miracle, we pull this off...I want you to lose my number. You understand me?

Sam nods and looks up at Dean, who doesn't protest. He decides to go to an abandoned church and continue his research, leaving Dean and Bobby alone. A little while later Dean has an epiphany while going through his father's belongings, announcing that Chuck's cryptic message must have been referring to his fathers storage box at a place called Castle Hill on 42 Rover Street. When Bobby hears this he punches Dean, revealing that he has been possessed the entire time. Three other demons burst through the motel room door- Meg and two of her henchmen. She tells the demon possessing Bobby to kill Dean so that he cannot stop Lucifer.  As the demon is holding him against the wall, Dean appeals to Bobby. Amazingly, Bobby is able to overcome the the demon and stabs himself in the stomach with the demon blade. After fighting off the two henchmen, Meg smokes out of her vessel.

Sam and Dean drop off Bobby at the hospital and race to Castle Hill, hoping to make it there before the demons do. However, when they arrive they see the bodies of the demons lying on top of the devils trap at the entrance. Zachariah appears and tells Dean that they gave Chuck false information to lead him here. The Michael Sword is at Castle Hill, but it isn't a physical sword, it's Dean. Zachariah reveals that Dean is to be Micheal's vessel and that he must say "yes" or else Lucifer will destroy the planet. Dean refuses, and Zachariah breaks Sam's legs. Dean continues to refuse- even after Zachariah removes Sam's lungs, threatens to make sure that Bobby never walks again, and gives Dean stage 4 stomach cancer. It is at this point when Castiel appears and begins fighting off Zachariah's men. He orders the archangel to reverse what he has done to the Winchesters, and Zachariah does so reluctantly before leaving.

Sam and Dean are both amazed that Castiel is still alive, especially after Chuck was adamant that he was killed. Castiel provides no insight as to who brought him back. He burns an Enochian sigil onto Sam and Dean's ribs before leaving, telling them that this will prevent angels from finding them.

Throughout the episode, there are interspersed scenes that show a man named Nick struggling with the death of his family. Nick sees various disturbing visions. In one instance, he is awaken by his wife who is covered in blood, and in another he walks into his child's nursery to see blood seeping from the crib. One night Nick has a dream where he see's his wife who tells him that she is actually an angel named Lucifer. Nick is doubtful, saying "Sure. Naturally. Um... Could you do me a favor there, Satan, and remind me to quit drinking before I go to bed?" But Lucifer tells Nick that he is special because he is a vessel. This confuses Nick and Lucifer explains that he would have to take control of his mind and body which will be unpleasant for him. He goes on to say that he is misunderstood, and that his only crime was 'loving God too much.' Lucifer begins to manipulate Nick by saying that he knows how Nick's family was brutally murdered, and that for God to allow that to happen he must not care enough about his own creation. He promises Nick that if he lets him in he will give him justice, and Nick, overcome with grief, agrees.

I was shocked that Bobby would so quickly disown Sam, but was relieved to find out that it was the demon who was possessing him. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Sam. He believed he was doing the right thing by trusting Ruby and drinking the demon blood. Understandably, Dean will not forgive him immediately, but I wish that Dean would stop pretending that he too has lied to his brother countless times.

Details
Episode Writer: Eric Kripke
Episode Director: Robert Singer
Airdate: September 10, 2009