Supernatural Recap S9E18: Meta Fiction

A record plays, and there is typing, another Supernatural book is being written, this time at the hands of Metatron. He ponders what makes a good story, the concept, the writer, or the reader. He plans to tell a little story and let the viewer decide, and well opening up with Dean in the shower isn’t exactly a bad way to start. Dean looks at his reflection, eyes haunted, his attention turns to the mark of Cain. Dressed, Dean goes to see what Sam has found. He has leads, but no Abaddon. The boys prepare to get to work.

Castiel looks for something, and his trust coat rips. They just don’t make trenchcoats like they use to. There are bloody hand prints on the wall, and Castiel finds slain bodies all around. On the wall is a odd glowing symbol, which fades to blood red. Castiel takes a picture of it. A girl tries to stab Castiel in the back with an angel blade. The half mutilated Hannah tells Castiel that she heard a tone that sounded like Heaven, it felt safe, there were others. An Angel came, told them to fight for Metatron and they could return to heaven. Some angels joined, she and her friends refused, and were destroyed. Cas is sorry for their loss, and he heals her. She recognizes him, the one who took a stand against Bartholomew. She asks if he will lead them against Metatron, but he is no leader, he will make Metatron pay though. She wishes to help him, but he refuses, knowing she’s safer away from him.

Castiel tells the boys that Gadriel is the angel that slaughtered the rest, he was told by Metatron to kill angel, of changing prophecies. Dean questions the Heaven enticement. The spell was suppose to close the doors of heaven permanently, but that is just what Crowley told them. Sam wants to find Gadriel and beat the info out of him, someone is still harboring a grudge. Castiel shares the odd symbol, the angel magnet, which had some odd ingredients including griffon feathers and fairy bones. Castiel asks how Dean is, Castiel misses his wings. Sam has come up with a hit on the symbol in police files, it has been at the scene of several multiple homicide locations. Crimescenes in industial cities of Utah, headed North. The trio chose the two most likely candidates and divide and conquer. Dean and Sam remember another Utah case, and plan to check out a source.

Someone goes into a shop looking for Griffon feathers, its Gadriel. The shop keeper laughs it off as Harry Potter wares, but with a hunters symbol on the door, he gets the shop keeper to show him a secret stash. He asks about fairy bones next, more laughs. He asks what Gadriel is hunting, and he merely tells him he’s hunting family.

Castiel prepares to leave his hotel with Casa Erotica 14 comes on the screen. Is that Uncle Richard? Castiel cannot turn off the TV, and so he watches the inappropriate fare. It is Gabriel! And of course Castiel remembers him. With a snap Gabriel is back! And he needs Castiel’s help. Castiel thought he was dead, but of course he was not. He faked his own death, and was in hiding in Heaven, up until Castiel and the others slammed the gates shut. He dropped and hid until Metatron sent his men after him. As an Archangel, Metatron thought that Gabriel has extra juice. He  spent his time in porn, until someone started playing his song, with the Horn of Gabriel. It was a party favor that he never got around to messing with. Metatron started blowing it, and so Gabriel came out of hiding, safety in numbers and all. Metatron isn’t blowing the horn, Castiel tells him, its Gadriel. Gabriel plans to get the band back together to hunt down Metatron, and Castiel is being recruited.

Dean and Sam make it to the shop, but its closed up tight. Dean finds an open box of feathers, and Sam finds the slain shop keeper. They need to find Gadriel before he lights up the bat signal.

Cas makes a call into Dean, and Gabriel pilfers the cell, in the name of safe driving and all. Gabriel leaves a saucy little message, and tells them that they’re headed to their home. Gabriel tells him that after the whole falling angels, he saw Crowley and Abaddon duking it out, and their brethren scattered to the wind. Most angels are not like them, they cannot handle the whole free will thing, which makes them different, rebels. Castiel is still on the whole I’m just a soldier thing, but Gabriel doesn’t believe it for a second. Gabriel is finally ready to step up, and take control, and Castiel is more than happy to follow. Castiel heads to a gas station, which looks surprisingly familiar from that time that Castiel worked in a gas station. The minions of Metatron just happen to show ip at the same gas station.

Gadriel is slow to make his getaway after the whole killing of the store keeper, and Sam spies the angel. He puts a call into Castiel telling him that they need help as Gadriel lurks in the shadows, looking to take Sam by surprise, but its him that gets surprised. Dean drops a flame from above, lighting his containment circle, someone just got played.

Gabriel knows there is no way to keep the minions out, and Castiel is prepared to fight. Gabriel is ready to be a one man army. He confesses he didn’t watch Downton Abbey, and he’s got some Archangel juice left, enough to hold them off, long enough for Castiel to get out. Gabriel wants to make a hole, so Castiel can be a leader. Castiel doesn’t want to be a leader, but Gabriel can’t fail in this. He goes to sheath his blade and notices that his pocket isn’t ripped. Oops someone has a continuity error. Castiel knows that it can’t be real. Gabriel urges him out, as the blonde minion busts down the door, but Castiel knows that Gabriel is already dead. He slides the blade into him, nothing happens. Gabriel snaps his fingers, asking what gave it away. The torn coat. Castiel realizes that none of it was real, but all true. Gabriel tells him to hear out Metatron, that he’s trying to help out, he just doesn’t know how since he didn’t actually read the whole script. It was a great visit, and before he can leave, Castiel asks if he’s dead. He gives a very Trickster look, and snaps his fingers. So there is still hope of Uncle Richard returning later, right? Right! Castiel wakes, bound and gagged in Metatron’s study. Metatron types. He asks the beginning question, what makes a story work.

Gadriel taunts Sam, as he asks how long he’s been working for Metatron. Gadriel refuses to talk, and Sam is close to losing control. Dean reigns him back in.

Metatron wanted to tell Castiel a story, but his story failed. He alludes to Sherlock Holmes, but Cas knows nothing of it. He’s been around forever, but has yet to read the classics, Metatron angel blasts his brain with every movie and book he’s seen in the last millennium. The universe is made up of stories not atoms. Castiel recognizes the quote. Metatron goes on about writers club, and its rules. Every hero needs a villain. He set everything up, Hannah and her fellow angels getting slaughtered. He told Gadriel to slaughter them all,but let one live to tell the tale. Cas asks if it’s true, can he bring the angels back to heaven. Metatron laughs, that was never the point. He wants Castiel to lead the angels, but Castiel is no leader. Metatron studied the Winchester gospels, and burns them now. They gave him an idea, Castiel needed a lesson, and no one gives better lessons than Gabriel, so he started typing. He didn’t do it to make Cas a better hero, he’s no hero at all. Metatron thinks he’s the hero, and Castiel the villain.

They knows that Gadriel isn’t going to crack that fast, but Sam thinks that they can hack the angel, like Crowley hacked him. Crowley is the only one that can do the hack though, and Dean won’t call him, they need Cas, but the GPS on Cas’ phone shows that he hasn’t left the town he was in the last time they talked to him, or his phone hasn’t. Dean tells him that he has to go find him. Sam is too close to it, and Dean has it. Sam goes, and Dean gets to play good cop or so Gadriel thinks. Dean doesn’t really care if Gadriel talks, he wants payback for Sam and Kevin.

Metatron asks if Castiel knows why he didn’t kill him after he stole his grace, because he genuinely likes him. He left him human, hoping Castiel would find his happily ever after, but now, its death or fall back in line. Metatron wants him to lead the rebel angels against him so he can slaughter them, and he promises to save Castiel a nice warm seat up top for him. Castiel refuses. Metatron didn’t want to do the hard pitch, but he will. He asks about the stolen grace, tells him that it’s burning out, will burn him out. He offers an endless supply of rechargeable batteries. Metatron’s secretary interrupts with Gadriel trouble.

Gadriel meanwhile is getting sliced and diced by Dean. Dean offers him a deal, tell him about getting into heaven, and he’ll make it a quick death. Gadriel taunts him, tells him that Sam would not trade his life for his. Sam has told him that and worse. He asks if Sam told him how he pities him because of his daddy issues, that he’s a sad coward. Dean punches him, Gadriel continues his ranting trying to get dean to kill him. Dean lunges, but stops short. Gadriel begs for death, but Dean won’t deliver it. Gadriel isn’t afraid to die, but to rot in chains forever.

Sam heads to Castiel’s hotel room. Dean to a dirty bathroom. Inside Sam finds a bunch of pictures crossed out. Dean tries to clean up. Sam finds Castiel’s cell phone, when he gets a visit from Metatron, he wants to trade. The mark of Cain is bothering Dean. Metraton wants an even trade, otherwise Castiel isn’t coming back this time. Dean has a bad bad look on his face, and he leaves behind his phone. Sam heads back and finds Gadriel out of his chair. Dean is sitting against the wall. Gadriel looks bad. Dean didn’t kill him, he managed to reign himself in at the last moment. The boys don’t trust Metatron, but they do want to use this opportunity to trap him.

Metatron is late, well not really late, he was waiting for the boys to set up their trap. He makes sure that he’s in the right position, and Dean reluctantly lights the fire. Metatron makes a big show of being hurt by the holy fire, but it’s nothing to him. He blows it out. The boys pull out their blades, but Metatron pushes them back. He opens Dean’s trunk blowing away his Angel trap. Metatron releases Gadriel, as his angels arrive with Castiel. He’s confident that there is nothing that Dean, Sam, and Castiel can do to stop him, but he’ll enjoy watching them try.  He reminds Castiel that he gave him a chance.

At the Cedar Lodge, Dean wants answers. Castiel tells him that Metatron wants to play God. Sam remarks that he is God. He erased Angel warding, and blew out holy fire. He’s powering up with the angel tablet. Dean tries to regroup, think of how to find the stairway to heaven. Sam makes a Star Wars reference, and Castiel gets it. Dean is surprised, and asks if Castiel is all right. They both are. Dean tries to pat Castiel, but Castiel stops him, sees his mark, and taps Dean out of the game. Dean bows out, leaving the offer of help on the table. Cas tells Sam to keep an eye on him. The boys leave Castiel in the parking lot.

Gadriel is brought to see Metatron. He thinks that the way home is safe. He asks Metatron how his play turned out, it didn’t turn out as he had expected, but he plans to make revisions before publishing them. Gadriel asks if the Winchesters grabbing him was part of the plan, that was a surprise, a happy little twist. He tells him that his job is to set up interesting characters to see where they lead him, the byproduct of interesting characters is the twists they cause, but none of that matters as long as they play their part since he’s the only one that knows the ending.

Sam worries over Dean. Castiel goes back to his room and tears down his angel trackings, as Metatron continues tapping away at his keys. Castiel makes an angel horn and calls angels forth, as he was suppose to. Among those that arrive is Hannah. Metatron continues his work calling himself God. For now this story is to be continued.