I am too tired to write these up but just so as I don’t forget...
@7faerielights, we were right!! Sleeper Agent Dean it was. Literally everyone predicted this, more or less, but I still found it satisfying. No trigger, though he was clearly using Dean to spy. I interpreted the point they made of suggesting that Michael used Garth that way was to imply that he’d been similarly spying on the Winchesters all along, which is how he knew exactly where to find them.
I had a little complaint/annoyance about how much I had to suspend my disbelief to imagine that none of them had been considering the possibility that Michael had an open line to Dean, especially given how immediately they jumped to that conclusion with Garth. But actually they’ve had to do a lot of playing dummy this season for our benefit, like when Scully would have to pretend not to know some medical stuff she would OBVIOUSLY know so that the audience could get an explainer.
Interesting that he left before because Dean’s struggle was making him so uncomfortable and he needed to crush his spirit. That’s pretty much exactly why The Empty let Cas go...he wouldn’t sleep and it was bothering him. The Empty wants to take him back just like Michael took Dean back. Both are obvious depression metaphors. Both boys gotta fight for who what they love!
All the 12x12 callbacks and I can’t even calm down enough to list them. But, uh, yes. Bookmark for later. I’ve already seen people writing about this so I assume the discussing is going to get moving pretty fast.
All in all, a pretty satisfying mid-season finale! No surprises, really, but Bobo writes economical and meaningful dialogue and I liked all the evoking of past canon as well as little moments of humor.
@elizabethrobertajones, do you think party!Cas likes to eat Cookie Crunch when he gets home from his raves? Would he take the “cookietacular” decoder ring with him? I have questions.
