And just like that, the angels are no more. Supernatural knows how to throw fans with a twist in the last moments of its season finales, and Wednesday’s Season 8 finale, “Sacrifice,” found every single angel being forced out of heaven and falling to earth. Their wings burning off looked like millions of meteors falling toward the ground, but Sam, Dean, and a newly-human Cas knew exactly what was happening.
Metatron betrayed everyone, and like I predicted, his three trials weren’t for closing the gates of Heaven for a family time-out but actually to force all angels out of the pearly gates. He took Castiel’s grace, his angel essence, as the third trial, and Cas woke up on earth, as a human, to watch the repercussions of his actions unfold.
Sam and Dean, meanwhile, only just aborted their plan to close the gates of hell after Naomi revealed that it would end up killing Sam. Too bad, since they were so close to actually winning for a change! Sam only had to speak the final words of the exorcism and Crowley would have been cured. He was showing signs of humanity too, giving a monologue for the ages as only the king of hell can, revealing all he ever wanted to be was loved. Like Marnie from Girls! Who knew the king of hell loved him some Lena Dunham comedy?
But Dean showed up in the nick of time to tell Sam to stop, and in a tearful exchange, proved to Sam that he wants his brother to live. Even though it meant they wouldn’t close the gates of hell, and that others would die as a result, Dean needed his brother. Sam was shocked to learn that after all he had done, Dean really did still love him and forgive him, and with Dean’s help, Sam let it all go. His guilt over making Dean turn into an angel and a vampire over his own brother, his supernatural obligation to complete the trials, everything. His hands stopped glowing, but something else went horribly wrong. Sam fell to the ground in pain, and all Dean could do was cry out for Cas’s help… not knowing that his angel friend was in no position to help now that he’s a human. Dean’s cry for help showed that even though he was still holding a grudge against Cas, he could never truly hate him, and deep down will always count on him. Too bad it was too late.
Where this leaves us for Season 9: Cas is a human. The angels have all fallen to earth. Metatron is locked in heaven. Kevin Tran is safe in the Men of Letters bunker (nice detail, having the alerts going crazy with all the heavenly activity). Crowley isn’t cured, but isn’t his full demonic self either. And Sam and Dean are helplessly alone, with Sam in a lot of pain after failing to complete the third trial.
To tide you over until Supernatural returns in the fall, here are the best quotes from “Sacrifice”:
Dean: You hid the demon tablet underneath the devil? Seriously?
Kevin: What, I was delirious!
Cas: What was he like?
Metatron: God? Pretty much like you’d expect: larger than life, gruff, a bit of a sexist, but fair! Eminently fair!
Dean: You show us yours and we’ll show you ours.
Crowley: Come on now, Dean. I’m trying to conduct a professional negotiation and you want to talk dangly bits?
Metatron: You’re not the most subtle tool in the shed, are you?
Dean: I’m down with sending the angels back to heaven, just ‘cause they’re dicks.
Cas: You really think it’s wise to be drinking on the job?
Dean: What show have you been watching? [This wins for greatest quote of the season. Hands. Down.]
Sam: You want to know what I confessed in there? What my greatest sin was? How many times I let you down.
Follow Sydney on Twitter: @SydneyBucksbaum
More:
‘Supernatural’ Recap: Sam and Dean’s Trip Down Memory Lane Wasn’t Happy
‘Supernatural’ Recap: Could Sam and Dean Really Close the Gates of Hell?
‘Supernatural’ Recap: Charlie Lets Go, Dean Hangs On Tighter
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