Recap of Supernatural
Season 4, Episode 20
The Rapture
Written by Jeremy Carver.
Directed by Charles Beeson.
Air Date: April 30, 2009.
Castiel visits Dean in a pleasant dream where Dean is fishing and says they need to talk somewhere more private as it is not safe. Castiel hands him a location for a meeting and when Dean and Sam arrive, Dean recognizes that a battle between angels had happened. They don’t find Castiel but rather Jimmy Novak, the man who Castiel had been using as a vessel and who is disoriented and traumatized.
Jimmy devours fast food as Sam and Dean question him and says being Castiel’s vessel was like being chained to a comet. He also remembers he has a family. He flashes back to saying grace over dinner with his wife and preteen daughter and later the tv emitting a high-pitched squeal that causes a seizure. The Winchesters debate what to do with him, ultimately deciding to keep a reluctant Jimmy secure until they determine their next steps. Jimmy, however, escapes when Sam steps out for a hit of demon blood.
On the bus home, Jimmy remembers hearing Castiel’s voice through a radio commanding him to stick his hand in a pot of boiling water. He was unharmed, but his wife Amelia is terrified and believes him to be mentally ill. Meanwhile, Anna appears in the back seat of the Impala, and she is concerned that Jimmy is already dead. She tells them Castiel has been dragged back to heaven, which is bad.
A forlorn Jimmy watches his family through their front window. He remembers Amelia trying to give him anti-psychotic meds while he insisted that Castiel is real. Jimmy also remembers speaking to Castiel and agreeing to be his vessel on the condition his family is kept safe. In the present, Jimmy reunites with a skeptical Amelia and later Claire, claiming to have been in a mental hospital. During a family dinner, Jimmy’s best friend comes by for a reunion. He’s possessed by a demon and after he threatens Claire, Jimmy attacks him with a mallet. Amelia believes Jimmy is insane until she witnesses Claire being threatened by the demons possessing their former best friends. The Winchesters show up and Dean kills one of the demons, but since Sam’s powers aren't working the other escapes.
The Winchesters convince Jimmy that he will always be a danger to his family, so Jimmy bids them a sad goodbye. As Amelia and Claire watch Jimmy and the Winchesters leave, Claire tearfully asks why her daddy is leaving again. Amelia’s eyes turn black and she hits Claire. After learning the truth, Jimmy and the Winchesters mount a rescue at an abandoned warehouse. Jimmy yells for Castiel, reminding the angel of his promise to protect Jimmy’s family and begging for help. Jimmy confronts the demons, who have Claire tied up and have captured the Winchesters. Jimmy begs for his family’s life, but the demon possessing Amelia shoots him and orders Claire’s death. Castiel enters Claire’s body and smites the demons trying to kill her, and Sam, having consumed demon blood, exorcises the one holding Amelia.
Castiel tells a bleeding Jimmy that he is going to heaven and will be at peace. Jimmy begs Castiel to take him instead of Claire, and Castiel agrees. Castiel moves back into Jimmy and watches Amelia hug Claire, both of them clearly traumatized. Castiel refuses to reveal what he was going to tell Dean earlier, saying he serves Heaven, not men. Sam and Dean go to Bobby’s, and Bobby and Dean lead Sam into the panic room and shut the door, intending to detox Sam. Sam yells and screams.
Body count
For this episode = 4 humans and 4 demons.For the series so far = At least 311 humans (of which 5 were witches), 28 ghosts, 26 demons, 10 vampires, 6 changelings, 3 gods, 3 shapeshifters, 3 zombies, 2 angels, 2 ghouls, 2 werewolves, 2 dogs, 1 crocotta, 1 djinn, 1 rakshasa, 1 rawhead, 1 reaper, 1 rugaru, 1 shtriga, 1 siren, and 1 wendigo.
Tropes
- A Day in the Limelight: This episode focuses on Jimmy and, to a lesser extent, Castiel.
- And I Must Scream: Jimmy, while possessed by Castiel. He compares it to being tied to a comet.
- Ascended Fridge Horror: This episode explores the implications of being a vessel - namely, the fact that said vessel is constantly suffering after having given his consent. Castiel is a powerful ally, but he's still possessing a human at a terrible cost to that man, and Jimmy only takes on the role again to prevent his daughter from suffering the same fate.
- Awful Truth: Despite being a devout Christian, Jimmy's wife Amelia couldn't or wouldn't believe that her husband was speaking to an angel. When Jimmy attacks his demon-possessed friend, she immediately panics and tries to get Claire to run. Then she sees the possessed guy threatening Claire and realizes it was all true.
- Back Story: We knew Castiel was possessing a vessel, but nothing about him (not even his name) until this episode.
- Being Tortured Makes You Evil: Whatever "reeducation" Castiel has undergone during his time back in Heaven, it has caused him to stop helping Dean. We later learn that Castiel intended to tell Dean that killing Lilith was the final seal so Dean could avert the apocalypse.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Jimmy gets vicious with the mallet to protect Claire.
- Big Damn Heroes
- The Winchesters arrive Just in Time to save Jimmy's family.
- Castiel returns to Earth and possesses Claire, Just in Time to save her and everyone else.
- Blood from the Mouth: Jimmy was shot in the chest and blood is coming from his mouth.
- Body Surf: Castiel switches from possessing Jimmy, to Jimmy's daughter, and eventually goes back to possessing Jimmy again.
- Breaking the Bonds: Castiel burns through the ropes binding Claire to the chair.
- Break the Cutie: Not only does poor Jimmy get broken, but his beloved wife and child do, too.
- Brutal Honesty: Sam tells Jimmy he'll never see his family again as he would always be a threat to them. Unless he wants to kill himself.
- Call-Back:
- In Lazarus Rising, Castiel told Dean that there were certain, special people who could perceive his true visage. Jimmy is one of them, as he is shown conversing with Castiel pre-possession (unlike Dean who heard only a loud, high-pitched whine), and appears to actually see Castiel when he is showered in golden light before Castiel takes over his body. Presumably, his daughter Claire has these capabilities as well, though they're not shown on-screen.
- Jimmy tells the Winchesters that he has been shot, stabbed and his body has been dragged all over the world. Dean shot and stabbed Castiel after he and Bobby summoned him.
- The Chosen One: Jimmy, chosen to be Castiel's vessel.
- Conversational Troping: Sam notes that when they ask you to Come Alone, then Trap Is the Only Option. Dean however has a plan. The Winchesters get caught anyway.
- Crisis of Faith: Implied with Jimmy when he doesn't say grace before eating.
- Cryptic Background Reference: Anna never states outright what is happening to Castiel in Heaven, only saying it is bad. When he returns, it is heavily implied he was tortured into submission.
- Daddy's Girl: Claire and Jimmy clearly adore each other.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Sam's addiction to demon blood is basically the supernatural equivalent of a heroin addiction. He also feeds via the neck of a female demon, just like a vampire.
- Downer Ending: Jimmy can't ever see his family again and Sam is left in Bobby's panic room to detox.
- Dream Walker: Castiel visits Dean in a dream and unnerves him by telling him that it's not a safe place for them to talk, indicating other angels can access dreams and listen in on them.
- Dutch Angle: When Jimmy is riding back home in a bus, presumably to show his sense of dislocation.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Castiel tells a dying Jimmy that he'll live forever in Heaven. Although there's some confusion as to when Jimmy actually dies, Season 10 reveals that he did get into Heaven, where he's joined by his wife Amelia.
- Exact Words: "It's in your blood."
- Gender Bender: Castiel briefly leaves his standard male host and possesses said host's preteen daughter. S/he switches back to Jimmy when the man begs hir to take him and spare his daughter.
- Grand Theft Me: They need permission, but this is basically what angels do to their vessels. Once you've given your permission, they can apparently stay as long as they need to, though the conversation between Claire!Castiel and Jimmy seems to imply that they might need to ask again if circumstances(such as Castiel being recalled to Heaven and pulled out of Jimmy) depend on it. Castiel also, this time, makes sure that Jimmy understands this possession will be open-ended until Castiel's task is done, and that it could take years.
- Happily Married: Amelia and Jimmy were, before Castiel entered their lives.
- Headbutt of Love: Jimmy leaving his daughter for what he assumes is the last time.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Jimmy gives up Heaven to spare his daughter from becoming Castiel's vessel.
- I Gave My Word: Castiel promises to protect Jimmy's family and returns from Heaven just in time to save them. In the long run, he can't protect them and feels tremendous guilt about it.
- I Have Your Wife: A demon possesses Jimmy's wife, and holds their daughter hostage.
- Jumped at the Call: Jimmy Novak...at first.
- Kind Restraints: After discovering that Sam is addicted to demon blood, Dean and Bobby lure Sam into the panic room, then shut the door on him.
- Little Miss Badass: When Castiel possesses Claire.
- Meaningful Echo:
- When Jimmy wants to know how long he'll have to stay away from his family, he's told "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it". When he demands a proper answer, Sam bluntly tells him. "Forever". Rather than repeat this to his family, Jimmy uses the bridge crossing line.
- Castiel repeats the "I'm not your father" line when meeting a teenage Claire Novak in "The Things We Left Behind".
- The Mentally Disturbed: Averted. From Amelia's point of view, her husband appears to have had a terrifying psychotic break. He's hearing the voice of an angel telling him to stick his hand in boiling water and that he has a special destiny. Later, he violently beats up his Best Friend, claiming the man is a demon. Jimmy turns out to be completely sane and only Amelia witnessing the demons possessing her friends convinces her of the truth.
- Must Be Invited: Unlike demons, angels require permission to enter a host body.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Castiel has a horrified, guilt-stricken look as he possesses Jimmy again, implying this is in effect.
- My Greatest Failure: Despite many more large-scale mistakes, Castiel remains haunted by his failure to protect Jimmy and his family.
- Neurodiversity Is Supernatural: Jimmy hears voices, sticks his hand in boiling water without pain, believes an angel has possessed his body and thinks his Best Friend is possessed by a demon. His wife incorrectly believes this is mental illness.
- Only the Worthy May Pass: Jimmy puts his hand in a pot of boiling water, as a test of faith that Castiel will protect him.
- Our Angels Are Different: More and more, these angels show they are ruthless.
- Castiel has previously hand-waved Jimmy's horrific situation away because Jimmy prayed for it. He seems to show slight remorse at destroying Jimmy's family, but it's years later before he atones.
- We know Anna is a fugitive, and Castiel's questioning of his superiors leads to his arrest and probably torture by his superiors. By this episode, it is becoming clear that Light Is Not Good with respect to these angels.
- Papa Wolf: Threaten Claire and Jimmy will beat you with a mallet.
- Parents in Distress: Claire says "yes" to Castiel to save her parents.
- Playing Possum: Jimmy escapes when Sam slips out for a hit of demon blood.
- Quizzical Tilt: Castiel on seeing Jimmy's daughter, moments after possessing his body.
- Rage Against the Heavens: Jimmy is furious at Castiel for letting his family be put in danger.
- Sarcasm Mode: Dean is mocking Sam for letting Jimmy escape. When Sam claims he slipped out for a Coke, Dean asks, "Was it a refreshing Coke?"
- Skewed Priorities: Dean starts flirting with Anna, only for her to point out that they have other problems.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: All angels do this, but Anna takes the cake in this episode. She appears in the backseat of the Impala while Dean's driving, startling him and causing him to jerk the wheel violently.
- Take Me Instead: Jimmy gives up dying and going to Heaven in favor of letting Castiel possess him instead of his daughter.
- Talking in Your Dreams: Dean is happily fishing by a lake when Castiel appears beside him, and Dean realises he is dreaming.
- Tastes Like Friendship: Jimmy eases his way back into his family by asking his wife to make him dinner.
- Tempting Fate: Jimmy tells his neighbour that he lived through the worst year possible, but he's glad it's all over. Cue Black Eyes of Evil from the neighbour, who tells him it's about to get worse.
- They Would Cut You Up: Dean lists vivisection as the least the demons would do to a former angel vessel.
- Unlikely Hero: Jimmy. Not only did he mentally survive being Castiel's vessel, but he also escapes the Winchesters, makes it home, attacks a demon, and attempts to get his wife and daughter to the safety of a closet with a salt barrier. When the Winchesters arrive, he gets Claire to safety. When he realizes Amelia is possessed, he goes to stand up to the demon with little fear, offering himself. Finally, his dying wish is to be Castiel's vessel to spare his daughter that fate.
- The Unreveal: Castiel never does tell Dean what he intended to tell him.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Jimmy to Castiel, who promised he would protect Jimmy's family and has failed.
- You Have to Believe Me!: When Jimmy tells his wife about Castiel, she thinks he's mentally ill. It doesn't help that shortly after that, he vanishes for almost a year. Then Jimmy comes back and, knowing how she reacted before, claims he was in a mental ward.
