Recap of Supernatural
Season 10, Episode 22:
The Prisoner
Written by Andrew Dabb
Directed by Thomas J. Wright
Dean goes on the warpath when he takes on the Styne Family for the death of Charlie. While still reeling from her death, Sam receives Charlie's message on how to decode the Book of the Damned, however Rowena demands he make good on their agreement and kill Crowley before she finds a cure for the Mark of Cain.
Body Count:
For this episode: at least 25 humans.
For the series so far = At least 1138 humans (of which 9 were witches), 1112 angels, 180 demons, 68 vampires, 51 ghosts, 36 Jefferson Starships, 22 gods, 19 zombies, 12 werewolves, 10 hellhounds, 7 shapeshifters, 7 skinwalkers, 6 changelings, 5 djinn, 5 reapers, 4 dogs, 4 ghouls, 4 Leviathan, 3 Khan Worms, 2 Amazons, 2 arachnes, 2 kitsunes, 2 rugarus, 2 Thule, 2 vetalas, 1 cat, 1 crocotta, 1 deer, 1 dragon, 1 fairy, 1 familiar, 1 lamia, the Mother of All, 1 okami, 1 phoenix, 1 pishtaco, 1 Purgatory creature, 1 rakshasa, 1 rawhead, 1 shojo, 1 shtriga, 1 siren, 1 Titan, 1 wendigo, 1 whore of Babylon, 1 wicked witch, and 1 wraith.
Tropes present in this episode:
- Actor Allusion: The scene where Dean brings down his knife and just misses Castiel was intentionally filmed to mirror one in the Dark Angel episode "Proof of Purchase" where Jensen Ackles's character Alec does the same to the series heroine Max. Thomas J. Wright directed both episodes.
- Bait-and-Switch: When Dean has Cass dead to rights, we see him slam down an angel blade from Cass’s perspective and walk away. It turns out Dean stabbed a book instead of his friend, but he promises not to miss again.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Rowena has thoughout the season disdained Crowley's Hazy-Feel Turn and connection to the Winchesters, wanting him to act as befits the King of Hell. After surviving her and Sam's assassination attempt, Crowley is firmly on the side of evil again, his bond with the Winchesters is broken, and he's reverted to the ruthless King of Hell personality he once had. The only problem is that now Rowena has a powerful, resourceful and vicious Demon King out for her blood.
- Big Bad: It becomes apparent by the end of the episode that the true Big Bad of Season 10 is none other Dean Winchester, who unleashes a darker side of him molded by the Mark of Cain.
- Boom, Headshot!: Dean points out that Eldon may have two hearts but he still has one brain. He then proceeds to shoot him in the head. He later does the same to Cyrus.
- Bullying a Dragon:
- Rowena and to a lesser extent Sam engage in this when they try to kill Crowley, aka the King of Hell and a very powerful Demon, who had previously gave Rowena a chance to walk away conscience free and who had been an Sixth Ranger ally to the Winchester brothers. Their efforts fail to kill Crowley but suceed in driving him into a murderous rage aimed at them.
- The Stynes know from personal experience that just because a person looks like a normal human doesn't mean they're a normal human. Dean has already shown an extreme amount of fighting capability and has already killed several of people on their estate. He tells them he's currently cursed with a form of homicidal immortality. Yet, the Stynes still thing they're the baddest badasses on the block. This doesn't end well for them.
- Combat Pragmatist: At the finale, Eldon is gearing himself up for a second round with Dean, rolled up sleeves and all. Dean brought a gun.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Dean under the influence of the Mark of Cain vs the Styne family (and their henchmen) turns out to be ridiculously one-sided in Dean's favour.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Cyrus may not be everything the Styne family expects him to be, but he's still family. It's apparent Eldon cares deeply for him, and attacking him is a death sentence.
- Bully: (Stammering) I got no beef with you.Eldon: You put hands on my cousin.
- Failure Is the Only Option: Dean comments to the Stynes that there's no way for them to stop him. If they leave him alive he will hunt them down and kill them all, If they manage to kill him the Mark will bring him back as a Demon and he will kill them all.
- It's Personal: Dean's crusade of vengeance against the Styne's for Charlie's murder. Also Crowley makes it clear to Sam that he is going to make Rowena suffer for her actions against him.
- I Warned You: Cyrus, to the bully harassing him. It wasn't a threat, but a warning.
- Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: Dean kills Cyrus solely because of his family and because "there's bad in you", a rich statement coming from either Winchester brother. Castiel points out that the Dean he knew never would have done that. Dean proceeds to beat Castiel near to death when the angel tries to stop him leaving.
- Just Between You and Me: Even a hero can make this mistake when attempting an assassination. Sam talks to Crowley, thinking that Crowley won't survive this encounter, and he divulges some pretty important strategic information. Like the fact that he's working with Rowena in trying to assassinate Crowley.
- Mugging the Monster: A bully picks on Cyrus Styne thinking him just a harmless bookworm. While Cyrus is not that dangerous himself his family on the other hand are a Ancient Conspiracy with a fondness for Black Magic and unethical experiments. The bully ends up being gruesomly murdered.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Cyrus, for being forced to kill the bully who harassed him. He sits down in tears looking at the bully's lifeless eyes staring back at him, all while his family tells him how proud they are of his first kill.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Sam reminds Crowley how much of a monster he really was. And is...
- No-Sell: Rowena's Demon killing hex bag is incinerated by Crowley.
- Offing the Offspring:
- Cyrus's dad has no problem killing his own son if he goes against his family tradition.
- Rowena attempts this on Crowley via Sam but eventually fails.
- Really Dead Montage: Charlie gets one while Sam and Dean are preparing a hunter's pyre for her.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: The Styne family was already on the Winchester kill list. When Eldon murdered Charlie, who the Winchesters loved like a sister, that was all the justification that Dean needed to brutally slaughter the entire family and anyone associated with them.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: We finally get to see Mark Sheppard as Crowley with his demon eyes.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Eldon thinks some "new upgrades" put him on even footing with a Mark of Cain empowered Dean. Dean destroys this belief by calmly explaining that he just finished killing off all the Styne's and all added body parts aside Eldon only has one brain which he proceeds to put a bullet in.
- Strapped to an Operating Table: After the Stynes get the jump on Dean, they figure they'll scrap him for parts. Bad idea.
- Suicidal Overconfidence: Dean actually tries to warn the Stynes that the Mark on his arm will send him into a homicidal rage if it senses his life is in danger. Despite familiarity with the Book of the Damned, which contains information about the Mark of Cain, the Stynes refuse to listen because how could he possibly hurt them?
- Then Let Me Be Evil: Crowley who has been teetering on the divide between Demon and human (helping the Winchesters, reforming Hell, trying to connect to Rowena) this season goes through a dual Rage Breaking Point and Despair Event Horizon brought on by Rowena and Sam trying to kill him. He promptly delivers a venomous rant about how he loved every minute of committing evil and thanks Sam for reminding him of who he really is, a monster.
- Tranquil Fury: Dean when he confronts Eldon and Cyrus in the Bunker. He doesn't shout, raise his voice or even talk that much for while, he just ... stares at them in a way that perfectly conveys that they are going to die.
- Viking Funeral: Sam and Dean give one to Charlie.
- White Sheep: Cyrus seems to be the sole sympathetic member of the Styne family. Too bad Dean is to far gone to care.
- Would You Like to Hear How They Died?: Eldon tries to play this with Dean when they meet at the Bunker, asking if Dean is curious as to how he killed Charlie. Dean isn't having any of it.
- Would Hurt a Child: Dean shoots Cyrus who is pleading for his life in cold blood. Castiel makes a point of it as evidence that the Mark is changing Dean for the worse.
- You Monster!: Sam calls Crowley this with some justification, citing his murder of people Sam loved. As part of his Then Let Me Be Evil speech Crowley agrees with the assessment and decides to embrace the label.
- You Should Have Died Instead: Dean says to Sam "I think it should be you up there — not her". Sam, feeling completely guilty enough already, believes he's right.
