History Recap / SupernaturalS08E22ClipShow

[[Characters/SupernaturalAngels Metatron]], who goes by Marv in public, finds Castiel while Castiel is trying to buy groceries he thinks Sam and Dean would appreciate. Metatron tells Castiel that Heaven's Civil War continues, with numerous factions fighting each other, and while [[Characters/SupernaturalAngels Naomi]] is a player, she is not in charge. Metatron wants Castiel's help in closing the gates of Heaven, as he thinks if the angels were all stuck in Heaven together they would work things out. Metatron transports to a restaurant which serves caramel apple crepes in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojai,_California Ojai, California]].

* DamselInDistress[=/=]DistressedDude: Crowley's victims.

* GratuitousFrench[=/=]GratuitousGerman[=/=]GratuitousSpanish:

* WereStillRelevantDammit: Crowley says he is "sexting" Sam an address.

* LawfulGood: Castiel admires this trait of the Men of Letters.
-->'''Castiel:''' I like this bunker. It's orderly.
-->'''Sam:''' Oh, give us a few months.

-->'''Dean:''' Dude, [[MoralDissonance if anybody else]], I mean ''anybody'', pulled that kind of crap, I would stab them in their neck on principle. Why should I give ''him'' [[GetOutOfJailFreeCard a free pass]]?

* GratuitousFrench[=/=]GratuitousGerman[= =]ratuitousSpanish:

* ConvenientBroadcast: Averted; Crowley has to ring up the Winchesters to inform them of the people he's killing.

[[Characters/SupernaturalOtherHumans Tommy Collins]], who was last seen in [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, E02)]], is in a cabin in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Creek_Wilderness Lost Creek, Colorado]], with his girlfriend. He starts to hear a growling noise, and assumes they are being hunted by a [[Characters/SupernaturalMonstersAndSupernaturalBeings wendigo]]. He lights up a blow torch, but then is overcome by pain. He is thrown around by an invisible growling attacker. Blood then starts to pour from his ears and eyes, and then his head explodes.

Sam finds a reel of film from 1957 in the file, which Sam, Dean, and Castiel watch. [[Characters/SupernaturalMenOfLetters Josie Sands]] is shown filming two priests, a young Father Simon and older Father Max Thompson, who are trying a new type of exorcism which will actually cure the twisted soul of the demon. The attempt in the film fails, leaving the possessed woman dead. Sam's research reveals Father Thompson died in 1958, but Father Simon is still alive. Sam and Dean drive to St. Benedict's Church in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis St. Louis, Missouri]], leaving Castiel behind because Dean does not want his help. Father Simon explains that Father Thompson continued his experiments after the failed exorcism, but was killed and torn apart by something in 1958. Father Simon gives Father Thompson's records to Sam and Dean.

Castiel follows Metatron to Eugenie's Restaurant, where [[Characters/SupernaturalAngels Jane]], the waitress, serves them and flirts with Castiel. Metatron reveals that the first trial for closing the gates of Heaven is cutting out the heart of their waitress. She happens to be the only {{Nephilim}}, offspring of an angel and a human, on earth. Castiel argues that she is innocent, but Metatron convinces Castiel that he must do this to help Heaven.

Sam then receives a text from Crowley, which says, "545 Greenleaf St. Apt. 306, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity,_Indiana Prosperity, Indiana]]." Dean recalls they worked [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil a case]] there. When they get to the address, they find [[Characters/SupernaturalOtherHumans Jenny Klein]] dead in her oven. They receive another call from Crowley, who is sitting in his office with a copy of the books about the Winchesters that were written by [[Characters/SupernaturalProphets Chuck]], under the name Carver Edlund. Crowley tells the brothers that he is killing off the people they saved, and will continue to kill a new person every 12 hours until they give him the demon tablet. Because he knows they will try to stop him, Crowley explains he has an ''object lesson'' for them in 57 minutes at the Ivy Motel, room 116, in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis Indianapolis]].

When Sam and Dean arrive at the motel room in Indianapolis, they find [[Characters/SupernaturalOtherHumans Sarah Blake]], who is scouting an estate sale for her father. They explain the danger she is in and ward the room with sigils and devil's traps. As midnight approaches, a cordless phone in the room rings, and all three of them pull out their guns. Dean answers the phone to hear Crowley counting down from five. As Crowley finishes the countdown, Sarah collapses, gasping for air. Crowley reveals he is using [[Characters/SupernaturalWitches witchcraft]] he learned from his mother. As Sam and Dean tear the room apart looking for the hex bag, Sarah dies. Crowley tells Sam and Dean he will continue to unravel their life's work by killing everyone they ever saved until they surrender to him. Dean throws the phone in frustration and it smashes apart to reveal the hex bag.

-->'''Dean:''' Class 5 Infernal Event?
-->'''Sam:''' Yeah, the letters have this whole rating system. ''Film/TheExorcist'' would have been a class 2.
* ActorAllusion: Young Father Simon is shown smoking. Donnelly Rhodes, who plays Older Father Simon, also played Dr. Sherman Cottle, who was constantly smoking, in ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}''.
* AdvertisedExtra: Cindy Busby, who plays Jenny Klein, was listed in the press release promoting this episode, but when we see Jenny Klein it is as a burnt dead body lying face down who could have been played by anyone.

* DrinkOrder: Castiel orders coffee at Eugenie's Restaurant, a taste he says he developed in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E21TheGreatEscapist "The Great Escapist" (S08, E21)]].

* MagicalIncantation: [[AltumVidetur Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus. Hanc animam redintegra. Lustra.]] This roughly translates to: We exorcise you, every impure spirit. Fix this soul. Cleanse.

-->'''Castiel:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Of what]]?

* FishOutOfWater: Castiel shopping in the convenience store. He leaves the refrigerator door open after getting beer, breaks an egg and leaves the yolk on the floor, and knocks over a stand of chips. After each of these events, the clerk says "[[CrowningMomentOfFunny Dude]]!"

* NerdsAreVirgins: The convenience store clerk.
-->'''Metatron:''' Put the virgin down, Castiel.

* PlotInducedStupidity: Rather than using a regular low-level demon (which the Winchesters have shown they can take on and capture with no trouble), they decide to revive Abaddon, possibly the most powerful demon still alive and who is immune to regular exorcism. This is somewhat justified by Crowley's comments that he had been keeping all his demons away from the Winchesters, on the assumption that the third trial would be something demon-related. Abaddon was simply the only demon to hand.

* ItsProbablyNothing: Subverted; Tommy isn't about to encounter a MonsterOfTheWeek, he's been hexed.

* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: Abaddon's reaction upon learning that Crowley, who she last knew as a "salesman", is now the King of Hell.

* YourHeadAsplode: Poor Tommy.

* JustTryingToHelp: Castiel wants to help Dean, but Dean refuses his help.
-->'''Castiel:''' Sam is more damaged than I am.
-->'''Dean:''' Yeah, well, you know, even banged up, Sammy comes through.
-->'''Castiel:''' Dean, I just want to help.

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Crowley demonstrates why he's the personification of this trope in the series, as he not only frequently subverts or avoids the VillainBall all the time, in this episode he outsmarts others purely by breaking their genre expectations.
** He kills Tommy Collins in the opening by blowing his head up long distance, knowing that he's expecting a wendigo instead of demons.
** Sam and Dean go to protect Sarah Blake when Crowley threatens to kill her, and put up defenses for an imminent demon attack. Crowley just put a witch's hex bag somewhere in the room in advance, a skill he learned from his witch mother.
** Crowley also realizes the third trial likely involves something Hell-related and does his best to avoid giving Sam material for completing the trials.
-->'''Crowley:''' I thought of sending in a few of my bruisers, really letting them go to town. But then, well, trial one was kill a hellhound. Trial two was rescue a soul from the pit. So, from here on, I'm gonna keep everything Hell-related, demons, et cetera, away from you. Safe side and all that.

* YourMakeupIsRunning: Abaddon seems to be wearing the same heavy makeup she was in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, E12)]], but when Sam opens up the box containing her head, her lipstick is smudged.

* GenreSavvy: Sam and Dean revive Abaddon by stitching her body back together. She threatens to [[EyeScream claw their eyes out]] as soon as she gets free, and they reveal that they kept her hands. She threatens to use her stumps instead. Too bad they didn't know she can move her hands independently of her body.

* WereStillRelevantDammit: Crowley says he is "[[{{Texting}} sexting]]" Sam an address.

* ActorAllusion: Young Father Simon is shown smoking. Donnelly Rhodes, who plays Older Father Simon, also played Dr. Sherman Cottle, who was constantly smoking, in ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]''.

* PlotInducedStupidity: Rather than using a regular low-level demon (which the Winchesters have shown they can take on and capture with no trouble), they decide to revive Abaddon, possibly the most powerful demon still alive and who is immune to regular exorcism, for no real given reason.
** Well, there was one reason: They knew exactly where they hid her, and only had to dig her up and put her back together, as opposed to hunting a demon down and risking their lives.

** Once Sam receives a text with an address in Prosperity, Indiana, Dean recalls they worked a case there, "The one with the witches and the baked goods". When they go to the apartment at the address they find the dead, burnt body of Jenny Klein, and there are {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil "Shut Up, Dr Phil" (S07, E05)]].

* IdiosyncraticWipes: The white flash before and after the {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, E02)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E01MeetTheNewBoss "Meet The New Boss" (S07, E01)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E02WhatsUpTigerMommy "What's Up, Tiger Mommy?" (S08, E02)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, E12)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil "Shut Up, Dr Phil" (S07, E05)]], and [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E19Provenance "Provenance" (S01, E19)]].

** The last book known to be written in the Carver Edlund series is ''[[Recap/SupernaturalS05E22SwanSong Swan Song]]'' at the end of season 5. So, if Crowley is using these books for his hit list, how did he know about Jenny Klein from [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil "Shut Up, Dr Phil" (S07, E05)]]?
*** Presumably because Crowley is using other sources besides the books to find targets.
* {{Retraux}}: The reel of film found in File 1138 is played on a [[StockSoundEffects clicking]] Keystone Belmont K161, 16mm Movie Industrial Projector, which was manufactured in Boston, Massachusetts in 1947. The film starts with a countdown leader and the film appears damaged with scratches, flickers, and dirt. Josie is seem in the mirror filming with a Keystone 16 mm camera.

** Castiel seems to still be in pain and says the abdomen wound he received in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E21TheGreatEscapist "The Great Escapist" (S08, Ep21)]] is not healing as quickly as he hoped.

** Castiel tells Metatron that he broke Heaven and we see a {{flashback}} to him standing among a field of dead angels from [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E01MeetTheNewBoss "Meet The New Boss" (S07, E01)]] and then trying to atone in Purgatory from [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E02WhatsUpTigerMommy "What's Up Tiger Mommy?" (S08, E02)]].

* IdiosyncraticWipes: The white flash before and after the {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, E02)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E01MeetTheNewBoss "Meet The New Boss" (S07, E01)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E02WhatsUpTigerMommy "What's Up Tiger Mommy?" (S08, E02)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, E12)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil "Shut Up, Dr Phil" (S07, E05)]], and [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E19Provenance "Provenance" (S01, E19)]].

'''Season 8, Episode 22''':

[[caption-width-right:350:Well, that was weird... with three exclamation points.]]

->''I'm killing ''everyone'' you've ever saved.''
-->'''- Crowley to Sam and Dean'''

[[Characters/SupernaturalOtherHumans Tommy Collins]], who was last seen in [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, Ep02)]], is in a cabin in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Creek_Wilderness Lost Creek, Colorado,]] with his girlfriend. He starts to hear a growling noise, and assumes they are being hunted by a [[Characters/SupernaturalMonstersAndSupernaturalBeings wendigo]]. He lights up a blow torch, but then is overcome by pain. He is thrown around by an invisible growling attacker. Blood then starts to pour from his ears and eyes, before his head explodes.

At the Men of Letters' bunker in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon,_Kansas Lebanon, Kansas,]] Sam and Dean are going through the files collected by the Men of Letters on any demon possessions for the last 300 years. [[Characters/SupernaturalAngels Castiel]] is staying in the bunker as he heals from his [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E21TheGreatEscapist wound]], but Dean has not forgiven him for [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E17GoodbyeStranger taking off with the Angel Tablet]]. Sam comes across a notation for a Class 5 Infernal event with the comment "Weird!!!" They find the file in room 7b of the bunker, and also discover a hidden dungeon which appears to have been made to hold demons.

Sam finds a reel of film from 1957 in the file, which Sam, Dean, and Castiel watch. [[Characters/SupernaturalMenOfLetters Josie Sands]] is shown filming two priests, a young Father Simon and older Father Max Thompson, who are trying a new type of exorcism which will actually cure the twisted soul of the demon. The attempt in the film fails, leaving the possessed woman dead. Sam's research reveals Father Thompson died in 1958, but Father Simon is still alive. Sam and Dean drive to St. Benedict's Church in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis St. Louis, Missouri,]] leaving Castiel behind because Dean does not want his help. Father Simon explains that Father Thompson continued his experiments after the failed exorcism, but was killed and torn apart by something in 1958. Father Simon gives Father Thompson's records to Sam and Dean.

[[Characters/SupernaturalAngels Metatron]], who goes by Marv in public, finds Castiel while Castiel is trying to buy groceries he thinks Sam and Dean would appreciate. Metatron tells Castiel that Heaven's Civl War continues with numerous factions fighting each other, and while [[Characters/SupernaturalAngels Naomi]] is a player, she is not in charge. Metatron wants Castiel's help in closing the gates of Heaven, as he thinks if the angels were all stuck in heaven together they would work things out. Metatron transports to a restaurant which serves caramel apple crepes in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojai,_California Ojai, California.]]

Back at the Men of Letters' bunker in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon,_Kansas Lebanon, Kansas,]] Sam and Dean listen to a tape recording of Father Thompson's 19th trial at attempting to cure a demon, which was made 2 days before the priest's death. Father Thompson repeatedly injects his own blood, which was purified by confession, into a demon, who possessed a man named Peter Kent and ate his 2 young sons. After 8 hours and repeated injections, the demon seems remorseful and confused by the past horrors he committed.

Castiel follows Metatron to Eugenie's restaurant, where [[Characters/SupernaturalAngels Jane]], the waitress serves them and flirts with Castiel. Metatron reveals that the first trial for closing the gates of heaven is cutting out the heart of their waitress. She happens to be the only {{Nephilim}} offspring of an angel and a human, on earth. Castiel argues that she is innocent, but Metatron convinces Castiel that he must do this to help heaven.

Sam and Dean recover the pieces of [[Characters/SupernaturalDemons Abaddon's]] body and sew her back together in an empty dairy barn. Although she is unable to move because of the [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy devil's trap etched bullet]] in her head, they do not reattach her hands to be on the safe side. Abaddon recognizes the ritual for trying to cure a demon, and tells them she tore Father Thompson apart to make an example of him after word about what he was trying to do got back to the home office. Before they can start the exorcism, Sam receives a call from Crowley, and Sam and Dean step outside to take the call. Crowley directs them to look at the Denver Times, where they read about Tommy Collins death. Meanwhile, Abaddon's hand escapes the box and jumps on to her shoulder. Her hand reaches inside her mouth and pulls out the bullet, releasing Abaddon from the effects of the devil's trap. When Sam and Dean enter the barn, Abaddon is gone leaving the bullet on the floor.

Sam then receives a text from Crowley, which says, "545 Greenleaf St. Apt. 306, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity,_Indiana Prosperity, Indiana."]] Dean recalls they worked [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil a case]] there. When they get to the address, they find [[Characters/SupernaturalOtherHumans Jenny Klein]] dead in her oven. They receive another call from Crowley who is sitting in his office with a copy of the series of books about the Winchesters written by [[Characters/SupernaturalProphets Chuck]] under the name Carver Edlund. Crowley tells the brothers he is killing off the people they saved and will continue to kill a new person every 12 hours until they give him the Demon Tablet. Because he knows they will try to stop him, Crowley explains he has an ''object lesson'' for them in 57 minutes at the Ivy Motel, room 116, in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis Indianapolis.]]

Castiel and Metatron are waiting for Jane to close up the restaurant. When the angels start following her, she confronts them and says she knows what they are and can see their halos. She tells them she is just trying to live her life, when Metatron refers to her as an abomination. Castiel approaches her with his angel blade out apologizing for what he intends to do, when Jane attacks him. Her eyes glow silver, and Castiel is thrown against a fence and a dumpster dropping his angel sword. Metatron hits Jane, but she easily lifts him by the neck and starts choking him. Castiel grabs his angel blade and stabs Jane through the neck killing her.

When Sam and Dean arrive at the motel room in Indianapolis, they find [[Characters/SupernaturalOtherHumans Sarah Blake]] who is scouting an estate sale for her father. They explain the danger she is in and ward the room with sigils and devil's traps. As midnight approaches, a cordless phone in the room rings, and all three of them pull out their guns. Dean answers the phone to hear Crowley counting down from five. As Crowley finishes the countdown, Sarah collapses gasping for air. Crowley reveals he is using [[Characters/SupernaturalWitches witchcraft]], which he learned from his mother. As Sam and Dean tear the room apart looking for the hex bag, Sarah dies. Crowley tells Sam and Dean he will continue to unravel their life work by killing everyone they ever saved until they surrender to him. Dean throws the phone in frustration and it smashes apart to reveal the hex bag.

----

* ActorAllusion: Young Father Simon is shown smoking. Donnelly Rhodes who plays Older Father Simon, also played Dr. Sherman Cottle, who was constantly smoking, in ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]''.

* AesopAmnesia: It really was too easy for Metatron to convince Castiel to try and fix heaven by engaging in morally questionable behavior.

* ApocalypticLog: Sam and Dean play Father Max Thompson's recording made 2 days before his death on a reel-to-reel magnetic tape recorder.
* AscendedDemon / FindTheCure: Father Max Thompson's quest.
* TheAtoner: Castiel tries to make amends to Dean by grocery shopping and loses his cool when the clerk says they are out of pie, Dean's TrademarkFavoriteFood. Later, Castiel agrees to help Metraon as he believes it may help fix some of the problems Castiel caused in heaven.

* BigScrewedUpFamily / DysfunctionalFamily: Metatron compares the celestial host to "a big, dysfunctional family".

* BloodMagic: Father Thomspson cuts his palm and then slaps his bleeding wound against the mouth of the demon in his modified exorcism. Later he injects his blood, which has been purified through confession, into demons.
* BookcasePassage: Dean notes the edge of a devil's trap extending behind a wall covered with files. He pulls the files out and they separate to reveal a hidden dungeon.

* BrokenPedestal: Castiel to Dean after he wouldn't let Dean have the Angel Tablet...and then lost it.
* BuffySpeak: Dean describes Josie as "not killy" enough to be Abaddon.

-->'''Metatron:''' Right. I've been looking around, crawling through a few divine nooks and crannies, and from what I can see, without the Archangels, it's a mess up there. Open warfare.

** Tommy Collins, the first person Sam and Dean rescue in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', returns along with {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, Ep02)]].

** Dean has not forgiven Castiel for taking off with the Angel tablet in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E17GoodbyeStranger "Goodbye Stranger" (S08, Ep17)]], and references Castiel's previous WellIntentionedExtremist behavior, where he was not honest with Dean, in Seasons 6 and 7.
** Castiel picks up a copy of ''Busty Asian Beauties'' for Dean. We previously saw ''Busty Asian Beauties'' in [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E15TallTales "Tall Tales" (S02, Ep15)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS03E14LongDistanceCall "Long-Distance Call" (S03, Ep14)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS04E01LazarusRising "Lazarus Rising" (S04, Ep01)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS04E08WishfulThinking "Wishful Thinking" (S04, Ep08)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS05E12SwapMeat "Swap Meat" (S05, Ep12)]], and [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E10TornAndFrayed "Torn And Frayed" (S08, Ep10)]].
** Castiel tells Metatron that he broke heaven and we see a {{flashback}} to him standing among a field of dead angels from [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E01MeetTheNewBoss "Meet The New Boss" (S07, Ep01)]] and then trying to atone in Purgatory from [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E02WhatsUpTigerMommy "What's Up Tiger Mommy?" (S08, Ep02)]].
** After Abaddon is revived, we see {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, Ep12)]].
** Once Sam receives a text with an address in Prosperity, Indiana, Dean recalls they worked a case there, "The one with the witches and the baked goods". When they go to the apartment at the address they find the dead burnt body of Jenny Klein, and there are {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil "Shut Up, Dr Phil" (S07, Ep05)]].
** Carver Edlund's books make a reappearance as Crowley's hit list. ''[[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo Wendigo]]'', ''[[Recap/SupernaturalS01E11Scarecrow Scarecrow]]'', ''[[Recap/SupernaturalS01E12Faith Faith]]'', and ''[[Recap/SupernaturalS01E15TheBenders The Benders]]'', are seen on Crowley's desk. Crowley holds up a copy of ''[[Recap/SupernaturalS03E08AVerySupernaturalChristmas A Very Supernatural Christmas]]''.
** Sarah Blake also returns with {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E19Provenance "Provenance" (S01, Ep19)]]
** Crowley uses a quote Dean says to Sam in [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, Ep02)]], which has often been repeated in [[PreviouslyOn The Road So Far]] before episodes and can be seen as the Winchester motto.

* ClipShow: Played with. The plot of the episode is not simply a framing device for an entire flashblack episode, but we do get flashbacks to previous episodes so we understand why our heroes feel the loss so keenly.
* CluelessChickMagnet: Castiel does not pick up on the fact that Jane is flirting with him. When Metatron witnesses this he is jealous and says he "should have picked a better-looking vessel".

* DamselInDistress / DistressedDude: Crowley's victims.
-->'''Crowley:''' I'm killing everyone you've ever saved, the damsels in distress, the innocent whippersnappers, the would-be vampire chow - all of them.

** He kills Tommy Collins in the opening by blowing his head up long distance, knowing that he's expecting a Wendigo instead of demons.

** Crowley also realizes the third trial likely involves something hell-related and does his best to avoid giving Sam material for completing the trials.
-->'''Crowley:''' I thought of sending in a few of my bruisers, really letting them go to town. But then, well, trial one was kill a Hellhound. Trial two was rescue a soul from the pit. So, from here on, I'm gonna keep everything hell-related, demons, et cetera, away from you. Safe side and all that
* DarkestHour: The last scene of the episode is a 2-or-so minute scene of Sam and Dean in the Men of Letters base shaken up by Crowley's ultimatum and Sarah's death... with the added bonus of Sam considering just ''giving up''.

** Jenny Klein, who makes a habit of baking, is burnt to a crisp in her own oven.

* DemonicPossession: The woman in the film, Peter Kent for 3 weeks, and Josie Sands since 1958.
* {{Determinator}}: Father Thompson, who finally managed to cure a demon on his 19th trial after an exorcisms lasting 8 hours.

* DontGoInTheWoods: Tommy Collins reluctantly agreed to visit a cabin in the woods with his girlfriend, despite the events of [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, Ep02)]].

* DrinkOrder: Castiel orders coffee at Eugenie's restaurant, a taste he says he developed in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E21TheGreatEscapist "The Great Escapist" (S08, Ep21)]].

* EmptyFridgeEmptyLife: Dean wants to get something for Sam to eat and returns with half a beer which Dean takes a swig out of to make sure it is still good, jerky, and 3 chocolate peanut-butter cups.

* EvilFeelsGood: The demon who possesses Peter Kent says eating his two young sons made him feel "orgasmic", which is even more disturbing when you consider how sexual terms like this were [[LanguageDrift less often used casually in 1957]]
* EvilMatriarch: Crowley's mother was a witch and he learned a trick or two from her.

* EyeLightsOut: Jane the Nephilim has her silver glowing eyes fade and return to human eyes when she is killed, instead of the typical angel ThroatLight.

* FishOutOfWater: Castiel shopping in the convenience store. He leaves the refrigerator door open after getting beer, breaks an egg and leaves the yolk on the floor, and knocks over a stand of chips. After each of these events, the clerk says [[CrowningMomentOfFunny "Dude!"]]

* FoundFootageFilms: The odd [[DocumentaryEpisode documentary]] Josie Sands made which opened with her asking Father Simon questions and ended with the failed exorcism.

* FunTShirt: Abaddon is still wearing the shirt which says "The devil made me do it", which she stole from the body of the comic store clerk in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, Ep12)]].

* GratuitousFrench / GratuitousGerman / GratuitousSpanish:

-->'''Crowley:''' Five, four, trois, zwei, uno.

-->'''Dean:''' I've had that hangover. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4germeister Jäger,]] man.

* HollywoodExorcism: The film depicts a shrieking writhing possessed woman, splashing of holy water, and [[OminousLatinChanting chanting in Latin]].

* HolyHalo: Jane the Nephilim mentions that she can see Castiel and Metatron's Halos, which are invisible to the viewer.

* HystericalWoman: The snarling screaming demon with wild hair, face caked in dirt, and floral dress, in the film.

** Metatron convinces Castiel that killing Jane, even though she is innocent, is necessary to help heaven and keep the angels' fighting from spilling over to earth.
-->'''Metatron:''' But if you want to do this, Castiel, if you ''really'' want to do this, you got to ask yourself what's more important - her life or your family?

** It clearly wasn't a good idea for Sam and Dean to leave Abaddon - one of Lucifer's most elite demons, who is resistant to standard exorcism - alone while they took the call from Crowley. If they had taken the proper precautions, one of them should have stayed in the room. It also would have made more sense to consecrate the ground and be ready to start the ritual ''before'' they reanimate her, and it would not have hurt to draw a devil's trap around her chair and/or use the chains with spell work etched in them. True, they couldn't have expected that Abaddon can move her hands even when they're unattached to her body. Still, they should have certainly prepared better to prevent any escape, and to start the ritual right away.
* IdiosyncraticWipes: The white flash before and after the {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, Ep02)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E01MeetTheNewBoss "Meet The New Boss" (S07, Ep01)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E02WhatsUpTigerMommy "What's Up Tiger Mommy?" (S08, Ep02)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, Ep12)]], [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil "Shut Up, Dr Phil" (S07, Ep05)]], and [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E19Provenance "Provenance" (S01, Ep19)]].

* InSeriesNickname: Sam refers to the Men of Letters as "Letters". Crowley calls Sam "Moosie" [[RunningGag instead of the usual "Moose".]]

* KillItWithFire: Tommy takes out a blow torch planning to light the [[Characters/SupernaturalMonstersAndSupernaturalBeings wendigo's]] "ugly ass on fire".

-->'''Jane:''' [[EntendreFailure Cute and funny]] -- okay.
* LockedInARoom: Metatron proposes that closing the gates of heaven will force the angels to get along with each other.
-->'''Metatron:''' We need to lock them all in a room until we work these problems out, all the factions, you, me -

* LockedInTheDungeon: The bunker has a dungeon with a large devil's trap on the floor and chain and cuffs attached to the walls with spell-work etched into them.

* LonelyTogether: Metatron suggests he and Castiel should socialize since they are both on Heaven's most wanted list.
* LongHairedPrettyboy: Sarah prefers Sam's shorter hair from Season 1.

-->'''Dean:''' So, what, they just stay in whatever schmuck they're possessing and - and get a ticket upstairs?

** The black and white {{flashback}}s from [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, Ep02)]].
** The black and white 16 mm film watched by Sam, Dean, and Castiel, which was recoded by Josie Sands on March 8, 1957, showing an exorcism ritual attempting to cure a demon.
** The faded {{flashback}} of Castiel's crimes in heaven and his attempt at atoning.
** The black and white {{flashback}} portraying the events described on Father Thompson's recording from August 3, 1958.

* {{Nephilim}}: Jane's the last one.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Sam and Dean, release Abaddon, a Knight of Hell, into the world. [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy Larry Ganem]], the last Man of Letters, was so afraid of Abaddon, he recommended Sam toss the key to the bunker into the bunker so that its contents would be safe from Abaddon. [[Characters/SupernaturalTheWinchesters Henry Winchester]], Sam and Dean's grandfather, sacrificed his life to stop Abaddon in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, Ep12)]].

* NoisyNature / StockSoundEffects: The insects chirping with owls trilling in the teaser.

* OfficeGolf: Crowley is still using the office of the Chinese attorney from [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E21TheGreatEscapist "The Great Escapist" (S08, Ep21)]] which has a set of golf clubs in the corner and golf statues for decoration.

* OrganTheft: Castiel cuts out Jane's heart as Metatron tells him cutting out the heart of a Nephilim is the first trial to close the Gates of Heaven
* PassThePopcorn: Castiel is eating Jiffy Pop popcorn during the film of the failed exorcism. However, [[FridgeLogic this does raise the question]] of why if Jiffy Pop was in the bunker, Dean didn't offer popcorn to Sam with the jerky and peanut butter cups.

* PlotInducedStupidity: Rather than using a regular low level demon (which the Winchesters have shown they can take on and capture with no trouble), they decide to revive Abaddon, possibly the most powerful demon still alive and who is immune to regular exorcism, for no real given reason.

* PlotMandatedFriendshipFailure: Dean and Castiel need to be separated, to set up each of their story lines for [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E23TheSacrifice the season finale]]. Therefore, Dean remains angry with Castiel about not trusting him with the Angel Tablet.
* PowerOfTrust: Dean believes Sam is going to come through and complete the trials, but Dean seems to have lost his trust in Castiel.

* RaceAgainstTheClock: They have 57 minutes to save Sarah and 12 hour until Crowley kills the next victim.

* RagnarokProofing: John Winchester likely served in the military in the early 1970's. It seems unlikely sutures from his old army field surgeon's kit would still be usable.

-->'''Crowley:''' What's the line? "Saving people, hunting things, the family business." Well, I think the people you save, they’re how you justify your pathetic little lives. [[TheAlcoholic The alcoholism]], [[CartwrightCurse the collateral damage]], the PAIN you’ve caused. The one thing that allows you to sleep at night, the one thing, is knowing that these folks are out there, still out there, happy and healthy because of you. [[BigDamnHeroes You great, big, bloody heroes!]] They're your [[LifesWorkRuined life's work]], and I'm going to rip it apart.

** In [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, Ep12)]], Dean says they are going to cut Abaddon's body into "little steaks and bury each strip under cement". However in this episode, Abaddon's body parts seem to have been preserved in fairly large sections which are easily retrieved. Her head and neck are kept in a box. Her torso with arms and legs still attached is sewn back on to the neck, but the hands are kept in a separate box. The Winchesters may have decided to keep her body parts in storage instead of burying them after they disposed of her, but they never say anything about it.
** The last book known to be written in the Carver Edlund series is ''[[Recap/SupernaturalS05E22SwanSong Swan Song]]'' at the end of season 5. So, if Crowley is using these books for his hit list, how did he know about Jenny Klein from [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E05ShutUpDrPhil "Shut Up, Dr Phil" (S07, Ep05)]]?

* {{Retraux}}: The reel of film found in file 1138 is played on a [[StockSoundEffects clicking]] Keystone Belmont K161, 16mm Movie Industrial Projector, which was manufactured in Boston, Massachusetts in 1947. The film starts with a countdown leader and the film appears damaged with scratches, flickers, and dirt. Josie is seem in the mirror filming with a Keystone 16 mm camera.

* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: When Castiel realizes that the convenience store clerk is annoyed, he says, "I-I have money." He then produces a pile of wadded up bills.
* SealedEvilInACan / SealedGoodInACan: God's emergency plan detailed on the tablets.
-->'''Metatron:''' Oh, you know, the trials, God's little "pull in case of emergency". The Leviathans get out of control, you put them in Purgatory. Demons get a little too demonic, toss 'em into Hell. Angels get uppity, slam the pearly gates.
* SeparateSceneStorytelling: The events from August 3, 1958, on Father Thompson's recording are portrayed in black and white scenes between cuts [[FramingDevice showing Sam and Dean listening to the recording]].

** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzie_Borden Lizzie Borden,]] [[Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow Ichabod Crane]], and ''Film/TheExorcist'', are all used as examples of demonic possession.
** The film of the failed exorcism is in file [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1138_%28number%29 1138,]] which may be meant as a {{homage}} to Creator/GeorgeLucas.

* ShowWithinAShow: The failed exorcism recorded by Josie Sands is shown as a film with cuts [[FramingDevice showing Sam, Dean, and Castiel, watching the film]].

* [[SourceMusic Source Sound]]: While Sam and Dean are listening to the tape recording, Father Thompson's voice is a crackling version resembling an old tape recording. When the scene switches to the portrayal of these events, Father Thompson's voice continues as a louder clearer narration as he is talking in the scene.

-->'''Sam:''' I have to cure a Demon.
-->'''Castiel:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Of what?]]

* SubvertedCatchphrase: Crowley greets Sam with "Hello Boy."

** Sam and Dean get information on how to complete the third trial, to cure a demon, for closing the gates of hell.
** Castiel completes what Metatron says is the first trial for closing the gates of heaven, cutting out the heart of a Nephilim. However, Castiel undergoes no [[PowerGlows physical transformation]] such as Sam has had after each trial.

* ATrueStoryInMyUniverse: Evidently Washington Irving's ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'' is considered to be BasedOnATrueStory in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''. One of the files detailing demon possessions collected by the Men of letters was on Ichabod Crane.
* VanillaEdition: After Josie's documentary of the exorcism just ends, Dean asks if there is anything else on the film like a director's commentary or sequel.

* WasOnceAMan: As [[MrExposition Father Simon]] explains, "A demon is a human soul, [[DamagedSoul twisted and corrupted]] by its time in Hell."

* WeirderThanUsual: The film in the file is described as "weird with 3 exclamation points", and Sam and Dean decide "it is worth the drive" to St. Louis.

-->'''Dean:''' Dude, [[MoralDissonance if anybody else]], I mean anybody, pulled that kind of crap, would stab them in their neck on principle. Why should I give him [[GetOutOfJailFreeCard a free pass]]?

* WereStillRelevantDammit: Crowley says he is [[{{Texting}} "sexting"]] Sam an address.

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: SubvertedTrope. Sam and Dean assume Crowley will attack his victims as a demon and prepare for this. They do not expect his use of witchcraft.

-->'''Castiel:''' I believe "lustra" is Latin for wash or cleanse.
-->'''Dean:''' Oh, yeah, 'cause that was the most freaky thing was the vocabulary. What about the bloody high five or the chest burster?

* YouHaveGOTToBeKiddingMe: Abaddon's reaction upon learning that Crowley, who she last knew as a "salesman", is now the King of Hell.
* YouLookFamiliar: Donnelly Rhodes who plays the older Father Simon also plays Shaw, the scarred survivor of a Wendigo attack as a child, in [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E02Wendigo "Wendigo" (S01, Ep02)]].

* YourMakeupIsRunning: Abaddon seems to be wearing the same heavy makeup she was in [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E12AsTimeGoesBy "As Time Goes By" (S08, Ep12)]], but when Sam opens up the box containing her head, her lipstick is smudged.

----