Recap / Supernatural S 09 E 17 Mothers Little Helper

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Recap of Supernatural
Season 9, Episode 17

Mother's Little Helper

I say "demons," and you don't bat an eye, when everyone else around here thinks I'm nuts on toast.

Written by Adam Glass.

Directed by Misha Collins.

Air Date: March 25, 2014.

Sam investigates a case of normal people suddenly becoming violent murderers while Dean struggles with the effects of the Mark of Cain.

Body Count:

For this episode: 4 humans and 2 demons.

For the series so far = At least 1090 angels, 1013 humans (of which 8 were witches), 165 demons, 53 vampires, 49 ghosts, 36 Jefferson Starships, 21 gods, 19 zombies, 10 hellhounds, 9 werewolves, 7 skinwalkers, 6 changelings, 6 shapeshifters, 5 djinn, 4 dogs, 4 ghouls, 4 Leviathan, 4 reapers, 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 Khan worm, 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

• Cool Old Lady: Current-day Julia.
• Couldn't Find a Pen: Mrs. Young scrawls in blood on her cell walls before hanging herself. Some of the other prisoners do the same later.
• Deadpan Snarker: Older Julia is very snarky.
• Foe Romance Subtext: Crowley to Dean.
  Crowley: You're lying to Sam like he's your wife, which kind of makes me your mistress.
• My Greatest Failure: Julia believes hers was keeping quiet and not telling Henry that Abaddon was wearing Josie.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: The Men of Letters send two green initiates unsupervised to the Convent of Evil, giving Abaddon a younger vessel and sealing their own doom.
• Soul Jar: Abaddon is making her followers steal human souls in order to corrupt the souls into demons and form an army. Until then, they're keeping the souls in glass jars.
• The Soulless: There are marked behavioral changes in those who have lost their souls. Sam can see the signs because he's been there.
• Take Me Instead: Josie volunteers to be Abaddon's meatsuit in place of Henry, who's knocked out.
• Titled After the Song: "Mother's Little Helper" by The Rolling Stones.