The Winchesters’ search for the First Blade continues in this week’s ‘Supernatural’ but first Sam and Dean must find their uneasy ally, the current King of Hell and quipmaster Crowley, who’s not in the best shape what with his human blood addiction and all…

While Dean is trying his best to contact the former Cross Roads CEO, the latter is getting his jones of human blood in while shacking up with Lola, a follower who just so happens to be feeding information to Aldo, Abaddon’s emissary. Of course, Lola believes sex and blood is dulling Crowley’s senses enough to blind him to her treachery but, after her meeting with Aldo, he confronts her with the truth. “You couldn’t help anyone,” she rages when he tsks her for the disloyalty. Maybe she should’ve thought a bit further ahead because, like Crowley says, he’s the one that plays people and Lola’s decision to try and control him gets her an angel sword to the belly.

Sam and Dean calls forth the unlikeliest of Cross Road Demons…

Unable to find their boy, Sam and Dean call forth a Cross Roads demon who is none other than…Snooki?! The show prevents itself from jumping the shark by only giving the ‘Jersey Shore’ star three extra minutes of fame but, in that time, ‘Nicole’ gives them the info that Crowley was last seen in the Western Pacific. “Hell’s going crazy,” she tells them before being exorcised, “even the loyalists want to sign up with Abaddon.” Getting back to the Lair, Sam openly wonders if Crowley’s trying to double cross them but Dean knows he wants Abaddon dead as much as they do. Sam then urges Dean that, after Crowley provides them with the blade, there’s no reason they can’t use it on him, right? Though he agrees, Dean’s less than enthusiastic about taking that course of action. As if his ears were burning, Crowley rings up Dean and admits that he’s “in a jam of sorts…thought you might help.” When he gets back to his hotel room, they’re ready for him—cuffing him to the chair in an intervention of sorts. “You don’t know what it’s like to be human!” He rages. “It’s your DNA; it’s my addiction.” It’s looking more and more like he’s still tainted by the touch of humanity thrust upon him during the trials at the end of last season. He mentions the connection he and Sam shared but the latter isn’t really buying it. Using some of the info Crowley discovered in his search, they meet Mr. Devlin, a go-between who, after Crowley possesses the man for info, discovers that the Blade was last given to the National Institute of Antiquities. But they aren’t the only ones on the case as two demons possess the guards at the Institute and going Blade hunting.

They brothers arrive in their FBI attire and speak with Dr. McElroy, the curator of the Institute who more than a bit overt in her appreciation of the male form of the elder Winchester. She admits to selling the Blade when they were not able to authenticate it and the buyer was none other than a Magnus—the name used by Men of Letters when they went incognito. But all the Men of Letters were killed in the 1958 massacre. Crowley suggests only active members were slaughtered and that points them to those that may have been ‘Dishonored and Forgotten’.  Enter Cuthbert Sinclair, a former member granted title Master of Spells, a man even Crowley’s minions couldn’t find. They return to the last place Crowley had tracked him to and, after Sam and Dean speak to him, a doorway opens that leads them into his mansion. They kill two vampires sent against them as a test and are introduced to the very eccentric mage. He can relate to the brothers, being that he was Henry Winchester’s (their grandfather) mentor. He does have the Blade but knows it’s useless unless one carries the Mark of Cain, the same one emboldened on Dean’s forearm. Unfortunately, that’s all Cuthbert wants and he boots Sam out, welcoming Dean to his collection, despite the latter’s opinion on the matter.

On the outside, Sam pours through the documents on Cuthbert and finds a spell the mage created, one he wanted to use on the Men of Letters Lair to make it invisible. With Crowley’s help, Sam creates the necessary spell to grant them access into the mansion. While they are working on the spell, Cuthbert forces Dean to hold the Blade and the Winchester is nearly overwhelmed by the power that courses through him.  “Next time, it’ll be easier; you’ll get used to the feelings,” Cuthbert tells him, “even welcome them.”

Dean and the First Blade are now Cuthbert’s prize possession

Sam gains access and Crowley tags along. They aren’t in the mansion long before coming across Cuthbert; Sam takes him hostage and forces the mage to lead him to Dean. Of course, a man so powerful wouldn’t be that easy to take by surprise. The Cuthbert Sam captured was a shape shifter while the real one is waiting for Sam with Dean’s gun pointed at him. He chains Sam up and promises to delivery all sorts of agony to Dean’s brother but Crowley uses his own deceptive nature to free Dean. Cuthbert is enraged by his prized possession going missing but isn’t able to pout too long because Dean takes up the First Blade and lops off Cuthbert’s eccentric head. But the power, the unexplained feelings still course within him and it takes everything Sam has to reach Dean. Crowley watches it all from a distance, his formerly blood addicted brain pan returning to its sharp and calculating nature.

The trio returns to the Impala, Blade in hand, to find the car vandalized with a warning to Crowley. Sam hints to Dean in the worst whisper in the world that there’s no more need for Crowley but, like I mentioned, the King is back to having his head screwed on straight. He knows he’s on the Kill List as well and takes possession of the Blade. Once the brothers find Abaddon, he’ll hand the Blade over but until then, he’ll keep it safe and sound, ensuring his usefulness remains intact.

Moving Forward

  • It seems like it’s been ages since we’ve last discussed the First Blade but that’s only because of the ridiculous amount of breaks ‘Supernatural’ has taken this year (though it’s not the only show to do so) but in reality, it’s only been a handful of episodes since their visit to Cain. The world’s first murderer warned the brothers that there’d be consequences of carrying the Mark but never explained how deep they ran. It seemed as if the Blade, when paired up with Dean and the Mark, filled the elder Winchester with some serious compulsions of murder and destruction. Cuthbert also said that, in time, he’d enjoy the feelings. Based on the fact Dean only held the Blade twice and it took a few ticks for Sam to call him back, prolonged exposure may transform him into a wrecking machine everyone will have to watch out for. My money’s on that being a serious issue as the season comes to a close.
  • It’s always interesting how well the ‘Supernatural’ writers touch on old topics, never really forgetting events and how they affect the characters. Crowley getting in touch with his humanity due to last season’s Trials is a perfect example. It hasn’t helped that he’s got a hankering for blood that feeds into his human frailty and, despite him getting back to the forward thinking and cunning King of Hell, I think we’ll see more of the humanistic version of him for the rest of his ‘Supernatural’ run. Let’s just hope that lasts as long as the show remains on the air.