RECAP/REVIEW

Recap by smallville-29

A Very Supernatural Christmas

“A Special Presentation” is how the episode opens up, Seattle Washington One Year Ago…. Young boy named Stevie goes and opens the front door for his Grandfather. They walk into the house and talk a little bit, Later that night Grandpa is dressing up as Santa Clause for Stevie. He rings some bells and Stevie looks down the stairs and sees “Santa”… A nose is coming from the roof and Stevie thinks its just Rain Deer. Grandpa/Santa looks up chimney and is pulled up it screaming….. His foot falls back down the chimney.

“A Very Supernatural Christmas”

Ypsilanti Michigan, Present Day…. Sam and Dean are faking as FBI agents and are getting the a story from “Mrs. Walsh” She and her doughter were sleeping and her husband Mike was downstairs when she heard a thump on the roof… Mike is missing. Sam and Dean have all the info they need so they leave…. Outside walking to the car there trying to think what could have happened, Sam found a tooth in the chimney, So they decide to look into it….. Sam is looking online and Dean walks in saying that there was another case like this and they also heard a thumb on the roof, Sam thinks it’s “Evil Santa”… But Dean says “That’s crazy” and Sam goes on saying that there’s a story that Santa had a evil brother and now he shows up around Christmas time and instead of bringing presents he punishes the evil… Dean says it can’t be cause “theres no Santa” Sam kinda agrees… Dean says both victims visited this place called “Santa’s Village” so the go and check it out. Sam and Dean walk into “Santa’s Village” and Dean tells Sam he thinks they should have a Christmas this year… “A Christmas, Get a tree… a little Boston market” and Sam says no cause Christmas isn’t a happy memory for him….
FLASHBACK! Broken Bow Nebraska Christmas Eve 1991….. Sam and Dean are in a hotel room and John is out on a hunt, Sam asks where he is, and Dean says business… Sam wants to know what John really does but Dean wont tell him…Sam asks “why do we move around so much?” and Dean replies “Cause everywhere we go they get sick of your face”… Sam really wants to know what John does but Dean wont tell him. He mentions there mom and Dean jumps up mad and leaves telling Sam to “Never talk about mom, ever”
Present Day…. Sam and Dean are still at “Santa’s Village” and Sam says that in lore the Santa should smell good. (To attract that children) They see a Santa that’s having kids come and sit on his lap so they start to watch him…He gets up and walks away limping. And Dean thinks he smells like “candy” but Sam thinks it’s “redbull” (Energy drink) So they are on a stake out! Watching Santa’s trailer… Nothing is happening and there getting tired, and there out of coffee. Dean asks “Sam why are you the boy who hates Christmas” and Sam says “Dean if you want to have Christmas knock yourself out… just don’t involve me”…. They see Santa close the window shades in his trailer and they hear a girl scream. They run up to the trailer and Sam starts to laugh saying “Mrs gun ho Christmas might have to blow away Santa” they break in and Santa is just sitting there watching a movie and drinking… Dean and Sam look at each other and start to sing…. “Sillllllent night… hhhooholy night, alll is rightt..all is righhht. round young….. round young tekke….” and they walk out.

Boy wakes up and hears something coming from the chimney. Big red figure walks out and walks past the boy and goes upstairs…. Mom screams, then goes silent….. Dad is being brought back down stairs in Santa’s bag, Little boy is just standing there watching. Santa kills the father in the bag and goes towards the little boy… Reaches over him and grabs a cookie.

Commercial #1

Sam and Dean are talking to the wife who’s husband just died… She says she was hit and knocked out. Sam asks “Where did you get that wreath”…. Outside Sam tells Dean “We’ve seen that wreath before, at the Walsh’s yesterday”…. Dean says “I know.. I was just testing you”…. Sam called Bobby and Bobby says that its Meadow sweet in the wreaths, Which is Pagan. Back in the day they would use it for sacrifices and the Pagan Gods are drown to it. So they go to it and snack on the nearest humans. So anyone who buys a wreath is in trouble. Bobby is working on how to kill it and Sam and Dean are tracking down the wreaths… They stop at a shop and Dean tells the owner that Sam wants this Christmas wreath and Sam says it might have been made out of Meadow sweet. Apparently this local lady gave them to the shop for free, Sam and Dean are looking into this lady.
Dean still wants to have a Christmas and Sam doesn’t get why… Dean tells him “This is my last year” and Sam says that “Thats why i can’t… I mean i can’t sit around drinking egg nog pretending every thing’s ok knowing that next Christmas you will be dead”…. FLASHBACK! still 1991 at the hotel…. Dean beings in dinner and they go to there beds and start to eat… Sam says that he found Dads book and started reading it.”Are monsters real?” Sam asks… Dean replies “first thing you need to know is we have the coolest dad in the world…. monsters are real”….. Sam asks about Santa and Dean says no. He tells Sam that there fine and nothings going to happen to them or John. Sam doesn’t think John will show for Christmas and he start to cry himself to sleep. Dean says “It will all be better when you wake up”

Commercial #2

Present day…. Sam and Dean arrive at the house of “Mrs Wreath”. They ask if she made them and she says yes, They ask her for one but she says they are all out. Her husband comes out and there just like perfect older couple like…. Sam and Dean are back at there hotel room they find out that they lived in Seattle last year and were responable for a few deaths/mission people… And that a bunch of the stuff in there house was Pagan. They go back to there house at night to break in, They have stakes to kill the Pagan God. They look around and the whole inside of the house is Christmas decorated… They go down stairs and find the Santa suit, along with blood and body parts everywhere. The wreath people come down and the lady start to choke Sam, and the guy knocks Dean out…. They are the Pagan Gods.

Commercial #3

Sam and Dean are tied up. The Pagan God/Wreath Couple come up and are getting ready to torture and kill Sam and Dean. They put some Meadow sweet on both of them and then start to slit Sam’s arm. The lady goes over and slits Deans arm… he yells “BIT**” She tells him that she says “Fudge…”….. She starts to cut again and Dean says “If you fudging touch me again i will fudging kill you”… The man pulls off one of Sam’s fingernails. They get ready to pull out one of Deans tooths…. “Merry Christmas Sam” Dean says… They start to pull on his tooth and the door rings… They leave Sam and Dean and go to answer the door, They talk for a second then go back to Dean and Sam…. who are gone! And have closed the doors around them so there stuck in a room. Sam and Dean turn over there Christmas tree and break of a few limbs as steaks… The Pagan Gods break the door down and the guy tackles Dean… the lady punches Sam. They are all fighting and then Sam stabs her in the chest, The guys sees it and yells…. Dean pushes him over and stabs him too. They are dead and Sam says to Dean “Merry Christmas’……….

Commercial #4

FLASHBACK! still in 1991…. Sam is sleeping when Dean wakes him up saying “Dad was here look what he brought”… and he points to a tree with some lights and a few presents. Sam goes over and opens one up…. It’s a Barbie. Dean says “Dad probably thinks your a girl”, He opens the other one and its a cheerleading pomp pom…. Sam ask Dean where he got this stuff and Dean says “house up the block, i didn’t know they were chick presents” Dean says that John would have been there if he could…. and Sam gives him a present that he was going to give John… Dean opens it up and its the amulet neckles that Dean always wears….. back to present day. Dean walks into the hotel room and Sam has decorated it… He hands Dean some egg nog asking if it needs more kick, Dean coughs and says no… They give each other presents.. Sam gets some “skin magazines” and “shaving cream”.. Sam got dean some “Fuel” and a “chocolate bar”… “Fuel for me and fuel for my baby”….. They say Merry Christmas to each other and turn on the football game…. It starts to snow outside…..

The End

Review by Gaelic

It used to be “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and “To my big brother, George, the richest man in Bedford Falls!” that would make me tear up around Christmas time. Now, it’s going to be “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Feel like watching the game?” Man. These guys. I’m still all verklempt. But I’m an emotional basket case anyway, so don’t mind me. I know there are those out there on forums and such that have this uncanny ability to delve into the whys and the whatfors of the characters and the show, but I always write these within minutes after I turn off the TV and so I will fall short there, but I’ll try to gather my wayward thoughts and see if I can do justice to this fantastic episode.

First, I just want to say that I am so glad they were able to keep the same actor to play youngDean. He looked a few years older — in ’91 he would have been, what? 12? — and it was a fantastic sense of continuity. I also like youngSam this time much better. The other kid was practically catatonic. This kid really made me see “Sam.”

Speaking of kids, I was slightly creeped out when Gramps got snatched up the chimney, but the scene where the curly headed little kid watched Anti-Claus come in, grab Daddy, then kill and drag him up the chimney had me clutching my chest with an odd mixture of horror and sadness. When the kid jumped just before Anti-Claus reached behind him for the cookie I actually whimpered. Poor, poor permanently scarred child.

Hiatus’ (Hiatusi?) suck out loud. But seeing Dean taking notes from the mom in that FBI suit was like returning home from a long trip. I think I may have actually sighed a little. {{OH! And shout out to locale and SJ! Hee!}} The boys were fantastic this episode. They felt so in sync to me, almost like… well, in a weird way, almost like the (and bare with me here because it’s been a long day) unknown outcome of the writer’s strike in their real lives is shadowing the unknown outcome of Dean’s deal on the show… like they just wanted to be around each other more. I see you shaking your head at me… *narrows eyes*

Anyway, the interesting dichotomy between Dean and faith showed up for me in the scene where Sam revealed that not only does he know Disney fairy tales like “Cinderella,” he also knows “Mary Poppins,” and while some might mock that as being girly, it just makes me smile that Sam was allowed to be a kid. Dean might not have watched those shows with him, but somehow he (and to some extent John) made it possible for Sam to have watched them. And I’m assuming here they were viewed during childhood years… could have been late night TV, though, for all I know. ANYWAY.

Dean arguing against the pagan angle because Christmas was Jesus’ birthday just sounded so… innocent to me. I know that plot-wise, it was necessary to set up the explanation of the pagan rituals, etc., but I liked how a simple delivery of a line can say so much about Dean’s character. Sam approaching it from the scholarly viewpoint was very in character — and totally appreciated to contrast Dean’s simply acceptance of what so many believe to be the truth. He may not realize it, but Dean has faith. I see it in so many things… And the looks that boy tosses out there. I read somewhere that Jensen could go from dashing to dangerous literally with the blink of an eye. Whew. *fans self* Ain’t that the truth.

Okay, moving on. So, when youngSam was wrapping the present for John, he said that Uncle Bobby gave it to him to give to John, saying it was really special. Now… I thought about that a bit while Sam began his relentless questioning and Dean stormed out. Either Bobby was saying that to an eight-year-old because it was a simple trinket and he knew the boy wanted to give his dad something for Christmas and while Bobby may have been thinking “well, I got it out of a Cracker Jack box, but Sam’ll never know that” he said to Sam “it’s a really special gift for you Dad”… OR… It really IS really special, as in has some sort of protection or power or what have you special, and Bobby had planned on getting it to John somehow anyway and thought it might be better received coming from his little boy. In which case, I wonder what Bobby thought when he saw it around Dean’s neck instead. And I wonder if he ever said anything to John. If door number 2 is correct, I’d be willing to bet that Bobby DID say something to John and John said not to breathe a word to the boys, knowing that Dean would keep the amulet with him simply because it came from Sam. Because even if he did miss Christmas in 1991, John loved his boys. And he would have rather Dean be protected than himself. As I see it.

Aww… and I just flashed to “Skin” and the amulet being the one thing Dean took from the body of the skinwalker. Anyway, I digress. I forgot one other thing, though. When they were talking about Santa’s bad brother, I had a Cain and Able moment… all this talk about Sam being the “Anti-Christ” (which, personally, I have a huge problem swallowing)… and the talk about seeing little changes in Sam… I wonder if the writers are subtly trying to insinuate something there. I also wonder if Dean’s sacrifice for Sam won’t somehow protect him in the end… ala Harry Potter (Lily giving her life for him protected him from Voldy).

Yeesh, did I not say the thoughts were wayward? I just missed these guys! And they got my brain working again!! There were some funny lines peppered throughout the episode. “We’re just here to watch” got me chuckling as did the Christmas store guy’s “Aren’t you a fussy one.” HA!

Dean simply broke my heart with his little-boy eagerness to just “do Christmas right”… and when Sam finally made him say the words that it was going to be his last one… guh. Just. Guh. That scene, with them sitting at the foot of their respective beds, close enough to touch, but unable to reach out because it would mean too much, was just simply perfectly played. Sam’s misty eyes and his inability to complete a sentence… his inability to think that this time next year, Dean would be *chokes on the word* dead… man, I just started thinking about people who face this stuff for real. Terminal illnesses. The reality that this moment is it. It’s the last time you’ll get to say Merry Christmas to the most important person in your life. And then I got to thinking… how is it that we don’t all always feel like that? There are no guarantees for living. Just for dying.

And while I full-on sympathized with Sam’s pain of having to face this as the last Christmas with his brother, I couldn’t help but think how selfish that was… not that he wasn’t entitled, but still. Dean’s reaction, the way his jaw muscle bounced, the way his eyes slid to Sam and then away, the way words lingered on the edge of his lips then fell away unspoken… I just wanted to shake them both and hug them both at the same time. Fade to memories of 1991 and I knew I was done-for. Sam revealing that he found out the truth from John’s journal seemed pretty darn fitting. Sam became research boy at a young age. And he is nothing if not tenacious. The boy is like a dog with a bone and seems like it’s always been that way.

Dean describing John as a superhero… OMG. That kid, man. He just loved his Dad so friggin’ much. I hope hope that John saw that before it was too late. Sam was right in “Scarecrow” — Dean has/had blind faith in the man and even when he let them down, even when he let Dean down, he never let that go. See? Faith.

Gotta say, I loved the pagan gods. I mean, well you know what I mean. I thought the husband was a scream. OH, and I LOVED watching Dean wield that Bowie over the evergreen stake. Man-o-man. That, and right after he picked the lock and they stepped inside and he took the stake from Sam and did that smooth little turn with his wrist, putting it in stabbing position. *bites lip* What is wrong with me??

That basement was a CSI’s wet dream with all the blood and human tissue. Blech. And when Sam approached that hanging bag, my knees were at my chest, arms wrapped around them while I muttered “nonononononono” until, predictably, I jumped when the bag jumped. From that moment forward, a sweet story became awesome for me. Dean, head, wall. Sam, throat, strangle, head, wall. Metal Teeth Chomp. NICE! The pagan’s made me laugh with their inane banter while SLICING UP OUR BOYS. Yeeouch! I loved how Dean’s voice gets so throaty and guttural when he yells Sam’s name knowing Sam’s getting hurt, in danger of getting hurt, or just in danger. Toe. Curl. And then Sam with the fingernail?! *cringes*

And FUDGE!! Too friggin’ funny! “You fudgin’ touch me again, I’ll fudgin’ kill you!!” HAH! Oh, and the “Somebody gonna get that? I think you oughta get that…” with the pliers clamped on his teeth (I was seriously quibbing at that), absolutely fantastic. Loved the duel fight, though Dean was getting his ass handed to him for a minute there. Wasn’t sure what to make of the electronic thingy they flashed on one of the bows from the evergreen… camera? motion sensor? absolutely nothing? Only thing I could think was that somehow that was going to come into play in some way for how Hendrickson finally finds them. *shrugs*

Dean’s face when he walked into the room at the end had tears springing immediately to my eyes. That was just so perfect. Sam remembering what Dean had done for him at 12, giving his brother the amulet instead of John because he recognized that John lied to him and Dean had protected him… and youngDean’s genuine pleasure at that… *sniff* all culminated into Sam giving Dean the one thing he really wanted: a true moment of normalcy with his brother. Christmas. And the “kick” that eggnog apparently had — nice! Ha! I loved Dean’s face as the whiskey (I assume) burned the lining of his throat. HA! The exchange of gifts was so *clutches heart again*… Sam’s delight at skin mags and shaving cream… and his gifts to Dean — fuel for him and for his baby. I swear to GOD I said the same words at the same time. Ask my husband (who, bless him, watched it with me shaking his head at me in bemusement most of the time).

Two brothers, drinking kick-ass ‘nog, watching the game… what else is there in life? Y’know… I didn’t even miss JDM in the flashbacks. I just thought it was so very well played, so nicely warm… and yet also thought-provoking. I wonder what Sam thinks about the fact that Dean has never taken off that amulet. They have a long road to go (and I hope we get to see it), but I think that as they move through this year, they are learning more about themselves and each other and their bond then they would ever hoped to have learned if that deal had never been made. There’s so much we take for granted in this life. And so many lessons that we fail to learn because our eyes aren’t open wide enough.

And before I wax WAY too nostalgic, I’ll just say, good night and Merry Christmas. If you’re still awake after sloshing through this, that is.

Slainte.

GUEST STARS

Spencer Garrett (Edward Carrigan)

Colin Ford (Young Sam)

Ridge Canipe (Young Dean)

Merrilyn Gann (Madge Carrigan)

IMAGE GALLERY

Episode Stills

Episode Screen Captures

TRAILER/CLIPS

Promo

MUSIC

Silent Night by Sam & Dean

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Rosemary Clooney
Played in the end.

QUOTES

Edward: Hear how they talk to us? (Laughs) The Gods. Listen pal, back in the day we were worshiped by millions.
Dean: Times have changed.
Edward: Tell me about it. All of a sudden this Jesus character is the hot new thing in town.

Dean: What are you talking about? We had some great Christmases.
Sam: Whose childhood are you talking about?
Dean: Oh, come on, Sam.
Sam: No, just… no.
Dean: All right, Grinch.

Young Sam: But Dad said the monsters under my bed weren’t real.
Young Dean: That’s ’cause he’d already checked under there. But, yeah, they’re real. Almost everything’s real.
Young Sam: Is Santa real?
Young Dean: No.

Dean: So this is your theory, huh? Santa’s shady brother?

(Dean to shop owner)
Dean: We were playing Jenga over at the Walsh’s the other night, and he hasn’t shut up about this Christmas wreath. I don’t know. (Looks over to Sam) You tell him.
Sam: Sure. (Sam pauses to look at shop owner) It was yummy.

Sam: Yeah. It’s pretty much like putting a neon sign on your front door, saying “Come kill us.”
Dean: Great.

Santa’s Elf: Welcome to Santa’s Court. Can I escort your child to Santa?
Dean: Um, no. But actually, uh, my brother here, it’s been a life long dream of his.
(Sam gives confused look)
Santa’s Elf: I’m sorry, no kids over 12.
Sam: He’s just kidding. We only came here to watch.
(Dean smirks and shakes his head)
Santa’s Elf: Ewww.

(Sam chuckles)
Dean: What?
Sam: Nothing. It’s just that, well you know, Mr. Gung-Ho Christmas, might have to blow away Santa.

Sam: He punishes the wicked.
Dean: By hauling their asses up the chimney.
Sam: For starters, yeah.

Dean: So was I right, was it the serial killing chimney-sweep?
Sam: Yep. It’s uh, it’s actually **** Van Dyke.
Dean: Who?
Sam: Mary Poppins.
Dean: Who’s that?
Sam: Oh, come on. Never mind.

Dean: So what the hell do you think we’re dealing with?
Sam: Actually I have an idea.
Dean: Yeah?
Sam: It’s a, it’s gonna sound crazy.
Dean: What could you possibly say that’s gonna sound crazy to me?
Sam: Um, Evil Santa.
Dean: Yeah, that’s crazy.

(brothers wake tied to chairs)
Sam: Dean, you okay?
Dean: Yeah, I think so.
Sam: So I guess we’re dealing with “Mr. and Mrs. God,” nice to know.

Sam: Huh, when you sacrifice to Holnacar, guess what he gives you in return?
Dean: Lap dances, hopefully.

Dean: Wreaths, huh? Sure you didn’t want to ask her about her shoes? I saw some nice handbags in the foyer.

Dean: Sam, why are you the boy that hates Christmas?

Dean: Christmas is Jesus’ birthday.
Sam: No, Jesus’ birthday was probably in the fall. It was actually the Winter Solstice Festival that was co-opted by the church and renamed Christmas. But I mean the Yule log, the tree, even Santa’s red suit, that’s all remnants of Pagan worship.
Dean: How do you know that? You gonna tell me next…the Easter Bunny’s Jewish?

Young Dean: First thing you have to know is we have the coolest dad in the world. He’s a superhero.
Young Sam: He is?
Young Dean: Yeah. Monsters are real. Dad fights them. He’s fighting them right now.

Dean: She gave them to you for free? Do you sell them for free?
Shopkeeper: No way. It’s Christmas. People pay a buttload for them.
Dean: That’s the spirit.

Dean: (holding up Sam’s presents) Look at this. Fuel for me and fuel for my baby!

Dean: You fudge’n touch me again, I’ll fudge’n kill you!

Sam: I don’t get it. You haven’t talked about Christmas for years.
Dean: Well, yeah. But this is my last year.
Sam: I know. That’s why I can’t.
Dean: What do you mean?
Sam: I mean, I can’t just sit around, drinking eggnog, pretending everything’s okay, when I know next Christmas, you’ll be dead. I just can’t.

Sam: (getting off the phone with Bobby) Well, we’re not dealing with the anti-Claus.
Dean: What’d Bobby say?
Sam: Uh, that we’re morons.

Sam: Look, Dean. If you wanna have Christmas, knock yourself out. Just don’t involve me.
Dean: Oh, yeah. That’d be great. Me and myself making cranberry molds.

Young Sam: Is Dad a spy?
Young Dean: He’s James Bond.

Dean: There is no Santa
Sam: I know, you’re the one who told me that

Young Dean: Trust me. Are you ok?
Young Sam: (Almost cries) Yeah …. (Sam cries himself to sleep)
Young Dean: It’ll all be better when you wake up. Promise.

Mrs. God: Someone owes the swear jar a quarter. You know what I say… fudge!
Dean: FUDGEEEEEEEEEEEE

Pagan God: (cuts Sam, who screams)
Dean: Sammy!!!! Stop that you son of a b i t c h!

Dean: What made you change your mind?
Sam: Have some egg nog, let me know if it needs more kick
Dean: *drinks* *coughs as it burns it’s way down his throat* I think we’re good.

Sam: Hey Dean… *pause* *pause* Feel like watching a game?
Dean: Absolutely
Sam: *looks over at his bro*
Dean: *grins over his shoulder at Sam.

TRIVIA

• In the scene where Sam & Dean are in the basement, right before Mrs. God show up, the sack with one of the bodies start to move and you can hear someone alive, yet when they kill the gods they just seem to forget there was another survivor.
• When Sam was tied to the chair he was cut on the right arm, yet at the end of the episode there is no scar on his right arm, and his left is bandaged.
• When Mrs. God was cutting Dean’s arm for the second time, blood was coming out but there’s no cut wound.
• In the scene where the Sam & Dean break through the Santa’s house door when he is watching TV, he is holding a bottle in his left hand and a green pipe in his right. When he suddenly stands up the Santa is holding the bottle in his right and the pipe is gone.
• The last victim’s wife claims she was woken by her husband’s screams when he was being pulled from the bed. Yet when the attack happened, she screamed as soon as the demon entered the room, and her husband never screamed.
• The network prefaced this episode with a classic “Special Presentation” graphic and the opening of a Christmas-decorated living room reminiscent of the holiday specials of The Osmonds or Andy Williams circa the 60s and 70s before the sucker punch fireplace scene.

ALLUSIONS

• • Sam: So, I guess we’re dealing with Mr. and Mrs. God.
    Referencing the children’s book, Mr. and Mrs. God in the Creation Kitchen (2006), by Nancy Wood.
  • Dean: So was I right, was it the serial killing chimney-sweep?
    Referencing the Disney movie Mary Poppins (1964), starring Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews and based on the book by P.L. Travers. In it a magical nanny befriends two young children, and her friend is Bert the Chimneysweep.

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