1. I’m gonna go and eat something nutritious immediately after this episode ends. It’s Suppernatural today (yum).
2. The title is misleading – I expected a full Cupid-centered episode, but, luckily, Cupid was spared the disgrace of being the Monster of the Week. Also, this title is a reference to the eponymous old film, and a Jensen Ackles movie. Cross-promotion?
3. This episode’s slant is “sick sense of humour flavoured with genuine high drama”. The writers packed a lot of content and substance in it, too.
4. “Then” features a beautiful juxtaposition of Dean and Sam’s crucifixion images, from “No Rest For The Wicked” and “Sam, Interrupted”, respectively.
5. The teaser starts as a romantic comedy but ends as a mini-slasher film. The young couple, all flowers and smiles, is going crazy with foreplay and before they launch into sex per se, their hunger for one another’s bodies escapes the symbolic realm, and they start biting and tearing at each other’s thirsty flesh like ghouls or vampires. My bloody Valentine, literally. Cf. “Metamorphosis” or, even more appropriate, “Fallen Idols” – here we’ve got yet another case of love so strong people want to eat each other alive. Loving is consuming, eating is sex.
6. The girl who’d found the cannibalistic sweethearts dead seems to be flirting with Sam. “She was a virgin?” – “No premarital. I used to wonder how she did it. I mean, you know, didn't do it”. It’s good Sam’s no Dean – who can guarantee she won’t grow hungry like her roommate in a little while?
7. Excuse my cheesiness, but the boys are like tough Cherubs themselves, in these white shirts of theirs.
9. Dean, you’re being a Castiel. “I thought I’ll just sit there quietly”. What do you mean you’re in no mood to flirt with women? Not on Sammy’s watch! Nice comparison, Sam: “That's when a dog doesn't eat – that's when you know something's really wrong”. I don’t think this ever happened before – Dean unwilling to leave to Sam all of the boring research work and go to a bar instead. And how out of character is it that Sam seems to be frustrated rather than happy with Dean’s choice to stay in? He almost sounds like he wants him out of their room.
S: Dean? Aren’t you going out tonight? It’s St. Valentine’s Day.
D: Exactly. I thought I might spend it with the love of my life. *you you you*
S: (thinks) Damn. Just when I wanted to watch some porn on pay-per-view while he’s away.
D: What? You’re not happy?
S: (clenches)
10. Office. Great how Supernatural satirizes being in love here, but can be very serious about love, too. This dramatic conversation between the girl and the man reminds me of the “Changing Channels”’ sequence parodying “Grey’s Anatomy” because it sounds so soap opera. And the cheesy “seems like whatever we do, something in life is always gonna keep us apart” line reminds of Sam and Dean’s condition, funnily enough. Okay, at least, this Romeo-and-Julietian suicide à deux was a tad romantic, maybe even beautiful, unlike the first one.
11. Sam spies a suspicious guy with a briefcase passing them by in the hospital’s corridor. And what, psychic powers coming back? *yespleaseyesplease*
12. So we’re going reggae today, Agents Marley and Cliff? Does Dean even listen to reggae?
13. No, boys, you are totally Drs. Sexy.
14. How much more Dean is averse to scavenging in humans’ insides than Sam. Cf. the mental hospital episode. Dean Winchester’s got no guts for guts! Dean Winchester the fearless hunter is afraid of blood! Princess!
15. What did I tell you? He doesn’t need “lonely women”. “Hey… be my Valentine”. What a gay moment. What a barely concealed declaration of love. By the way, whose heart is he giving him, the girl’s or the man’s? Well, even if it’s just a visual quote from JA’s movie, it fits so twistedly well into SPN’s narrative. And, Dean, should you offer this raw, fleshly heart to any lonely woman in a bar, she’d run away from you screaming. Only Sam can understand your humour. Appreciate that.
16. Without even knowing it, Dean also gives Sam a clue to their case. The Enochian sigil. And it’s the letter that looks like the Latin “H”. Like in “heart”? The OTP lovers’ hearts are marked with identical sigils in sign of their being made for each other. And the subtext here is pretty slashy. Remember how our boys have ribcages full of the same set of Enochian sigils thanks to Castiel, the matchmaker? Does that make them, in a way, extremely made for each other as well? Very poetic.
17. Personal space! Dean, now it’s you who forgets about it. And see how the angel missed you – he didn’t waste a second.
18. Castiel is adorably serious when he speaks of Cupids.
19. Restaurant. Oh, how Dean is disgusted to eat his food when he hears that “this place is a nexus of human reproduction. It's exactly the kind of garden the Cupid will come to – to pollinate”. Like the picture of Cupid pollinating wrecks his appetite altogether. *princess!princess!princess!* Ironically, Dean totally behaves like someone who’s just fallen in love, what with his diminished need for food and overall sulkiness.
20. Castiel, that’s one more human habit in your bag – eating. And note: he takes the plate from Dean. What is it but a somewhat deep form of intimacy here? I mean, even Sam doesn’t nick his brother’s food.*Sam’s a health freak*
21. Backroom. Really, Castiel speaks his Enochian so cool I’d probably take time to learn it someday.
22. Ooh, that was scary. Surprise!Cupid is very emotional, as he should be. These must be some bone-crushing embraces. Dean, what humiliation you suffered. Being groped by an oversized Cherub in front of your friends… blush.
23. Supernatural satirizes Cupid as well. If only because it’s an, um, adult version of the “kid in diapers”. Cf. the Tooth Fairy from “I Believe The Children Are Our Future”.
24. “I love love. I love it! And if that's wrong, I don't want to be right!” – wow, what’s wrong with these angels – Castiel admires Chuck’s writing, and Cupid must be a fan of Becky Rosen’s Wincest stories – why would he quote her Sam? No wonder he’s such a huggy bear.
25. Castiel reads Cupid’s mind – the two look each other intently in the eyes, and it’s hilariously mocking Castiel’s trademark mannerism. And, by the way, can the angel read Dean’s mind when he looks at him like this?
26. John and Mary also had their hearts marked with a sigil, just like their kids? And they couldn’t stand each other at first? Ooh. So, their love was forged by Heavens? Maybe that’s what frustrates Dean the most. He refuses to agree that his parents had been driven together by one of such slick, unpleasant guys as this Cherub. It goes against his notion of fuck-destiny. Dean punches the Cherub, and hi, “Lucifer Rising”. You remember how angels have bodies of stone, Dean? Not yet? You will.
27. “You just punched a Cupid” – “I punched a dick!” Ooh, angry. “Are we gonna talk about what’s been up with you lately or not?” – “Or not!” Oh, Sam feels the need to talk again. Been a long time.
28. Fun’s over. Another death and what, the show’s making an unabashed hint at the male pregnancy trope? The guy’s eaten himself to death? By the way, the unfortunate bloke must have been smart – using a toilet brush (to stuff Twinkies into his throat when he couldn’t take anymore) is the kind of suicide technique that directly references some Greek or Roman story.
29. The doctor takes a healthy swig from his flask, and you know immediately nothing good’s gonna come out of it. Note: later when Dean learns the doctor had drunk himself to death, he says he quite liked him. Dean’s man crushes on doctors are awesome.
30. Sam notices the guy with a briefcase in the street again, and follows him. The bitchface he gives him puts to shame the one from “Mystery Spot”. Sam corners the guy and pins him to the wall. And note that he recognized the man to be a demon because he felt him (“I could smell you”). Birds of feather much? See, Sam’s got puppy dog eyes and a dog nose as well. But not dog’s prowess, though – somehow he gets distracted and only manages to slash a few cuts across the guy’s arms and face and deprive him of the briefcase.
31. Ooh, Sam’s addiction kicks back (cf. “Free To Be You And Me”), and it’s almost half a year since he’s last felt it. Even dead, Ruby and her knife keep on taunting. By the way, is it only demonic blood that kicks his thirst back, or any monster’s blood would do?
32. The boys open the briefcase, loveably fumbling with the locks, as if it was a treasure box, and white light flashes – it’s no angel, it’s a human soul. This scene looks like it’s lifted from some movie poster or adventure tale.
33. Castiel, you totally robbed Dean of his habits today. He’s being more you than you are at the moment. Swap meat?
34. The Famine Horseman riding a black car appears to be behind the case. Horsemen, long time no see.
35. The montage of Famine’s deeds in this episode is explicitly averting. Cf. “Sin City
36. The wounded demon comes up to Famine, bringing him Sam’s motel room keys, and, really, this creature is so diligent and devoted I almost feel pity for him and his unfortunate vessel – Famine kills the demon and sucks his demonic black smoke into his mouth. Vulture. But wait, it’s not high time for sick buckets yet.
37. Motel room. Castiel’s still eating, and Sam’s washing his flushing face in the sink, and studies himself in the mirror. Poor baby. Somehow I don’t think the pole Dean locks him to is good enough – even a sober Sam could break it, let alone a Sam in his drug-thirst frenzy. Nice moment of touching here, too. And Castiel with his telekinetic powers, wow. But you remember Sam once could move furniture with his mind, don’t you? What’s to stop him now?
38. Ah, Sam’s tearing at his iron locks, maddened by drug desire. The two demons enter, and, silly monsters, you think you can handle your Daddy’s vessel? They free him – and wouldn’t it be easier to “break off a few pieces” of the guy’s flesh if he was in handcuffs? Sam’s nothing but an animal at this point. Hi, “The Rapture”. In “The Song Remains The Same” Dean called Sam an “ex-blood junkie”. That was a hasty generalization. Note that his addiction is the same source of shame for him as Dean’s inability to hold on in Hell is for Dean. But his mojo is back. Yeah, dear demon, wait your turn. And also, why every time he drinks the blood he forgets to clean his face? What a device, Supernatural.
39. Note how Sam sucks demon blood from women all the time. In Season 4 it was justified – he only had one, um, pusher. In “Lucifer Rising” he used a woman nurse, too. In Season 5’s “Free To Be You And Me” it was never revealed whose blood the hunters were trying to force-feed him. But in this episode he has a choice between a man and a woman demon, and, moreover, it’s the man demon who unlocks Sam from his handcuffs, so wouldn’t it be easier for him to attack his neck straightaway? But instead he flings the man against the wall, aims for his woman partner, pushes and presses her to the floor, picks up a sliver of glass, slices open the veins in her neck and greedily drinks her blood. He then warns the male demon to wait his turn and does it mean once Sam’s finished with the female demon’s blood, he’ll do the same to her male companion? And why didn’t they show us that? I mean, it could have been a very homoerotic scene, so probably the writers decided there was no need for more gay subtext in this episode that’s already pretty heavy on it. Or is there something in female demons’ blood that male demons’ blood lacks, so Sam only drinks theirs? Getting more girly, huh?
40. By the way, remember how Archangel Raphael suggested to Dean and Castiel in “Free To Be You And Me” that Lucifer may be behind their miraculous rescue (the plane, the resurrection). And in “Sympathy For The Devil” Sam told Dean how whoever it was who had put them on that plane had cleaned him from his blood addiction. So, and only to bring it back now, right, Lucifer? You promised you wouldn’t harm Sam, remember?
41. Castiel, where does all this food go? Do you really think you can control your eating disorder? Will your vessel stand it? It’s kinda tempting to think what could be if Jimmy Novak loved sex more than red meat. Oh, I forgot he was a righteous man. So, even angels can’t resist Famine and his master Lucifer.
42. Castiel wonders why Dean, of all people, has not been affected by any hunger. Is it really because Dean does not overindulge? He hungers for nothing, he wants fuck all. So un-Dean.
43. Castiel seems so self-assured. And, Dean, do you understand now why Sam is so exasperated with your overjoyed attitude to eating sometimes? “You want to go over the plan again?” – “I take the knife, I go in, I cut off the ring…, and I meet you back here in the parking lot”. Geniuses. And, Dean, why are you so deadbeat that you even let Castiel, a mighty angel that he is, go there alone? Five seconds hardly pass that Dean begins to worry for Cas (“This is taking too long”). Dean sees Castiel wolfing the raw meat and totally ignoring the plan. Then Famine’s minions (all silent Agents Smiths in dark glasses) manhandle him to stand before Famine.
44. Like War, Famine prefers to hold his audiences while sitting (maybe all Horsemen do, being Horsemen?) Cf. War talking to Sam in “Good God Y’All”. And why does Sam get War and Dean get Famine? ‘Cause that’s what is inside them?
46. “Oh, you can smirk and joke and lie to your brother, lie to yourself, but not to me! I can see inside you, Dean. I can see how broken you are, how defeated. You can't win, and you know it. But you just keep fighting. Just... keep going through the motions” Really, all through the episode Dean behaves like he’s not himself, but no need to beat him that hard, Mr. Famine, please.
47. If Dean’s got less and less fire in his soul, then Sam, on the contrary, has too much of it. Dean’s being swallowed by his inner emptiness, while Sam’s drowning in excessive flow of anger and other emotions that tear him apart. Nice duality.
48. Bless you, Sam. “Let him go” – and look how calm Sam actually is. If anything, he did learn a lesson, and even if he’s going to relapse, he’ll handle it better now. Dean isn’t really trying to stop him – ‘cause, really, there’s nothing he can do – it’s dangerous to even approach Sam in his state and there’s no way he could even help him, so better stay where he is and watch. Dean just goes “Sammy, no” in this crashed voice, realizing all their efforts to keep each other human failed – whatever they do, the Devil will still find ways to harm them. Sam saves them all but it’s not the rescue Dean would approve of.
49. Interesting things we learn. I mean, does anybody apart from Sam even drink demon blood? And, at least, he’s different, he’s exceptional, “just the way... Satan wanted [him] to be”, his addiction won’t result in an overdose – so Famine says (truth or lie?), probably trying to convince Sam to fully embrace his addiction. Famine taunts Sam and Sam seems to comply with him. But he now knows better how to deal with Horsemen and manage his demonically enhanced strength, so he extracts, like, five demons at once and then says no to Famine’s offer to “cut their throats” and “have at them” (by the way, did I mention Famine is an American affluent society critic?), and why should Sam be interested in black smoke? He’s only after blood, I guess. Now do get your sick buckets at the ready while Famine is eating up the black smoke. Wrong step, Mr. Famine. And what a short-sighted monster this Horseman is. I mean, he can’t control his own hunger for demons. Sam can’t destroy Horsemen but he can make the demonic smoke in the Horseman’s belly tear him from within. Learning new tricks, Sam? Very graphic. And very folkloric, too. Like, the Big Bad Wolf and a hunter who sporks his stomach. How are they gonna find the ring in this mess of tissue, brr?
50. Switch (this Horseman doesn’t seem to know this trick with the ring), everything is back to normal. And why wouldn’t Dean want Sam to use his power, did he have another idea? So, Dean, there’s something positive about it. He can actually control himself, even under his drug, now.
51. Sam’s looking guilty and probably knows what awaits him. Panic room. Comedown. Contortions. Hallucinations. Obviously, Castiel zaps them back to Mr. Singer’s place. And the fact that Sam even goes there without protesting, speaks for itself.
52. The last scene is heartbreaking. And it seems like years passed between the cheesy beginning of this episode and its gruesome ending. By the way, the name “Dean” is very good for being whimpered aloud, unlike “Cas”. “Cas”, though, is good for shouting out loud when in trouble (try this!).
53. Nice shot, with Castiel looking through the peep hole into the panic room at the crying, screaming Sam, and Dean leaning against the wall, beer in his hand – and what, is he hungry at last, or is it just his usual signal of nervousness? – he seems to be a picture of indifference (like, he’s seen it all before) that really masks pain (it’s too hard for him to hear Sam’s screams and sobs, let alone watch him). And why won’t Dean enter the panic room and, I don’t know, hold his hand or something? Rhetorical question. Castiel, bless him, is trying to console him, but Dean knows what the angel says too well, so he excuses himself and goes out to “get some air”, and he puts on his brave face, sure, for he’s about to cry himself.
54. So, Sam calls out for help from Dean and Castiel, and Dean asks Heaven for help, too. The way Dean acts – silentily, calmly (liar!) – gives you an impression that probably he doesn’t really care, he doesn’t feel anything. And when he goes out into Bobby’s junk yard, still with his beer bottle, to lean against the Impala, I had this weird feeling like it’s a test. Like, if he slams the bottle against the wall and gets silently angry, that’ll mean he does feel something, and therefore he’s not dead inside. And if he just quietly places the bottle on his car’s trunk, it will most likely mean Famine was right. But he doesn’t do either. Instead he just lifts his face of despair to the sky, and prays in this broken, tortured voice and elliptical phrases (“Please… I can’t… I need some help. Please?”). It’s like “The Monster At The End Of This Book” again. And THAT is louder than anything. He’s not dead inside, nope. Really, if he went down on his knees at that point, even this wouldn’t seem out of character at the moment.
55. But whom exactly is Dean praying to? God? Michael? No one? And I guess Castiel can perfectly feel what’s going on in his friend’s head, and oh, how he must suffer, too, for for some reason the angel can’t (or won’t or shouldn’t) soothe the demon blood withdrawals. And that’s a very beautiful, dramatic moment – have you ever seen Dean that crashed? That desperate? He sees how little it takes to destroy all of their efforts, he realizes he’s gonna spend more and more hours by the panic room yet, not being able to help, and his heart, yeah, bleeds. Bloody Valentine, indeed.
56. Dean’s got all the reasons to be depressed. Recently he’s failed so much, he thinks, with Ellen and Jo, Lucifer and his young parents. Typically, Dean forgets to give himself the credit for the successes they’ve made. What “Dr. Erica” told him a few episodes back gets to him. What are the friggin’ rings worth fighting for if it requires Sam becoming a monster?
57. Like I said, Famine, contrast to War, is somewhat short-sighted. Maybe because he’s always hungry? Look, Mr. Horseman, you create a powerful killing machine out of a human being, and don’t you think it may want to revolt against you? ‘Cause, you know, it’s still a very intelligent killing machine. Guess Famine didn’t know of the changes in Sam, so he expected the guy to become a will-less weapon in his greedy hands. But Famine’s bad logic actually turned favourable for the case. I suppose, Sam couldn’t have won over him unless he had drunk this blood, so, as awful as it sounds, his transgression only helped him. I’m sure he was in tight control of himself even when he was exorcising those demons. Note how it wasn’t that he couldn’t handle his bloodlust, it was just him having become prey to Famine’s tricks like everybody else in that town. If Sam had been unable to control himself after those first two demons, he’d most likely go out to find more blood (cf. Castiel with food). But instead he went straight to the Famine’s lair, and no matter what the Horseman was tempting him with, he wouldn’t listen and killed the monster anyway, thus saving all these people. And then he probably asked himself to be locked in the panic room again. See, Sam was stellar and conscious all the way through, totally in control of his sudden relapse. So I’ve got good news for Dean – maybe Sam’s finally approaching his ideal – that even if he’s got this darkness inside, it’s down to him whether he uses it right or wrong. Dean, wipe the tears away, try to see the upside.
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