The first episode of the new decade for The CW’s Supernatural was also the final midseason premiere we’ll ever get, and the show brought about significant clarity about the position of the heroes going forward. Season 15 episode nine, “The Trap,” went a long way in uniting the main trio once more.
We start off with Chuck (Rob Benedict) having Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Eileen (Shoshannah Stern) in his captivity in a casino, where he reveals that it was him who placed the spell that Sam found to resurrect Eileen. No, he didn’t do it out of the goodness of his heart; his intention was to have someone to use in order to keep his eye on the Winchesters.
Chuck then proceeds to control Eileen and make her cut into Sam’s bullet wound inflicted by the Equalizer in order to end the connection between himself and Sam. When it doesn’t work, Chuck realizes that Sam’s hope that Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) would save him – and his overall hope that they would beat Chuck – is what’s stopping him from breaking the connection.
So, Chuck starts showing Sam multiple futures that he says are guaranteed to come about if the heroes manage to trap him in another mark. One of these involves the brothers becoming vampires after most of their friends are killed and Castiel goes insane after taking on the mark himself and has to be buried in a Ma’lak box.
According to Chuck, his existence out in the open is the reason why the monsters have never taken over the world. If he’s locked away, then nature will take over and the monsters will eventually be the apex beings on Earth.
When Sam remains defiant that he won’t be giving in to Chuck’s plans, the latter reveals to him that none of the previous visions Sam had seen had been his plans. Rather, they were the alternate Sams and Deans in other realities who had killed each other.
In the story running simultaneously with this one, we see Dean and Castiel enter Purgatory after the latter tells him it’s foolish to confront Chuck without completing the spell. I loved how through this whole episode Castiel refused to let Dean boss him around and doled out some good roasts his way. Dean definitely deserved being taken down a peg.
Almost as soon as they arrive in Purgatory, a Leviathan confronts them but is easily defeated by Castiel. With no choice other than be blown apart by a borax-shelled shotgun, the Leviathan agrees to lead them to the Leviathan blossom the heroes are seeking. He tells them the blossom grows out of the body of a deceased Leviathan, and takes them somewhere there are several of those, only for Castiel to be trapped in an Angel trap.
Apparently the Leviathans were prepared for something like this as Eve (remember her from season six?) has been waiting for Dean and Castiel to return to seek revenge for killing all those alphas and Leviathans. Dean is knocked out and sees that Castiel has disappeared.
As he realizes the time to leave is almost up as the rift is about to close, a distraught Dean breaks down. With tears streaming down his face, a broken Dean prays to Castiel that he’s sorry for treating him the way he did. He admits he lets his anger out on Castiel and that it isn’t fair to his best friend to be treated that way.
Basically, Dean finally grows a spine to admit that he was wrong to be such a jerk and wants Castiel back, whom he does find battered near the rift. Castiel explains that he bargained for Dean’s life and took his chance when he nabbed the blossom and ran off. It’s a little bit suspect how none of this was shown, but I’m hoping there’s no twist in the future connected to this.
The two return to Earth where Castiel refuses to let Dean take the mark since he couldn’t handle it the last time, so he’s the one who will carry it now. Sam’s vision seems to be coming true by this point. When they arrive at the casino to free him, Sam stuns them by refusing to complete the spell. An ecstatic Chuck celebrates having his wound heal and the connection with Sam broken.
Back at HQ, Eileen decides to leave Sam because she doesn’t know if anything is real or not around him since Chuck will always be there to manipulate events. In response, Sam pulls her in for a kiss, arguing that this feels very much real to him.
When Dean and Castiel ask Sam if he regrets choosing to let Chuck go, the latter admits he doesn’t as he still believes the futures he saw would come true. Dean’s still optimistic, though, and says they’ll think of another way.
Over in the Empty, Billie (Lisa Berry) tells Jack (Alexander Calvert) it’s time…for something.
I’m surprised that we’re probably getting a filler episode in the next one, but for now, this final midseason premiere checked all the boxes. I’m glad we got Dean to shed his worst qualities and finally give Castiel the respect he deserved. Chuck’s role as the villain has also been used softly rather than go all in, which is the best way since he’s supposed to be God. Let’s see when Supernatural fully pushes its foot on the gas pedal from here.
- Jensen Ackles talks about Supernatural’s legacy and the show’s final season
- Interview with Jared Padalecki on season 15
- Alexander Calvert on Where We Pick Up with Jack in Season 15
- Misha Collins on Castiel’s Bucket List
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 1 “Back and to the Future” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 2 “Raising Hell” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 3 “The Rupture” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 4 “Atomic Monsters” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 5 “Proverbs 17:3” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 7 “Last Call” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 8 “Our Father, Who Aren’t in Heaven” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 10 “The Heroes’ Journey” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 11 “The Gamblers” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 13 “Destiny’s Child” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 14 “Last Holiday” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 15 “Gimme Shelter” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 16 “Drag Me Away (From You)” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 17 “Unity” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 18 “Despair” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 19 “Inherit the Earth” Recap
- Supernatural Season 15 Episode 20 “Carry On” Series Finale Recap