8X14 - Trial and Error - Written Update

The preview includes tid bits about the Men of Letters and the new home base, Kevin and his continued efforts of deciphering the tablet, and the crossroad deals and hell-hounds.

The episode starts with Kevin going through his daily motions. He wakes up at 5 AM, makes some coffee, sits down to decipher the tablet, has hot dogs for lunch (and perhaps dinner), has Tylenol to help the headaches, takes notes on the tablet, goes to bed at 2:45 AM and the cycle repeats quite a few times before he can finally make some sense of his notes. Just when he realizes that he has finally found something important, he gets nosebleed and passes out.

Back at the home base, Dean's setting up his room with a bunch of different weapons hanging on the walls. Then he puts a picture of him as a kid with his mom by the lamp. Sam enters the room and Dean proudly shows off his 'clean room.' (It's the happiest he has been in forever!!) When Sam says, "Not bad," Dean replies, "Not bad? I haven't had my own room.. EVER! I'm making this awesome!" Then he goes to cook for him and Sammy, which surprises Sammy (as much as it surprised me!) "I'm nesting" is Dean's reply when Sam says that he never thought Dean knew what kitchen meant. From the looks on Sam's face, Dean can really cook!!

Just when they dig in the home cooked meal, Dean gets a call from Kevin asking them to come quickly. They rush out the door but Sam grabs his unfinished burger to go. Sam and Dean enter the steamboat Kevin's staying at with guns in their hands and find Kevin throwing up in the bathroom. Sam asks Kevin if he's been sleeping or eating much and Kevin tells them that he's been surviving on little to no sleep and hot dogs. Dean says, "Sure, yeah breakfast of champions. Look, I'm gonna feel dirty saying this but you might want a salad... and a shower."😆 Kevin says that all the trouble was worth it because he has finally discovered how to shut the gates of hell. The boys are obviously overjoyed. Kevin explains that they need to pass three tests that God has set up and say a chant in Enochian after every task and only then they can close hell. Sam is a bit perplexed, "God wants us to take the SATs?!"(Our geeky Sam😆)The first task is to kill a hell-hound and bath in its blood. Dean's all for it even though Sam is not as thrilled. Dean goes off to collect some supplies that they'll need against the hell-hounds and groceries for Kevin while Sam does his research trying to find people who might have made deals and sold their souls to the Crossroads Demons.

Sam advises Kevin to take care of himself because saving humanity and all is a "marathon, not a sprint." Dean returns saying, "Hey, did you know that there are like 6000 kinds of tomatoes?"😆 Sam tells him about a ranch that got oil where there wasn't any ten years ago and there were demon signs then so apparently someone's made a deal. Upon arriving a the ranch, the boys meet Ellie, who manages the place, and they get jobs helping out at the ranch with the animals. Dean's got some priceless lines here. "I miss my room." And "Crap, she literally meant crap." And Dean says "I hate you" to a horse while cleaning up its mess. They believe that the owner of the ranch must have made a deal and tail her while her husband instead is killed by a hell-hound at night. The boys decide to go back. Sam chats with the lady owner and deduces that the husband had made a deal to marry her because she suddenly noticed him one night ten years ago and now that he's gone, she feels like she never really knew him nor does she feel sad or angry. Dean wants to summon a crossroad demon and force it to call one of the hell-hounds. Sam insists that they should stay and find out who else made a deal and kill a hell-hound that way. Dean reluctantly agrees.

The boys get a call from Kevin who tells them that he deciphered one more thing about the hell-hounds. People whom the hell-hounds come for can see them but others can also see them through glasses that have been passed through holy fire. Dean goes to prepare the glasses while Sam keeps an eye on the family. Dean has a run-in with Ellie who invites him to spend the night with her but he turns her down trying to be as polite as possible. The owner's dad and sister go out to the forest to kill whatever animal's killed the son-in-law and Sam follows. Before Sam could help, a hell-hound kills the sister. The boys then handcuff the rest of the family in the living room and make a line of goofa dust at all entrances. Upon asking, none of the family members confess to making any deals.

Dean decides to go out and hunt the hell-hound while he asks Sam to stay behind and keep an eye on the family, to which Sam stubbornly objects saying that Dean will need him. And here comes a very emotional scene that brought tears to my eyes.😭Dean tells Sammy that they have been here before with Azazel, Lucifer, and Dick. They both know it's gonna only end with one of them dead. Dean will do the tests himself and go down with a gun in his end. "I'm a grunt, Sam -- you're not, you've always been the brains of this operation. You told me yourself that you see a way out, you see a light at the end of this ugly ass tunnel ... I don't. I'll tell you what I do know; I'm gonna die with a gun in my hand, that's what I have waiting for me, that's all I have waiting for me. I want you to get out, I want you to have a life, become a Man of Letters, whatever. You with a wife and kids and grandkids, living 'til you're fat and bald and chugging viagra ... that is my perfect ending, and it's the only one that I'm gonna get." Sam's protests die and he stays behind with the family. In the end to make his point, he tells Sam that if he comes after him, he's gonna shoot him in the leg.

While Dean is checking out the property, he finds Ellie in her room and instructs her to stay inside as there's something evil out there. Ellie tells him that she knows that and it's coming
for her. Turns out that Ellie had made a deal with Crowley ten years ago to save her mother. Dean tells her that that wasn't a smart idea to which she replies that she did it for her mom. Wouldn't he do the same for his mom? Dean makes a circle with goofa dust and instructs Ellie to stay in it while he goes after the hell-hound. Dean can see the monster with the glasses and comments, "Oh, so you're Crowley's b*tch. I guess pets really do look like their owners."😆 He's momentarily distracted by Ellie's scream and the hell-hound pounces on him. Dean's hurt and cornered.Sam suddenly appears and saves the day by slashing the hell-hound and bathing in his blood.

Dean insists on saying the spell but nothing happens. He then insists that they find another hell-hound and he will kill that one himself and do the tests. And here comes another emotional scene that yet again made me cry.😭 Sam tells Dean that he's going to do the tests now. "Closing the gates, it's a suicide mission for you. I wanna slam hell shut too, okay. But I wanna survive it. I wanna live and so should you. You have friends up here, family, hell, you even got your own room now. You're right, okay. I see light at the end of this tunnel. And I'm sorry you don't. I am. But it's there. And if you come with me, I can take you to it." When Dean objects, Sam continues, "You're not a grunt, Dean. You're a genius. When it comes to lore, you're the best damn hunter I've ever seen. Better than me. Better than Dad. I believe in you, Dean. So please, please, believe in me too." Dean gives in and hands over the slip with the spell to Sam. Sam recites the spell and falls to his knees. There's a glowy firy glow on his right arm and then he gets up saying that he's okay and he can do this.

Okay, I have to say that this is one of the BEST episodes of the season so far. We finally see the undying love and loyalty that the brothers have for each other. They worked together. Even though they argued because both were concerned for each other's well being but we saw the glimpses of the brothers who would die for each other, who believed in each other. LOVED the emotional scenes the boys had, the lines were phenomenal. Once again reminded me why I love the brothers so so so much. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki were brilliant as usual, more so this time because they finally got to do the moments we've all been waiting for. The brotherly moments.I was literally crying when Sam said, "You're a genius.When it comes to lore, you're the best damn hunter I've ever seen.Better than me.Better than Dad. I believe in you, Dean. So please, please, believe in me too." Loved the episode! Perfect blend of action and emotions. Can't wait to see more.

Dude. You're so QUICK. 😳 I loved every bit of the episode and agree with you on everything. <3 The guest cast was so annoying though. -_- When they have a good guest cast, they kill them off but in this episodes surprisingly, they survived! And ofcourse, great WU. :)

Thanks for the written update. You are awesome!

Terrific episode! Both Sam and Dean's speach made me emotional. No matter what happens they are each other's pillars.

Poor Kevin...he was so over worked. I felt sorry for him because he really doesn't want to this kind of work.

it was a beautiful episode..

EEEP mahi am i reading it correct??😲

first of all... dean hugging kevin... was a first 😆 he doesnt do all the hugging... very naturally... remember with garth.. 😳 then give it to poor kevin.. to finally decipher the tablet... 👏

that scene with dean and sam enjoying their burgers was a treat... coz its the first time sam does a 'one for the road' 😲 i enjoyed all their dialogues paticularly the one u highlighted in the update... i like when dean says awesome to killing a hellhound.. and sam questions awesome?? 😆

that family was irritating Dean tells Sammy that they have been here before with Azazel, Lucifer, and Dick. They both know it's gonna only end with one of them dead. Dean will do the tests himself and go down with a gun in his end. "I'm a grunt, Sam -- you're not, you've always been the brains of this operation. You told me yourself that you see a way out, you see a light at the end of this ugly ass tunnel ... I don't. I'll tell you what I do know; I'm gonna die with a gun in my hand, that's what I have waiting for me, that's all I have waiting for me. I want you to get out, I want you to have a life, become a Man of Letters, whatever. You with a wife and kids and grandkids, living 'til you're fat and bald and chugging viagra ... that is my perfect ending, and it's the only one that I'm gonna get." Sam's protests die and he stays behind with the family 😭🥺
very emotional scene... above.. when sam kills that hell hound and bathes in its blood... i was like
the last scene was such a winchester classic... i am so proud of sam for all his beliefs and faith in his big bro...

i liked the whole episode as such