The Devil You Know - Recap

At Niveus Pharmaceuticals, two scientists are working in the vaccine development laboratory, using test animals. As they talk about a new disease and the vaccine they’re developing, the janitor suddenly interrupts them and says he’s seen the disease before. He then injects one of them with a syringe, and locks both of them in the room. He then watches dispassionately as the injected scientist goes into a berserker rage and kills the other one.

A little later, Sam and Dean visit a hospital in Nevada where a disease outbreak has been reported with associated omens. Posing as CDC agents, they talk to the doctor in charge, who says that the disease is only the swine flu. They confirm that the disease started at the same time as the omens. They hit the road and call Bobby, and try to figure out what Pestilence is up to and what pattern he’s following. They don't have a clue, and Bobby tells them to head east and try to pick up the Horseman’s trail. As they drive, the demon Crowley suddenly appears in the back seat. Startled, they pull over as Sam tries to stab him. Crowley teleports outside and tries to talk to them. Sam wants to stab him for setting them up, knowing the Colt wouldn’t kill Lucifer, but Crowley insists he didn’t know. Now Lucifer knows he exists and has his demons hunting for him, and he tells them he knows about their plan to trap Lucifer using the Horsemen rings. The brothers reluctantly agree to hear him out.

Crowley takes them to the abandoned home that he’s using as a lair and explains that he’s been listening in on them using a magic coin he hid in the Impala. He wants to help them to save his own skin, and explains that he knows a demon, Brady, that is the manager of the Horsemen and knows where they can find Pestilence and Death. Crowley plans to persuade him to switch sides.

The Brady demon is established as the CEO at Niveus Pharmaceuticals. He orders his staff to accelerate production of the vaccine, overriding the objections of one employee, Mitchell. Afterward, Brady calls Mitchell into his office and praises him for his objections, and then offers him a position in "communications." Mitchell accepts and Brady promptly cuts his throat, and then uses the blood, placed in a chalice, to communicate with Pestilence and update him on the progress of their plans to distribute the vaccine.

As the brothers prepare to leave, Sam wonders why they're listening to anything that Crowley has to say. Dean admits it doesn't make much sense, but it's the best that they've got. Crowley comes in to inform them that he's only taking Dean, because Sam keeps trying to kill him. He leaves the decision up to Dean, and Dean reluctantly agrees. Once they go, Sam calls Bobby and tells him what happened. He then asks Bobby about how he freed himself from demonic possession. When Bobby wonders why he's asking, Sam explains that he wants to let Lucifer possess him and then take control back long enough to get him back into the cage. Bobby warns that it wasn't easy even against a minor demon, and Sam doesn't have a chance. Sam insists he can handle it but Bobby doesn't believe him.

Dean and Crowley drive to Niveus and scout out the front lobby. Human guards are on watch and Crowley teleports inside to kill them. Dean gets inside and isn't thrilled at the killing of normal humans, but Crowley tells him to man up. He then tells Dean to go upstairs and carry out his part of the plan, while Crowley waits downstairs. Dean reluctantly takes the elevator up and fights his way to Brady. He then offers him the two War and Famine rings that they have, and says Brady has to come with him to obtain them. Brady responds by saying that the two Horsemen are withered husks without the rings, and getting them back wouldn't accomplish anything. When he wonders how Dean knows he might want the rings, and Dean hesitates. Realizing it's a trap, Brady attacks Dean and starts beating him. Dean manages to get away and take the elevator back down, but Brady is waiting for him. Crowley ambushes Brady, putting a bag with a devil's trap over his head and then viciously beating him unconscious. When Dean objects, Crowley explains that he set the whole thing up, and that he kept Dean out of the loop so he would make it convincing.

Dean drives the Impala back toward Crowley's house, while the demon assures that Brady can't leave his host body. When he gives directions to Dean, Dean realizes it's not to the house and asks what's going on. Crowley explains that Sam and Brady have a history and that he doesn't want to risk anything going wrong, and Dean demands specifics.

When the pair arrives later, Dean takes Brady into a separate room while Crowley tells Sam that he needs to stay away. Sam ignores him and goes to see Dean, and is surprised to realize that Brady recognizes his voice... and Sam recognizes Brady's voice. Brady explains that he has been in Brady's body for years, since he and Sam were friends in college. He was the one who set up Sam and Jess. Sam goes berserk and tries to attack him, but Dean gets him outside and tells him to control himself. Sam insists that they can't trust Brady or Crowley.

In the room, Crowley tells Brady that Lucifer will wipe out the humans and the demons as well when they've served his purpose. Brady doesn't believe that Lucifer would kill the demons, and figures that he's dead whether he cooperates with Crowley or not. Crowley ends the first round of bargaining, goes outside, and tells Dean that things are going okay so far. He then says he has to stir up some demons and teleports away.

When Dean uses the bathroom, Sam locks him inside and then confronts Brady. Brady explains that the Yellow-Eyed Demon sent him to get Sam back into the game by killing Jess, when it looked like Sam was going to become a normal everyday college student and ruin their plans for him. He dares Sam to kill him, but Sam refuses and goes to let Dean out. Crowley returns and explains what he's done: killed all but one member of a demon's nest, and left the survivor with the impression Crowley and Brady are lovers and fellow rebels. Now Lucifer will make sure that Brady suffers the same eternal torment as Crowley. Brady realizes he has no choice, but before he can tell them about Pestilence and Death, they hear the howl of a hellhound in the distance. Crowley realizes the demons have planted a magical tracking device on him, tosses it to Dean, and teleports away.

Dean goes to get some salt to create a barrier, but the invisible hellhound gets into the house. It chases Dean back to Brady's room, but before it can move into the kill, Crowley returns. He admits that he's committed, and then sics his larger invisible hellhound on the first one. As the two creatures go at it, Crowley and the others get out of the house with their prisoner.

The group goes to a dark alleyway and Brady tells them what he knows. When Brady wonders what happens next, Crowley assures him that he won't be alive for long. He leaves and Sam and Dean trap Brady in a salt circle. Sam then enters the circle and attacks Brady with the demon-killing knife. As they fight, Brady taunts Sam, saying that he hates demons because he sees a part of himself in them. Sam concedes it's a possibility... and then cuts the demon's throat, disposing of him for once and for all.

At his home, Bobby is calling Rufus and having him find Death. Once he hangs up, Crowley teleports in and introduces himself. Bobby immediately shoots him, which doesn't have any effect but makes him feel better. Crowley explains that he needs Bobby to make a wish to find Death, and that he'll have to temporarily give up his soul to make the deal. Bobby doesn't believe it and shoots Crowley again. Exasperated, Crowley insists that it's the only way, and that he'll give Bobby his soul back when they've dealt with Death. With no other choice, Bobby considers Crowley's offer...

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