The Third Man - Recap

At the Easter, Pennsylvania, police station, officer Gerald Hatch comes into the locker room and checks himself in the mirror. He notices a cut on his cheek and tries to wipe off the blood, but the flow increases. As his partner, Ed Colfax, looks on, Gerald's skin begins to peel off and blood oozes from his feet and back. He turns to Colfax, falls, and dissolves into a pile of liquefied flesh.



Dean wakes up from a dream where he's in bed with Lisa, and prepares for another day on the road. Meanwhile, Sam is exercising at his apartment and then talks to the prostitute who stayed with him the night. She's eager to maintain their relationship, even without pay. Once she leaves, Sam throws her number away and Dean calls in. He tells Dean that he has a case in Easter and to show up right away.

Officer Toby Gray is manning a speed trap, unaware that someone is in the woods nearby. He gets a call from Colfax, but tells him that Hatch's death has nothing to do with them. He tells the Colfax that they'll go the funeral and pretend everything is normal. Once he hangs up, the person finally approaches him. Boils start to break out on Gray's skin, and in a matter of seconds he chokes to death on the ones in his throat.



As Dean arrives at the station, he talks to Ben on the phone and tells him to stop lying. Sam asks how Lisa took it, and Dean admits that she was okay with it. His brother casually says it's better for everybody. They go to the morgue and Sam explains that Hatch died three days ago and liquified. However, they're there to see Gray's corpse. Sam has eliminated witchcraft, and they decide to talk to Colfax, the witness to Hatch's death.

Sam and Dean drive to Colfax's house, Dean racing all the way. Colfax welcomes them at the door, but tells them it's none of their business and slams the door in their face. Sam kicks the door in and they go inside, and discover that he's scratching the faces off of photos. He tells them not to worry. He admits that they had enemies, and all three of them had it coming. He pours himself a drink and says that God will be satisfied. Colfax talks about a Christopher Birch and says he has no face and a planted gun. Blood starts oozing down from beneath his hat, and then he collapses. They take off the hat and determine that he's dead: locust have bored through his skull from the inside out.



Back at their motel, the brothers realize that the ancient Egyptian plagues of the Bible are involved. Sam confirms that Birch was shot while resisting arrest, and all three cops filed the same report and claimed it was self-defense. They wonder if angels are involved, and Dean suggests they call Castiel. Sam points out that he tried but nothing happened. Dean tries a prayer of his own. Castiel teleports into their room. Sam complains that Castiel never responded to him, and the angel explains that he and Dean share a bond. Dean asks him if he has any answers, and Castiel admits that they have no idea who brought Sam back from the cage, or why. No one has seen God, and the whole thing is a mystery. Castiel then explains that he came because of the murders and that the Staff of Moses, one of their weapons, is responsible. Whoever is using it is using it at partial capacity. Castiel finally admits that Heaven was stable before the Apocalypse and the staff was contained. In the chaos since then, a number of powerful weapons have been stolen. They agree to help, and Sam suggests that Christopher's father Darryl is involved.



At his home, Darryl is reading an article eon the officers' deaths when his son Aaron comes in and tells him they should just throw it away. Darryl tells him to go play and then jumps as Castiel teleports in with Dean and Sam. They confront him but Darryl insists he has no idea what they're talking about. Aaron comes in with a piece of the Staff of Moses, and Castiel renders Darryl unconscious with a touch. He then teleports across the room and takes the piece, and Dean demands answers. Aaron admits that he prayed to God to punish his brother's killers, and an angel came and gave him the Staff. However, Dean realizes that there's more, and gets him to admit that he sold his soul. Castiel notes that an angel has never bought souls before, but cut up the staff to sell more pieces.

Castiel renders Aaron unconscious and teleports them all back to the motel. He explains that the transaction leaves a brand, and he can read it. However, it will be excruciating for Aaron. Dean objects, but Sam is okay once he confirms that the physical damage will be minimal. Castiel admits that he doesn't have the luxury to care about torturing a child, and extends his hand into Aaron's stomach. Dean tries to intervene, but Sam holds him back. When Castiel is done, he says that the angel responsible is an old friend, Balthazar. An angel working for Raphael teleport into the room, explains that he overheard the name, and attacks Castiel. He throws both of them out the window and they slam into Sam's car parked below.



The enemy angel escapes and Castiel teleports back up and starts to assemble the components for a ritual. The Winchesters finally get him to explain that Raphael wants to take over, and Castiel and his allies are trying to stop him. Whoever has the weapons, wins the war, and Raphael wants to start the Apocalypse again. When they wonder why Dean didn't tell them, he admits that he was ashamed because he expected more from his fellow angels. He apologizes and then takes some of Dean's blood to complete the ritual. He confirms where Balthazar is and they teleport away, leaving Aaron for the police.

Castiel teleports them all to a manor and Castiel goes inside. He finds frogs scattered throughout the manor, and hears loud music on the second floor. Castiel goes to investigate and finds an expensively-decorated room. The doors close behind him and he draws his knife. Balthazar appears and welcomes him, and points out Raphael's soldier, dead with a frog in his throat, literally. The rogue angel explains that he faked his own death, and now he does whatever he wants. He admits that he's a thief but agrees to help Castiel. However, he refuses to give up the weapons. Balthazar explains that he's doing what Castiel did, rebelling against Heaven and embracing freedom. Since God isn't coming back, he figures that they can do anything, so he's trying everything. When Castiel insists he can stop the fighting, Balthazar warns him that it will never stop, and his friend should do what he did.



Castiel warns that Raphael is on his way, but Balthazar insists he can handle them. Raphael and his angels appear outside and Balthazar teleports away. They approach the house and Dean and Sam manage to banish one using Dean's blood.

Raphael and his soldier enter the house. Castiel kills the angel, but Raphael ambushes him and beats him bloody. As the archangel prepares to kill Castiel with his own knife, Balthazar arrives behind him and uses a crystal to transform Balthazar's host body into salt. He figures that he has enough time to escape before Balthazar gets a new host. However, Dean and Sam trap him in a ring of burning holy oil. Dean demands that he release Aaron, and Castiel backs him. Balthazar removes his marker, and explains that souls are the only thing worth buying in the current economy. Dean refuses to release him, but Castiel extinguishes the flames and tells Balthazar that his debt to him is cleared. Balthazar teleports away and Castiel departs a second later.



Late, Dean and Sam prepare to leave in the Impala. Dean asks his brother if he's okay, and points out that he seemed unconcerned when they were torturing Aaron. Sam insists that he did care, but Dean insists that something is different with him. Sam agrees and says that he's been hunting nonstop for the past year, and he's rough around the edges. Dean thinks there's more and points out that he knows what Hell does to a guy. Sam says that it tortured Dean, and it still does, but he's okay. As Sam gets in the car, Dean still isn't convinced.



Share this article with your friends