The Man Who Knew Too Much - Recap

Sam is running through the streets of a city as the police close in on him. Passing the Castle Storage facility, Sam breaks into a bar and the bartender, Robin, tells him that they’re closed. He asks for a minute to catch his breath, and Robin realizes that the police are outside looking for him. Despite her skepticism, Sam convinces her to let him stay. However, when Robin asks what his name is, Sam says that he can’t remember anything and has no idea. He woke up on a park bench and the police tried to take him in, and he instinctively knocked them both out.



Sam refuses to go to the hospital, saying he doesn’t have time. However, he can’t remember what it is that he doesn’t have to deal with, but he’s sure it’s life-or-death. Sam goes to her bookshelf and notices a book by H.P. Lovecraft, and he gets flashes of the name and the Nite Owl Hotel. Using Robin’s computer, he locates the hotel’s address and thanks Robin for her help. However, Robin refuses to let him go by himself and says that she’s dying to learn how it all turns out.

At the hotel, Sam suggest they go to the room with the quickest getaway. He picks the lock and they find a room filled with articles and maps taped to the walls. Robin locates a stash of Sam’s fake IDs and admits that she’s starting to freak out. Sam spots an article about the disappearance of Professor Eleanor Visyak and collapses to the floor as he’s overwhelmed with memories.

Dean, Sam, and Bobby get a call from Visyak asking for a meeting in an alleyway. They call her and hear her phone ring nearby, and discover that she’s dying behind a dumpster. Visyak tells them that she managed to escape from Crowley and Castiel, who tortured her and obtained the ritual to open Purgatory. She explains that they need virgin blood and the blood of a Purgatory native, and they plan to open it at the lunar eclipse the next night. Before Visyak can tell them what they’re at, she dies. Castiel teleports in and apologizes, saying Crowley got carried away. Dean warns him that he’s off the rails, but Castiel refuses to listen and tells them to go home and let him stop Raphael. When they refuse, Castiel says that he’ll save Sam when it’s all over if they stand down, touches Sam’s head, and teleports away.



Sam recovers and tells Robin his name and what he remembers. He finds Bobby’s address in South Dakota and prepares to leave, and Robin says she won’t go any further. Sam finds the keys to the Impala, goes outside, and immediately recognizes it. He thanks Robin for her help, but she warns that she’s got a bad feeling and suggests that Sam won’t like what he finds. As they talk, Sam senses something, grabs Robin, and throws them both to the ground. Someone shoots from a nearby alleyway, missing. Sam gets to his feet and sees the shooter: himself.



At Bobby’s safe room, Dean watches over his brother, who is in a coma. Bobby warns that they have no idea what Sam is going through, and that they have to focus on stopping Crowley and Castiel. Dean disagrees, and Bobby warns him that Dean is reacting just like Castiel wants him to. He offers Dean a drink and tells him to think of what Sam would do. They share a bottle of whiskey together.

As they drive through the night to South Dakota, Sam briefly smells whiskey. He lies and tells Robin that he didn’t get a good look at the shooter. When she says they should go to the police, Sam says that she’s safer with him.

Dean shines a light in Sam’s eye, trying to find a response.

Sam is suddenly blinded by a bright light. When he stops the Impala and gets out, he discovers that it’s now daytime. Robin insists that it has always been day, and Sam realizes that something is seriously wrong. He realizes someone is watching them and tells her to get into the car, and then goes to the trunk and discovers it holds a small armory. He chooses a shotgun and goes into the woods, unaware that their pursuer is... Sam. The other Sam gets the drop on Sam, disarms him, and knocks him to the ground. He then explains that Sam is dreaming and they’re trapped inside of his mind. When Castiel unleashed his memories, Sam psyche fractured into pieces, and the piece confronting Sam now is his soulless side. He insists that everything was fine and he was sharp until they put Sam’s soul back in. Soulless Sam plans to take charge before it’s too late. He opens fire on Sam, who runs into the woods. He finds a stream and hides behind it. When Soulless Sam arrives, he spots Sam’s back and shoots, only to discover that Sam has placed his jacket on a tree. Sam sneaks up behind his counterpart and shoots him. As Soulless Sam dies, he warns that the other one is even worse than he is. The counterpart disappears in a burst of energy which flows into Sam.



On the bed, Sam convulses and then collapses.

Sam returns to the Impala and tells Robin that he remembers everything he did, including her.

Sam runs a crossroads demon down in Robin’s bar. When the demon uses her as a hostage, the soulless Sam shoots her dead to eliminate the demon’s leverage.

Robin looks down at her stomach, where blood starts leaking out. She says that she told him to turn back because he wouldn’t like what he found. Sam apologizes, but Robin says he’ll be sorrier and disappears.

Dean is watching over his brother when Bobby arrives with Balthazar. The angel admits that he’s been having second thoughts about helping them, but finally decided to help them. Balthazar gives them the address where Crowley and Castiel are working, but says that he’ll go no further against their enemies and leaves.

At the workshop, Crowley gives Castiel the blood mixture. The angel tells the demon that he’s renegotiating their terms and that Crowley gets nothing. When Crowley objects, Castiel tells him to flee or die and the demon makes a hasty exit.



Sam enters Bobby’s house and finds it lit by candles. A figure is seated at a table: the final piece representing his memories of Hell.



As Bobby packs angel-killing blades, Dean leaves the address next to the comatose Sam.

The Hell Sam says that he wishes Sam hadn’t come, and Sam realizes that his body is at Bobby’s. He has to go through Hell Sam to wake up, and has to know what happened to him in the cage. Hell Sam that he doesn’t want to know and Sam agrees, but says that he has no choice. When his counterpart wonders why it’s so important to him, Sam says that he can’t leave Dean alone. Hell Sam picks up a knife and offers to Sam, warning that it’s his last chance. Sam takes the knife and kills the last piece, and the memories of Hell fill his mind. In the real world, Sam convulses in agony.

Castiel summons Balthazar to the workshop and says that Dean is on his way. He believes that they have a traitor who gave away their location, and asks Balthazar to find out who it is. Castiel tells his Balthazar that he’ll handle Dean himself, and says that his friends are plotting against him. Balthazar says that Castiel will always have him to rely on, and Castiel agrees... and then teleports behind him and kills him with an angel blade. Balthazar dies in a burst of heavenly light.



Dean and Bobby arrive near the workshop and discover that the place is guarded by angels. Bobby figures they’ll have to sneak in. Before they can put the plan in motion, the earth vibrates and they spot a massive demon cloud approaching the building. The two men get into the Impala, and the demon cloud sweeps over them, flipping the car upside down.

Castiel hears his angels being decimated as Crowley enters the workshop. The angel tries to smite him but discovers that his touch has no effect. Crowley explains that his new partner protects him, and Raphael enters the room. Castiel tries to warn Crowley that Raphael will destroy him and unleash the Apocalypse, but Crowley is satisfied with protection in return for giving Raphael the Purgatory blood and the power of God. The demon tells Castiel to flee or die, and Castiel gives them the jar of Purgatory blood before teleporting away.



Crowley begins the ritual to open the portal.

Dean recovers consciousness and tries to get himself and Bobby out of the Impala. They manage to escape and sneak into the workshop. Dean throws the angel blade at Raphael’s back, but she catches it, and Crowley telekinetically slams them to the ground.

Sam, still staggering under the memories of Hell, walks by the Impala and goes inside.

Crowley finishes the ritual as Raphael smiles in triumph. However, nothing happens. Castiel teleports in and shows them the real jar of Purgatory blood, now empty. Crowley realizes that Castiel gave them dog blood and used the real blood himself. Castiel concentrates and unleashes the power of the Purgatory souls, and then smiles in triumph. Crowley quickly teleports away and Raphael tries to flee, only to realize that Castiel has immobilized her. He explains that he has plans for Crowley and then destroys her with a snap of his fingers.



Castiel says that he has saved Dean and was right all along, and Dean quickly agrees. He then says that they have to remove the power before it destroys Castiel, but the angel says that it belongs with him and he’s not finished. He plans to punish all of Raphael’s follower. Dean appeals to him as the closest thing to family he has, insisting that he doesn’t want to lose anyone else. Castiel points out that Dean is only saying that because he’s afraid and that now he has no family. As he advances on Dean, Sam arrives and stabs him with the angel knife. However, Castiel casually removes it and explains that he’s no longer an angel. He informs them that he’s their new God, a better one, and they will either bow and profess their love for Him, or He’ll destroy them.



Share this article with your friends