The Monster at the End of This Book - Recap

A man in a ramshackle hotel wakes up from a vision about Sam and Dean.

Dean and Sam investigate a possible haunting at a comic book store, pretending to be FBI agents. The owner thinks they’re acting odd and then believes that they’re live-action role-players, pretending to be characters from the <em>Supernatural</em> novels. When Dean and Sam admit they have no idea what he’s talking about, the owner explains that there were a series of novels about two characters named Sam and Dean, who hunt supernatural beings. He shows them the first book, about the Woman in White, and the guys ask for the rest of the books.

The guys go to a hotel room and read all the novels, and realize that they detail the Winchesters’ lives I complete and unbelievable detail. Sam tries to track down the author, Carver Edlund, and realizes it’s a pen name. They go to the publisher of the now out-of-print series. She gushes about how the fictional brothers are real men and how popular they were. The guys try to ask her about Edlund’s real name and she insists they prove they know about the books. They obligingly answer questions about their real lives and finally show her the tattoos they have. She shows them her own intimate tattoo and then gives them Edlund’s real name and address.

The author, Chuck Shirley, is at home writing about the Sam and Dean approaching his house. There’s a knock on the door and he answers it to find… Sam and Dean. He thinks they’re fans even after they show him their monster-hunting equipment. Finally they tell him their real names, which he never wrote down. Convinced, he invites them inside and begins to wonder if he’s a god, and if so how miserable he made their lives. They insist he’s psychic, not a deity, and ask if he’s writing any new material. Chuck tells them that his most recent book features himself as a character, meeting his own characters.

The guys go to a laundromat to review the new story, which predicts everything they’re going to say and do. At home, Chuck has visions of Sam meeting an attractive blonde and having sex with her. When the guys return, he tells them that Lilith is coming and will seduce Sam that night. Sam thinks it’s ridiculous and Chuck explains that Lilith is taking over the body of a dental hygienist. Dean isn’t quite as confident that Sam will resist demonic temptation. As they try to leave town, Sam reads the manuscript, which predicts Dean will see stars, wear bandages with flowers, the Impala’s rear window will break. They try to avoid Chuck’s predictions by driving out of town but discover the only bridge is closed and their trapped. They go to a diner and Dean figures they can do the opposite of what the book predicts and avoid Lilith. As Dean orders a vegetarian tofu hamburger, Sam suggests that now they know where Lilith is going to be, they try to kill her. Dean warns that Sam is nowhere near ready to fight her. Dean enjoys his tofu burger, until he learns the waitress mistakenly gave him a bacon-cheeseburger, just like Chuck predicted.

The manuscript says that they’ll stay at the Red Motel, so Dean and Sam stay at the Toreador. Dean puts down hex bags to repel Lilith and tells Sam to stay there. Since the manuscript says Dean is going to drive around town, he leaves to park the Impala and walk. However, after he parks the Impala two kids try to break in. Dean gets hit by a minivan while crossing the street.

Sam calls Chuck and has him come to the motel. He asks Chuck if eh knows about the demon blood and Chuck explains that he does, but never put it in the novels because it would have made Sam seem unsympathetic. Sam says he has to drink demon blood so he has the power to stop the Apocalypse, but Chuck points out that Dean is the one who is supposed to stop the Apocalypse. Sam says that Dean has changed since he came back from Hell and needs help. Chuck warns that as far as everything he’s seen, it will all come down to Sam in the end.

Dean wakes up to discover the driver that hit him has star earrings, and her daughter has put flowered bandages on Dean. The thieves broke into the Impala by breaking the rear window. Dean goes to Chuck’s home and wants to know how he’s getting his information. Chuck says he doesn’t know and Dean starts to threaten him, but Castiel warns him that Chuck must be protected at all costs. The angel says that Chuck is a prophet of the Lord and offers his respects. As Castiel thumbs through the novels admiringly, he explains that Chuck is a mouthpiece of divine prophecy and he’s writing what one day will be known as the Winchester Gospel. Chuck leaves them and Dean tries to learn how they can save Sam. Castiel tells him that what Chuck has seen is the unalterable future and there’s nothing they can do.

Dean goes back to the Toreador Motel, and discovers some of the sign’s lights have burned out so it now reads “Red.” Realizing they’re in the predicted place and time, Dean tries to get Sam out. Sam has destroyed the hex bags and insists that he’s not going. When he wonders if Dean doesn’t trust him, Dean says that he doesn’t and that Castiel has told him what Sam has been up to. Dean prepares to leave but Sam says he isn’t going. Dean has no choice but to stay and protect his brother as best he can.

Outside, Dean finally turns to God and prays for help. Castiel appears, saying that prayer is a sign of faith and that it’s a good thing. Dean begs him for help but Castiel repeats that he can’t interfere. Dean tells him that when they need his help to stop the Apocalypse, they can forget him. Castiel nervously looks Heavenward, then explains the full situation: an archangel protects Chuck from any harm. If Chuck is in the presence of a demon, the archangel will appear and unleash its entire unstoppable holy wrath upon the enemy. Dean, realizing what Castiel is hinting at, thanks him and goes to get Chuck. Chuck refuses to go with him because of the danger. Dean threatens to shoot him and when Chuck points out the archangel is guarding him, Dean says he’s willing to risk it.

Lilith appears inside of the motel room and asks Sam where the demon-killing knife is. He tells her it’s on the nightstand but she realizes there’s a devil’s trap beneath the rug and easily shatters it. Sam tries to use her powers but Lilith says he’s not yet strong enough. However, his powers make him immune to hers, so they’re stalemated. Lilith offers Sam a deal: she’s discovered that she won’t survive the war. If Dean and Sam sacrifice themselves, she’ll stop the plan to open the Seals and let Lucifer rot in his prison. Sam doesn’t believe her but Lilith says that she’s bound by any deal that she makes and wonders how he can put his life ahead of six billion others. Sam considers and then agrees, and she says that they’ll have to have sex to close this particular deal. He joins her on the bed but then tries to stab her with the demon-killing knife. She rips it away from him and prepares to kill him, but Dean bursts in with Chuck. Dean explains about the archangel and a holy white light begins to fill the room. Lilith flees from her host body before the archangel can appear.

Later, the guys head out of town. Dean wonders if Sam was even tempted, but Sam says that Lilith was just playing him and she would have found a way to weasel out of the deal, leaving both of them dead. Sam is sure Lilith was telling the truth about one thing: she’s worried that she’ll lose. He promises that he’ll kill her no matter what.

Chuck wakes up from a particularly horrific vision, and finds the angel Zachariah watching over him. Chuck wonders if all that he just saw will come true, and Zachariah points out that he hasn’t been wrong yet. Chuck goes to warn the Winchesters, but Zachariah says that no one should know too much of their destiny. If Chuck tries to call them, Zachariah will stop Chuck. When Chuck threatens to kill himself, Zachariah says they’ll simply bring him back to life. When Chuck wonders what he can do, Zachariah tells him to write.

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