The winter season finale starts off with a bang, not a whimper. We jump right into Sam’s vision, in the cage with Lucifer gently touching Sam’s cheek. No more speculation or theorizing kids, we are officially back in the cage and running with the devil. And I, for one, could not be more excited.

Sam snaps out of vision of the cage and asks God up to the sky if this is truly coming from him, and suddenly the bush behind Sam bursts into flames. For those of you who need a biblical translation that’s bible for talk for “Uhh, YES it’s me, God.”

Back in the bunker Sam convinces Dean that they may need to seriously consider finding a way to get him back to the cage to talk to Lucifer. It may be the only way to stop Amara. Dean agrees to at least visit Crowley to see if it’s even possible.

Meanwhile Amara is seeking out and killing preachers and other Godly folk in an attempt to find and God and get his attention. In a small church, Amara simply asks to make an appointment with God. The priest suggests she pray to God. She gives a quick try and immediately cries, “It’s not working!” She then challenges the priest that the fact no one can see God is ridiculous. The priest reminds her that God is the light and the only one who can cast out the darkness. She then eats his soul, along with the souls of everyone else in the church.

Crowley gets up to speed and says there might be a way, with the Book Of The Damned. Crowley has Rowena brought to them, and they all agree they have to find a way to work together… even if none of them trust each other. Rowena needs to open the cage, but protect Sam so Lucifer can’t get out.

As Rowena begins to research the book to find a way to open the cage, Dean heads off to investigate the killing in the church, suspecting it was Amara. While outside he senses Amara and follows his “sense” to a nearby park where low and behold, she is. She touches him and they disappear to some remote place.

Meanwhile Sam tries and fails to call Dean to tell him to rush back because Rowena has figured out how to open the cage. They run out of time, so Sam, Crowley, and Rowena head to hell without Dean. They end up in the darkest reaches of hell, where it is dark and empty, suiting Crowley as Sam points out. Rowena performs the spell outside the cage and it appears to work.

Amara and Dean share a moment where she explains to Dean that he has misunderstood her purpose. She is only trying to get God’s attention. God forced her hand, she did not want to kill his children. She tells Dean that when she eats people’s souls they are not really gone, they become a part of her and live forever. She shares her story, that God was threatened by Amara, and that was why he exiled her, erased her.

God encouraged religions to stroke his own ego she tells him. Dean explains that some people find comfort in that. What if there was nothing she asks? No pain, no prayer, just bliss. “I was the beginning, and I will be the end. I will be all that there is,” she tells Dean. “God was the light, I am the dark.” Dean keeps her monologuing as he sneaks his knife out to stab her, but it simply shatters upon impact. She can’t be resisted, she exclaims, but instead of taking his soul she begins to kiss him, and no, he does not resist. She reminds him that they are bonded because he bore the mark, and was the one to set her free. Together they will become one.

But then conversation is cut short when the peanut gallery (Angels) show up, thinking they’re going to just take Amara down. They fail. Pretty miserably I might add. After the angels are killed, the skies grow dark with storms and lightening. Someone in heaven is pissed, but Amara smiles, thinking maybe she has finally gotten God’s attention. Fearing for Dean she sends him away then throws open her arms to the sky as a large bolt of lightning zaps her away. Dean find himself back at the park.

Is she dead? Has God summoned her? I have no idea.

Meanwhile back in the darkest depths of hell the spell works and Lucifer is revealed, in the cage. The moment we’ve been waiting 5 seasons for! Lucifer’s back!

“My old friend Crowley.” Lucifer is annoyed when he sees Crowley and asks what Crowley wants, then Sam steps out of the shadows.”Hug it out?” Lucifer asks.

Sam tells Lucifer that darkness is free and Lucifer admits he is aware of what she once was, and that she wasn’t good. He asks where God is and Sam has to admit there has been no indication of his presence, except for reaching out to Sam by answering his prayers and suggesting he come see Lucifer to find a way to stop her.

Lucifer explains that in terms of raw power God and the darkness are equals, but in terms of experience she doesn’t compare. God is a master strategist and always has a plan. Lucifer says he can do it, but he needs a vessel. One strong enough to hold him. One that just happens to be handy. And that song remains the same…

Lucifer reminds Sam, “Desperate times and all that.” And that Sam’s visions were the word of God, and he can’t can’t say no to that. But he does. Sam says no and turns away…

But as he does the warning symbols Rowena has set up to protect him disappear and suddenly Sam is in the cage, just as he was in the vision. Sam remains calm and tells Lucifer that this was just as God had said it would be.

Then Lucifer reveals that God never sent him the visions. When the darkness was released the cage was broken and Lucifer was able to reach out to Sam. The visions had been Lucifer all along. God is still nowhere to be found.

Roomies again.

And with that kids, the mid season finale brings what has shaped up to be a superb season so far to it’s cliffhanging halt. So until January 20th, may the winter hellatus be kind to you all.