Last week, we had a whirlwind adventure involving Hitler … I guess that’s Supernatural for you!
Recap: “Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox”
The week’s episode, “Celebrating The Life Of Asa Fox”, kicks off in a flashback where a younger Mary saves a young boy named Asa Fox (meaning Mary was still hunting after she and John got married and had Dean). She reveals to the boy the truth about monsters and that she’s a hunter. We slip in a montage where we see the boy training to be a Hunter over the years, even writing Mary. Via the montage, we see he’s good hunter who covers a lot of cases over the course of his life, which ends about the same time as the montage.
Then, we cut to president and see Sheriff Jody about to binge watch some Netflix and getting a surprise visit from Jared and Sam, who happen to be in town (Dean, of course, tells Jody that he killed Hitler last week). A phone call interrupts their Netflix and pizza. A hunter friend of Jody’s has died. You guessed it: Asa Fox. The boys remember hearing stories about him and ask to join Jody to the wake; it’s been a long time since they’ve been to a hunter gathering.
They make the five hour trek to the event, where a huge group of hunters are partying. When Dean introduces himself to a group, they found the fact that Dean and Sam are alive as a surprise. The hunters explain to Dean that, if they think the stories of Asa’s are crazy, they should hear the stories people tell about Sam and Dean. You know, possessed by the devil and all the times they died … creating for some awkward party conversations.
Sam begins to wonder if Asa actually died “on the job” — at which point Dean reminds him that they’re not in the “live ’til you’re 90 and die in your sleep” business.
Over the course of the party, we see one of the hunters get knifed and disappears. But, before anyone else notices, a surprise guest shows up: Mary. Tensions run high between the boys and Mary. “So you’ll text us once a week, maybe, but you’ll drive all the way to Canada to see some dead guy?” asks Dean as he storms off. Jody confronts him and explains that, as complicated as it all is, she’d give anything to have her son and husband back. Even though, she explains, she’d be terrified as to how it would all work out.
Asa’s mom and Mary chat in the kitchen. She blames Mary for Asa becoming a hunter and gives her a box full of postcards he’d written to Mary over the years but had never been able to send. Angrily, she tells Mary how Asa never had a life because he chose to become a hunter.
Mary confides to Sam she just doesn’t feel like she belongs, and Sam explains that everyone just needs time. Dean is worried they’re going to lose her again because they’re hunters, even though it’s obvious she’s never actually gave up being a hunter either. They go to say their goodbyes to Asa but discover the body of the missing hunter from earlier.
But, before Sam and Mary can get everyone out, they discover they’ve all been locked inside by the demon who killed Asa. The demon is hopping from person to person.
Meanwhile, outside, Dean (who is sulking) runs into Bobbie the reaper and discovers what’s happening. Billie helps Dean get back into the house. He arrives just in time to confront the demon (who is one of the hunters), and he gets away before Dean can finish an exorcism. They prepare a devil’s trap to hold everyone, so they can see who is possessed and who is not. As it turns out, in the next moment, it’s Jody.
Possessed Jody begins to taunt everyone with their secrets. As a group, they are able to complete the exorcism and get rid of the demon, but not before one of the secrets revealed is that Bucky, one the hunters, was actually the person who killed Asa.
As it turned out, while chasing the demon on their last hunt, Bucky and Asa got into a minor scuffle where Asa accidentally hit his head. To cover it up, Bucky hanged Asa and blamed the demon.
After burning the bodies the next day, Jody and Mary have a heart-to-heart, where Jody tells Mary that they’re are the best men she’d ever met. Mary agrees and explains the problem is not the boys.
Before Mary and the boys can talk it out, Billie shows back up to collect the soul owed to her for helping Dean. And the soul she wants to collect is Mary’s because she knows Mary doesn’t want to be there. A one way ticket upstairs. Mary tells Billie she’ll just have to wait.
“Winchesters,” she says, as she disappears.
Mary and the boys head to the car together to go get some breakfast. And bacon. All the bacon.
Looking forward…
The highlight of this episode was a return to some old school demon possession, the return of Sheriff Jody and seeing Mary find her place. And, in next week’s sneak peek, we get Cas, we get Crowley, and we get Lucifer (RICK SPRINGFIELD!). Season 12 is kicking ass and taking names, my friends.
And while I have your attention a little Supernatural PSA: It was announced this week that, when Supernatural returns following their winter break, January 26, it will be starting an hour earlier at 8pm! Mark your calendars, kids!
Catch up with Season 11 of Supernatural on DVD or Blu-Ray!
