Season 7; Episode 4: "Defending Your Life"

The Winchester's meet Osiris, a greek god who puts people on trial who feel guilty about things they have done in the past and Dean is put on trial for the many things he bears guilt for although none of it is really his fault. And we meet another Supernatural fan favorite once again, even if she is dead, any reason to bring Jo Harvelle back is a good one. And if this episode didn't make you bawl, I don't know what will.

 

 "Defending Your Life"

This week Supernatural puts Dean on trial, literally, to judge his guilt. It's a good idea, one this show needs given last week's episode when Dean killed Amy and lied to Sam about it. Unfortunately, the result feels like when a defendant gets off on a technicality.

The Egyptian god Osiris is putting people who feel guilty on trial and sentencing them to death. The punishments are delightfully fitting, like a man who ran a dog fighting ring getting mauled by a ghost Rottweiler. Dean is perhaps the biggest defendant of all-time given all the guilt he carries with him, and this leads the big trial.

Sam steps up as his lawyer (because he was pre-law and watches The Good Wife, which might be even more embarrassing than Dean's Dr. Sexy M.D. obsession). Osiris calls Jo and Sam to the stand to prove that Dean is responsible for putting them in danger, but Sam does a good job disproving it. The truth is that Jo and Sam would've been roped into this world no matter what and Dean has no real responsibility for it.

But Dean does have guilt over Amy, and his refusal to tell Sam about it gets him sentenced to death. Ghost Jo shows up to carry out the sentence (a death similar to her own as she turns on the gas in the motel and prepares to light it, blowing him up). Luckily, however, Bobby comes in for the last minute save, revealing that a ram's horn can temporarily kill Osiris.

This leads Sam to a synagogue where he grabs a shofar and kills Osiris. I suspect there might be some deeper meaning behind an Egyptian god being killed with a Jewish religious artifact, but I don't know enough about religion to fully understand it.

So Dean gets away scot-free and he doesn't even need to tell Sam about what he did to Amy. See, I told you he got off on a technicality. The big lesson of the episode isn't about Dean, but about Sam. We learn that he doesn't feel guilty about anything anymore because he views his time in Hell as penance that wiped the slate clean. I'm not sure if I believe that, and the final scene made me think back to Sam's soulless times. All is definitely not right with him.

Next week on Supernatural: So far season 7 started with two great episodes and followed it up with two mediocre ones, but next week could be great again. It's the big Buffy reunion with Charisma Carpenter and James Marsters.

Love Deano's face in this one!

How can you not cry?!

 

Quotes

Sam: Dean: With a license? License to kill.
Sam: Seriously?


Sam: All right, congrats on your sobriety. I'll go find out where Jane's is.
Dean: I--I gave up AA for Lent.
Sam: We're not Catholic.
Dean: Always with the details.


Warren: You believe me? Who the hell are you?
Sam: We kind of... specialize in crazy.


Mia: You may want to slow your roll there.
Dean: The more I drink, the better I tip.
Mia: Yeah, well I'm off in an hour. So don't pass out on me.
Dean: Well, then I think I'll switch to beer.
Mia: Good choice.


Dean: Uh, Sam, you're not a lawyer.
Sam: I was pre-law.
Dean: Yeah, "pre."


Osiris: I can make it very simple. Three witnesses.
Sam: Objection!
Osiris: Grounds?
Sam: Witness is being called without prior notice.
Dean: Good one.
Sam: I saw it on The Good Wife.


Bobby: Near as I can figure, it ought to put him down for a couple of centuries at least.
it's worked a few times since the pharaohs were big.
Sam: So it's temporary.
Bobby: Long temporary. I saw we slap that Band-Aid on and leave finding a cure
to some hunter in a space suit.


Jo: He was right about one thing.
Dean: What, your massive crush on me?
Jo: Shut up. You carry all kinds of crap you don't have to, Dean. It kind of gets clearer when you're dead
Dean: Well, in that case, you should be able to see that I am 90%... crap. I get rid of that, what then?
Jo: You really want to die not knowing?

 My closing thoughts on "Defending Your Life": Although this episode was just a filler in the story of the Winchesters and the Leviathans, but just because Jo Harvelle returned and professed her love for Dean made this episode one of the greatest for me, please tell me why did they have to kill Ellen and Jo? They were my favorite women of Supernatural.