14.10 Nihilism
Title | Nihilism |
Episode # | Season 14, Episode 10 |
First aired | January 17, 2019 |
Directed by | Amanda Tapping |
Written by | Steve Yockey |
On IMDB | Nihilism |
Outline | Sam and Castiel travel into Dean's mind to help him regain control while they have Michael captured. Meanwhile, Jack and the hunters from Apocalypse World contend with Michael's monster army descending on the Bunker. |
Monster | Michael Michael's Monsters |
Timeline | December 25, 2018 |
Location(s) | Rocky's Bar Kansas City, Missouri Lebanon, Kansas |
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Contents
Synopsis
Characters
- Sam Winchester
- Dean Winchester
- Castiel
- Jack Kline
- Pamela Barnes
- Billie / Death
- Michael (Apocalypse World)
- Maggie (Apocalypse World)
- Smithy
- Violet
Definitions
- Angel Blade
- Angel Cuffs
- Apocalypse World
- Archangel
- Death's Reading Room
- Djinn
- God
- Holy Oil
- Hunters
- Hunter's Lingo
- Kaia's Spear
- Men of Letters Bunker
- Michael's Monsters
- Mind Hacking
- Monsters
- Nephilim
- Reapers
- Rocky's Bar
- Rugaru
- Shapeshifters
- Soul
- Soullessness
- Table of Death
- Teleportation
- Vampires
- Vessel
- Werewolves
Music
- "Searchin' for a Rainbow" by The Marshall Tucker Band
- (playing in Rocky's Bar)
Quotes
Violet: Well, my name's Violet. It's my shift. We have shifts now, because you mess up so, so many things.
Michael: Oh, please. Sam's in so far over his head, he's drowning. And Dean? Well, I've got Dean under control.
Jack: No. Dean -- he's strong.
Michael: He's a gnat. I'm a god. Who would you bet on?
Jack: You don't know anything about Dean.
Castiel: Tell me. Why do you hate this world enough to burn it to the ground?
Michael: Because I can. Because... me and my brother -- my Lucifer -- when we fought in my world, we thought that God would come back, give us answers -- why He'd gone, what we'd done -- but, instead, do you know what happened? Nothing. No God. Nothing. And now... now that I'm in here -- now I know why. God -- Chuck -- is a writer, and like all writers, He churns out draft after draft. My world? This world? Nothing but failed drafts. And when He realizes that they're flawed, He moves on and tries again.
Castiel: No, that's not how... Why would He do that?
Michael: Because He doesn't care! About you, me -- anything. Now, at first, I thought I'd do it better. Show Him. Be more God than God. But now... I just want to burn every one of His little worlds until I catch up to the old man.
Castiel: And then what?
Sam: And burn off your soul?
Jack: Not all of it.
Castiel: Contentment.
Dean: Get out of my head.
Michael: You don't mean that, Dean, not really. You may lie to them, but, deep down, I know you. I am you. You only tolerate the angel because you think you owe him, because he 'gripped you tight and raised you from Perdition.' Or whatever. But since then, what has he done? Only made mistakes, one after the other. And, Sam -- oh, Sam... You know, Dean was his happiest when you quit hunting, leaving him with your dad, just the two of them. See, deep down, he knows that you will always abandon him, again and again.
Dean: Shut up!
Dean: Then we don't kick him out. We keep him in. It'll hold. My mind, my rules. I got him. I'm the Cage.
Billie: I took a calculated risk. I warned you about the dangers of jumping from world to world. But you ignored me, didn't you?
Trivia & References
- The name of the bar and the moose's head hanging on the wall are a reference to Crowley's nickname for Dean and Sam, which was Squirrel and Moose -- a reference to Rocky the squirrel and Bullwinkle the moose from the cartoon The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends. In fact, "Moose" became so popular with Crowley that it spread to Jared, other cast members, and the fans. (See all its uses in canon here.)
- There is also a stuffed squirrel wearing an aviator's cap and goggles as Rocky does in the cartoon behind the bar, holding a bottle of Margiekugel -- a beer created for the show that features regularly and is named for Production Designer Jerry Wanek's mother.
- "Daphne Loves Fred" can be seen carved inside a heart on the bar in Rocky's. This is a reference to Daphne Blake and Fred Jones from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! who appeared in 13.16 Scoobynatural. Dean has a crush on Daphne and was frustrated by her affection for Fred.
- The wooden monkey behind the bar originally lived on the corner of the bar at Harvelle's Roadhouse. In 2.02 Everybody Loves a Clown when the boys first visit the Roadhouse, Ash is passed out drunk on the pool table, referenced here with the vampire pretending to be passed out at the bar.
- There is an Impala tribute behind the bar including two photos of the Impala and the KAZ 2Y5 license plate.
- There is a "Texan Star" neon sign. Jensen grew up, and still lives, in Texas.
- The bar also features other things Dean loves, including a cassette deck and a pool table.
- There is a neon "Tom's Tequila" sign - a reference to director Thomas J. Wright.
- In the bar office, there is a Busty Asian Beauties calendar and an autographed photo of Canadian actress Kathleen Roberston.
- Cosmic Cowboy IPA, along with the other beers on tap -- Ghost White IPA and Fox Rye Lager -- are beers from Jensen's Family Business Beer Company located in Austin, Texas. The beer coasters also feature the Family Business Beer Co. logo. There is a Family Business Beer Company neon sign on the wall opposite the bar.
Dean: Yeah. Upbeat classics.
Billie: Well, it's the funniest thing, but they've all been rewritten. They all end the same way now -- with the archangel Michael escaping your mind and using you as his vessel to burn down this world.
Dean: All of them?
Billie: All of them. Except one.
- Billie revealing to Dean how his deaths have all been rewritten as the same thing -- Michael escaping and destroying the world -- except for one, is similar to Avengers: Infinity War, where Doctor Strange looks into fourteen million, six hundred and five possible outcomes against Thanos, all of which result in their defeat, except for one.
Minutiae
- This refers to the events of 9.10 Road Trip. And much like Sam's dream world created by Gadreel, Sam is also working a ghoul case in Dean's mind, though we are unaware if it also involved cheerleaders.
Sam: It's the, uh, messed up British Men of Letters thing they used to get inside people's heads. I figure if I can get in, maybe I can wake Dean up, get him to fight, you know, to force Michael out.
- The device Sam refers to is the same one Lady Antonia Bevell used to brainwash Mary Winchester and then to get Dean into her head in 12.22 Who We Are to save Mary.
Dean's Trauma:
(0:18) Dean screaming
(0:18-0:28) 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two – Dean's monologue to Sam’s dead body.
- Dean: You know, when we were little, you couldn’t have been more than five, you started asking questions.
(0:20) 3.04 Sin City – Dean is trapped with the demon Casey, and Sam comes to save him, unknowingly accompanied by another demon, father Gil. Father Gil attacks Sam and Bobby.
- Dean: Sammy, down here! The basement caved in!
(0:23) 13.23 Let the Good Times Roll – Micheal reneges on his agreement to let Dean be in the driver’s seat.
- Dean: We had a deal!
(0:24) 3.04 Sin City – see 0:20
- Sam: Hold on, okay? We’re coming.
(0:25) (3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me – confronted by his fears of Hell and all of his insecurities.
- Demon!Dean Vision: You can’t escape me, Dean! You’re gonna die! And this, this is what you’re gonna become!
(0:27- 0:39) 7.10 Death's Door arguing with Sam about Chuck Norris vs Bruce Lee on movie night in one of Bobby’s best memories.
- Dean: I don’t even know you right now! It’s not even a contest.
- Sam: It depends on the criteria.
- Dean: Survival is the only criteria, all right? And when the crap hits the fan, it’s not about who has skill. It’s about who’s the bigger badass.
(0:30) 3.16 No Rest for the Wicked – Dean in Hell.
- Dean: Somebody help me! Sam!
(0:34) 12.23 All Along the Watchtower – Cas getting stabbed by Lucifer.
- Dean: No!
(0:36) 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me – see 0:25
- Demon!Dean Vision: Your own father didn’t care whether you lived or died.
(0:38) Dean screaming
(0:43) 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two – see 0:18
- Dean: I remember I begged you, quit askin’ Sammy, man, you don’t wanna know.
(0:46-0:57) 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me – see 0:25 I think almost this whole scene is in there in the background.
- Demon!Dean Vision: What are the things that you want? What are the things that you dream? I mean, your car? That’s Dad’s. Your favorite leather jacket? Dad’s. Your music? Dad’s. Do you even have an original thought?
(0:59) 5.22 Swan Song – Lucifer!Sam beating up Dean.
- Dean: I’m not gonna leave you.
(01:02) 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me – see 0:25
- Demon!Dean Vision: “Watch out for Sammy. Look out for your little brother, boy!”
(unidentifiable)
(01:15) 2.05 Simon Said – They’re looking through Andy’s van.
- Sam: Hegel, Kant, Wittgenstein? That’s some pretty heavy reading, Dean.
(01:17) 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me – see 0:25
- Demon!Dean Vision: All he ever did was boss you around.
(01:20) 1.02 Wendigo – Dean explains to Sam that he thinks John wants them to hunt together because he left them his journal.
- Dean: Y'know, saving people, hunting things, the family business.
Good Memories:
(02:00) 2.19 Folsom Prison Blues – Dean meets Henriksen for the first time after being arrested.
- Dean: I think I’m adorable.
(02:02) 14.04 Mint Condition – Sam tells Dean his puke story.
- Dean: Okay seriously, why? Why do you hate Halloween? What is it, was it the time I, I ate all your Halloween candy?
(02:03) 4.14 Sex and Violence - Dean is excited to work a case that involves strippers.
- Sam: You seem pretty cheery.
- Dean: Strippers, Sammy. Strippers. We’re on an actual case involving strippers. Finally.
(02:09) 6.18 Frontierland – Western episode.
- Dean: I’ll stay here, hook up with the posse. ‘Cause you know me – I’m a posse magnet.
(02:13) 2.21 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part One – the last thing he says to Sam before Sam is taken to the ghost town and is eventually killed.
- Dean: Hey, see if they got any pie!
Dean: What'd you say?
- In 9.10 Road Trip, when Crowley was trying to help free Sam from Gadreel, Dean told Crowley that "Poughkeepsie" is Sam and Dean's distress signal, meaning to drop everything and run. Crowley used it again to warn Dean about Abaddon's trap in 9.21 King of the Damned