5.17 99 Problems

Title	99 Problems
Episode #	Season 5, Episode 17
First aired	April 8, 2010
Directed by	Charles Beeson
Written by	Julie Siege
On IMDB	http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588682/
Outline
Monster	Whore Of Babylon
Timeline
Location(s)	Blue Earth, Minnesota
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Synopsis

The episode opens with Sam and Dean driving away from unknown enemies, both heavily injured and desperately trying to escape. They find the road blocked by a burning truck and are set upon by a group of demons. At the last minute, they are saved by some hunters who use a hose to douse the demons in holy water and utter Enochian words that exorcise the demons instantly. The Winchesters convince the hunters, members of the Sacrament Lutheran Militia, to take them back to their refuge (a church) where they discover that people have gathered together in preparation of the Apocalypse, many of them marrying while they still have the chance. The town is seemingly led by Pastor Gideon but they soon discover that the hunters are guided by what they believe to be the will of Heaven via Leah Gideon, who receives prophetic visions from the Angels.

Leah has a vision of several demons inside a house on the outskirts of town and Pastor Gideon, Dean, Sam, and several hunters go to the house and kill/exorcise the threats. Afterwards, the son of hunters Rob and Jane asks to ride with the Winchesters but is dragged under the Impala and is killed by a demon. The mother subsequently blames the boys during the funeral and Leah receives another vision, claiming that in order for them to reach paradise they must follow the Angels' commandments without reservation (such as no premarital sex, no gambling, no drinking etc). Dean asks Leah about Paradise, and she informs Dean that after there is a major battle, the planet will be handed over to the Chosen, where there will be no monsters, disease, or death but only peace. She also tells him that he is one of the Chosen to inherit Paradise, where he will be with the people that he loves. Sam visits Paul, the local barman who seems unconvinced by the Angels' plans and the two get drunk together. Sam staggers back to the hotel and informs Dean of the extremist lengths the people are going to to fulfill the Angels' wishes.

Dean is uninterested, however, and wishes to leave the townsfolk to it. Sam does not accept this and urges Dean to help him stop them. Dean goes out to clear his head and a very drunk Castiel arrives after Sam left him a message on his voice-mail earlier. Meanwhile, Leah receives word from the Angels: they are furious, for some people are not abiding by their rules and must be dealt with in order for the others to go to paradise. Dean walks by the bar and find several townsfolk hassling the Paul, resulting in Jane shooting him dead "for the greater good". Pastor Gideon does not believe this to be just, but Leah assures him that it is necessary for them to reach salvation. Upon returning to the motel, Dean learns from Castiel and Sam that Leah is in fact dead, and that the creature taking her form is the "Whore of Babylon"; a creature that manifests during the Apocalypse with the sole purpose of damning humans to Hell.

Castiel explains that she can only be killed with a cypress branch wielded by a true servant of Heaven. The boys logically assume that Pastor Gideon is the only one who fits the bill and succeed in convincing him to kill his daughter's imposter, who is at that moment about to burn the "sinners" alive, including innocent children. Sam, Dean, Castiel, and the Pastor try to kill the Whore but she utters an incantation that cripples Castiel temporarily and uses a mild form of telekinesis to keep Sam and Dean at bay. The Pastor tries to impale her with the branch but is thrown aside whilst she tries to kill Dean, but he grabs the branch and stabs her through the heart; killing her instantly.

The boys, Castiel and the Pastor escape the church, leaving Sam wondering how Dean was able to kill the Whore if he didn't have any faith in Heaven. He fears that Dean is considering saying "yes" to Michael, but Dean claims otherwise. At the motel, however, Dean drives off to visit Lisa Braeden. He tells her that, in an ideal world he would want nothing more than to live in peace with her and her son Ben, but knows that this is impossible. He warns her that in the next few days, things are going to get really bad, but not to worry, because the people he is going to see next will not get anything from him unless they promise to make arrangements for their safety. He does not explain his intentions but heavily implies his desire to accept Michael's proposal.

Characters

• Sam Winchester
• Dean Winchester
• Castiel
• Pastor Gideon
• Leah
• Whore Of Babylon
• Lisa Braeden
• Rob and Jane whose son, Dylan, was killed by a demon
• Paul - Bar owner

Definitions

• The Meaning of Episode Titles
• Angel Lore
• Demonology
• Enochian
• Devil's trap (symbol)
• Ruby's Knife

Music

Marc Ferrari and Steve Plunkett - Too Hot to Stop - Sam and Dean in the town bar.

Quotes

Sam: No drinking, no gambling, no premarital sex. Dean, they basically just outlawed 90 percent of your personality.

Sam: [dials Castiel's cell phone]
Castiel's voicemail: You have reached the voice mail of [Castiel: I don’t understand. Why do you want me to say my name?] [sound of numbers being pressed] [beep]

Dean: And the Enochian exorcism?
Castiel: Fake. It actually means "You breed with the mouth of a goat'" … It's funnier in Enochian.

Castiel: Her goal is to condemn as many souls to hell as possible. And it's just beginning. She's well on her way to dragging this whole town into the pit.
Dean: Alright. So then how do we go Pimp of Babylon all over this bitch?

Castiel: The Whore can only be killed by a true servant of Heaven.

Dean: Servant like...?

Castiel: Not you, or me. Sam of course is an abomination. We'll have to find someone else.

Dean: Heads up. [tosses Castiel a bottle of aspirin]

Castiel: How many should I take?

Dean: You? You should probably just down the whole bottle.

Dean: 'Course, that's if you can get past the velvet rope. Must be nice--being chosen.

Leah: Well, Dean... you're chosen.

Dean: More like cursed

Castiel: I found a liquor store. And I drank it.

Jane: I don't understand. How are we supposed to get to paradise now?
Dean: I'm sorry. Pretty sure you're heading in a different direction.

Sam: Are you going to do something stupid?

Dean: Like what?

Sam: Like Michael stupid.

Sam: I got one thing, one thing, keeping me going. You think you’re the only one white-knuckling it Dean? I can’t count on anyone else. I can’t do this alone.

Dean: I have no illusions. I know the life that I live. I know how its going to end for me. Whatever. I’m okay with that. But I wanted you to know, that when I do picture myself happy, it’s with you. And the kid.

Dean: Where the hell have you been?
Castiel: On a bender.

File:Wob.jpg

extract from Book of Revelation

Trivia & References

The title of the episode refers to the Jay-Z song 99 Problems. Watch the video here. It is also the 99th episode of Supernatural.

Pastor Jim's, the hunter friend of the Winchesters, also was based in Blue Earth, Minnesota, and it was here that he was killed by Meg ^{1.21 Salvation}

At Comic Con 2007, Jensen suggested “You know, we ought to just mount one of those old-style sprinkler systems on top of the Impala and have it spit out Holy Water.” Source

When Sam says to Dean “I can’t do this alone” it echoes when Dean said the same thing to Sam in the Pilot.

Sides, Scripts & Transcripts

• 5.17 99 Problems (Transcript)

Promotion

• Episode title
• Title and casting call from spoiler tv.
• Casting spoiler, more info on casting spoiler
• Comments from Sera Gamble on this episode (spoilers through to 5.17 in interview)
• Interview with Michael Shanks
• Another Michael Shanks interview
• Fan pic, video and report from shooting on location
• Synopsis from SpoilerTV
• Promo clip
• Scene Promo
• Space TV promo