7.21 Reading Is Fundamental (Transcript)
Written by: Ben Edlund
Directed by: Ben Edlund
Air Date: 4 May 2012
Contents
NOW
Suite No. 5 in C minor by Johann Sebastian Bach plays. We see a close-up of a framed National Scholastic Society certificate in the name of KEVIN TRAN. The camera pans along the wall, revealing many other certificates.
INT. – TEENAGER’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN is playing Bach on a cello.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
SAM and DEAN enter a large unlit room carrying flashlights and bags, including the case they stole from DICK ROMAN in 7.20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo. SAM puts the case on a table and DEAN puts a duffel bag down on the floor. SAM opens his laptop. DEAN walks over to the case on the table.
INT. – TEENAGER’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN’s cell phone rings. He continues to play until an alert on his computer pops up with the message “Cello Practice Complete.” He then puts the cello aside and answers the phone.
GIRL
Hey, Kevin.
KEVIN
Princeton just adjusted its acceptance rate down to 8.7% for 2013.
INT. – GIRL’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
An Asian-American GIRL is sitting on her bed talking on the phone.
GIRL
Breathe, Kevin. Are you studying?
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN
I'm talking to you.
An alert on KEVIN’s computer screen reads “Elective Period 14:55”.
KEVIN
I'll start on probability and statistics in 14 minutes.
The scene switches between KEVIN’s and the GIRL’s bedrooms.
GIRL
I hate probability.
KEVIN
Tomorrow's my last chance to get a perfect math score.
GIRL
Your S.A.T.s are great!
KEVIN
Channing, everybody's S.A.T.s are great. I have to do perfect.
CHANNING
Who knows? The essays are at least as important.
KEVIN hits some buttons on his computer and brings up a document headed “College Admission Essay.” The rest of the document is blank.
KEVIN
I have absolutely nothing to say.
CHANNING
I know. I know what you mean. I read one by a kid who got into Cornell. He didn't have any arms or legs or anything. He had to type the whole thing with his mouth. It was beautiful.
KEVIN
I am so screwed.
CHANNING
You know, no matter what, one day, college isn't going to matter anymore.
KEVIN
You're out of your mind.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
SAM is unwrapping the piece of clay in the case. He takes it out and puts it on the table. DEAN walks over with a tool box.
DEAN
That's a lot of fuss over a caveman lego.
SAM
Yeah. Well, whatever Dick wants is bricked up inside that.
DEAN takes a mallet out of the tool box, hands SAM a pair of safety glasses and puts some on himself.
DEAN
All right.
DEAN hits the clay once. Thunder claps.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN’s blank college admission essay is still on the screen. KEVIN, who is standing, opens an energy drink and takes a sip. Lightening flashes and thunder claps.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN hits the clay again. Lightening flashes and thunder claps.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN takes another drink.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN
That sound like somebody saying, "No, wait – stop," to you?
SAM
Uh... Yeah. Yeah.
DEAN
Yeah. [shrugs] Oh, well.
DEAN hits the clay several more times.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Lightening flashes.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN continues to hammer at the clay.
EXT. – SKY – NIGHT
White light radiates from above the clouds and seems to erupt as the thunder roars.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN continues to hammer at the clay.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Kevin looks up as more lightening flashes.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN continues to hammer at the clay.
EXT. – SKY – NIGHT
Bolts of lightening shoot down from the clouds.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
The lightening reaches into KEVIN’s room and strikes him. He yells as he is lifted off the ground.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN lifts an inscribed stone tablet out of the broken clay casing.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN is suspended in the air by the lightening as pieces of the roof swirl and fall around him. He drops to the floor, which is covered in broken glass. White light flashes behind his closed eyes.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN turns the tablet over.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN lies on the floor as white light shines behind his closed eyelids. We see close-ups of some kind of hieroglyphics and when the camera returns to KEVIN there is no longer white light in his eyes. His body jerks on the floor and then goes still.
SUPERNATURAL (Title Card)
ACT ONE
INT. – HOSPITAL – NIGHT
CASTIEL lies in bed with his eyes closed as lightening flashes and thunder claps. MEG, who is pretending to be NURSE MASTERS, is sitting by his bed listening to music and reading a magazine. MEG raises her eyes from the magazine to see that CASTIEL has sat up. He turns to look at her.
EXT. – GEOTHRIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE – NIGHT
Lightening flashes and thunder claps. A large billboard reads “Geothrive Inc. – Planning Your Future With Pride!”
INT. – OFFICE – NIGHT
EDGAR the Leviathan and another man are looking at design plans.
EDGAR
I don't know. I think the line might panic when they turn this corner, see the blade assembly up ahead.
EDGAR’s phone rings and he takes it out of his pocket. The display reads “Dick Calling.”
EDGAR
Strange, isn't it, that someone would choose to be named "Dick"?
Lightening flashes as EDGAR answers the phone.
EDGAR
Yes?
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN lies on the floor amidst broken glass. His phone rings. As he begins to stir, the call goes to voice mail.
KEVIN’S RECORDED MESSAGE
This is Kevin Tran's voicemail. Please leave a message.
KEVIN’S MOTHER
Kevin, it's Mom. I know you're at school [KEVIN opens his eyes] already, about to take the test. [KEVIN sits upright.] And I know all your hard work will net the results…
KEVIN’s clock reads 10:22.
KEVIN
22! [He gets to his feet.]
KEVIN’S MOTHER
…we've discussed, but like Dr. Ender said…
KEVIN
Wait!
KEVIN’S MOTHER
…don't obsess on the quote unquote perfect.
KEVIN
No. No. No!
KEVIN grabs a shirt and looks at his calendar on his computer.
KEVIN’S MOTHER
That's just a nice feather in our cap, if we get it. Now, Kevin, we're about to finish up our last seminar. [KEVIN puts his shirt in a bag.] My flight's confirmed for 7:00, so I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow. Love you, honey.
White light flashes and appears in KEVIN’s eyes. We see close-ups of the hieroglyphics interspersed with KEVIN’s face.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – DAY
DEAN, who is lying on the ground, wakes. The news is playing.
REPORTER
...At a lost to explain the continent-wide storm system that appeared seemingly out of nowhere, blanketing a good part of the nation in freak lightning displays.
DEAN stands up. SAM is listening to the news on his laptop at the table.
REPORTER
Here with Dr. Marlon Price of the U.S. Meteorological Survey at a press conference earlier today.
DR MARLON PRICE
Baffled? No, I'm not baffled. [DEAN washes his face at the sink.] Frankly, I'm offended. This is not the way weather behaves.
REPORTER
Power outages and related damages to electronic equipment have been reported from as far east as Cape Cod [indistinct]…
A metal cup near DEAN moves.
DEAN
Bobby? Bobby, that you?
SAM
Think so. [He holds up a flashing EMF reader.] But that whole adventure at Roman's seems to have drained his batteries.
DEAN
So, what? We start the storm heard 'round the world?
SAM
When we broke this thing [SAM touches the stone tablet] open last night, every maternity ward within a hundred-mile radius got slammed. Looks like any woman in the last month of her pregnancy went into labor.
DEAN
Hmm. [DEAN picks up the tablet.] This one goes out to all the ladies. So, heavyweight signs, omens – what do we got?
SAM
I assume it's writing. But I've never seen anything like it, ever. And it doesn't match anything in any book or online.
DEAN
All right, so big daddy chomper lands here, he grabs himself some Dick... and then he starts secretly underwriting university departments, pouring money into digs – all for this. Why?
SAM
No clue. We do know that he will be tearing new ones until he gets it back, though. Look, we got to take a minute, hole up somewhere safe, find out what we've got.
DEAN
Rufus' cabin, then?
SAM
Yeah.
DEAN
This time, I'm doing the shopping.
SAM’s phone rings.
SAM
It's Meg.
SAM answers the phone. The scene switches between SAM and DEAN in the abandoned building and MEG in the hospital.
SAM
What?
MEG
What up, Bullwinkle? Just a little FYI call. Your boy's awake.
SAM
What? [to DEAN] Cas is awake.
DEAN
When? [SAM puts the phone on speaker and holds it out.] When?
MEG
Last night about eight.
DEAN
And you waited till now to call us?
MEG
I've been busy with Cas. He's just a tad different than when he dozed off, 'kay?
DEAN
What do you mean, different?
MEG
Hey, Seacrest, guess what – not a nurse. Just playing one on TV. Want answers? Start driving.
MEG hangs up.
SAM
Great. So, Indiana?
DEAN
Yeah. Eight o’clock last night.
SAM
Yeah. Same time we opened up that thing.
We see close-ups of the hieroglyphics and KEVIN’s eyes, lit by white light.
CAR – NIGHT
KEVIN is driving. He swerves.
KEVIN
Ahh! Ahh!
KEVIN’s phone rings.
KEVIN
Ahh!
He answers the phone. The scene switches between KEVIN in the car and CHANNING in her bedroom.
KEVIN
Who?
CHANNING
Kevin? Where were you today? You missed the test!
KEVIN
I...
CHANNING
And student council and quartet.
KEVIN
I had to take my mom's car. I-I think I had a seizure or something. [White light flashes in his eyes.] I've been chosen. It's my birthright.
CHANNING
Oh, my God, Kevin, all the pressure you've been under. This isn't one of those overachiever-teen meltdowns, is it?
KEVIN
I'm supposed to keep going. I'm not allowed to stop.
CHANNING
What do you mean, "not allowed"? [KEVIN puts down the phone.] Is someone with you? They didn't make you take your mother's car, did they? Kevin?!
KEVIN makes a right-hand turn and heads west.
ACT TWO
EXT. – HOSPITAL – NIGHT
INT. – HOSPITAL – NIGHT
CASTIEL is looking out the window in his room. DEAN and SAM walk down the hallway.
DEAN
We raced all the way here, and now I don't know. I can't say I'm fired up to see what's left of the guy.
SAM
You think he remembers at all?
DEAN
That, and I'm guessing whatever kind of hell baggage he lifted off of your plate. It's not gonna be pretty.
ORDERLY
Hey. Excuse me, gentlemen, but it's way past visiting hours.
MEG
It's okay, Abel. I've been expecting them. Hello, boys.
MEG leads SAM and DEAN to CASTIEL’s room. CASTIEL is still staring out the window.
DEAN
Hey, Cas.
CASTIEL turns around.
CASTIEL
Hello, Dean. Sam.
SAM
Hey, Castiel.
DEAN
Look at you, walkin' and talkin'. That's – that's great, right?
CASTIEL walks over to DEAN and points a finger at him.
CASTIEL
Pull my finger.
DEAN
What?
CASTIEL
My finger – pull it.
DEAN does so. There is a crash, the lights go out and window and light fixture shatter. CASTIEL laughs. MEG turns on a lamp.
DEAN
Okay, just hang on, Cas. Wait. Let us catch up to you for a second.
SAM
So, you're saying you remember who you are, what you are.
CASTIEL
Yes. Of course. Oh. Outside today, in the garden, I followed a honeybee. I saw the route of flowers. It's all right there, the whole plan. There's nothing to add.
SAM
You might want to add a little Thorazine.
MEG
Right? He's been like the naked guy at the rave ever since he woke up. Totally useless.
CASTIEL
Will you look at her? My caretaker. All of that thorny pain. So beautiful.
MEG
We've been over this. I don't like poetry. Put up or shut up.
SAM
Okay. So, Cas, you said you woke up last night?
CASTIEL
Yes. I heard a ping that pierced me, and, well, you wouldn't have heard it unless you were an angel at the time.
SAM hands CASTIEL a bag containing the stone tablet.
SAM
That's also when we opened this.
CASTIEL
Oh. Of course. Now I understand.
SAM
Understand what?
CASTIEL
You were the ones. Well... I guess that makes sense.
DEAN
What makes sense?
CASTIEL
If someone was going to free the Word from the vault of the earth, it would end up being you two. Oh, I love you guys.
CASTIEL pulls DEAN and SAM into a hug.
DEAN
Oh. Uck. Okay. All right. Okay.
SAM pats CASTIEL briefly on the back.
SAM
Yeah, yeah. You – you said something about "The Word." Is that what's written on there?
CASTIEL
Did you know that a cat's penis is sharply barbed along its shaft? I know for a fact the females were not consulted about that.
DEAN
Cas, please, we're losing ground out there, okay? We need your help. Can you not see that?
CASTIEL
This is the handwriting of Metatron.
SAM
Metatron? You saying a Transformer wrote that?
DEAN
No. That's Megatron.
SAM
What?
DEAN
The Transformer – it's Megatron.
SAM
What?
CASTIEL
Metatron. He's an angel. He's the scribe of God. He took down dictation when creation was being formed.
SAM
And that's the Word of God?
CASTIEL
One of them, yes.
SAM
Uh... Well, what's it say, then?
CASTIEL
Uh... "Tree?” [He looks at SAM and DEAN.] "Horse?" "Fiddler crab?" I can't read it. It wasn't meant for angels.
MEG
Okay, this all sounds bad. What are you two jackasses doing with the Word of God? Let me see that thing.
DEAN
Back off, Meg.
MEG
Come on, it's my ass, too.
DEAN
Back off.
MEG
Damn it! Enough of this "demons are second-class citizens" crap!
CASTIEL
Don't like conflict.
CASTIEL disappears and the stone tablet drops to the floor, breaking into three pieces.
SAM
Uh...
DEAN
What the hell was that?
MEG
You heard him. He doesn't like conflict. He's down in the dayroom now. I guarantee it.
DEAN
All right, I'll go handle Cas. Sam, will you please pick up the Word of God?
SAM
Yeah.
DEAN leaves the room.
MEG
What are you guys caught up in now?
SAM starts putting the pieces of the stone tablet into the bag.
MEG
I deserve to know, Sam.
SAM doesn’t answer.
MEG
Okay, fine. I'll hit the road, then. Let me just go get my angel.
MEG leaves the room. SAM goes after her, leaving the bag on the floor in CASTIEL’s room.
SAM
Meg, what are you talking about? Stop.
MEG
We both call, who do you think Cas will come to? I'm guessing me. You heard him – thorny beauty, blah, blah. I'm the saint who stayed with him. He owes me. His words.
SAM
Yeah, what about what he owes us?
MEG
Well, work on him a little. Maybe he'll start crushing on you, too, hot stuff.
SAM
What are you gonna do with a broken angel? Don't be stupid.
MEG
I'll take power where I can get it. I've got myself to look out for.
They hear a noise and head back to CASTIEL’s room.
SAM
What the hell?
The bag containing the stone tablet is gone.
EXT. – HOSPITAL – NIGHT
KEVIN is running with the bag in his arms. He comes to a stop near a corner of the building.
INT. – HOSPITAL – NIGHT
DEAN is walking down a hallway. He stops at the doorway to the dayroom and looks at CASTIEL, who is sitting at a table with his back to DEAN.
EXT. – HOSPITAL – NIGHT
KEVIN is running with SAM in close pursuit.
SAM
Hey!
KEVIN zig-zags to avoid SAM.
KEVIN
No, stop! Leave me alone! Aah!
MEG puts out an arm and knocks KEVIN to the ground.
MEG
Not a demon nor a chomper. What the hell are you?
KEVIN
I'm a... K-Kevin Tran. I'm in advanced placement. P-p-please don't kill me.
SAM
I'm not gonna kill you.
SAM hauls KEVIN to his feet and tries to take the bag away from him.
KEVIN
I'm sorry.
SAM keeps trying to pull the bag from KEVIN’s grasp.
KEVIN
I-I'm sorry. I... I don't – I don't know why, but I can't let go of this.
ACT THREE
INT. – HOSPITAL DAYROOM – NIGHT
DEAN walks over to stand in front of CASTIEL.
DEAN
You realize you just broke God's Word?
CASTIEL looks away and DEAN sits down at the table opposite him.
DEAN
It's Sam's thing, isn't it? You taking on his, uh, cage-match scars. I'm guessing that's what broke your bank, right?
CASTIEL
Well, it took... everything to get me here.
DEAN
What are you talking about, man?
CASTIEL
Dean, I know you want different answers.
DEAN
No, I want you to button up your coat and help us take down Leviathans. Do you remember what you did?
CASTIEL holds up the board game “Sorry!” He shakes it once and the board and pieces appear on the table, set up ready to play. CASTIEL sets the box aside.
CASTIEL
Do you want to go first?
INT. – CASTIEL’S ROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN is sitting on the bed. SAM stands in front of him and MEG behind him.
MEG
You really stepped in it, kid. Oh, man.
KEVIN
All I know is, this is – it's for me. I'm supposed to keep it.
MEG
Good luck.
SAM
But you don't know what it is? [KEVIN shakes his head.] Open it.
KEVIN unzips the bag and withdraws two pieces of the stone tablet. He fits them together and they knit back together with a brief flash of white light.
INT. – HOSPITAL DAYROOM – NIGHT
DEAN picks up a “Sorry!” card.
CASTIEL
You know, we weren't sure at first which monkeys were gonna make it. No offense, but I [DEAN moves a marker on the board] was backing the Neanderthals because their poetry was... just amazing. It's in perfect tune [CASTIEL picks up a card] with the spheres. But in the end, it was you – the [CASTIEL moves a marker] homo sapiens sapiens. You guys ate the apple, invented pants.
DEAN
Cas, where can we find this, uh, Metatron? Is he still alive?
CASTIEL
I'm sorry. I – I think you have to go back to start.
DEAN moves a marker.
DEAN
This is important.
CASTIEL motions for DEAN to pick up another card. DEAN does and moves another marker.
DEAN
I think Metatron could stop a lot of bad. You understand that?
CASTIEL picks up another card.
CASTIEL
We live in a "sorry" universe. It's engineered to create conflict. I mean, why should I prosper from... your misfortune? [CASTIEL puts down a marker and moves DEAN’s marker back to the start.] But these are the rules. I didn't make them.
DEAN
You made some of them. When you tried to become God, when you cut that hole into that wall.
CASTIEL
Dean... it's your move.
DEAN pounds a fist on the table and swipes the board to the floor.
DEAN
Forget the damn game! Forget the game, Cas.
CASTIEL
I'm sorry, Dean.
DEAN
No. You're playing "Sorry!"
INT. – CASTIEL’S ROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN is holding the stone tablet in shaking hands. It is now whole again.
KEVIN
It's writing.
SAM
Yeah. Yeah, we get that.
KEVIN
What's Leviathan?
SAM
What? You can read it? Is that what it says?
KEVIN
Sort of. It hurts a little. Like looking through somebody else's glasses, but I think it... it's about Leviathan, how it came to be. God locked him up far away, right? Like in jail... because they're so... they're... they're real, aren't they?
SAM
Yeah, Kevin. They – they are. And they're here. Does it say anything about how to kill them? 'Cause that's – that's kind of been a problem.
KEVIN
I don't know. It's not like reading reading. It – it's hard to focus on it too long.
MEG’s eyes turn black and the lights flicker.
MEG
Sam. Something's up.
SAM
What?
KEVIN looks at MEG and screams. He scrambles backwards on the bed.
SAM
Kevin, hey, hey, hey. Kevin.
The glass lampshade breaks. A WOMAN appears in the doorway.
WOMAN
Demon.
There is the sound of angel wings and a MAN appears. The WOMAN makes a hand motion and MEG goes flying into the wall.
INT. – HOSPITAL DAYROOM – NIGHT
CASTIEL is picking up the game pieces. He stops and looks up.
DEAN
What?
CASTIEL
Sam. He's talking to angels.
INT. – CASTIEL’S ROOM – NIGHT
FEMALE ANGEL
A demon whore and a Winchester... again.
SAM takes a step towards KEVIN.
FEMALE ANGEL
Step away from the Prophet!
KEVIN
Who, me?
FEMALE ANGEL
Sole keeper of the word on earth, we are here to take you.
KEVIN
What do you mean, "take?"
FEMALE ANGEL
[to the MALE ANGEL] Kill the demon and her lover.
MEG
That's not how it – we're not –
The MALE ANGEL holds out an arm and MEG slashes at him with a knife. He cups his palm, which is shining with white light.
FEMALE ANGEL
Where did you get that?!
There is a rustling of angel wings and CASTIEL appears.
MALE ANGEL
Castiel?
CASTIEL smiles.
CASTIEL
Hi.
MALE ANGEL
You're alive?
FEMALE ANGEL
You.
CASTIEL
Hello, Hester.
HESTER
You smote thousands in Heaven. You gave a big, scary speech. Then you were gone. What the hell was that?!
CASTIEL
Rude, for one thing.
MALE ANGEL
Where have you been?
CASTIEL
Oh, Inias. Hester, I... I know you want something – answers. I... I wish it could be that… There are still many things I can teach you. I can offer, um, well, perspective. Here. [CASTIEL points a finger at HESTER.] Pull my finger. [HESTER doesn’t move.] Uh... Uh... Meg will – will get another light, and I'll – I'll blow it out again. And, well, this time, it'll be funny, and – and we'll all look back and laugh.
HESTER
You're insane.
DEAN
Hey.
DEAN is standing in the doorway.
DEAN
Heads up, Sunshine.
DEAN puts his hand in an angel-banishing sigil he’s drawn on the wall outside the room. White light flares and the angels vanish.
DEAN
All angels blown back to their corners. We got like three, four hours tops.
SAM points to the knife MEG is holding.
SAM
Meg, where did you get that?
MEG
A lot of angels died this year.
KEVIN
What's happening?! What's happening?!
DEAN
What is that?
SAM
It's, uh... Kevin Tran. He's, uh, in advanced placement.
