This past Thursday, fans got many treats during Supernatural’s seventh episode of its final season. “Last Call” brought on guest star Christian Kane (Angel, Leverage, The Librarians) and the return of Shoshannah Stern as Eilleen Leahy. There was music, stories, and of course, life or death situations. It would not be Supernatural without it!
We start the episode in Texhoma, Texas, with two women, one very drunk and one trying to get her safely home from the bar. As expected, the drunk friend walks away to “purge her sins” as the other girl waits in the car. Only she and her vehicle vanish entirely. Cutaway to the girl tied to a chair in a basement, dripping blood through an IV, and a new monster we have never seen before.
Meanwhile, Dean is jonesing for a case. He is lounging in bed, drinking a beer, and desperately searching for anything unusual on his phone. Of course, he comes along the headline “My Friend Was Raptured While I Was Drunk” and a picture of the girl that we just saw being taken. It looks like Dean has his case.
In the bunker’s kitchen, Dean walks into Eileen and Sam making a lot of food for breakfast. Including real bacon, which, of course, is a clue to their current state – hungover. As we know, bacon is a great hangover cure for the Winchesters. I am calling it that Eileen is a great influence on Sam, for letting loose and getting carried away with the margaritas. But the shocking part is Dean turning down bacon.
See, Dean needs to clear his head. In the past few episodes, he has been in a pretty bad headspace. So, he tells Sam to stay behind and leave a sock on the door if things go his way, and he will call if he needs him. Then, Dean leaves for Texhoma, Texas.
Something to note that is quite beautiful to watch is how Sam integrates ASL (American Sign Language) effortlessly as he speaks to Eileen. It is such an inclusive part of the show, and yet so seamless. As it should be! Major props to the cast and crew for that!
In Texas, Dean (undercover as Agent Dukes) talks to the local sheriff. The sheriff believes nothing is amiss with the case, and that the girl who has gone missing has been a bit of a rebel. She talked in the past about going to L.A., and it seems lots of folks do that, including the sheriff himself. He stayed in L.A. for a whole month and tells Dean he should give it a shot. Apparently, and I think most of us can agree, he has the looks for it. However, he gives one clue. You can find her friend at a bar called Swayze’s. Lots of Dukes of Hazzard and Roadhouse references in this episode!
As the scene transitions, Christian Kane’s song “The House Rules” begins to play. It is a fitting song for the scene, the bar, and Kane’s character introduction. When Dean enters Swayze’s, he is met by a flirty and attractive woman who is collecting cell phones. Apparently, it is not a party if there are cellphones. Which is a bad omen in Supernatural. Either someone will need Dean, or Dean will need someone… but no cell phone, no call.
Dean turns to find Lee (Kane) on stage singing. Dean recognizes him, and it is clear they know each other. Turns out, Lee owns the bar and seems to have been a hunter once upon a time.
At home, Eileen and Sam sneak glances at one another as they attempt to research their current issues with God and Lilith. Eileen suggests a break and something fun. When Sam asks for ideas, she gives a look suggesting something maybe a little bit closer for the two. Sam takes her hand and starts to move a little closer only for the bunker’s door to open and Castiel walks in. Though, still a bit of a relief as Sam has not heard from Cas in awhile.
Cas is back home and ready to help. He meets Eileen, and is told Dean is on a hunt and that Lilith is back. Cas says Sam and Eileen are looking in the wrong places for God and Lilith. Cas knows Sam’s wound is their answer, and that Sam and God are connected.
At the bar, Dean and Lee catch up over a beer. Lee finds out that John died, dating their friendship before season 1. Lee brought up a story of John catching the two wasted on a hunt, but Dean mentions John always liked Lee. Dean is right, that is high praise coming from John Winchester.
Dean brings up the fact that death is usually the end for hunters, and he believed Lee to be dead given that aspect. Lee says he did one more case after he left Dean, decided the hunting life was not for him, and bought a bar. Moreover, he did not have one single regret about getting out. The ultimate act of free will: choosing what life you live.
In the bunker’s infirmary, Cas tells Sam he most likely cannot heal his wound, but he can “probe it.” What a lovely choice of words. Of course, what he really means is he will study the wound in hopes it will lead them to Chuck. Eileen is worried it will be dangerous, which Cas says it will be.
As Cas begins, it is clear it is hurting Sam. The pain continues to intensify, even though Sam urges him on. Until there is an adverse reaction to the angel’s power, forcing Sam back. He hits the wall before landing on the bed, completely unconscious and unresponsive.
Sam’s predicament leaves Castiel to make a few phone calls, the first, is to Dean. Of course, given Dean’s situation at the bar, it goes straight to voicemail. Cas is clearly frustrated, but leaves a message anyway. His next call is to Sergei. Cas calls in his favor to him, and gives him an ultimatum that leaves “yes,” the only answer for Sergei. The last call is unknown, but it also involves a favor.
Meanwhile, Dean, Lee, and the woman Dean first met at the bar are clearly intoxicated and sharing stories. The story of the moment is twins, or as Lee corrects, triplets. That they split up, fair and square. The next story is a shout-out to the episode “Yellow Fever.” Dean tells Lee about the ghost sickness and how a cat jumped out and left him needing to check his pants.
Lee asks about the case, and when asked if he had seen the missing girl, he says no. Until the woman comes back and tells him it is Angela. Looks like Lee has been caught in a lie. Not a good sign at all. Lee sort of sway the conversation to hunting in general, and why Dean is not out. That he could have what Lee has. Knowing Dean’s dream, owning a bar would be perfect for him.
My personal favorite moment in the episode continues next. Lee urges Dean up on stage to sing “Good Ol’ Boys,” the Waylon Jennings classic, and the theme song to Dukes of Hazzard. And it is glorious! Lee mentions before the song, Dean cannot just sit around and lip-sync “Eye of the Tiger” when nobody is watching. Dean is clearly nervous, and knowing Dean’s past with singing, he has a good reason to be. Miraculously, he sings it magnificently. Also, it is the perfect time to note that Jensen and Christian sound amazing together, and hopefully, we will see a collaboration in the future!
When the song ends, there seems to be some trouble in the bar. A couple of guys are getting a little too aggressive without the drunken friend from the beginning of the episode. Leaving Dean and Lee to enforce the roadhouse rules. Also known as confronting and throwing them out through the window and door. Back inside, Dean finds out the drunk girl is Sally and exactly the girl he has been looking for.
Sergei arrives at the bunker, and is all shades of suspicious. Knowing his business, there are probably many things within the bunker he would love to possess.
The conversation with Sally leaves Dean with a choice to try and find her missing car. Lee flip flops. First, he says it does not seem like there is a case, then says he will join Dean on the case. Lee says they should look at the lake, but the waitress says the wrecking yard. So, they split up.
Dean makes a good choice and finds her car. However, that choice quickly goes south. Lee makes his appearance as the villain of this story. Lee proceeds to knock him out.
Looking over Sam, Sergei claimed he was dying. He attempts to “heal” Sam, but in actuality is killing him. It is his ruse to get what he wants, something from the bunker. The key to Death, to be specific, that leads to her library. Meanwhile, Sam gets flashes from Chuck: Chuck is not at full strength, they are connected, Chuck cannot leave the world without Amara, the fact he cannot see Sam and Dean in his head. Eileen threatens to kill Sergei, but Castiel has a better threat. He has someone with Sergei’s niece.
With that, Sam is brought back, but in his initial condition with his wound. It was eye-opening for Sam, though, as he now knows Chuck is incredibly weak.
Every villain has a story, and Dean hears Lee’s as he is tied up in the basement. Lee believes people never win and ought to have fun. He found the monster that he calls Marid. If you feed it, it keeps your life fantastic: money, health, etc. he thinks no one cares about good or bad, but Dean does.
With Lee gone, Dean manages to escape. Only, the Marid gets angry and gets out of its cage as well. Lead to Dean walking up into the bar, dropping the Madrid’s head on the floor. What ensues is a shootout between Lee and Dean, with Dean behind the bar with a shotgun. “God bless Texas.” They both quickly run out of bullets, leading to hand to hand combat.
It was never meant to end well, and I think Lee knew that. Dean got the upper hand, impaling Lee fatally. As Dean says, he kills monsters. Something we find out way too often in this show is that the monsters are sometimes human. It is a shame that human ended up being a friend of Dean’s. Some of Lee’s final words were, “I’m glad it was you.”
Dean comes home to see Cas, though a little strained between the two. It is a start, though. Sam tells them all he thinks they can beat God. But with his connection to Chuck, what could that entail for Sam?
“Last Call” was incredibly worth the wait, and a long time coming for Kane to guest star. It was everything we could have hoped for! Be sure to tune in on December 12 for the fall finale!