HOLLYWOOD—Welcome back, “Supernatural” fans! Last week’s installment was a bit of a filler episode, diverting attention from the revenge-seeking angels to a more Halloween tailored episode: Dorothy and saving the Land of Oz from the Wicked Witch. Last week’s episode opened with two Men of Letters accessing their headquarters, which is a mecca of supernatural knowledge. The pair seem to be new to the Men of Letters lifestyle, and it only made me wonder how long the building been around? As the two are waiting for a case, the phone rings and they hear from “Frank’s kid,” who is none other Dorothy Baum (Kaniehtiio Horn); a reference to the Author L. Frank Baum, the writer of “The Wizard of Oz.” When Dorothy enters the headquarters, she is dragging a large moving sack as she drops the bag to the floor, she asks which of them will help her kill the wicked witch.
In the present, Dean (Jensen Ackles) returns after checking in on Kevin (Osric Chau), who is currently residing in a heavily warded motel room showing bad symptoms of his constant deciphering of the Angel Tablet. Dean realizes that he and Sam (Jared Padalecki) could use a break from all the problems they’ve been dealing with and announces he rented season one of “Game of Thrones.” Nice move on the series part, every time the story line gets too heavy, a filler episode here and there helps alleviate the pressure.
Sam tells Dean he might have found a solution to the Angel problem and questions Dean on why Cas (Misha Collins) left in the first place. It’s so uncomfortable how Dean has to make excuses to cover up Ezekiel existence. Dean tells Sam that he wants Cas to stay with them too, but explains Cas’ leaving as his attempt at keeping them safe. Sam comes up with the idea of an ‘Angel tracker,’ hoping to use a device in the Men of Letters’ headquarters that lit up when the angels fell. Dean is suspicious that the idea may not have been 100 percent Sam’s and prompts, “You came up with this?” allowing Sam to respond, “Do you see anybody else?” I’m definitely feeling the weight of Dean’s guilt.
As Dean and Sam check out the room where the technological equipment is, they don’t realize they’ve knocked over a bottle containing a grayish liquid that begins to seep out onto the floor and climb up along a neighboring wall. In hopes of getting their devices upgraded, the Winchester’s contact Charlie (Felicia Day), who is their very own geek squad supernatural edition. Upon seeing Charlie, Sam and Dean ask what she has been up to and are concerned to find that she has started hunting. When discussing her choice to hunt with Sam and Dean, Charlie tells them she wishes there was more magic involved. Exasperated, Sam and Dean would prefer her to pursue a different hobby.
While helping the boys get their Angel software updated, Charlie suggests they do something to pass the time; and how convenient, Dean picked up the first season of “Game of Thrones!” I have to admit, it concerns me when a show talks about a show within a show (insert iconic inception sound here.) Though, this would not be the first time the writers of “Supernatural” talked about a show within their show in particular, their own show. Both in the form of books written by the prophet preceding Kevin, Chuck Shurley (Rob Benedict) using the pen name, Carver Edlund. Then, in an episode entitled, “The French Mistake,” Dean and Sam take the places of their real-life counter parts as Jensen and Jared.
Crossovers aside, the trio returns to the room their software is upgrading when they notice a giant whole in the wall. Dean and Sam go to inspect the hole and discover a person inside who’s not just anyone, but Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.
Once Dorothy wakes up, she explains that she trapped herself with the witch because it was the only way to keep her from killing anyone and destroying Oz. She also explains that she can’t kill the witch and the witch can’t kill her either; due to a kiss from the Witch of the North. Then in true “Supernatural” style, Dorothy begins to slowly dissect the original story of the Wizard of Oz; telling them her father didn’t want to accept that she had become a hunter and wrote the story to preserve the memory of his daughter before he lost her to the obsession of hunting. Dorothy judges her father for trying to make light of the Oz situation, but Charlie tells her that within the story Dorothy’s father was giving her clues on how to defeat the witch; such as using poppy seeds which Charlie decides to make into bullets to stun the witch.
Now the episode turns to Crowley (Mark Sheppard), who is still a prisoner to the Winchesters, when he is met with the Wicked Witch. Crowley greets her telling her he is a fan of her work, but notices that she can’t speak (due to Dorothy cutting out her tongue to prevent her from casting spells. Ouch.) Crowley tosses her a pen and paper so she writes that she is looking for a Key. When Sam and Dean come searching for the witch, Crowley greets them whistling the iconic song from the Wizard of Oz, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” Crowley tells them that he sent the witch off in the wrong direction to help the boys since he’s getting tired sitting around in the dark and silence as a form of torture to get him to talk about hell and the demon’s plans.
When meeting up Dorothy and Charlie again, Charlie reports that she has made poppy bullets, but she could only make four. Sam and Dean also divulge what they learned from a ‘little birdy,’ and asks Dorothy if she knows anything about a key. Dorothy tells them there are magical ways into Oz such as a tornado, eye of a hurricane, or a whirlpool; but explains that there is a key that will turn any locked door into a portal to Oz.
After learning what the witch is looking for, Dean tells Charlie that the safest place is the dungeon and advises Charlie to go there. Despite Dean’s advice; Charlie grins, telling him she’s not hiding; “A witch, a key and a quest?” After a run in with Sam and Dorothy, the witch becomes a green smoke and goes into the ventilation system to continue her hunt for the key to Oz. When Dean finds the key, he is oblivious to the witch behind himself and after a scuffle; the witch prepares to zap an unprepared Dean when Charlie jumps in the way of her blast killing her instantly.
Dean shoots at the witch, but the bullet only clips her. When Sam is running to aide Dean and Charlie, Dean calls out, ‘Zeke;’ changing Sam to have Ezekiel’s mindset. When Dean asks Ezekiel to help save Charlie, which Ezekiel agrees to with an “as you wish.” After healing her, Ezekiel passes out. I’m not quite sure how long Ezekiel has been inside Sam, but I would expect Sam to be pass the fainting phase by now. When Sam and Charlie come to, Dean holds Charlie telling her, “I thought I told you to stay in the dungeon,” allowing her to cleverly respond, “I bet you say that to all the girls.” Dean explains his version of what happened with the witch to Sam and Charlie just as Dorothy enters. Catching the tail end of Dean’s story, Dorothy tells them that because Dean did manage to hit her, she is still wounded.
Sam and Dean leave to find the witch and Dorothy stays with Charlie as she returns to a normal state. Dorothy reassures Charlie that you have to die at least once to be a true hunter, startling Charlie, since Dean neglected to mention that she died. Shifting the view point to Sam and Dean, Sam recalls Dean saying “Zeke” and questions him about it. Taken aback, Dean tells Sam that he was probably imagining it, and is still loopy from his encounter with the witch. In their moment of sharing, Dean wonders why Sam hasn’t unpacked since their stay at the Men of Letters Headquarters, Sam confesses that he never had a real chance to know the comfort of staying in one place like Dean did since their mother died six months after Sam was born starting their whole hunter life style of endless driving, a string of motels and fast food. Just as Sam and Dean think the coast is clear, the witch appears and they tackle her to the ground to prevent her from blasting anyone. From her lying position, she places her hands on their foreheads and turns them into her speaking, killing representation of herself.
Meanwhile, Dorothy and Charlie head up to the garage to look for Dorothy’s motorbike and they locate her ruby red slippers’ planning to use the fairy magic in the shoes to kill the witch. Upon finding the shoes, the possessed Sam and Dean find them. The witch reveals that she no longer intends to return to Oz but instead plans to bring her army to destroy the real world. With the witch speaking through Sam and Dean, they tell Dorothy they will enjoy killing her second time; just as much as they enjoyed killing her the first time.
Just as the armies are flying towards the doorway that the witch has created, Charlie gruesomely goes for a headshot as she stabs her with the pointy heel of the shoe. Ouch. As the witch dies, Charlie closes the door to prevent the flying monkeys from getting in. Shifting back to Sam, Dean and Dorothy, the brothers’ are freed from the possession of the witch just before they are about the fatally stab Dorothy. As the four reunite; Charlie confronts Dean through whispers that she knows she died when the witch zapped her, but Dean asks her not to make him tell her what happened, and she agrees.
The episode closes with Dorothy saying she must return to Oz to fight for the freedom of the wicked witch’s remaining forces and asks Charlie if she wants to tag along. This might be the writers’ way of creating a possible romantic interest for Charlie; but it’s also plausible that they will remain ‘best friends.’ Sam and Dean say good-bye to Charlie and Dorothy, promising to look after Dorothy’s motorbike (if they can take it out for a spin.)
As the door to Oz opens and the yellow brick road and the Emerald City come into view, Charlie, Sam and Dean are mystified by the storybook image coming to life. As the doors close, Sam and Dean re-open the door, but look into the storage unit that briefly contained the entrance to Oz. As much as I enjoyed the originality of the Oz story line, I have to say I’m waiting for the return to the angel story line; but it looks like this week’s episode might be a filler episode as well. Stay tuned, “Supernatural” fans!
