Welcome back to the overview of Eric Kripke’s Supernatural; the monster-of-the-week mystery drama series about the Winchester brothers Sam and Dean.
We met them on their first journey in Season One and continue right away with:
Season Two
Storyline
The sustained injuries from the crash in the Season 1 finale are fatal in Dean’s case so John saves him by making a deal with Yellow Eyes to trade his own life for that of his son. After John’s death the boys carry own with The Family Business and soon discover that there is more to their mother’s death than they initially thought. Azazel – not the mutant, the Demon – has a plan for certain children and Sam is one of them. When the kids he had chosen were exactly six months old, he would come to their crib and leave a little present: his blood. This endows the children with special abilities, including mind control, premonitions, and super strength. Sam and others like him are forced to battle each other for the survival of the fittest, unfortunately that isn’t him. Following his father’s footsteps Dean makes a deal to bring him back in exchange for his life a year later. The chosen one is given the task to use the Colt to open up a Hell Gate to release an armada of Demons into the world. The Winchesters and their gang are able to close it, after far too many have been freed. The only upside of the ordeal is that Dean manages to kill Azazel with the last of the Colt’s bullets.
The Monsters
The majority of monsters appearing in this Season are the same as before: Vengeful Spirits await the viewer in every other episode and with Azazel’s plan unfolding Demons come more and more into the focus.
Through Dean’s short death we also learn about the existence of Reapers that collect the souls for their journey to the afterlife. Another new addition are the Djinns who instead of granting you three wishes, trap you in a dream world and drink your blood.
Plot Points
The review-intro into an episode features Dean repeating their goal and pretty much their family motto:
“Dad would have wanted us to carry on. Saving People. Hunting Things. The family business.”
On the one hand is it a reminder to the audience of John’s passing, on the other hand does this emphasize the monster-of-the-week theme.
A major plot point of this Season are Sam’s abilities. He starts getting premonitions and as luck would have it they meet up with other people having similar powers and backgrounds as him.
We also get glimpses of the other children that gave into the darkness of their powers by misusing them and/or siding with the Demons.
When in Season One we met Bobby Singer (a namesake of producer Robert Singer), we learned that he is an experienced hunter and willing to aid others in their Cases. With the Season opener we also meet Allen and Jo Harvelle, who run a bar in the middle of nowhere that is frequented by many Hunters. At first suspicious of the Winchesters do they soon become part of the team and help them in the final battle at the Hell Gate.
Re-appearing from Season One is also the Demon Meg, though she is soon sent back to Hell. With her and Azazel – who claims to be her father – out of the way, the playfield is about to change towards the new escapees.
Pro’s and Con’s
The regular appearance of Vengeful Spirits plot is repetitive, yet it serves as distraction from the actual battle – both for the watchers and the brothers – to have something nice and simple admits the chaos.
Just like the previous Season are the brothers splitting up again for no other reason than to reunite later on. With the big bad lurking in the background one might think it wiser to stay close in case of an attack. Yet, the stubbornness of the characters play against this.
The plot line with the gifted children was an interesting aspect, both in means of diversity of powers, but also in the way they were used.
Sadly this whole ordeal felt rather rushed and was handled in a few episodes only.
For the first time, we also get a glimpse at the police side of their investigations, when a real officer of the law starts looking closer into the brothers frauds and false identities.
But this as well only gets little screen time and the full extent of their meddling with actual police business is not shown.
All in all this Season had some more interesting turns than Season One and it certainly gained a better footing. Some things felt unnecessary, others should have been explored some more, but still an enjoyable Season.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Until next time
PoiSonPaiNter
Season Three: Supernatural Summary – Season 3
Originally Posted on EXTREMIS REVIEWS: Carry On Our Wayward Sons: Season Two – The One In Which Dean Gets That Bastard Azazel