Supernatural: Form & Void Recap

Synopsis of 11×02: Sam works to save himself and a town of Darkness monsters. Dean finds out a frightening truth about baby Amara. Castiel fights for his life against a team of vengeful angels. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Team Free Will was putting out fires all over the place in “Form and Void.” The trio found themselves separated as the Darkness attacked on multiple fronts, but their time apart resulted in some much needed answers for viewers.

So, lets dive right in…

Sam

The younger Winchester is working the Darkness case from ground zero. Now infected by the black-vein, rage monster virus, Sam’s search for a cure has taken on new urgency. A little MacGyver action and one homemade shock stick later and the hunter has an ailing citizen chained up in the hospital.

Sammy’s after information – essentially, how long does it take a person to go from healthy to insane to dead – and once he has a pudding cup, the test subject is ready to spill. Unfortunately his answers are entirely unhelpful. Instead of fleshing out a concrete timeline, all Mr. Pudding Cup managed to confirm is that there is no set incubation period. It all depends on the individual. With that said, he advises Sammy to eat a bullet.

An eerie rendition of “Oh, Death” quickly diverts his attention, however. A reaper has come for the souls of the dearly departed hospital staff, and she has a bone to pick with the Winchesters.

Apparently, killing Death didn’t stop his legions of reapers. The only apparent fallout from icing the Grim Reaper is that there is no one to bring Sam and Dean back to life every time they bite the dust. The Winchesters should watch their backs – when they do die, the reapers are planning to drop them into the “Empty.” Someplace outside of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, this locale would keep the boys from ever returning to the land of the living.

Did we just find out where angels go when they die?

That being said, the clock is ticking on Sammy’s life. A weight of hopelessness is starting to settle over the scene, and the dying man seeks comfort in prayer. Holed up in the hospital chapel, Sam asks an ever-absent God for sign, something to assure him that there is a spark of hope amidst the Darkness.

Lo and behold, some one was listening to Prayer FM, and Sam soon finds himself on the floor, his brain flooded by a vision. It’s a prognostication that left everyone, Sam included, wondering what in tarnation the big man was trying to tell him. From where we stand, it looked like some sort of flashback to Sam’s time in the Cage.

Instead of seeking guidance from whatever bad trip God just doled out, Sam remembers that the reaper had called him biblically unclean. He may not be able to see straight, but the Stanford man’s big brain is working overtime. It’s time to purify.

Unlike the ever-popular juice cleanse, a biblical purification means lighting some holy oil and holding the flame against his vein-marked skin. As painful as that sounds, the real danger actually lied in making sure Sammy didn’t set his main on fire.

Once he discovered the cure, Sam set out to save the rest of the town.

Dean

The elder Winchester was supposed to make a milk run, but his easy journey turned into a Darkness-tinged disaster. Let’s just say baby Amara is a real hand full.

Almost as soon as Dean leaves the newborn and Jenna at the cops grandma’s, he’s pulling u-turn at top speed. The baby’s sudden ability to levitate – and spell – caused Jenna to call in a Ghostbuster’s 911. Her Catholic grandmother took a different tact, however, and phoned in an exorcist.

If you ever have a possession problem, don’t call the RCC. Apparently, Crowley has connections all over the priesthood, and whenever there’s a suspected head spinning to be had, the King of Hell drops by to make sure he can protect his own. Amara, however, isn’t one of his own, and the crafty businessman wants to add her to his list of assets.

Unfortunately, while Dean and Crowley are hashing out their differences, Amara is busy working her charms. With a kiss, Jenna has lost her soul to the tyke. Now without a moral compass, the cop murders her sweet old grandma before heading upstairs to trash the place.

Dean quickly checks the baby’s chest. His worst fears are confirmed when he notices the pint-sized Mark of Cain. Too bad he can’t worry about that right now – Jenna is on the attack and someone needs to stop her. As with most of the Winchester’s foes, the rookie cop winds up six feet under.

Amara, meanwhile, takes that nutritious soul and uses it to morph into a elementary-aged child. Donning a nice little dress from Grandma’s box of old children’s clothes, Amara looks the picture of innocence as she skips out on her pursuant.

Castiel

Heaven is not pleased with Cas. The rogue angel orchestrated Metatron’s prison break, and the God’s warriors are pissed. To make matters worse, Castiel doesn’t know where the scrivener is. No matter how much Efram and his buddy torture him, poor Cas can’t give them an answer.

Then, out of the blue, Cas’ savior comes from on high. It’s Hannah. Donning a male meat suit, Cas’ former potential love interest sends Efram packing and explains that Heaven is in dire straights once more. Alarms are blaring all over the place and no one is ready to accept what they mean. After all, the Darkness is just a spooky tale angels tell around the campfire.

Hannah wants to find the Winchesters (or Metatron. She’s not picky), and her search for Sam and Dean raises red flags for the ailing Cas. Her motives are anything but pure. It doesn’t take Castiel long to realize that Hannah set up this whole little charade in hopes that when she swooped to Cas’ rescue, he would be so grateful that he’d flip on the only people he loves more than his angel brethren.

A fight breaks out. Cas takes down one angel and Efram murders Hannah in retaliation. Bad move, buddy. It’s not long before the smarmy git has an angel blade buried deep in his chest. Still under the effects of the Attack Dog spell, Cas is horrified at his actions. He makes for the only place he knows is truly safe. It’s time to head back to the bunker.

Team Free Will

Sam and Dean reunite and head back to Kansas. When they get to their hobbit hidey-hole, the events of the last few days come flooding back. The bunker is still a wreck from the Stynes’ onslaught – an attack that happened months ago for viewers but less than a week ago for the Winchesters.

Behind the piles of gasoline soaked books however, they find the real surprise – a bloodied Cas begging for help.

Amara

Wandering barefoot down Main Street, the child comes across Crowley. The King of Hell has a delicious surprise for her. An entire family tied up in the back of his van, their souls ripe for the picking…

Catch up with the Winchesters in next Tuesday’s episode, “The Bad Seed.”