'Supernatural' Season 9 Premiere Recap: Dean Allows Angel Ezekiel To Possess Sam To Save Life; Castiel Adjusts To Life As Human

by uInterviewOctober 9, 2013, 12:00 amNews >

Supernatural kicked off its ninth season with Dean, desperate to save his brother Sam, making a deal to let an angel possess Sam until he was completely healed in "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here."

The episode begins the day after all the angels fell to earth. After deciding not to close the gates of hell, Sam’s body shut down and he fell into a coma. Doctors tell Dean (Jensen Ackles) that there is nothing they can do but wait for Sam (Jared Padelecki) to die. Dean turns to the angels for help. He tries appealing to Castiel (Misha Collins), unaware that Castiel is no longer an angel and cannot hear his prayers for help. Failing to get a hold of Cas, Dean opens his prayers to any angels listening.

Following Dean’s open plea, angels abound, but most of them want to kill Sam and Dean, not save them. Ezekiel (Tahmoh Penikett), a warrior angel hurt during the fall of angels, says that he supports the Winchester brothers, but the only thing he can do to help would be to possess Sam, for a while, and heal him from the inside out, simultaneously healing himself in the process. The catch? Sam cannot know that an angel is possessing him, because, if he does and reneges his approval, then he will die.

To get Sam’s approval in the first place, Ezekiel inserts himself into Sam’s head, where Sam is battling with Bobby (Jim Beaver) and Dean – the two men represent his desires to die (Bobby) and his will to live (Dean). Sam had just made peace with his decision to die and was meeting with Death when Ezekiel, disguised as Dean, entered and convinced Sam to live. Sam agrees to return to life with Dean, completely oblivious to the reality of Dean’s deal with Ezekiel.

While Dean was busy saving Sam’s life, Castiel was struggling to stay alive as a human. He has to learn how to deal with all the weaknesses that come with being human: hunger, pain, thirst, exhaustion. Alone, with no idea how to contact the Winchester brothers, Castiel is hunted by the angry fallen angels who blame Castiel for their new fate. Castiel befriends fallen angel Hale (Grace Phipps), but she quickly turns on him and takes him hostage. Cas kills her, and continues to be a wanted man – he must find his way to the Men of Letters to reunite with Sam and Dean and, hopefully, be safe from vengeful angels.

Supernatural airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW.