5.10 Abandon All Hope...

Air Date: 19 Nov 2009

Teaser

EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY

Overhead view of several highways crossing each other.

EXT. OVERPASS - DAY

Underneath the lowest of these highways. An Old Man gets out of an expensive car, digs a hole in the dirt and gravel, buries a box, and stands up.

Voice

Mr. Pendleton, I presume.

PENDLETON turns around to see a Man who wasn't there before.

Man: Name's Crowley.

PENDLETON

In my negotiations I was, uh, dealing with a very young, attractive, uh, lady.

CROWLEY

Yes. I know. But you, piggy bank, you are a big fish, and I wanted to do you the honor of sealing this deal personally.

PENDLETON

She said the deal would be sealed with a kiss.

CROWLEY

That's right.

PENDLETON stares. CROWLEY grins.

PENDLETON

No, I mean, she said-I don't-

CROWLEY

Your choice. You can cling to six decades of deep-seated homophobia, or give it up and get a complete bailout for your bank's ridiculous incompetence.

CROWLEY is up in PENDLETON's personal space now.

PENDLETON

There are just things that I-

CROWLEY

Going once.

PENDLETON

I don't think so-

CROWLEY

Going twice.

PENDLETON

All right! All right.

CROWLEY pulls PENDLETON in.

PENDLETON

No-

CROWLEY kisses him anyway. Castiel is observing from a distance, on the phone.

Castiel: Got him.

ACT ONE

EXT. OVERPASS - DAY

CROWLEY releases PENDLETON. Castiel speaks into the phone.

Castiel: The demon Crowley is making a deal; even as we speak, it's-going-down.

EXT. LAKESIDE - DAY

Dean is on the phone. Sam leans against the car, back to Dean.

Dean: Going down? Right. Okay, Huggy Bear, just don't lose him.

Sam turns to look at Dean.

Castiel: I won't lose him.

EXT. UNDERPASS - DAY

PENDLETON

Damn you.

PENDLETON turns to walk back to his car.

CROWLEY

Enjoy the obscene wealth. See you in ten years.

CROWLEY fiddles with a cell phone while he walks, then vanishes. Castiel follows him, vanishing as well.

EXT. MANSION - DAY

Castiel is still on the phone.

Castiel: I followed him. It's not far, but-it's layered in Enochian warding magic.

Castiel: I can't get in.

Dean: That's okay, you did great. We'll take it from here.

EXT. LAKESIDE - DAY

The Impala drives off.

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

INT. MANSION - DAY

CROWLEY pours himself a drink with lemon and watches a black-and-white film involving Nazis.

EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

A Young Woman in evening dress approaches the gate and presses a button on the intercom.

INTERCOM

Hello?

Young Woman: Hello. My car broke down. I-I need some help.

INTERCOM

I'll be down in a minute.

The Young Woman turns around to wait; it's Jo HARVELLE. The gate swings open and TWO MEN approach.

FIRST Man

Evening, pretty lady. Get yourself on in here.

Jo: I just need to make a call.

FIRST Man

You don't need to call anyone, baby.

He glances back at his partner.

FIRST Man

We're the only help you're ever gonna need.

Jo: You know what? I think I should wait by my car.

Jo turns to go. The FIRST Man grabs her shoulder; his eyes go black.

FIRST Man

We said, get your ass in here.

Jo shakes him loose and flattens him. The SECOND Man is stabbed through the neck with what must be Ruby's knife; Sam is holding it. He stabs the FIRST Man too.

Dean: Nice work, Jo.

Jo: Thanks.

Dean hands Jo a bag. She pulls out wire cutters(?).

Jo: Okay. Shall we?

INT. MANSION - NIGHT

CROWLEY is still watching his film when the electricity cuts out. He leaves the room.

Sam: It's Crowley, right?

CROWLEY

So. The Hardy Boys finally found me. Took you long enough.

Sam is holding Ruby's knife and Dean a shotgun. Jo is not in sight. CROWLEY approaches, stopping when he sees his rug is rumpled. He looks underneath; a devil's trap has been drawn on the bottom of the rug.

CROWLEY

Do you have any idea how much this rug cost?

TWO MEN grab Sam and Dean from behind, disarming them and pinning their arms. CROWLEY holds up the Colt.

CROWLEY

This is it, right? This is what it's all about.

CROWLEY aims the gun at Dean, then adjusts his aim and shoots both MEN.

CROWLEY

We need to talk. Privately.

CROWLEY leads Dean and Sam into another room.

Dean: What the hell is this?

CROWLEY

Do you know how deep I could have buried this thing?

CROWLEY waves a hand; the door slams shut.

CROWLEY

There's no reason you or anyone should know this even exists, except that I told you.

Sam: You told us.

CROWLEY

Rumors, innuendo, sent out on the grapevine.

Sam: Why? Why tell us anything?

CROWLEY aims at Dean again.

CROWLEY

I want you to take this thing to Lucifer and empty it into his face.

Dean: Uh-huh, okay, and why exactly would you want the devil dead?

CROWLEY

It's called-

CROWLEY puts the gun down.

CROWLEY

Survival. Well, I forgot you two at best are functioning morons-

Dean: You're functioning...morons...

CROWLEY

Lucifer isn't a demon, remember? He's an angel. An angel famous for his hatred of humankind. To him, you're just filthy bags of pus. If that's the way he feels about you, what can he think about us?

Sam: But he created you.

CROWLEY

To him, we're just servants. Cannon fodder. If Lucifer manages to exterminate humankind, we're next. So, help me, huh? Let's all go back to simpler, better times, back to when we could all follow our natures. I'm in sales, dammit! So what do you say if I give you this thing, and you go kill the devil?

CROWLEY holds out the Colt, handle first. Dean and Sam glance at each other. CROWLEY wiggles the gun. Sam hesitantly reaches out to take it.

Sam: Great.

CROWLEY

Great.

Sam: You wouldn't happen to know where the devil is, by chance, would you?

CROWLEY

Thursday, birdies tell me, there's an appointment in Carthage, Missouri.

Sam glances at Dean and nods.

Sam: Great.

Sam puts the barrel between CROWLEY's eyes and pulls the trigger. It clicks. Sam stares, surprised; CROWLEY stares back, impassive.

CROWLEY

Oh, yeah, right, you'll probably need some more ammunition.

CROWLEY goes into his desk.

Dean: Oh, uh, excuse me for asking, but aren't you kind of signing your own death warrant? I mean, what happens to you if we go up against the devil and lose?

CROWLEY

Number one, he's going to wipe us all out anyway. Two, after you leave here, I go on an extended vacation to all points nowhere. And three, how about you don't miss, okay! Morons!

CROWLEY throws something at Dean, who catches and opens it; bullets for the Colt. Dean looks up; CROWLEY's gone. Sam sighs.

INT. Bobby's HOUSE - NIGHT

Five full shot glasses in a row next to a row of three upside-down shot glasses, a gap, and a full shot glass. Another glass is placed upside-down in the gap. Jo drinks from a beer bottle. Ellen drains the fifth and puts it back upside-down.

Ellen: All right, big boy.

Castiel: Well.

Castiel drains all five of his in a row. Ellen stares.

Castiel: I think I'm starting to feel something.

Jo gawks and grins.

Sam and Dean are sitting at opposite sides of Bobby's desk, both with beer bottles.

Sam: It's gotta be a trap, right?

Dean: Sam Winchester, having trust issues with a demon. Well, better late than never.

Sam: Thank you again for your continued support.

Dean: You're welcome.

They clink bottles and drink.

Dean: You know, trap or no trap, we got a snowball's chance, we gotta take it, right?

Sam: Yeah, I suppose.

Dean: Besides, I'm not sure it is a trap. Check it out. I mean, Carthage is lit up like a Christmas tree with Revelation omens. And look at this.

Dean pushes some papers at Sam.

Dean: There's been six missing persons reported, in town, since Sunday. I think the devil's there.

Sam: Okay.

Dean: Look, when you think about it...you can't come with.

Sam rolls his eyes.

Sam: Dean.

Dean: Look, I go against Satan and screw the pooch, okay. We've lost a game piece. That we can take. But if you're there, then we are handing the devil's vessel right over to him. That's not smart.

Sam: Since when have we ever done anything smart?

Dean: I'm serious, Sam.

Sam: So am I. Haven't we learned a damn thing? If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it together.

Dean and Sam look at each other for a long moment. Dean looks away first.

Dean: Okay. But it's a stupid frigging idea.

Dean looks past Sam, attention caught by Castiel, Ellen, and Jo. Sam looks too.

Sam: Boy, talk about stupid ideas.

Dean: Good God. True, that.

Dean gets up and goes over to the refrigerator, where Jo is rummaging, rear end prominent. She turns around and Dean is right there.

Dean: Hey.

Jo: Hey.

Dean: So. Dangerous mission tomorrow. Guess it's time to eat, drink, and, you know, make merry.

Jo: Are you giving me the last-night-on-earth speech?

Dean: What?

Jo: What?

Dean: No.

They laugh.

Dean: If I was, would, uh, would that work?

Jo leans in for a kiss, but stops at the last moment.

Jo: No. Sweetheart, if this is our last night on earth, then I'm going to spend it with a little thing I call self-respect.

Jo laughs and leaves.

Dean: If you're into that kind of thing.

Bobby: Everybody get in here! It's time for the lineup. Usual suspects in the corner.

Sam comes in, then Ellen.

Ellen: Oh come on, Bobby. Nobody wants their picture taken.

Sam: Hear, hear.

Bobby: Shut up. You're drinking my beer.

Castiel enters while Bobby finishes fiddling with a camera on a tripod. Bobby rolls his wheelchair back.

Bobby: Anyway, I'm gonna need something to remember your sorry asses by.

Everyone is in the room now, getting in position for the picture, smiling.

Ellen: Ha! Always good to have an optimist around.

Castiel: Bobby's right. Tomorrow we hunt the devil. This is our last night on earth.

The smiles disappear. The camera flashes.

ACT TWO

EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

Missing posters are tacked to a telephone pole. The Impala drives in followed by another car; visible behind them is a billboard that says "ANTI-GOD IS ANTI-AMERICAN" on an American-flag background, next to a sign that advertises "ADULT VIDEOS". Dean and Sam both have hands out the windows, phones in hand.

Sam: You getting a signal?

Dean: No, nothing. Nice and spooky.

Dean waves the other car up next to him. Ellen is driving, Jo shotgun.

Ellen: Place seem a little empty to you?

Dean: We're gonna go check out the PD. You guys stay here, see if you can find anybody.

Ellen: Okay.

Dean drives off. Ellen parks. Jo gets out and turns to look at Castiel in the back seat.

Jo: Ever heard of a door handle

Castiel: Of course I have.

Castiel is standing outside the car. He looks around; the street is deserted except for the three of them.

Ellen: What is it, Cas?

Castiel: This town's not empty.

From Castiel's point of view, the town is filled with dozens of old white men in suits, all standing still, attention fixed on something in the distance.

Castiel: Reapers.

Ellen: Reapers? As in more than one?

Castiel: They only gather like this at times of great catastrophe. Chicago Fire, San Francisco Quake, Pompeii. Excuse me, I need to find out why they're here.

Castiel walks off, pausing to look at the nearest reaper, who ignores him. Jo and Ellen look at each other. Castiel's attention is caught by a Reaper inside a building who turns away from the window, the first of the dozens to show any signs of life. The building's marquee reads "JESUS SAVES".

INT. BUILDING - DAY

Castiel appears inside the building at that window. He comes down the corridor and enters a room.

Voice

Hello, brother.

White light.

EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

Ellen and Jo are back in their car. They come to a stop next to Dean and Sam: Dean: Station's empty.

Jo: So's everything else.

Ellen: Have you seen Cas?

Sam: What? He was with you.

Ellen: Nope. He went after the reapers.

Dean: Reapers?

Sam: He saw reapers? Where?

Jo: Well, kind of everywhere.

Dean and Sam look at each other.

INT. BUILDING - DAY

The room is dark, lit mostly by firelight. Castiel is standing in the center of a ring of fire. He notices the other person in the room.

Castiel: Lucifer.

Lucifer: So I take it you're here with the Winchesters.

Castiel: I came alone.

Lucifer: Loyalty. Such a nice quality to see in this day and age. Castiel, right? Castiel. I'm told you came here in an automobile.

Castiel: Yes.

Lucifer: What was that like?

Castiel looks around.

Castiel: Um. Slow. Confining.

Lucifer: What a peculiar thing you are.

This is the first good view of Lucifer; he does not look healthy. A closeup of his face shows what looks like burns.

Castiel: What's wrong with your vessel?

Lucifer: Yes. Um. Nick is wearing a bit thin, I'm afraid. He can't contain me forever, so-

Castiel: You-

Castiel steps forward, apparently intending to get in Lucifer's face, but stops short; the fire separates them.

Castiel: You are not taking Sam Winchester. I won't let you.

Lucifer: Castiel. I don't understand why you're fighting me, of all the angels

Castiel: You really have to ask?

Lucifer: I rebelled, I was cast out. You rebelled, you were cast out. Almost all of heaven wants to see me dead, and if they succeed, guess what? You're their new public enemy number one. We're on the Same side, like it or not, so why not just serve your own best interests? Which in this case just happen to be mine?

Castiel: I'll die first.

Lucifer: I suppose you will.

EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

Ellen, Dean, Sam, and Jo are walking, shotguns in hands and looking around for trouble.

Dean: Well, this is great, been in town twenty minutes and already lost the angel up our sleeve.

Sam: You think, uh, you think Lucifer got him?

Dean: I don't know what else to think.

Voice

There you are.

Sam: Meg.

Meg: Shouldn't have come here, boys.

Dean: Hell, I could say the Same thing for you.

Dean aims the Colt at Meg.

Meg: Didn't come here alone, Deano.

Something splashes in a puddle near Meg's feet; the sounds of dogs growling and barking. Sam, Ellen, and Jo glance around for the source of the noise; so does Dean, but he is obviously pretending he's not afraid.

Dean: Hellhounds.

Meg: Yeah, Dean. Your favorite. Come on, boys. My father wants to see you.

Sam: I think we'll pass, thanks.

Meg: Your call. You can make this easy or you can make it really, really hard.

Dean looks back; Ellen nods.

Dean: When have you known us to ever make anything easy?

Meg shakes her head. Dean shifts his aim and fires; blood spurts from the hellhound next to Meg's feet.

Sam: Run!

They take off. A hellhound tackles Dean. Jo looks back.

Jo: Dean!

Dean: Jo, stay back!

Jo fires her shotgun in Dean's direction. Ellen and Sam stop running. Jo keeps firing, knocking the hellhound further and further back. Another gets her from the side. Sam and Ellen start running towards Jo and Dean.

Ellen: No!

The hellhound shreds Jo's side. Sam and Ellen start firing. Dean scoops up Jo and runs past Sam and Ellen, who turn to follow. Dean heads for one of the nearest stores, Ellen goes ahead to open the door, and Sam stays back to keep shooting.

INT. HARDWARE STORE - DAY

Dean leans Jo against the counter; she's whimpering.

Ellen: Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, breathe now-

Sam chains the doors shut.

Sam: Okay.

Ellen: Boys, need some help here!

Sam and Dean grab bags of rock salt.

Sam: Go go go-

They slit the bags open and frantically line the doorway and windows. Ellen peels Jo's hand away from the injury; it spurts blood. Sam and Dean stare and Ellen looks over her shoulder at them, horrified.

ACT THREE

Jo has been bandaged up.

Ellen: Gonna be all right.

Sam hands a bowl to Ellen.

Ellen: Thank you.

Sam goes over to Dean, who is fiddling with something electronic.

Dean: How's she holding up?

A long pause.

Sam: Salt lines are holding up.

Dean: Safe for now.

Sam: Safer. Trapped like rats.

Dean: Hey, you heard Meg. Her father's here. This is our one shot, Sammy. We gotta take it, no matter what.

Another long pause.

Dean: Here we go.

Ellen: Sam, some help here, please?

Dean's gadget squeals.

INT. Bobby's HOUSE - DAY

PHONE Voice

The number you dialed is unavailable. Please try your call again.

Bobby: Damn it, boys.

Static from the next room. Bobby wheels over and moves a book off a CB radio.

Dean on radio

K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, come in.

Bobby picks up the mouthpiece.

Bobby: K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, go ahead.

Dean: Bobby, it's Dean. We got problems.

Bobby sighs and looks heavenward.

Bobby: It's okay, boy. That's why I'm here.

INT. HARDWARE STORE - DAY[i]and [i]INT. Bobby's HOUSE - DAY[i], alternating

Bobby: Is everyone all right?

Dean: No. It's-it's-it's Jo. Bobby, it's pretty bad.

Bobby: Okay. Copy that. So now we figure out what we do next.

Dean: Bobby, I don't think she's-

He breaks off.

Bobby: I said, what do we do next, Dean?

Dean leans his head on his hand for a moment.

Dean: Right. Okay, right.

Bobby: Now, tell me what you got.

Time has passed.

Bobby: Before he went missing, did Cas say how many reapers?

Dean: I don't-he said a lot of things, I guess. Does the number matter?

Bobby: Devil's in the details, Dean.

Ellen taps Dean on the shoulder with one bloody hand. Dean holds up the microphone.

Ellen: Bobby, it's Ellen. The way he was looking, the number of places Castiel's eyes went, I'd say we're talking over a dozen reapers, probably more.

Bobby: I don't like the sound of that.

Dean: Nobody likes the sound of that, Bobby, but what-wh-what does that sound like?

Bobby: It sounds like death, son. I think Satan's in town to work a ritual.

Bobby turns pages in his book to one marked with a Post-it that reads "Seventh Seal".

Bobby: I think he's planning to unleash Death.

Dean: You mean, like, as in this dude and taxes are the only sure thing?

Bobby: As in Death. The horseman. The pale rider in the flesh.

Dean: Unleash? I mean, hasn't Death been tromping all over the place? Hell, I've died several times myself.

Bobby: Not this guy. This is-this is the angel of death. Big daddy reaper. They keep this guy chained in a box six hundred feet under. Last time they hauled him up, Noah was building a boat. That's why the place is crawling with reapers. They're waiting on the big boss to show.

Dean: You have any other good news?

Bobby: In a manner of speaking.

Bobby closes the book-it is, unsurprisingly, a large leather-bound Holy Bible-and turns to another one that's already open to a page headed "The Battle of Carthage".

Bobby: I been researching Carthage since you've been gone, trying to suss out what the devil might want there. What you just said drops the last piece of the puzzle in place. The angel of death must be brought into this world at midnight through a place of awful carnage. Now, back during the Civil War, there was a battle in Carthage. A battle so intense the soldiers called it the Battle of Hellhole.

Dean: Where'd the massacre go down?

Bobby: On the land of William Jasper's farm.

[i]INT. BUILDING - DAY

Castiel is still in the ring of fire and Lucifer is still watching him. Meg enters.

Meg: I got the Winchesters pinned down. For now, at least. What should I do with them?

Lucifer: Leave them alone.

Meg: I-I'm sorry, but are you sure? Shouldn't we-

Lucifer: Trust me, child. Everything happens for a reason.

Lucifer strokes Meg's face. Castiel looks around and sees a pipe bolted to the wall.

Lucifer: Well, Castiel, you have some time. Time to change your mind?

INT. HARDWARE STORE - DAY

Ellen: That's my girl, you're okay, honey-

Jo looks no better. Ellen is next to her. Dean and Sam are several feet away.

Dean: Now we know where the devil's gonna be, we know when, and we have the Colt.

Sam: Yeah. We just have to get past eight or so hellhounds and get to the farm by midnight.

Dean: Yeah, and that's after we get Jo and Ellen the hell out of town.

Sam: Won't be easy.

Dean: Stretcher?

Sam: I'll see what we got.

Sam turns to go looking.

Jo: Stop. Guys, stop.

Ellen looks between the boys and Jo.

Jo: Can we, uh, be realistic about this, please?

Dean and Sam walk over to Jo.

Jo: Uh! I can't move my legs. I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an ace bandage. We gotta-we gotta get our priorities straight here.

Dean and Sam look at each other and at Jo.

Jo: Number one, I'm not going anywhere.

Ellen: Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that.

Jo: Mom. I can't fight. I can't walk. But I can do something. We got propane, wiring, rock salt, iron nails, everything we need.

Sam: Everything we need?

Jo: To build a bomb, Sam.

Dean: No. Jo, no.

Jo: You got another plan? You got any other plan? Those are hellhounds out there, Dean. They've got all of our scents. Those bitches will never stop coming after you. We let the dogs in, you guys hit the roof, make a break for the building next over. I can wait here with my finger on the button, rip those mutts a new one. Or at least get you a few minutes' head start, anyway.

Ellen: No, I-I won't let you.

Jo: This is why we're here, right?

Ellen shakes her head, crying.

Jo: If I can get us a shot on the devil-Dean, we have to take it.

Ellen: No!

Ellen looks up at Dean.

Ellen: That's not-

Jo: Mom. This might literally be your last chance to treat me like an adult. Might wanna take it?

Jo is smiling. Ellen starts sobbing.

Ellen: You heard her. Get to work.

Sam and Dean grab their materials and assemble the bombs, filling them with nails and rock salt for shrapnel. Night has fallen. Sam takes Jo's hand for a minute while Dean strings the wire to the button Jo will hold.

Dean: Okay, this is it. I'll see you on the other side. Probably sooner than later.

Jo: Make it later.

Dean puts the button in Jo's hand and holds on. Jo is crying. Dean kisses her once on the forehead, once on the lips, and leans their heads together for a moment before getting up. Ellen comes back to sit by Jo. They watch each other for a moment and Ellen smiles.

Jo: Mom, no.

Ellen: Somebody's gotta let them in. Like you said, you're not moving. You got me, Jo. And you're right, this is important.

Jo nods.

Ellen: But I will not leave you here alone.

Sam: Dean-

Ellen: Get going now, boys.

Dean: Ellen-

Ellen: I said go.

Sam looks at Dean. They both start to walk away.

Ellen: And Dean?

Dean looks back.

Ellen: Kick it in the ass. Don't miss.

Dean nods. He and Sam head for their exit. Ellen unchains the doors, sweeps away the salt line, opens the propane tanks, and sits back down with Jo, hugging her.

Ellen: I will always love you, baby.

The hellhounds are audible again. Ellen looks back at Jo, who's stopped moving.

Ellen: Honey?

No reaction.

Ellen: Jo-

Ellen sobs.

Ellen: It's okay, it's okay.

Ellen kisses Jo on the head.

Ellen: That's my good girl.

The doors burst open. Ellen looks. Two hellhounds slam into the open doors.

EXT. BEHIND STORE - NIGHT[i]intercut with glimpses of [i]INT. HARDWARE STORE - NIGHT

Sam runs across the fire escape, Dean right behind, then Sam goes down the ladder and Dean follows. They hurry down the alley.

INT. HARDWARE STORE - NIGHT

A hellhound blows Ellen's hair. She holds Jo's finger against the button and forces a grin.

Ellen: You can go straight back to hell, you ugly bitch!

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

The hardware store explodes. Dean and Sam stop to watch it blow, then run.

EXT. FIELD - NIGHT

Sam and Dean sneak through bushes. Dozens of MEN stand in the field, attention on something out of sight.

Dean: Guess we know what happened to some of the townspeople.

Sam: Okay.

Dean: Okay.

Sam: Last words?

Dean looks at Sam for a moment.

Dean: I think I'm good.

Sam: Yeah. Me too.

Dean: Here goes nothing.

Lucifer is filling a hole.

Sam: Hey!

Sam approaches Lucifer, readying a shotgun. Lucifer turns, dropping the shovel.

Sam: You wanted to see me?

Lucifer: Oh, Sam, you don't need that gun here. You know I'd never hurt you. Not really.

Dean: Yeah? Well, I'd hurt you.

Dean points the gun at Lucifer, point-blank to the forehead.

Dean: So suck it.

Dean fires. Lucifer collapses. None of the MEN do anything. Dean and Sam watch the corpse for a minute. Lucifer inhales and shifts position.

Lucifer: Owww...

Lucifer stands up. Sam is horrified.

Lucifer: Where did you get that?

Lucifer punches Dean, who flies into a tree. Sam watches Dean land and turns back to Lucifer.

Lucifer: Now, where were we?

ACT FOUR

EXT. FIELD - NIGHT

Lucifer: Don't feel too bad, Sam. There's only five things in all of creation that that gun can't kill, and I just happen to be one of them. But if you give me a minute, I'm almost done.

Lucifer picks up the shovel and moves two scoops of dirt. Sam hurries over to Dean, checking his pulse. Lucifer leans on the shovel.

Lucifer: You know, I don't suppose you'd just say yes here and now?

Sam stands up.

Lucifer: End this whole tiresome discussion? That's crazy, right?

Sam: It's never gonna happen!

Lucifer goes back to filling his hole.

Lucifer: Oh, I don't know, Sam. I think it will. I think it'll happen soon. Within six months. And I think it'll happen in Detroit.

Sam: You listen to me, you son of a bitch. I'm gonna kill you myself, you understand me? I'm going to rip your heart out!

Lucifer: That's good, Sam. You keep fanning that fire in your belly. All that pent-up rage. I'm gonna need it.

Sam visibly calms. He looks around at the MEN, who are still doing nothing.

Sam: What did you do? What did you do to this town?

Lucifer: Oh, I was very generous with this town. One demon for every able-bodied man.

Sam: And the rest of them?

Lucifer pauses.

Lucifer: In there. I know, it's awful, but these horsemen are so demanding. So it was women and children first. I know what you must think of me, Sam. But I have to do this. I have to. You of all people should understand.

Sam: What's that supposed to mean?

Lucifer drops the shovel.

Lucifer: I was a son. A brother, like you, a younger brother, and I had an older brother who I loved. Idolized, in fact. And one day I went to him and I begged him to stand with me, and Michael-Michael turned on me. Called me a freak. A monster. And then he beat me down. All because I was different. Because I had a mind of my own. Tell me something, Sam. Any of this sound familiar? Anyway. You'll have to excuse me. Midnight is calling and I have a ritual to finish. Don't go anywhere. Not that you could if you would.

Sam goes back to Dean. Lucifer turns to his hole and chants, then turns to his DEMONS.

Lucifer: Now repeat after me. We offer up our lives, blood, souls-

Dean stirs. He's alive.

DEMONS

We offer up our lives, blood, souls-

Lucifer: To complete this tribute.

DEMONS

To complete this tribute.

One by one the DEMONS flash gold and fall over, dead. Sam and Dean stare. Lucifer looks at them.

Lucifer: What? They're just demons.

INT. BUILDING - NIGHT

A bolt on the pipe in the wall is spinning. Castiel is still in the fire ring, Meg watching.

Castiel: You seem pleased.

Meg: We're gonna win. Can you feel it? You cloud-hopping pansies lost the whole damn universe. Lucifer's gonna take over heaven. We're going to heaven, Clarence.

Castiel: Strange, because I heard a different theory from a demon named Crowley.

Meg: You don't know Crowley.

Castiel: He believes Lucifer is just using demons to achieve an end, and that, once he does, he'll desTroy you all.

Meg: You're wrong. Lucifer is the father of our race. Our creator. Your god may be a deadbeat. Mine-mine walks the earth.

Castiel gets the bolt loose and pulls the pipe free of the wall. It slams Meg through the fire into Castiel's arms. Castiel presses his palm to Meg's forehead. Nothing happens. Meg laughs.

Meg: You can't gank demons, can you? You're cut off from the home office and you ain't got the juice. So what can you do, you impotent sap?

Castiel: I can do this.

Castiel leans closer as if to kiss Meg, then throws her down across the fire. She screams. He walks out across her back.

EXT. FIELD - NIGHT

Lucifer stares at the mass grave. Sam stares at Lucifer. Dean glances between them. The ground rumbles. Castiel appears next to Sam and Dean and holds a finger to his lips. Lucifer turns and all three are gone. He walks forward.

Lucifer: Oh, hello, Death.

EPILOGUE

INT. Bobby's HOUSE - DAY

The glasses from Ellen and Castiel's drinking competition are still on the table. The TV is on, showing a tornado; the captions read "STate OF EMERGENCY, Paulding County" and "KOUA 16".

TV

Just received an update that the governor has declared a state of emergency for Paulding County, including the towns of Marion, Fetterville, and Carthage. The storm system has reportedly touched off a number of tornadoes in the area.

Sam, Dean, and Bobby are gathered around the fireplace. Bobby holds a copy of the photograph taken earlier in the episode.

TV

Death tolls have yet to be estimated, but state officials expect the loss of life and property to be staggering.

Bobby leans forward and drops the picture into the flames. He, Dean, and Sam watch it burn.