gwaevalarin | Not Something I Expected To Post About

I don't even know why I care, but inspired by this tumblr post, have a new and improved version of this week's Supernatural, entirely free of personal preferences and mentions of my problems with the show in general (yes, I'm surprised by that myself), trying to keep the general storyline and - more surprise - even the onlyeverjustSamnDean tone of the show, simply concentrating on obvious plot holes and inconsistencies. And I'm even keeping the show's budget in mind.

Mainly, I just want to point out how easily they could have stayed at least a little closer to their own mythology.

I'm pretty sure it's impossible to get rid of all the plot holes, but I do think it's possible to get them to a somewhat acceptable level with just some minor changes, and one bigger one.

The big change is basically: Get rid of the entire Purgatory/Reaper/Benny part of the storyline, one: because it caused a majority of the problems, and two: to have more time for Sam in Hell, which is the part I'll be concentrating on.

But then how does Sam get into Hell. Oh, I don't know, remember the Devil's Gate in Wyoming? Obviously, there is a problem here with the Colt, which happens to be the key to the Gate, being no longer in the Winchesters' possession. But with a little suspension of disbelief, and the stuff they have in the Bunker, I'm sure it is possible to find another way to open it, or maybe another Gate. Though I'd personally prefer the one in Wyoming as a shout out to season 2.

So, to Wyoming (after they somehow found out another way that Bobby is in Hell. I don't have answers for everything from the top of my head.) Some discussion along the lines of 'I'm not letting you go alone, Sam' 'Someone has to keep an eye on the Gate.' etc etc., a brand new Devil's Trap drawn around the Gate - because, we remember, the awesome railroad one was destroyed - and Sammy is on his way.

We can even keep the general concept of Hell they had in the episode. But make it a maze. An endless, dark, bloody maze. And Sammy starts walking, searching for Bobby. And Sammy walks, and walks, down corridors, and more corridors, right into dead ends and back, past screaming souls, some of them mad.

Up at the Gate Dean is worried, and Sam walks some more.

by now, his clothes are torn, and he looks tired. He's been walking for days. Time works differently in Hell, remember? He is tired, but he searches on, doing his best to ignore the souls around him that scream and beg.

Back on Earth Dean gets a call from Kevin. He needs to come, it's urgent. Tablet and all. Dean can't. He needs to wait here for Sam to return. But he has to. Right now. Dean hesitates. He can't just leave the gate open, but he can't lock his brother in there and leave either. Finally, he hesitantly closes the Gate. "Hold on, Sammy, I'll be back soon," promised under his breath. And he is off to his own little storyline with Kevin.

Sam is now finally reaching his destination. He stumbles down another path, when he spots Bobby in his cell, huddled in a corner. He opens the lock, calls Bobby's name. No reaction. He walks over and carefully touches him. Bobby's head shoots up, the look in his eyes between empty and haunted. Sam drags him to his feet, constantly talking about how they'll be okay, that he is here to save him. Bobby hardly reacts but let's Sam drag him to the feet and back up the path.

Sammy tried to retrace his steps. But Hell is clearly getting to him, and he looks ever more scared and hopeless. Still, he soldiers on.

In between, cuts to Dean and Kevin, Dean and Naomi. I guess she now has to give him something else in place of the Purgatory information. She also mentions that Bobby is in Hell because that's where all vengeful spirits go. (And no, sorry, I do not have a solution for the "innocent" soul thing.)

Sammy runs straight into a wall, where he is sure there was a path before. Back, down another path, another dead end. He is slowly starting to lose it. Flashbacks to the cage, blood and screams, and two archangels' blinding burning white light. But he has to get Bobby out.

So at another crossroad, Sammy takes a deep breath and tells Bobby that they'll just keep walking down this one path because it seems to go slightly up. Still hardly any reaction from Bobby, but at least he follows without resistance.

So they walk, and walk, until suddenly, they find themselves back at the very same crossroad they started. Sorry guys, time is not the only thing that works differently in Hell.

Sammy looks around, growing ever more desperate. He sees a shadow. It comes closer. Lucifer looks manic. Then he's gone again.

Down another path.

"Sammy..."

Sam tried to ignore it.

"Sam."

It's Lucifer's voice.

Good moment for another cut to Dean, or a commercial break.

Down in Hell, Lucifer has started talking and won't stop. But it's different than it used to be when Lucifer was a voice in Sam's head. This Lucifer has gone insane from his time in the cage. He begs and bribes and threatens, whispers and suddenly screams. "Let me out!"

Dean is on his way back to the gate.

"I have your little brother here, Sammy. He is screaming for you. Let me out, and you get him back too. Will you really leave poor Adam behind? Are you really that heartless?"

Sam tries to cover his ears with one hand while dragging Bobby on with the other.

With screeching tyres, Dean arrives back at the cemetery, and reopens the Gate. "Sammy!?"

Sam has lost all sense of direction and barely stumbles on, when, out of the corner of his eyes, he sees a light down one corridor. It's a good a plan as any, so he follows it.

Dean paces in front of the gate. He is this close to just following Sam down after all.

After more hours, or is it days, the light is now right above Sam. Lucifer still screams and rages at him to come back and let him out.

After an endless moment of begging, Sam can persuade Bobby to start climbing. He climbs after him, towards the light. Lucifer's screams are now deafening, and Sam almost loses his grip when he instinctively tries to cover his ears again. They climb, and climb and just when Sammy is ready to just give up, Bobby suddenly smiles at Sam, before he loses his corporeal form as his soul starts ascending.

A moment later, a hand grabs Sam's and Dean helps him out through the gate, where he just collapses on the grass while Dean closes the gate behind him.

After a moment of complete silence, Sam realizes that Lucifer's voice is gone.

He opens his eyes, Dean helps him back to his feet and asks if he's okay. Enter Crowley, then Naomi, and we're pretty much back to the actual episode, and this post got slightly out of hand.