Supernatural Round Table: A Deal With Rowena
Sean McKenna
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A magic box. A deal with Rowena. A Winchester team-up.
Supernatural Season 10 Episode 19 was full of twists and turns, even putting Sam and Dean’s lives on the line. And what about Sam working with Rowena? There's no way that ends well, right?
TV Fanatic staff writers Narsimha Chintaluri, Carla Day, and Sean McKenna and The Winchester Family Business’ Alice Jester are ready to discuss "The Werther Project."
So join them in the latest Supernatural Round Table!
What was your favorite scene or quote?
Alice: I loved the reveal that Rowena was imagined and that the trick to the box was that TWO Men of Letters had to give their blood. Dean was right, the universe is definitely trying to tell them something. However, both scenes with not real Suzie berating Sam and not real Benny lecturing Dean were awesome as well. Talk about hitting home.
Narsimha: Oh wow I didn't even really pick up on the fact that Rowena was imagined, it just kind of confused me -- haha. They definitely put a lot of thought into how the hallucinations and attacks from the box coerce you into committing suicide. I thought the intro scene itself was pretty great and more gruesome than most Supernatural episodes as of late.
Carla: My favorite moment was when Sam locked up Rowena at the end. I may have underestimated the younger Winchester brother when he teamed up with her. She could still weasel out of it, but for now, Sam definitely has the upper hand. Now, will the partnership save Dean? Fingers crossed!
Sean: There was a lot to like in this episode! Love the brother stuff and the teaming up. But I also really enjoyed that ending with Sam locking Rowena up and telling her to get to work. I was so worried about him going to her, but at least he isn’t just blindly doing it. And it was such a fun little twist to end the hour. Poor Rowena.
What did you think of the Werther box and its magic affects on Sam and Dean?
Alice: Its pretty clever! Twisting internal thoughts into a convincing argument to kill yourself is quite a wicked way of protecting some witch secrets. I was especially impressed that when Sam wouldn’t cave into not real Suzie’s guilt trip, it went another way and tricked him to nearly bleeding to death! It figured out pretty quick that Sam would do anything to save Dean and that was his undoing. It always has been if you think of it.
Narsimha: I agree with Alice that it was a clever artifact, and definitely morbid (as Rowena mentioned). The Men of Letters were far from honest men, and it doesn't seem to just be a few isolated instances. They were from a different time -- Sam and Dean are probably the only truly dedicated members of the society to date. I thought the first hallucination Sam had was kind of too on the nose and easy for Sam to deter, but then Rowena happened and that was definitely enough to get into his head.
Carla: After a decade of Supernatural, the Werther Box was an example of how the writers are still able to come up with intriguing, original and exciting concepts and mythology. Everything from the manipulative hallucinations to the final solution to getting the box open was unpredictable. At least, I didn't see how it would play out and that made it one of the most enjoyable artifacts in a while.
Sean: It’s a scary box, that’s for sure. I like how it messed with people differently, and I really liked how when it came to Sam, even I was fooled. I really thought Rowena was there until Dean showed up. What a dangerous little artifact those two had to deal with!
Do you agree that Sam and Dean work better together?
Alice: I think that’s a no brainer. In the history of this series, whenever Sam or Dean have chosen (or sometimes forced) to go it alone, it’s resulted in disastrous consequences. My question is, given the very harsh lesson that they got in this episode, why did Sam go back to Rowena alone anyway? This cannot end well. But yes, neither will survive without the other.
Narsimha: Obviously, but as of now, Dean is pretty much invincible. As it’s been stated, Sam needs Dean more than Dean needs Sam at the moment.
Carla: Definitely. Even when they are having brotherly problems, they still work better together. They have complementary skills, knowledge and abilities. That's what makes them perfect brother hunters.
Sean: Of course. We’ve seen it countless times, and this episode just reiterated that again. I wish Sam would let Dean in on what’s going on, but it was good to see that when dealing with the box, the two came together and were able to get through it. Love Dean’s comments about working together, too.
Will Sam actually kill Crowley?
Alice: I know he’ll try. He’s wanted to kill Crowley for some time. What I don’t get is how does he plan on doing it? We’ve learned that a demon that powerful can usually shake off the demon killing knife (see Alastair). They don’t have the colt. The only thing that I know capable of killing Crowley is Dean and the first blade. Sam would have to let Dean in on the deal then. So I’m currently in “I’d like to see you try” territory.
Narsimha: I think he'll actually try, but I doubt Crowley actually dies. Or, if Sam's hatred of Rowena outweighs his disdain for Crowley, he may turn her in to the King of Hell.
Carla: I don't think he'll kill Crowley, unless Rowena forces him to by her actions and/or lack of actions. It's more about the threat and that I believe is true. Sam will follow through with his threat if necessary to get what he needs to save his brother.
Sean: It’s hard for me to imagine him actually doing it, but he seemed pretty sincere about the task. I’ll have to agree that I’d like to see him try, but I’m wondering just how it will all turn out.
Were you surprised by Sam locking Rowena up at the very end?
Alice: Yes, and no. Yes because it’s a very un-Sammy thing to do, but no because he’s been burned too many times by people deceiving him. While I’m not convinced that Sam has full control of the situation, it probably doesn’t matter because Rowena basically had this coming.
Narsimha: I was pleased because he finally showed a little bit more caution than he has been recently. This is going to end so badly for everyone.
Carla: Surprised that he would do it? No, but it's definitely a believable move for him to make. Did I see it coming? Also, no. In the end, it was a very wise move. It will be quite a fun ride to find out how it all plays out.
Sean: I’m sure it will all end badly, but I really enjoyed that ending. And I was surprised because I just assumed he was going in without any concern. So to see him pull a fast one on Rowena was fantastic. Let’s just hope he can keep the situation under control…
And get excited for more Sam and Dean with Supernatural Season 10 Episode 20 on Wednesday!
Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.
