An Alpha vampire and Sam using the Colt?!?

Supernatural Season 12 Episode 14 was British Men of Letters heavy, and there was plenty to enjoy about the hour.

But who else was surprised by the use of the Colt or even Sam choosing to work with the British Men of Letters?

TV Fanatic staff writers Sean McKenna and Christine Laskodi and The Winchester Family Business’ Alice and Nightsky are ready to talk “The Raid.”

So join them in the latest Supernatural Round Table!

What was your favorite scene or quote?

Christine: I'm going with Sam getting really emotional when he saw the Colt. It was like he connected a dozen dots in seconds, and I really felt for him.

Jared Padalecki nailed that moment.

And because I love any and all mentions of Bobby, Sam passing on Bobby's recipe for the bullets to Mick got me slightly choked up as well, especially Mary asking Sam if it was from Bobby.

Alice: Aw man, Christine picked my scene. I’ll go with the showdown with the Alpha vamp. 

Sam could tell the Alpha was bluffing about the Colt not being able to kill him, and Mick staging the fake fight to get Sam the bullet was pretty clever for a guy who sees so little action. 

But I’m a sucker for sentiment, and seeing Sam get his slo-mo bullet shot, a la Dean killing the Yellow Eyed Demon in Supernatural Season 2, it was a nice throwback.

Totally cheesy, but still a nice throwback. I’m surprised I enjoyed seeing that so much.

Nightsky: I thought I was going to be the only one who would pick the scene when Sam first sees the Colt! There is no contest that it is the best scene of the episode.

As Alice said, Jared’s acting was absolutely stunning as Sam felt Mary’s betrayal and his emotional connection to that gun, but it was watching him try to pull himself together with the “Right. Right. Right” that really communicated how deeply it affected him. 

I agree with Alice that the scene of Sam shooting the Alpha vampire in the same style as Dean killed the Yellow Eyed Demon also was excellent.

The VFX image of Sam through the hole in the vamp’s head should win an award in my opinion.

Sean: Yeah, that shot of Sam shooting the gun was pretty awesome. It was definitely reminiscent of its use in the past.

Sam really got his time to shine this episode in general, and it was pretty good to see.

Really any time the brothers get their chance to standout is great!

Will we see more Alpha creatures this season?

Christine: If we're to assume that all species of demons operate the same way as vampires, then I'd say yes. But something tells me that they'll do something totally different for werewolves or any other demon.

Not everything can start at one person - that formula would grow tired quickly.

Additionally, if it had been that simple all along, Sam and Dean would have done it by now.

Alice: That’s a good question. I’m not sure we’ll get that far. 

Either something is going to expose the true colors of the British Men of Letters, or the Lucifer thing will escalate, or both. 

Not to mention with the Colt in possession, other Alphas won’t dare surface like the Alpha vamp did. 

I think the monsters in general will flee to Canada. Hey, maybe we’ll get to know the Canadian Men of Letters. 

Oh, I’m kidding. I’ll just go with “No.”

Nightsky: I don’t believe we will. Rather, I believe the Alpha’s death in America’s HQ foreshadows another “ancient” evil, Asmodeus, the third Prince of Hell, infiltrating the British Men of Letters hierarchy.

I also believe killing all these old ones is part of a larger plan for the series, so I believe the boys will encounter and kill other alphas in Supernatural Season 13.

Sean: I was originally thinking that we might see one more, but Nightsky’s theory has me excited.

The whole Prince of Hell mythology seems integral to the season, and I’m waiting for that big reveal. Fingers crossed!

Do you agree with Sam's decision to work with the British Men of Letters at the end?

Christine: Okay, I am TOTALLY baffled by this one.

Sam watched the British Men of Letters screw up over and over and over during his time there. They rushed, they had incomplete intel, they were unprepared for defense, they let in a traitor - I really thought the episode was leading up to Mary realizing that she chose wrong, and Sam ripping Mick a new one about his poor organization.

Instead he joined? That makes no sense.

Unless Sam is playing a bigger long game that we don't know about yet, his decision doesn't add up for me.

Alice: Yes, I do. All the things that Christine said is exactly why I think Sam decided to work with them. 

He recognized that the British Men of Letters have dedication, resources, and an overall plan to rid the world of monsters, but they’re flawed. They’re also good people. 

Hunting in the U.S. is definitely different and needs more than fancy toys.

Sam’s a pretty good judge of character, and I don’t think he’s looking for perfection. Otherwise, why would they need him, Dean, and Mary? 

Perhaps he also sees what the U.S. Men of Letters once was and it’s his obligation as a legacy to carry that on as intended.

Nightsky: I was surprised by it, but I don’t disagree with it.

The question was worded perfectly - I believe Sam will work with the British Men of Letters but never for them. He see the advantage and logic in using better intel and better weapons in his fight, but he’ll never be their lackey. 

I also don’t see the decision as a betrayal of Dean. As Dean said, they are all adults and need to make their own choices.

I think Sam will be upfront about it with Dean.

Sean: I was a bit surprised, but I totally get where he’s coming from.

The idea of taking out all these evil monsters makes sense, and the British Men of Letters seem to be of the right mindset in doing so.

Clearly, Sam isn’t going in blind either, so we’ll have to wait to see where the chips truly fall.

Does the leader (the old man that's referenced) of the British Men of Letters have an ulterior motive for wanting Sam and Dean to join up?

Christine: I thought Mick made that clear when he said that he believes where the Winchesters go, other American hunters will go.

But aside from just that, this episode proved that the Winchesters know more about hunting than the British Men of Letters.

Maybe that's why "old man" needs them so badly.

Alice: It is curious, his interest in the Winchesters. 

I get that they’ve saved the world a few times, not to mention being God’s chosen, but I don’t understand why he has to have them working with the British Men of Letters. 

I’m assuming it’s because they know things they don’t know, like how to make bullets for the Colt.

I don’t think Sam and Dean will attract other hunters. It’s not like other hunters have been dying to work with them up until now. 

No, they usually just end up dying. 

There’s definitely an ulterior motive though, and I’m sure that will be a big late season reveal.

Nightsky: I have written pages and pages on this question! I think the Old Man at the top is Asmodeus.

I have a theory that his “hobby” is trying to eliminate all monsters that are a threat to his power and all hunters who are a threat to his existence. I believe Mick and Ketch are unknowingly being used by the biggest monster of them all.

Sean: Yeah, there’s clearly something else going on.

And I like Nightsky’s theory. It’s going to be a big reveal near the end of the season for sure.

What did you think of Dean and Mary's fight and then makeup?

Christine: Honestly? I'm so bored with Mary fighting with Dean and Sam.

I don't need them to be a happy and functional family, but I need there to be a bigger reason for Mary to be back that doesn't involve her hiding things from the boys and "needing to be alone."

I feel like we've missed so much opportunity since her return for some good emotional payoff - talks about John and what they've seen, how they met her dad, filling in the gaps.

If I were Dean, I'd be pretty hesitant to forgive her, too. She's let him down so many times since she's been back. It really sucks.

Alice: I think it’s awesome that Dean and Mr. Ketch both went as fast as they could to the compound knowing it was under siege. 

I think they both have a fondness for Mary. Of course, Dean would try to protect her. 

Despite being mad, resorting to calling his mother “Mary,” Dean’s not ready to let her die. The fact that he didn’t know Sam was at the compound proved it. 

So Sam was right, family does mean something after all. 

I don’t think this means the disagreements are over though, as well as the hurt feelings. Dean doesn’t forget so easily! 

But yeah, he won’t let her die either, so they’re making progress. They have a long way to go though.

Nightsky: Dean’s heartbreaking admission about never being a child is the second best scene of the episode, but it felt genuine that he would forget his anger when he thought her life was in danger so their makeup, although brief, felt right.

I would have liked a sentence where Sam said “we all have a lot to talk about” or Dean saying “we still have to hash this out” to indicate that not all’s forgiven without some long conversations, but I’ll take what we got.

Sean: I’m glad they made up, and I hope that squashes the squabbles between them.

It’s time for them to work as a team, and let’s hope that’s the way it goes going forward.

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.