Supernatural 'Stairway to Heaven' Review: Team Free Will rides again

The penultimate episode of Season 9 of Supernatural, entitled "Stairway to Heaven," juggled many different elements. Sam and Castiel went off to figure out why angels were kamikaze-ing themselves in Cass' name, while Dean interrogated his old reaper friend, Tessa. By the end of the hour, our heroes were in a dark and difficult place.

Cass had acquired a cult-like following, so when angels starting blowing themselves up in his name, Dean and Sam were naturally a bit worried. But thanks in part to the First Blade, Dean jumped right to "Cass is on a power trip again" while Sam was more trusting of their friend. It turns out Metatron orchestrated the entire plot in order to swing the last major faction of independent angels, along with Cass' followers, to his side.

While Sam and Cass were off investigating the bombers, Dean found Tessa, who was planning to nuke herself in Cass' name, too, because the voices of all the dead people who can't get through the locked gates of heaven are driving her insane. She wants Cass to reopen the door so business can continue as usual, but she wouldn't be around to see it if she exploded to help his cause.

Unfortunately, Dean intercepted her and interrogated her for a while until Tessa impaled herself with the First Blade to end her misery. Cass' angels tied up Dean and wanted their leader to kill him, but he refused. And with that, the rest of Castiel's angels abandoned ship and joined Metatron's cause.

So now we're back where we usually are around the season finale: Team Free Will is all that's left to stop the Big Bad. Cass wondered aloud if it's enough, and Dean correctly pointed out they've come out on top every time in the past.

Dean was much less friendly to Sam, who not-so-politely told him to keep his mouth shut because "this is a dictatorship." It's pretty clear the First Blade is going to send Dean off the deep end completely in the season finale, so the challenge for the team will be to figure out how to fix the angry elder Winchester.

Gadreel showed up in the Men of Letters' bunker at the end to offer his help after he realized Metatron is...well, Metatron...and Dean seemingly accepted until he sliced the angel open from hip to shoulder. It's possible Gadreel is still alive, but the message is clear: Dean's not screwing around and he has no problem cutting down whomever he feels is in his way.

By now, we know how a Supernatural season finale plays out: the boys win, buuuuuut there's another problem that propels them into the next season. Dean gets sent to Purgatory, the angels fall from Heaven, etc. The show could go in any number of directions next season, and we'll likely find out the Winchesters' next battle next week.

Notes from Dad's Journal:

-       So Castiel's grace is fizzling out and when it goes, so does he. Misha Collins has already been confirmed as a series regular for Season 10, so barring a major twist, Cass is not dying next week.

-       Sam: "Agents Spears and Aguilera?"

Castiel: "I've noticed your aliases are the names of popular musicians."

Dean: "Wow..."

-       Castiel's line about being pop-culture savvy now was equally amusing.

-       How, if at all, will Crowley be involved in next week's showdown?

-       Sam and Castiel don't team up together nearly enough, and it's always interesting to watch them interact without Dean in their presence.

-       How will Dean recover from the Mark of Cain/First Blade effects?

What did you think of "Stairway to Heaven"? Let us know in the comments below.