Supernatural Season 4, Episode 7 recap: The origins of Samhain

Supernatural Season 4, Episode 7 does a seasonal episode once more. This time, we finally take a look at Halloween–more specifically, the Samhain origins.

It took three seasons to bring the first holiday-themed episode. Supernatural Season 4 would see the second. Episode 7, titled “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester,” pulled us into the horrors and dangers of Halloween, focusing more on the origins of the night of trick or treating, Samhain.

While I adore Samhain, this episode isn’t one of my favorites. However, I loved that it starred Ashley Benson before she was famous for Pretty Little Liars. Here’s a look at the events from the first (and so far only) Halloween episode on the series.

The case of a powerful witch

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On Oct. 30, the Winchesters find themselves investigating the case of a powerful witch. How do they know this witch is powerful? Well, after discovering a hex bag at the house of the victim, Sam finds gold thread, a Celtic coin from centuries ago, an infant’s charred bones, and a herb that hasn’t been around for the last two centuries.

Yes, this is some powerful mojo! What they can’t figure out is why the witch wanted her/his vic dead.

The case continues when a high school student drowns while bobbing for apples at a Halloween party. Tracy Davis (Ashley Bensen) can’t tell the Winchesters how it happened and doesn’t know of the first vic–she lied. However, the Winchesters do find another hex bag.

A case of a blood sacrifice

Sam realizes that this isn’t a grudge killing. A witch is performing a blood sacrifice. It takes place over the course of three days, with the last being performed at midnight on the harvest’s final day. In this case, on Halloween.

Smart!Sam figures out that the witch is raising the demon of Samhain. Halloween, which was developed from Samhain traditions, is the day when the veil between the ghostly and human planes is at its weakest. With Samhain risen, other things from Hell can also rise. This is going to be a bloodbath.

Once the Winchesters find out that Tracy lied about knowing the first victim, they also find out that she was suspended from school for attacking her teach. Now, they can’t find Tracy.

Another case of the seals

It also turns out that raising Samhain is one of those pesky 66 seals. He needs to be stopped. To do that, Uriel and Castiel will destroy the whole town and want the Winchesters out.

Of course, the Winchesters stay. They want to stop the raising of Samhain without innocent people dying. It’s clear they haven’t learned their lesson from “Jus in Bello.” Sometimes, atrocious things need to happen for the good of the world.

We do get more focus on Castiel and Uriel in this episode. Uriel isn’t happy that the Winchesters are trying to save the town but Castiel reminds him that Dean was brought back for a reason.

Meanwhile, the Winchesters figure out that Don, the teacher, isn’t who he says he is. They find him sacrificing Tracy, who happens to be a witch and Don’s sister. However, the Winchesters realize this after Sam shoots and kills Don. With the third sacrifice, Samhain arrives in Don’s corpse.

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When Samhain immediately kills Tracy, Sam suggests to Dean that they place Don’s blood on their faces as a mask. It works, and the demon leaves them and heads to a cemetery. Now they have to follow and stop him.

Sam is the one to take on Samhain alone. When Samhain flashes a white light at Sam, nothing happens. However, Samhain prevents Sam from stabbing him with Ruby’s knife. Sam has to use his powers to exorcise the demon, much to Dean’s anger.

It’s also angered Uriel, who threatens Sam with obliteration the very next day. Uriel then tells Sam to ask Dean about Dean’s memories of Hell.

Castiel pays Dean a visit, who shares that the orders for the angels was to do as Dean ordered. This was a test and Castiel had hoped that Dean would choose to save the town. There will be more difficult decisions to come, though.

What did you think of Dean and Sam’s decision to save the town? What did you think about the angels’ storyline in Supernatural Season 4, Episode 7? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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