Supernatural Season 4, Episode 22 recap: It’s time for Lucifer to be freed

Supernatural Season 4 came to an end with Lucifer Rising. Here’s a look at everything that led to Lucifer being freed from the cage.

“Lucifer Rising” is a special episode for a few reasons. It marked the release of Lucifer from the cage and the end of Supernatural Season 4. However, it was also the last episode of TV Eric Kripke directed for nine years and it was an episode he wrote.

The episode opened with Azazel possessing a priest and murdering eight nuns in St. Mary’s Convent in 1972. This gives him the ability to speak to Lucifer in the cage, which leads to him finding out that Lilith is the one that must break the 66th seal. But first, Azazel needs to find a very special child, and suddenly we get the start of Azazel’s journey into creating his special children.

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Sam is ready for a changed destiny

Back to the present day, Supernatural Season 4, Episode 22 picks up where the last episode left off. Sam is now upset about falling out with Dean and knows there isn’t going to be a “later” to patch things up. This is is; he’s a changed man.

Now his journey takes him to a hospital, where one of Lilith’s demons is stealing a baby for her to consume. He uses his powers to get capture the demon and torture her for information. Sure enough, that church we saw Azazel in during the flashback is the place that Lilith will be next.

When the demon learns that Sam will use the blood to feed, she decides to go into the depths of the human’s mind. Sam now has an innocent life and decides to throw her into the trunk of his car, heading off to St. Mary’s Church to get Lilith.

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Dean is trapped by Zachariah

Meanwhile, Dean is stewing over the fight, refusing to call his brother. This is Bobby’s chance to call Dean out on being too much like John in this moment. Dean is better than this.

Well, there’s not much time to think about this, as Dean is transported to “The Green Room” by Zachariah. The angels want to keep Dean safe, preparing for Lilith to break that last seal. Dean uses this chance to leave Sam an apologetic message.

Unfortunately, that’s not the message that Sam hears. The angels have twisted the message, so Dean is hurling more abuse at Sam. This gives Sam the push he needs to drink the blood of the possessed girl and take on Lilith.

Back in The Green Room, Zachariah admits that they don’t want to stop Lucifer from being freed. Many of the angels want the apocalypse to happen, as it will bring Paradise on earth. On top of that, Dean is needed after, as he’ll be the one to kill Lucifer.

Castiel steps up to help the Winchesters

Despite initially following orders, Castiel apologizes to Dean and decides to help the Winchesters. Finding out that Lilith’s death is the final scene, he gets Dean to where Lilith’s murder will take place. Well, he gets Dean to Chuck, who knows the location.

With the knowledge, the archangel protecting Chuck arrives. Castiel agrees to protect Chuck while sending Dean to the church to stop Sam.

Sure enough, Dean gets there just after Sam has killed Lilith’s minions. He’s just about to kill Lilith when Dean calls out his name. As Lilith taunts him, Sam’s eyes turn back and he decides to kill Lilith anyway. Her blood spirals on the floor, leading to Ruby sharing that she had been playing Sam this whole time and that he never needed the demon blood to use his powers.

Before Ruby shares why Sam was the only one who could bring Lucifer back, Dean rushes into the room. Sam holds Ruby as Dean stabs her with her own knife, killing her. The damage is done though. As a light thrusts from Lilith’s blood, the brothers clutch onto each other. Lucifer is free.

What did you think of the major cliffhanger at the end of Supernatural Season 4’s finale? Did you hope that the Winchesters would stop Lucifer’s release? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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