Supernatural Season 6, Episode 11 recap: Dean makes a deal with Death

If you thought the Winchesters were done making deals, think again. Dean makes a deal to help Sam and this time with Death in Supernatural Season 6, Episode 11.

Just when you thought the Winchesters had learned their lessons the hard way, deals were made again in Supernatural Season 6, Episode 11. Titled “Appointment in Samarra,” Dean turned to Death for help with Sam, while the younger Winchester brother turned to Balthazar.

To be honest, if you’re going to make a deal with someone, it should be Death. At least, Old Death, played by Julian Richings, always stuck to his word. He was helpful when he wanted to be or when the natural order of things was thrown out of balance. And Billie!Death hasn’t been too untrustworthy. But that doesn’t mean deals should be made.

Dean asks a doctor to kill him

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It all starts with Dean paying a doctor (an old acquaintance of John Winchester) and his assistant to kill him. Yes, really. He wants to get to the other side. When the doctor shares that there’s only a 75% success rate with bringing people back, Dean asks the doc to mail a letter to Ben if he dies permanently.

Of Dean goes to the other side, where he summons Tessa the reaper and requests a meeting with Death. She doesn’t want to but Death shows up anyway. He wants to talk to Dean.

Dean offers Death’s ring back if Death will return Sam and Adam’s souls from Lucifer’s cage. It’s really an empty offer since Death knows where the ring is — and points out that Dean was only borrowing it — but Death agrees. That is, Death will bring one soul back and Dean immediately chooses Sam.

Death knows what the time in Hell could do to Sam so offers to bring the soul back and wall up the time in the cage. There’s just one thing that Dean has to do: be Death for one day. If Dean removes the ring, Dean loses and Sam’s soul remains in the cage. Just before Dean learns why Death wants him to do this, he’s brought back to life.

Dean becomes Death for a day

Naturally, Sam thinks this is all a bad idea. He doesn’t want his soul back, especially when the wall isn’t even going to be permanent. Dean manages to get to Death’s ring first and puts it on. It’s up to him to kill everyone on Tessa’s list to she can collect their souls and move them on.

It all seems relatively easy at first. Dean “kills” an armed robber shot by a store clerk and the second is a heartache victim due to being overweight. His issue comes when a 12-year-old girl with a heart condition is on the list. Dean refuses to kill her and doesn’t believe in destiny.

Sadly, the nurse on the case is involved in a car accident because she goes home early. She’s reaped “decades early” according to Tessa. The nurse’s husband then gets drunk out of grief and crashes into a busload of people. Dean manages to prevent the accident by taking off Death’s ring and jerks the wheel of the husband’s car.

Because Dean has taken off the ring, he’s lost the wager. However, the actions do teach him a lesson and he does put the ring back on and goes back to the hospital, killing the 12-year-old knowing it’s necessary for the natural order of things.

Sam turns to Balthazar

While all that happens, Sam turns to Balthazar for help. He wants a way to keep his soul out of his body forever. Balthazar offers to do this without payment, saying that he wants to mess up Dean’s plans and make sure Sam is in his debt. The best way to make a vessel unhabitable for a soul is by committing patricide.

Isn’t Sam’s dad already dead? Well, family don’t end with blood and all that. Bobby is a father figure and a perfect replacement for Sam. Despite Bobby initially being one step ahead, Soulless Sam manages to beat Bobby and is just about to kill him when Dean and Tessa show up.

Death turns up looking for his ring. He’s also pleased to see that Dean has learned some lessons about death and the natural order. Despite not managing to keep his ring on, Death retrieves Sam’s soul — with a note that Dean should keep digging into souls.

We end with Sam screaming as his soul is returned.

What did you think of Dean’s time as Death? Was Death’s wager worthwhile? What did you think about the ending to the Soulless Sam storyline on Supernatural? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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