Supernatural Season 6, Episode 17 recap: When the Titanic was saved

Balthazar stops the Titanic from sinking in Supernatural Season 6, Episode 17. What could possibly go wrong? Here’s a look back at the episode.

What could possibly go wrong if the Titanic never sank? That’s something Supernatural Season 6, Episode 17 delves into with the Fates getting involved. Let’s take a look back at the episode, titled “My Heart Will Go On.”

The episode picks up not long after Rufus’ death and Bobby is, understandably, taking it hard. Sam even offers a case of unusual deaths, but Bobby isn’t interested in it and wants to be left alone. And so, the Winchesters pack up Dean’s Mustang (yes, his Mustang!) and head off to Pennsylvania. Bobby remains behind knowing Ellen (say what?) will be home soon.

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Ellen comes back after hunting with Jo for a week. She mourns Rufus’ death and fusses over the amount of drinking Bobby has been doing. Begrudgingly, Bobby accepts Ellen’s help. That is why they married after all.

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And right away, we know that there’s a serious problem that nobody else realizes. The Mustang is the biggest giveaway, right?

Finding a connection

After finding a thread of pure gold on the ground, the Winchesters look at what connects the victims. All their ancestors arrived to the United States in 1912.

This is when we get to see more of what’s been going on. Anne Witting is currently selling holidays to Cuba when time freezes. A blonde woman appears, places Anne’s car keys under the photocopier, and time starts again. When Anne goes to get her keys from under the photocopier, her scarf is caught and she’s strangled. The blond woman reappears when Anne dies, book in her arm with a list of names. A gold thread falls from her bookmark before the woman crosses Anne’s name out and leaves.

These deaths aren’t just contained to the location, though. Ellen tells the Winchesters that there have been 75 other deaths around the country. Jo and her crew are looking at freak deaths in California. The only connection to everyone is that their ancestors all arrived on the Titanic, a steamship nobody has heard of.

While doing research, the Winchesters learn that the Titanic almost hit an iceberg on the way over. The first mate, I.P. Freely, stopped the disaster from happening. Sam and Dean immediately recognize this I.P. Freely guy as Balthazar. It turns out Balthazar went back in time to stop the Titanic from sinking just to prevent the movie Titanic and the song “My Heart Will Go On.”

Balthazar doesn’t care that the descendants of the people on the Titanic are dying. However, the Winchesters do care, even if it means 50,000 people who shouldn’t be alive will die or that they’ve learned that Ellen and Jo shouldn’t be alive.

Figuring out the ‘monster’

It’s hard to call the “monster” in Supernatural Season 6, Episode 17 an actual monster. It turns out that it’s the Fates, of Greek mythology, who just want to bring natural order to everything. Balthazar needs to resink the Titanic. However, the Winchesters tell Bobby that Ellen and Jo will die, and Bobby can’t allow that to happen.

After an “accident” the next day, the Winchesters notice a woman watching. Sam believes she could be Fate and the brothers take after her. The woman stops time and opens all the gas valves in the room that the Winchesters walk into. When Dean’s flashlight dies, he takes out his lighter but just as the gas ignites, Castiel appears and gets the brothers to safety.

Fate is angry with Castiel for averting the Apocalypse. After that, she was made obsolete. Now the Winchesters have made her angrier by being around. Castiel knows that Fate won’t stop now until the Winchesters are dead. The only way to kill her is with a weapon on Balthazar’s possession.

Dealing with Fate

The Winchesters are constantly looking out for death at every turn. Castiel is watching over them, though, stopping time to avert their deaths once more. Atropos, one of the Fates, is angry that there are 50,000 souls who shouldn’t be alive and she thinks Castiel ordered Balthazar to do it. If Castiel doesn’t sink the Titanic, she will kill the Winchester brothers.

Castiel threatens to kill Atropos, but she reminds him that she has two other sisters. The Winchesters will die one way or another. Balthazar is sneaking up on Atropos to kill her, but Castiel agrees that the Titanic needs to sink again.

With that, the Winchesters wake up back at Bobby’s place in the Impala. “My Heart Will Go On” plays on the radio and they believe that what they’ve had is a dream. Castiel admits the truth and wants them to remember Fate. He’s fighting for freedom from destiny.

Why did Balthazar really save the Titanic? Castiel continues to tell the story that Balthazar hates the movie, revealing nothing about the true reason why.

Back inside Bobby’s place, Bobby is asleep on the couch. He has no idea what he lost in that alternate timeline, and the Winchesters just let him sleep.

What did you think about the episode? Did you figure out why Castiel ordered Balthazar to prevent the Titanic from sinking? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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