Supernatural 12x18 "The Memory Remains"

After too much of a focus on the BMOL last week, this week it's back to a case of the week monster with the brothers Winchester. Well, with a little BMOL splashed in too, but this time just the right amount. With Ketch's new orders to take out all of the American hunters, he sends Sam and Dean off on a case so he and some lackeys can study the bunker and learn all they can about the Winchesters. You know, like steal a photo of young Dean with Mary. And leave a bug. That sort of stuff.

Meanwhile, the brothers head off to investigate the disappearance of a kid in Wisconsin, who was taken by some goat dude. They find out that another kid thinks it was Black Bill, which is an urban legend I've only tangentially heard of myself, but apparently is a thing. As is the show's wont, before the next commercial break, the kid who saw the goat dude is the next one to be taken! Dun dun dun.

The case of the week is actually fairly simple for them to figure out. All of the disappearances lead back to the local meat factory, which just happens to be owned by the local sheriff, whose family has been sort of the it family of the town for generations. He's been selling off pieces of his inheritance for awhile, but they know something fishy must be up, so they head to the family estate.

What do they find there? Just a murder dungeon, you know, no big thing. The sheriff shows up then as well, and tells them the scoop - his family has trapped this goat god called Malek for a long time, feeding him human blood. They wear a goat mask thing to take the people, hence the Black Bill references. But, when his dad died, he decided it was time to set things right. He locked up Malek and hoped he would starve to death.

Only, what's this? Malek isn't in his hidey hole dungeon cave? Nope! Who could have let him out? Well, it's whoever is now in the house upstairs. Dean goes to investigate while the others get trapped downstairs, so of course Dean gets taken by a dude in a goat suit. But wait, who could it be? I thought all of the sheriff's family was gone?

Turns out, the guy who runs the factory is his half-brother and unleashed Malek to try to reclaim what he deemed rightfully his, yada yada. Sam and the sheriff make it back just in time before Malek is able to start feasting on Dean, and Sam kills him with the trusty colt. Because, as Dean puts it, work smarter not harder.

They head back to the now-bugged bunker to have their brotherly end of episode chat there instead of in the car. You know, so Ketch can listen in. Dean is concerned they might not leave a legacy, but Sam says their legacy is the people they've saved, that they're leaving the world better than when they started. And then they carve their initials into the table because they're saps like that.

Random Thoughts:

- In all seriousness, this was a pretty good episode. I kid because I love. Or something.

- But for real, I'm tired of the main storyline. I guess this BMOL side storyline isn't so bad, but I could give two hoots about the whole impending demon child.

- There were a lot of fun quotes this episode, I think I got most of them, but I know I missed a couple.

- It seems like Ketch has for realsies feelings about Mary, so it definitely doesn't seem like he's going to actually go through with killing them all. But we'll see, I guess. Hopefully it doesn't mean Mary ends up accidentally killed saving her boys by him or something.

Quotes:

Sam: I spent all night going through all our books on demons. And it turns out, we have a lot of books on demons.

Dean: We got a dude with a goat head with a name like a pirate.

Dean: Work smarter, Sammy, not harder.

Sam: Oh don't do the hot coffee thing.
Dean: Boy this coffee is HOT.

Dean: Oh come on this guy's adorable, he plays a frickin' flute.

Dean: Hello? Goat dude?

Dean: Why is it always the rich ones? Why are they like, croquet's all right, but you know what would be great? Murder.

Dean: So now we're reporting to low rent Christian Bale, seriously?

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