Supernatural Review: Season 5 Episode 19 "Hammer of the Gods"

By: Andrew Dabb & Daniel Loflin

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

           

          I've been a fan of world mythology ever since around age 7 when my mother bought me a copy of the (censored) most famous Greek myths and this episode was a veritable treasure trove for me as it can boast the largest collection of gods in one place that any episode has ever seen as well as the continuation of the Loki story arc. It is also painful for me to watch, because Gabriel is my favorite angel (sorry, Cas) and this is the episode where he apparently meets his demise. Yes I still am in denial about that, but I've determined to bite the bullet and give this episode the best review I am capable of. Shall we begin?

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- The Elysian Fields Hotel? HOW was Sam NOT tipped off that something weird might be going on?!

- And it's kind of sad how Sam and Dean are so happy to actually be staying in a nice hotel for once (no stains or bugs or mold) and then the proverbial rug gets pulled out from under their feet. They looked like drowned rats too...

- I love the way Dean is being all cagey and wet and tired until the check in guy (the god Mercury, actually) mentions an All You Can Eat Buffet with a specialty pie section. It's good to see that even with Armageddon coming Dean can still take pleasure in the small things of life.

- He also meets Kali...

- "Sam, unpucker, man. Eat something. How many hours of sleep did you get this week? What? Three? Four?"  Sammy. I know you're worried about Adam and I know that you're like Sherlock in that you sometimes forget to eat and sleep whenever you're working...but it's the Apocalypse. Don't burn yourself out!

- Sam's disgust at Dean's leering at the snogging honeymooners ("What are you, twelve?") never fails to make me laugh. Dean's being naughty and Sam's being a prude. All is right with the world.

- Dean called Mercury 'Norman Bates'. Ha! That's the vibe I got from him too, though we don't get a shower murder scene in this episode.

- And the elephant. Oh gosh, the elephant. Just the way Dean walks past the room, stops, does a double take, and then cautiously looks back inside...oh gosh, it's too funny. This episode really knows how to do the visual comedy!

- So did one of the gods actually manipulate the weather to lead Sam and Dean there? Cool! Who was it? Did Poseidon chip in for a moment there?

- "Please be tomato soup, please be tomato soup..." Dean, you should know by now that it's NEVER just tomato soup.

- Love the council of gods with the flashes between their faces and icons/texts as Sam and Dean figure out exactly what they're dealing with. The name tags were a nice touch.

- Dean's face whenever he realizes just who he was flirting with is absolutely hilarious too.

- And I'll admit I fangirled more than once as each god was named and identified...even if Odin does have both eyes (yes I'm still upset about that)!

- Let's see. There is Ganesh, Kali, Mercury, Odin, Baron Samedi, Isis, and a few others that I didn't get a look at their name tags nor did they have their mythologies/religions mentioned.

- "Ground rules: no slaughtering each other. Hold your wrath under control. Oh...and keep your hands off the local virgins. We're trying to keep a low profile."

- It's hilarious how Odin describes the Apocalypse as 'two angels having a slap fight' and then goes on to expound on how the world won't end until the great serpent rises up and he is eaten by a great wolf. The scene just gets more and more awkward as the opposing gods and beliefs clash horribly and finally Sam and Dean try to sneak away, only to be stopped by Kali. Kali is, by the way, probably the best god character in this episode. She is stern and cold and ruthless and determined to do whatever it takes to survive.

- And then Gabriel (sorry...Loki) swaggers in and gleefully messes everything up with a snap of his fingers.

- Honestly, though, I don't know why Odin didn't realize something weird was up. Loki IS kinda his son. Did Gabriel take the real Loki as his vessel or something? Is that why the poor sod hasn't exploded yet? Did he kill Loki and take his place? Do the gods just not speak to each other very often so they all thought Loki had a makeover? How does this 'private witness protection' thing Gabriel has going work?

- "Me and Kali...we had a thing. Chick was all hands." Ha! Mythology gags.

- Gabriel's version of 'black magic' is to whip out his breath mints, cologne, and conjure up a rose for Kali. Sam and Dean look mildly amused and a little bit disturbed at this. And, much as I wish she hadn't been in her lingerie for the scene, watching Loki and Kali match wits is a lot of fun. Especially since she, for all intents and purposes, gets the upper hand in the end.

- I also like that he seems to genuinely care for Kali, whatever their history is. He tries to convince her to get out, and seems pretty sincere while doing so. He knows EXACTLY what his brothers are capable of...and he doesn't want to see anyone else die in this war. He's had time to think over what Sam and Dean and even Castiel threw at him and he's come out on the other side determined to help fix things. Character development!

- There's also a lovely little commercial for Ghostfacers: The Web Series partway through this episode. If you haven't seen any of the installments of that, I HIGHLY encourage you to check them out as they are HILARIOUS. I think they can still be found at www.cwtv.com.

- "Okay, okay. So I got wings." "I'm not a spy. I'm a runaway." "I know my brother...he should scare the living crap out of you."

- I was shocked whenever Kali stabbed Gabriel. It's a very emotional moment, not in the least because it feels like a cheat, but because she's practically crying whenever she stabs him. She cares for Gabriel, deep under it all, and she fears for her life and is angry that his brothers  are going to tear the planet she calls home apart...but she doesn't let her emotions stop her from doing what she can to survive.

- Looking back, we should have known that he wasn't really dead. If he was, there would be an imprint of burnt wings on the ground around him.

- Dean's speech to the gods is a work of art. "All right, you primitive screwheads! Listen up. Now on any other given day, I'd be doing my damndest to, uh, kill you. You filthy murdering chimps. But, uh, hey, desperate times. So even though I'd love nothing better than to slit your throats, you dicks, I'm gonna help you. I'm going to help you ice the devil. And then we can all get back to ganking each other, like normal. You want Lucifer, well, dude's not in the Yellow Pages. But me and Sam, we can get him here. First you let those main courses go. Then we talk. We can either take on the devil together, or you lame-ass bitches can eat me. Literally." 

- And then Dean finds Gabriel (powerful, warrior archangel) hiding in the backseat of the Impala.

- "You think I'd give Kali my real sword? That thing can kill me!" Somehow I find it hilarious that Gabriel made his decoy blade out of a can of Diet Orange Slice.

- Then Lucifer checks in and everything goes to hell (pun intended). Can I just take a moment and remind us all to appreciate Mark Pellingro in this role? Okay? Appreciating? Because this wasn't easy to pull off and...he scares me. 

- "You know, I never understood you pagans. You're such PETTY little things. Huh. And they call ME arrogant." Urgh. Chills. And not the good kind either.

- I know that some people have complained about this episode and its portrayal of the pagan gods. Most of the deities included in the council no longer have a huge amount of followers (such as Odin and Mercury) but some others (like Kali) are still worshiped with no small amount of prominence to this day. People have taken issue with the show implicating that the Judeo-Christian God is the only true god and that all the others are merely monsters who draw their power from their followers and the sacrifices. Well, to be fair, that's not exactly what the show says. Oh sure the angels and the demons hold prominence to the story and it could be taken that way, but may I remind you that Supernatural is pretty irreverent to any religion it portrays? The archangel Gabriel is a candy-eating, demigod-impersonating jokester and God himself is an absent drunken dad (if we believe that Chuck is indeed God). How is that worse than maybe some of the gods having less power here in the West where they have fewer followers and believers than the whole Judeo-Christian system does? It isn't. Besides...Kali got to kick some serious butt whenever she stood up to Lucifer while Sam and Dean were cowering in the corner and the scene where Lucifer tore through the pagan gods was pretty dark and scary. It's just a show, guys. Not everything is represented perfectly. Baldar was killed without mistletoe, Odin had both eyes, and the show plays fast and loose with sacred mythologies. Get over it.

- Gabriel protects Kali and has the boys get her out of there, even though he knows she can take care of herself. He's not being condescending...he just knows his brother and doesn't want anyone else to get hurt.

- Lucifer just looks so nonplussed whenever Gabriel comes in. Bear in mind that they haven't spoken in anything other than anger for centuries.

- As soon as Gabriel sent Sam and Dean and Kali out in front of him and stayed behind, I knew he was toast. I had hopes that maybe he could walk away...but he's fighting Lucifer and Lucifer has no mercy in the end.

- The whole conversation between Gabriel and Lucifer is a work of art. They're two brothers who love each other. Even Lucifer doesn't necessarily want to hurt Gabriel. But, in the end, their characters are defined by the choices they make. Gabriel chooses to defend his Father's creations. He acknowledges that they're flawed. He knows that some of them are even evil. But he realizes that there is enough good in the world, enough people trying to do what is right, that it doesn't warrant everyone being slaughtered and he's willing to give his life for it. Lucifer, on the other hand, is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He'll slaughter millions, lie, and kill his own brother. He'll do it reluctantly, maybe, but he'll still do it because they got in his way. Beautiful contrast between the two archangels and a reminder that our choices in life are what define us.

- And, in the end, Lucifer refuses to take the high road and stabs his baby brother right through the heart. "Amateur hocus pocus. Don't forget, you learned all your tricks from me, little brother."

- The episode ends with Gabriel giving Sam and Dean their quest (the four rings of the Horsemen that will open Lucifer's Cage again) and the introduction of the Horseman, Pestilence.

- Can I say that usually the blood on this show doesn't bother me? But one look at Pestilence and I was gagging. Guess I have a lower tolerance for snot than I do for gore.

- Gabriel's burnt wings...oh gosh. Yes I am in denial about this. And I'm not the only one. The Trickster Archangel has only appeared in five episodes of Supernatural to date, but he's a steady fan favorite and a character that was both fun to watch and competent at what he did. We need more angels like Gabriel. Or, maybe, could we have him come back to life? Please?

        This episode is MILDLY less traumatizing now, thanks to Meta Fiction, but it still hurts to watch. It has everything that makes this show so good - great characters, dark themes, irreverent humor, fascinating mythology, betrayal, loyalty, love, and the theme of destiny and choice that run throughout as well as giving us our quest that will serve as the rest of the season arc (but without ever feeling overstuffed). Hammer of the Gods is a 5/5.





P.S. Until confirmed otherwise, I'm just going to hang on to the theory that Gabriel has set up another witness protection program for himself as a pizza/Pepsi delivery man...

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?