Emerson, Manitoba – 1980
A boy, Asa Fox, runs through the woods and a werewolf chases after him. the boy trips and the werewolf grabs him and slams him into a tree, snarling. He scratches the boy's cheek and then prepares to kill him… and Mary arrives and kills the creature. Mary drives Asa home and says that he'll be fine. When he wonders what attacked him, Mary explains that it was a werewolf and they had a history. As she takes him up to his house, Mary says that she is retiring as soon as she ties up a few loose ends. Asa asks her who will protect people like him if she retires. Mary has no answers for him, and sends him to his front door. As Asa goes to the door, he takes a Polaroid of Mary as she drives off.
Later, Asa puts the photo of Asa on his board. He collects newspaper clippings of monster sightings and writes postcards to Mary that he can't send. As he grows older, he continues colleting clippings and trains himself to be a Hunter. Finally he's chasing something through the forest but someone hangs him by the neck with a rope.
Jody is relaxing on her day off when there's a knock at her door. It's Sam and Dean, and they explain that they just finished a hunt in Brookings. Jody tells them that Claire and Alex are out of town at a concert, and invites them to have dinner with her. After they eat, Jody gets a call and then starts crying. She gets some clothing and tells the brothers that a friend of hers died: Asa Fox. Sam remembers that Ellen used to tell stories about Asa, and Jody met him a few months ago chasing a pack of ghouls. They kept in touch since then, and Jody says that he was a good man. She tells the brothers that the wake is that night, and the Winchesters insist on going with them. Sam points out that they never go to Hunter gatherings outside of bars on their father's advice, and Jody agrees.
The trio drive to Canada and go into Asa's family house where Hunters are drinking and commemorating Asa's death. A woman, Asa's mother Lorraine, comes over and greets Jody. Sam offers their condolences, and Lorraine walks off. Dean goes to the kitchen to grab some beers, and one of the Hunters, Bucky Sims, says that he brewed it himself. When Dean introduces himself, the other Hunters are surprised to learn that he's still alive. One Hunter, Elvis Katz, goes to see Sam, and Bucky and another Hunter, Randy Bull, introduce themselves. They ask what stories Dean heard, and share a drink when Dean mentions "Wendigos." Bucky tells Dean that the stories about Asa aren't as crazy as the ones they say about Dean.
Sam is talking to Alicia and her brother Max about how they were raised by a witch. Elvis comes over and introduces himself to Sam. He's heard that Sam was possessed by the Devil, and Alice and Max suggest that he back off. Sam quickly excuses himself, and Elvis latches onto the brother and sister.
Dean is in the study looking at Asa's Angel Blade when Sam comes in. He points out that they're legendary like Asa, and Asa ended up hanging from a tree alone in the woods. Dean figures there's no better way to go, and reminds Sam that they're not in the old-age business. He points out Asa's clippings on the wall and points out that hunting only ends one way.
The wake breaks up and Bucky is sharing stories with the few people that stayed behind. He mentions that Asa and Jody got together, and she says that it was a casual thing. Lorraine admits that Asa was popular with the ladies and isn't offended. Randy goes to the kitchen to get more beers, and when he comes back someone cuts his throat and drags him into a room.
Mary comes into the main room and Sam and Dean are surprised to see their mother. They talk to her privately with Jody, and introduce her to Mary. Jody is surprised to see Mary since she was dead, and hugs her. She leaves to give them some family time, and Mary says that she went to Lawrence and then used John's journal to retrace a few things. Dean points out that she could have asked them, and Mary says that it's something that they needed to do alone. She explains that she thought Asa was still around and then she saw an article about her death, and Dean clearly isn't happy that she took time off to see a dead guy but barely texts them. He walks out and Sam stops Mary from going after him.
As Dean goes out, Jody confronts him and points out that he didn't mention Mary was back from the dead. She tells him that if she could have her son and husband back, she would give anything to have that but it would scare the hell out of her. Jody wonders what it would be like if any of them changed, and it didn't work out the way she wanted. She tells Dean that she's there if he wants to talk about anything, and then goes back to the wake.
As Mary gets a beer, Lorraine comes in and introduces herself. She points out that Mary would be her age, and tells Mary that she should be sorry. Mary is the reason that Asa didn't become an astronaut, and gives Mary the box with the postcards he wrote but could never send. When Mary says that she saved her life, Lorraine tells her that Asa became obsessed with Hunting and it was his all life. He never married or had kids. Disgusted, Lorraine tells Mary to enjoy the wake and walks out.
Mary comes back and gives the box to Sam. He wonders if everything is fine, and Mary explains that she saved Asa as a boy. Sam points out that Asa made his own decisions and saved a lots of people, but Mary says that a lot of things have felt wrong since she came back. Sam figures that she and Dean both need space, and Dean is worried that she'll walk away from them. He points out that based on the postcards, Mary was hunting back in 1980 after she retired, and figures that she can't stop now because Hunting is in their blood. They then go back to the wake to say goodbye to Asa.
Sam and Mary go to the room where Asa's body is lying. Blood drips on his forehead, and they look up to see Randy's corpse tied up from the ceiling.
Buddy is talking about Asa's Jeep when Sam and Mary come back and tell them that they all need to leave because Randy's dead. Elvis comes back from the bathroom and says that the water is shut off, and they smell sulfur. The lights flicker and Bucky says that it's Jael, a crossroads demon that hangs people, and he killed Asa. The doors are sealed, and Max says that the door is warded to keep them in.
Dean is outside the house and hears someone approaching. He turns to discover that it's Billie, a Reaper. She says that she's there doing her job and she just finished inside reaping a fresh soul.
Bucky says that in '97, Asa exorcised Jael but not before the demon killed a girl by making her kill herself.
Dean tries the door but can't get it open. Billie says that the people inside can't see or hear him.
Five years later after the exorcism, Jael got into Asa's girlfriend Marlene. Now he's there possessing someone, and they wonder who. The Hunter point out that Alicia and Dean weren't in the room so it must be one of them. None of them have holy water to test Alicia, and the water's off so they can't make more.
Billie tells Dean that she just cleans up the mess, and figures that everyone dies.
As Sam points out that Dean is still outside, Alicia starts coughing. She then giggles and Jael, possessing her, says that Alicia isn't there. The demon slaps Max and then leaves Alicia's body, flowing out through the fireplace. Lorraine doesn't know if anyone else is in the house, and Jody says that they should pair off and search the house for people.
Dean tells Billie to get her in. She warns that it's a one-way ticket and Dean will owe her one.
Elvis gets Lorraine a drink, and the front door flares white. Dean arrives and asks where Sam is, and Lorraine says that he's a demon. Surprised, he tells them to stay with him and they'll all get out, and Elvis takes out a knife as his eyes glow red, and says that not everyone is getting out. He slashes at Dean, who avoids his attacks. Jael says that it's messy in Hell without Crowley and Lucifer running the place. Dean begins an exorcism, but Jael twists Elvis' head around 180 degrees and then leaves his body.
The others come back and Dean explains what happened to Elvis. The lights go out and Sam makes a Devil's Trap. Once they get in, the person who can't must be possessed.
Mary goes to the study and gets Asa's Angel Blade. As she comes back, Jody sees her go out and comes back, and whispers to Sam that Jael is in Mary. Dean comes over and Jody insists that Mary is a demon. She yells at everyone to kill Mary, and Sam says that she doesn't sound like herself. Dean figures that Jael is possessing Dean, and Jael bursts into laughter. When Sam and Dean try to grab her, she knocks them back. Mary tries to stab her, cutting her arm, but Sam restrains her and says that it's Jody.
Jael, bored, magically knocks them all down and says that she's been inside of their heads and knows all about them. The demon says that Max and Alicia were too frightened to say that they came to say goodbye to their father. It continues, saying that Lorraine sabotaged Asa's Jeep to keep him from Hunting, and Jody actually fantasized about a life with Asa. When Bucky tries to grab her, Jael chokes him and says that he killed Asa. The Hunters cast an exorcism, trying to drive Jael out of Jody's body. Bucky admits that he killed Asa, and Mary finishes the exorcism, driving the demon out.
Lorraine asks Bucky what he did, and Bucky says that Asa was always stubborn. They were in the woods and Jael was taunting Asa. Asa didn't have the Angel Blade but kept on going, ignoring Bucky's warning. They struggled and Asa fell and hit his head. Bucky made it look like Jael killed Asa by hanging him. He asks what they're going to do with him, and Jody says that they're going to tell every hunter they met what he did.
The next morning, Lorraine and the hunters burn the bodies. Lorraine tells Mary that she was wrong and Asa had a family and kids. She goes over to Max and Alicia to greet her grandchildren, and Mary apologizes to Jody for cutting her. Jody tells Mary, mom to mom, that Sam and Dean are the best men she's ever met. Mary says that they're not the problem, and Jody walks away.
Sam and Dean come over to Mary and ask if she's okay. Billie appears and says that she isn't. Billie reminds Dean that he owes her one: Mary. She says that Mary hates coming back to life, and she has a dead man's look in her eyes. Dean says that Mary isn't alone, and Billie tells Mary to tell the truth. Mary nods in agreement, and Billie says that she's there to offer her mercy to Heaven, away from life. Mary asks how it would work, and Billie says that Reapers don't kill people. After looking at her sons, Mary says that Billie will just have to wait. Billie says that they can summon her if they change their minds and disappears.
Sam asks if Mary is coming home, and she says that she is... after a little more time. Dean asks if they can at least buy her breakfast, and Mary agrees.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 18, 2016