Swan Song (Supernatural)
Encyclopedia
"Swan Song" is the 104th episode of the CW
television series, Supernatural
, as well as the 22nd episode and season finale
of the show's
fifth season
. Steve Boyum directed the episode with teleplay written by showrunner Eric Kripke and story written by Eric Gewirtz. It aired on Thursday, May 13, 2010 on the CW
.
It is then that Lucifer reveals that he knows that the Horseman's rings form the keys to his cage, and that he is wary of the boys' plans to trick him inside. Nevertheless, he agrees to possess Sam and let him try to retain control of his body. After Lucifer enters Sam, he is knocked unconscious, and Dean quickly throws the key to the cage on the wall and opens it with a spell. After waking up Sam, he watches him preparing to enter the pit, but instead Lucifer then reveals that he overpowered Sam in a matter of seconds. He then closes the portal, puts the key into his pocket and quickly disappears.
Outside, Dean meets back with Bobby and Castiel, and they observe various natural disasters on television that are occurring around the world. Knowing that Lucifer will try to seek out Michael for their final battle, they call Chuck to get the exact setting for the fight: Noon at Stull Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. Elsewhere, Lucifer is reveling in his new vessel while addressing Sam, who is still fighting him from the inside. He tells Sam that he only wants the best for him, and even offers to spare Dean after the world is destroyed. In a show of goodwill, he brings several people from Sam's past - including a former teacher of his and a prom date - and tells Sam that they were all possessed by demons working for Azazel in order to manipulate him. He then offers Sam revenge on them, and then asks him afterwards if he enjoyed it.
Lucifer is seen standing in the cemetery when Michael, who now possesses Adam, arrives. While Lucifer tries to dissuade him from fighting, Michael regretfully tells him that he must do so because God wishes it. Before they get underway, Dean, Castiel and Bobby arrive on scene and Castiel throws a Molotov cocktail of Holy Oil on Michael, forcing him to temporarily vanish. Lucifer, outraged at Castiel's action, blows him up with a snap of his fingers, then snaps Bobby's neck after he is shot with the Colt. Dean repeatedly appeals to Sam to overpower Lucifer, who responds by severely beating him until he is barely conscious. However, as he presses Dean against the side of the Impala, ready to deliver another blow, he pauses as he catches sight of a plastic army man in the ashtray of one of its doors.
This triggers memories of Sam's childhood and various warm moments with Dean, which allow Sam to finally overpower Lucifer. He then opens the cage with the Horsemen's rings, when Michael suddenly returns. He says that he will not let it end the way Sam wants it to and charges at him. Sam, now in control, pulls Michael with him into the cage and the portal closes. Castiel then reappears and tells Dean he was resurrected by God and promoted. He then heals Dean and resurrects Bobby.
As they drive home, Castiel mentions that with Michael gone, he intends to take charge of Heaven and disappears. Dean leaves Bobby and heads for Lisa's house where she gladly welcomes him in. Meanwhile, Chuck, who has been narrating the entire story while writing on his computer, smiles as he brings an end to the story, only to state that "nothing ever really ends, does it?". He then vanishes into thin air with a smile, wearing a white shirt instead of his usual drab clothes.
Outside of Lisa's house, a streetlight outside goes out and Sam is shown standing beneath it, watching Dean through the window.
as the showrunner Eric Kripke
has long said that he envisioned the series as a five-season show. In a interview in August 2009, he said that he was "looking at this season as the [last] chapter in this particular story", but "that doesn’t mean there can’t be a new story. Buffy did it. The X-Files
did it. You close a chapter on a big mythology storyline and then you begin a new one".
Since the main actors Jared Padalecki
and Jensen Ackles
have a six-seasons contract deal, and also due to the rentable rating, The CW decided to picked up the series for a sixth season
on February 16, 2010.
, which was watched by 3.471 million of viewers, this episode attracted 2.838 million of viewers, with a 1.3/4 rating/share in the 18–49 demographic and a 1.4/4 in the women 18–34 demographic. Compared to The Vampire Diaries' season finale, this episode had lost 18% of viewers and 46% in the women 18–34 demographic. However, this is a 12% increase in million of viewers if compared to last week's episode.
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
television series, Supernatural
Supernatural (TV series)
Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
, as well as the 22nd episode and season finale
Season finale
A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program...
of the show's
Supernatural (TV series)
Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
fifth season
Supernatural (season 5)
Season five of Supernatural, an American television series, began airing on September 10, 2009. This is the fourth season to air on the CW television network. Season five regular cast members include Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins....
. Steve Boyum directed the episode with teleplay written by showrunner Eric Kripke and story written by Eric Gewirtz. It aired on Thursday, May 13, 2010 on the CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
.
Summary
All out of options, Dean Winchester reluctantly agrees on letting Sam be the host for Lucifer so that he can jump into Lucifer's Cage. Remembering what Lucifer said to Dean in the future, they locate him in Detroit. Sam makes Dean promise that if things go as planned, he will make a life for himself with Lisa Braeden. After consuming gallons of demon blood, Sam and Dean allow themselves to be caught by demons and brought to Lucifer. After demonstrating his enhanced powers to kill the demons in the room, Sam consents for Lucifer to possess his body.It is then that Lucifer reveals that he knows that the Horseman's rings form the keys to his cage, and that he is wary of the boys' plans to trick him inside. Nevertheless, he agrees to possess Sam and let him try to retain control of his body. After Lucifer enters Sam, he is knocked unconscious, and Dean quickly throws the key to the cage on the wall and opens it with a spell. After waking up Sam, he watches him preparing to enter the pit, but instead Lucifer then reveals that he overpowered Sam in a matter of seconds. He then closes the portal, puts the key into his pocket and quickly disappears.
Outside, Dean meets back with Bobby and Castiel, and they observe various natural disasters on television that are occurring around the world. Knowing that Lucifer will try to seek out Michael for their final battle, they call Chuck to get the exact setting for the fight: Noon at Stull Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. Elsewhere, Lucifer is reveling in his new vessel while addressing Sam, who is still fighting him from the inside. He tells Sam that he only wants the best for him, and even offers to spare Dean after the world is destroyed. In a show of goodwill, he brings several people from Sam's past - including a former teacher of his and a prom date - and tells Sam that they were all possessed by demons working for Azazel in order to manipulate him. He then offers Sam revenge on them, and then asks him afterwards if he enjoyed it.
Lucifer is seen standing in the cemetery when Michael, who now possesses Adam, arrives. While Lucifer tries to dissuade him from fighting, Michael regretfully tells him that he must do so because God wishes it. Before they get underway, Dean, Castiel and Bobby arrive on scene and Castiel throws a Molotov cocktail of Holy Oil on Michael, forcing him to temporarily vanish. Lucifer, outraged at Castiel's action, blows him up with a snap of his fingers, then snaps Bobby's neck after he is shot with the Colt. Dean repeatedly appeals to Sam to overpower Lucifer, who responds by severely beating him until he is barely conscious. However, as he presses Dean against the side of the Impala, ready to deliver another blow, he pauses as he catches sight of a plastic army man in the ashtray of one of its doors.
This triggers memories of Sam's childhood and various warm moments with Dean, which allow Sam to finally overpower Lucifer. He then opens the cage with the Horsemen's rings, when Michael suddenly returns. He says that he will not let it end the way Sam wants it to and charges at him. Sam, now in control, pulls Michael with him into the cage and the portal closes. Castiel then reappears and tells Dean he was resurrected by God and promoted. He then heals Dean and resurrects Bobby.
As they drive home, Castiel mentions that with Michael gone, he intends to take charge of Heaven and disappears. Dean leaves Bobby and heads for Lisa's house where she gladly welcomes him in. Meanwhile, Chuck, who has been narrating the entire story while writing on his computer, smiles as he brings an end to the story, only to state that "nothing ever really ends, does it?". He then vanishes into thin air with a smile, wearing a white shirt instead of his usual drab clothes.
Outside of Lisa's house, a streetlight outside goes out and Sam is shown standing beneath it, watching Dean through the window.
Production
This episode was originally intended to be the series finaleSeries finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
as the showrunner Eric Kripke
Eric Kripke
Eric Kripke is an American television writer, director, and producer. He is best known for creating the television series Supernatural.-Biography:...
has long said that he envisioned the series as a five-season show. In a interview in August 2009, he said that he was "looking at this season as the [last] chapter in this particular story", but "that doesn’t mean there can’t be a new story. Buffy did it. The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
did it. You close a chapter on a big mythology storyline and then you begin a new one".
Since the main actors Jared Padalecki
Jared Padalecki
Jared Tristan Padalecki is an American actor. He grew up in Texas and came to fame in the early 2000s after appearing on the television series Gilmore Girls as well as in several Hollywood films, including New York Minute and House of Wax...
and Jensen Ackles
Jensen Ackles
Jensen Ross Ackles is an American actor. He is known for his roles in television as Eric Brady in Days of our Lives, which earned him several Daytime Emmy Award nominations, as well as Alec/X5-494 in Dark Angel and Jason Teague in Smallville...
have a six-seasons contract deal, and also due to the rentable rating, The CW decided to picked up the series for a sixth season
Supernatural (season 6)
The sixth season of Supernatural, an American television series is the fifth season to air on The CW television network. The season aired on Fridays at 9:00pm Eastern/8:00pm Central in the United States on The CW and premiered on September 24, 2010....
on February 16, 2010.
Ratings and viewership
Followed by the first season finale of The Vampire DiariesThe Vampire Diaries (TV series)
The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith. The series premiered on The CW Television Network on September 10, 2009, and is currently in its third season that...
, which was watched by 3.471 million of viewers, this episode attracted 2.838 million of viewers, with a 1.3/4 rating/share in the 18–49 demographic and a 1.4/4 in the women 18–34 demographic. Compared to The Vampire Diaries' season finale, this episode had lost 18% of viewers and 46% in the women 18–34 demographic. However, this is a 12% increase in million of viewers if compared to last week's episode.