Supernatural Round Table: "Pac-Man Fever"

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Supernatural welcomed back a fan favorite on "Pac-Man Fever," as Felicia Day stopped by again as Charlie.

In this edition of the TV Fanatic Round Table, staffers Sean McKenna, Carla Day and Carissa Pavlica are joined by Alice Jester of The Winchester Family Business to break down the episode, from their favorite scenes to Dean bossing Sam around.

Join in below!

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What was your favorite scene or quote from the episode?
Carissa: I have to say Charlie going to at the end to let her mom go. She could have never done that without the strength of Dean and Sam and it was really touching to know she considers them family enough to let what little family she had left off of a ventilator. I cried.

Alice: Oh man, that’s a tough one. It was all so good. I’m going to dip my toe in the shallow end of the pool though and go with Sam waking up after a day long nap. I loved his bed head and Dean teasing him with the clippers comment. It also delivered the message -  Sam is in really bad shape. Plus, can the Men of Letter’s cave get any cooler? They have a firing range! If they can have a firing range, surely they can make a garage for the Impala, right?

Carla: I absolutely loved the two Dean hugs. His goodbye to Charlie was awesome and it was only outdone with the big brother hug at the end. Supernatural rarely is sentimental, but when it goes there it's well done and appropriate.

Sean: I agree with Alice about Sam waking up and Dean wanting to use clippers on him. Such a funny comment especially because Sam's hair is constantly talked about. Also loved Charlie reading the Hobbit to her mom one last time.

Should Dean have been telling Sam to go home and not work the case?
Carissa: Yes. Just as Sam would have been telling Dean. It's so funny how they each forget they would do the exact same things for each other when in the same position, but fight so hard against doing it anyway. They need each other so much, but want to help and protect each other too. They just can't do it all.

Alice: Of course. Because if Dean had done otherwise I would have cried that he was acting out of character.  He’s the overprotective big brother and always will be.  I loved how Sam quoted Dean's comment to Kevin from a few episodes ago, "Play through the pain."  Dean's objection of "Don't quote me to me," had me rolling.  I’m more impressed that Dean gave Sam that hug in the end and decided they both look for Kevin. 

Carla: Reverse psychology probably would have worked better, but when it comes down to it, Dean was looking out for Sam. He had to tell Sam to go home, but at the same time Sam wasn't wrong to disregard his brother's wishes either.

Sean: That's just Dean being the older brother.  I thought that maybe it went a little overboard for the episode, but in the end he wants to protect his brother. At least they are ultimately there for each other through it all.

Sam was struggling but still managed to help out. Will the third trial incapacitate him or will it do something more?
Carissa: I like Alice's suggestion that it's cleansing Sam of demon blood. No matter what it is, I think it will make him stronger in the end, some sort of demi-god and not kill him. It seems like it's killing him now, but that's just the price to get there.

Alice: I’ve been contemplating this for a while and honestly I have no idea!  I’ve been looking at all the clues and I’ve concluded anything can happen. Sam’s very tough, but he’s not invincible. I wonder if the third trial makes him complete and he gets better. There’s a theory going around too that the trials are cleansing him of the demon blood. I could get behind that! At this point, though, I can’t fathom a guess. 

Carla: Good question. It's interesting that I have recently thought about Sam and the demon blood, but never really considered Alice's theory of a cleansing. I couldn't figure out why I was thinking about Sam's early demon blood days, but perhaps that's for a reason. I like that idea. I don't think it will incapacitate him, but really don't know what to expect.

Sean: I love the theory as well. The third trial can't be something that kills him, I think, but rather something that has an effect on someone else. Or maybe it gives him new superpowers?

What did you think of Charlie's video game dream?
Carissa: Heartbreaking. To think she has held that in since she was a child, thinking she put her mother there because she was afraid to be at a sleepover was so sad to me. I hope she finally finds some peace and can go back into her dream, complete the level and move onto a new one.

Alice: It was cute! Her Lara Croft type getup was priceless, but it was Dean’s army uniform that made my heart skip a beat.  I’m glad they went for an original game rather than trying to copy an existing game like Pac-Man or Tomb Raider.  The best part though is Charlie relates to real life through video games and role playing.  It seems fitting that she had to accept it was time to let go or her mother while trapped in a video game.  I’m just happy Dean was there to help her through it.  

Carla: Given her passions, it makes sense that she would have that dream. It was sad to know that she's dealt with guilt over her mother all those years, but through this experience at least something good came out of it. It was time for her to let her mother go and through the dream with Dean's help she was able to move forward.

Sean: It was the perfect dream for Charlie, that's for sure. Dean and Charlie both looked very cool taking out the bad guys. That said, it felt a little short for me and I guess I was looking for a little more video game type stuff for the dream.

Sam and Dean's hug or Dean and Charlie's hug? Or both?
Carissa: Dean and Charlie's hug just because she said I love you and he couldn't say it back. He's getting closer to showing emotion, but still so afraid of losing people that he shoves his emotions inside. I can't wait for the day when he lets it out. It will be amazing.

Alice: Both! Dean Winchester is turning into quite the hugging machine, isn’t he?  Dean was playing big brother to both a brother and a sister in this one. He looked out for both and was very protective. Hugs are just the best way to give the much needed emotional support, don’t you think? I’d like to think that this is part of the maturity thing that Jeremy Carver said was happening this season. 

Carla: Both. As I mentioned earlier, I loved it. Favorite moment.

Sean: Both were highly emotional for Dean but for different reasons. He really is the big brother to both Charlie and Sam. They were certainly heartfelt moments that made Dean look like he's on his way to a higher level of maturity.

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