'Supernatural' Season 8 Review - What Have You Missed?

“Supernatural” returns after its midseason hiatus, and with ratings higher than ever, new viewers are discovering the show weekly.

Here are some things you might have missed if you are just tuning in.

1) Dean escapes Purgatory after a year, with the help of a vampire named Benny and his angel friend Castiel. Benny was able to escape with Dean, however Castiel was left behind.

2) During that year, Sam settles down in Texas, finding himself a job and a girl, Amelia.

3) First thing Dean does is find Sam, who believed he was dead. After a quick reunion, they track down the Prophet Kevin, who reveals there is a way to seal the Gates of Hell permanently. However, it is inscribed in a tablet known as the Word of God, which Kevin has hidden.

4) Crowley, the King of Hell, hears word of the tablet and attempts to steal it, taking Kevin’s mother hostage in the process.

5) After a heated standoff between the Winchesters and Crowley, Crowley flees, and they escape, tablet in tow. Kevin and his mother decide they want nothing more to do with the Winchester brothers and go into hiding.

6) The brothers try to find Kevin again, but Benny calls and asks Dean for a favor. He needs help hunting down the vampire who killed him.

7) Realizing he needs more help, Dean calls for Sam to assist him. Sam arrives after the fray, and quickly realizes Benny is a vampire. Hoping to dispatch of the “monster”, Dean stops him. Sam quickly points out the double standard that Dean is allowing the vampire to live.

8) Crowley has kidnapped the angel Samandiriel, and tortures him, hoping to get a list of potential Prophets to decipher the Word of God tablets for him, since Kevin and his mother are still off the radar. However, someone helping Kevin and his mom made a deal with Crowley, and reveals the location of Kevin. Crowley and his goons appear and take Kevin and the tablet, leaving the mother behind.

9) Castiel reappears, having no idea how he escaped purgatory. Sam and Dean are happy to have him back, but are more focused on a list of disappearances. Castiel recognizes the names on the list as the list of all future Prophets that angels have engrained in their memory.

10) Kevin’s mom finds Sam and Dean, and tells them Kevin was kidnapped. She managed to capture one of the demons, so they “interrogate” him to learn Kevin’s whereabouts.

11) Sam, Dean, Castiel, and Kevin’s mom arrive where Kevin and the other Prophets are being held. They free the remaining Prophets, and Castiel finds Kevin, being slowly tortured by Crowley.  Crowley and Castiel standoff. Crowley attempts to escape with the Word of God tablet, but Castiel quickly smashes it in half before he vanishes, managing to save half. Sam, Dean, and Kevin’s mom are all reunited with Kevin, who now vows to work with them to stop the demons for good.

12) As they are celebrating their reunion, Castiel is summoned to heaven by the mysterious Naomi, who tells him he must report to her all of their activities. Resistance is futile, as Naomi holds some sort of power over him, and he is unable to remember any of their meetings.

13) Castiel, returned to the Winchesters, vows he wants to be a Hunter just like them, and rides along with them on all of their missions. However, he quickly realizes he is not cut out for the job, and distances himself from the Brothers.

14) Sam has another Hunter monitor Benny, as he does not trust him. When mysterious deaths begin to occur around the vampire, Sam is informed, and tells Dean they have to go stop him. Dean is hurt that Sam does not trust him or his judgment, but agrees to investigate anyway. Dean finds out Benny is innocent, however Sam’s contact refuses to believe it, and sets out to kill Benny anyway.

15) In order to save Benny, Dean forges a text to Sam from Amelia, saying she needed his help. Sam leaves Benny behind, claiming sometimes things aren’t what they seem. Benny uses the opportunity to dispatch of Sam’s contact in the name of self-defense.

16) When Sam returns to Texas, he quickly realizes something is amiss, as Amelia is happily reunited with her ex-husband. He calls the number on the phone, and it goes through to Dean. He isn’t too pleased.

Season 8 of “Supernatural” currently airs Wednesdays at 9:00PM on the CW.