'Supernatural' Season 8, Episode 11: 'LARP and the Real Girl' Recap

A nerdy man is fighting with someone over the phone. After a heated discussion, he hangs up and retires to bed. As he sleeps, a mysterious black symbol appears on his skin. He is awoken as some invisible force seems to tie his hands and legs. The sound of horses can be heard as the invisible ropes tighten around his arms and legs, until, finally, his legs and arms detach, splashing the wall with blood.

Sam and Dean are driving, discussing how they are tired of waiting. Dean suggests Sam take a break and have some fun when Sam receives a call from Garth, assigning them a case nearby.

The brothers arrive at the apartment, posing as FBI agents, and get the scoop from the local Sheriff. There was no sign of forced entry, and he died from either shock or massive blood loss. Sam notices the black mark on his arm, and asks if his body is intact, aside from the obvious. The cop reassures him, “All there – twig and berries, too.”

The cop shares the phone records, explaining the victim and the guy, Lance, had an argument shortly before his death.

In the police station, Sam and Dean question Lance. He explains that he and the victim were LARPers, and that they were fighting in character; they were best friends in real life. They got together every other weekend to LARP at Moondoor. He tells them all the information can be found on the Moondoor website.

The brothers excuse themselves to investigate the website. They notice a familiar face in the videos; none other than the queen of geeks herself, Charlie Bradbury. As they are in shock over seeing Charlie again, in the interrogation room, Lance is suddenly pained as a black mark appears on his skin. He begins to cough up blood, and bleed from the eyes, eventually collapsing.

Lance is wheeled away in a body bag as the sheriff replays the surveillance footage for Sam and Dean. Sam notices the mark on his arm appearing out of nowhere is the same as the mark on the first victim. Since they were good friends and LARPed together, they decide they have to check out Moondoor. “Lucky for us, we know the queen.”

They enter Moondoor, still dressed as FBI agents, and stick out. They stop one of the LARPers, Gerry, aka Boltar, and proceed to show their badges. He quickly calls their bluff, pointing out that the badges are convincing, but still flawed. Growing frustrated, Dean demands to see the queen.

Charlie, the queen, is overseeing a sword fight when she finally spots Sam and Dean, (Oh, blerg.”) and quickly retreats to her tent.

The brothers follow her inside, still surprised to see her. She explains that she had to go into hiding after the events with Dick Roman, and that Charlie Bradbury is dead. Her new name was Carrie Heinlein, but even that wouldn’t last now that they were back.

Dean tries to get her to focus, explaining that two of her LARPers were dead. Sam shows her the image of the black mark, and she recognizes it as a Celtic magic symbol. “At least it was in my favorite video game.”

They ask her about the victims, and she explains they were two of the best members in her ever-shrinking army. And that her ‘kingdom’ has had a run of bad luck lately. Many people landing in the hospital. She couldn’t think of a common enemy in their daily lives, but that they had many enemies in Moondoor.

They fear for Charlie’s safety and believe they should take her away to somewhere safe, but she refuses to leave. Instead, she wants to stay and fight.

Sam gets a phone call. The toxicology reports from Lance, the second victim, have come back, and he was killed by belladonna (“The porn star?”). However, there were no traces of it in his blood. Similar to how there were no ropes in the first victim’s apartment.

Sam needs to find a computer, so he tells them to split up as he researches the accidents and the Celtic mark. Dean and Charlie get some time to catch up. She convinces him to ditch the FBI get up, and opt for some chainmail. They canvas the fairgrounds, questioning people about the Celtic mark.

Sam finds that the mark is “the Tree of Pain.” And anyone tagged with it will be the victim of “fairy magic.”

Dean and Charlie come upon a capture Orc (named Monty), and question him about the symbol. When he refuses to answer, Dean draws his foam sword, and finally gets that it’s the family crest of the Shadow King. He lives in the Black Hills (“The forest behind the playground.”). They decide to pay him a visit.

As Dean and Charlie are heading for the Black Hills, they run into Boltar/Gerry. Dean tells Charlie to go back to the Kingdom and find Sam, telling him about the Shadow King. He continues ahead with Boltar.

On the way back, Charlie is abducted by a cloaked figure in the woods.

Dean and Boltar arrive at the Black Hills, but the Shadow Orcs are nowhere to be found. Boltar/Gerry suggests he go back to camp and bring the captured Orc to draw them out. Dean agrees and Gerry leaves just as Sam arrives.

Sam explains his findings to Dean, and that they have to find whoever cast the spell and stop them. Dean asks where Charlie is, but Sam says he hasn’t seen her. They try to call her, but they have no signal.

Charlie awakens in a tent, being closely observed by the cloaked figure. She begins to panic, as the figure is silent. Eventually she claims she just wants her old life back. The figure removes her mask, revealing a beautiful woman, saying she wants the same.

Boltar, the Orc, Sam, and Dean search the forest by flashlight, complaining they still haven’t found Charlie, despite checking all the tents. They hear some birdcalls and realize they’ve stumbled upon the Shadow Orcs.

Tired of playing their LARP game, Dean draws a real gun and starts demanding answers. The Shadow King doesn’t know where the queen is, and the family crest was chosen only because the black mark appeared on his arm one day when he fell really ill.

Dean tells the Orcs to get lost, but the captured Orc, Monty, says he saw a weird tent down by the creek. He said it wasn’t one of theirs and it was kind of creepy. By telling Sam and Dean that info, he hopes to get closer to the queen. Little does he know, the queen is a lesbian.

Inside the tent, the cloaked figure reveals herself as a fairy, who was summoned and bound by a spell, forced to do her master’s bidding. She tells Charlie about all the crimes she’s been forced to commit, and that she just wants to go home. Charlie, who has a major lady-crush on the fairy, vows to free her from the spell.

Sam, Dean, and Boltar/Gerry find the tent. The brothers try to get Boltar to leave, but he refuses. They enter to find Charlie mid-make out session with the fairy. The fairy panics, pointing out her master, Boltar/Gerry.

Sam and Dean draw their guns, but Gerry commands the fairy to dispatch of them. Gerry reveals that he only wanted to get rid of all his competition so he could win the big battle and be king. But since Sam and Dean showed up, he’d have to get more violent.

He admits to killing the two victims because he caught them cheating. “There is no game! There is only Moondoor!” He draws his sword and attacks Dean.

The fairy points out that the book must be destroyed to stop him. Dean punches Gerry, causing the book to fall from his pocket. Charlie takes the opportunity to destroy it, setting the fairy free and cancelling all magic. Dean knocks Gerry out with a swift punch to the face.

The fairy gives her thanks, and says she must take Gerry with her. “He must face a fairy tribunal for his sins.” She gives Charlie one last kiss before vanishing.

The next day, Sam and Dean ask Charlie what her plans are now, and she states she’s tired of running. She’s ready to face reality. “Sadly, reality actually includes monsters, but what are you gonna do?” She leaves them to prepare for the upcoming LARP battle.

Dean and Sam take a moment. Dean understands that Sam just needs time to get over Amelia. But Sam reveals that a little bit of fun might do them both good.

Decked out in full medieval armor, Dean delivers the battle speech from Braveheart as Charlie’s army prepares for battle. With a mighty cry, Dean gives the signal. Sam, also costumed up, stands by his side as they charge into battle.