'Supernatural' Season 8, Episode 14: 'Trial and Error' Recap

‘Supernatural’: season 8, episode 14: ‘Trial and Error’

Kevin continues his routine of trying to translate the Demon Tablet, waking each morning at 5 AM, and passing out at nearly 3 AM. All in the life of a Prophet. Until one day he finishes it. He passes out in exhaustion.

Back in the Bat Cave, Dean sets up his new bedroom, for the first time in his life. And Sam reads up on everything he can find, as Dean brings him some home cooked food.

“You made these?”

“We have a real kitchen now.”

“I know. I just didn’t think you knew what a kitchen was.”

“I’m nesting, okay? Eat.”

As they are enjoying their surprisingly good meal, Kevin calls requesting their help, unable to say more than a few words.

He says all the struggles have been worth it, because he’s learned how to close the gates of hell. The brothers hug him in celebration. He reveals that God made a series of 3 trials, and if you successfully complete them, you can close the gates of Hell for all eternity.

The first test: kill a hound of hell and bathe in its blood.

Dean seems eager to complete it. He says they just have to track down someone who made a deal with a crossroads demon 10 years ago, as the hell hounds will come to collect. They can kill one then.

Dean sends Sam on a research mission, and Dean goes out to stock up on goofer dust and healthy food for Kevin.

With Dean gone, Sam tries to convince Kevin that he needs a break, but Kevin is scared to leave, despite hating being cooped up; mainly because every demon on earth wants to peel his face off. He wants it to be over as soon as possible.

Dean returns, and Sam tells him he found a likely demon deal. The Cassity family from Shoshone, Idaho struck it rich 10 years ago in a freak oil strike. Dean gives Kevin some caffeine pills and aspirin and tells him to get to work on the second trial.

The boys arrive at the Cassity Farm, and meet Ellie, the property manager. The boys pretend they are there for the job opening when Carl Granville shows up. He says he’s not a Cassity, but his wife is, and she and her family own the farm. Carl tells Ellie to hire the boys.

She takes them to their room. And tells them that it’s crap work, as the boys are made to shovel manure. They are distracted by Alice Cassity yelling at Ellie. They suspect she’s the one who sold her soul, so they decide to stalk her.

That evening, she and Carl are enjoying dinner when she is distracted by distant howling. She goes to check on the horses and Sam and Dean follow… But as they trail her, Carl is attacked and killed by the hell hound.

The sheriff shows up, and tells them it was probably a wolf, but Ellie says it was no wolf, and excuses herself to make some calls. The sheriff wishes the boys luck sine he heard all the Cassitys were flying in.

Dean is mad that they missed their chance to get the hell hound and tells Sam to pack up. Sam goes to talk to Alice, and learns that she loved Carl, but she isn’t sure why or how, since she hated him when they were kids, and one day it all changed… 10 years ago. And now that he’s dead, she’s fine with it.

Sam goes to tell Dean, but Dean stops him and asks if they have the ingredients necessary to summon a crossroads demon of their own. Sam shoots him down immediately, saying that if Crowley knew what they were doing, there wouldn’t be just 1 hell hound, there’d be 100.

Sam tells him that it’s suicide and mentions what he learned about Carl. He thinks the crossroads demon made more than one deal, and they need to stick around for another shot at catching a hell hound.

Dean gives Sam’s plan 2 days, or they do it his way.

The next morning, the rest of the Cassity clan arrives and Ellie tells Dean and Sam about each of them (Noah Cindy, and Margo). Ellie splits the boys up, and has Sam inside serving food and drinks, and Dean outside manning the grill.

Margo and Carl were revealed to have had a fling before he married Alice, and then the Cassitys talk about the lovely British salesman they met there 10 years ago, Crowley.

Sam immediately tells Dean that it was Crowley. A call from Kevin interrupts them, and he says that hell hounds can be seen by the damned, and through an item scorched by holy fire. Dean knows they have some holy oil in their trunk and goes to fashion some “x-ray specs”, and tells Sam to keep an eye on the family.

Sam sees Noah and Margo heading out towards the woods with hunting rifles in their hands. He tries to stop them, but they are determined to find the wolf that killed Carl. Sam convinces them to let him tag along.

Dean fashions two pairs of hell hound specs by running some proactive eyewear in some holy fire, but Ellie stops him and propositions him for some sex. He says he can’t, and tries to get a rain check, but she says it’s one night only. She walks away, and he looks on suspicious.

In the woods, Sam hears a hell hound following him and splits off from the group. He almost gets show by Noah when they hear Margo scream. She’s being attack by a hell hound. Sam shoots it, and it backs off. Sam tells Noah to go, but it’s too late. Margo is dead.

Dean and Sam confront the entire family and ask who else made deals with Crowley. No one talks, but Sam and Dean spread goofer dust around the room to protect the family, after he handcuffs them all to the furniture. They reveal that once the hell hounds approach, whomever is the target will begin to freak out, and they’ll know who sold their soul.

Dean tells Sam to stay inside and stay safe. Sam doesn’t want to, but Dean says that he’s just a grunt, and he will sacrifice himself once again to complete the 3 trials. He wants Sam to get out of the hunting game, and start a family, and be happy. He says there is no more discussion to be had about it, and if Sam tries to follow him, he’ll shoot him in the leg. Then he walks out.

Outside, he puts on his magic glasses. He’s distracted by loud music coming from the barn.

Inside, the family start to argue and accuse each other of selling their souls.

In the barn, Dean follows the music and finds Ellie drunk and dancing. She propositions him again, but he turns her down again, and tells her to stay inside and stay safe.

She says she knows, because it’s coming for her.

Inside, Sam sees a hell hound stalking around the property when Alice breaks free from her handcuffs and runs outside. Sam chases her and catches up, sending her back inside.

In the barn, Ellie tells Dean about the deal she made. She wished for her mom to be cured of Parkinson’s. She tells Dean that Crowley never warned her about the 10 year limit, and was surprised to hear that Margo made a deal as well.

She begins to hear howling, and see disturbing images, so Dean tells her to stay inside the circle of goofer dust.

He goes outside and dons his magic glasses again, hunting the hound. He spots it, but it’s too late. It attacks him, knocking his glasses off and the knife out of his hand in the process, cutting him up good. Sam saves him by shooting the dog, and then driving his knife through it, covering himself in its blood. Dean doesn’t look too happy, but then passes out from the injury.

Back in the barn, Ellie patches him up. She asks what’s next, and Dean says they’ll make her a hex bag that will hide her from Crowley and his hell hounds. He asks her to step outside while he talks to Sam. Dean tries to chant the Enochian that will conclude the first trial, but it doesn’t work. Sam points out that it was he who passes the first test, so only he can conclude it. Dean says that he can’t, but Sam cuts him off.

Sam is going to finish the trials because he wants to close the gates to hell, but, unlike Dean, he wants to live through it. He tells Dean that Dean is more than a grunt, and is one of the best hunters he knows, and he needs him to believe in Sam.

Dean hands over the paper with the chant written on it, finally believing Sam can do it, and Sam recites it, only to fall to the floor in pain. Dean worries, but Sam gets back up shortly after saying he’s okay and that he can do it.