BY ANTHONY MEDINA
**This episode originally aired in September 2006. If you are unfamiliar with the series, be aware this review contains spoilers.**
“Oh, I don’t wanna trap you. I wanna make a deal.” – John Winchester
It might have been easy to simply coast on the momentum built from the season one finale, but “In my time of dying” raises the bar yet again for this increasingly strong CW show.
We open with our heroes unconscious on the side of the road as a demon approaches to finish the job. Sam (Jared Padalecki) regains consciousness just in time and uses the Colt to chase the demon away. They end up in the hospital where Dean (Jensen Ackles) remains unconscious and in critical condition. Sam and his father John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) discuss their options and argue about whether or not to immediately go after the Yellow Eyed Demon.
Meanwhile, we discover that Dean has become separated from his body and wanders the halls as a ghost. And that’s when he runs into the Reaper who has come to help his spirit move on.
She gives him the choice of passing into the afterlife (whatever that may be) or remaining on Earth as a wandering spirit, exactly the type of supernatural creature he dedicated his life to fighting. This was one of the most powerful scenes in the episode and Jensen Ackles does a great job as he portrays Dean’s realization that every spirit he’s ever fought must have struggled with this same choice.
Yet, before Dean can make his decision, we cut to John who has decided to take matters into his own hands. He summons the Yellow Eyed Demon and proposes a trade for his son’s life. And after some negotiating, the Demon accepts.
Dean wakes up moments later with no recollection of what occurred. Sam and John have a suspiciously pleasant exchange before Sam is sent to get a coffee. John whispers a secret into Dean’s ear and leaves with a teary goodbye. Finally, we follow Sam returning the room only to find John collapsed on the floor, dead.
A father sacrificing himself for his children, I’d compare it to the first season of Game of Thrones, but comparing a CW show (no matter how much I like it) to the HBO mega series might make the universe implode. So I’ll just say that even though they handled his death well and sent him out like a hero. It’s going to be tough getting through the rest of the series without him. Jeffrey Dean Morgan did a great job with the character of John Winchester and he will be greatly missed. Although, if any show were to lend itself to the re-emergence of a dead character, it would be Supernatural.
Thinking Man Rating: 15 Thumbs Up
**Be aware the Thinking Man rating system is based on awesomeness and should be disregarded if you are not now, or have never been, awesome.**
