1.07 Hook Man
| |
| Title | Hook Man |
| Episode # | Season 1, Episode 7 |
| First aired | October 25, 2005 |
| Directed by | David Jackson |
| Written by | John Shiban |
| On IMDB | Hook Man |
| Outline | Sam and Dean investigate a series of supernatural deaths that appear to be morally driven. |
| Monster | Ghost |
| Timeline | |
| Location(s) | Ankeny, Iowa (Eastern Iowa University) |
| [[{{{prevep}}}|« Previous Episode]] | [[{{{nextep}}}|Next Episode »]] | |
Contents
Synopsis
Lori Sorenson is in a car parked in the woods on 9 Mile Road, making out with her boyfriend Rich when she hears a noise outside. Rich goes to investigate. When he disappears and Lori hears banging on the car roof, she gets out and finds Rich dead, hanging from a tree above the car.
Sam and Dean arrive in Ankeny, Iowa to investigate the case, intrigued because the witness, Lori reported that the attacker was invisible. At the fraternity house where Rich lived, they find out he was seeing Lori, who is the daughter of Reverend Sorenson.
They attend a service at he Reverend’s church, and speak to Lori. They think the story sounds like the Hook Man Legend, and go to the local library to research it. They find that in 1862 a preacher named Jacob Karns killed 13 prostitutes using the hook he wore in place of the hand he lost in an accident. He was later arrested and then executed.
That night the boys travel to 9 Mile Road, in search of the Hookman, but are discovered by the Sheriff.
The next morning, Lori wakes up in her dorm room to find her roommate Taylor dead and the words “ Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the light?” written in blood on the wall.
After being released by the sheriff, Sam and Dean hear about Taylor’s murder, and search the dorm room, noting that there is a cross symbol drawn in the blood that they found in their research.
They also find other killings have occurred in the area, both times also by clergymen. The boys postulate that the spirit of Karns is latching onto the reverend’s repressed emotions and killing those he feels are immoral.
While Dean goes to find Karn’s grave, Sam goes to watch over Lori. They talk, and she shares with him that she has found out that her father is having an affair with a married woman.
Dean salts and burns Karns' corpse at the Old North Cemetery but it doesn't stop Jacob Karns reappearing and attacking Reverend Sorensen, witnessed by Sam and Lori.
The next day, Sam proposes that Jacob’s spirit has latched onto Lori, rather than her father. Sam and Dean are bemused that burning the corpse didn't stop Jacob, until they find out his hook wasn't buried with him, it was melted down and made into objects for the church.
They race gather all the silver from the Sorensen’s house and the church and start throwing all the silver objects into a furnace. Sam finds Lori in the church praying, and then the Hookman appears and attacks them. They finally realize that Lori is wearing a silver necklace made from the hook, and Dean races to throw it into the furnace while Sam holds off the Hookman. When the necklace melts the Hookman disappears.
Characters
Definitions
- Aliases
- Aren't You Glad You Didn't Turn on the Lights?
- Avenging Angels
- Dean's Amulet
- Fictional Locations
- Ghosts
- Hook Man Legend
- Hugs
- Impala
- Ozone
- Possession
- Salt
- Sam & Dean's Arrests
- Silver
- Talking in Unison
- Vengeful Spirits
Music
- "Higher Mathematics" by Split Habit
- (plays at the beginning of the episode, when Lori's getting ready for her date)
- "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" by Quiet Riot
- (plays when they're arriving at the fraternity house)
- "Noise" by Low Five
- (plays when they meet Murf ("purple man") and question him about the death of the fraternity guy)
- "At Rest" by Leslie Pearson (Bruton Music)
- (plays at the sermon for Lori's dead friend)
- "Royal Bethlehem" by Leslie Pearson (Bruton Music)
- (plays while Sam and Dean do research at the library)
- "U Do 2 Me" by Paul Richards
- (plays at the college party)
- "Peace of Mind" by Boston
- (plays at the end of the episode, when Sam and Dean hit the road)
- "Dancing on a Wire" by Keygrip
- (plays at the end of the episode, when Sam and Dean hit the road; Netflix version)
Quotes
Sam: Bite me.
Sam: 'The mutilated body was found near the victim’s car, parked on 9 Mile Road.'
Dean: Keep reading.
Sam: 'Authorities are unable to provide a realistic description of the killer. The sole eyewitness, whose name has been withheld, is quoted as saying the attacker was invisible.'
Sam: I do.
Dean: Yeah, I think she’s hot, too.
Sam: No, man, there’s something in her eyes. And listen to this: she heard scratching on the roof. Found the bloody body suspended upside down over the car.
Dean: Wait, the body suspended? That sounds like the—
Sam: Yeah, I know, the Hook Man legend.
Dean: That’s one of the most famous urban legends ever. You don’t think that we’re dealing with the Hook Man.
Dean: Get this, the murder weapon? Looks like the preacher lost his hand in an accident. Had it replaced with a silver hook.
Sam: If it is a spirit, buckshot won’t do much good.
Dean: Yeah, rock salt.
Sam: Huh. Salt being a spirit deterrent.
Dean: Yeah. It won’t kill ‘em. But it’ll slow ‘em down.
Sam: What about the shotgun?
Dean: I said that you were hunting ghosts and the spirits were repelled by rock salt. You know, typical Hell Week prank.
Sam: And he believed you?
Dean: Yeah, that’s classic Hook Man all right. It’s definitely a spirit.
Dean: No. I burned everything in that coffin.
Sam: Did you get the hook?
Dean: The hook?
Sam: Well, it was the murder weapon, and in a way, it was part of him.
Dean: So, like the bones, the hook is a source of his power.
Sam: So if we find the hook...
Sam: Forgiveness for what?
Lori: Don’t you see? I’m to blame for all this. I’ve read in the Bible about avenging angels.
Sam: Trust me, this guy—he’s no angel.
Lori: I was so angry at my father. Part of me wanted him punished. And then he came and he punished him.
Sam: It’s not your fault.
Trivia & References
- The Invisible Man is a science fiction novella by H.G. Wells, first published in 1897. The story tells the tale of a scientist named Griffin who learns the secret to invisibility. However he fails to learn how to reverse the process.
- Dr. Peter Venkman is the character played by Bill Murray in Ghostbusters film series.
- Ben Matlock is an attorney played by Andy Griffith in the TV show Matlock.
- Reference to National Lampoon's Animal House where in a scene the character Bluto, played by John Belushi, gets to see some sorority girls in a naked pillow fight.
Minutiae
Back in 1977 rock salt and a rock salt shotgun were used in the Doctor Who episode "Image of the Fendahl" written by Chris Boucher. The rock salt was used to kill the psychokinetic fendahleen.
- Doctor: Sodium chloride. Obviously affects the conductivity, ruins the overall electrical balance, and prevents control of the localized disruption of the osmotic pressures.
- Leela: Salt kills it.
- Doctor: I just said that. Probably the origin of throwing it over your shoulder.
