10.10 The Hunter Games

Title	The Hunter Games
Episode #	Season 10, Episode 10
First aired	January 20, 2015
Directed by	John Badham
Written by	Eugenie Ross-Leming Brad Buckner
On IMDB	The Hunter Games
Outline	Sam and Dean try to get information out of Metatron on how to remove the Mark of Cain. Castiel continues to attempt to build a relationship with Claire, who wants revenge for the death of her friend, Randy.
Monster	Rowena Metatron
Timeline
Location(s)	Lebanon, Kansas
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Synopsis

Crowley dreams that he is being assassinated by his own demon henchmen in a hallway. Rowena brings him back to reality where he sits at his throne, staring blankly into space. She shows concern and offers to help him in any way. However, Crowley insists that nothing is wrong and tells her she can't do anything to help him. Immediately after he exits the room, she pulls out a hex bag from under his throne.

Back at the Bunker, Dean sits at the edge of his bed, still recovering from the massacre he had committed back at Randy's house. Meanwhile, Castiel tells Sam that Claire barely speaks to him. Sam replies saying he really did try to help her get her life back on track and realize that Randy was trying to use her. As Sam is about to mention the massacre Dean had caused, he suddenly appears at the staircase behind him. He admits that what he did was wrong, and says that "there was a time I was a hunter, not a stone-cold killer". He then rolls up his sleeve to reveal the Mark of Cain and insists that it has to go. Both Sam and Cas persist that it will be a daunting task and that they've searched up every lore they could find. However, Cas does optimistically say that there may another alternative they can find.

Characters

• Sam Winchester
• Dean Winchester
• Castiel
• Crowley
• Metatron
• Rowena
• Claire Novak
• Ingrid
• Guthrie

Definitions

• Alcohol
• Angel Sword
• Binding Link
• Castiel's Pimpmobile
• Devil's Trap
• The First Blade
• Hex Bag
• Impala
• Mark of Cain
• Men of Letters Bunker
• Ruby's Knife
• Spells
• Tablets

Music

• "Long Black Road" by Electric Light Orchestra

(plays during "The Road So Far" recap of events)

• "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" by Ruth Connell

(hummed by Rowena as she cuts off a piece of Crowley's tie)

• "Scotland the Brave" by Ruth Connell

(hummed by Rowena while preparing her spell to spy on Crowley)

Quotes

Rowena: You're soaked in the horror sweat. I haven't seen that since the plague years, darling what can I do?

Crowley: Not a thing you evil bitch.

Rowena: 'Not a thing you evil bitch,' mother.

Dean: That was a massacre, is what it was. There was a time I was a hunter, not a stone cold killer. You can say it, you're not wrong. I crossed a line. Guys this thing's got to go.

Claire: This isn't going to work. I mean come on you look like my father, it is his body, but he's dead and I get you feel bad. But, you, whoever you are, are nothing to me.
Castiel: Claire that's not true, I'm in large part responsible for how your life unfolded. I have a responsibility to help you.

Metatron: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there badass. Lighten up. Why do you just assume I won't help?

Sam: Because you're a dickwad.
Metatron: But I'm your dickwad. I have a special place in my... non-heart for you both, to which end ta-da! I would be tickled to help you pop this Biblical zit. To do it you are going to need one specific thing... Your old bud, the First Blade.
Sam: What?

Metatron: As I said ain't life a bitch?

Rowena: Of course you recall the lovely lullaby I sang you nightly after you fed the goat.

Crowley: You never sung me a lullaby, you dosed me with whiskey until I passed out.
Rowena: Even then I had a touch for pharmacology, your mum was a prodigy.

Crowley: Funny not what I called you.

Crowley: It's insane. You want me to procure the most dangerous weapon on the planet for Dean Winchester, the man who goes mental every time he touches it? I thought you wanted to go for a beer, catch a film.

Castiel: I thought there would be a connection -- one extremely messed up human to another. You could explain why you murdered her only friend.
Dean: Oh yeah well, when you put it like that.

Dean: I mean where do I begin? Stealing Cas' grace, casting out the angels, making Gadreel kill Kevin using my brothers hands, starting an angel war, and oh yeah... You killed me.
Metatron: My morality is being judged by Dean Winchester? How many people have suffered and died because they believed in you? How many times have you lied to Sam, including, oh by the way, when he was possessed by an angel? And you say, 'oh well it's for the greater good' but lately buddy, that greater good thing went away didn't it? And now people die because you want them to. [Dean punches Metatron] Good Dean, go darker. [Dean punches Metatron] Go deeper. Surely you noticed every time you respond when the Mark gets you all twitchy, you fall deeper under its spell. You think roughing up a few demons or humans makes it worse? Try messing with the Scribe of God bucko!

Metatron: And then Kevin's death all on you, you put him in harms way and kept him there. Gadreel possessing Sam, who was it who tricked Sam into letting him in? And then my personal favorite -- Dean Winchester. Whose entire existence is defined by a war on the dark and monsterous, bromancing his way around the country with the King of Hell.

Dean: He said the river ends at the source.

Sam: What does that mean?
Dean: Maybe nothin'. It was the last thing he said before you guys busted in.
Sam: Dean, look man we had to.
Dean: Hey, no I get it, alright. I was going to kill him, and I couldn't stop myself.
Sam: We'll figure it out alright. Remember what Cas said about needing a powerful force?
Dean: Yeah so?

Sam: So, I've been thinking, look. Cain still has the Mark right? And he's lived with it, for years he's lived with it. So yeah, the Mark is strong, but Dean maybe there's a part of you that wants to give into it, and maybe you have to fight that, you know? Maybe part of that powerful force has to be you.

Trivia & References

"The Hunter Games" is a reference to the book/film franchise The Hunger Games.

Crowley's nightmare is reminiscent of the death of Julius Caesar, who was encircled by senators and stabbed 23 times.

Metatron: Ain't life a bitch? Nebbishly little guy -- me -- always sticking it to the lunkhead jocks.

A reference to Curtis Armstong's role in the Revenge of the Nerds series.

Dean: I don't have a choice, okay. I don't do this I'm down the rabbit hole; hear evil, see evil, do evil -- the trifecta.

Going "down the rabbit hole" is a reference to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the phrase is also used to denote bizarre, difficult or chaotic situations. "Hear evil, see evil, do evil" is a play on the three wise monkeys image "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."

Rowena: Wings of Titania, bear mine eyes aloft as I bid thee.

Titania is the queen of the fairies in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. The name was later adopted by other fiction writers, as in the folklore the queen of the fairies has no name.

Dean: Okay look, the Blade may be powered down, but the Mark is not. I'm doing everything I can to keep it together. Now you think the body count around me is high right now? Wait till Hal takes over.

Hal 9000 is the is the sentient computer and primary antagonist of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Rowena: You will recall it was I who exposed the traitor Gerald, the one the King executed. It turns out not all demons are nice, and I am a tigress when it comes to my bonny lad.

"Bonny lad" is Scottish slang for a "good looking boy."

Minutiae

This episode was dedicated in memory of Matt Riley (1971 - 2014), a long time stand-in for Jared on the show until season 8. Matt also appeared as a Firefighter in 1.22 Devil's Trap.

Brad Creasser was the director of photography on the episode, as Serge Ladouceur was preparing to direct a subsequent episode.

Bradley Stryker, who played Tony, previously played Ted in 4.11 Family Remains.

Sides, Scripts & Transcripts

• 10.10 The Hunter Games (transcript)

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