4.18 The Monster at the End of This Book
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| Title | The Monster At The End Of This Book |
| Episode # | Season 4, Episode 18 |
| First aired | April 2, 2009 |
| Directed by | Mike Rohl |
| Written by | teleplay: Julie Siege; story: Julie Siege and Nancy Weiner |
| On IMDB | http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1222604/ |
| Outline | Sam and Dean meet a writer who has visions about their lives. |
| Monster | Lilith |
| Timeline | |
| Location(s) | Kripke's Hollow |
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Contents
Synopsis
While investigating a haunting, a comic shop proprietor assumes Sam and Dean are in a role playing game. He shows them a series of books called "Supernatural" by Carver Edlund The boys are shocked to find that the books document their life over the past four years. They discover an online fandom - with both Sam Girls and Dean Girls and Slash fans - and track down the woman responsible for publishing the books. She is wary of them until they reveal their extensive 'knowledge' of the characters, and that they even have tattoos like the characters in the books. The publisher reveals the books were written under a pseudonym by Chuck Shirley. Chuck Shirley is astonished to be confronted by his 'creations'. he reveals the stories comes to him in visions. His latest vision has revealed that Lilith will visit Sam, and that they will have a night of "fiery demonic passion".
While Sam seems keen to confront Lilith, Dean thinks they should avoid her by doing the opposite of everything Chuck has foreseen.
While hiding out in a motel room surrounded by Hex Bags is hide him from Lilith, Sam asks Chuck if he knows about him drinking Demon Blood, which he does, and he confronts Sam about why he is doing it.
Meanwhile Dean is trying to avoid doing what Chuck foretold, but the events keep coming to pass whatever he does. Dean accuses Chuck of withholding information and attacks him, but is stopped by Castiel who reveals Chuck is a Prophet of God, who is protected by an archangel and that his books will one day be known as the Winchester Gospels.
Dean returns to the motel, to find Sam has burned the hex bags, so that Lilith will find him. Frustrated Dean threatens to leave, but changes his mind and just storms out into the parking lot. Desperate, Dean starts to pray and Castiel appears. Castiel gives Dean information on how to stop Lilith, revealing that Chuck is protected by an archangel who will intervene if Chuck is threatened. By putting Chuck in the same room with Lilith, the archangel appears and Lilith flees.
Following the confrontation with Lilith, Zachariah appears to Chuck after he has another vision. While it is not revealed what Chuck saw, he wants to warn Sam and Dean, but Zachariah tells him not to. Chuck threatens to kill himself, but Zachariah says they will only bring him back to life. In despair, Chuck asks what he should do. Zachariah replies "Do what you always do. Write".
Characters
- Sam Winchester
- Dean Winchester
- Castiel
- Chuck Shirley aka Carver Edlund
- Zachariah
- Lilith
Definitions
Music
No rock songs this week, but Dean confirms his two favorite songs are "Ramblin' On" and "Traveling Riverside Blues," both tunes performed by Led Zeppelin. (The latter was originally made famous by Robert Johnson.)
Quotes
Zachariah: What you always do. Write.
Trivia & References
The book Dean is reading relates the events of 1.13 Route 666.
Simpatico is the name of a poster on the Television Without Pity message boards.
Sam: As in Sam slash Dean together.
Dean: Like together, together? They do know we are brothers right?
Sam: Doesn't seem to matter.
Dean: Well that's just sick!
Sam Girls and Dean Girls are fans dedicated to one or other of the brothers.
Slash fanfiction is stories written by fans depicting characters in a same-sex romantic and/or sexual relationship. In the Supernatural fandom, Sam/Dean is known as Wincest.Dean: Slaughterhouse Five-Vonnegut or Cat's Cradle-Vonnegut?
Sam: What?
Chuck: It's Kilgore Trout-Vonnegut. I wrote myself into it. I wrote myself, in my house, confronted by my characters.
Kurt Vonnegut was an American writer. In his book Breakfast of Champions, he wrote himself into the book, as well as a recurring character called Kilgore Trout (a science fiction writer based on the real writer Theodore Sturgeon), who confronts the author character.
When an author writes her/himself into a story, it is known as self-insertion. A particular form of this in fanfiction is the Mary Sue.A reference to the controversy when farmers sued Oprah for saying she wouldn't eat beef for fear of getting Mad Cow Disease.
Casa Erotica was the porn Sam watched in 2.04 Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things.
