Ever since "Nightmare" in season one, Sam's been worried about going evil. The Yellow Eyed Demon told Sam that he had plans for Sam and "all the children like him" back in "Devil's Trap" and in "Simon Said," Sam learns a little bit more about what that means. This is an important episode for the story arc this season. It introduces Andy, who will appear again. It establishes that the YED has a connection to an untold number of children like Sam, all of whom have psychic powers. Some of the kids are also dangerous, as the YED gets to them in their dreams and twists their thoughts. (It's never really said why the YED talks to some kids in their sleep for the entire time after their powers awaken, but waits until AHBL for others. If I had to guess, I'd say that he's been trying to get into all of their heads the whole time, but some of them -like Sam- have been strong enough to keep them out.) Anyway, "Simon Said," also reveals that Dean's scared for Sam. Even if he tries to hide it, he's worried about his brother's powers. All in all, you should see this episode if you're watching the show on DVD.
"Simon Said" revolves around another kid with psychic powers who might possibly be killing people. Sam gets a vision of a man entering a gun store and calmly shooting people for no reason. Sam insist that they go to the Roadhouse to get Ash's help in finding out where the guy is. Dean isn't thrilled, especially when they come up with a suspect whose mother died in a nursery fire 23 years before, just like Mary. The brothers soon track down their suspect, a guy named Andy, who has the power to control people with his voice. He just says something and they do it. Dean keeps insisting that they need to keep an open mind about Andy. But Sam is convinced that Andy's evil and that it's only a matter of time before Sam also turns evil and starts murdering people, too.
It turns out that Andy's innocent, though. He has a twin brother who he's never met and that guy's behind the killings. He's picking off the people who've kept him and Andy apart. His next victim is Andy's girlfriend. He and Andy get into a "mind control" fight. Poor Sam gets knocked out. The evil twin almost gets Dean to shoot himself. But in the end, Andy kills his brother and saves the day. Sam and Dean leave town again, but Sam still isn't reassured about all kids with powers. He's worried about what it means to him and what will happen if the powers are a precursor of evil.
There are some great parts to this episode. I really like Andy. He uses his powers to wander around town in a bathrobe, talking people out of their coffee and dodging debt collector. He just really cute. And I just have to laugh when Andy talks Dean in to giving him the Impala. Sam's expression as he sees Andy driving it down the street is priceless. And Dean's explanation that Andy "Full on Obi Wan-ed me!" cracks me up. The look of concentration on Dean's face as he tries to stop himself from agreeing to Andy's mind control is hilarious. Sam's immune so he gives Dean this mystified, "Dude, what are you DOING?" sort of look and Dean can just helplessly shrug. Dean is usual pretty resistant to supernatural-ly stuff like that so it seemed to freak them both out. And I just have to laugh at Andy's ridiculous van. The Viking queen riding the polar bear just isn't doing it for me, no matter how impressed Dean is with the design. Finally, Dean signing RAO Speedwagon just makes me laugh.
I like Dean dealing with Sam's powers in this episode. He REALLY doesn't want to tell the Roadhouse crew about Sam. He worries about what the other Hunters will do if they learn that Sammy has a connection to the Demon. Even when Sam explains everything to Ellen, Dean just sits there watching Ellen closely as if daring her to say one critical thing to his brother. And Dean himself is starting to fear for Sam. (Thanks in part to John's whispered comments back in "In My Time of Dying," which will come out in "Hunted.") Dean argues again and again that Andy couldn't have been hurting anyone. (Leading to one of my favorite Sam responses ever, "Dude, the doctor was mind-controlled in front of a bus. Andy just happens to have the power of mind-control.") But when Andy uses his mind control on Dean all of Dean's secret thoughts come pouring out. How scared he is that something evil might be growing inside of his brother. Of course, after that Dean calls for a "Do over," but Sam still hears all of Dean's fears and he continues to worry about what's happening to him. But, Dean isn't scared OF Sam. He's scared FOR Sam. Which is a distinction that I think Sam is missing.
On the down side, and this is more of a question, wouldn't there only be nursery fires if the mom interrupted the YED in his late night visit? I don't see why this is so surprising for the boys. Mary only died and there was only a fire, because something went wrong. If everything went right, which it normally would, then there'd be no trace of the YED in the house, at all. It only makes sense, right? Also, I wish Andy's girlfriend had been a little bit more understanding at the end,
My favorite part of the episode: Andy discovering that he has a brother who's been stalking him and killing people. "I have...An evil...Twin..." It just cracks me up.
"Simon Said" revolves around another kid with psychic powers who might possibly be killing people. Sam gets a vision of a man entering a gun store and calmly shooting people for no reason. Sam insist that they go to the Roadhouse to get Ash's help in finding out where the guy is. Dean isn't thrilled, especially when they come up with a suspect whose mother died in a nursery fire 23 years before, just like Mary. The brothers soon track down their suspect, a guy named Andy, who has the power to control people with his voice. He just says something and they do it. Dean keeps insisting that they need to keep an open mind about Andy. But Sam is convinced that Andy's evil and that it's only a matter of time before Sam also turns evil and starts murdering people, too.
It turns out that Andy's innocent, though. He has a twin brother who he's never met and that guy's behind the killings. He's picking off the people who've kept him and Andy apart. His next victim is Andy's girlfriend. He and Andy get into a "mind control" fight. Poor Sam gets knocked out. The evil twin almost gets Dean to shoot himself. But in the end, Andy kills his brother and saves the day. Sam and Dean leave town again, but Sam still isn't reassured about all kids with powers. He's worried about what it means to him and what will happen if the powers are a precursor of evil.
There are some great parts to this episode. I really like Andy. He uses his powers to wander around town in a bathrobe, talking people out of their coffee and dodging debt collector. He just really cute. And I just have to laugh when Andy talks Dean in to giving him the Impala. Sam's expression as he sees Andy driving it down the street is priceless. And Dean's explanation that Andy "Full on Obi Wan-ed me!" cracks me up. The look of concentration on Dean's face as he tries to stop himself from agreeing to Andy's mind control is hilarious. Sam's immune so he gives Dean this mystified, "Dude, what are you DOING?" sort of look and Dean can just helplessly shrug. Dean is usual pretty resistant to supernatural-ly stuff like that so it seemed to freak them both out. And I just have to laugh at Andy's ridiculous van. The Viking queen riding the polar bear just isn't doing it for me, no matter how impressed Dean is with the design. Finally, Dean signing RAO Speedwagon just makes me laugh.
I like Dean dealing with Sam's powers in this episode. He REALLY doesn't want to tell the Roadhouse crew about Sam. He worries about what the other Hunters will do if they learn that Sammy has a connection to the Demon. Even when Sam explains everything to Ellen, Dean just sits there watching Ellen closely as if daring her to say one critical thing to his brother. And Dean himself is starting to fear for Sam. (Thanks in part to John's whispered comments back in "In My Time of Dying," which will come out in "Hunted.") Dean argues again and again that Andy couldn't have been hurting anyone. (Leading to one of my favorite Sam responses ever, "Dude, the doctor was mind-controlled in front of a bus. Andy just happens to have the power of mind-control.") But when Andy uses his mind control on Dean all of Dean's secret thoughts come pouring out. How scared he is that something evil might be growing inside of his brother. Of course, after that Dean calls for a "Do over," but Sam still hears all of Dean's fears and he continues to worry about what's happening to him. But, Dean isn't scared OF Sam. He's scared FOR Sam. Which is a distinction that I think Sam is missing.
On the down side, and this is more of a question, wouldn't there only be nursery fires if the mom interrupted the YED in his late night visit? I don't see why this is so surprising for the boys. Mary only died and there was only a fire, because something went wrong. If everything went right, which it normally would, then there'd be no trace of the YED in the house, at all. It only makes sense, right? Also, I wish Andy's girlfriend had been a little bit more understanding at the end,
My favorite part of the episode: Andy discovering that he has a brother who's been stalking him and killing people. "I have...An evil...Twin..." It just cracks me up.