From the "Then" recap the viewers are immediately informed that this episode will mark the return of the Mytharc, big time. The opening sequence brings in Julie McNiven, whose only real significant role by this time was a supporting character in season 1 (2007) of the rather boring Mad Men. This is worth mentioning because though I've watched season 1 (and 2) of Mad Men, I cannot for the death of me remember her character in that series. Here, in her first scene, she gives such a tremendous performance that rare must be the viewer who will not take note of her. And that is just *a couple* of scenes.
When it comes to acting, this episode is a huge treat. Misha Collins returns, delivering yet another great performance - by now it is impossible to think someone else as Castiel. With him, comes Robert Wisdom's Uriel, again putting the fear of God into other characters (and possibly the viewers as well). As if this were not enough, they also drop in Mark motherfrakkin' Rolston, Drake himself from Aliens! His performance here is simply frightening - oozing evil, and not in the caricatured, clichéd way evil is too often depicted on TV and movies. No, a truly great evil character is one who can justify his actions by logic - instead of the evil-just-because-they-are-evil characters. Rolston here can be compared to Hugo Weaving in The Matrix, that's how good he is. Yet, the star of this episode is Jared Padalecki, who finally gets some great material to work on and proves that he's just as good, if not better than Jensen Ackles. As for Genevieve Cortese, after this episode you may see her in a whole new light, in more senses than one...
The plot is not only magnificently imaginative and twisty but also non-linear, a feat that is harder to accomplish than most writers think. This is dense yet exciting TV, never losing momentum because of character moments. *That* is impressive. This really is one of those rarest of beasts - it has everything: drama, suspense, shocks, surprises, humor and action. Also, the intensity keeps increasing and increasing constantly throughout the episode, right to the very final scene. It is not 100% perfect, but a 95% perfect rounds up to a 10/10. Not to be missed.
