Supernatural Season 8 Is Gr8

When Season 8 of Supernatural first started, fans began dubbing it season gr8 due to the return of Jeremy Carver and departure of Sera Gamble. After the mess of Season 7, fans held out hope for a better Season 8, and boy, Season 8 passed our expectations. Season 8 was basically charged with cleaning up the mess season 7 left behind while keeping things fresh. So Season 8 decided to separate the Winchesters for a year and when reunited have tension and a mission; to close the gates of hell, forever. Making this year's big bad Crowley, along with a mysterious Naomi (portrayed by the lovely Amanda Tapping).

First thing Supernatural did was do a year jump with Dean returning from Purgatory in We Need To Talk About Kevin and meeting up with Sam to discover that Sam actually had followed the promise this time and didn't look for Dean. For the last past season, whenever the Winchesters made this promise, they always found a way to break due to their bond with each other, but this time, Sam didn't do that, and that's what made Dean angry. This tension between the brothers over this last for a couple of episodes until something else comes between them (Benny and Amelia). We Need To Talk To Kevin also brought back fan favourite Kevin Tran (who is awesome) as he joins the brothers in the fight and helps decipher the demon tablet. Although Crowley is not going to not going to let it be easy as he is the villain we all love.

What about Castiel? Castiel did return as he was first in the Purgatory flashbacks. Instead of having the first half of the season with the boys separated, Supernatural opted for flashbacks throughout the first half of the season to show what happened to Dean in Purgatory, and how he got out. Season 8 used this chance to wipe away crazy Cas from season 7 as Castiel claimed that Purgatory helped the crazy in his head. Much as crazy Cas was fun, it was a remind of the cop out Supernatural did back in season 7 and there is nothing like good old Cas. Castiel did have guilt though about what he did back in season 7 and believed he had to make things right. Castiel returned to the main timeline in A Little Slice Of Kevin with no memory of how he got out of Purgatory and an angel named Naomi in his head. We later find out that Naomi had done something to Castiel and using him to do her bidding. It is Castiel's strange actions that bring Sam and Dean back together and overcome their differences.

A large part of the second half of season 8 was focused on the trails to close the gates of hell that Kevin had deciphered. At first Dean was dead set on doing the trials himself so Sammy could have a future, but then things changed when Sam did the first trial by accident when he was saving Dean. Dean is not happy, but goes through with it deciding he will do what he can to help Sam. Carry him need be (probably not since that would be awkward and kinda funny. Could someone please photoshop that). Dean begins to notice changes in Sam as Sam seems to be weaker and coughing up blood after the first trial. Sam tries to hide it, but Dean doesn't let him and confronts Sam about it. After the second trial, Sam got even weaker which Dean was concerned about and the fans hurting over their feels about it. Which is why when Sam was doing the third trial, Dean was worried. When Dean heard that Sam wasn't going to survive after the third trial, Dean dropped everything to save his little brother.

Now what about season 8 didn't make it like up to season 5's standards? There wasn't much actually, other than a couple of hiccups here and there. There was the Sam/Amelia relationship that had no chemistry whatever. The actors did try, but it just wasn't clicking, which is why the writers decided to scrap that relationship ASAP. I personally don't hate Amelia though, but her storyline was boring. As for episodes that fell flat, I can only think of two really; Heartache (sorry Jensen) and Man's Best Friend With Benefits. Heartache fell due to the focus on Sam/Amelia as well as the weak storyline. Man's Best Friend With Benefits was just down right weird and a low point for season 8. After the mid way point was passed, it felt like Supernatural had forgotten about the Purgatory plot line and Dean's experience with it.

With Season 8, Supernatural has found it's muse and showing everyone that it's not a show to be messed with. It also helped that Supernatural had moved to Wednesdays at 9pm, paired with newcomer Arrow. Characters like Kevin, Charlie, and Meg made their return to Supernatural, each affecting the plot in their own way. Some of the best episodes of season 8 were Hunter Heroici, LARP and the Real Girl, and Goodbye Stranger. Season 8 made us laugh, worry, and cry, but we loved every second of it. Supernatural has been renewed for a season 9, so look forward to the new season in the fall and how the pick up the pieces from Sacrifice. Not to mention Misha Collins will be returning as a series regular next season, in addition to directing. See you next season.

What did you think of season 8? What was your favourite moment?