Supernatural season 9, episode 16, “Blade Runners,” aired tonight. Read our recap and discuss the episode with fellow fans.
Where in the world is Crowley Sandiego?
The episode opens with Dean trying to get in touch with Crowley, who is busy ignoring calls from “Not Moose” on his caller ID. He’s sexing up a demon named Lola and injecting himself with human blood. Lola, though, is passing on information to Abaddon, including that the Winchesters are after The First Blade.
In an effort to find the missing king of Hell, Sam and Dean summon a demon — none other than Snooki (though it’s just Nicole now). She tells them that Abaddon is gaining followers and preparing to make her move. Sam then (surprise!) exorcises her.
Back in his hotel, Crowley knows he’s being played and kills Lola. But he has a moment after noticing how many bodies he’s dropped lately, so he finally calls Not Moose for help.
Intervention, Winchester style
Crowley returns to his hotel with a bag of blood to find the Winchesters. Disgusted, they handcuff him to a chair. Time for an intervention. When Crowley can’t remember what exactly he told Lola that she could pass on to Abaddon, the Winchesters take him back to the bunker and lock him up again.
According to Crowley, the blade was taken from the bottom of the ocean, though he has a lead on its current owner. Crowley also tells Sam that they shared a moment back in the church and that they are bonded, though Sam is having none of that.
The Winchesters set up a meet with the supposed owner, and Crowley possesses him to get its location: The National Institute of Antiquities.
Two demons beat the Winchesters there, though, and possess the security guards. One breaks into the vault the blade was supposed to be in, but it’s empty. The guards end up killing each other as well as a woman who stopped by to see them.
Finding the First Blade
The Winchesters, of course, check out the case and discover that the blade was taken out after authentication was inconclusive and sold. The buyer called himself Magnus, which Sam recognizes as a Men of Letters alias.
Back at the bunker, Sam and Dean ask Crowley about the Men of Letters massacre of 1958. But rather than answer, Crowley throws a tantrum, blaming the Winchesters for his addiction. The brothers let him out of the dungeon, and he tells them that there was a rogue member of the order that was kicked out in 1956 so survived the massacre.
Crowley had once looked for this Magnus, hoping to use him to get into the bunker, so he takes the Winchesters to the last place his demons tracked him. Sam and Dean call out to Magnus, invoking their status as legacies, and a portal pulls them into a house. The brothers are immediately attacked by vampires, but they kill them — thus passing Magnus’s test.
The ultimate collector
Magnus, who is rocking an anti-aging spell, calls himself a collector of supernatural antiquities. He also tells the brothers he was fond of their grandfather. Things are going a little too well when Dean asks about the First Blade and shows Magnus the Mark of Cain, proving he can use the blade.
Magnus does indeed have the blade in his possession, but he’s not interested in lending it out. Instead, he casts a spell that sends Sam outside and chains Dean up; together Dean and the blade make a complete set.
Using the blade
Looking through the Men of Letters file on Magnus, Sam realizes the only way into the house is via spell. After reminding Sam how often he’s been helpful lately, Crowley is allowed to get the ingredients, and he and Sam complete the spell and enter the house.
Meanwhile, Magnus puts the First Blade in Dean’s hand, which receives an intense response as the mark glows. Magnus plans to take Dean’s will away and use him as a weapon.
Elsewhere, Sam appears to take Magnus at knife-point, but it was a trap; that Magnus was a shapeshifter. The real Magnus chains Sam up and threatens to take his will as a means of controlling Dean. Meanwhile, Crowley frees Dean and Dean uses the First Blade to decapitate Magnus.
Dean, though, is visibly affected by the blade. Sam calls out to him and his voice finally reaches his brother in his blade-induced trance. Dean drops the blade, but this is clearly just beginning as Crowley watches on ominously.
No trust for the wicked
When the trio get back to the Impala, they find it ransacked by demons. The contents of the trunk were at least safe because of warding, but a message in Enochian was keyed into the doors, warning Crowley to be afraid of Abaddon.
Sam points out to Dean that Crowley was only useful to them until they got the First Blade, but Crowley stops them before they can kill him. He takes the Blade for himself and will only let them have it once they’re ready to kill Abaddon.
He knew the Winchesters couldn’t trust him, and he learned not to trust them as well.
