In the Beginning

Season 4, Episode 3, Aired
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Episode Summary

Dean gets transported back in time and ends up in Lawrence, Kansas, where he crosses paths with a young version of his parents, who have just fallen in love.
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Fan Episode Reviews (56)

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  • Another masterpiece. The first trilogy of Season Four is, without a single doubt, outstanding!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Snape83, Jan 22, 2011 Report Abuse
    As a brief introduction, I can't help but say that from a speculative point of view I've dissected this episode in every single possible way, assuming that Dean's actions influenced the past and then assuming that - even without his interference - things would have turned out the way they did; I concentrated on the details of every possible scenario (why didn't John recognized Dean? And why didn't Azazel either?), and I've come to my personal conclusions, which I'll explain at the end of this review.

    The most important thing to say about perhaps the most mythology-intensive episode ever is that it is simply gorgeous. Although I missed Sammy, I can understand why - from a storytelling perspective - it was better if Dean went on this trip down memory lane alone, since the whole episode, although focused on Dean and his emotions, in the end is about the road down which Sam is headed. The script by Jeremy Carver - so full of little details, pop-culture nods at fashion and music and cinema back in the '70s, puns and wisecracks on time-traveling cliches - is simply astounding and the direction by the great Steve Boyum - a master in making bright, colorful environments look like ominous places where very bad things happened -, already oozing atmosphere from every frame, is enriched by the most beautiful orchestration ever heard on Supernatural, which rewrites Azazel theme with a stunning complexity and with new, foreboding textures. And let me say that Jensen Ackles performance in this episode is absolutely amazing! The scenes between him and Samuel Campbell - Mitch Pileggi! A legend! - are simply awesome, and the two of them have such a chemistry that I would have thought that they were best pals. They are incredible actors and I was glad that Mitch Pileggi went to portray the patriarch of Dean and Sam's family. A spectacular choice.

    As for my interpretation of the mythology: it made awesomely sense that Dean was actually sent back in time by Castiel, because thus the writers achieved to explain: 1. Why Azazel killed all Mary's old acquaintances (he was sure that Mary didn't know about Dean and Sam, but he couldn't know if Dean told anyone about Azazel's plan), 2. Why Azazel was betting on Sam (having met his brother sent back in time by Angels, he had to know that Sam was the one) and 3. Why Azazel pursued Mary with such a stubborness, while he didn't seem to bother much about the other Special Children's family. This interpretation though leads to some unanswered questions: A. When Castiel brought Dean back in the present, what happened to the Colt? In Season One, we see that Daniel Elkins has it, but how did he regained it? B. Why John didn't recognized Dean from his past? I can assume that Azazel erased his memory somehow when he brought him back, or that his memory had simply blurred out the last couple of days.

    Anyway, these are details and the final sentence is that this episode is a masterpiece.moreless

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  • Pretty damn good

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By seriesguy3998, Sep 04, 2009 Report Abuse
    Supernatural Season 4 Episode 3 In The Beginning
    Castiel sends Dean back in time to 1973, where he meets his parents when they were young. Dean convinces Young John to buy the Impala. He also discovers Young Mary was a hunter, and Yellow Eyes is around doing deals.

    As I say in the title, the episode is pretty damn good. Is great. Having Dean back in time to stop Azazel (a.k.a Yellow Eyed Demon) from doing a deal with Mary, to give him "permission" to walk in thier homes and bleed in Sam's mouth. He almost succeeds, and the watchers would like to have seen it, but if he had succeeded then they would never had become hunters, and we wouldnt have seen the series we love. Pretty damn good episode.moreless

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    1 0

  • We're three weeks into the new season and still Eric Kripke's love-spawn refuses to step even a quarter of an inch out of line.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By screenagedkicks, May 17, 2009 Report Abuse
    What was I saying about 'best damn thing on TV?' We're three weeks into the new season and still Eric Kripke's love-spawn refuses to step even a quarter of an inch out of line. Instead, it sets about writing some of the most cohesive, enjoyable and rewarding scripts in its entire run and then transforms them from page to screen in devastatingly terrifying, and yet beautiful, fashion. 'In the Beginning' is no exception; in fact, it's perhaps the perfect example, given that it locates itself so firmly in the show's over-arching mythology. This is a story that fandom has wanted to see played out for eons and the episode doesn't disappoint: Ackles excels yet again, and arguably even more so than in previous weeks, bringing a crushing believability to the part of a man who is given the chance to uncover the secrets of his parents' past. You feel every morsel of his joy, pain and sorrow as he realises how wrong he was about his mother and father's roles, and how he simply cannot prevent the inevitable. The scene he has with his future mother, in which he begs her not to go in Sam's room on that fateful day ten years on, is absolutely harrowing and it's virtually all down to Jensen's thoroughly convincing portrayal. Let's spare a moment to acknowledge the genius of the script too: the dialogue is superb, the pace is absolutely spot on and the characterisation of the figures in the Winchester past is strong enough to make you care about all the players instantly. And hell, let's not forget that we get Castiel (best recurring Supernatural character since Bobby), the Yellow Eyed Demon AND the legendary Mitch Pileggi all in one episode. They don't come much better than this.moreless

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  • castiel transports dean back in time to when his parents fall in love.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By buffyangel4evr_, Mar 05, 2009 Report Abuse
    great episode, very revealing! dean is tranported back in time and meets young john winchester and mary campbell, his parents! they have just fallen in love and dean realizes that he may be able to alter the future. dean also meets mary's parents, his grandparents, and realizes that demon hunting was the family business on his mother's side. all three campbells are hunters. mary, however, wants to quit and live a normal life. she believes she can w/john winchester. the yellow-eyed demon makes a return appearance. he's been collecting on deals he has made w/several of the campbell's neighbors and friends. dean's grandfather samuel becomes possessed by old yellow eyes and kills john. mary makes a deal w/the demon to bring john back! the demon's promises to come back in 10 years to collect payment. of course the price is sam! castiel knew that dean would not be able to change his destiny but wanted him to know what happened. castiel warns that sam is on the path that the yellow eyed demon laid out for him and that if dean won't stop him, he will. i really enjoyed this episode a lot. it explained so much amd it makes complete sense how john got into the demon hunting business in the first place, mary's influence. one of the best eps this season.moreless

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  • Review

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By efc91, Feb 02, 2009 Report Abuse
    Dean is transported back in time and is shocked when he lands in Lawrence, Kansas. However, that shock turns to amazement after he runs into a young John Winchester and Mary who have just fallen in love. Castiel informs Dean that he must "stop it", but Dean has other concerns when Azazel is apparently making deals in the area. Mitch Pileggi guest stars as Mary's father, Samuel. Dean also finds out why Azazel came after his family years ago. It's because Mary made a deal with the yellow eyed demon in exchange for John's life. Mary's mom's name was Deana and the dad's name was Samuel. Sam and Dean were named after them. Samuel was killed by the yellow eyed demon and then possesed by him. Deana died trying to kill Azazel and save Dean's life. Dean couldn't stop it because Mary already made the deal by the time he got away from Azazel. Supernatural goes all back to the future for a episode and its great. It was so good to see Dean go back to the 50s and sort stuff out. ends with a great cliffhanger. This episode focused 100 percent on Dean which was a nice refreshment.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • When Azazel kills John and promises Mary he'll arrange for "lover boy to be brought back breathin'," the actor playing John is clearly breathing. Edit
    • Trivia: The Impala's first license plate with John Winchester is C-45P4. Edit
    • There's no indication of how Dean knows how or where to find Mary and John at the end. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • International Airdates: Australia: October 13, 2008 on Channel 10 Latin America: December 7, 2008 on Warner Channel Denmark: December 7, 2008 on TV3 UK: February 1, 2009 on ITV2 Sweden: March 29, 2009 on Kanal 5 Norway: April 9, 2009 on FEM Portugal: May 4, 2009 on AXN Spain: September 14, 2009 on AXN Germany: November 30, 2009 on Sky Cinema Hits Poland: February 26, 2010 on TVN7 Czech Republic: May 28, 2010 on Prima COOL Finland: April 26, 2011 on Sub Edit
    • Jared Padalecki gets only 40 seconds of screen time, and one word of dialogue. Edit
    • Music: Ramblin' Man (The Allman Brothers), Go For Your Self (Kenny Smith & The Loveliters) Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Young Mary: (about demon hunting) You know the worst thing I can think of? The very worst thing? Is for my children to be raised into this like I was. Well, I won't let it happen! Dean: (trying not to cry) Yeah. Edit
    • Dean: On November 2, 1983, don't get out of bed. No matter what you hear, or what you see. Promise me you won't get out of bed. Mary: Okay. Edit
    • Castiel: Your brother is headed down a dangerous road, Dean. And we're not sure where it leads. So stop it. Or we will. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Dean: So, what, God's my co-pilot, is that it? Referencing the autobiography by USAF pilot Robert Lee Scott Jr., detailing his exploits in World War II with the Flying Tigers in China and Burma. It was made into a movie in 1945, and a queercore band took the name in 1991. Edit
    • Title This episode title is from the Bible. Specifically it is from Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Bible. It begins with God's creation of all things and as such it is the absolute beginning. Edit
    • Young John: The U.S.S. Enterprise? Referencing the similarity of many modern-day fliptop cell phones to the communicators found in the TV series Star Trek. The NBC series premiered in 1966 and starred William Shatner as James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as his science officer, Mr. Spock from the planet Vulcan. The series has spawned numerous spinoffs, movies, novels, and comic books. Edit

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