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Supernatural

No Rest for the Wicked

Season 3, Episode 16, Aired 5/15/08

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Episode Summary

Sam, Dean, and Bobby hunt down Lilith and fight her and her demons in a final effort to save Dean's life.

8.9

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Cast & Crew

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Jared Padalecki

Sam Winchester
Jensen Ackles

Dean Winchester
Katie Cassidy

Ruby

Fan Episode Reviews (94)

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Ehhhhh, I'll give it a 9.0

8.0

"Great"

By nairhart01, Jun 29, 2011 Report Abuse

Okay, so I just watched this episode. Started watching Supernatural a couple months ago, and finally got to the end of season three. Maybe it's because I knew ahead of time that Dean was going to be dragged to hell, but I was a little disappointed. I wanted more. More shabang, shabam, shaboom. I understand that this was when the writer's strike, infamous event that it is, was taking place, but still. I wish there could have been more. And maybe even a two-parter.

Complaints:

1. Lilith. She didn't freak me out. Azazel, old Yellow eyes, scared me more. Heck, even the creepy little kids in "The Kids Are Alright" (freaking dang episode that it is) scared the bejeezies out of me more than Lilith. She was a total disappointment. After "Jus in Bello," I was expecting some huge, scary mother. But no. Oh, well. I guess Katherine Pierce will have to remain my favorite villainess.

Um... yeah. That's it. Haha. It pretty much was all about her, so it was jut a gigantic complaint. In itself. Oh, well. Even though I was disappointed in this season finale, I still think it was extremely well-written (love that Ruby!!) and the acting was superb. Oh! R.I.P. Bela. Bela was my favorite character of this season... well, new character. Dean is my number one. So I was devastated when she died. And in that manner! I'm still a little choked up. Okay, not really. But I will miss her. :(

Can't wait to go on to see season 4!moreless

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A powerful season finale, that is even more breathtaking after the revelations of Season Four. Plus, the Hell's imagery - as concocted by Eric Kripke - is astounding!

9.5

"Superb"

By Snape83, Jan 21, 2011 Report Abuse

I'd state it right away. I have a single complaint about "No Rest For The Wicked" and it is the reason why I didn't rate it with a full, 10 points score. After the momentum built in Season One by the couple formed by "Salvation" and "Devil's Trap" and after the magnificent climax of "All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 1 & 2", "No Rest For The Wicked" feels too short. It lasts only thirty-eight minutes and it could have easily lasted for another thirty-eight. Maybe without the Writers' Strike, the episode would have been different - much consistent and longer -, but as it is it feels, particularly near the end, a tad too short. Aside from this minor quibble, the episode is perfect: we have a great fight (between Dean and Ruby), we have a bunch of genuinely frightening scenes (Lilith's vacation's pleasures), we have an ominous and menacing atmosphere oozing from beginning to end (i.e. when Dean hallucinates on Demon!Sam) and we have a couple of very intense, emotional moments between the two brothers, where Dean desperately asks Sam not to make the same mistakes all over again, to live his life at the fullest, to take care of the Impala and to not meddle in with demons, because they will only try to corrupt him. Dean - in a scene reminiscent of what John said at the end of "Shadows" (1.16) - realizes that Sam is his weak spot and viceversa and the demons will never stop to use this against them. After Season Four, Dean's words are nothing but prophetic and they nicely sum up Azazel's masterplan of scheming and tweaking with the Winchester weakness to manipulate them in releasing Lucifer. He asked for John's life for him to be the one who would break the first seal, and Dean after him, knowing that Dean would have done anything - even selling his soul - to bring Sam back. And, what's even more important, knowing that Dean's death would have brought Sam right in Ruby's arms. It's a testament to Eric Kripke's genius to see how perfectly all the pieces fall right into place, and the mythology of the show is rich and deep thanks indeed to this well-oiled clockwork. The final moments of "No Rest For The Wicked" are deeply powerful and the brief glimpse we caught of Hell is extremely disturbing and it even reminded me of the Chenobites' dimension from "Hellraiser", a gentle nod that I, as a horror fan, can't help but utterly adore.moreless

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a wonder season finale

10

"Perfect"

By feraflower, Aug 02, 2010 Report Abuse

Since the writer's strike cut Supernatural shorter than it could have been, I was worried the writers were going to blow the season finale off. I'm happy to say this is not the case. In fact, this is one of the best is not THE best season finale Supernatural has ever had, topped off by a short but stupendous season. Dean is running out of time until his contract is up and he is whisked off into Hell. Not to mention that during his final hours, he gets embued with "Hell-sight", where he can actually see the demons wandering around. Desperate to save his brother, Sam goes to both Bobby and Ruby to track down Lilith and stop her once and for all. There was never a dull moment in this episode, as the suspense only grew and the stakes too grew higher. It was so tense, you were literally glued to your seat to see what happened next. As usual, the acting is brilliant. Bobby was brilliant being by the brothers' side until the very end, and a great thing about Season Three is that it utilized Bobby a lot more. Ruby was a wonderful addition to the cast and unfortunately, the way the episode ended with just her, it's hard to say if she'll return in Season Four. It was hard watching Sam going against the odds to help his brother even when he realized there was heavy odds against him, and it was hard for Dean to admit he was scared to go to Hell; at first, he was shrugging it off and then at the final couple of hours, wanting desperately to get out of the deal. The ending was shocking to say the least and was a serious cliffhanger for everyone involved. The finale also raised a lot more questions: What will happen with Dean? How will the demon war finally play out in the end? What's with Sam's powers? And what was the creepy vision that Dean saw when he looked at Sam? All these questions have yet to be answered. If you want to see how the next part plays out, look for what's sure to be an exciting Season Four in September.moreless

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this is the best episode i've seen so far

10

"Perfect"

By AliceBissell, Aug 02, 2010 Report Abuse

This was the saddest episode ever. Who did not sob from Wanted dead or alive to the ending. Dean is so wonderful but at least he comes back to life! *spoiler*. I loved this episode and have watched it over and over. Supernatural as a whole is not comparable to any TV season I've seen. It is mind blowing. I think that the writers have taken this season and put into motion what the general public have wanted to see throughout all the series they have watched, the hero (hot as well or as hell) dies at the end. This may be subconscious but it is a thought none the less. FANTASTIC!!moreless

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Struggling to bring this challenging season to a close

9.0

"Superb"

By entil2001, May 26, 2010 Report Abuse

This season of "Supernatural" has struggled against a number of impediments, not the least of which was the writers' strike that cut nearly a third of the story out of the season arc. The entire production did everything possible to make up for the loss, but only so much can be done. A lot of the subtlety and depth of previous seasons, especially the run-up to the season finales, simply didn't exist.

Because the writers had to jump to the end of the intended story, the careful foreshadowing felt like predictability. There's a fine line between the two in any given story, but my personal rule of thumb is very simple. Foreshadowing is done correctly if the plot elements over the course of a season all point towards a conclusion, but the ground work is layered into the story in an organic manner, making it inherently particular to that single story. Predictability is the lethal application of clich, usually in such a brash and obvious manner that the story could have been stolen from any production.

I could say that I predicted much of what happens in this episode, at least in terms of the only viable solution for Dean's survival, but I think it's closer to the truth to say that I anticipated it. The writers simply did everything necessary to take every other option off the table. The only way to save Dean, in the end, was for Sam to take on the mantle of Antichrist Superstar (now destined to become his nickname) and lead Ruby's demonic faction against Lilith.

The big shock is not that Ruby brings up that particular solution, but that Sam doesn't do it before the hellhounds come calling and Dean descends into hell. I never saw that coming, because who honestly thought they would pull that particular trigger? On the other hand, I respect Kripke all the more for it. It's similar to the end of the second season of "Twin Peaks", except in this case, we'll get to see how the surprisingly dark cliffhanger is resolved.

That said, I still think Sam's solution to the problem will be embracing his Antichrist Superstar potential and taking on Lilith on her own field. The end of this episode strongly suggested that Lilith cannot touch Sam, and now that he knows it, it's a question of whether or not his darker impulses will take hold. All season long, Dean was shown as the one holding Sam in check, especially in the second half of the season, and "Mystery Spot" provided a solid look at how far Sam could fall into inhumanity.

Of course, the best thing about this episode is that it tells the audience not to expect the obvious direction. It looked like Sam would turn in this finale, but he didn't, and the consequences were horrific. The next logical step would be Sam's decision to lead the demonic horde to release Dean from hell, but that may not be the direction taken. After all, the rules regarding Dean only applied before his descent; new rules may apply now that he is technically dead. The key would be making a new solution work within established continuity.

Frankly, I hope Sam does go dark side, because I want to see more out of Ruby. Others have been less than complementary to Katie Cassidy (in fact, some have been outright obnoxious and cruel), but I thought she pulled off the duel role in this episode beautifully. Yes, it helps that I find the actress attractive, but I also recognize the inherent aspects of the character. Ruby is a demon who has chosen to take over a hot young woman as a lure to Sam's base instincts, and that has always made since to me as portrayed. The writers certainly had a more capable grasp of Ruby than they ever had of Bela.

Every season of "Supernatural" has managed to escalate the story to a new level, and this is certainly true in this case. It's going to be very interesting to see how the writers manage to tell the story of the anticipated war between Sam and Lilith (the only real way to quantify the war at this point) with yet another reduction in budget. Then again, I personally believe it all comes down to the story, and with this finale, the writers have confirmed that story is still king on "Supernatural".moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- At the end of the fight scene between Ruby and Dean and Ruby becomes stuck in the Devils Trap, we can see blood over and around her teeth. When the shot cuts to Dean walking up the stairs and Ruby is yelling at Dean, there is no blood. Edit
- When the Hellhound is tearing up Dean's chest, there is no sign of the tattoos he and Sam had during "Jus in Bello." Edit
- Trivia: Both Bela and Dean's last words were "bitch." Edit
Notes
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- International Airdate: Denmark: May 25, 2008 on TV3 Latin America: June 4, 2008 on Warner Channel Australia: June 29, 2008 on Channel 10 UK: June 29, 2008 on ITV2 Norway: September 21, 2008 on TVNorge Spain: December 8, 2008 on AXN Sweden: December 21, 2008 on Kanal 5 Portugal: February 19, 2009 on RTP 2 Germany: March 23, 2009 on Premiere Film Finland: August 6, 2009 on Sub Czech Republic: May 7, 2010 on Prima COOL Slovakia: October 13, 2010 on Markiza Edit
- Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas, used for the recap at the beginning of the episode, has been used in all three season finales. Edit
- Injoke: The name Fremont is a reference to Anthony Fremont, the boy with the ability to alter reality who terrorized his family and neighbors in the original Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life." Edit
Quotes
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- Dean: (about Ruby) C'mon man, she is the Miss Universe of lying skanks! Edit
- Ruby: I want Lilith dead. Dean: Why? Ruby: I've told you why. Dean: Oh right, because you were human once, and you liked kittens, and long walks on the beach! Ruby: You know, I am so sick of proving myself to you. You want to save yourself, this is how, you dumb spineless dick! (Dean punches her) Edit
- Bobby: (to Dean) Family don't end with blood, boy. Edit
Allusions
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- Dean: This is a terrific plan. I'm excited to be a part of it! This is nearly word for word what Peter Venkman said when Egon and Ray came up with the "Cross The Streams" plan to defeat Gozier in Ghostbusters. Edit
- Dean: Hell, she probably wants you to become her little Antichrist Superstar. Referencing Marilyn Manson's second album, Antichrist Superstar (1996). The concept album in turn referenced the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, originally released as a rock album in 1970 by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber then made into a musical. "Angel With the Scabbed Wings" had a similar riff to Lloyd-Webber's score. Edit
- Dean: What, are you gonna give her the Carrie stare and Lilith goes poof? Referencing the novel Carrie by Stephen King, which tells the tale of a high school girl with telekinetic powers, who goes berserk during her high school prom and kills most of the students. Later made into a movie by Brian De Palma in 1976 starring Sissy Spacek. In 2002, a remake was made starring Angela Bettis. Edit