This largely exists to reshape the heaven storyline in the season to have it make sense. It largely tracks with prior episodes and it does a great job of giving the need weight to the heaven side of the season. Unfortunately, the prior material is so misshapen that there was only so much that can be done with an episode. It is never made clear why Raphael wants to open the cage and that idea is really central to much of what happens in the season. This episode only fills in so many holes.
On its own through it is meditative and thoughtful episode. The show likes to play around with fatalism vs free will and this is a built around exploring what choice means. It is a surprisingly classy and thoughtful episode in that regard. I also think Crowley's reworking of hell is quite on point.
On its own through it is meditative and thoughtful episode. The show likes to play around with fatalism vs free will and this is a built around exploring what choice means. It is a surprisingly classy and thoughtful episode in that regard. I also think Crowley's reworking of hell is quite on point.