I found you a bit ago, but started Supernatural from the beginning. I am sick of not being able to comment though, so gonna start doing both. I have seen the show more times than I am comfortable admitting, but i will anyway (probably 30 times, at least up to this point, going down a little every season after). You give me a chance to remember what it is to watch cold. It's nice.
I love Mark of Cain Dean! I love any Dean, but I truly enjoy this darker version, and this episode explores it so well. I agree with you that there are a few times Sam freaks out, like how could Dean do that??? When it is somewhat understandable. Though the fact that he isn't entirely in control, is disturbing. He can catch himself though, as we saw at the end. He wanted to kill them, but Claire reminded him of his humanity, for lack of a better word.
I do think those people were grooming her. They were doing exactly what Randy probably did. Extremely nice in beginning, then you owe me. Murdering someone for you, that's a huge debt. Dean saved her again. I just can't be mad over Randy. The how was brutal, but anyone who would sell a kid who trusts them, they lowkey deserve it.
Crowley... he just wants to be loved. All that came back to him during the cure process, and yes he has massive blinders on right, because he wants that family. He is torn between his role, and wanting to be accepted in a family, whether the Winchesters, or his own. As for him saying where the blade was... i am half with you. The blade... he was retrieving that immediately, so no danger (that he knew of) in saying it to the Winchesters. Unless he was automatically moving his bones too, though, it was stupid. I will give him the benefit of the doubt that once he visited, he considered the site burned, and would move everything. As for Hell, Crowley never liked it, so it makes sense he chooses to set his main operations outside it, though yes, it would be exciting to see them set up that world more creatively. Same with Heaven. They chose shortcuts, that were a bit disappointing.
Rowena, I don't want to say much about her yet. She was not a character that I loved here. Ruthie is amazing, and she definitely had fun lines, but yes, you are right about her this episode.
Claire, is a polarizing character. I understand her rage though. I actually think Dean was probably like her in a lot of ways at that age, or at least would have been without having Sam to ground him. I like her, though yes, she can be frustrating at times. Teens always are.
Looking forward to finally getting to interact. At first i thought I could catch up in a few weeks, but life got in the way. I hate that!