Supernatural 11x20 - WATCH ALONG!!

I got caught up in the Theology too much that I forgot to say that I still really loved this reaction! This was one of the reactions that I had to skip to because I just had to see it now instead of watching through all 11 seasons worth of reactions. I just couldn't wait :D A couple of final notes on the Theology: The NT doesn't really work without the OT, it just wouldn't make any sense. But that's also not to say the OT doesn't work without the NT, because it does :D I studied Christianity in university, and Judaism in my own time, so while I understand Christian Theology and can find beauty in it personally, Jewish Theology is where my beliefs personally lie, and it has its own beauty. In a Jewish context, it is much less... heretical, lol, to suggest that God has emotions or changes, and the sorts of things Supernatural implies. I don't find Supernatural's portrayal of God, at this point in the show, to be at all inconsistent with Jewish Theology, but you do fairly point out that it is quite inconsistent with how most Christian Theology has developed, mainly because many of the traits of God in Christianity come from Greek Philosophy, which Judaism was mostly resistant to for the majority of the history of Judaism (although Aristotelianism will be taken up by Maimonides and those after him). It is quite common to see God as a feeling human-ish being in Judaism. In fact, in the Talmud, God prays on behalf of humans that God show humanity mercy. I have studied only a little bit of Islam, so I don't have much comments on Islamic Theology, unfortunately. It's something I intend to study more on.

Christian Seibold

To be fair to the show, you guys *did* predict that Chuck was God when you saw Chuck vanish into thin air all the way back in the Season 5 Finale. This was actually a big debate in the Supernatural fanbase about whether Chuck was or was not God, and it spawned from the S5 Finale of having Chuck vanish into thin air, afaik. The show intentionally withheld the information until this S11 episode, and I personally really liked it. Just as a sidenote, I am a Theology major, so it does hurt to hear the misconceptions about the "Old Testament God", which date back to weird antisemitic tropes (e.g., marcionism, supersessionism) that tried to detach the "loving New Testament God" from the "angry Old Testament God". Part of this detachment was fueled by antisemitism that wanted to keep the New Testament but not have anything to do with any Jewish stuff, including the Old Testament and the more Jewish parts of the NT, and this is what Marcion did when he created the very first Canon of the NT. If one reads the Bible well and in full, the division between the "Gods" of the OT and NT are not actually that clear cut, and it's a little insulting to both Christianity and Judaism, and it's just incorrect. It decontextualizes the actions of God in the Bible from the purpose of the texts, from a strictly literary point of view even, but especially from a theological point of view. You'd have to like cut out large parts of the Old Testament, including the Book of Jonah, to get a purely angry and wrathful "Old Testament God", lmao. It also completely discounts the very Jewish ideas and practices of Jesus, which are kinda important. Obviously the Bible is big, so it's hard to know everything in it, but this angry God is primarily in the Torah (Books of Moses) and prophets. And yet even the prophets balance the wrathful God with a God of mercy and love. And the "New Testament God" has some fairly strict rules given in the Gospels, so one could say there is also a balance of strict and loving in the NT as well. And of course, Jesus is not exactly all flowers and rainbows either, lmao.

Christian Seibold

During this episode, John asked if we were supposed to know about another book that Chuck mentioned that he wrote called "Revolution" that wasn't as good as the Supernatural books. Kripke created a TV show, Revolution that appeared on NBC from 2012 - 2014 before it was cancelled after 2 seasons.

Tara

Also this is filmed in Vancouver, Canada and yes they were actually at that lake. I live about an hour away from there!

Jules R

Finally was able to watch this reaction (had no wifi for the week this came out) and I'm so happy you finally know that chuck has been God this whole time! I love that this was Kripke's idea from Season 5, and we finally get an answer to why chuck disappeared at the end of the last episode of Season 5. I always get chills when he's singing his song (Rob Benedict has such an amazing voice) and I knew you'd like this revelation!

Jules R

Awww, thanks John & Greg. And you got the pronounciation right! Appreciate the drop. There were hints all along that Chuck was God, esp in regards to how he was treated as a Prophet, compared to Kevin. Kevin never had visions, never had an archangel protecting him, and Chuck was apparently around when Kevin was tagged since he appeared in S10. Plus Chuck said in S4 that he wa s "a god" when confronted by Sam & Dean, and that he created them. So I think Kripke really had it in his mind during S4, but never told anyone until S5. It just happened to work out that after Kripke told Rob that he would be God, that shortly thereafter Rob had his stroke and couldn't appear anyway. I adore Rob's version of 'Fare Thee Well'. I don't think God is planning on killing himself, but I gather he was planning on stepping back for Amara to have her turn - whatever that means. Both Curtis and Rob did a phenomenal job in this episode.

Amye Sabin

I think others have said it but Rob Benedict (Chuck) was told by Eric Kripke back in Season 5 that Chuck was God. So glad the show runners kept with that when they decided to bring God back into the show. It’s also so funny to me that Chuck is always implying how much the episode Bugs was disliked.

BrandyLu

Loved this ep, especially the reveal! I remember clearly, I was so taken back by it that it just happened without warning (unless you pay attention to the recaps, which funny enough I don't skip them, but I still didn't put it togheter even in the first scene with Chuck), a totally different reaction that you guys had, which I don't blame you for being sceptic at first. Rob Benedict & Curtis Armstrong had great chemistry in this ep, could've watched a whole ep with them in the bar without all the janky editing between them and the fog thing, but nevertheless a great SPN ep! Oh and the 2nd book Chuck worked on that he titled "Revolution", is a nod to a failed tv show called "Revolution" created by Eric Kripke.😂

Flev Dorin

one of my fave episodes of supernatural, i love how my perspectives of chuck were changed throughout the show due to revelations

marc leech

Re: crossing your arms while watching … I like to think of it as the human version of loafing cats :)

KB

Firstly, major thanks to everyone in the comments last week warning against reading the episode description, really appreciate that because I was able to be surprised 😊 I actually really liked this episode. I understand your thoughts on the whole thing possibly not being planned and what not, but I honestly loved the twist of Chuck being God and I am all about it haha. It really did feel right to me and I was so excited at the reveal. I dont know, as a new fan I'm not sure all my opinions align with the longstanding fan base so I hesitate to comment, but I just really like the idea of God being the one writing the Supernatural books because that means it wasn't just a prophet writing their life story, it was actually God. It hits harder for me that way. Anyways, loved the reaction and your thoughts. And Greg, I'm proud of you for using the word tenure 😂 And yes John, I wanna hear Imagine Dragons make church music too haha! Well, can't wait to see what's to come for the rest of this amazing season. These reactions are my favorite thing about Saturdays. Uncross those arms guys, this is a safe place haha. Much love 🖤

Lex

I laughed so hard when Greg said that 😂 I’m kind of proud of everyone for being able to keep the giggles to themselves until season 11 lol

KB

Enjoyed this ep in isolation but will say more in a couple of seasons,tough right now to really discuss without spoiling. I remember from Chuck's early appearances fans were pretty convinced he was God. Really like the actor playing God and it's fun knowing both Rob Benedict (God) and Jeffery Dean Morgan will both be in the next season of The Boys. Now with Boddy it will have all Sam & Dean's dad's in The Boys season 4:) IMO it does become clearer what 'God's' motivations were for being around Sam and Dean in earlier seasons and seemingly doing nothing.

MClare

I was surprised and happy you made it this far without guessing Chuck was god. In season 5, the apocalypse is avoided, God suddenly helps (saves Castiel), then Chuck disappears into thin air. He also left when Kripke left - the “creator” of the show. Then Chuck shows up in Fan Fiction implying he is not just a prophet (since only 1 prophet at time). I loved this reveal! If you go back and watch it holds up and is fun to watch through that lens.

KB

The idea of Chuck being god has always been there. At the end of season 5, they heavily implied Chuck was god by vanishing into thin air after he finished the final book of supernatural. Also, during the 200th episode, one of the girls said they invited the author of books to the school play, and he showed up. It was established that he had to be dead because there can only be one prophet, and kevin was the prophet at the time. Which is funny because Greg said, Why is he here? He didn't create supernatural. Also, the fog in this episode is the same fog that was in the first and second episode of the season when Amara was released, and they had to fight the infected and cure them. Which is why sam asked if there was a fog in the town. Looking forward to the next few reactions.

Armando Rosas

oh boy I've been waiting for this episode for a while