Supernatural season 7 continues with episode 17, “The Born-Again Identity.” Lucifer’s still chatting (and singing) away, and Sam hasn’t slept in five days. Even taking pills doesn’t work, and he ends up running into the path of an incoming car.
Seeking Help
Dean storms into a doctor’s office demanding to see Sam. The doctor explains that he’s on their psychiatric floor and though they’ve given him sedatives, he won’t sleep. Lucifer reminds Sam he didn’t sleep without a soul just before Dean walks in. Dean’s determined to save him, even though Sam doesn’t think he can. Dean’s not going to give up and takes to calling hunters from Bobby’s book. He’s not having much luck—until he sets the book down on the table, turns to the fridge, and turns back to find it on the floor with a Mackey’s Taxidermy business card underneath.
The doctor comes in and begins talking about “a new 10″ for the pain scale, a new form of torture for the day, before turning into Lucifer. He wants Sam to talk to him and points out that the locked ward is just like the cage. When Sam takes a bite of food later, he sees maggots and drops it to the floor. A girl sees from the doorway and walks away.
Mackey calls Dean back and tells him about Emanuel, a healer he checked out who healed his eye and passed every test he had. The girl from earlier, Maren, brings Sam a candy bar, but leaves when he flinches as Lucifer continues his torture. Dean goes to Emanuel’s house, and though he supposedly answers the door, Dean sees a woman tied up inside. The man is a demon, and Crowley’s “hands-off memo” is no longer in effect because he wants Emanuel. Dean uses the knife to kill him, and he falls in front of Emanuel—Castiel.
The woman is Emanuel’s wife, and Emanuel doesn’t remember anything about demons—though he could see its true face—or Dean. Lucifer’s getting creative keeping Sam awake (firecrackers) and doesn’t care that Sam knows it’s not real. On their way to Sam, Emanuel explains that Daphne found him drenched, naked, and with no memory. Dean comments that it must be weird not knowing who he is because he could be a bad guy. Emanuel doesn’t feel like he is.
When Maren stops by again, Sam discovers she’s there because she hears her dead brother’s voice, and he set the fire. He wants her to kill herself to be with him or he’ll do it.
Dean explains that Cas broke his brother’s head, and Emanuel can tell he was a friend. When he stops at a convenience store, leaving Emanuel in the car, demons attack, and when he drops the knife in the fight, he thinks it’s Emanuel who picks it up, but it’s not—it’s Meg.
Shaky Alliances on Supernatural
Meg has been doing some spying and knows Castiel doesn’t know who he is. She still plans to get Crowley when she can, but for now, it’s too dangerous to be alone. Dean’s not eager to partner up, but Meg argues he needs backup. He makes sure she knows they’re going straight to Sam and not to try to jog Castiel’s memory.
Sam tells Maren he believes she didn’t start the fire and he can help. She doesn’t see her brother, but does get chills when she hears him. She didn’t mind it at first because she missed him, but when she tried to run, he started the fire. Her brother made—and bled on—one of her bracelets. Sam has her bring him a lighter, and once they burn the bracelet, putting her brother to rest, she runs and orderlies grab Sam. He comes to find the doctor above him. They can’t give him any more medication, so it’s time for a different road.
Demons stand guard at the hospital entrance, and when Meg points to Emanuel as a way to get in, Dean pulls her aside, but Emanuel listens in. He can tell they knew each other and insists he’ll be fine with whatever happened. Meg tells him he’s an angel—not a flirtation, a species—and he realizes he’s Cas. He may not remember how, but Meg tells him he can smite the demons. When he approaches, the demons recognize him, and as he smites each one, he remembers more and more. Meg tells him, “That was beautiful, Clarence,” and Castiel tells Dean he remembers everything.
Cas says everything that has happened is because of him and walks away, but Dean follows. Meanwhile, the orderly wheels Sam to electroshock therapy and begins setting up, telling him they’re going to experiment instead of keeping it on low. He’s a demon. Uh-oh.
Castiel reminds Dean they didn’t part friends and thinks he deserved to die. He doesn’t think he can fix it, but Dean thinks that’s why he’s back and gives him his trench coat back. Castiel takes care of the orderly before stopping the electroshock and telling Sam he never should’ve broken his wall. He’s going to make it right, but when Sam looks up, he sees Lucifer and says he’s not real.
Lucifer’s reading Three Little Pigs. Castiel tells Dean he can’t rebuild the wall because the pieces were crushed to dust. However, he can shift it and get Sam back on his feet. Castiel tells Sam it may hurt and apologizes for what he did to him, but Sam just sees Lucifer. He touches Sam’s head, and when Sam sits up, he sees Castiel. However, Cas sees Lucifer.
Sam doesn’t want to leave Cas in the psychiatric ward, but they have no choice and Dean says it’s safer for him. Meg’s not their friend, but instead it’s “mutually assured destruction.” All their friends are dead.
The doctor brings Meg onto the staff. She says she wants to watch over the patients.
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