‘Supernatural’ 13x13 ‘Devil’s Bargain’ recap: The best thing is the last scene

“Supernatural” season 13 episode 13 has blessed fans not only with the arrival of Danneel Ackles’ Sister Jo but also with the return of one of the most beloved characters of all time. In “Devil’s Bargain,” Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) have reunited with Castiel (Misha Collins), while a powerful faith healer struck a bargain with the devil.

The following contains spoilers from ‘Supernatural’ 13x13. The episode aired in the US on Thursday on The CW. Australia airs several episodes behind on Eleven on Mondays.

Following last week’s episode in which Castiel stabbed Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) after they escaped Asmodeus’ (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) prison, Cas made his way to the bunker and told the boys what happened in the past weeks he was gone. Lucifer, meanwhile, found a cupid and stole his grace. He is still more human, though, and so he needed someone to help him.

Enter Sister Jo, a faith healer who is so powerful that her hands glow as she heals people. The character was hyped as human, but she’s actually a low-level angel named Anael, who became a “businesswoman” after the fall of the angels in season 9. Lucifer wanted to drain her angel grace for himself, but she convinced him to take some and let her recuperate so he could drink grace from her whenever he needed it. In exchange, she got to keep her life.

While tracking Lucifer through Anael, the Winchesters and Cas encountered Ketch (David Haydn-Jones), who was working for Asmodeus. Ketch proposed an alliance, but they refused. They put him on Baby’s trunk unconscious, and he was able to help them later during a losing encounter with Lucifer. He was then able to convince them to let him join them.

Anael proved to be loyal to Lucifer. She sided with him even after gaining the Winchesters’ trust. She also helped him gain heaven’s trust, allowing him to rule the angels once more.

Meanwhile, Donatello the prophet (Keith Szarabajka), who was asked by the Winchesters to decipher a demon tablet, was spellbound by Asmodeus to report to him whatever he found on the tablet.

Asmodeus later revealed to Ketch that he has an archangel blade in possession, but it is only effective if wielded by another archangel. That’s when he also revealed that he has Gabriel (Richard Speight Jr) locked up with mouth sewn shut.

‘Supernatural’ 13x13 ‘Devil’s Bargain’ review

The appearance of Jo/Anael was one of the most anticipated events in the show. While her character was suggested to be neutral, it didn’t look that way. In this episode, one of her first appearances, she was fully on Lucifer’s side. She was already presented with an opportunity to escape him, but she did not want to go back to her mundane, dead-end job in heaven and her lowly rank anymore. Siding with Lucifer could prove to be her greatest achievement yet.

Even though Danneel previously said Jo wouldn’t be a love interest to Dean (Jensen is her real-life husband) or to anyone in the show, her character was still depicted in a suggestively sexual scene with Lucifer. It’s completely unnecessary and a disservice to a promising female character. Anael could have been a great villain without the gratuitous motel scene.

Sam and Dean reuniting with Castiel is the second best thing about this episode. The first is the revelation that Gabriel is still alive, albeit in a wretched state. The youngest archangel is the hero that Team Free Will deserves.