‘Supernatural’ season 12 episode 1 recap: Mary Winchester meets Dean in ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’

“Supernatural” season 12 episode 1 “Keep Calm and Carry On” started with the original hunter of the family: Mary Winchester (Samantha Smith). Mama Winchester, as it turned out, is still as badass as she was before she died 33 years ago.

‘Supernatural season 12 episode 1’ spoilers ahead

The episode began with the last scene of the season 11 finale, with Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) stumbling upon a lost Mary in the middle of nowhere. Dean easily recognised his mother, but the wary Mary nearly broke his arm when he tried to touch her. When Dean introduced himself to her, her last memories of being alive (i.e. being toasted on fire on the ceiling), came back to her.

Dean then filled her in on with what she missed in the 33 years that she’s been gone, telling her that John Winchester sacrificed his life for him, and that God’s sister brought her back.

Meanwhile, Castiel (Misha Collins) appeared in presumably another state after being banished with a sigil by Lady Antonia Bevell (Elizabeth Blackmore). With a one-track mind to get back to the bunker, the fallen angel stole a truck to return and find Sam, who was shot in the leg by Lady Toni in the bunker.

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He eventually met with Dean and Mary in the bunker. It’s curious, though, that Castiel, who can identify a person by just the smell of their bones or blood, had to ask who Mary was.

“Who are you and where is Sam?” the irate angel asked Mary before Dean intervened.

Cas, of course, thought Dean sacrificed himself to save the earth, and so he was elated to see him very much alive. After Cas filled him in with the events in the past hours, Dean tracked the vehicle that the mystery woman used to take Sam away by hacking traffic cams. They also tracked the woman’s number through a veterinarian who worked on Sam’s leg.

“You have my brother,” Dean said in what appears to be his best impression of Liam Neeson in “Taken.” “When I find you, and I will find you, if he’s not in one piece, I will take you apart.”

Torturing Sam

No stranger to tortures, Sam wouldn’t give in to Lady Toni’s demands even when he was put into extreme conditions. “I’ve been tortured by the devil himself. So you, you’re just an accent in a pantsuit,” he told her torturer.

Lady Toni informed the youngest Winchester that the British Men of Letters have been checking up on them for years, since the first apocalypse that never happened (thanks to Sam and Dean). Sam pointed out that if they knew about the events, then where were they? Apparently, the “old man” didn’t want them to interfere. But when the Darkness arrived and almost ended the world (again), the old man finally gave them permission to do so.

And as he informed Sam, Britain has a really good defence against supernatural entities. Every entry point in Britain is warded so monsters who dared to enter are killed in 40 minutes. And because they are really good at their job, the last monster-related death was in 1965.

She wanted Sam to reveal the names of his fellow hunters, their organisations, hierarchy, meeting places and everything else. But Sam wouldn’t cave in, even after rigorous physical and mental torture. His mental torture involves Toni injecting him with a serum that gave him visions of his loved ones dying, including Mary, whose death he hadn’t actually seen himself. It looked like he couldn’t take it anymore and was about to slit his throat, but it was actually just a ruse to prompt Toni to come out. He strangled the British woman of Letter and tried to escape but was again bested by the accent in a pantsuit.

His rescuers were still on the way, but in the meantime, in the basement he stayed.

Saving people, hunting things...

The gang was returning to the bunker when Lady Toni’s henchwoman slammed into the Impala with an SUV. Mary was knocked out in the collision. Good thing she woke up shortly, though, because her seasoned warrior son and the warrior angel were being easily defeated in the fight.

When Mary was having a moment about escaping the hunting life and not wanting his sons to be raised as hunters, Dean assured her that they have made life better for others.

“Sam and me, saving people and hunting things, this is our life. I think we make the world a better place. I know that we do,” Dean told his mum.

‘Supernatural’ season 12 spoilers: Mary Winchester’s big secret

Lucifer’s new vessel, Crowley’s revenge

Luci’s on the hunt for a new vessel, trying out one after another with little success, while Crowley (Mark Sheppard) was hunting him down. The former King of Hell wanted to take him down so he could take hell back.

“Supernatural” season 12 episode 1 aired in the US on The CW network. The show airs past seasons on Eleven on Mondays and TenPlay any time in Australia.