This episode tried to dig deep into a huge theological question.

Upon meeting God, Sam, ever the fanboy, rambles on and wonders whether his prayers “got lost in the spam.” Meanwhile, Dean broods in the corner, then confronts God about where the hell he’s been for the thousands of years humans have been suffering horribly. It’s the question all of us would want to ask of God, and the show chose to go with “over-parenting is enabling,” the answer that the Abrahamic religions have been touting for years.

It’s not a good look for God, and it’s certainly not a sympathetic answer for Chuck. Given the way he was presented throughout the rest of the episode, it makes me wonder what the writers are going for with regards to his characterization. He is normalized to the point of mockery, any cosmic greatness stripped from him as he sits in tube socks and boxers munching on unhealthy snacks. At that point, is he still the God of legend? When does God stop being “God”? Isn’t God’s greatness in his inscrutability? Shouldn’t he be untouchable? A being so great (not kind or good or beautiful, but great, awesome in his power) that humans can’t handle his presence?

Is that why the writers chose to go the Chuck route? If they were going to put God in the story (which I still think is a terrible idea, writing-wise, but I digress), did they realize there was no good way to incorporate him and maintain his greatness? Did they realize that humanizing him was the only way this plot wouldn’t completely implode?

And now “God” is just a regular person, with a weary walk and a dry wit and family problems (notice how touchy he was about Lucifer; his emotions are clouding his judgement), just like anyone else. I don’t know how to feel about this creative decision.

Anyway, moving on from the theological implications here, one of the things that distracted me in this episode was that, aside from Amara, there were no women. Literally not a single woman. The introduction of a new prophet was a great chance to include, say, a woman of color, but instead we got an old white dude. This is Supernatural’s problem again and again, and not just with casting, but with plot as well. They keep recycling tropes, plot lines, and characters. We’ve had the flustered old white man who provides silly comedic relief. How about a female black chemistry graduate student who reacts with dry disbelief? How about a queer Arab Muslim woman who is furious at God’s cavalier attitude and rashly gets in his face with no regard for her own well-being?

I know, I know, it’s futile to expect this kind of diversity from Supernatural, of all shows. But as a show that’s been on the air for eleven years, and that was just renewed for two seasons at once (an rare occurrence), it can afford to take those kinds of risks. It can step outside of the box, shake things up. Then again, why should I expect any of that from the white men who are running the show?

Miscellaneous Thoughts:

→ I will forever find it hilarious that Sam and Dean have the cell phone numbers of various supernatural beings. Like, just picture Dean exchanging phone numbers with Metatron for a second. How would that conversation even go? But I suppose it’s a necessary part of being a modern, present-day show about supernatural beings.

→ Speaking Metatron, like Dean, I wouldn’t have expected him to sacrifice himself. I don’t think he really believed that warding spell would actually work, as he didn’t seem too surprised when Amara stayed put.

→ Kevin! It was great to see him, but if we were going to go down that route, where the hell was Charlie?