Flutiebear: Rambling My Way Through Thedas

Oh god. Um. Okay. This just might be the hardest question anyone has ever asked me, nonny. But I’ll give it a shot.

1. Lazarus Rising

A masterpiece of pacing and narrative tension. There’s not a wasted word, not a wasted shot, and omfg the ACTING is just breathtaking, isn’t it? By far and away my favorite episode of any TV show ever – or, well, it was, until I saw…

2. The Born Again Identity

I could write a book – and, um, I am – on this one episode.

3. Repo Man

Oh, and this one too.

4. Faith

This is the episode that made me sit up and take notice of Supernatural, the one that first made me realize this show was something special. To this day, it’s some of the best and most challenging writing the show ever had. 

5. Nightshifter

Not only does this episode introduce my two favorite side characters ever– Ron and Henricksen – I think “Nightshifter” best captures the Western feel of the series. What are the first three seasons of Supernatural about? “Nightshifter” has your answer.

6. Ghostfacers

Because ordinary people can be heroes too, and until Season 5, that’s all the Winchesters were too – ordinary people put in extraordinary circumstances, who rose to meet the occasion.

7. The French Mistake

Does this even need explanation?

8. Fresh Blood/Bloodlust

I really consider these two a complete set (and their coda, “Live Free or Twihard”). Gordon Walker was a Paladin character, so fascinating and necessary to the universe,  and I love that his story continues to cast a shadow on Dean even now, post-Purgatory. 

9. Mystery Spot

An episode that starts out so funny, and becomes anything but, I think this episode is crucial to understanding who Sam is and why he does the things he does.

10. The Man Who Knew Too Much.

The Season 6 paralleling plot arcs of Cas’s Ascent and Sam’s Descent are maybe the most ambitious storylines the show has ever attempted, and I felt both came to an incredibly cathartic and satisfying resolution in this episode.

And that’s not even including other such fantastic episodes as Croatoan, Folsom Prison Blues, The Rapture, The Monster At the End of this Book, The Real Ghostbusters, The Man Who Would Be King, Clap Your Hands If You Believe, Dead in the Water, The End, Reading is Fundamental, Death’s Door, Meet the New Boss, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, My Bloody Valentine and Survival of the Fittest – all of which I consider some of my “favorites”.  

I will make one last caveat though: As far as episodes I’ve watched the most, honorary mentions must go to “Free to Be You and Me”, “The Mentalists”, and – you know what? I’m not even going to apologize for this – “Red Sky At Morning”.

God I miss Bela Talbot so much.