"On April 21, 1967, the 100 millionth GM vehicle rolled off the line at the plant in Janesville -- a blue two-door Caprice.
"There was a big ceremony, speeches. The lieutenant governor even showed up. Three days later, another car rolled off that same line. No one gave two craps about her. But they should have, because this 1967 Chevrolet Impala would turn out to be the most important car -- no, the most important object -- in pretty much the whole universe.
"She was first owned by Sal Moriarty, an alcoholic with two ex-wives and three blocked arteries. On weekends, he'd drive around giving Bibles to the poor "gettin' folks right for Judgment Day." That's what he said. Sam and Dean don't know any of this, but if they did, I bet they'd smile.
"After Sal died, she ended up at Rainbow Motors, a used-car lot in Lawrence, where a young Marine bought her on impulse. That is, after a little advice from a friend and a quiet onlooker. I guess that's where this story begins.
"And here's where it ends."
EXT. BOBBY'S YARD
"Hey," Sam greeted.
"I'm in," Dean said.
"In with..."
"The whole "up with Satan" thing. I'm on board."
"You're gonna let me say yes?"
"No. That's the thing. It's not on me to let you do anything. You're a grown -- well, overgrown -- man. If this is what you want, I'll back your play."
"That's the last thing I though you would ever say."
"Might be. I'm not gonna lie to you, though. It goes against every fiber I got. I mean, truth is... You know, watching out for you... it's kinda been my job, you know? But more than that, it's... it's kinda who I am. You're not a kid anymore, Sam, and I can't keep treating you like one. Maybe I got to grow up a little, too. I don't know if we got a snowball's chance. But... But I do know that if anybody can do it... it's you."
"Thank you."
"Is this what you want... Is this really what you want?"
"I let him out. I got to put him back in."
"Okay. That's it, then."
INT. BUILDING - DAY
Bodies hung upside down over a Devil's Trap. Sam wiped blood off a large knife. Castiel put the lid on a jug of blood. Dean stood nearby.
EXT. BUILDING
Sam, Castiel and Dean exited the building. Sam and Castiel carried jugs of blood and put them in the trunk of the Impala. Dean walked towards Bobby and Elena.
"I still can't get used to you at eye level," Dean said.
"So, were we right?" Bobby asked.
"As always, Yoda," Dean replied. "Two stunt demons inside, just like you two said."
"Did you get it?" Elena questioned.
"Yeah, all the "go juice" Sammy can drink."
"You okay?"
"Not really. What do you two got?"
"Not much," Bobby said. "These look like omens to you two?" He handed Dean a newspaper. "Cyclone in Florida, temperature drop in Detroit, wildfires in L.A."
"Wait. What about Detroit?"
"Temp's dropped about 20 degrees, but only in a five-block radius of downtown Motown."
"That's the one," Dean confirmed. "Devil's in Detroit."
"Really? As far as foreboding goes, it's a little light in the loafers. You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
The Impala drove down the road.
INT. IMPALA
Dean was driving. Sam was sitting shotgun. Castiel was in the backseat, and the former was asleep.
"Aw. Ain't he a little angel?" Dean commented.
"Angels don't sleep," Sam noted.
"Sam, I got a bad feeling about this."
"Well, you'd have to be nuts to have a good feeling about it."
"You know what I mean. Detroit. He always said he'd jump your bones in Detroit. Here we are."
"Here we are."
"Maybe this is him rolling out the red carpet, you know? Maybe he knows something that we don't."
"Dean, I'm sure he knows a buttload we don't. We just got to hope he doesn't know about the rings. Hey, um... on the subject, there's something I got to talk to you about."
"What?"
"This thing goes our way and I... Triple Lindy into that box... y-you know I'm not coming back."
"Yeah, I'm aware."
"So you got to promise me something."
"Okay. Yeah. Anything."
"You got to promise not to try to bring me back."
"What? No, I didn't sign up for that."
"Dean-"
"Your Hell is gonna make my tour look like Graceland. You want me to just sit by and do nothing?"
"Once the Cage is shut, you two can't go poking at it, Dean. It's too risky."
"No, no, no, no, no. As if I'm just gonna let you rot in there."
"Yeah, you are. You don't have a choice."
"You can't ask me to do this."
"I'm sorry, Dean. You have to."
"So then what am I supposed to do?"
Sam glanced at Dean. "You go find Lisa. You pray to God she's dumb enough to take you in, and you -- you have barbecues and go to football games. You go live some normal, apple-pie, life, Dean. Take care of Elena for me. Promise me."
EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT
Bobby and Elena looked through binoculars at a building in which a man was standing in the window.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Bobby and Elena walked towards Sam, Dean and Castiel.
"Demons," Bobby informed. "At least two dozen of them. You were right -- something is up."
"More than something," Dean said. "He's here. I know it." Dean walked to the side of the Impala and Sam looked at Bobby and Elena.
"We'll see ya around, kid."
"See ya both around." Sam and Bobby hugged, then Sam hugged Elena .
"He gets in... You fight him tooth and nail, you understand? Keep swingin'. Don't give an inch."
"Yes, sir." Sam held out his hand to Castiel. "Take care of these guys and Elena, okay?"
"That's not possible," Castiel told him.
"Then humor me."
"Oh. I was supposed to lie. Uh... Sure." An awkward smile crossed his face. "They'll be fine."
"Just -- just stop... talking."
Sam looked to his brother. "You mind not watching this?"
Dean walked away and Sam picked up a jug.
Elena ran up to Sam and took his cheeks in her hands. "Come back to me, Sammy. Please."
Sam gave her a sad smile. "I'll try."
She nodded and walked back to Dean before asking, "You okay?"
"Would it make you feel better if I said no?" Dean replied.
"I can't imagine how hard this is. Sam is strong. He'll pull through this."
"How do you have so much hope?"
"Goddess of hope. Kind of in the description. The time has yet to come to open Pandora's box. And if they time comes, don't give up hope, don't trap it in. I mean both literally and figuratively."
LATER
Sam cleared his throat and closed the trunk. Dean was leaning on the side of the car.
Sam took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."
He walked past his brother and after a moment, they followed him. Bobby, Elena and Castiel watched them go.
Sam raised his arms as he approached the building with the demons. "All right! We're here, you sons of bitches! Come and get it!"
Two demons came outside.
"Hey, guys," Dean greeted. "Is your father home?"
INT. BUILDING
The demons manhandled Sam and Dean inside.
"Hey, guys, girl," Lucifer said. "So nice of you to drop in.
"The Impala, of course, has all the things other cars have... and a few things they don't. But none of that stuff's important. This is the stuff that's important. The Army man that Sam crammed in the ashtray -- it's still stuck there. The Legos that Dean shoved into the vents -- to this day, heat comes on and they can hear 'em rattle. These are the things that make the car theirs -- really theirs. Even when Dean rebuilt her from the ground up, they made sure all these little things stayed, 'cause it's the blemishes that make her beautiful. The Devil doesn't know or care what kind of car the boys drive."
INT. BUILDING - NIGHT
Lucifer breathed on the window pane and drew a pitchfork in the condensation. "Sorry if it's a bit chilly. Most people think that I burn hot. It's actually quite the opposite."
"Well, I'll alert the media," Dean commented.
Lucifer's face was covered with red sores. "Help me understand something, guys. I mean, stomping through my front door is... a tad suicidal, don't you think?"
"We're not here to fight you," Sam told him.
"No? Then why are you?"
"I want to say "yes.""
"Excuse me?"
Sam took a breath, closed his eyes and the two demons dropped dead in flashes of light.
"Chock-full of Ovaltine, are we?" Lucifer noted.
"You heard me," Sam said. "Yes."
"You're serious."
"Look, Judgment Day's a runaway train. We get it now. We just want off."
"Meaning?"
"Deal of the century. I give you a free ride, but when it's all over, I live, he lives, you bring our parents back-"
"Okay, can we please drop the telenovela? I know you have the rings, Sam."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"The Horsemen's rings? The magic keys to my Cage? Ring a bell? Come on, Sam. I've never lied to you. You could at least pay me the same respect. It's okay. I'm not mad. A wrestling match inside your noggin... I like the idea. Just you and me, one round, no tricks. You win, you jump in the hole. I win... Well, then I win. What do you say, Sam? A fiddle of gold against your soul says I'm better than you."
"So he knows. Doesn't change anything."
"Sam," Dean said.
"We don't have any other choice."
"No."
"Yes."
Lucifer closed his eyes and bright light emanated from him.
EXT. BUILDING
Bobby, Castiel and Elena watched as the windows of the building blazed with light, then dimmed.
INT. BUILDING
Dean looked around. Sam was motionless on the floor. Dean took the Horsemen's rings from his pocket and threw them at the wall, where they stuck.
He spoke the words. "Bvtmon... Tabges... Babalon."
A whole appeared in the wall where the rings were. Air was sucked into it. Sam stirred and Dean went to him.
"Sammy!" Dean called.
"Dean!" Sam answered.
"Sammy!"
Sam groaned. "I can feel him. Oh, God!"
"You got to go now!" Dean told him. "Come on!" He helped Sam up. "Go now, Sammy. Now!"
Sam walked towards the hole and took some deep breaths. He smiled and turned back to his brother. "I was just messing with you. Sammy's long gone." He turned back to the hole in the wall. "Chdr bvtmon tabges babalon."
The hole closed and Lucifer/Sam removed the Horsemen's rings from the wall.
Lucifer/Sam said, "I told you... this would always happen in Detroit."
Lucifer/Sam disappeared. Dean put his hands to his head with tears in his eyes.
EXT. DIFFERENT BUILDING - NIGHT
INT. DIFFERENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Five people stood in a loose circle. Lucifer in Sam's body flexed his right arm, shoulder and hand.
"Sam," Lucifer/Sam said. "Come on. I can feel you... scratching away in there." He looked in a mirror. "Look... I'll take the gag off, okay? You got me all wrong, kiddo. I'm not the bad guy here."
"I'm gonna rip you apart from the inside out," Sam retorted. "Do you understand me?"
"Such anger... Young Skywalker. Who are you really angry with? Me? Or that face in the mirror?"
"I'm sure this is all a big joke to you, huh?"
"Not at all. I've been waiting for you... for a long, long time. Come on, Sam. You have to admit -- you can feel it, right?"
"What?"
"The exhilaration. And you know why that is? Because we're two halves made whole. M.F.E.O. Literally."
"This feels pretty damn far from good."
"I'm inside your grapefruit, Sam. You can't lie to me. I see it all -- how odd you always felt, how... out of place in that... family of yours. And why shouldn't you have? They were foster care -- at best. I'm your real family."
"No, that's not true."
"It is. And I know you know it. All those times you ran away, you weren't running from them. You were running towards me. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, you know. I let Dean live, didn't I? I want him to live. I let your friend Kennedy live. I'll bring your folks back, too. I want you to be happy."
"I don't want anything from you."
"Really? Not eve a little payback?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Look closely. None of these little devils look familiar to you?"
"That's Mr. Bensman... One of my grade-school teachers."
"And that's your friend Doug from that time in East Lansing. And Rachel... your prom date. Sam Winchester, this is your life. Azazel's gang -- watching you since you were a rugrat, jerking you around like a dog on a leash. I know how you feel about them. Me too. So, what do you say you and I blow off a little steam?"
EXT. STREET - DAY
The news was playing on televisions in a store window.
A news reporter spoke. "Reports are flooding in -- a 7.6 earthquake in Portland, 8.1 in Boston, more in Hong Kong, Berlin, and Tehran. The U.S.G.S. has no explanation but says to expect a six-figure death toll."
Dean, Bobby and Elena were watching.
"It's starting," Castiel warned.
"Yeah, you think, genius?" Dean shot back.
"You don't have to be mean."
"So what do we do now?"
"I suggest we imbibe copious quantities of alcohol... Just wait for the inevitable blast wave."
"Yeah, swell. Thank you, Bukowski. I-I mean, how do we stop it?"
"We don't. Lucifer will meet Michael on the chosen field, the sacrifice will fall, and the battle of Armageddon begins."
"Okay, well, where's this chosen field?"
"I don't know."
"Well, there's got to be something that we can do."
"I'm sorry, Dean. This is over."
"You listen to me, you junkless sissy -- we are not giving up! Bobby? Elena? Bobby? Elena?"
"There was never much hope to begin with," Bobby told him. "I don't know what to do."
Elena glanced at Dean. "He's wrong. We will figure something out. We always do."
INT. BUILDING - NIGHT
Lucifer in Sam's body was sitting on the steps. The five people were dead on the floor.
Lucifer/Sam exhaled sharply. "So... are we having fun yet?"
"In between jobs, Sam and Dean would sometimes get a day -- sometimes a week, if they were lucky. They'd pass the time lining their pockets. Sam used to insist on honest work, but now he hustles pool, like his brother. They could go anywhere and do anything. They drove 1,000 miles for an Ozzy show, two days for a Jayhawks game. And when it was clear, they'd park her in the middle of nowhere, sit on the hood, and watch the stars... for hours... without saying a word. It never occurred to them that, sure, maybe they never really had a roof and four walls..."
INT. CHUCK'S HOUSE
Chuck was typing the words on his computer as he spoke them.
"...but they were never, in fact, homeless. That's a good line."
The phone rang and Chuck answered. "Mistress Magda?"
"Um, no, Chuck," Dean said.
"Oh, uh, Dean. Uh, wow. I, uh, I didn't know that you'd call."
Dean was in the alley, parked in a city alleyway.
"Who's Mistress Magda?" Dean asked.
"Nothing," Chuck replied. "She's a, uh, a -- just a, uh... a close friend."
"Yeah, I'll bet -- real close. Whatever happened to Becky?"
"Didn't work out. I had too much respect for her."
"Boy, you really got a whole virgin/hooker thing going on, don't you?"
"Okay, this can't be why you called."
"Sam said yes."
"I know. I saw it. I'm just working on the pages."
"Did you see where the title fight goes down?"
"The angels are keeping it top secret -- very hush-hush."
"Aw, crap."
"But I saw it anyway. Perks of being a prophet. It's tomorrow, high noon -- place called Stull Cemetery."
"Stull Ceme -- Wait. I know that. That's -- that's an old boneyard outside of Lawrence. Why Lawrence?"
"I don't know. It all has to end where it started, I guess."
"All right, Chuck. You know of any way to short-circuit this thing?"
"Besides the rings? No. I'm sorry."
"Well, do you have any idea what's gonna happen next?"
"I wish that I did. But I-I just -- I honestly don't know yet."
"All right. Thanks, Chuck."
EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT
Dean closed the trunk of the Impala. Bobby, Elena and Castiel walked up to him.
"You goin' someplace?" Bobby asked. "You're goin' to do something stupid. You got that look."
"I'm gonna talk to Sam," Dean replied.
"You just don't give up."
"It's Sam!"
"If you couldn't reach him here, you're certainly not gonna be able to reach him on the battlefield," Castiel told him.
"Well, if we've already lost, I guess I got nothing to lose, right?"
"I just want you to understand -- the only thing that you're gonna see out there is Michael killing your brother."
"Well, then I ain't gonna let him die alone." He got into the Impala and started the engine.
EXT. STULL CEMETERY - DAY
Lucifer in Sam's body stood in the cemetery. There was the sound of wings and Michael in Adam's body appeared.
"It's good to see you, Michael," Lucifer/Sam said.
"You too," Michael/Adam replied. "It's been too long. Can you believe it's finally here?"
"No. Not really."
"Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be. A part of me wishes we didn't have to do this."
"Yeah. Me too."
"Then why are we?"
"Oh, you know why! I have no choice, after what you did."
"What I did? What if it's not my fault?"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Think about it. Dad made everything. Which means he made me who I am! God wanted the Devil."
"So?"
"So why? And why make us fight? I just can't figure out the point."
"What's your point?"
"We're going to kill each other. And for what? One of Dad's tests. And we don't even know the answer. We're brothers. Let's just walk off the chessboard."
"I'm sorry. I-I can't do that. I'm a good son, and I have my orders."
"But you don't have to follow them."
"What, you think I'm gonna rebel? Now? I'm not like you."
"Please, Michael-"
"You know, you haven't changed a bit, little brother. Always blaming everybody but yourself. We were together. We were happy. But you betrayed me -- all of us -- and you made our father leave."
"No one makes Dad do anything. He is doing this to us."
"You're a monster, Lucifer."
"If that's the way it's got to be... Then I'd like to see you try."
Lucifer/Sam and Michael/Adam slowly circled each other. A car engine sounded.
INT. IMPALA - DAY
Dean put a tape into the tape deck and turned up the volume. Rock of Ages by Def Leppard played.
EXT. STULL CEMETERY
Dean drove up to Lucifer/Sam and Michael/Adam.
"Howdy, boys," Dean greeted, standing next to the Impala's open driver side door. "Sorry. Am I interrupting something?"
Dean continued. "Hey. We need to talk."
"Dean," Lucifer/Sam said. "Even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid."
"I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to Sam."
"You're no longer the vessel, Dean," Michael/Adam told him. "You got no right to be here."
"Adam, if you're in there somewhere, I am so sorry."
"Adam isn't home right now."
"Well, then you're next on my list, buttercup. But right now, I need five minutes with my brother."
"You little maggot. You are no longer part of this story!"
"Hey, assbutt!" Castiel yelled.
Castiel, Bobby and Elena had appeared. Castiel was holding a bottle from which a flame was burning -- a Molotov cocktail. Castiel threw the bottle at Michael/Adam, who screamed as he went up in flames.
""Assbutt"?" Dean and Elena repeated.
"He'll be back -- and upset -- but you got your five minutes," Castiel said.
"Castiel. Did you just Molotov my brother with holy fire?" Lucifer/Sam asked.
"Uh... no."
"No one dicks with Michael but me." Lucifer/Sam snapped his fingers and Castiel exploded in a rain of blood and chunks of meat.
"Sammy, can you hear me?" Dean asked.
"You know... I tried to be nice... for Sammy's sake. But you... are such a pain... in my ass."
Lucifer/Sam threw Dean onto the windshield of the Impala, which shattered. Bobby shot Lucifer/Sam in the back. When Lucifer/Sam turned, Bobby shot him again in the front. Lucifer/Sam made a twisting hand motion and Bobby's neck snapped.
"N-o-o-o-o!" Dean cried, watching as Elena ran towards Bobby.
"Yes," Lucifer/Sam said, grabbing Dean's legs and pulled him off the hood of the Impala. He punched him hard. Dean fell back against the Impala spitting blood.
"Sammy? Are you in there?" Dean asked.
"Oh, he's in here, all right." He punched Dean again. "And he's gonna feel the snap of your bones." Two more punches and Dean fell to the ground. "Every single one." He hauled Dean up. "We're gonna take our time."
Lucifer/Sam punched Dean another ten times. Dean, with an incredibly swollen, bloody face, put out a hand to Lucifer/Sam's jacket.
"Sam, it's okay," Dean told him. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm here. I'm not gonna leave you." Lucifer/Sam punched him twice more. "I'm not gonna leave you."
Lucifer/Sam drew his fist back for another punch.
Sunlight glinted off the roof of the Impala, catching Lucifer/Sam's eye. Lucifer/Sam's reflection was visible in the Impala's window; through the window, Lucifer/Sam could see the little green army man stuck in the ashtray.
His mind flashed back to all the times he'd been with his brother, later joined by Kennedy, spending time with them in and out of the Impala.
Lucifer/Sam stared. His fist unclenched: it was Sam again. He let go of Dean, who fell to the ground against the Impala.
"It's okay, Dean," Sam told his brother. "It's gonna be okay. I've got him."
Sam took out the Horsemen's rings and tossed them to the ground before saying, "Bvtmon tabges babalon."
The ground caved in around the rings and the air was sucked into the hole. Sam, Elena and Dean looked at each other as the hole widened. Sam breathed deeply.
"Sam!" Michael called. "It's not gonna end this way! Step back!"
"You're gonna have to make me!" Sam replied.
"I have to fight my brother, Sam! Here and now! It's my destiny!"
Sam looked at Dean and Elena, closed his eyes and spread his arms. Michael/Adam lunged forward and grabbed Sam's jacket. Sam grabbed Michael/Adam's arm and they fell together into the hole.
"Sam!" Elena screamed as she ran up to the hole. She tried to grab his hand, or his leg, anything, but failed.
After a few moments the hole closed in a blinding flash of light. The Horsemen's ring burned bright in the grass on the ground where the hole was. Dean closed his eyes as he leaned back against the Impala. Elena was kneeling near where the hold had been in tears.
Dean knelt on the ground near the Impala. Castiel appeared next to him.
"Cas, you're alive?" Dean asked.
"I'm better than that," Castiel replied.
Castiel touched Dean on the forehead and his wounds healed. Dean stood.
"Cas, are you God?" Dean questioned.
"That's a nice compliment. But no. Although, I do believe he brought me back. New and improved."
Castiel walked to Bobby and touched him on the forehead, resurrecting him. Dean looked down at the Horsemen's rings, which he was holding in his hand.
"Endings are hard."
INT. CHUCK'S HOUSE - DAY
A manuscript for "Supernatural: Swan Song by Carver Edlund" laid on Chuck's desk.
"Any chapped-ass monkey with a keyboard can poop out a beginning, but endings are impossible. You try to tie up every loose end, but you never can. The fans are always gonna bitch. There's always gonna be holes. And since it's the ending, it's all supposed to add up to something. I'm telling you, they're a raging pain in the ass."
Chuck typed on his computer.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
The Impala drove down the road.
INT. IMPALA
Dean and Castiel were in the Impala. Dean was driving. Elena had decided to go back with Bobby.
"What are you gonna do now?" Dean asked.
"Return to Heaven, I suppose," Castiel replied.
"Heaven?" Dean repeated.
Castiel glanced at him. "With Michael in the Cage, I'm sure it's total anarchy up there."
"So, what, you're the new sheriff in town?"
"I like that. Yeah. I suppose I am."
"Wow. God gives you a brand-new, shiny set of wings, and suddenly you're his bitch again."
"I don't know what God wants. I don't know if he'll even return. It just... seems like the right thing to do."
"Well, if you do see him you tell him I'm coming for him next."
"You're angry."
"That's an understatement."
"He helped. Maybe even more than we realize."
Dean glared at him. "That's easy for you to say. He brought you back. But what about Sam? What about me, huh? Where's my grand prize? All I got is my brother in a hole!"
"You got what you asked for, Dean. No paradise. No Hell. Just more of the same. I mean it, Dean. What would you rather have? Peace or freedom?"
When Dean looked over, Castiel was gone.
Dean frowned. "Well, you really suck at goodbyes, you know that?"
EXT. BOBBY'S SINGER SALVAGE YARD - DAY
Dean, Bobby and Elena stood near the Impala.
"This is the last Dean, Bobby and Elena will see of each other for a very long time." Dean, Bobby and Elena hugged before Dean drove away. "And, for the record, at this point next week, Bobby and Elena will be hunting a rugaru outside of Dayton. But not Dean. Dean didn't want Cas to save him. Every part of him, every fiber he's got, wants to die, or find a way to bring Sam back. But he's not gonna do either. Because he made a promise."
EXT. LISA'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Dean knocked and Lisa opened the door.
"Hey, Lisa," Dean greeted in a broken voice.
"Oh, thank God," Lisa said. "Are you all right?"
Dean's voice continued breaking. "Yeah. Uh, if it's not too late, I... think I'd like to take you up on that beer."
"It's never too late." He stepped inside and into Lisa's arms. "Shh. It's okay. It's gonna be okay."
"So, what's it all add up to? It's hard to say. But me, I'd say this was a test... for Sam and Dean. And I think they did all right. Up against good, evil, angels, devils, destiny, and God himself, they made their own choice. They chose family. And, well... isn't that kinda the whole point?"
INT. CHUCK'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Chuck typed "THE END" and took a drink.
"No doubt -- endings are hard. But then again... nothing ever really ends, does it?"
Chuck smiled and vanished into thin air.
INT. LISA'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Dean sat at Lisa's table with Ben.
Lisa brought a dish to the table and asked, "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good," Dean replied before taking a drink of whiskey.
EXT. LISA'S HOUSE - NIGHT
A streetlight burned out. Sam stood, watching.