"Supernatural" Season 6: What's Wrong with Sam?

Season 6 of "Supernatural," at least through episode 607 ("Family Matters," a nifty little double entendre of a title), has had a theme underneath the usual monster hunting. The "Prevent the Apocalypse" theme of Season 5 is over; the new theme: What's wrong with Sam?

In the first episode of the season, it's a year after Sam's descent into hell. Dean has been living with his girlfriend Lisa and her son Ben for that time, not hunting but trying, more or less successfully, to live a "normal" life, working construction and drinking a little too much. When Sam knocks on Lisa's door to ask for his help, and Dean learns that he's been out of hell for almost the entire time, Dean is furious. Sam explains that he wanted Dean to have a shot at a normal life, but now he needs his brother.

Dean goes with him, only to find that Sam has been working with "the family," a collection of distant relatives, led by their grandfather Samuel (Mitch Pileggi) - the man Dean killed in a time-traveling, and failed, attempt to prevent the apocalypse. Samuel explains that he was pulled down (from heaven, presumably) when Sam was pulled up. Samuel claims not to know who brought either of them back to life on earth.

Over the course of the season thus far, Dean notices strange things about Sam. He doesn't seem to really care about the people they save, he seems to hesitate before expressing emotions as if he's searching for how he should react, and he doesn't care about collateral damage. Although Dean realizes that Sam is a better hunter than he's ever been, something is just not right. In episode 605 ("You Can't Handle the Truth"), after Dean accidentally invokes the goddess Veritas, everyone is forced to tell him the truth - except, apparently, Sam. When they meet Veritas, even she is unable to pull anything from Sam. Then in episode 606 ("Live Free or Twi Hard"), Dean is bitten and turned by a vampire - while Sam watches and fails to intervene. After Dean is turned back by an "old family recipe," Sam explains that they needed someone inside the vampire nest to find the Alpha vampire, and that he knew Samuel could turn Dean back again. Dean forces Sam to admit that the "cure" had never been used before, so they couldn't be certain it would work. He wryly says he's sure Sam has his back, to which Sam responds, "Always."

All this leads to episode 607 of "Supernatural," when Castiel finally answers Dean's request for help. He reaches inside Sam's body (a painful process) and reveals that Sam is missing his soul. Dean wonders if a soulless Sam can still be the brother he knew, and Sam protests that he is still himself. Next, Dean takes Cas to meet Samuel, where he (Cas) checks out Samuel the same way he did Sam. Samuel still has his soul, but something is wrong with him, too. In this episode, the brothers learn that their grandfather has been keeping a huge secret from them: he's working for the demon Crowley, who's been ruling Hell since Lucifer was caged. Sam is ready to kill Crowley (who is also holding Bobby's soul), but Dean stops him. Crowley has a hold over Samuel, but he also has a hold over Sam. Only Crowley knows exactly where Sam's soul is, so only he can get it back into Sam.

Presumably "Supernatural's" next theme will be restoring Sam's soul and defeating Crowley - which will undoubtedly lead to more problems with family, demons, and hell.

(Sources: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/supernatural/episodes/607 , http://www.cwtv.com/shows/supernatural/episodes/606 , http://www.cwtv.com/shows/supernatural/episodes/605, http://www.cwtv.com/shows/supernatural/episodes/601)