episode

The episode opens with Sam and Dean driving away from unknown enemies, both heavily injured and desperately trying to escape. They find the road blocked by a burning truck and are set upon by a group of demons. At the last minute, they are saved by some hunters who use a hose to douse the demons in holy water and utter Enochian words that exorcise the demons instantly. The Winchesters convince the hunters, members of the Sacrament Lutheran Militia, to take them back to their refuge (a church) where they discover that people have gathered together in preparation of the Apocalypse, many of them marrying while they still have the chance. The town is seemingly led by Pastor Gideon but they soon discover that the hunters are guided by what they believe to be the will of Heaven via Leah Gideon, who receives prophetic visions from the Angels.

Leah has a vision of several demons inside a house on the outskirts of town. Pastor Gideon, Dean, Sam, Rob, Jane, Dylan, and Paul go to the house and kill/exorcise about 15 Demons. Afterwards, Dylan (son of Rob and Jane) asks to ride with the Winchesters but is dragged under the Impala and is killed by a demon. The mother subsequently blames the boys during the funeral and Leah receives another vision, claiming that in order for them to reach paradise they must follow the Angels' commandments without reservation (such as no premarital sex, no gambling, no drinking etc). Dean asks Leah about Paradise, and she informs Dean that after there is a major battle, the planet will be handed over to the Chosen, where there will be no monsters, disease, or death but only peace. She also tells him that he is one of the Chosen to inherit Paradise, where he will be with the people that he loves. Sam visits Paul, the local barman who seems unconvinced by the Angels' plans and the two get drunk together. Sam staggers back to the hotel and informs Dean of the extremist lengths the people are going to to fulfill the Angels' wishes.

Dean is uninterested, however, and wishes to leave the townsfolk to it. Sam does not accept this and urges Dean to help him stop them. Dean goes out to clear his head and a very drunk Castiel arrives after Sam left him a message on his voice-mail earlier. Meanwhile, Leah receives word from the Angels: they are furious, for some people are not abiding by their rules and must be dealt with in order for the others to go to paradise. Dean walks by the bar and find several townsfolk hassling the Paul, resulting in Jane shooting him dead "for the greater good". Pastor Gideon does not believe this to be just, but Leah assures him that it is necessary for them to reach salvation. Upon returning to the motel, Dean learns from Castiel and Sam that Leah is in fact dead, and that the creature taking her form is the "Whore of Babylon"; a creature that manifests during the Apocalypse with the sole purpose of damning humans to Hell.

Castiel explains that she can only be killed with a cypress branch wielded by a true servant of Heaven. The boys logically assume that Pastor Gideon is the only one who fits the bill and succeed in convincing him to kill his daughter's imposter, who is at that moment about to burn the "sinners" alive, including innocent children. Sam, Dean, Castiel, and the Pastor try to kill the Whore but she utters an incantation that cripples Castiel temporarily and uses a mild form of telekinesis to keep Sam and Dean at bay. The Pastor tries to impale her with the branch but is thrown aside whilst she tries to kill Dean, but he grabs the branch and stabs her through the heart; killing her instantly.

The boys, Castiel and the Pastor escape the church, leaving Sam wondering how Dean was able to kill the Whore if he didn't have any faith in Heaven. He fears that Dean is considering saying "yes" to Michael, but Dean claims otherwise. At the motel, however, Dean drives off to visit Lisa Braeden. He tells her that, in an ideal world he would want nothing more than to live in peace with her and her son Ben, but knows that this is impossible. He warns her that in the next few days, things are going to get really bad, but not to worry, because the people he is going to see next will not get anything from him unless they promise to make arrangements for their safety. He does not explain his intentions but heavily implies his desire to accept Michael's proposal.

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