‘Supernatural’ Season 15, Episode 2 ‘Raising Hell’ Review: Kevin Returns

Everyone’s back! And it’s a happy little reunion time in Supernatural. On this week’s episode, titled “Raising Hell,” Sam (Jared Padalecki) and  Dean (Jensen Ackles) continue trying to keep the souls from hell in Harlan, Kansas at bay. And guess who’s back to help? Supernatural’s own ever-fabulous witch Rowena (Ruth Connell) and the ever spick and span British Arthur Ketch (David Haydn-Jones).

Truth be told, this isn’t the reunion I was expecting. But, seeing them all in that room together interacting in their odd familial way does crack me up. The true star of this episode, however, is Kevin Tran (Osric Chau). Surprisingly, his appearance has been the closure I didn’t know I needed with his character. Poor kid never really got a happy ending and seeing him again with the Winchesters just makes my heart break a little. Before I even get too emotional over that part, let’s dive into what happened this week on Supernatural.

A Supernatural Reunion Assist

Two days into the evacuation, Harlan’s residents are becoming more and more suspicious. And despite Sam’s best efforts to calm them, some of them have been sneaking back into the quarantine zone. One lady sneaks back to get some meds. There, she’s disemboweled by another resident who was possessed by the soul of Francis Tumblety aka Jack the Ripper (Lane Davies). As it turns out, Francis has gathered the ghosts who were brazen enough to wreak havoc on the town while they’re finding a way to get through the warding.

Colin Bentley/ The CW

Following the first disappearance, two other residents try to sneak into the quarantine zone to find out what’s really going on. They’re possessed and Francis uses them as leverage to get the boys to remove the warding. Luckily, Ketch arrives just in time out of nowhere with a techy gun that expels the ghosts from the humans without harming them. In addition to him, Rowena also answers to the boys’ call for help.

When they all convene, Dean reveals that the plan is for Rowena to create another one of her soul-sucking crystals, much like the one she made for the Amara situation before. While they’re discussing, Ketch and Rowena are literally undressing each other with their eyes. And it was just as uncomfortable watching it as Dean’s look implies. After a minute or two, Jack/ Belphagor (Alexander Calvert) arrives. He surprises Ketch when he introduces himself because as it turns out, Ketch’s new client, another demon, has sent him to assassinate Belphagor. But, with the crisis at hand, it’s a truce.

Welcome Back to Earth Kevin

After the meeting, Rowena asks Dean about Ketch. And like the protective Winchester he is, he quickly shuts down Rowena’s inquiry. Meanwhile, the residents are pilling their concerns onto Cas (Misha Collins) since no one else would answer them. And their secrecy reflects so much on how Cas also hid the truth from Dean and Cas. Upset, he goes to Dean and tries once more to apologize. But, Dean is still just as upset over the whole rat in a maze revelation. Angrily, he asks “What is real?”

Colin Bentley/ The CW

From Cas’ point of view, he’s also furious. As he said, Chuck took Jack from him. Ouch. But, that’s life. He explains that it’s an obstacle course. And even if Chuck created the course, they still chose to run it. And in answer to Dean’s question, Cas says “…you asked what about all of this is real. We are.”

Later that night, Dean and Ketch pair up to look for two missing hunters with Ketch asking Dean about Rowena on the side. But, it was a trap. A lady ghost locks them into a building and knocks their weapons out of their hands. Before the ghost can sink her ax into Dean, someone shouts at her from the shadow to back off. Surprisingly, she complies and hightails out of there. And guess who it is. It’s sweet Kevin fucking Tran!

Remember Kevin’s untimely and brutal death and Chuck’s promise that he’d send him up to heaven? Well, the asshole didn’t do it and sent him to hell instead. The only pro to that is since he was sent there directly by God, Kevin gained some sort of badass rep. Now, Dean promises that they’ll send him back up to heaven after this whole ordeal.

Ghost Bait

As usual, Kevin’s eager to help. So, he sets out for a spying mission to know what Francis’ team is up to next. Unfortunately, Francis knows all about his history with the Winchesters and holds him hostage. Meanwhile, while patrolling the quarantine zone, Dean and Sam inform Belphagor of the new information they’ve gained from Kevin: the ward is faltering and the ghosts can feel it.

Colin Bentley/ The CW

What takes Belphagor’s attention though is Dean’s declaration of getting Kevin to heaven. As he reveals, it’s not possible. They managed to do it before with their dad and Bobby because God liked them before and so he allowed it. But, now that they’re up against the guy, there’s no one to bend the rules. Souls from hell can never enter heaven.

On the other hand, Rowena and Ketch are busy flirting it up while making what Dean now calls the “soul catcher.” Before they could even get to first base, Dean demands that they need the crystal NOW. So, Rowena had no choice but to rush over. On the way, she encounters Francis. And as it turns out, the two have had some intimate history. When Francis realizes that Rowena’s with the Winchesters, however, he turns grim and asks Rowena to deliver the message that they have Kevin hostage and the boys must meet them for a talk. Ketch appears just in time to distract Francis allowing Rowena to flee. Francis gets the best of Ketch, however, and knocks him out.

Sam and Dean comply with Francis’ request. And they watch as Francis threatens to consume Kevin’s soul if they don’t put down the ward. Luckily, the boys didn’t come with a plan. Rowena and Cas barge in from another door of the room and Rowena casts the spell to trap the souls in her crystal. Unfortunately, it can only suck in a few souls at a time so Francis and some of his posy escape.

The Boy With No Happy Endings

With the first plan failing, the ghosts decide to take up their back up plan and head to the weakest spot of the ward and combine forces to push through it. Rowena, Dean, Cas, Sam, Belphagor, and Ketch all head to the spot. But, as soon as Rowena starts casting her spell, Ketch knocks her down and takes the crystal revealing he is being possessed by Francis. Before he uses it to break the warding, Dean shoots him with iron bullets and Rowena successfully finishes the spell.

Colin Bentley/ The CW

Unfortunately for Ketch, Cas couldn’t heal him for some strange reason. And he’s sent to heal about in the normal human way. And this leaves us with where Kevin’s going to go next. Accepting that he couldn’t get into heaven anymore, Kevin makes the choice to stay on Earth and risk turning crazy rather than going back to hell. As Sam puts it, it’ll be a terrible way to exist. But, the poor kid has made up his mind. For someone who truly deserves it, Kevin sadly just couldn’t get one happy ending. After one last goodbye to his family, Belphagor creates a small opening and lets Kevin out to roam the world.

God Needs Help

While all that was brewing in Harlan, Chuck was out visiting his sister Amara who has happily taken residence in Reno. Confused and surprised, Amara lets her brother drone on with the family bonding excuse at first. Notably, Chuck has been repeating going to another world. But in the end, Amara figures that her brother is missing something, that he isn’t in his full power. It has something to do with the time Sam shot him because when he touches his wound, Sam feels the same pain. Maybe some of God got into Sam? Nevertheless, the baseline is Chuck needs Amara. He couldn’t go anywhere without her. But seeing her opportunity to give her brother what he deserves, Amara refuses to help and leaves him trapped in her home. He’s finally getting what he always wanted. As Amara says, “you’re on your own.”

Supernatural continues next Thursday, October 24th, with “The Rupture” at 8/7c on the CW.