Lucifer couldn’t defeat the Darkness?!?

Supernatural Season 11 Episode 18 further ramped things up for what could be an insane finale. And while Sam and Dean are technically back to square one, talk of a “chosen one” and an appearance of God sounds pretty exciting.

TV Fanatic staff writers Sean McKenna and Christine Laskodi and The Winchester Family Business’ Alice and Nightsky are ready to talk about “Hell’s Angel.”

So what are you waiting for! Join in the latest Supernatural Round Table.

What was your favorite scene or quote?

Christine: I liked that brief moment when Castiel and Dean saw each other. Dean's concern for Cas almost rivals how much he worries about Sam. I also really loved the entire sequence inside the vessel between Crowley, Cas, and Lucifer.

Nightsky: My favorite line was Dean responding to Crowley’s biblical quoting by saying “We getith it.” That was pretty clever.

My favorite scene was the moment when Amara joined the party and said she had followed Rowena. The bros looked at each other like, “Do you understand what’s happening?” I thought they perfectly channeled the confusion of the audience. Christine’s answer also reminded me how much I loved seeing Mark Pellegrino as Lucifer again! Epic!

Alice: For me, no contest. Crowley, red smoke and all, jumping into Casifer and talking to Castiel. When that doesn’t work and the Mark Pellegrino Lucifer starts pounding the crap out of him (he’s my one true Luci), Crowley sends the distress call by burning “help me” on his forehead.

Enter Sam freaking Winchester, who grabs a giant cross and starts latinating away an exorcism in one very urgent and bad-ass manner. Yep, call me shallow, but I went thud right about there. Anything that triggers repeated rewinds on my part wins!

Sean: I really liked the reveal of Mark Pellegrino as Lucifer after Crowley entered the vessel. As much as Misha Collins has done a solid job as Lucifer, Pellegrino truly is Lucifer. I wasn’t sure if it would be a Castiel version inside if they couldn’t get Pellegrino to return, but I’m so glad he was able to.

Were you glad to see Rowena return?

Christine: Ugh, no. I'm done with her. Also, I felt as though bringing her back somehow cheapens her death. She had a great death. It was such a satisfying end to a character on a search for power, and then "poof," she's back. I'm not a fan of that choice.

Nightsky: At first, no, because I can not tolerate her endless whining. Instead, I thought her part in all this played out very, very well. Her dialogue made sense (as opposed to being pointless banter that usually wastes precious episode time) and honestly, I thought Ruth’s acting was tremendous. Her changes in emotion and allegiance as she heard Amara’s intentions and witnessed her power were compelling. I actually enjoyed Rowena’s initial, concealed fear, then when the warding failed, her honest panic. I think Ruth has grown as an actress.

Alice: I didn’t mind her this time. She didn’t annoy too much but geez, just pick a side and stick with it. Her helping the Winchesters and Crowley was a little too convenient, you know? If Rowena is going to stick around, any chance she be given more of a purpose than just surviving? She and Crowley really need to become a team and stick together no matter what.

Sean: Not really. She’s unfortunately never been very compelling, and then bringing her back after she actually got a great death was kind of lame. Then she keeps switching sides? Healing the Darkness and then trying to help kill her? I wish I could like Rowena more, but I just don’t.

Were you surprised that Lucifer couldn't defeat the Darkness?

Christine: No, because as Sam pointed out earlier this season, when Lucifer defeated Amara the first time, he wasn't operating alone. I think that Lucifer is smart enough to create a plan to do it. But he can't execute it alone.

Nightsky: No. Sam predicted it in the cage. It took all the archangels and God the first time. Michael is traditionally depicted as the warrior. I’ve been speculating in my reviews that Lucifer’s role was more luring and deceiving (his specialty) than leading and fighting.

Alice: Nope. I would have been surprised if he did. He had God on his side last time, and I think having the actual God is way better than just having one blast of God’s power in an artifact. Plus it was way too soon! I was more happy to see Aunty Amara give him a well deserved comeuppance. Now, can we have Castiel back please?

Sean: If it was in the finale, maybe, but we probably should have known all along, especially since it wasn’t just one that took down the Darkness last time. But it does really make you wonder who or what actually can defeat the Darkness.

Who is "the chosen one" that can take down the Darkness?

Christine: Wouldn't it be an interesting twist if it was Dean, the one guy who's so deeply connected to her that he doesn't think he can That's where I'm putting my money... for now. It might change.

Nightsky: It has to be a human. How many times have Amara and Lucifer stated the we are God’s chosen? I of course assumed it would be Dean. Either Dean will “betray” Amara and lure her into the trap (repeating the prior Mark of Cain bearer’s -- Lucifer’s -- role), or Sam will lure her (playing out his “Lucifer’s true vessel” persona).

Sam and Cas will be threatened, that snaps Dean out of his trance, and he uses the weapon. That would parallel him as Michael’s vessel. “John” said only the "boys” could defeat the darkness. All their unity talk this season points to it taking both of them.

Alice: Oh, that question has been driving me crazy since it was revealed. Dean was my first guess, but now I’m thinking about it more it has to be both brothers together. But that could also be me imagining both Winchesters bathed in a golden light while touching the Hand of God weapon in unison. It’s a visual that just makes me really happy inside.

Sean: You all are making me think it has to be both Sam and Dean now. And Alice, that definitely seems like a scene I could see taking place in the finale. It would be weird to have a character take down the Darkness that isn’t the Winchesters, but I’m still trying to figure out what the heck is going to happen. I mean, will God even play a role in the Darkness’ defeat?

Will Amara's plan to use Lucifer to draw out God work?

Christine: It seems like it should... I think I read somewhere that Chuck is appearing in an upcoming episode, Alice and Nightsky can probably confirm that if so. So, perhaps that's a hint? Regardless, I've been saying all season that I was optimistic that we'd see God. It's really time for the Winchesters to have that meeting.

Nightsky: I don’t think God would be suckered into rescuing Lucifer, but I think God has a very soft spot for Castiel! He is suffering too. God saved Cas in Swan Song, and from the Leviathan annihilation. I think Cas is going to get his wish to “be useful” in that way. I don’t think God will appear as God, though. Rather he will send his “sign” that Sam asked for (casting spoiler Christine!).

Alice: No. Lucifer was banished to the cage in Hell! God isn’t coming out for him. He didn’t rescue Gabriel and Raphael from death and he didn’t save Michael from the cage. Why save Lucifer now? I think it’s going to take the near destruction of the earth for him go come out and get her to stop. Even that won’t do it. Yeah, I have no clue what it is going to take, even though I know a certain someone (rhymes with muck) will be in Supernatural Season 11 Episode 20.

Sean: I have no clue even with knowing that certain someone will be appearing. Perhaps if God does appear (though, really, he hasn’t appeared thus far, so why now?) it won’t be in some major showdown with the Darkness. Perhaps it will be to help guide Sam and Dean or something like that. Ugh. I don’t know, but it’s cool that Supernatural has come this far and we get to theorize over the prospect of something this exciting.

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.