Scarecrow | The CW Network | CW11 New York

Scarecrow

Original air date, Jan. 10, 2006

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The monster
A road-tripping couple gets lost and stops for directions in Burkitsville, Indiana, a perfect little town where everyone is so nice, even plying them with free apple pie! Their car dies near an orchard featuring a freaky-looking scarecrow. It's alive! The couple ties to run, but it hunts them down and kills them.

Family dynamics
Sam answers the phone. It's Papa Winchester, and he's after the demon who killed their mom! Sam demands to know where he is, but Papa tells Sam to quit looking for him – they're everywhere! It's dangerous. Dean grabs the phone, eager to talk to their dad, but he snaps to attention and follows orders. Later, when they're driving to Indiana, Sam stops the car. He's not going to blindly follow orders, he's going to look for dad. Dean is incredulous – how can Sam be so selfish? They should do what they're told! Sam trudges off into the night.

The perfect town
Dean stops in Burkitsville, where, according to his dad's information, a different couple has disappeared at the same time every year. Most of the locals aren't forthcoming, but Emily, a girl at the gas station, recognizes the pictures of last year's couple. Dean snoops around and finds the apple orchard, where his ghost-o-meter goes crazy. He checks out the creepy scarecrow, and finds the dead guy's tattoo on its arm. When he goes back to the gas station, he finds a young couple with car trouble is in town. He tries to warn them, but they think he's the creepy one. The sheriff runs Dean out of town.

Escape
While trying to hitchhike, Sam runs into Meg, a punky girl who's also looking for a ride. She tells Sam to back off – he might be a freak! A van pulls up, and offers Meg a ride. She accepts. Sam is incredulous. Later, Sam finds a bus station, but the next bus to California isn't until the next evening. Sam almost calls Dean, but is interrupted by Meg – she ditched the van guy and is now waiting for the bus to Cali. Turns out she's running away from her family – they had expectations of her she didn't want to fulfill, so she struck off to make her own life. Hey, me too! says Sam. They pledge to make their own way, away from their families' demands.

Rescue
The young travelers get stranded in the orchard, just like last year's duo. But this time, Dean is there with a shotgun. He slows the scarecrow down enough to let everyone escape – apparently it can't leave the orchard. Dean calls Sam and updates him on the situation – they're obviously dealing with some pagan god, and he's got an appointment with a local folklore professor to find out which one. While they're talking, Dean haltingly tells Sam that he supports his decision – go live your own life.

Trapped!
Dean finds reference to the Vanir, Norse protective gods who were attached to a sacred tree and brought safety and fertility to a village. Torch the tree, kill the god. Speaking of killing … the sheriff is waiting to take Dean down. He's going to be half of the new sacrifice. The other half will have to be Emily, the gas station couple's niece who moved there when her parents died. She had no idea what was going on, and is horrified that her family would sacrifice her. It's for the common good, her aunt tells her.

Rescue, part 2
Sam tries to call Dean, but he keeps getting voicemail. He tells Meg he has to go, much to Meg's surprise. Dean and Emily are tied to an apple tree, waiting for nightfall. Sam finds them – but the scarecrow is already off his post. The trio tries to flee, but the townspeople are determined to keep them in. Turns out the scarecrow isn't picky – he takes Emily's aunt and uncle instead of the intended sacrifice. Everyone flees. The next morning, the guys and Emily come back with gasoline and find an ancient tree with runes carved into the trunk. They torch it, dooming the town.

The aftermath
Dean and Sam put Emily on a bus to Boston, then go off on their own. Dean offers to drop Sam off somewhere, but Sam says they have to stick together. Meg's in another van, and tells the driver to pull over. She stabs him in the neck and fills a goblet with his blood, turning it into an evil cellphone. Whatever's on the other end tells her to let Sam and Dean go. "Yes, Father," she replies.

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