Meta: Connections, at the Roadhouse: Supernatural meta (2x10 Hunters, spoilers)

[mhalachai]

Connections, at the Roadhouse

So. In Supernatural 2x10, Hunters, Gordon Walker, the hunter who previously encountered the Winchesters in Bloodlust, decides to go off that Sammy Winchester boy. Dangerous kid, right?

But this isn't an episode summary. My interested was peaked when, in response to Dean's demand about how Gordon learned about Sam's little secret and decided to go all Rambo on their asses.

Gordon: Look, you've got your Roadhouse connections, I got mine. It's how I found Sammy in the first place.

But who at the Roadhouse? Throughout the episode, Ellen seemed very supportive of Sam and Dean, and by extension so did Ash. I wondered for a while if Ellen or Ash had given up Sam, but then something occurred to me.

Ellen mentioned that Jo had bailed.

This all brought me back to something I read on the SPN website back in the day. From the Hunter's Blog section, from Jo:

Big Trouble
August 22, 2001

As I write this, I am, without a doubt, facing more trouble than ever before. And I really wish I could say it was a supernatural threat... but no such luck. For a while now, Gordon has been teasing me about the fact that I'm a hunter who's not allowed to hunt. He was getting a lot of laughs at my expense, which annoyed the hell out of me... but it also made me realize just how right he was. And how pathetic that makes me. So, last week, I walked right up to him and challenged him to take me along on a hunt. And, to my surprise, without missing a beat, he looked at me and said, "It's about time. I've been waiting for you to get up the nerve to ask me."

I told my Mom I was spending the night with a friend from school, which I should have realized was a lousy cover since I have never in my life gone to a sleepover with anyone. But she seemed to believe me. Gordon took me on a stakeout, at an abandoned factory just outside of town. He suspected a Rawhead was using the place as its lair, bringing back its prey to torment and kill. We were just running surveillance... and after about four hours, Gordon heard a noise... something off in the far corner. He headed over to investigate... the place was dark as hell, couldn't see a thing. I was hardly breathing, just trying to keep hidden and out of sight and listening for Gordon. When all of the sudden, I heard another noise - right beside me! I must have jumped ten feet, and then I did the only thing I could think of... I ran, full out... and smack into my mother. She'd caught on to my lie, tracked us down... and embarrassed this "hunter" more than I ever thought possible.

I've seen my Mom pretty upset... but nothing even compares with that night. I thought she was never gonna stop screaming at Gordon. I mean, I know she was freaked out, and I know I lied, but some of the stuff she was saying... like Gordon used me as bait to lure out the Rawhead... it's just so off base. But right now, there's no reasoning with her. I know, I tried.

Maybe I'll give it another try if she ever lets me out of my room...

Jo would have been about 16 at the time, and from reading that blog off the official site, Jo probably wouldn’t have seen Ellen's reasoning of distrusting Gordon. Incidentally, this incident would explain Ellen's violently negative reaction to Gordon, in that phone call with Sam in Bloodlust.

So, after learning that John Winchester was the reason her father was dead, Jo left the Roadhouse. She's no longer in the area, but she knew about Sam's origins (the nursery fire, the powerz). What's to say that Jo didn't spill the beans on Sammy's condition in a fit of angst?

I can't believe that Ellen or Ash were the source of Gordon's info at this point, mostly because I love them both so much. That may leaves Jo.

Who knows? But anyway, an idea.

ETA: Sam's location and Jo's absence from the Roadhouse at the time Sammy-boy headed to Indiana.

In comments, people have brought up a very good point -- Jo wasn't at the Roadhouse when Sam pulled the whole "I'm going to Indiana!" thing, and therefore couldn't have told Gordon about the location.

However: What I initially meant above was that Jo could have told Gordon about Sam and the other children, which meant that Gordon would give the demon's words about Sam greater credence.

I'll post an expanded version of the text from the show here:

GORDON
Yeah? Come on, Dean. I know. About Sam's visions. I know everything.

DEAN
Really? Because a demon told you?
(laughs)
Yeah, and it wasn't lying.

GORDON
Hey, Dean. I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay? I did my homework. Made damn sure it was true. Look, you've got your Roadhouse connections, I got mine. It's how I found Sammy in the first place.

The placement of that line is what led me to believe he wasn't talking about Sam's location in regards to the Roadhouse Connections. And Gordon is (from what we've seen) an accomplished hunter -- it's not outside the realm of possibility that he found Sam.

(Because if not, if someone at the Roadhouse actually did give up Sam's location, it would have to be Ellen or Ash and that would make me sad. I'll save the "Is Ellen Evil?" thoughts for another day.)

Comments

[allzugern.livejournal.com]

Unless Ash or Ellen filled her in, Jo didn't know about Sam's powers or that he was connected to the demon. The only thing she heard was that Sam was looking for someone specific who's mother died in a nursery fire like Sams. There was no talk about any kind of powers then, and when she tries to get info from Dean, he blows her off. Sam did talk to Ellen, but Ellen made a point of sending Jo away to get a case of beer. Jo doesn't come back into the room until they are finished discussing. Ellen obviously doesn't want Jo to know what is going on, so for me that rules out her telling Jo anything about Sam. Ash *could* have told Jo, but somehow I don't think he did.

What struck me in Hunted, was what Ash says to Sam. He come back pretty quickly with the info, and when Sam says 'That was fast' Ash says something very odd 'Apparently that's my job...make the monkey dance at the keyboard.' I was struck at how bitter this sounded, and how Ash seemed to be saying he didn't realise it was his job to be everyone's gofer-boy -- which says he is feeling under-appreciated and taken for granted. As he and Ellen were the only ones who knew he was headed for Indiana, I'm gonna have to go with Ash being the snitch. Much as I hate it, it's the only thing that makes sense. While I would *love* for it to be Jo, I think it's just too easy and pat an explanation.

[andromakhe001.livejournal.com]

But if you watch that scene Jo doesn't actually leave. She remains in the room when Sam starts spilling. So Jo definitely heard it or else it was strange to leave her in the room when he started talking.

[allzugern.livejournal.com]

Oh no. She definitely leaves the room. She comes back at the very end with the case of beer Ellen told her to go get. If you look at the room set-up at the very end, you'll see that Ellen has a perfect view of the back area (maybe a kitchen?) and that whole side of the bar from where she is standing. She would have seen Jo if she had been hiding and trying to listen in. Since she also came back with the case her mother sent her for, there is no reason to think she was in the room.

[andromakhe001.livejournal.com]

I know that which is what I'm basing my thoughts on. It's not like Sam was trying to keep it down, I have no doubt Jo was able to hear him unless she's totally deaf. The conversation was still on going when she came back in, she only missed about a sentence of it if that considering she came back so quickly from getting the beer it must have been right on the other side of the door. In fact I remember at the time of the episode alot of people were like "Ellen just asked her to leave the room but she's still right there and must be able to hear everything so what was the point?"

[allzugern.livejournal.com]

Not to be nit picky, but Ellen wanted her out. She tells her to 'Go pull-up another case of beer, honey. Now. Please'. Jo walks past Dean and goes towards the back of the bar.

In a bar, beer is kept in a cellar so it's cool, hence the term 'pull-up' a case. Jo had to go down to the cellar to get it. She leaves empty handed and comes back at the very tail end with the case. Ellen can see from where she is standing the entire area where Jo would go or would be standing. Ellen tells her to leave for a reason. She doesn't want her to hear. It would be ridiculous to think she would allow Jo to stay. Anyway, like I said before, Jo comes back at the very end, with the case, from the direction Ellen is watching, when they aren't talking aobut anything she would be able to make heads or tails out of. No way she got any of the conversation. If you have the ep, watch it again. Especially the perspective of the bar in the last frame.