“American Nightmare” ended in a huge left turn of a plot twist for Supernatural. After Sam and Dean saved poor psychic Magda from her terrifying mother, it finally looked like Magda might get a happy ending. It was not meant to be, however, as the British Men of Letters showed up at the last possible moment of the episode and killed Magda in cold blood. Besides giving a shocking cliffhanger, the moment appears to remind viewers that it’s the Men of Letters and not Lucifer who will be the Big Bad of the season. Yet could there be another secret reason for the Men of Letters killing Magda, other than the fact that they are just awful people?
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Eliminating a Non-Threat
In their introduction at the start of season 12 we learned that the Men of Letters kill any and all supernatural threats in their home country. If there is a chance that someone could be a threat to themselves or others through magical means, the British chapter of the Men of Letters will take them out with extreme aggression. On the surface this seems to be the reason behind Magda’s murder. On the other hand, though, this seems too cruel, even by the Men of Letters’ standards.
Magda started out “American Nightmare” unable to control her psychic powers and as a result two innocent people ended up dead. Throughout her interactions with the Winchesters (mainly Sam) Magda got control of her powers and didn’t even kill her horrible mother, though she totally deserved it. It’s what made the Men of Letters’ killing of Magda so blood-boiling. Supernatural did a wonderful job of creating sympathy for Magda and having her come into her power, only to abruptly kill her off.
It’s certainly possible that Supernatural doesn’t need to do anything else with Magda’s murder. The Men of Letters are the antagonists of the season and we don’t really need to like them. In fact, we probably should hate them and killing an innocent girl who has been abused almost her entire life is a really good way to make the audience instantly hate a group of people. It’s so repulsive, though, that it might take the Men of Letters into a realm that is completely irredeemable and almost caricature-like in their “evil-ness.” That’s why there is, hopefully, another explanation to Magda’s murder.
House of the Rising Lucifer
Supernatural had to dive all the way back into seasons 1 and 2 for their customary “Then” section that precedes every episode. Thanks to those clips and Sam’s own lines inside the episode, Magda’s psychic powers were tied directly to the Special Children of early Supernatural. The link got even stronger when Magda’s mother was convinced that because of her daughter’s powers she was the devil. Though Sam told Magda that he had similar powers to her in the episode and they didn’t make him the devil, that’s not exactly true.
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One of the big reasons that Sam and the other Special Children developed powers in the first place was because they were being prepped to be potential vessels of Lucifer. Sam’s powers didn’t make him the devil. At the very least, though, they made him a general for Lucifer. We should probably also factor in the fact that Magda’s mother told Sam she heard the voice of God and he was the one who told her to move out to the country. It is really not that hard to think that the family’s entire situation in “American Nightmare” was because of Lucifer.
We know that Lucifer, even when he was in the cage, was able to answer people’s prayers and impersonate God. He did that exact thing to Sam in season 11. We also know that Vince Vincente’s body will not be able to hold Lucifer forever. Lucifer needs a new permanent vessel just like he did when he wanted to possess Sam. So it is entirely possible that Lucifer drove Magda’s mom insane. Lucifer persuaded her to lock her daughter up all so one day Magda would be weak enough to accept Lucifer’s possession. If the systematic torture of Magda doesn’t fit Lucifer’s M/O for possession, nothing else does on Supernatural.
If this is all true it makes the Men of Letters’ murder of Magda a little bit easier to understand. It’s not excusable but it puts them a step above standard psychopathic murderers on Supernatural. They are following through on their mission of the “greater good.” They aren’t killing a poor and defenseless girl. In their minds, they are killing a potential ally and vessel for Lucifer.
But what do you think? Does this theory make sense? Is Lucifer preparing a whole new group of Special Children? Is it possible that Mr. Ketch even acted alone when he killed Magda? If this is not true, do you think the Men of Letters killing Magda crosses a line for Supernatural?
Supernatural season 12 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW. Want more news? Like our Supernatural Facebook page!
(Image courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.
