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After a mini-hiatus, Supernatural is back with your average case-of-the-week episode, though this one features one familiar face — Claire Novak — and one backseat rider — Mick. Eager to step out of the office and learn how to defend himself, Mick decides to accompany Sam and Dean on their latest case, even though it seems like a fairly straightforward werewolf hunt. As for Mick, he got all his werewolf knowledge at the school where he was trained. Think Hogwarts + the largest collection of occult lore in the world.

Together, the three of them head to Wisconsin, where a young boy had his heart ripped out and his sister is now in critical condition. (That’s what the older brother got for trying to take his sister home when she wanted to stay out partying.) Along the ride, Mick introduces Dean to podcasts — he hates them; Sam already listens to them — before revealing that there hasn’t been a werewolf outbreak in Britain since the ’20s. They got rid of them all.

For most people, that’d be considered a success, but as the Winchesters point out: Not all monsters are bad. After all, Garth’s a werewolf, and he doesn’t hurt people. But that’s another conversation for another day. Tonight, they’re staying at the Wild Elk Lodge — the BMOL is paying, of course. As far as Dean’s concerned, that means free mints, a killer night’s sleep, and even a morning swim (without a suit). Although, I have to say: Sam and Dean figure out a lot in those motel rooms. Putting them in separate suites sounds like it would hurt productivity. Well, at least on Dean’s end. Sam, even on his own, spent the entire night reading lore and learning about something called plasma therapy. But we’ll get back to that.

At the hospital, Hayden’s — the victim’s — mom doesn’t want the FBI waking her daughter, so Mick steps up to the plate with his trusty accent and new lab coat to pose as a doctor. So while Sam and Dean talk to the mom outside about some blond girl who tried to tell them she worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service, Mick inspects Hayden’s wounds. Long story short: The werewolf bit her… though he doesn’t tell Sam and Dean that.

As for the blonde, it doesn’t take the Winchesters long to figure out that Claire is the female in question, so they meet up with her while Mick pretends to “call it a night” and sneaks back to the hospital to kill Hayden just as she turns. As for Claire, she enjoys a warm meal and officially joins the investigation.

The next morning, it takes Dean all of a minute to realize that Mick lied. Clearly, Hayden was bitten. Her transformation is the only way her wounds would’ve healed before her death. But focusing on the case at hand, they realize that whoever turned her must have known her, so they set out to talk to everyone she saw that night.

According to bartender No. 1, Hayden had a thing with bartender No. 2. So at this point, all signs point to numero dos, especially considering Claire got a similar story out of Hayden’s friend: She was hooking up with an older guy who was ultra possessive.

But the case has to be put on hold for two quick chats: First, Dean explains to Mick that despite the BMOL code, things aren’t black and white when it comes to monsters. Dean even mentions Magda from earlier this season (not realizing that Mr. Ketch caught up with her and killed her later).

Then there’s Sam, who called Jody and wants to know why Jody thinks Claire is currently touring colleges. Claire claims that they tried to hunt together, but Jody ended up doing everything. Claire thinks she’s better off on her own… which puts her in a very bad situation when the werewolf catches up with her during a walk and bites her. Anyone else having “Heart” flashbacks?

Dean tries to convince Claire that she, like Garth, can live with being a werewolf, but it’s her choice, and she wants to die. At least until Sam brings up the plasma therapy again. In the study, one out of nine test subjects was cured of lycanthropy in the early stages. The twist? Those subjects were mice. The cure was only tested on one human subject, and that person died in agony. And yet, Claire’s willing to try.

The only ingredient they need is blood from the werewolf that bit her, but considering it’s not bartender No. 2, they very quickly find themselves in a bad situation: The werewolf that bit Claire kidnaps her, and — spoiler! — it’s bartender No. 1!

It seems his pack was recently wiped out by the fancy weapons of the BMOL and he’s looking for a companion. But he was wrong to pick Claire: She’s not a loner. She has a family. (And she also has a tracker in her pocket, courtesy of Mick.)

Just then, Sam, Dean, and Mick bust in, and as Claire starts to turn, they’re able to get the blood they need and inject her. Now… they wait.

I’d make you guys sit in suspense for a bit, but the show didn’t even make us wait that long: Claire survives, after which Sam and Dean vow to give Mick a second chance (though they also vow that there won’t be a third). Claire then calls Jody and leaves her a voicemail explaining everything. But that doesn’t mean she’s stopping. She will continue to hunt alone, but now, she’ll be honest about it.

All in all, it was a fine episode, and I’m sure Claire fans enjoyed seeing her again. But at the end of the day, I can’t say it’s one that left a lasting impact, nor is it one I’ll revisit often (unless I want to re-live Dean’s reaction to Sam’s excitement over Hogwarts… and I might).

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