Episode four – Phantom Traveler (Il fantasma dell’aria)

The journey goes on: Supernatural Idioms – Season One, Episode Four.

After a plane crash, Jerry Panowski, an old acquaintance of Dean’s, calls him because he suspects it was no accident. They find out that whatever caused this last crash is now going after the few survivors, particularly those who have a reason to fly again soon (the pilot Chuck and the hostess Amanda), so it’s very likely to cause another air disaster. Here we learn that Dean is afraid of flying and that Sam would do anything to save other people. Including getting on a plane that he knows is going to crash.

What are the odds of dying in a plane crash

How likely it is, what are the chances

I’m counting on it

I’m sure, I rely on that

Where does the day go?

It’s an expression used to say the day is almost over and you haven’t had the time to do all you had to do (or anything at all). Here, Sam is waking up Dean at 5:45 in the morning, and they both have had little or no sleep, so it’s clearly a joke.

I grabbed a couple of hours

I managed to sleep a little (this is actually not true, as Sam is still having nightmares and hasn’t been able to sleep at all for a while).

What can I say, it’s riveting TV

Riveting means engrossing, compelling. Sam’s still trying to play down the seriousness of his sleeping trouble.

It’s your job to keep my ass alive, so I need you sharp.

Dean tells Sam he wants him alert, on guard, on the job, well-awake.

It’s this job, it gets to you

It affects you emotionally, makes you angry, upset, etc.

You can’t let it. You can’t bring it home

Once it’s finished, you should take your mind off it.

So what, all of this, it never keeps you up at night?

Sam asks if Dean never happens to be so bothered by what they do as to be unable to sleep. It’s already clear that Dean’s restraint hides a very emotional nature, even if in this entire discussion about sleep, as usual, he wouldn’t admit he’s actually very bothered (just like he wouldn’t admit how worried he really is about Sam). He still must act strong, although it’s getting less and less convincing.

Practically tore our house apart

tear something apart = to damage or destroy something completely by breaking it into pieces. Jerry is talking about the poltergeist John Winchester, Sam and Dean’s father, helped him deal with some time before.

I tried to get ahold of him

Jerry tried (unsuccessfully) to reach /communicate with John.

He’s wrapped up in a job right now

completely absorbed, engrossed

Even trade

a fair trade, something of the same value. Jerry is telling Sam that even though his father John is not there, having him is just as good; and of course, Sam replies: Not by a long shot, i.e. certainly not, not even close, not by far.

Sounded like it was up your alley / right up your street

Seemed to be well suited to your abilities, tastes or interests

Cockpit voice recorder

a device used to record the audio environment in the flight deck for accidents and incident investigation (la cd. “scatola nera”).

Took off from here

take off = depart (of an aircraft)

Passenger manifest

A list of the passengers that were on the plane.

Any way we can take a look at the wreckage?

Is it possible to… wreckage is what is left of something that has been destroyed or badly damaged (the crashed plane, in this case)

Fellas, the NTSB has it locked down in an evidence warehouse. No way I’ve got that kind of clearance

NTSB is the National Transportation Safety Board; clearance is an official authorization for something to proceed or take place (the wreckage inspection, in this case). (Jerry has no such authorization).

You can’t rush perfection

If you want something done really well, you need time.

Yoked up

With very stiff muscles, made stronger, usually by drugs

Lair

a place where a wild animal lives or, in this case, a secret or private place in which a person (or a human-looking monster) seeks concealment or seclusion.

He was petrified to fly

terrified. So frightened as to be unable to move

Look the part

Have an appearance or style of dress appropriate to one’s role or situation.

Why does that look like a busted-up Walkman?

Busted up = battered. One of Sammy’s “bitchy” remarks. Dean’s very proud of his homemade EMF meter.

This goes way beyond floating over a bed or barfing pea soup

This is very different from, is much more difficult or requires much more strength, skills, etc. Barf = vomit (the pea soup is a reference to the Exorcist)

Ratchet up the body count

Increase (the number of killings)

Hang in there

Don’t give up, chin up, buck up

We’re never gonna make it

We will never arrive on time

Our wild card

If you refer to someone or something as a wild card in a particular situation, you mean that they cause uncertainty because you do not know how they will behave. Amanda is Sam and Dean’s wild car because they don’t know whether she’s going to fly again soon or not.

Head her off at the pass

Intercept and redirect her

She’s at her house cramming for a final      

Cram = study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination

Guilty as charged

You caught me, you’re right. Actually, Amanda has confused Dean for a friend of her boyfriend Vince, and he goes along with that.

It’s usually gonna be somebody with a weakness, a chink in the armor that the demon can worm through

A chink in a person’s armor is an aspect that makes them vulnerable in some way and makes it easy to harm them, although they appear to be very strong or successful: in this case, a weakness the demon can take advantage of (worm through), in order to possess a person who is temporarily vulnerable for some reason (such as Dean’s fear of flying, or Amanda’s supposed fragility after having survived a previous crash).

Wreak havoc

cause extensive damage

This post is part of the English Language category and of the Nerdy Passions category.

This is all for Supernatural Idioms – Season One, Episode Four. The fifth one, tomorrow!