The synopsis of season 8′s two first episodes were released.

8.01: SAM AND DEAN ARE REUNITED AFTER A YEAR APART — Dean (Jensen Ackles) re-emerges from Purgatory, but he isn’t alone. He heads straight for Sam (Jared Padalecki), but the reunion isn’t exactly what he thought it would be. Sam drops everything to join his brother, but leaving the life he had grown to enjoy turns out to be harder than he imagined. Dean and Sam look for Kevin (guest star Osric Chau) who has managed to escape Crowley’s (guest star Mark Sheppard) grasp, but things come to a head quickly when Kevin tells them what it is that Crowley wants.

Robert Singer directed the episode written by Jeremy Carver.

8.02: MRS. TRAN JOINS SAM AND DEAN ON THE ROAD — Kevin (guest star Osric Chau) talks Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) into checking in on his mother (guest star Lauren Tom). When they arrive, they see that Crowley (guest star Mark Sheppard) has surrounded her with demons so they rescue her and take her along on their quest to find the tablet. However, they soon discover Kevin wasn’t kidding when he said his mother was a strong-willed woman after she tries to take on Crowley.

John Showalter directed the episode written by Andrew Dabb & Daniel Loflin.