LOL... I had a hard time with this ep because of the staff-as-powerful-weapon thing... IDK. The whole REASON Moses didn't actually get to the Promised Land himself was his arrogance for believing himself and the staff as the thing/one with power. The power was God's, and so Moses got schooled a little there. But this show doesn't care, which doesn't really bother me all that much, but it's kind of like a bad Texas accent--for whatever reason, I couldn't look past it without scoffing. /snobbery

But yes... I'm totally on-board with most of your observations/thoughts. I'm interested to see where it's going, and I REALLY want to know what is up with Sam.