MANIFESTO: Dean and Castiel, at the edge
Theories on TFW's reaction to Castiel's revelation next week. Articulates my feelings on why this is so incredibly crucial, such a make-or-SHATTERINTOPIECES moment, and so incredibly dependent on Dean.
I think, if we didn't know it already, that this episode (6.19) confirmed that Sam likes Cas, wants to believe the best of him, and knows that Dean trusts in Cas so much. I get the feeling that Sam understands Dean and Cas’ friendship more than Dean himself does (which is not difficult, granted). That, and his mistakes of Season 4, give me hope that he’ll be sympathetic towards Castiel next week.
Bobby likes Cas too, I’m sure: he can see the genuine depth of care Cas has for Sam and Dean, and the predominant vibe I’m getting from him is concern. I think he understands Dean to a point where he gets why Cas would be frustrated with Dean, even if it hasn’t reached a place where he’s comfortable with talking to Cas about it. That, and his own experience of how terrible it is to remain unforgiven, give me hope that he’ll be sympathetic next week too.
Dean here is the wild card, and the most important. While all of Cas’ interactions with TFW have been meaningful, Dean and Cas is the central relationship where Castiel is concerned. It’s not even questionable. Because of their bond, I also get the feeling that Sam and Bobby will accede to whatever Dean decides, and respect that decision, even if they feel it’s wrong. Even if they think he's making a mistake. Because it's Dean's mistake to make.
It’s Dean’s opinion that Castiel will hang his hat on, Dean’s opinion that matters most to Castiel. Dean will decide whether this is a tragedy or the uplifting moment we’ve been waiting for with Cas and the humans he’s come to love. It just seems like next week will be huge on the Dean&Cas front and not only Castiel.
I’ll say this.
If Dean's realisations outweigh his repression, if he forces himself to see what Castiel’s been through and all that Castiel has done for him, if he can get over the sting of personal ‘betrayal’ and the hurt of not being confided in, if he can sympathise with Castiel’s pure motivations, if he can see the hypocrisy in choosing to turn Castiel away, if he can see the weariness pervading Castiel's being, if he can understand that he is dealing with a powerful creature who by all rights had no obligation to him and yet chose him, if he can learn from past mistakes in his previous relationships and listen to his own teachings, and if he can get over those qualms or boundaries or whatever prideful blah’s been keeping him defensively rude and ungrateful to Cas - long enough to tell his freaking angel how much he means to him - if he supports Cas rather than condemns him, it will be the most satisfying pledge of them all. It will be real movement and character development. If he can do this, it will be amazing.
If Dean cannot, it will be pure heartbreak.
And you know that it cannot be for intellectual reasons; it would be something that comes straight from his chest. Which is why I also think that there can be no hope left for Dean if he doesn’t exonerate Castiel.
Because to not do so, to suddenly feel distant when you’ve been doing the distancing, to let a person’s numerous gigantic sacrifices fly in the face of a mistake, a person whom you’ve claimed to be your friend though others point out that you have been using him (and which you yourself in jest, yet hurtfully, propose), to feel sorry for yourself for being ‘betrayed’ when you’ve made his confidence feel unwelcome, to be so cowardly as to not place faith in him when he has died several times for faith in you and would do it again, to rain down judgment on him when he has been fearing it so greatly...
To let someone so extraordinary as Castiel and something so great as his friendship go, when you will never again meet anyone like him, man or woman, creature or human - there is nothing to look forward to with a heart that throws that away. And I couldn’t continue watching knowing that this character would never develop meaningfully in my eyes if he could let something like this fall apart.
One outcome would be emotionally triumphant. And how! The other, irrevocably devastating. And how.
This is Supernatural, so I will be on tenterhooks, not quite daring to hope that Dean will be sympathetic to Castiel next week. At least, not daring to hope that Dean Winchester will finally let Castiel know that he is loved, not for his powers, not for his knowledge, not for his charming social skills, but because he’s Cas, the angel who pulled Dean from Hell and believed in Dean and fought for Dean. I’m not daring to hope that he will let Castiel go ahead with a gentle word, despite any misgivings, as a symbol of the trust that Castiel deserves, and I'm not quite daring to hope that Dean will stand by this being who has seen him at his worst and yet felt that he deserved saving, when he lives through his own darkest hour.
And so I daren’t hope, and yet - I believe it would make for the best and most spectacularly affirming move yet., and it would be a point that has been built-up, that they've been working towards in this season. Hopefully not as a set-up for a crash and burn, but as a platform for a soaring catharsis.
I think, if we didn't know it already, that this episode (6.19) confirmed that Sam likes Cas, wants to believe the best of him, and knows that Dean trusts in Cas so much. I get the feeling that Sam understands Dean and Cas’ friendship more than Dean himself does (which is not difficult, granted). That, and his mistakes of Season 4, give me hope that he’ll be sympathetic towards Castiel next week.
Bobby likes Cas too, I’m sure: he can see the genuine depth of care Cas has for Sam and Dean, and the predominant vibe I’m getting from him is concern. I think he understands Dean to a point where he gets why Cas would be frustrated with Dean, even if it hasn’t reached a place where he’s comfortable with talking to Cas about it. That, and his own experience of how terrible it is to remain unforgiven, give me hope that he’ll be sympathetic next week too.
Dean here is the wild card, and the most important. While all of Cas’ interactions with TFW have been meaningful, Dean and Cas is the central relationship where Castiel is concerned. It’s not even questionable. Because of their bond, I also get the feeling that Sam and Bobby will accede to whatever Dean decides, and respect that decision, even if they feel it’s wrong. Even if they think he's making a mistake. Because it's Dean's mistake to make.
It’s Dean’s opinion that Castiel will hang his hat on, Dean’s opinion that matters most to Castiel. Dean will decide whether this is a tragedy or the uplifting moment we’ve been waiting for with Cas and the humans he’s come to love. It just seems like next week will be huge on the Dean&Cas front and not only Castiel.
I’ll say this.
If Dean's realisations outweigh his repression, if he forces himself to see what Castiel’s been through and all that Castiel has done for him, if he can get over the sting of personal ‘betrayal’ and the hurt of not being confided in, if he can sympathise with Castiel’s pure motivations, if he can see the hypocrisy in choosing to turn Castiel away, if he can see the weariness pervading Castiel's being, if he can understand that he is dealing with a powerful creature who by all rights had no obligation to him and yet chose him, if he can learn from past mistakes in his previous relationships and listen to his own teachings, and if he can get over those qualms or boundaries or whatever prideful blah’s been keeping him defensively rude and ungrateful to Cas - long enough to tell his freaking angel how much he means to him - if he supports Cas rather than condemns him, it will be the most satisfying pledge of them all. It will be real movement and character development. If he can do this, it will be amazing.
If Dean cannot, it will be pure heartbreak.
And you know that it cannot be for intellectual reasons; it would be something that comes straight from his chest. Which is why I also think that there can be no hope left for Dean if he doesn’t exonerate Castiel.
Because to not do so, to suddenly feel distant when you’ve been doing the distancing, to let a person’s numerous gigantic sacrifices fly in the face of a mistake, a person whom you’ve claimed to be your friend though others point out that you have been using him (and which you yourself in jest, yet hurtfully, propose), to feel sorry for yourself for being ‘betrayed’ when you’ve made his confidence feel unwelcome, to be so cowardly as to not place faith in him when he has died several times for faith in you and would do it again, to rain down judgment on him when he has been fearing it so greatly...
To let someone so extraordinary as Castiel and something so great as his friendship go, when you will never again meet anyone like him, man or woman, creature or human - there is nothing to look forward to with a heart that throws that away. And I couldn’t continue watching knowing that this character would never develop meaningfully in my eyes if he could let something like this fall apart.
One outcome would be emotionally triumphant. And how! The other, irrevocably devastating. And how.
This is Supernatural, so I will be on tenterhooks, not quite daring to hope that Dean will be sympathetic to Castiel next week. At least, not daring to hope that Dean Winchester will finally let Castiel know that he is loved, not for his powers, not for his knowledge, not for his charming social skills, but because he’s Cas, the angel who pulled Dean from Hell and believed in Dean and fought for Dean. I’m not daring to hope that he will let Castiel go ahead with a gentle word, despite any misgivings, as a symbol of the trust that Castiel deserves, and I'm not quite daring to hope that Dean will stand by this being who has seen him at his worst and yet felt that he deserved saving, when he lives through his own darkest hour.
And so I daren’t hope, and yet - I believe it would make for the best and most spectacularly affirming move yet., and it would be a point that has been built-up, that they've been working towards in this season. Hopefully not as a set-up for a crash and burn, but as a platform for a soaring catharsis.