Further addendum on Castiel this season.

[rogueslayer452]

Now I can't tell whether people are simply being reactionary based off of the episode itself or truly believe in the words they are writing out, but so far people have been completely overreacting the the revelation the newest episode gave us particularly with Castiel being in cahoots with Crowley. Most of these reactions isn't even new, since there has been plenty of fan speculation for a while now about Castiel being "evil" and "betraying" the Winchesters because of him not being entirely truthful and having ulterior motives all season long.

Let me make this absolutely clear for everyone:

CASTIEL. IS NOT. TURNING. EVIL.

It's almost like people are wanting him to become evil or something without looking at things rationally from his perspective and the circumstances he's been dealing with. Remember, the greatest harm can result from the best intentions. Good people can end up doing bad things, making questionable choices and decisions and doing morally ambiguous tasks for the greater good, especially when they're underneath a great deal of stress and pressure like Castiel has been all season. He's in deep desperation, he's had to make certain sacrifices, certain compromises due to the heavy weight he's carrying. Does this mean that Castiel is turning towards the "dark side" of things? Absolutely not.

I mean come on y'all, look at this face:



Does this look like the face of someone who is intentionally and legitimately enjoying doing horrible things? No. That's not what the definition of "evil" means, which people seem to be throwing around a lot lately as if justifying his secretive behavior. Castiel is questioning himself, he is afraid of what he is becoming, he is literally begging in the 6.20 preview to be stopped in heading in this direction. That is not a sign of someone who is turning darkside. That is a sign of someone struggling so desperately with the situation they are in, and don't want to be a part of anymore.

This is called being morally conflicted. Castiel is caught between a rock and a hard place and he's out of options, and has to take a risk which may be a necessary evil in order for things to be set right. And this is a realistic approach to many things that happen in life. Not everything is easy to attain, and sometimes you have to make certain compromises, even by bending the truth, to ensure that.

Never mind that the Winchesters have done questionable things, too. They've worked and compromised with demons to achieve their ends, yet people haven't referred to them being evil or have turned "dark side." What makes them the exception?

Here's the thing though: this is an interesting direction to be taking Castiel's arc because it shows a certain kind of development from where he was. He started out being an obedient soldier who begun having doubts and questioning his faith and his orders (S4) then after rebelling against Heaven and joining in Team Free Will in stopping Lucifer and the Apocalypse while learning about humanity (S5), and now he's on his own trying to maintain Heaven and end this civil war (S6). However with that, he's also learning the weight of this responsibility and that not everything is as simple as it seems, and because of it he's had to sacrifice certain things he believed in which is making him question, yet again, where his loyalties truly lie. Are they with Heaven, will he be able to make certain compromises to win at any and all costs, or is it with the Winchesters, that he simply cannot do this because he would jeopardize the only friends he has and deeply cares about? It's an entirely new ballpark for him and he's at loss at what to do, he's emotionally drained, completely wrecked and he doesn't want to lose anything. He can either lose the war, or lose the Winchesters. He sees no middle ground at this point, and unfortunately this is the price of war. War changes people, they start viewing things in a different light, from different perspectives than how they used to before, it makes them question situations that ultimately challenges their own morality.

And you know what? The fact that Castiel is actually questioning all of this shows his humanity. This is a good thing, and it pleases me that this is the direction they took with his character, particularly because he would have to deal with these kinds of hardships if he were to be the "sheriff of Heaven" and trying to maintain peace and equilibrium upstairs, esp for over two years.

My only concern is how the show is going to handle this. This is a potentially great character arc that can be royally screwed up in its execution, like many things have this season. Just please, please, for the love of God don't character assassinate our dear precious angel, Show. Otherwise I will never, ever forgive you.


Sorry for the long-winded rant. I just have lots of feelings regarding this, okay? Plus I'm worried, I'm biting my nails for these last few episodes of the season because it literally is the "make it or break it" for me with this show as a whole, and it all depends on this one character who I deeply am attached to.

Comments

[twisting-vine-x.livejournal.com]

I'm biting my nails for these last few episodes of the season because it literally is the "make it or break it" for me with this show as a whole, and it all depends on this one character who I deeply am attached to.

♥

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

♥ ♥ ♥

It's true, though. I find myself distancing myself from this show more and more as this season has progressed, to be honest. Castiel is the only attachment I have left to really keep me going. If they severely destroy his character, or take him out of the equation, then that's it for me.

[twisting-vine-x.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm still holding out for a season seven that fixes everything. :(

However, I do hear you on the Cas thing - I don't even remember the last time I had this much invested in a fictional character (probably, like - Snape, back when I thirteen years old, and too young to know better than to give my heart to a character whose fate was at the whims of the fictional powers that be), and if they severely destroy Castiel's character, I'm going to have an epic shit fit to end all shit fits.

I mean - someone else pointed out that Sam did some truly evil things for the 'greater good', and that Show gave him a chance to redeem himself - so I'm hoping the same thing happens with Castiel. I haven't seen any of the previews for upcoming episodes, because I'm a spoilerphobe like crazy and don't want to know anything - but I do hear rumors that intense shit is going to start going down in 6.20, and whatever happens over the next three episodes, Castiel damn well better get a chance to explain his side of the story (honestly, two years of slaughtering his brothers and sisters - well, I'd be getting pretty desperate, too), and the boys better not immediately jump down his throat without at least trying to understand...

Gah. :(

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

At this point, a seventh season really needs to sort out the mess this season created.

whatever happens over the next three episodes, Castiel damn well better get a chance to explain his side of the story (honestly, two years of slaughtering his brothers and sisters - well, I'd be getting pretty desperate, too), and the boys better not immediately jump down his throat without at least trying to understand...

I totally agree. If the Winchesters don't at least listen to Castiel, or at the very least sympathize and understand what he's gone through, considering how this war has been slowly eating him alive, I don't think I'll like them very much. It would be incredibly hypocritical because they know exactly how it feels to be pushed and go beyond their limit, how to feel so desperate when there are no other options or resources.

I mean, if whatever Castiel has done is so horrible, they really need to understand that much and allow him to be redeemed from his actions and make things right. Because after all Cas has sacrificed and done for them, why would they turn their backs on him now?

I'm just afraid this will create a huge rift between Cas and the brothers, particularly with Dean. With the rumors about the finale having characters being different from where they were (and already confirmation that the brothers will be brothers again) I'm more than a little worried what this might mean for our little precious angel and where he goes from there. Now the finale is a cliffhanger, but that doesn't necessarily reassure me of anything about Dean/Castiel's relationship. Just, gah! D: D: D:

[twisting-vine-x.livejournal.com]

It would be incredibly hypocritical because they know exactly how it feels to be pushed and go beyond their limit, how to feel so desperate when there are no other options or resources.

Agreed. Please, pleeeease let the writers recognize this, and let Dean&Sam give Castiel a chance to at least freaking explain himself.

I'm just afraid this will create a huge rift between Cas and the brothers, particularly with Dean. With the rumors about the finale having characters being different from where they were (and already confirmation that the brothers will be brothers again) I'm more than a little worried what this might mean for our little precious angel and where he goes from there. Now the finale is a cliffhanger, but that doesn't necessarily reassure me of anything about Dean/Castiel's relationship.

Agh, that's why I don't do rumours or spoilers... because the thought of a broken Destiel relationship makes me sad inside, and now I'm going to spend the next couple of weeks crawling the walls and scratching at my laptop screen. :(

Like, in all seriousness - if the next couple of episodes don't fix things with Castiel and Dean. Then the seventh season damn well get on doing exactly that. Because I have too much invested in these boys (like, it's actually ridiculous, how much of my heart and soul and sanity I have given to Destiel, and to this show in general), and if things go awfully, I actually don't know what I'll do with myself.

:(

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Then the seventh season damn well get on doing exactly that. Because I have too much invested in these boys (like, it's actually ridiculous, how much of my heart and soul and sanity I have given to Destiel, and to this show in general), and if things go awfully, I actually don't know what I'll do with myself.

This show loves to bring the angst, in whatever way possible, sometimes unnecessarily just to add that bit of dramatic ~flare. So I'm pretty sure that if not in these last three episodes, it'll get dragged out into next season. In the end, I just want Dean and Castiel to be okay with each other. I want that profound bond and friendship again, and I want there to actually be showing of this friendship. No more lipservice, but an action that clearly says that they're cool. That's all I want.

Well, that, and a hug between them. Because that's all fandom has ever wanted between these two since for like, ever.

[twisting-vine-x.livejournal.com]

In the end, I just want Dean and Castiel to be okay with each other. I want that profound bond and friendship again, and I want there to actually be showing of this friendship. No more lipservice, but an action that clearly says that they're cool. That's all I want.

ME TOO. Some kind of clean slate for both of them, just like Dean gave to Bobby and Sammy. Something that truly says that they're gonna be okay, no matter what shit they've done to each other in the past.

Well, that, and a hug between them. Because that's all fandom has ever wanted between these two since for like, ever.

It actually has to happen, for the sake of every fangirl who's had blue ovaries ever since these two first walked on screen. ALL I WANT IS FOR THEIR ARMS TO GO AROUND EACH OTHER. IS THAT REALLY TOO MUCH TO ASK.