Castiel in 8.02 episode stills

[rogueslayer452]

As for the sneak peeks everyone seems to be freaking out about, I'm actually not that worried about it? With all the interviews and general overview of what this season is going to be exploring, I'm mostly neutral and optimistic about where the story direction is heading. Every character is going to be going through something, giving their arcs some individual attention separately from one another and yes, that means some of them will go through the wringer because of it. But I'm positive all will come together by the end of the season regardless. Besides, Carver has already stated a while back that nothing is what it appears to be, which means that what happened in Purgatory, and in turn what happened to Castiel, is going to be the mystery that will be gradually revealed for at least the first half of the season.

Aside from that, I'm also very pleased with the casting of the new group of characters that will be introduced this season, particularly with the new angel. Now that was a pleasant surprise I didn't see coming.

Comments

[romeo-ambiences.livejournal.com]

Well, I haven't been freaking, but I don't know what to think. I really wanted a BAMF Cas and fear we won't get that.

I personally read Dean as being shifty when talking about Cas to Sam, which, unfortunately, doesn't help in trying to decipher the mystery of Purgatory except to emphasize there is a mystery.

Any theories or are you just happy to wait and see?

As I've said elsewhere, Mr. No One is a Bigger Fan of Dean and Cas than Me better be closer to my definition of fan instead of Gamble's with her BS statement about loving Castiel and Misha.

I was also pleased with the casting of the new angel.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Well, I haven't been freaking, but I don't know what to think. I really wanted a BAMF Cas and fear we won't get that.

Oh, I'm positive we will get that. Both Carver and Misha have confirmed that Castiel will go into warrior mode while in Purgatory, which will sober him up from where he was last season, thank goodness. He will return to who he once was when we first met him, just a little changed due to his experiences (i.e. his immense character development, which will be continued with what he encounters in Purgatory as well.)

Any theories or are you just happy to wait and see?

I'm just pretty content with everything we've gotten so far, in terms of the interviews and the possibilities, which makes me very excited to where this could all go.

[crackers4jenn.livejournal.com]

I love your calmness about this! Mostly because I feel the same exact way, whereas it seems like everyone else (read: Tumblr) is flipping out and starting up Castiel-related prayer circles and expecting the worst.

It helps that we already know in that 8.01 clip that Dean is being intentionally vague and skirting around the truth with Sam. Plus he never says Cas is dead. He lets Sam say that, not him. His tone, actually, and his inability to even listen to "but what if--"' protests reminds me of when Cas went Godstiel on them. He wrote Cas off for dead then too, and, well... he wasn't. So I'm reallyyyy looking forward to all the twists and turns of the season, and how I will likely wind up responding to each episode with this:

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think for many there's a lot of hesitation and uncertainty of how his character will be treated, judging from the way the show has dealt with him over the last two seasons. Which is understandable. But the clip itself is very vague, as it's meant to be. I mean, it's not like they're going to magically reveal everything in just that tiny clip of the premiere before the season actually premieres.

So yeah, I think there was a tad of an overreaction to that. Fandom tends to lean more towards expecting the worst case scenario in anything, no matter what it is.

For me, I think what intrigues me about this season isn't just what has been said via interviews and the like, but the overall sense that everything is going to be intentionally cryptic, that it's going to leave us guessing and second-guessing everything, and it's going to be more complex to what is really happening underneath the surface. We're going to be getting character development and growth, separate storylines and arcs, a bigger plot that is going to be revealed along the way. I'm definitely excited for what this season is gonna bring. :D

[mercury973.livejournal.com]

New angel??? Gabriel, come back to me. Imagine the hijinks of Gabe and Cas. Pipe dream, I know. I'm looking forward to S8 way more than S7

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Well, a group of new angels really. They're all gonna play a vital role in this season's particular plot arc, which I'm excited about. But one of them is going to be keeping in contact with the brothers and Castiel throughout the season.

But yeah, I want the return of familiar angels as well. Gabriel, Balthazar, Inias, Rachel, Raphael, etc. It's not beyond the realm of possibility to bring them back into the fold. Please, show, please?

[carameltrap.livejournal.com]

I haven't been... anything. I don't actually remember there's a new season until someone brings it up. You're my S8 go to. :) New angel? I hope he's not a dick because I am tired of angels being total douches in the show.

I love that last pic of Castiel. If it were in HQ and bigger, it'd make an excellent wallpaper.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

The new angel is a she, actually. :) She's going to be part of a group of new angels introduced this season, which I'm very excited about.

Eh, the angels are no more dicks than Sam and Dean are, tbh. Besides, not all the angels are like that, as we've seen, it's just not a lot of them survive long enough to see more of that. Which is why I wish the show explored more with them because the angel family is something I am absolutely love and want to see more of. I'm hoping for that with these new angels, in that while they have their own agenda (i.e. survival) they are going to be helpful, and be caring siblings to Castiel (because after all he's been through, forgiveness and acceptance of his family is something he kind of needs right now, tbh.)

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'I'm mostly neutral and optimistic about where the story direction is heading.'
Me too.

'particularly with the new angel. Now that was a pleasant surprise I didn't see coming.'
Nice. I hope the writers explore the concept that angels are family just a little. It would be nice character development for Cas and the new angel.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Nice. I hope the writers explore the concept that angels are family just a little. It would be nice character development for Cas and the new angel.

I'm hoping for this as well. There's a lot of potential with bringing in these new angels into the mix, considering how it's been said they play an important part this season.

But mostly, above anything else, I want some sort of absolution for Castiel. While he may be fighting and in survival mode in Purgatory and returning back to the angel we all knew and loved, he's probably still in that mindset that he deserves to be punished after everything he's done. If nothing else, he needs the comfort, support and forgiveness of his fellow siblings in order for him to move forward. That is what I'm most concerned about, tbh. Of course, this season is supposedly going to give further development of all characters, so I'm hoping that is part of the package as well.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'If nothing else, he needs the comfort, support and forgiveness of his fellow siblings in order for him to move forward. '
I'd love to see that too.