THAT JUST HAPPENED.

[rogueslayer452]

HUG. DEAN HUGGED CASTIEL. FINALLY PROPERLY HUGGED HIM.

So I guess it's safe to say that Dean actually did hug Castiel before Benny after all.

While I have yet to see the episode, thanks to Tumblr I've been filled in on what happened during this moment, and I don't think anything could have been more perfect.

I see this as quite a progression of Dean's character, because I think he's really starting to understand precisely just how much Castiel risks in protecting him. He ran to keep the monsters away from Dean, to give him a fighting chance at surviving. During present day he talks with another angel who says that there are still angels who believe that Castiel had his heart in the right place, and that perhaps he had too much heart. And then we have the moment, the moment, when Dean hugs Castiel in Purgatory after finding him again. Like, truly properly hugs him. This is huge especially when you think about Dean from before, who has always been hesitant regarding his feelings and always had his guard up, only allowing a little bit before shutting down. Now here, we see Dean smiling big in that he's so happy and relieved that his friend is okay. HE ACTUALLY PRAYED FOR CASTIEL, FFS. He prayed every single night down there in Purgatory. And once realizing what Castiel did (again, all for him) he made sure that Cas understood that no matter what, they were leaving Purgatory together. That they were going home, together.

This kind of development is something I've been waiting for from Dean, for a long, long time. While we still have some ways to go, seeing as how this is only the second episode of the season and Dean has a truckload of issues to deal with, we've gotten a lot of development from what has been shown so far than the previous seasons combined, tbh.

I can only hope that such development continues for the duration of the season. If so, then this certainly is Season GR8 (as the kids are saying these days.)

Bless you, Jeremy Carver. Bless and praise you for giving us this.


I have a feeling that I may start watching this season sooner than I anticipated, if this kind of quality keeps up.

Comments

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Did you catch that Dean touches Cas' face, too? Thank goodness for eagle-eyed fangirls to bring that to my attention as I missed it when watching.

I did! There was also a moment when we see Cas clenching his fists as Dean was hugging him, like he wanted to reciprocate but was resisting the urge to do so. I also think, aside from being battle weary, it took him by surprise because Dean showing physical affection is a rare occurrence.

And you don't know how thrilled I was with the new angel speaking so fondly of Cas. YES! Please let there be angels that will be supportive of Cas.

Seriously.

It makes me absolutely overjoyed to see more of his family being supportive and understanding of him. I'm hoping that the group of new angels we'll be meeting will be the same, because Cas seriously needs more of his siblings to care for him, and I'm also hoping that that's who this angel was referring to in that there were still some in Heaven that believed Castiel had his heart in the right place. *crosses fingers*

I'm rather shocked how much this episode has helped to start soothing my negative feelings.

I'm finding more optimism as the season progresses, along with spoilers for what is to come as well.

[thefreshchuff.livejournal.com]

Jumping in to say I wouldn't be too quick to trust the angel that said Cas's problem was too much heart. A lot of people are already speculating we can't trust him; he said some angels in heaven support Cas, but he very artfully avoided Dean's question of if he was one of them.

MORE TO THE POINT OF THE POST: it was very awesome to see Dean happy and smiling and hugging Cas, telling him he needed him, he prayed to him, he wouldn't leave Purgatory without him. Misha's even talked about Cas's character arc for this season -- it really sounds like Carver and Co. have a plan that -- gasp! -- involves emotional evolution. IT'S SAD THIS SHOULD BE SO EXCITING, BUT IT IS!

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm now seeing a lot of apprehension regarding him and I definitely think there's something more to this angel than meets the eye. Or maybe he just doesn't know what to feel about everything, maybe he is more disapproving (much like Hester was) the fact that Castiel sacrificed everything over and over again, but still considers him family despite that? I don't know. We'll have to see.

The angel family though, I have feels and I want more of them.

I also like that Dean seemed kind of protective in that moment, questioning whether Samandriel (I think that's his name?) was one of those angels who supported Castiel despite everything. I like seeing that side of Dean, ever since the premiere with his "where's the angel" to this.

Misha's even talked about Cas's character arc for this season -- it really sounds like Carver and Co. have a plan that -- gasp! -- involves emotional evolution. IT'S SAD THIS SHOULD BE SO EXCITING, BUT IT IS!

I KNOW RIGHT. It's so strange, yet a relief because it feels like it's been forever since we've had any sort of development of handling such arcs in an organic fashion.

[romeo-ambiences.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I understand the caution about the angel, but I want some more angels like Inias. I REALLY DO.