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

[aubade-saudade.livejournal.com]

you should watch this season

Carver is so clever in delivering exactly what the fans want, but not in a way that demeans the integrity of the show in any way.

I haven't been this excited about the show in a long, long time. This episode, specially the Castiel bits, is so gorgeous and makes so much sense--

ugh. seriously, just watch it.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I'm just really hesitant about getting back into it again.

Even though I simply adore Carver and his manner of storytelling, which so far he's been doing amazing with this season and with what he has planned for everything else, I think I'm going wait a little more before making a final decision. Of course, that may be after Castiel returns because I have a feeling shit is gonna get good (read: painful, but in a good emotional way) near mid-season, based on some of the spoilers I've heard.

It's just so refreshing to see all this optimism and people actually enjoying the show again. :)

[romeo-ambiences.livejournal.com]

Heh. When I was on a site where they were talking about the Dean/Cas fans freaking because Benny got a hug from Dean and Cas hadn't had one yet, I actually wrote that we didn't know this for sure since Dean might have given Cas a hug when they reunited in Purgatory. Admittedly, I've been very pessimistic and I didn't want to get my hopes up, but, curse that Carver, my hopes are lifting.

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.

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.

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

[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!

[mercury973.livejournal.com]

I like this episode. It was silly but yet not. I love Kevin's Mom. I love this the best: http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h288/Mercury973/Hug.gif

[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.

[entangled-now.livejournal.com]

I stopped watching ages ago, but they're hugging, they're actually hugging.

...and now I miss the show.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Mrs. Tran bitchslapping Crowley will never not be the most greatest badass thing ever. I'm hoping she survives the show because she is awesome.

THAT HUG, DEAN'S FACE. I CAN'T.

I need to talk about Cas too, because I have loads of feelings about my bb and what he's going through, but that will be for another post.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping that the rest of the season pans out as I'm hoping it does, based on the interviews with Carver and so far what's been done in these first couple of episodes. Because there's so much potential here, and it's getting back to the quality of storytelling that the show used to be.

[carameltrap.livejournal.com]

Auuugh, this makes me miss the show something fierce and want to watch it again because that hug is too beautiful for words.

[alanna-zero.livejournal.com]

I guess I am the only one but this episode has made me so depressed. I don't know if you've seen the last 20 seconds, but...this certainly won't end well :( (as we already know from the first episode -.-) And just, IDK, I haven't read any spoilers about Castiel's fate in the future, so once they covered what happened with him in Purgatory, are they just gonna let it "end" there? If that's the case, I really don't know if I can continue watching, since by now I am only watching for Castiel :(

[romeo-ambiences.livejournal.com]

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

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

And just, IDK, I haven't read any spoilers about Castiel's fate in the future, so once they covered what happened with him in Purgatory, are they just gonna let it "end" there?

Well, it's basically been confirmed that he is returning back to the brothers. But he's also tied to a bigger part of the plot as well, which has been reported we will get clues about during the seventh and eighth episodes. So, Castiel's arc won't be over after the Purgatory flashbacks, not by a longshot.

Let's not forget that this is Jeremy Carver. He has admitted to loving Castiel's story along with his relationship with Dean. I believe he's in it for the long haul.

Not saying that it won't hurt. I mean, all the characters are going to be tested in certain ways and put through the wringer, but judging from how things have gone so far this season I think it will be handled a lot better than the previous seasons. So I hope it all lives up to expectations because it seems like Carver actually has a plan of action, and it leaves me excited to see where it all leads from here.

[alanna-zero.livejournal.com]

Well, it's basically been confirmed that he is returning back to the brothers.

See, I was not aware of this! And immediately I feel less depressed ^^
I hope that you are right about Carver, and that we finally see some ~progress in this whole thing instead of just the same shit over and over again.

[padfootie.livejournal.com]

<3 <3 <3 <3

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

Oh there was so much to love about that scene. I've been waiting so long for a hug and it was better then I could have hoped, just the big smile on Dean's face was worth it. I love that Dean is finally treating Cas like a friend (I've always wanted Dean to have a friend besides Sam) and the change in Dean facial expressions when Cas said he had been staying away to keep Dean safe just said so much. His little peach fuzz comment was just cute.

I can't wait to see how Cas got stuck in purgatory, I can't see Dean just leaving him there not after THAT scene.

It feels so good to be hopeful for SPN after two seasons of giving up on it.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

The character development, the fact that both Dean and Castiel were actually communicating and listening to each other makes me very happy. :)

I can't wait to see how Cas got stuck in purgatory, I can't see Dean just leaving him there not after THAT scene.

There's been lots of discussion regarding that particular moment of the episodes, much analyzing and speculation on what happened. Was Dean pulled away? Did Cas get dragged too far for Dean to reach before getting pulled away? Dean said that Cas simply just "let go", was that his own perception of what happened? Like, did he believe that Cas sacrificed himself for his own safety? That might be very plausible given Castiel's resolve during their reunited scene.

But we'll find out soon enough.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'The character development, the fact that both Dean and Castiel were actually communicating and listening to each other makes me very happy. :)'
Me too! It's very refreshing.

'But we'll find out soon enough.'
Yep. I can't wait.