Castiel - Between Heaven and Earth (Part 5)

[gwaevalarin]

You give yourself over wholly to the service of God and his angels? (4x21)

After being dragged home Castiel is back to doing whatever the Host asks of him while trying not too think to much about it. He's even abandoning Dean at a really inconvenient time with the Apocalypse being nigh and all. But he can't stay away from his favourite charge. Not forever, not when Dean's calling for him. But he's hesitant to confront Dean, knowing the influence this mere human has on him and knowing that it will get him into trouble again. Yes, he still wants to help Dean, he still wants to tell him what's really going on but he doesn't dare. I don't even want to imagine what they did to him in heaven, or at least threatened to do, to scare him so much and effectively shut him up.


"I can't. I'm sorry."

There is a short but intense call for help here. Begging Dean to help him find the courage again to do what is right. But Castiel doesn't go any further than this brief moment of revealing to Dean how he really feels before he is back in full angel mode.
He gives Dean the required information about what would happen if they let Sam try to kill Lilith. And Castiel does show some sympathy for Dean when he reveals what it would mean and what would most likely happen to Sam. But he's keeping most of his emotions locked away tightly. This is about business now, not friendship.
Same when he asks Dean to join them. Castiel still gives Dean a real choice which is probably more than any other angel would have done. But he's not willing to go any further even though his eyes betray him.



Whichever way this whole thing goes he wants Dean on his side, fighting with him not against him. And the only way he can see this happening right now is if Dean joins heaven. But when Dean does say yes - not the big yes to Michael, we're not that far yet - he doesn't know if he should be relieved that Dean is joining his side or worried because he knows it should have been the other way round, him joining Dean's side. But he's not giving any of his inner struggle away. Not any more. Heaven made sure of that.

And then comes the one act that I still feel Castiel should feel more than bad about. That should haunt him. And I'm still waiting for this to come up again on the show. I'm talking about Castiel letting Sam out. Knowing that Dean only gave in to heaven to prevent exactly this, knowing that Sam will kill Lilith, probably losing his humanity in the process and, I'm pretty sure, knowing by now that this will break the last seal and bring on the Apocalypse. Which means he knows that the Host didn't just betray Dean and humanity but they betrayed Castiel and his brothers, sending them to die in battles they were never intended to win. And Castiel now plays an active part in that betrayal.



And then he betrays Anna as well, handing her over to the angels. He obviously does feel bad but feeling bad doesn't really cover it any more. He's following orders that might bring on the end of the world and are against everything Castiel truely believes. It's more than time to finally step up and do what's right. But at this time it's almost like Cas is feeling too sorry for himself and he will need Dean to finally push him out of this mess and over the brink.



Yes, I'm aware that I'm unusually harsh on Castiel here and this really is the one episode where I have the urge to yell and knock some sense into him. Fortunately Dean will do that for me.


We've been through much together you and I. (4x22)

The next time we see Castiel is when he welcomes Dean into heaven's green room. And he looks very miserable.
And obviously vanishes again in an instant just to return a while later with Zachariah. He obviously has no say any more whatsoever. He stays in the background, motionless, expressionless, just watching, trying to be invisible. He doesn't visibly react to anything Dean or Zachariah say in their little verbal smackdown but you can still almost see him wince internally as if they were both slapping him in the face. And when Dean looks at him, Castiel can't meet his eyes. He looks like a whipped dog who wants to turn to Dean for help but doesn't dare to not just because Zachariah is there but because he knows that he's fucked up majorly and Dean has every right to be angry with him



But Castiel still answers when Dean - well, "calls" him. And he's still going to do anything for Dean that can be reconciled with his orders.


"Anything you wish."

Anything except for taking Dean to Sam. Or letting him leave the green room on his own. Castiel is not saying no. Not right away. He doesn't want to refuse Dean his wish. He can't let him see Sam and he really doesn't think it's a good idea, anyway. After all, it would most likely put Dean in harm's way. So he tries to talk Dean out of it which, of course, is impossible. When he does give Dean a clear "No." there is a hint of I'm sorry. in it, too. But he sounds certain for the first time in quite a while. Now is not the time resolve some family problems. And Castiel is not willing to bend the rules on this one. Every time Dean tries to find a way around he is met with a clear rejection from Castiel who is trying to at least sound reasonable but is also willing, this one time, to force Dean's alleged best interest on him. This is safe (for now), safe is good. Taking everything else, like the fate of the world, out of the equation makes it a fairly simple one.

But Castiel hasn't really given up on Dean's fight. He doesn't just come back again to tell Dean that Sam is out of his reach even though he probably convinced himself that that's the reason. To tell him again that destiny can't be changed, with this soft voice that we only ever hear him use when he talks to Dean. But he does know that Dean won't just listen, mourn and surrender to his fate. Part of Castiel is planning what's going to happen. Counting on Dean to get angry enough to drag Cas with him.


"Why are you here, Cas?"
"We've been through much together you and I. I just wanted to say I'm sorry it ended like this."

He says it like he believes that Dean has - that they have - already lost. But he hasn't given up on Dean yet and he takes the punch because he knows he deserves it and because it means that Dean hasn't given up either. He's not giving Dean the whole destiny speech again because he believes it or because he wants to convince Dean. He brings it up again because he needs Dean to confront him about it, convince him once more that the angels are wrong. He fights it, of course he does. If he was fully convinced already he wouldn't need Dean.

"What's so worth saving? I see nothing but pain here."

Castiel wants to follow Dean but he needs Dean to give him a reason. This inner struggle, it's been raging in him for months and only then can he find a way out if he brings it out into the open. And the only way to do this is let Dean take the side that Castiel feels is right but still can't fully understand and make him understand. In order to take this last, crucial step he needs to know what he's doing it for. Why this fucked up little world is so important to Dean that he'd give anything to save it and even chooses it over paradies without a second thought.


"What would you have me do?"
"Get me to Sam. We can stop this before it's too late."
"I do that, we will all be hunted. We'll all be killed.
"If there's anything worth dying for, this is it."

Castiel makes his decision there, when he asks Dean for the plan. Even though Dean doesn't see it yet and even though Castiel himself might not be aware of it yet, he has reached the point of no return. He will help Dean. He's willing to pay the price. The only thing he needs before doing it is a moment alone, to take a deep breath before he jumps.

And then he is there, no room left for doubt or hesitation. Just one last look at Dean for consensus and reasurance and he does what needs to be done, no more questions asked.



I love this scene. I love the blind trust and understanding between Dean and Castiel. How there are no more words necessary besides the simple facts of Lilith being the final seal. They just know that from that point they can fully rely on each other. Castiel has chosen his side, Dean's side. And the funny thing is that he hasn't appeared that mighty and angelic since he's met Dean in that barn for the very first time. He seems in control knowing exactly what he is doing and, more importantly, why. And at the same time he's finally truely understood the concept of free will.


Yeah, well, we're making it up as we go."

While Castiel is convinced that he's doing the right thing he still does it first and foremost for Dean, not the world or human kind. Except in the sense that this world means so much to Dean and that, to Castiel, it is represented by Dean. And that alone makes it worth saving. And if that means sacrificing himself fighting off an archangel then that's exactly what Castiel is going to do. He has risked his life for Dean before but this time it's plain suicide. He can't win against an archangel. The only thing he can do is buy Dean a little more time. But since Castiel is convinced that, in the long run, he won't make it out alive anyway it's a small price to pay, which doesn't make it any less noble. The moment he's sent Dean away and has lost all control over what is going to happen he is calm, just waiting for Raphael to arrive. He's put all his hope and trust into Dean. The only thing left for him to do is face his end with a clear conscience, so the world can live.
Fortunately he won't stay dead for long. So stay tuned for season 5.

Part 4 / Masterpost / Part 6

All screencaps from Misha-Collins.Net

Comments

[patty1h.livejournal.com]

Great picspam/meta. You did an excellent job dissecting Cas's role and his metamorphosis through the season; I loved reliving the many awesome scenes with Cas (and Dean -- D/C shipper here).

Looking forward to your examination of season 5.

[gwaevalarin.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I'm kind of a Dean/Castiel shipper myself. Can you tell? ;)

[stickers83.livejournal.com]

I just got done reading parts 1-5 of your all things Cas picspam/meta and really loved it!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to summarize his great character transformation during season 4. I love his relationship with Dean and can't wait for the summary of season 5!!

[gwaevalarin.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. I had a great time writing it and you really deserve a cookie for reading through the whole thing.
I'll start on season 5 soon. :)

[dark-austral.livejournal.com]

The show really does need to hint or resolve that issue with Cas letting Sam out. For me, I think that act has haunted Cas throughout season 5 and plays into his search for finding God. He's a man on a mission. And him dying twice kinda makes me forgive him.

Also, we rarely see Cas do confessions. So, I really don't see him telling the boys what he did. But you just know that by not telling them, it's going to fester and get ugly. That and I think, on some level, Dean knows the truth. He seemed highly doubtful a demon broke Sam out and what other creature with the mojo was out there that knew where Sam was besides Cas.

Otherwise, good job on this pic spam/meta for season 4. You hit the highlights and now I'm off to read season 5 :)

[gwaevalarin.livejournal.com]

I can't see Castiel confess to letting Sam out either. And now with the Apocalypse over I doubt they'll bring it up again on the show. Which is a shame, really.

I think Dean does suspect that it was an angel who broke Sam out. But without the sigils carved into their ribs it's not impossible that another angel found them and did it. But Dean must as least have considered Cas.

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.