Early Morning Metaing
Aug. 16th, 2012 08:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwaevalarinIt's raining, and I feel like writing a bit of meta. So why don't we talk about how I have this headcanon that Castiel is asexual, and about how I believe that canon backs this up pretty nicely.
The central scene to my argument is probably the brothel scene in Free To be You And Me, starting with Dean asking Castiel if he is still a virgin.
It's a topic that never came up in any scene with Cas before. He never showed any interest, he never inquired about it, and when it does come up in this scene, Castiel obviously feels extremely uncomfortable. His reaction - and I'm partially talking from personal experience here - is something that I believe is very typical for an asexual who is confronted by friends about how they are still a virgin at the age of [insert age here], and how that makes them weird.
Just a few months earlier, Cas would probably have shot back that he's an angel and that angels don't have sex. But he's newly fallen, cut off from Heaven, in a world and situation completely new to him, with Sam and Dean his only compass when it comes to appropriate behaviour. Dean, who never leaves any doubt that everyone wants sex, d'oh. So it's not that surprising that Cas is a little weirded out and confused. Here is something else that makes him not fit into this new world, where he needs to fit in because he lost his old world and with it the very strong bond he had with the other angels. This is obviously the next best thing this world has to offer to such a strong bond, right? At least according to the people who have lived in it longer than he has. A physical representation of love, they way Castiel understands it.
So he gets a little defensive, and replies with something that's kind of odd, actually: "I've never had occasion, okay?" Well, of course he never had occasion. Anna made it very clear that sex is one of the perks of humanity, and that it is something she'll have to give up again if she returns to being an angel (which is not entriely true as long as you're a rebellious angel. Just ask Gabriel and Balthazar). Something that she didn't want to give up.
Which is even more reason for Castiel to be thrown a little off balance here. So humans like sex, well, whatever. He isn't human. But Anna was a fellow angel and his superior. He looked up to her before she Fell. He probably looks up to her again now that he is rebellious himself. And Anna very obviously enjoyed sex very much.
So when Dean brings it up, Castiel suddenly realises that he is different in that respect, and after years of conformity and obedience, being truly different is a pretty frightening concept.
That's probably a big part of why he doesn't resist when Dean all but drags him into that brothel. He never looks particularly enthusiastic about it, though, and once they are there he's positively terrified. That's pretty OOC for Castiel, warrior and angel of the lord, showing fear like that. I doubt that it's the fact that they're in a brothel. Yes, Castiel calls it a den of iniquity, but he doesn't usually judge like that. I think he mainly tries to hide that he is utterly and completely out of his comfort zone. He hides it very badly.
What's even more interesting is when he actually leaves with Chastity. He knows how sex works (actual proof of that in 7x21, see below), and judging from the state of his shirt she went for it right away. And still he doesn't show any actual interest in it. Instead he looks her in the eyes and tries to talk to her about her father.
After they leave, Cas goes back to showing no interest in sex whatsoever. He has no problem talking about the topic on several occastions: "I'm utterly indifferent to sexual orientation." (7x01) "We were assigned to watch the earth. Often, it was boring. The wars were very boring and the sex – you know, the repetition." (7x21). The latter one, I think, is particularly interesting. Back in Heaven Castiel thought sex was boring. It doesn't seem to me like his opinion on this has changed when he states this during a time where he doesn't really filter his thoughts at all.
But let's go back to another scene that brings up the topic of Cas and sex. The porn scene in "Caged Heat" (an episode which I still dislike greatly, and like to pretend never happened, but it works well for my case here, so I'm still bringing it up).
The fear from the brothel scene is gone, but again Castiel shows nothing but confusion when faced with the topic of sex, and even his vessel's physical reaction to it. Yes, he kisses Meg later. I guess he finally did get curious enough to try to figure out what the fuss is all about. But he loses interest and is back to business as usual just as quickly, so the kiss obviously didn't do much for him. When Dean later tells Cas that "he'd have given him an hour with [Meg]" (a line that still makes my skin crawl but that's a different topic) Castiel doesn't even understand what Dean is talking about. He is back to showing no interest in any sexual experience with Meg, or anyone else.
On a side note, because it's a commen misconception: Asexuality has nothing to do with the ability to experience sexual arousal. It simply means that a person isn't sexually attracted to other people. If you want more on the topic asexuality.org is a good place to go.
The last episode I can think of that - indirectly - connects Castiel to sex is 7x17 and his (or Emmanuel's) marriage with Daphne. They have known each other for a few months maximum, they are married, and there clearly is something caring, even affectinate about the way Emmanuel treats her after the demon attack. Do you see any passion between them, like you would typically expect between a pretty newly wed sexual couple? I don't.
I actually like to believe that they never consumed their marriage. Or if they did, it was once, dutifully, in their wedding night.
There is future!Castiel of course, with his orgies. But quite honestly, he is so broken, that I don't think they have any actual meaning for him other than despise everything that once made him who he was and ultimately brought him there.
For the record: Yes, I read Calthazar that includes sex. I find it interesting though, that in almost all the fanfics I know, Balthazar is the one who initiates it, and Castiel goes along with it, often after being a little hesitant first, which fits perfectly within the spectrum of asexual behaviour.
The central scene to my argument is probably the brothel scene in Free To be You And Me, starting with Dean asking Castiel if he is still a virgin.
It's a topic that never came up in any scene with Cas before. He never showed any interest, he never inquired about it, and when it does come up in this scene, Castiel obviously feels extremely uncomfortable. His reaction - and I'm partially talking from personal experience here - is something that I believe is very typical for an asexual who is confronted by friends about how they are still a virgin at the age of [insert age here], and how that makes them weird.
Just a few months earlier, Cas would probably have shot back that he's an angel and that angels don't have sex. But he's newly fallen, cut off from Heaven, in a world and situation completely new to him, with Sam and Dean his only compass when it comes to appropriate behaviour. Dean, who never leaves any doubt that everyone wants sex, d'oh. So it's not that surprising that Cas is a little weirded out and confused. Here is something else that makes him not fit into this new world, where he needs to fit in because he lost his old world and with it the very strong bond he had with the other angels. This is obviously the next best thing this world has to offer to such a strong bond, right? At least according to the people who have lived in it longer than he has. A physical representation of love, they way Castiel understands it.
So he gets a little defensive, and replies with something that's kind of odd, actually: "I've never had occasion, okay?" Well, of course he never had occasion. Anna made it very clear that sex is one of the perks of humanity, and that it is something she'll have to give up again if she returns to being an angel (which is not entriely true as long as you're a rebellious angel. Just ask Gabriel and Balthazar). Something that she didn't want to give up.
Which is even more reason for Castiel to be thrown a little off balance here. So humans like sex, well, whatever. He isn't human. But Anna was a fellow angel and his superior. He looked up to her before she Fell. He probably looks up to her again now that he is rebellious himself. And Anna very obviously enjoyed sex very much.
So when Dean brings it up, Castiel suddenly realises that he is different in that respect, and after years of conformity and obedience, being truly different is a pretty frightening concept.
That's probably a big part of why he doesn't resist when Dean all but drags him into that brothel. He never looks particularly enthusiastic about it, though, and once they are there he's positively terrified. That's pretty OOC for Castiel, warrior and angel of the lord, showing fear like that. I doubt that it's the fact that they're in a brothel. Yes, Castiel calls it a den of iniquity, but he doesn't usually judge like that. I think he mainly tries to hide that he is utterly and completely out of his comfort zone. He hides it very badly.
What's even more interesting is when he actually leaves with Chastity. He knows how sex works (actual proof of that in 7x21, see below), and judging from the state of his shirt she went for it right away. And still he doesn't show any actual interest in it. Instead he looks her in the eyes and tries to talk to her about her father.
After they leave, Cas goes back to showing no interest in sex whatsoever. He has no problem talking about the topic on several occastions: "I'm utterly indifferent to sexual orientation." (7x01) "We were assigned to watch the earth. Often, it was boring. The wars were very boring and the sex – you know, the repetition." (7x21). The latter one, I think, is particularly interesting. Back in Heaven Castiel thought sex was boring. It doesn't seem to me like his opinion on this has changed when he states this during a time where he doesn't really filter his thoughts at all.
But let's go back to another scene that brings up the topic of Cas and sex. The porn scene in "Caged Heat" (an episode which I still dislike greatly, and like to pretend never happened, but it works well for my case here, so I'm still bringing it up).
The fear from the brothel scene is gone, but again Castiel shows nothing but confusion when faced with the topic of sex, and even his vessel's physical reaction to it. Yes, he kisses Meg later. I guess he finally did get curious enough to try to figure out what the fuss is all about. But he loses interest and is back to business as usual just as quickly, so the kiss obviously didn't do much for him. When Dean later tells Cas that "he'd have given him an hour with [Meg]" (a line that still makes my skin crawl but that's a different topic) Castiel doesn't even understand what Dean is talking about. He is back to showing no interest in any sexual experience with Meg, or anyone else.
On a side note, because it's a commen misconception: Asexuality has nothing to do with the ability to experience sexual arousal. It simply means that a person isn't sexually attracted to other people. If you want more on the topic asexuality.org is a good place to go.
The last episode I can think of that - indirectly - connects Castiel to sex is 7x17 and his (or Emmanuel's) marriage with Daphne. They have known each other for a few months maximum, they are married, and there clearly is something caring, even affectinate about the way Emmanuel treats her after the demon attack. Do you see any passion between them, like you would typically expect between a pretty newly wed sexual couple? I don't.
I actually like to believe that they never consumed their marriage. Or if they did, it was once, dutifully, in their wedding night.
There is future!Castiel of course, with his orgies. But quite honestly, he is so broken, that I don't think they have any actual meaning for him other than despise everything that once made him who he was and ultimately brought him there.
For the record: Yes, I read Calthazar that includes sex. I find it interesting though, that in almost all the fanfics I know, Balthazar is the one who initiates it, and Castiel goes along with it, often after being a little hesitant first, which fits perfectly within the spectrum of asexual behaviour.
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no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 07:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 07:23 am (UTC)You know, now that I think about it, there isn't any real indication that any angel in the Supernatural universe feels sexual attraction.
Anna was reborn human. The only angels who showed any interest in sex while being full-fledged angels were Gabriel and Balthazar. But that doesn't necessarily mean they ever experienced sexual attraction, does it? Maybe they just thought it was hilarious.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 07:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 08:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 09:58 am (UTC)I also believe that they are more emotionally and spiritually connected than anything else, and that is their version of intimacy.
It's that connection between another being that is so important to them, and it comes in different levels. There's the familial level, which connects all angels in Heaven together as brothers and sisters. It's what makes them united in a way, and the levels can range higher depending on the level of closeness and trust between another angel (ex: Castiel and Balthazar.) And then there's the level that is more spiritual love than anything else. Which is why I love the emphasis with Castiel and Dean and their profound bond, because that is what it is. It is their bond that is strong, it's not so much of an attraction physically but more of them connecting on a deeper level, something that cannot be expressed with words so much as seeing how if affects them both. With Castiel especially, you see how he has this deep affection and love for Dean, so much that he has literally risked everything for him. I think it would be pretty difficult to deny the fact he has that level of love for this particular human man.
Angels may be asexual, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of loving another.
Essentially, angels are these otherworldly beings that view humanity through a microscope and are genuinely curious because to them, we're foreign creatures. Sexuality in general may in fact be quite strange, and they don't see the big deal. But love, affection, deep spiritual connection to another, that is something they know very well. It's something that I think even Castiel has trouble conveying because he's able to communicate with his brothers and sisters with that amount of love and trust, but with Dean? It can be quite difficult because Dean is a complex individual and that level of connection and communicate is foreign to him, just as sexuality is foreign to angels.
I'm rambling now so I hope this all made sense. lol
tl;dr version: I agree with what you said, and Castiel loves Dean. :p
no subject
Date: 2012-08-16 10:43 am (UTC)All this is so very present every time two angels are in a scene together, and that's why it makes me furious when I hear people claim that angels don't love each other, or that Castiel learned the very concept of love or affection or friendship of family from his time on Earth. Angels do love, deeply, just in a different way than humans do.
I'm very glad I'm not the only one who sees it this way.