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gwaevalarin
While I still wish we'd seen more of Castiel's journey so far, while there are so many blanks that we have to fill and interpret ourselves, now, looking back over the last two seasons and seeing them as a whole, I think Castiel got the perfect story. A story that changed him, a story that, like every good story, has a beginning, a middle and, most importantly, a proper ending. A story that you can't really appreciate properly until you know all three parts, know where it's coming from when you join it and where it's heading when you leave it again, knowing that it will continue somewhere else - or in the next season of the show. But I'm still prentending that Supernatural has ended. Makes it easier to get through the hiatus not knowing what will happen and if I even want season 6. A story that has left an impression like, well, like a handprint on your shoulder.
When Castiel turned up two seasons ago, I was intrigued but I didn't expect that his story would mean so much to me. But it did. And this is why I am going to go all the way back to when we first met the mighty angel that we'd someday affectionately call "Cas" because we got to know him as a person and not just a supernatural being. And I'm going to take this journey again, knowing, this time, where it's heading. And when I do that I'll try to put my thoughts into words, right here, mainly for myself, but also for everyone else who might be interested.
Ready? Here we go.
I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition (4x01)
Our first encounter with Castiel is a little indirect. He's just light and noise and destruction which makes it difficult to look at him as a character at this point because he seems more like a supernatural force when he tries to communicate with Dean in the gas station and the motel room. But you can already see some of Castiel's character traits even there. A little impulsive at times and, at this point, compeletely unaware of the true concept of humanity. Castiel hasn't been around humans for at least 2000 years so he needs some time to understand that Dean - even though he's from the right bloodline - cannot deal with his real voice and using so much force on him will never get Dean to listen anyway.
Castiel loves the human race. But not because he truely cares for them but simply because that's what God asks of him. They're like the baby brothers and sisters Daddy asked him to look after but whom he doesn't really take serious and who he never really tried to understand. Which is probably why he raises Dean from the dead but leaves him in his grave not even considering that Dean might have trouble crawling out on his own.
The next human to get in contact with Castiel is Pamela and it costs her her eyesight. You can't really blame Castiel for that incident. He didn't hurt her on purpose and this time it is not even thoughlessness on his side. He did warn her, he told her to turn away but Pamela refused to listen. Then again, I don't think he lost sleep over that either - not even if he needed sleep in the first place.
Then, when Dean and Bobby summon him, we finally meet Castiel in person, or in his vessel, to be precise. And what an entry it is.
All storm and darkness and lightning, indestructable to rock salt or knives, showing off a little with his shadow wings like they're proof of anything. And they are. There is something about these wings that leaves no doubt that he really is who he says he is:
"Who are you?"
"Castiel."
"Yeah, I figured that much. I mean what are you?"
"I'm an Angel of the Lord"
"Get the hell outta here. There's no such thing."
"This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith."
There's something frightening about him but at the same time something very gentle. I remember that it took quite a few episodes before I started trusting him and that in that scene I basically reacted like Dean. Now I can hardly remember why.
I think Dean's reaction puzzles Castiel and sparks his interest from the very start. All confused head tilt and curiosity in his eyes and voice, he tries to figure out what it is that makes Dean doubt things on which he himself never would have wasted a single thought because they are what they are and have always been that way.
"Good things do happen, Dean."
"Not in my experience."
"What's the matter? You don't think you deserve to be saved."
The whole concept of doubt, free will and having an opinion of your own, all that is new to Castiel. And he seems almost sad that Dean doesn't understand and believe. But he won't let that bother him right now, because there's more important things to think about.
You should show me some respect (4x02)
Castiel comes back after the fight is over and it's curious how Dean wakes up as soon as the angel arrives almost like he can feel his presence.
When Dean critizises Castiel for not helping them, Castiel makes his position clear.
"Read the bible. Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier. [..] I'm not here to perch on your shoulder."
And while he still tries to remain calm and in control you can clearly see how he's slowly losing patience with every sentence Dean fires at him. He is fighting, he is playing his part. His brothers are dying and Dean is questioning all that. And the main problem is that deep down Castiel probably knows that Dean might have a point. And that's a scary thought.
And then Dean even questions the very existence of God. "There is a god." This so such an undeniable fact for Castiel and it's the one thing that he will never doubt even though he's never met his father. But Castiel's whole existence is based around the fact that God exists and he, Castiel, is doing God's will. But as to why God doesn't help, Castiel doesn't have an answer. That is a question that in his world you simply don't ask. Neither do you ask why you're not supposed to ask questions like that.
When it's back to the "simple" questions of what's happening and what needs to be done about it Castiel seems a lot more comfortable again. A conversation between two warriors in the fight to stop the Apocalypse. In that respect he almost treats Dean as an equal to whom he's giving the required information for their next move.
But when Dean gets sarcastic again, Castiel does lose his patience and it becomes clear that in Castiel's eyes they are far from being equals. Castiel does have a hint of the same arrogance that led to Luifer's fall. Who is Dean to criticise him and his brothers? He saved Dean from hell and now Dean is supposed to do what he's been told. Of course, Castiel picked the wrong human for that.
Your brother is headed down a dangerous road, Dean. (4x03)
Again Castiel turns up out of nowhere when Dean is asleep. This time on Dean's bed. Respecting Dean's personal space is something Castiel will never learn.
The way he asks, Castiel knows exactly what Dean was dreaming about. I'm just not sure if that's because he knows that if you've literally been to hell and back you don't forget about it, you can't black it out no matter how hard you try. Or is it because Castiel took a peek into Dean's dream which would be a whole new level of invading Dean's personal space.
Castiel is very cryptic about where he's sending Dean and why. Like there's no time to explain which there probably isn't. The past won't go anywhere but Sam has already left with Ruby and, after all, that's really what Dean's little trip is all about. But why tell Dean that he has to stop it instead of just telling him that there's somehting he needs to know? He's openly lying to Dean, he knows perfectly well that Dean won't be able to change anything. But he needs Dean to try in order to prove the point he's trying to make. Destiny can't be changed.
Back in 1973 Castiel has a little more time to explain his time bending abilities but obviously not enough time to elaborate on the "You have to stop it." in more detail. Then he's gone again having given Dean nothing more than a confirmation that he's exactly where (and when) Castiel wants him to be. And even though Dean is annoyed about not getting a straight answer this is enough. There is already some sort of trust forming between them.
Castiel turns up one more time still being very cryptic about why he brought Dean to 1973. He can't tell him. Dean has to figure this out by himself. And he has to figure it out before Castiel can tell him where Sam went or that he left at all. He's trying not to manipulate Dean or force an opinion on him having figured out by now that Dean needs to make up his own mind. So all Castiel does is give Dean something to think about:
"I realise."
"And you don't care?"
"Oh, I care. I care a lot. But these are my parents. I'm not gonna let them die again. I can't."
Why does he bring up the topic if the future can't be changed anyway? My guess is that Castiel is taking the chance to try and figure out Dean's motives. He's curious. He wants to know why Dean acts the way he does. He's starting to take an honest interest in Dean.
The Castiel leaves Dean on his own for the rest of the story and only returns when Dean has learned what he needed to learn to bring him back into his own time.
When he puts his hand on Dean's shoulder there's true sympathy in his eyes. This is the first real moment the two of them share.
Castiel is aware of what he's put Dean through and he is sorry that he had to put him through it knowing how it would always end. He doesn't exactly apologies when he tells Dean the truth but for Castiel this comes pretty close to an apology, and an honest, heartfelt one at that. Especially since he has even more bad news for Dean and he knows that Dean won't like his assignment.
"Your brother is headed down a dangerous road, Dean. So stop it. Or we will."
Castiel might feel sympathetic towards Dean but he has no sympathy whatsoever for Sam. And anyway, they're still only two humans and there's a bigger picture to think about. So Castiel may know that he's asking a lot of Dean but he will ask it all the same without the slightest hesitation.
All screencaps from Misha-Collins.Net and Supernatural.tv
