[Warning: The next accommodates spoilers for Thursday’s episode of Supernatural, “Despair.” Learn at your individual threat!]
To say that quite a bit occurred in Thursday’s episode of Supernatural is a gross understatement. Jack (Alexander Calvert) practically died (properly, he exploded within the Empty however walked away just about unscathed), all people from Apocalypse World went poof, a la Avengers: Infinity Battle, whereas Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Jack helplessly watched (increase your hand if Donna’s terrified “Sam?!” delivered the identical intestine punch as Peter Parker’s “Mr. Stark, I do not really feel so good”), and Castiel (Misha Collins) made the final word sacrifice for Dean (Jensen Ackles) after lastly realizing that true happiness comes from inside.
Castiel’s sacrifice completes the deal he made in Season 14 to avoid wasting Jack’s life. Quite than depart the younger Nephilim condemned to the Empty endlessly, Cas agreed to take Jack’s place — bargaining a soul for a soul. Nevertheless, the deal did not go into impact instantly. It was solely when Cas lastly achieved true happiness that he’d be yanked to the Empty and relaxation there for eternity. That bittersweet second got here on the finish of Thursday’s episode, with Demise (Lisa Berry) actually banging on the door, and Cas and Dean bracing for the top.
The second led Cas to inform Dean what he had discovered through the years. “Happiness is not within the having, it is in simply being. It is in simply saying it,” Castiel mentioned. “All the pieces you will have ever executed — the nice and the unhealthy — you will have executed for love. You fought for this entire world for love. That’s who you’re. You are probably the most caring man on Earth. You’re the most selfless human being I’ll ever know. Ever since we met, ever since I pulled you out of hell, realizing you has modified me. Since you cared, I cared. I cared about you, I cared about Sam, I cared about Jack. I cared about the entire world due to you. You modified me, Dean.”
Then, in a heartbreaking goodbye, Cas advised Dean, “I like you,” and allowed the Empty to assert him — together with Demise — leaving a devastated Dean behind.
Cas’ symbolic demise marks a full-circle journey for the beloved character, who advanced from a callous celestial being to somebody who lastly understood what it means to be human. Chatting with TV Information weeks earlier than the episode aired, Collins mirrored on Castiel’s exceptional journey throughout 12 seasons.
“One of many fascinating issues about engaged on a personality for therefore lengthy is that the character naturally simply advanced. Castiel is completely different now than he was when the present began,” Collins advised TV Information. “It was actually fascinating as an actor to expertise the refined transitions that occurred over time with Castiel that weren’t even essentially aware selections. It was similar to, he is now extra aware of people and the way they work together with each other, so he is not fairly as a lot of a fish out of water as he was.”
Collins continued, “Castiel has downloaded all pop cultural references, and so he understands the nuance of a tradition now in a manner that he did not earlier than. All of those strata of various experiences layered on prime of one another to progressively alter the character of Castiel and the relationships that he had with Sam, and Dean, and Jack, and all the opposite essential characters on the present over time. With the ability to expertise the subtlety of that evolution over time was actually fascinating and never one thing that I think about that I will ever have once more in my profession.”
The subsequent episode of Supernatural airs Thursday at 8/7c on The CW.
The Supernatural collection finale is about to air on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 9/Eight on The CW, preceded by the hour-long particular, “Supernatural: The Lengthy Street House” at 8/7c.
Misha Collins, Supernatural