...everything we've seen up to this point indicates demons (and angels for that matter) have to have a person's consent to take their soul.

The crossroads demon in AHBL didn't need Sam's permission. Dean traded his own soul while Sam was in heaven, according to later canon. Sam was yanked out of heaven, soul and all, without his consent.

Azazel did make a point, however, to say he couldn't make the deal himself ("red tape" he called it). Unless they screw around with their own canon, seems that some human would have had to make a deal with Crowley. Sampa?

The mother thing might tie back into the idea of nephilim.

I wonder if this will change the Cas true form fics.

Also! Next week! Sniper!Dean! I am aflutter.

I wonder if this will change the Cas true form fics.

Chrysler Building, baby. That's a game-changer when it comes to sexy times.

Cas is Art Deco. I approve.

How big are his erogenous zones? Enquiring minds need to know.

So...is Mary in purgatory? She didn't go out normally--she was a poltergeist that extinguished itself. Is John in purgatory? Where did he go after escaping Hell?

Definitely something I hope they pursue, ita. I know the meta reasons we didn't see Mary and John in heaven -- now they need to figure out the 'verse explanation for where they are instead, or why they're holed up so secretly in heaven, if they are there.

Eh, 100 billion private Heavens, I could see Ash just not having stumbled across the right one yet.

Dean traded his own soul while Sam was in heaven, according to later canon. Sam was yanked out of heaven, soul and all, without his consent.

We don't actually know that. Dean's experience with Tessa and the ghosts in "Houses of the Holy" and that Tricia Helfer episode indicate that there's a transitional process taking some variable amount of time before people go into the light. Sam may not have gotten there yet. My assumption is that Zachariah greased the wheels in "Dark Side of the Moon" to get them both into his clutches quicker.

I could see Ash just not having stumbled across the right one yet.

Yes and didn't he say something about them wanting to be found? Maybe John and Mary are happy alone together.

Laga, that is exactly how I picture them. John and Mary can finally be together without monsters. And both of them make sure they stay off the grid.

From earlier: Mary wasn't a poltergeist. She was extinguished from fighting the poltergeist/evil energy in "Home". I'm thinking that gets you miles towards an upgrade into Heaven.

I think it's even clearer after this episode that the boys are destined for each other. May they never get properly healthy. Sam's willing to submit to Dean, even though he can outpower and outreact him. He just can't outplan or outfeel him. And he knows this. And Dean is domming his wee head off. These are my boys. Fucked up, and a new kind of fucked up, but my boys.

Mary wasn't a poltergeist.

Was she just a ghost, then? What's the differentiating line?