The reactions on Tumblr, which is the only place I've really looked, are so weird to me. Calling Dean holding Cas up when he stumbles in front of the sigils "the only good moment in a crappy episode" is just ... what?

What people want from Show, and what Show is, are two completely different things so much of the time.

For me, the episode was full of so many delightful and telling Winchester moments, as well as the bonus of Crowley in a trailer park, totally down at heel, and DEATH, who is fantastic in every way, every time he appears. There was Impala rebuilding, and Bobby there for the boys no matter what. Dean drinking his pain away, with porn sauce on top, and denying every horrible feeling just to keep on keeping on. Sam trying to be strong, Sam wanting one thing to seem okay for Dean, even if it wasn't, and Sam trying so hard to fix everything in the whole world while Dean concentrates on the car.

Dean was a little prickly, yes, but I keep seeing references to his "dickishness," which I guess stem from, what? His unwillingness to cradle Cas in his arms and croon lullabies as he dies? His unwillingness to accept Cas as God when "God" was on a homicidal murder spree, even if he was aiming at some pretty worthy targets?

But Dean's whole world had narrowed again, in losing Cas to this new power. And he wasn't even sure that Sam was going to survive -- plus, think of the guilt he must feel, in any kind of grief at losing Cas when Cas was the one to break the wall in Sam's head.

People. Hmph.

Edited because while "down at hell" is funny, it's not the same as "down at heel."

It's back, yay!

Death made an eclipse. He is the BAMFiest BAMF that ever BAMFed.

Oh, Sam, Sam, Sam. Calling for Cas, you are so freaking adorable. And it worked.

Dean and Death scenes are some of my favorites. Pickle chips. Good call.

Final moments of Cas were sweet... the look on his face with "I'm ashamed. I overreached." Noodle.

Leviathan!Cas looks to be all kinds of fun.

Did not expect to see Lucifer! (she said, excitedly??)

Tell me, am I over analyzing here - in the scene in the trailer with Crowly, Cas says,"...and we need to keep Michael in Lucifer's cage." He did not say, we need to keep Michael and Lucifer in the cage. Is Lucifer still in the cage? He didn't hitch a ride with Sam's soul did he? How is Sam walking and talking? He was supposed to be a complete wreck. Think Lucifer is holding him together? It doesn't really make sense to me, because why wouldn't Lucifer just completely take over. But, anyway, it just struck me oddly that he said "keep Michael in Lucifer's cage" and not mention both of them. And then Lucifer showed up in Sam's head, and it got me wondering.

The poor Weisses.

But, anyway, it just struck me oddly that he said "keep Michael in Lucifer's cage" and not mention both of them.

I mentioned that to S. when we were talking, but I don't know if it was just a shortcut construction, like if you call it "Lucifer's cage" it presupposes Lucifer is in it.

I don't *think* Lucifer is topside, because I think God!Cas would have known -- he knew where Crowley was despite his angel-proofing.

Calling Dean holding Cas up when he stumbles in front of the sigils "the only good moment in a crappy episode" is just ... what?

Those are the crazy shippers, who parallel the ones I've read that Dean was an asshole trying to save the world while his brother might be in trouble, and OMG how could Dean and Sam not hug, so OOC.

It seems to be pretty universally Dean's fault, for touching either one of them insufficiently.

Yeah, I agree - I'm 95% thinking Lucifer's still in the cage where he belongs, so not even worth mentioning that he's there. But there's that 5%... I think a teensy part of my being is a tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy theorist.

Oh, and I loved Bobby to Death: "... your... Honor."

Yes! "Your honor" was priceless.

Dean doesn't hug very often, really. And when he does, it's almost relief. Last night, he was holding everything in, he was balanced so precariously on the edge of totally losing it.

I was reading someone's LJ, and they posted that the anime was even more hugging than the live action. I had to comment, because "more"? They barely do! I hug my sister as much, and we live in different countries.

I do remember some fic where Sam is thinking, in his defense, that they're totally normal and hug quite a bit because they totally do every time one of them dies.

Loved the episode. . .loved it. I'm sure you have all covered the high points. Misha is going to have so much fun playing maniacal evil.

Death made an eclipse. He is the BAMFiest BAMF that ever BAMFed.

Yes he is. Again, Favorite Character. Dean arranging the food so carefully for him made me giggle.

I think Death is Dean's Santa, in a perverse and twisted way.