Dean's torture in hell was endless. Every time Alastair ripped him to shreds, he found himself reassembled in the morning for the next round. I assume the same would be true in purgatory, although I'm not sure how that makes it much different from hell.

I assume the same would be true in purgatory

I agree with this.

But will the same be true for non-dead, body-having Dean and Cas? If Cas' vessel is disassembled, will his celestial wavelength self survive? It's not like they have angel-swords down there.

Does Cas have an angel sword down there? What does kill a human down there? I mean, if you're assuming he doesn't eat, then hunger doesn't kill him, why would stabbing him in the heart do it?

Yeah, Cas would have his sword. I've always assumed that they were manifested when needed (so would they then go poof once that angel gets killed?) so it's not something he would misplace or leave behind.

if you're assuming he doesn't eat, then hunger doesn't kill him, why would stabbing him in the heart do it?

Excellent point.

Yay, Dean gets to die repeatedly! Again!

The only difference I can see is that Dean *isn't* dead this time, not like when he went to hell. At least that's the way I interpreted it. So maybe he would get hungry.

When Sam went to hell, I assumed the fall into the pit killed him.

Well, we don't know how he landed. I didn't think of him falling and dying. I just thought he "ended up" in the Cage, with all the precision that fails to convey.

I thought a fall like that would stop your heart long before you landed. I guess I'm also assuming, though, that it's not a literal drop from Stull into an actual pit. I thought heaven and hell were closer to another dimension than a tangible place you could get to.

So maybe he would get hungry.

But I don't want Dean to eat Cas!!

I highly doubt that's what would happen.

I don't get why your minds are not in the gutter. What's (not) wrong with you?