Ana and Castiel's resurrections are as yet unexplained too, right?

The Anna that is no more is the present day Anna. Her individual timeline is unchanged, since she didn't meet or do anything to 1978 Anna. So she doesn't have to exist dually, the 1978 Anna is unharmed, presumably hanging out in Heaven.

I do agree that they didn't make time travel harder. I mean, we may find after this that Cas is pretty much a done deal, and in that case Anna's decision is much more of a hail mary. I'm willing to handwave that Michael can manage it a little better because Right Hand of God or whatever.

It's a shame that Michael didn't bring Cas back too, rather than Cas having to find his own way, but I guess that's what you get when you defy Heaven.

Dean growling, "What's dead should stay dead," is so heartbreaking in today's episode (the zombie one, I forget the title). DEAN. Listen to yourself, baby. It would save you so much heartache later.

I do agree that they didn't make time travel harder. I mean, we may find after this that Cas is pretty much a done deal

Explain this a little more? I feel like I'm missing something.

Only partway through watching it so far--"Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things." Except Dean can't leave dead things dead, or no show! The Winchesters must be undeadened.

Until, of course, they must no longer.

It's true. But wait till the end -- his reason for being so adamant is a little different. I had forgotten.

Explain this a little more? I feel like I'm missing something.

He said that the time travel weakened him. Being cut off from heaven, one assumes he doesn't get recharged on his powers, so two time-travel trips might have worn out a lot of the power he had left. I don't know that's what's gonna happen, just speculation/curiosity.

Oh, so when you said "done deal," you meant he might be completely human now, yes? Got it.

I had forgotten.

I have forgotten so much--and then I watch only 20 minutes before I leave for work and I'm tempted to read up on the episode before I get home. Must resist...but I have to admit...other than seeing Sam process his loss and Dean markedly not, this one doesn't grab me so much.

Being cut off from heaven, one assumes he doesn't get recharged on his powers

Since resting in 1978 let him be able to travel back to 2010, I'm at least hoping he can recharge that way. I understand why he can't be tossing around his full mojo, but I don't want him at zero yet.

other than seeing Sam process his loss and Dean markedly not, this one doesn't grab me so much

Wait till you see the end. The MOW is strictly a vehicle for Winchester issues here, true, but the very end of the episode is worth it for me.

Wait till you see the end.

TORTURE.

Which I guess is only fair.