So AfterElton? TOTALLY ships Dean/Castiel [link]

ita, didn't you have thoughts on AHBL2 for us?

I do, but they're half-baked. I'm going to watch again this morning.

I did go back and read my thoughts the first time it aired, and apparently Dean's smile stuck with me then too. Ah, the things.

I did adore JA losing his neutral accent and sounding totally Texan under the stress of monologuing to Sam's body. So what if it was out of character? It was very endearing.

It kills me when his Texas slips out there. It does with both of them from time to time, but that scene was just so much more ... heartfelt? because of it. I don't know. It just sounded really, really genuine to me.

Let me start by saying: "Dean. Oh, Dean, oh Dean, oh--Dean."

This episode is one of the brotheringest things in Siblingville, Brotherdom. Obviously there's Dean's torture over and sacrifice for Sam, but I swear I've never heard more little brother in Sam's voice than in this ep.

Watching Dean try and keep him from leaving after the resurrection is quite adorable and fated to failure. But most little-brotherish is Sam's "You did it!" marvelling after Dean's killing the YED. And I really like that they saved the snappy patter for after the kill. That moment needed to be wordless.

I'm most dissatisfied with Jake's conversion. I don't think he and the YED sold that moment well enough for me. Jake was way evil by the time he got to the graveyard. I didn't see where all that happened. I think I needed...well, not more talking on the part of the YED, but perhaps different talking. Cutting to the "and then profit!" part earlier, somehow. Or making it more about giving into the dark side for the benefit of Jake's family.

Dean and Bobby was great--all the big times. The explosion at the start--I'm impressed by the apology. I'm not sure if I would have bothered. It seemed quite excusable at the time. The look on Bobby's face when Sam showed up at the door--keeping Dean's secret, but oh so judging. And then trying to drill home to Dean that he has some worth...which obviously didn't really take. If it ain't about killing demons or saving Sam, Dean still has no point. But cupping his face was touchingly done.

Ellen! "Sh...oot him." Go you.

I'm torn on whether Dean actually heard that Sam would sacrifice for him, but at least I think he heard that Sam loves him above all else. It's a start. I just don't think his world view (at the time, at least) involves Sam sacrificing.

Ellen having more steel in her than any of the guys in that scene was the only thing that made me overlook the cliche of the woman being held hostage.

I just rewatched "Road Kill" and now I want Tricia Helfer to reprise her character in season 6.

To what effect? I can see Tessa coming back, or somone, but what's her character got to offer?

Yeah, I don't think "spirit at rest" automatically equals an angel, if that's where you were going, Laga.

Character I would most like to see return, and one who could really add to the storyline: Missouri Moseley.

Amy, I will second, third, and fourth that proposal re. Missouri.