Yeah, that's the thing. Who knows? No one ever really dies on this show anymore, although I've long thought that's not really a good thing.

It did sort of thrill me that Crowley did it himself, although that also makes it more suspect that it's not really permanent at the same time.

Oh, come on. Jared let slip he and Misha were doing voice work for the Scooby Doo episode in S13. You know Jack's going to ressurect Cas in the first two minutes of 13.01. "Death" is purely for effect, on SPN. The Castiel-Destiel portion of SPN fandom is neither small nor quiet about their opinions, and TPB don't want to risk their fan base by permanently killing off a beloved, popular character. Bobby? you say? Well, popular, beloved, *handsome,* *shippable* character.

Given the writers' faulty memories, "out of sight, out of mind," so I doubt the brothers go into the AU after Mary, also because opening the rift will risk letting Lucifer slip back into this world. My fantasy is she joins up with Bobby and they hunt together. Though someone on another forum did prognosticate they bring John back to rescue her. Probably *their* wishful thinking, given JDM has his own series now.

I was sorry to see Rowena dispatched with no fanfare. I'm 50/50 on whether she and/or Crowley will be back. *Anybody* can be resurrected on SPN.

Things I loved beyond measure: Jody being staunch and steady throughout, and she got the kill shot on Hess with no monologuing, no hesitation. The "we happy few" scene, with Dean believing in Sam and telling him so. The "Butch and Sundance" scene, the intimacy and ease between them--and then Dean's a. thinking of the grenade launcher, and b. using it. I also loved like crazy the, "Hello, Lunatic."

Can't wait for 13!

Well, Bobby is dead and yet he's been back on the show numerous times.

And Jim Beaver has been doing a lot of good work elsewhere, which I'm sure is a good thing for him.

Yes, Beaver did refuse coming on as regular cast, to leave himself free to do other things while he was still recurring. He has said, since, that he misses the SPN set. He's probably glad to see everybody when he does get to pop up in an ep.

My point was, Cas is too widely and well-loved a character for them to kill off permanently. They could probably kill off Sam with less fan outcry--and I don't see them doing that, either.

Off topic, but Odette? (Did I already say this?) I just can't think of one nickname for that that I'd actually want to be called, and I don't really like the sound of the name itself.

Odette Elliot. Though I guess in the weird baby name Olympics, Jensen's twins still hold first place.

According to Mark Sheppard's Twitter, Crowley is really, most sincerely dead. Fans are tweeting that surely he'll be back, but he's saying "Nope." I do agree with Beverly that Jack will very likely resurrect Castiel before a single man tear falls.

I don't know the story behind it, but either Sheppard got tired that his character wasn't going anywhere, or was being sidelined. Or they fired him and are retroactively trying to keep their options open regarding him. But he has sounded very emphatic that neither he nor Crowley will be returning.

He's been so wonderful with fans at cons, and seemed to enjoy the experience. I hope whatever transpired won't keep him from attending future cons--he brings a touch of reality to the experience, and a sense of "do you actually understand what this fandom accomplishes?" to the fans.

I have appreciated Crowley from time to time. But I've been a big Mark Sheppard fan since Firefly.

Yes, it's always fun to see Mark Sheppard on his continual tour to dominate all prime-time television. Where will he appear next?