‘Supernatural’ season 9 debate: Where should Misha Collins’ Castiel go from here?
By the time that you read this, odds are that you have managed to digest what is going on when it comes to the end of “Supernatural” season 8. This leaves us with what we think is a pretty fascinating question to explore: Where does the show go from here, especially now that Castiel was tricked and Dean refused to allow Sam to be a sacrifice?
Based off of the finale alone, there are a few different ways in which executive producer Jeremy Carver and the writers could take this, but since this is just the first of what will be many debate articles coming this summer about “Supernatural” season 9, we’re going to start things off by focusing just on the fan favorite played by Misha Collins.
So what should Castiel do now? There aren’t enough details about what happened in his fall back to earth to really know what sort of state he is in. Is he free from all of the other angels, and what is his mission going to be now? The only thing that we can confirm for certain is that Collins is a series regular, and thus should appear in most of the episodes. We’re addressing this story around one simple question: Should Castiel spend his increased time in the spotlight working alongside Sam and Dean, or have his own stories that occasionally cross paths with the brothers? There’s a case to be made for each of them.
The case for keeping Castiel with Sam and Dean – This would be a story that is easy to follow. The gang together always leads to some funny moments since Collins and Jensen Ackles especially have some great energy that they can use to bounce off each other.
The case for separate stories – As we saw this past season, Castiel was pretty interesting when doing his own thing, and it allowed us to see a different spectrum of characters within the universe. Plus, it made his time with the Winchesters all the more impactful.
Our personal wish for the character is to see more human stories, largely because this is where you have the sort of delightful disconnect that occurs. The beauty of the Castiel character at this point is that he’s largely a lost soul, and no matter where he goes it’s almost a search for identity and for understanding.
We want to hear some of your thoughts on this “Supernatural” season 9 issue in the poll below, and if you want to see some ratings news about the show that had us very excited, be sure to hit up the link here.
Photo: The CW
Patricia Mullis
June 5, 2013 @ 2:00 pm
He belongs with the Winchesters.
Anya
May 28, 2013 @ 3:53 am
I love Cas on his own but his bromance with Dean is hard to beat.. The three of them have been through so much together and they need to stick together.. You can’t have Team Free Will without Castiel!!
Bryn
May 27, 2013 @ 8:57 pm
I’d like to see him with the Winchesters. Maybe a couple of eps where he is getting his footing, and figuring out how to get in touch with Dean, but I think it will take all three together to figure this mess out.
C.kaufman
May 27, 2013 @ 5:07 pm
Apart would be best, and bring him in a lot like it has been that would be great if him and bobby were doing some story line since heaven is taken over maybe he will release some of there old friends
Winchester
May 26, 2013 @ 9:41 pm
With the Winchesters. They all work together great when they are on the same page. Besides Castiel needs someone to help him with human things
Toni
May 26, 2013 @ 7:39 pm
I totally agree with Mel!! Cass has definately bcome apart of the family and it kills them, especiall Dean when he is away from them!! So leave Cass with the boys, where he belongs!!
Penny Stalder
May 26, 2013 @ 6:53 pm
Maybe seprerate some, have him helping some of the ‘ good ‘ angles exist here? Lol! Either way it’ll be good an time he and dean are together! :)
Aylam
May 26, 2013 @ 6:18 pm
More Team Free Will obviously!!
Yeah, more interaction with the brothers. More Cas/Dean on screen.
And not forget Crowley and Kevin!!
April
May 26, 2013 @ 3:50 pm
More with the Winchesters, definitely. Castiel’s interactions with both brothers is part of the reason I love him. I’d actually really enjoy seeing him work with Sam more, honestly.
Carolina
May 26, 2013 @ 3:48 pm
More Team Free Will, obviously!
di
May 26, 2013 @ 3:41 pm
I don’t want him to be separated from the Winchesters anymore, especially not from Dean. Now that Cas won’t be able to avoid talking to them by simply flying off, there’s a lot of potential in terms of relationship and character development. They’re family and only with the Winchesters together without Cas, there’ll always be a very important part missing. Also there’s still so much unsolved stuff between Dean and Cas and their relationship has become such a big and important part on this journey. As I said, there’s a lot of potential for an amazing ninth season. Please don’t throw it away.
Ladrake
May 26, 2013 @ 3:15 pm
I want more Dean/Cas screen time together. That’s what got me and keeps me into the show. I don’t see the problem of Cas integrated with the Winchesters, he’s part of the family, he’s into the family business. As long as it’s well written and not comic relief, I think Castiel can find purpose in helping people and in Dean. Having his own stories apart from the Winchesters would feel like an spin-off inside of the show and that’s not what I want to see. Dean and him have too many things to work out and nothing will change if the keep being separated.
noyoudontunderstandineedpie
May 26, 2013 @ 3:13 pm
But like guys, why don’t they attempt to look for the antichrist. If he can manipulate reality why not make the fallen, angels again?
MarissaAO
May 26, 2013 @ 2:48 pm
I just want him to have more screen time. The thing is, when he’s had his own individual missions – searching for God, the war in Heaven – they’ve mostly functioned as a way to keep him off-screen, yielding maybe two episodes if we’re lucky where Cas’ story actually comes into play on-screen.
I don’t want Cas to be just a sidekick, or an appendage to the Winchesters, which is the danger now that he’s largely powerless. He’s a goal-driven guy, and I think that would continue to be the case now that he’s human. I’m down with him having his own stories, just so long as they’re integrated into the show more than they have been in the past.
Deanna
May 26, 2013 @ 2:13 pm
While I agree more Castiel with the Winchesters, I don’t see the point , as some comments stated, of seeing more scenes between Sam and Castiel. Castiel won’t be in every episode, only in a few, and there will be a lot of moments with the three members of Team free will, that would leave not many screen time for Dean and Cas together, and the real chemistry, magic and intensity is in the interactions between Dean and Cas, so stealing D/C time for Cas to bond alone with Sam would be a waste.
dottweets
May 26, 2013 @ 3:11 pm
How is it “stealing”? It’s not believable to me to keep the relationships so strictly separated or that Sam and Castiel–who supposedly are friends and care for each other–get so few scenes together. It doesn’t mean fewer Dean and Castiel scenes, it’s part of fleshing out Castiel’s character and his spot in the family. Just like Dean and Cas scenes don’t take away from Sam and Dean.
Kelly
May 26, 2013 @ 9:59 pm
no sweetie as much as i love cas and the friendship between dean and cas the the real chemistry, magic and intensity is between dean and sam
dottweets
May 26, 2013 @ 1:18 pm
Definitely would like to see more of Castiel with the Winchesters. His complicated relationship with Dean continuing to grow, more Sam and Castiel scenes–that friendship needs some screentime. Also more of Sam and Dean and Castiel working as a team–I loved Hunter Heroici in season 8. Castiel does need stories that develop him as a character in his own right, not just his friendship with the Winchesters, but there’s room to do that without keeping them separated too much, and I hope we’ll have a lot less of Castiel disappearing in mid-conversation, and a lot more grounded, emotional scenes.
Makin
May 26, 2013 @ 11:53 am
While I love seeing Team Free Will together, I don’t want the writers to fall down a rabbit hole where Cas is shoe-horned into some MOW plot as comic relief. I love Cas and find him complex and engaging in his own right and with his own storyline, albeit one which involves intersecting with Sam and Dean. I’d like to see him serving the story (which is ultimately about the Winchesters), and not the story serving him.
Desizinnia
May 26, 2013 @ 11:48 am
More with the Winchesters! I love it when they are together. Team Free Will! And Cas is going to need all the support possible now that he has lost his Grace and angel powers. He needs Dean and Sam to be there for him, so I hope very much Castiel will be with them most of the time.
Sara
May 26, 2013 @ 11:46 am
Obviously with the Winchesters, my only incentive to watch supernatural is the interactions between Dean and Castiel, I want to see their bond strengthened and good progress in their relationship, I won’t bother to watch another season of miscommunication and misaunderstandings between the two. Also when Dean are Cas are teamed up in a case is always priceless.
Brynn
May 26, 2013 @ 11:43 am
Definitely more with the Winchesters!
thursdaysisters
May 26, 2013 @ 10:17 am
While the fans will tolerate one episode of Cas as the Pizza Man just trying to pay the bills, he needs to be with the Boys.
jen
May 26, 2013 @ 10:11 am
I’ll be kind of annoyed if they string us along and don’t put Cas and the Winchesters together until sometime midseason, or they split them up repeatedly for weird reasons/ have them get in completely gratuitous fights just to shovel in meaningless tension (like they did when they had the Winchesters argue around the middle of season 8-it felt pointless and was kind of irritating). However if they genuinely have something cool in mind (like the purgatory storyline) then I won’t be mad about it. I get annoyed when it feels like they make things more difficult for the characters by relying on them to make really stupid or out of character decisions. But I’m fine with them playing around with unusual ideas.
Castiel4ever
May 26, 2013 @ 5:45 am
More team free will, I love it when Cas is with Sam and Dean! He adds greater stability and grip:D I just want more Castiel overall!!!
the winchesters
May 26, 2013 @ 2:39 am
i prefer them with the Winchesters, Dean and Sam are his family now they are his brothers. i love the dean and cas friendship and the sam and cas friendship dean and cas are practically brothers now ever since this season and i hope it will stay that way. i love this show family doesn’t end in blood
TFWFan
May 26, 2013 @ 2:08 am
As happy as I am whenever Castiel is on an episode of Supernatural, I am most happy to have him with Sam and Dean, working together as a team. The chemistry between all three actors is amazing. I love Dean and Castiel’s bond, and want to see even more of Cas and Sam’s friendship, and just more,more,more of Team Free Will in Season 9!
Sarah
May 26, 2013 @ 1:14 am
Amen to Mel, I want to see him with the brothers. There are still problems that need to be resolved and now that he can’t blip off for months at a time, maybe some old issues can finally be talked about more and hopefully resolved. I’m just so excited to see team free will back together :) Plus I think we can all agree Cas is going to need some more moral support now that he is human
kay66
May 26, 2013 @ 1:01 am
I would like to see Castiel with the Winchesters because a problem in past seasons has been, whenever we saw progression in the relationships, Dean and Castiel, and Sam and Castiel (now that is something I’d like to see explored more) Cas would literally wing off (being dragged away to service the plot) while I don’t mind Cas having a few eps on his own, or in the company of Charlie, Garth, Jodi or Kevin, we could finally see some growth for Castiel in relation to the two most important people in his life, Dean and Sam, AND, all of Castiels problems since season five have been because he didn’t have the support he needed from the Winchesters. If Cas was on his own too much I’d say, well, give him and Charlie a spin off-show (Charlie’s Angel pun not intended)
Jenny
May 25, 2013 @ 11:44 pm
I want him with Sam and Dean. The relationships between them are what’s interesting to me. I don’t want to see separate storylines.
Mel
May 25, 2013 @ 11:18 pm
I’d prefer to see him with the Winchesters. As much as I love Cas any way I can get him, I’m tired of him being separated from the boys. This is a show about family, and Cas has become a part of theirs. I want to see that on screen.