The Angel Of The Lord, The Unbelieving Hero, and The Hero Without A Name
Anno Domini two-thousand-and-eight. September. With the forces of Hell becoming stronger, more confident, wreaking greater and greater havoc, God finally chooses to intervene. He sends a single warrior angel on a mission - walk into Hell itself, locate the soul of a fallen hero, and return him to life and Earth so that he may work to prevent the Apocalypse.
The angel finds him at his worst, his lowest, broken in body, mind and soul. But, never doubting his Father's mission, the angel grips him tight and raises him from Perdition.
He heals him, mends wounds and removes scars, re-sets broken bones, makes him whole and as beautiful once more as he was created to be. He breathes life into him, gives him the ultimate second chance - and leaves him to wake up alive in the pine box in which his brother buried him four months earlier, to crawl his own way back into the light.
The angel has not been to Earth in two millennia. He hasn't walked among humans since the days of Jesus of Nazareth. He's expecting the man God wanted rescued to be… well, Chosen. With all the abilities and talents of The Chosen throughout the centuries, first and foremost among them the ability to communicate with Heavenly Agents, to withstand, even with mortal ears, the voices of angels and the word of God. But two attempts to speak with his charge cause only pain and terror, shattered glass and bleeding ears. This isn't going to work…
Elsewhere, a devout man prays. He prays to be of service to God and - miracle of miracles - his prayers are answered. The angel needs a human vessel in order to converse.
This devout man will be instrumental in averting the Apocalypse, take an essential role in saving all of Creation.
And we don't even know his name.
After his resurrection, the only marks Dean now has on his body are 1) the anti-possession tattoo he shares with Sam, and…
…2) Castiel's handprint, branded into his skin as the angel dragged him out of the fires of Hell.
Castiel's entrance. How long has his vessel been in service at this point? Was it perhaps only moments ago that our unknown devout man was praying, not truly knowing what he was about to be enlisted for?
Dean: And what visage are you in now, huh? What, holy tax accountant?
Castiel: This? This is... a vessel.
Dean: You're possessing some poor bastard?
Castiel: He's a devout man, he actually prayed for this.
I love the tinge of pride we can hear and glimpse as Castiel speaks of his vessel. He's proud of his vessel's Faith, probably grateful to have discovered that not all humans these days are as unbelieving as Dean Winchester. He might even be a little happy with how the vessel looks (and let's be honest here - that's a damned fine vessel *wink*), happy with how useful this vessel is going to be on this mission. Castiel hasn't walked the Earth in two thousand years; I'm guessing his last vessel flapped around in sandals and a kaftan of some sort - no wonder he's only loosened his tie instead of taking it off, he wouldn't know how to tie it back up again, would he?
Dean: And why would an angel rescue me from Hell?
Castiel: Good things do happen, Dean.
Dean: Not in my experience.
Castiel: What's the matter? You… don't think you deserve to be saved.
As an angel, Castiel's emotional responses aren't as nuanced as a human's, and he's brand new inside this body, remember, a novice at working human facial muscles and all. It was touching already, to see the first realisation - that his charge is not a Believer - dawn upon him, but when, in the middle of this sentence, he comprehends the complete absence of Dean's self-esteem, his expression is heartbreaking.
Dean: I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, haloes. You know, Michael Landon. Not dicks.
Castiel: Read the Bible. Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier. I am not here to perch on your shoulder.
He's really trying to get a handle on this man, y'know? Dean is unlike any human Castiel's ever encountered before - and it shows. :)
Castiel: The Lord works -
Dean: If you say "in mysterious ways", god help me, I will kick your ass!
That's our boy. Only Dean Winchester could piss an angel off this badly.
Dean: I thought Lucifer was just a story they told in demon sunday school? There's no such thing.
Castiel: Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as me.
Does Castiel realise how perfect his argument is for debating this issue with this particular man? Dean believes in what he can see with his own eyes - this is why he doesn't believe in God. Castiel's rebuttal here is exactly the reminder Dean needs.
Castiel: Six of my brothers died in the field this week. You think the armies of Heaven should just follow you around?
I love how the vessel has quite the quiff happening here. And did you notice Castiel has fixed the vessel's clothes after they got all shot up and slashed upon first meeting Dean and Bobby? I'm sure that Castiel has healed the vessel's body after that incident, too, just like he healed Dean after Hell. Makes me wonder what other maintenance Castiel has to make for his vessel. Does he feed and water this body? Or is his heavenly presence within it enough to sustain it? No one wants to have to think about an angel having to deal with the process of a body's waste elimination, I guess, so we'll all just go with the heavenly presence solution, shall we?
Castiel: You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of Hell. I can throw you back in.
I loved the flicker of genuine fear that passed over Dean when Castiel leaned in close and then threatened him so quietly. And it happened before Castiel mentioned Hell, too, so it wasn't that that Dean flinched at - it was the proximity of this awesome being, the power that must simply radiate from Castiel's presence. Such intense acting from Jensen and Misha here as Dean and Castiel have their first proper discussion about what's going on. I find myself holding my breath when I watch them…
Castiel: What were you dreaming about?
Dean: What, you get your freak on by watching other people sleep?
Just how long was Castiel watching before Dean woke up? And don't you love the way Misha delivered that line? "What were you dreaming about?" We don't know fully yet all that Dean went through in Hell, but Castiel does. Castiel would have had to have SEEN it when he got there. What might Dean and all the demons have been in the middle of when Castiel arrived? And this begs another thought - Dean confessed to Sam at the end of Wishful Thinking that he remembers everything about Hell, that it's all there in his memory, all the time. Does he remember right up to the very, very end of his time there? When a warrior angel fought its way to him, perhaps? Being Dean, he surely would've had something to say in that moment. "Don't tell me. You're Luke Skywalker and you're here to rescue me? Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?"
Dean accepts a comforting touch from his angel. No words pass between them, but the compassion in Castiel's eyes, and the apology and guilt and sorrow in Dean's needs none.
Castiel: The truth, Dean. Now you know everything we do.
Dean: What are you talking about?
Castiel: *looks sadly toward Sam's empty, unslept-in bed and lets Dean make the connections*
I don't think Castiel sent Dean back in time JUST for "the truth". I think it was the clincher in getting Dean to really start trusting the angel. Castiel only has to look at Sam's bed and two seconds later Dean's diving for his coat, checking his gun and running out the door. He doesn't stand around to debate the issue or tell the angel to fuck off if he's gonna go casting aspersions upon Dean's beloved little brother - he just grabs his gun and coat and goes.
Significantly, the next time we hear Dean mention Castiel, just two scenes after this one, he will be calling his angel by a nickname - Cas.
Sam: Oh my god! Er, ugh - I didn't mean to - sorry! It's an honour. Really. I've heard a lot about you.
Castiel: And I, you. Sam Winchester. The boy with the demon blood.
I wonder if the second hand was always in the script from the start or if that got added along the way somewhere? I truly love how Castiel hesitated so long when Sam wanted to shake his hand. Was it that he didn't actually want to? Or was the angel simply uncomprehending about this strange human custom?
I like looking at this screencap. Sam's and Castiel's hands, hands that have comforted Dean and healed Dean.
Dean and Castiel, Jensen and Misha, are so fiercely INTENT upon each other, throughout every scene. Sam can be speaking and Dean and Castiel, although they're both listening, are unable to drag their gaze away from each other. The ferocity of that connection, that bond between Rescuer and Charge, especially now that trust is building between them, is palpable in every look these two actors send each other's way. Upon re-watching, now that we know what the angel's true orders were, just watch the subtle change in Castiel's expression when Dean takes over and starts calling the shots about what's going to happen to the town. We hear Castiel tell Dean later that he was praying for Dean to make the choice he did. When you re-watch the scene in the hotel room now, you can actually pinpoint the moment when Dean Winchester answers an angel's prayer.
Castiel: You're close to blasphemy. There's a reason we were sent to save him. He has potential. He may succeed here.
Interestingly, when speaking to another angel about Dean, Castiel says "WE were sent to save him", not "I". Castiel rescued Dean from Hell, gave him new life, has become his advisor and comrade and tentatively, just tentatively, perhaps friend, and yet he distances himself from his relationship to Dean here. Does he not want Uriel to know how fond he's becoming of his charge?
Another interesting point is in the final scene of 4.07, Dean is looking the other direction when Castiel silently appears on the second park bench. I can't discern the usual flap-of-wings effect on the soundtrack that usually heralds Castiel's approach, yet Dean starts speaking to him even while facing in the opposite direction. Has he become so attuned to the angel's appearances already?
But of course, the most charming moment of this scene is right there in the screencap. Dean makes Castiel laugh. It's not a huge laugh, naturally - he's an angel, after all. According to lore, he's supposed to have so little sense of emotion or humour as to be practically an automaton. But he's starting to get a handle on humans a little better now, starting to work Dean out a bit, starting to seem a little looser in his borrowed body. Castiel is a warrior, remember. He's been fighting God's battles - on Faith! - for thousands and thousands of years. He's watched countless number of his brethren fall on the battlefield. He's walked in and out of Hell itself - and you can bet Hell doesn't give up its souls easily. He's a hard man, this angel. And here he is, sharing a companionable moment on a park bench in the sun with a broken human who's been living a warrior's life since the age of four. And Dean makes him laugh.
Castiel: Can I tell you something if you promise not to tell another soul?
Dean: Okay.
Castiel: I'm not a… hammer, as you say. I have questions, I have doubts. I don't know what is right and what is wrong anymore.
Welcome to the shades of grey, Castiel. Please be careful. And please let your vessel - whoever he is - know how grateful we all are.
Not dial-up friendly.
NO SPOILERS, not even for Australian tv. Please keep comments spoiler-free from 4.09-onwards (that's as far as Aussie tv is at the moment and I'd hate for my friends to get spoilt for the reveals in IKWYDLS and H&H). Thanks. :)
All screencaps from oxoniensis.
With great thanks to Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles for making these scenes so mesmerising.
The angel finds him at his worst, his lowest, broken in body, mind and soul. But, never doubting his Father's mission, the angel grips him tight and raises him from Perdition.
He heals him, mends wounds and removes scars, re-sets broken bones, makes him whole and as beautiful once more as he was created to be. He breathes life into him, gives him the ultimate second chance - and leaves him to wake up alive in the pine box in which his brother buried him four months earlier, to crawl his own way back into the light.
The angel has not been to Earth in two millennia. He hasn't walked among humans since the days of Jesus of Nazareth. He's expecting the man God wanted rescued to be… well, Chosen. With all the abilities and talents of The Chosen throughout the centuries, first and foremost among them the ability to communicate with Heavenly Agents, to withstand, even with mortal ears, the voices of angels and the word of God. But two attempts to speak with his charge cause only pain and terror, shattered glass and bleeding ears. This isn't going to work…
Elsewhere, a devout man prays. He prays to be of service to God and - miracle of miracles - his prayers are answered. The angel needs a human vessel in order to converse.
This devout man will be instrumental in averting the Apocalypse, take an essential role in saving all of Creation.
And we don't even know his name.
After his resurrection, the only marks Dean now has on his body are 1) the anti-possession tattoo he shares with Sam, and…
…2) Castiel's handprint, branded into his skin as the angel dragged him out of the fires of Hell.
Castiel's entrance. How long has his vessel been in service at this point? Was it perhaps only moments ago that our unknown devout man was praying, not truly knowing what he was about to be enlisted for?
Dean: And what visage are you in now, huh? What, holy tax accountant?
Castiel: This? This is... a vessel.
Dean: You're possessing some poor bastard?
Castiel: He's a devout man, he actually prayed for this.
I love the tinge of pride we can hear and glimpse as Castiel speaks of his vessel. He's proud of his vessel's Faith, probably grateful to have discovered that not all humans these days are as unbelieving as Dean Winchester. He might even be a little happy with how the vessel looks (and let's be honest here - that's a damned fine vessel *wink*), happy with how useful this vessel is going to be on this mission. Castiel hasn't walked the Earth in two thousand years; I'm guessing his last vessel flapped around in sandals and a kaftan of some sort - no wonder he's only loosened his tie instead of taking it off, he wouldn't know how to tie it back up again, would he?
Dean: And why would an angel rescue me from Hell?
Castiel: Good things do happen, Dean.
Dean: Not in my experience.
Castiel: What's the matter? You… don't think you deserve to be saved.
As an angel, Castiel's emotional responses aren't as nuanced as a human's, and he's brand new inside this body, remember, a novice at working human facial muscles and all. It was touching already, to see the first realisation - that his charge is not a Believer - dawn upon him, but when, in the middle of this sentence, he comprehends the complete absence of Dean's self-esteem, his expression is heartbreaking.
Dean: I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, haloes. You know, Michael Landon. Not dicks.
Castiel: Read the Bible. Angels are warriors of God. I'm a soldier. I am not here to perch on your shoulder.
He's really trying to get a handle on this man, y'know? Dean is unlike any human Castiel's ever encountered before - and it shows. :)
Castiel: The Lord works -
Dean: If you say "in mysterious ways", god help me, I will kick your ass!
That's our boy. Only Dean Winchester could piss an angel off this badly.
Dean: I thought Lucifer was just a story they told in demon sunday school? There's no such thing.
Castiel: Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as me.
Does Castiel realise how perfect his argument is for debating this issue with this particular man? Dean believes in what he can see with his own eyes - this is why he doesn't believe in God. Castiel's rebuttal here is exactly the reminder Dean needs.
Castiel: Six of my brothers died in the field this week. You think the armies of Heaven should just follow you around?
I love how the vessel has quite the quiff happening here. And did you notice Castiel has fixed the vessel's clothes after they got all shot up and slashed upon first meeting Dean and Bobby? I'm sure that Castiel has healed the vessel's body after that incident, too, just like he healed Dean after Hell. Makes me wonder what other maintenance Castiel has to make for his vessel. Does he feed and water this body? Or is his heavenly presence within it enough to sustain it? No one wants to have to think about an angel having to deal with the process of a body's waste elimination, I guess, so we'll all just go with the heavenly presence solution, shall we?
Castiel: You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of Hell. I can throw you back in.
I loved the flicker of genuine fear that passed over Dean when Castiel leaned in close and then threatened him so quietly. And it happened before Castiel mentioned Hell, too, so it wasn't that that Dean flinched at - it was the proximity of this awesome being, the power that must simply radiate from Castiel's presence. Such intense acting from Jensen and Misha here as Dean and Castiel have their first proper discussion about what's going on. I find myself holding my breath when I watch them…
Castiel: What were you dreaming about?
Dean: What, you get your freak on by watching other people sleep?
Just how long was Castiel watching before Dean woke up? And don't you love the way Misha delivered that line? "What were you dreaming about?" We don't know fully yet all that Dean went through in Hell, but Castiel does. Castiel would have had to have SEEN it when he got there. What might Dean and all the demons have been in the middle of when Castiel arrived? And this begs another thought - Dean confessed to Sam at the end of Wishful Thinking that he remembers everything about Hell, that it's all there in his memory, all the time. Does he remember right up to the very, very end of his time there? When a warrior angel fought its way to him, perhaps? Being Dean, he surely would've had something to say in that moment. "Don't tell me. You're Luke Skywalker and you're here to rescue me? Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?"
Dean accepts a comforting touch from his angel. No words pass between them, but the compassion in Castiel's eyes, and the apology and guilt and sorrow in Dean's needs none.
Castiel: The truth, Dean. Now you know everything we do.
Dean: What are you talking about?
Castiel: *looks sadly toward Sam's empty, unslept-in bed and lets Dean make the connections*
I don't think Castiel sent Dean back in time JUST for "the truth". I think it was the clincher in getting Dean to really start trusting the angel. Castiel only has to look at Sam's bed and two seconds later Dean's diving for his coat, checking his gun and running out the door. He doesn't stand around to debate the issue or tell the angel to fuck off if he's gonna go casting aspersions upon Dean's beloved little brother - he just grabs his gun and coat and goes.
Significantly, the next time we hear Dean mention Castiel, just two scenes after this one, he will be calling his angel by a nickname - Cas.
Sam: Oh my god! Er, ugh - I didn't mean to - sorry! It's an honour. Really. I've heard a lot about you.
Castiel: And I, you. Sam Winchester. The boy with the demon blood.
I wonder if the second hand was always in the script from the start or if that got added along the way somewhere? I truly love how Castiel hesitated so long when Sam wanted to shake his hand. Was it that he didn't actually want to? Or was the angel simply uncomprehending about this strange human custom?
I like looking at this screencap. Sam's and Castiel's hands, hands that have comforted Dean and healed Dean.
Dean and Castiel, Jensen and Misha, are so fiercely INTENT upon each other, throughout every scene. Sam can be speaking and Dean and Castiel, although they're both listening, are unable to drag their gaze away from each other. The ferocity of that connection, that bond between Rescuer and Charge, especially now that trust is building between them, is palpable in every look these two actors send each other's way. Upon re-watching, now that we know what the angel's true orders were, just watch the subtle change in Castiel's expression when Dean takes over and starts calling the shots about what's going to happen to the town. We hear Castiel tell Dean later that he was praying for Dean to make the choice he did. When you re-watch the scene in the hotel room now, you can actually pinpoint the moment when Dean Winchester answers an angel's prayer.
Castiel: You're close to blasphemy. There's a reason we were sent to save him. He has potential. He may succeed here.
Interestingly, when speaking to another angel about Dean, Castiel says "WE were sent to save him", not "I". Castiel rescued Dean from Hell, gave him new life, has become his advisor and comrade and tentatively, just tentatively, perhaps friend, and yet he distances himself from his relationship to Dean here. Does he not want Uriel to know how fond he's becoming of his charge?
Another interesting point is in the final scene of 4.07, Dean is looking the other direction when Castiel silently appears on the second park bench. I can't discern the usual flap-of-wings effect on the soundtrack that usually heralds Castiel's approach, yet Dean starts speaking to him even while facing in the opposite direction. Has he become so attuned to the angel's appearances already?
But of course, the most charming moment of this scene is right there in the screencap. Dean makes Castiel laugh. It's not a huge laugh, naturally - he's an angel, after all. According to lore, he's supposed to have so little sense of emotion or humour as to be practically an automaton. But he's starting to get a handle on humans a little better now, starting to work Dean out a bit, starting to seem a little looser in his borrowed body. Castiel is a warrior, remember. He's been fighting God's battles - on Faith! - for thousands and thousands of years. He's watched countless number of his brethren fall on the battlefield. He's walked in and out of Hell itself - and you can bet Hell doesn't give up its souls easily. He's a hard man, this angel. And here he is, sharing a companionable moment on a park bench in the sun with a broken human who's been living a warrior's life since the age of four. And Dean makes him laugh.
Castiel: Can I tell you something if you promise not to tell another soul?
Dean: Okay.
Castiel: I'm not a… hammer, as you say. I have questions, I have doubts. I don't know what is right and what is wrong anymore.
Welcome to the shades of grey, Castiel. Please be careful. And please let your vessel - whoever he is - know how grateful we all are.
Not dial-up friendly.
NO SPOILERS, not even for Australian tv. Please keep comments spoiler-free from 4.09-onwards (that's as far as Aussie tv is at the moment and I'd hate for my friends to get spoilt for the reveals in IKWYDLS and H&H). Thanks. :)
All screencaps from oxoniensis.
With great thanks to Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles for making these scenes so mesmerising.