So, about that finale...
A lot of people seem to be going on about how Chuck is a cop-out God, Cas is a turncoat, and the Michael-Lucifer confrontation sucked. And really? My only complaint is that the writers are forcing a DeanxLisa + Ben thing here.
Chuck was amazing as a prophet. I loved his quirks and alcoholic tendencies. The possibility of him being God? Yeah, that makes him even better in my book. There's some complaints about how the amulet should've alerted the boys and Cas of God's presence. Um, hello, GOD? I'm pretty sure he could whip up a little something to make him untraceable if he wanted. Also, it humanizes God. I don't know about everyone else, but if God is the Father then he should be more approachable so that his kids don't run away screaming, right? And Chuck is totally approachable. He gets the whole "being human" thing.
Cas is not a turncoat and I can't for the life of me understand why some people are thinking that. He's going back to heaven because they need him, whether they know it or not. So he found his faith again, that doesn't mean he'll take everything without a grain of salt. Answer me this, what do you do with research data that you've spent two years inadvertantly collecting? You take it back home and see how to apply it to problems and find solutions. Heaven wasn't working well but nobody had the intel on why. But Cas does. He's spent two years interacting with humans, almost becoming one himself. He's learned about Free Will, burgers and music and pop culture. What's the point of learning all of this if one can't use the information for practical purposes? Why would he collect this information and then abandon the creatures who would need it most? Cas has power now; he has faith in his Father which is a crucial component to his character (hello, ANGEL). It's where he gets his strength. So, new powers, renewed faith, and anarchy in Heaven because of a lack of leadership? Of course Cas would go back and fix things! Why? Because it's the Right Thing to do which is something the Winchester Brothers have taught him. Besides, it's not like he won't be able to come visit. If he's the Big Boss, he could pretty much do whatever he wants, right? Plus, he must realize that cutting himself and other angels off from humanity is what led them to this mess in the first place. If anything, Cas might make Earth visitation mandatory. Sort of a prerequisite for graduating Angel School.
As for the Michael and Lucifer thing: I liked it. So, it wasn't action-packed but we hadn't seen the brothers interact at all before this. We didn't know how they felt about each other, not really. It was assumed that they had to feel something towards one another because they're brothers. It's been confirmed; I find the way Michael resisted Lucifer amazing. I love my siblings immensely and would rather not fight with them, and give them the benefit of the doubt. Had I been in Michael's shoes, I probably would've caved. He was able to see Lucifer as a monster--which he is, no doubt about it, considering he likes to kill humans and his own followers in gruesome ways--and continue with his duty even if it hurt. There's honor in that. (Also, Adam!Michael was fantastic. Loved it to bits). I think we needed to see those brothers interact so that they weren't just symbols for each side but creatures with feeling and obligations. Sure, angels might not feel the same way humans do but they do feel.
Impala = Yellow Crayon. That was grand. The fact that Chuck narrated throughout the whole episode and focused on the Impala, drilling the fact that it is home was perfect. I especially like it because--excuse me, I've just finished taking a Marriage and Family course in college--it shows that family and home does not have a set of rules to follow. There are trends, of course: nuclear, two opposite-sex parents families living in a two-story house and whatnot. But there are many varieties of families and each unique trait they have does not make them any less than the traditional family. I would go so far to say that it makes them better.
Finally, the Dean and Lisa bit. Set aside my Dean/Cas shippyness. I do not understand. If Dean wants to have a normal life--which he admittedly deserves but it seems highly improbable that someone who's spent his entire life traveling and fighting can simply settle down--shouldn't he find someone that shares some chemistry with him? Not to bash Lisa, because I think she must be a very strong and independent woman to be a single-mom and resist Dean's charms when we were first introduced to her but...all we know is that she was a yoga instructor who spent a weekend full of bendy-lusty-fun with Dean. The only other interaction they had was when Dean was rescuing her son, which was stilted and rough. They know nothing about one another. Dean has built her up to be the perfect companion with a kid (sort of a "hey, a premade family just for me!') and Lisa; well we don't know about her, though I'm seriously wondering what happened to the woman who wouldn't take Dean because he was a danger to her family. She knows less about Dean than Dean about her.
How can you build a relationship or family based on a handful of days of interaction? At this point, Lisa isn't even a fully-developed character. Hell, we know more about Ben than her.
I think what irks me the most is that the writers seem to think that they can just insert Dean into the Lisa-Ben family. Lisa and Ben have built a family with each other, of which they know the rules; who's the main authority, what is expected from the child and what is expected from the parent, mother prefers to have things done this way, son behaves best when treated that way. Another person cannot just place themselves in that and expect it to turn out perfectly. Integrating a new parental figure in the family is hard work. I've had personal experience in that. It's not "pow, insta-dad!" It's more "okay, mom's got a new man-friend who's pretty cool but I don't really know how I'm supposed to treat him" or "mom's got a new man-friend and she doesn't spend as much time with me anymore" and "she deserves to have a man-friend but she's my mom; I've been here longer and never left her what am I supposed to do now that I have to share?" There's guilt and resentment and confusion and anger as everyone involved tries to find a dynamic that works.
I don't like it. Lisa will have to find a way to split time between her son and her potential lover who's clearly dysfunctional. All in all, I think Lisa will have to spend more time taking care of Dean and his defects than her son; Ben will not like that at all. It's not like Dean will make easier by explaining exactly what's left him in such a mess. He'll probably be on edge for having to stay in one place for more than a week when not on a job.
I just...*huffs* I can't see this ending well for anyone.
Now, Bobby and Crowley. Crowley has to give back the soul; he made a deal and he's obligated to uphold his part of the bargain. And why exactly won't Dean be seeing Bobby anytime soon? He's the only real family Dean has left and we all know how well cutting ties worked for Sam after Dean died. I'm just hoping for some more Crowley-time and Bobby-time.
On a closing note, I have no idea what to make of lurker!Sam. I want to say it's Lucifer. Sam can't do the whole flickering lights thing that supernatural beings seem to do. Other than that, I have no clue. What's the purpose? How will it figure into the sixth season? What's going to happen in the sixth season, for that matter? I'm confused on that and rather apprehensive. I need to know--if there's one thing I despise it's not knowing. So, here I am, buckling down for the long wait for fall.
I'm sure I'm missing some other points I'd like to make but these thoughts are foremost on my mind.