I'm an unabashed Cas!girl. Also, I'm a big fan of not retconning your plot.
Dean, I'm sorry. You're getting the brunt of my anger. Again.
But what's with Dean not seeming to give a crap about Castiel drinking a whole liquor store? Sure, there's surprise, but it's not like he bawls him out. And then he offers him a whole bottle of aspirin? Neither of these separately are a big deal. Yes, if it took Cas an entire store to get drunk, it makes sense he'd need a whole bottle to make the headache go away.
(I'm not even getting into the fact that not once did Dean ask if Cas was ok. I was almost mollified by the fact that at least it was Dean carrying Cas out and not Sam, but then they just left him lying on the bed in the worst position ever and then he DRIVES OFF without seeming to check on him at all.)
But one minute it's drowning out your sorrows and Tylenol, the next it's being drunk all the time and Vicodin.
Dean, is a horrible influence. The drinking, totally all the hunters' fault. And not just Dean, but I have to include Jo and Ellen in this, too. Castiel has terrible human influencers. It feels like the religious version of 16 Candles and Castiel is Long Duck Dong.
But what I want to know is, where's the Dean who said at the end of 5x4 for Castiel to never change? Was it merely a momentary passing thing in which he didn't like Castiel being irreverent? Something where the idea shocks you, but 2 days later you forget about it? Or was he somehow expecting Castiel to merely listen to him and never do anything to help? I get that Cas is a big kidangel, but still, when something so momentous happens to you (like hey, Daddy can make all the problems go away but it turns out, he wants nothing to do with you even though it wouldn't hurt him any), you need to be able to count on your friends to be there. Despite seeing what Cas could become, Dean blithely lets him drink, doesn't give him a lecture, and gives him an entire bottle of painkillers. That's right, Dean. Enable the future alcoholic and drug addict.
Here's the thing, though. I'm mad at Dean. But I'm really mad at the writers. I can't say it's out of characterization. Dean is too much like his father in actions; if Dean wasn't a hunter, but had grown up in the same environment? He'd be as dead beat as he calls John and God. He doesn't talk, he drinks away his pain, and has a lot of casual sex. So, I can't say Dean allowing Cas to do this to himself is *necessarily* incorrect. But it's sure as hell not continuity. If Dean HAD meant for Cas to not change, he'd be trying to make sure he didn't.
So. A letter.
Dear SPN Writers:
Please, don't give me a bit of characterization and them ignore it ever after. I've (nearly) forgiven your deus ex machinas and many other plot holes I could drive trucks through. I deal with your rather obvious sexism. I would like it, if for once, you didn't handwave something away. I know you want to show Castiel heading towards the broken human we saw in "The End". I applaud that, even as I hate it. 5x4 was GENIUS. But at least TRY to make it seem like Dean actually cares about his friend. You're not only breaking my heart, but your messing up your own characterization and motivations. PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, BE CONSISTENT FOR ONCE.
And stop beating up my angel.
Not much love,
Lucy