Supernatural‘s ending hit many of the right notes and wrapped up the fates of the main characters, but it was criticized by many for being too gentle. As Supernatural‘s 15 seasons started on a dark note, the fates of the Winchester brothers did not have to be happy, but some feel that Dean should have fallen during a higher-stakes battle rather than a routine hunt.
Supernatural left several storylines unresolved, and while some could be easily overlooked in a potential season 16, one is impossible to ignore, and must be resolved if another season is to be made. Will they/won’t they storylines are a TV show staple, and with such a long-running series, it was inevitable that one would happen, but Supernatural‘s controversial finale never gave viewers an answer.
Supernatural’s Final Season Left The Castiel/Dean Situation Ambiguous
There has been much fan speculation over whether Castiel’s feelings for Dean are romantic or not, and if they are the former, then this would raise the question of what the show could do about this. Castiel and Dean’s relationship started with the two antagonizing each other, but over time, they developed a bond that was almost as strong as that of the brothers.
The nature of the bond sometimes felt as though it could be romantic, at least on Castiel’s part. In his final scene, he tells Dean that he wants “something he can’t have,” telling him “I love you” and sacrificing himself. Dean does not reciprocate, despite clearly loving him in at least a platonic capacity, and then never references Castiel’s speech in Supernatural‘s final episodes.
Despite Dean never dating men in the show, Supernatural offered a few hints that he may have been bisexual. Dean taught Charlie how to flirt with a man, and joked, referring to Dr. B. Palmer as “Dr. Sexy” in “Changing Channels.” Even so, Supernatural left the situation ambiguous, with Castiel and Dean becoming another will they/won’t they TV romance that went on too long.
Unless Dean & Castiel Never Meet Again, A Supernatural Revival Would Need To Provide Clarity
Supernatural quickly evolved from its more procedural format to one of the greatest fantasy epics of the past few decades. With the show’s focus on character-driven storytelling and conveying the nuanced relationships between the characters, many Supernatural episodes are better than anything made today. However, its timing created a problem for the potential relationship that fans dubbed “Destiel“.
Even six years ago, there were far fewer TV shows with central LGBT+ romances, so when shows raised the possibility of a good partnership without delivering, many were accused of “baiting” fans. To avoid this issue arising in a Supernatural revival, the show would have to be clear about the nature of Dean and Castiel’s relationship, whether romantic or not.
When writing Castiel and Dean’s future, Supernatural faces some logistical issues that other will they/won’t they romances do not have. While Castiel looks male, angels are sexless in their true form, and with Dean now dead and Castiel seemingly responsible for part of Heaven, a relationship between the two would have some logistical issues, unless they never meet again, which would be tragic.
Supernatural’s Revival Would Face A No-Win Situation
While fans have interpreted some of Dean’s earlier lines as hints at his bisexuality, these are few and far between, and it is just as likely that his feelings for Castiel are not romantic. This leaves Supernatural season 16 with a Dean and Castiel problem. No matter how the will they/won’t they aspect of their connection is resolved, many fans will not be happy.
The show could make “Destiel” official, which could feel too much like fan service, or bring in an unrequited love storyline, which is relatively predictable. Writers could confirm that Castiel’s “I love you” was meant platonically, but this would upset a large portion of the fanbase and remove another LGBT+ character from Supernatural, which has already suffered from the “bury your gays” trope.
The original script for the episode “Goodbye Stranger” was supposed to have Dean telling Castiel “I love you,” but Jensen Ackles changed the line to “I need you.”
The actors have expressed differing views on the subject, with Jensen Ackles flatly denying that Castiel and Dean’s relationship was romantic, comparing it more to a best friend bond, while Misha Collins explored Supernatural‘s romance controversy without giving a definitive answer. It looks as though if anything is to finally clarify Castiel’s feelings, it must be season 16 of Supernatural.
- Release Date
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2005 – 2020
- Showrunner
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Eric Kripke
- Directors
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Philip Sgriccia, John F. Showalter, Kim Manners, Thomas J. Wright, Charles Beeson, Guy Norman Bee, Richard Speight Jr., Mike Rohl, John Badham, Steve Boyum, Amyn Kaderali, Jensen Ackles, Tim Andrew, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeannot Szwarc, P.J. Pesce, Nina Lopez-Corrado, James L. Conway, Amanda Tapping, J. Miller Tobin, Stefan Pleszczynski, John MacCarthy, Jerry Wanek, Ben Edlund
- Writers
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Meredith Glynn, Davy Perez, Raelle Tucker, Cathryn Humphris, Brett Matthews, Nancy Won, John Bring, Ben Acker, Daniel Knauf, David Ehrman, James Krieg, Trey Callaway
