#Dean vs. Chuck

[angelsdean]

like. listen. i'm just saying, both dean and sam are there when jack gets his soul back but it's only dean that hugs him with so much emotion. where's his hug from you, sammy, hmm??

[blahwithasideofblah]

One reason Dean Winchester became a bad father to Jack Kline is Dean's own beliefs about being a father vs a brother became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Both times he explicitly acts as a father, he hurts his children (or fails to stop them being hurt). His guilt confirms what he learned from his own dad, which is that fathers cause fear and hurt. In this essay I will

[shallowseeker]

Kelly + Jack + water + taking control of the narrative

Kelly + the pool of self-reflection

KELLY: "He said he was thrilled. He said it was the only time he ever created anything."

When Kelly is calling her friend about her pregnancy, she's by the swimming pool, with the sound of water gently playing in the background.

She will be linked to water again:

when she tries to escape her fate in the bathtub

when Castiel glimpses her in The Future by the side of the ocean (script only)

and again when she lives in the house by the lake with Castiel

there are multiple "sea" and "chaoskampf" paintings hanging in said lakehouse

THREE fisherman + stormy sea paintings appear in the nursery Kelly is painting in 12x23

Indeed, the portal to another universe opens up just in front of the lake, symbolizing transition and revelation. (In particular, it will be Mary's revelation of what would have happened had she not made her demon deal.)

But what's the big deal with water?

For starters, it's an inversion of Sam, whose nursery was enveloped in the motif of fire. (Jack's nursery is notably not enveloped in fire; he only gets this motif when Dean's room is shown burning in his AU earth torture as he listens to the screams of Sam and Dean, his earth fathers.)

The pool itself is the physical embodiment and reference to the very beginning of Earth, primordial chaos, before mankind existed.

In Supernatural with its highly Biblical motifs, bodies of water can also be tied to new beginnings and resurrection. We see it with Cas and the Leviathan (when Cas walks into the lake to die, Baptism-like).

Water can also be a tremendous uncontrollable force that takes over your life, as with Dean and AU Michael. In symbology, drowning is a specific warning of doom, representing your helplessness, overwhelming emotions, or the impending death of a loved one.

The number 5:

Here, Jack is associated to room 5, the fifth element Aether: According to ancient and medieval science, aether, also known as the fifth element or quintessence, is the material that fills the region of the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere. Jack is an unstoppable life force, and Kelly's (unfairly) caught in the middle of it.

The broken mirror?

Here's an interesting shot. When Sam is exorcising Lucifer, a mirror breaks (it's above the chest of drawers and between Dean and Kelly). The common reading would be to attribute this to bad luck and offending the gods. Another SPN-common thing is to try to one-to-one link to characters. But the interpretation I think I like the most with regards to mirrors is the breaking OF Chuck's control and the beginning of Jack's usurpation. (Kelly Kline means, "war, small.")

Indeed, one wonders if Jack is already at work, protecting himself from his position in the womb. He's throwing off the narrative and making things go wrong. They're too easily able to defeat Lucifer, and after this, all the "heroes" he came into contact with start failing left and right.

Sam and Dean are incarcerated

Because of that, at least one of the Winchesters is symbolically defeated by Billie the reaper/future Death

Cas loses Kelly, and he can't hunt or find the boys

Rowena's magic won't work

and even Crowley comes up null

The only one everything's going "right" for? Kelly Kline. Jack is working to ensure he's born.

Later, we'll see Jack choose Cas as Father (and Cas's truck breaks down + Dean immediately gets to work to fix it) and in choosing Cas, Jack (symbolically) takes Dean at the same time, narratively reflected by stealing control of Baby.

(Image from WinchesterFamilyBusiness).0

[antigonewinchester]

Hmm. TFW 2.0 as framed through Moore & Gillette's King / Warrior / Magician / Lover archetypes.

Sam = the Magician. Questioning, looking for new/hidden knowledge, passing on that knowledge to others. Shadow sides of The Detached Manipulator, not giving out his full knowledge & The Innocent One, wanting power / status but not wanting to put in the work / take on responsibility for it. Sam questioning the status quo, his interest in knowledge/information, and his struggles w/ taking (or not) on responsibility.

Dean = the Warrior. Powerful, decisive, aggressive. Shadow sides of The Sadist, being cruel & uncaring towards others, and The Masochist, not speaking up when being hurt themselves. Dean's struggles w/ the violence of hunting, saving vs. killing, and how Dean veers off the path when he forgets what he's fighting for.

Cas = the Lover. Not just associated with sex but love, whether that be love for the world, religion, etc. Shadow sides of The Addicted Lover, chasing after what he loves without a real purpose, and The Impotent Lover, who constrains himself too much with rules, routines, structure. Cas's searching for rules & order as a guide instead of following his own intuition, and his arc around learning to care & falling in love with the world, humanity, Dean.

Jack = the King. Provides order, protection, legacy to 'his' people & subjects. Boyhood archetype is The Divine Child, shadow sides are The Tyrant, self-centered & focused on his own power/insecurities, and The Weakling, who gives up his throne to others instead of deciding for himself. Incorporates all 3 of the other archetypes, ala Jack's character evoking various aspects of Sam/Dean/Cas, and Jack's arc as struggling w/ his immense powers & how to wield them to help others, ultimately saving the universe & leaving his legacy in creating a newer, better Heaven.

[randomishnickname]

Must-read Destiel fics - my superduper Nov. 5th rec list

Three years ago, on the blessed day of November 5th, 2020, I had:

never seen an episode of SPN,

only had a vague inkling of what the two pale coconuts were on about,

and I hee-heed and ha-had with the rest of Tumblr about the love confession scene and the Internet errupting in an unparalleled craze

At first I thought, that's it.

Then ... I got curious. I watched some YouTube Destiel supercuts. I read some fic (I think @andhumanslovedstories beautiful Cas/OC fic was my entry point?). I read meta. I watched some more YouTube scene packs. I read even more fic. I watched some of S4, some of S1, some random fan fav episodes. And then Destiel lodged itself so deeply, thouroughly into my brain that it took over and hasn't relinquished control in the last two years. The most tenacious, pervasive brain worm to date.

This ship got it all, and this fandom got it all, and there's such delightful, powerful, batshit crazy, romantic, expertedly crafted fanfic out there, it's like being a starving child in the world's biggest candystore.

So without further ado, here's some of my very favorite fics from this infinite trove, with all my thanks to the wonderful writers who keep delighting and awing me with their dedication and craft. There'll of course be some recency bias at play but you can browse my bookmarks over here to chose from over 100 excellent and well-curated SPN stories.

💕CATEGORY: SWOONWORTHY💕

Wildly romantic fics that warm you up from the inside.

It Won't Be Perfect by someonetoanyone (10K words) Summary: Dean daydreams about what it'd be like to let himself love Cas freely.

Why I love it: the humor, the spot-on characterizations, and the quintessential late season Destiel-ness of being so deeply love with your best friend that it's too big to actually do anything about. Just. So warm.

Rock Lobster by Ginger Fail (13K) Summary: Cas decides that the lobsters Dean planned to cook need to get back home. Impromptu beach vacation ensues!

Why I love it: This road trip story is fresh and invigorating like a sea breeze! Fun, entertaining and full of deep, deep fondness.

Seek to Know You Better by ahurston (32K)

Summary: On a road trip, Dean and Cas play the 36 Questions That Lead To Love.

Why I love it: They’re so deliberatedly, carefully starting a relationship here. They try so hard to bridge the gaps and meet each other halfway. A very mature take on love that feels nourishing.

☢️CATEGORY: BRAINWORMS GALORE☢️

Fics that make you go BARK BARK BARK.

samson went back to bed by piesexuality (9k, @twoheadedcas) Summary: Cas strikes a deal with Chuck - keeping his family together comes at the price of their free will.

Why I love it: What if Cas got his revenge for the Mala'ak box? What if love came at the price of everything you've been fighting for? What if a story twisted the knife oh so sweetly? Each word of this one lands a punch. Made me insane in the best of ways (cue pinned fanart).

In sickness by @saintedcastiel (41K) Summary: S4 redux but Castiel has a fetish: giving Dean the sniffles.

Why I love it: This one is soooo. Can barely find words for it. It taps into Cas' early season alienness and psychosexual obsession with Dean, brilliantly demonstrates Casdean vs Samruby parallels, and each word is just. Perfect. ARGH!

so much smoke in a hall full of mirrors by AreYouReady (6K, @autisticandroids ) Summary: Godstiel is losing his heavenly war. Crowley provides a compliant Dean-doll for him to release his frustrations upon.

Why I love it: Urgh, this one is sooo dark. Taps into the scary, intimidating and alien aspects of Godstiel so well. Gore, consent and psychosexual issues galore. Delicious.

Special mention: In a Parked Car, Exhuming Ophelia by @an-android-in-a-tutu (17K). Still need to comment properly ;)

💣CATEGORY: EMOTIONAL WRECKING BALLS💣

Angsty fics that tear you to pieces to remake you better.

What Used To Be Mine by someonetoanyone (48K words) Summary: Dean never makes his apology prayer in Purgatory - Cas dies, Dean mourns.

Why I love it: Oh god, this is a heavy hitter. Just, straight up insurmontable grief, packaged in poetic, raw language to make you shed tears and tears. Loved it so much.

Ignite your bones By ilovehowyouletmefall (67K, @angelinthefire) Summary: Dean accepts Chuck's deal: killing Sam to save the world.

Why I love it: Cruuuuel cruel premise for a story that doesn’t pull its punches. It gets dark in Dean’s head and everyone around him suffers. Wonderfully written. The ending set my brain on fire.

Right Where you Left Me by outdean (93K, @armandgender)

Summary: Cas comes back from the Empty after 10 years to find Dean married to another man.

Why I love it: This one is a riiiide. When grief has become a part of you but your love comes back… When you return from the dead and have to carve a new space into the world for yourself... nothing is easy here, but the emotions are INTENSE. Also, autistic!Cas for the win.

Special mention: Who Ya Gonna Call? by saintedcastiel (50K) and Clear skies in spring by enochianprayer (WIP)

💥CATEGORY: EPIC RIDES💥

Expansive, wild adventures with lots of ups and downs

Spirit of the West by teen_dean (140K, @urne-buriall)

Summary: An 18y old Dean grew up on a horse farm – cue veterinarian Castiel. The summer of a lifetime ensues.

Why I love it: So this is one of my very favorite stories, ever ever, and I cannot recommand enough to immediatedly suscribe to the author’s Substack to be able to follow it in „real time“ next summer. It’s cinematic, rich, full of darkness and light, it’s everything a story can aspire to, I’m just. I just really love it.

Second Verse, Same as The First by LaLaCat1 (135K)

Summary: Endverse!Cas is sent back to the start of S1 and is determined to make things right this time round.

Why I love it: a desperate and badass Cas, unfridging everyone, a thrilling plot, moments of awesome for the entire cast, gripping action scenes, a romance for the ages… this is a genuinely amazing story.

back road, black road by eden22 (167K)

Summary: 18y old Sam gets kidnapped by Hell on his way to Stanford. Dean tries to deal.

Why I love it: So this one’s not Destiel-centric but does have wonderful Destiel moments. It’s also very heavy on the gore and the angst (NOT for the faint of stomach), but expertly crafted, fascinating and frankly it deserves more love. Held my breath for half the read and never knew where it’d take me.

Special mention: It's The End Of The World (As We Know It) by tiamatv (140K)

🤪CATEGORY: DESTIEL INSANITY🤪

Uproariously funny stories about the intricate rituals these two weirdos get up too.

Life Skills by ilovehowyouletmefall (26K)

Summary: Dean teaches a newly human Cas how to be „a real man“.

Why I love it: Dean coming to Big Self-Realizations while trying to have platonic threesomes with Cas is so perfect. Very endearing, tender and funny. Also, smoking hot sex.

the cheapest room in the house by biggaybenny (89K)

Summary: Dean downloads Grindr for Cas

Why I love it: Just. Late season Dean being deranged about Cas’ sexuality while everyone watches on in utter confusion. Equally hilarious and deeply moving

according to all known laws of life by @sobsicles (29k)

Summary: Cas comes back from the Empty to a Dean who won’t stop playing gay chicken.

Why I love it: They are both such petty, insane weirdos in this one. They said „can every situation be turned into a squabble“ and didn’t wait for an answer. So funny, so tender

Special mention: Wedding Vows and Negotiations by GingerFail (6K)

That's it, enjoy and leave your writers some much-deserved love!

[holylulusworld]

Fulfillment - Flufftober 19

Summary: Dean finally lives the life he deserves and dreamed of.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Wife!Reader

Side pairing: Sam Winchester x Eileen Leahy

Warnings: pregnancy, fluff, overprotective Dean, implied smut, cuddling & snuggling, Dean is a horny dog, a hint of dirty talk and dirty fantasy

Rating: Teen

Idea by: @elle14-blog1

Trope: Pregnancy

@warmandfluffybingocards: Square 16: Breakfast in bed   

@anyfandomgoesbingo: Square 7: Decorating the nursery

Kinktober vs Flufftober 2023

Your last battle was the day Dean told you he loves you. He didn’t want to waste another moment without having you in his arms.

Chuck, or God if you want to call that jackass so, fell without glory.

Jack went to heaven, and Castiel accompanied him to make sure no one tried to abuse the young man’s powers ever again.

Since that day, you have been living a normal life.

While everyone else dreams of a more exciting life, you are happy to have a normal and boring life.

While you turned your back on the hunter’s life, you turned the bunker into a warm and cozy home. (We don’t talk about the room where Dean stored all the weapons.)

Only because you stopped hunting doesn’t mean Dean doesn’t act like an overprotective bodyguard when it comes to you. You’re his wife, the future mother of his children, and the reason to keep on going for him.

“Sweetheart,” Dean pokes his head inside the kitchen. “No…no!” He tuts. “I told you; I’m going to make breakfast.” Your husband watches you run one hand over your grown belly while stuffing a pickle into your mouth.

“I’m having cravings,” you chew audibly while your husband makes a fuss. He doesn’t want you to leave your bedroom or the bed. If it was up to Dean, he’d wrap you in a dozen blankets and never let you leave the bed again. “And no one is going to attack us here.”

“You don’t know that” your husband argues. He steps inside the kitchen and wraps his arms around you, making you groan. “I need to keep you safe and happy.”

“Last night you made me very happy.”

Dean snickers as he remembers the way you were writhing on his cock.

“I remember you were a begging mess, Y/N. Loud and naughty. Just the way I like you.”

“Dean, we can’t make out in the kitchen again. Sammy will kill us,” you whine as your husband kisses down your neck. “I mean it, baby. We can’t get caught again.”

“But getting caught is half the fun,” Dean laughs in your neck, making you giggle. “Alright. If you are a good girl and go to our bedroom to lie down, I’ll make you the best breakfast you ever ate. I promise it’s not my dick.”

“You’re lucky I love you, Mr. Winchester. You’re a very naughty man,” you chuckle as he whispers dirty nothings in your ear. “If you don’t want to end up getting caught by your brother and Eileen, we better go back to our bedroom.”

“Sex before breakfast. I knew you were the one…” He hums in your neck. “But after you’ll eat all the delicious things I’ll cook for you…”

“A red rose, and food, huh,” Sam watches his brother carry a tray filled with breakfast and a single red rose out of the kitchen. “Did you leave some food for us?”

“Sure, Sammy,” Dean grins. “My wife needs the food. I wore her out.”

Sam shakes his head. Sometimes his brother has no shame…or like ever. “Luckily she’s already pregnant or you’d get her pregnant.”

“Who says I won’t get her pregnant again?” Dean chuckles. “We are having twins. Next time, I’ll fill her with triplets.”

“What do you say? Will she like it?” Dean shows his brother and Eileen the U-shaped pregnancy pillow he got for you. He has it draped over his shoulder to show it to Sam. “It’s good for the babies and her, right?”

Eileen smirks as her brother-in-law excitedly tells them about all the things he bought for you and the babies.

“It’s nice of you to get the pillow,” she finally says. Dean looks adorable with all the stuffies tugged under his arm. “What do you want to do with the rest?” She questions.

“While Y/N is having a nap, I’m going to decorate the nursery. We are almost done, but she’s a little under the weather this week. I’ll finish it and show her everything when she feels better.”

“Do you need help?” Sam offers willingly. “We are going finish the nursery faster if we work together.”

“Are you sure, Sammy?”

Sam flashes his brother a smile. “Well, I’m counting on your help when we are having triplets…”

“I love the pillow,” Dean states as you and your husband lie on the bed, the pregnancy pillow wrapped around your bodies. “They were right. It’s perfect for snuggling and cuddling.”

You grin as Dean moves impossibly closer to hide his face in your neck. “I heard you finished the nursery.”

“Sammy and Eileen helped. If there’s something you do not like, blame Sammy.”

“I know that I’ll love it,” you mumble sleepily. “Just like I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart, and the little beans,” he whispers in your ear while moving one hand to your belly. “I’ll always protect you and our babies. Always.”

Tags in reblog.

[sunglassesmish]

chuck showing sam the future in 15x09 vs dean’s death scene in the final draft of 15x20

[lol-jackles]

I know its beens awhile but what did you think of S15 as a whole?

As a whole I think season 15 was an above-average season due to below-average execution and ended with a stellar series finale that added rewatch value not just for season 15 but also all of 15 seasons.

Season 15 started and ended with callbacks to previous seasons; from season 1's woman in white and Sam's goal of returning to a normal life, to season 5's Dean's time in hell as Alastair's apprentice and bringing closure to Adam Milligan, to season 8's endgames for Sam and Dean.

The first half of the season 15 was about free will vs determinism, with Sam representing the former and Dean representing the latter.  Sam and Dean’s confrontation with God parallels how they've reacted to family and authority their entire lives: Sam challenged God’s Divine decree over His Creation while Dean accused God of abandoning His Creation.  When Abraham spoke with his heart and mind to God over His plan to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah, it led to Abraham transcending himself, leading the way for God, and becoming the father of faith. Metaphorically it's all about lessons in honest, meaningful relationships with our fellow human beings.   People often suppress their true selves and principles for the sake of avoiding conflict instead of taking the relationship a step further into a place of sincerity.   From season 11 to 14, Sam and Dean spoke their hearts and minds to God and the brothers' relationship became at its strongest, never wavering even when occasional arguments sprouts up because they were honest with each other.

Sam and God became connected through Sam's hope which manifested in their identical wounds. Secular-based hope is about anticipating something good to come in the future.  Sam has hope in a better future, so Chuck showed him a bleak future to make his lose that hope.  Once Sam lost his hope, God leaves.  That’s pretty much what happens to people in real life, when they lose hope, they feel there is no God or God abandoned them. Another physical manifestation of a bleak future is Dean's old friend who retired from hunting, Lee, who became so corrupted that Dean is forced to kill him.

The return of Sam and Dean's half-brother, Adam, brings welcome closure.  Adam is not out for revenge as he acknowledged his own culpability for agreeing to vessel-ship in the first place.  Him and Michael only having each other for 10 years in the Cage led to their codependent-symbiotic-ish relationship that parallels Sam and Dean to some extent.  

I like to call the second half of season 15 the "Dean redemption tour" where side characters were used to address Dean's unresolved issues in order for him to be good enough for Sam in their eternal afterlife. Normally whenever Dean interacted with side characters it is about the side characters, not Dean (see example here and here). But when the formula is reversed, it becomes a bit disjointed, and the audience picked up on it. The final redemption act target Dean's anger issues that both Amara and Chuck discussed.

Chuck: This is my ending.  My real ending. 

Very next scene: *Dean pulls a gun on Sam*

Dean’s been so obsessed with having free will that he’s actually following Chuck’s writing.  As usual Sam broke through to Dean, in effect breaking Chuck’s influence. Then a very mad mad Chuck shows up.

Chuck:  “Are you kidding me? After all that, you did it again!”

Then 15x18 happened. Ignoring the hilarity of that scene, the speech was supposed to remind the general audience that Dean is A HERO before he dies two episodes later. By 15x19, free will vs determinism comes to a conclusion.   Michael and Lucifer betrayed the Winchesters and succumb to determinism, fulfilling their destiny to destroy each other.  Sam and Dean manipulated Michael to lure Chuck into a trap to replace him with a new God, Jack. Chuck is left only with human frailties and for the first time Chuck has no idea what happens next, bringing the free will theme to a full circle.  

Due to interactions with Sam, Rowena became the new queen of Hell while Jack becomes the new God of Heaven. Jack promises Sam that He will have a hands-off approach and people don’t need to pray or sacrifice to Him. Jack’s perception of humanity is distilled down to, “When people have to be their best, they can be.” 

Before the story ends, the protagonist is supposed to accomplish their primary goal that had kept them driven and move the story forward.  Sam’s goal was attaining normal life, it was never about eradicating monsters to extinction or avenging his mother’s death.  In fiction it always seems like the main character want many things, but there is always a primary goal.  Harry Potter gets dragged into many subplots such as conflicts with his best friends, romantic misfires, and incidents with secondary characters, however his main goal was always to defeat Voldemort and that's what the audience is holding out to see.  Sam Winchester’s journey is flipped from Harry Potter’s; Sam gets dragged into many subplots of saving the world, defeating the Big Baddies, and conflicts with his brother, however his main goal was always to have a chance at a normal life. But this can't happen while Dean is still alive.

Dean has everything he wanted: Sam and hunting.  Dean is a complete person; he doesn’t need anything else. But Sam had given up just about everything so that Dean wouldn’t be alone. 15x16 reminded the audience that Sam wanted out of the hunting life since he was a child. Sure, Sam is very good at his job and even became a leader, but they always made sure to show that Sam doesn’t have passion for the family business other than saving people’s lives.  Claire Novak shows way more enthusiasm for the job. But Dean would never retire from the hunting life.  Even when Michael gave Dean a fantasy life, Dean still conjured up monsters so he can fight and kill them.  As long as Dean is alive, Sam will never be free to pursue a normal life.  Think back to Dean's speech in season 8 telling Sam to pursue his normal life only after Dean dies with a gun in his hand and a smile on his face.

The pivotal barn scene in the 15x20 finale was genius, bringing the series to full circle with callback to the pilot, fleshing it out, adding backstory to Dean’s pov that brings his fear, need, relief, and love to stark relief.  It hurt like hell, and at the same time, cathartic because Dean was honest.   The way Dean said, “Come here. Let me look at you. There he is!”  That’s Dean in dad mode, the parental figure to Sam.  The show reminded the audience in 15x18 that Dean raised his little brother.  Still in dad mode, Dean then tells Sam that he is proud of him.  It’s what every son wants to hear from their dad.

Dean then goes into brother mode and tells Sam he admires his strength even when they were children.  Sam’s strength is such that Dean was afraid that Sam doesn’t need him. Fearing rejection, he stood outside of Sam’s dorm for hours before finally going to Sam because it’s always been Sam and Dean, and Dean can’t comprehend if he didn’t have Sam. 

From there Dean gives Sam his blessing to keep living his life.  “I love you so much, my baby brother”. Sam’s reaction was pure and raw, he has always been honest about his wants and needs but craves Dean’s approval to pursue them, and now he has it.  Sam’s faith in Dean went answered with Dean saying how proud he is of Sam, how much he admired Sam’s strength so that Sam knows he is strong enough to go on living without Dean.  

Another reason why the barn scene is genius is the pilot callback sets up Sam and Dean’s reunion in New Heaven as pilot 2.0.  From there they will build their relationship just as Sam and Dean.  They are at peace without monsters disrupting their lives, without vindictive angels disrupting their afterlives, and without childhood angsts weighing them down.  They have both freedom and peace.

This applies to all of the hunters.  Jack’s New Heaven is like a retirement home for hunters where they can enjoy their peace and socialize with their friends and loved ones and even upgrade themselves to the people they were meant to be on earth.

[godsspecialestlittleguyskirmish]

The bracket is here! Full list of matches under the cut! If there is any information that would disqualify a contestant, please let me know!

Furina [Focalors] (Genshin Impact) vs Neku Sakuraba [Joshua/Yoshiya Kiryu] (The World Ends With You)

Rand al'Thor [The Creator] (The Wheel of Time) vs Hua Cheng [Xie Lian] (Heaven Official's Blessing)

Waxillium Ladrian [Harmony] (Mistborn) vs Rei/Akari [Arceus] (Pokémon Legends: Arceus)

Jonathan Sims [The Ceaseless Watcher/The Eye] (The Magnus Archives) vs Anakin Skywalker [The Force] (Star Wars)

Kirby [Kirby] (Kirby) vs Jayfeather [Starclan] (Warrior Cats)

Scout [Christian God] (Team Fortress 2) vs Mobei-Jun [Shang Qinghua/Airplane Shooting Towards The Sky] (The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System)

Temenos Mistral [Aelfric the Flamebringer] (Octopath Traveler 2) vs The Hollow Knight [The Pale King] (Hollow Knight)

Optimus Prime [Primus] (Transformers) vs Eugenides [Eugenides] (The Queen's Thief)

Yoo Joonghyuk [The Oldest Dream/Kim Dokja] (Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint) vs Xie Lian [Jun Wu] (Heaven Official's Blessing)

Kiriona Gaia [John Gaius] (The Locked Tomb) vs Dean Winchester [Chuck/Christian God] (Supernatural)

Link [Hylia] (The Legend of Zelda) vs Simon Petrikov [Golb/Golbetty] (Fionna and Cake)

Aeneas [Venus] (Virgil's Aeneid/Homer's Iliad) vs Kim Dokja [tls123 + Uriel] (Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint)

Harrowhark Nonagesimus [John Gaius] (The Locked Tomb) vs The Dark Urge [Bhaal + Jergal] (Baldur's Gate 3)

Cecil Gershwin Palmer [Huntokar] (Welcome to Night Vale) vs Ezra Bridger [The Force] (Star Wars Rebels)

Joker/Akira Kurusu/Ren Amamiya [Yaldabaoth] (Persona 5) vs Jesus Christ [Christian God/his dad] (The Bible)

Shadowheart [Lady Shar] (Baldur's Gate 3) vs The Penitent One [The Twisted One] (Blasphemous)

[diazpatcher]

crawling out of my cage to let everyone know that the only reason spn plots exist is because God had to lock his sister away. the whole Abel and Cain, Michael vs Lucifer, Dean vs Sam. All of it bc God (chuck) had issues with his sibling.

im-

[angelsdean]

seeing a post abt how sam's early seasons anger is justified given the circumstances of his life + childhood trauma, and the post itself was fine, but then there's tags / reactions where people (samgirls / deancrits) will apply such a double standard when it comes to dean expressing any form of anger. sam's anger is good and righteous and makes sense given the circumstance, but then they'll look at dean who has also experienced a traumatic childhood + the trauma of parentification + all the trauma from being trapped in a literal horror show + hell trauma / michael possession trauma and think, "oh dean angry? dean yelling and not reacting properly to his compounding trauma? abuser! villain! controlling! bad guy!" like, everything they say to justify sam's anger and reactions to trauma also applies to dean. and why is it always a competition with samgirls / deancrits? sam does not have the monopoly on trauma / autonomy issues!! and if you think so you're really missing the point of this show. it's the trauma and autonomy issues show! it's the fighting for free will show! it's the, people trying to do their best in a world where it is far too easy to do your worst show! they all (dean, cas, sam, jack, etc) grapple with these issues and experience similar traumas. this isn't the trauma olympics show.

[michaelectras]

i find the whole ‘lucifer represents femininity while michael represents masculinity’ thing so interesting because like from a non-white perspective it’s the exact opposite. michael’s the quintessential female/sister figure in any asian story— runs the proverbial house with an iron fist, filial piety to the power of a billion, raises the kids, overlooked by the dad figure, doesn’t rebel, doesn’t question anything, the likes. meanwhile lucifer’s the quintessential male figure— he’s allowed to argue and rebel (created for it, in fact), he’s the father’s (creator’s) favourite despite being the one to oppose and challenge him, and he has a level of free will and freedom that michael never has/gets. this isn’t even considering the whole ‘lucifer parallels chuck while michael parallels amara’ theory (which im unsurprisingly a fan of) and the whole ‘sam (lucifers vessel) is chuck’s favourite punching bag’ thing vs ‘chuck has a psychosexual obsession with dean (michael)’ thing which brings up plenty of opportunities for a jungian/freudian examination of all this

idk it’s so so so fascinating how individual cultural experiences revolving around race and gender can shape these kinds of things. also not discounting the conflicting imagery of all this (for example michael being associated with fire, classic yang symbolism, while lucifer’s associated with ice, which is yin. but at the same time lucifer’s a very active character and associated with light while michael’s incredibly passive, which are yang and yin traits respectively) and how multiple interpretations can be true at the same time i just think psychoanalysing angels through the lens of gender (and lack thereof) is neat :)

[shallowseeker]

Also love Amelia and Benny in the context of The Decision (Love Cycles) when your values and lifestyles don’t align enough to proceed.

[ananke-xiii]

i know that ruby and cas are often compared in their "love interest" function but to me there's just so much more than that. they're basically opposite characters (not just in the literal sense of hell vs heaven): ruby seems to be rebelling against hell while she's secretly acting in its favor; cas starts off as a soldier following heaven's orders and ends up rebelling and working against it. they both die for their own personal cause, although ruby was not granted the possibility of resurrection. and aside from the problematic fact that death is more permanent for women than men in spn, i wonder if it's also because ruby totally failed at her "friend/support" function (because she was sort of faking it or, if she wasn't, she was manipulating sam) while cas manages to create a real connection with the human in his charge and it starts changing him. don't get me wrong, i actually love that her "reveal" was an evil one, and i generally don't like when the show offers us weak redemption arcs consisting in monsters falling in love with one of the winchesters (ugh). i'm also not a fan of redemption arcs in general but anyway. but i do wonder if the cas/ruby parallel is way more interesting in light of their "friend/support" function. i might be wrong but these two are the first non-family characters interacting with the brothers for extended periods of time. and having someone outside of your family with whom you spend time, who supports you, and that you generally like is important. not great news here but what i'm saying is that for sam and dean to have someone else was a big step. so while i like ruby as a character, i'm a bit saddened by the fact that they didn't give sam someone to establish this type of bond with. that he was being manipulated again. and this state of affairs stays exactly the same for many seasons. sam has 0 friends/support figures outside of dean, which is just plain tragic. with ruby out of the way forever, cas' "opposite/dark mirror" function is given to crowley (it's not a case that, again, the two died on the same episode, just like with ruby and just like her crowley, too, was not granted permission for resurrection). which, okay, for all practical purposes i like crowley (although i suspect i like mark sheppard more, tbh), but i mean, bad bad bad women who die die die must stay dead dead dead so ruby had to stay as such, but what about meg? we were so close to having her as cas' mirror :"(. i'm a fan of homoeroticism as much as the next person but i do find that in spn it sometimes dims the light on other characters, especially female presenting demons (don't even wanna talk about abbadon grrr). cas cannibalized anna and then crowley cannibalized all other demonesses, it's not fair okay? i loved them! :( *me: shouting at chuck: now you bring her back! ruby, meg, even lilith!* *puches the wall* **chuck actually brings them back in s15** *me: not like that, chuckdammit! clenches her fists at heaven*.

[layce2015]

Supernatural (Dean Winchester x Female!Reader)

The Real Ghostbusters

Masterlist pt 1

Masterlist pt 2

"Hey. Come on." Sam said to us and we run to the hotel and see Chuck pacing back and forth at the bottom of the steps. "Chuck! There you are." Sam said as we come up to him and he turns to us, surprised. "Guys?" he asked us, shocked. "What's going on?" Dean asked him. "Ah, nothing. You know, I'm just kinda hanging. What are you guys doing here?" Chuck asked us.

"You told us to come." I said. "Ah, no I didn't." Chuck said as he looks between us. "Yeah you did, you texted me. This address, life or death situation. Any of this ringing a bell?" Sam said as Chuck continues to look at us, confused. "I didn't send you a text." He said.

"We drove all night!" I said. "I'm sorry, I don't understand what could..." Chuck said then he stops and sighs. "...oh no." He mutters. "What?" Dean asked then we hear another set of footsteps coming. "SAM! You made it!!" A female voice squealed and we look up to see Becky running down the steps towards us.

"Oh, ah, Becky, right?" Sam said, trying to sound polite. "Oh, you remembered." she said, excitedly, then she lowers her voice. "You been thinking about me." She asked and Sam seems taken aback. "I..." he stammers and Becky smiles. "It's ok, I can't get you out of my head either." she said and Dean and I share a smile.

"Becky, did you take my phone?" Chuck asked her. "I just borrowed it from your pants." Becky said and I raise an eyebrow at this. "Becky..." Chuck said, exasperated. "What? They're going to want to see it!" Becky said to him. "See what?" the boys and I asked, in unison, and Becky gets a surprised, happy look. "Oh My God. I love it when they talk at the same time!!" she squeals.

Then a guy appears at the top of the stairs with a clipboard. "Hey Chuck? Come on pal, it's showtime." the guy said and Becky runs excitedly up the stairs. Chuck turns to us. "Guys. I'm sorry. For everything." he said and the boys and I look at each other, confused, then follow him up the stairs.

We all enter the building and a large man walks past us with a stein of beer. "Ha-ha-ha. Hey Dean, looking good." the man said to Dean. "Who the hell are you?" Dean asked him and the man turns back to him. He is wearing much the same clothes as Dean, down to the amulet around his neck. "I'm Dean too. Duh." the man said, sounding like it was obvious. 

Dean turns to me and Sam, utterly confused. Over Sam's shoulder, I sees the Scarecrow God and I jump, Sam and Dean look and do the same. "Uh-oh. It's Sam, Dean and (y/n). I'm in trouble now." The Scarecrow said, which I quickly realize he is just a guy in costume. He has a can of soda in one hand, his sythe in the other. "Have fun you three. Aaaah!" the guy said as he jiggles his sythe in Sam's face then walks away.

I furrow my brow as I hear Becky giggling behind us. "What?" I asked her then I turn to the boys and we look around the room. It is filled with people dressed as every monster we've ever fought, Bloody Mary, clowns, people with black demon eyes, a skinny woman dressed as Bobby, a guy dressed as Ash. There are tables of merchandise with the Impala on coffee cups, Chuck's books and more.

"Becky, what is this?" Sam asked her. "It's awesome!! A Supernatural convention, the first ever." Becky squeals while Sam gives a look of disapproval, Dean still looks confused and I was just feeling really uncomfortable with this whole thing.

A small crowd sits facing the stage, in a conference room, and the Convention Manager steps up to the microphone. "Welcome to the first annual Supernatural convention. At 3:45 in the Magnolia room we have the panel, Frightened little boy, the secret life of Dean. And at 4:30 there's the Team Dean vs Team Sam: Who Is The Perfect Match For (y/n)? debate." The manger said as the boys and I stand at the back of the hall, Becky beside us. 

I face-palm at this and run my hands over my eyes at this as the manager continues with his speech. "Oh, and of course the big hunt starts at 7pm sharp." He said and there was 

cheers and applause from the audience. "But right now, right now I'd like to introduce the man himself. The creator, the writer of the Supernatural books. The one, the only, Carver Edlund!" he said and there was massive amounts of cheering and applause break out as Chuck timidly walks onto the stage.

I raise my head and the boys and I stare at Chuck, stonefaced, as he gets to the mic, which makes a feedback noise. "Ok. Ok good, this isn't nearly as awkward as I...." he said and he clears his throat, then again. "Dry mouth." he said and he takes a very long gulps from a bottle of water. There is total silence in the room while he does so.

"Ok. Uh...ahem. So I guess...questions?" Chuck asked and every hand in the room goes up. Chuck looks startled. "Uh....you?" Chuck said as he points at a skinny young man in the front row. The man leaps up, grinning. "Hey, Mr Edlund. Uh...big fan. I was just wondering, where'd you come up with Sam, Dean and (y/n) in the first place?" The guy asked and Chuck glances back at us. I was honestly wanting to hear the BS answer he would give.

"Oh, ah, I...it just came to me." Chuck answered and I look at the boys and see Dean pursing his lips and tilting his head back as hands shoot into the air again. "Ok. Yeah. The hook man." Chuck said and the Hookman stands up. "Ah yeah. Why in every fight scene, Sam, Dean and (y/n) are having their gun knocked away by the bad guy? Why don't they keep it on some kind of bungee?" the hook man said, in a heavy German accent.

I raise an eyebrow at this and look at the boys to see Sam looked interested and Dean looked angry. "I...yeah, I really don't know." Chuck stammers. "Ja, follow up. Why can't Sam, (y/n) and Dean be telling that Ruby is evil? I mean she is clearly manipulating Sam into some kind of moral lapse. It's obvious, nein?" the hookman asked and now Sam looks mad and Dean and I share a small smile.

Becky then walks down the row of chairs, angrily. "HEY! If you don't like the books don't read 'em, Fritz." she yells at him. "Ok, Ok, just..okay, it's okay. So, next question." Chuck said and hands shoot up again. "Yeah, you." Chuck said to a person and they stand up.

"Yeah, at the end of the last book, Dean goes to hell. So, what happens next?" the fan asked. "Oh. Well there lies an announcement, actually. You're all going to find out." Chuck said then he look up at me and the boys, we eye him suspiciously. "Thanks to a wealthy Scandinavian investor, we're going to start publishing again." Chuck said and the room erupts, people leap from their seats, yelling and cheering and applauding. Becky jumps up and down, screaming.

"Boys....please tell me I heard that wrong." I muttered to them as I turn my head to them, both of them looking upset.

Later, the boys and I go find Chuck and see him at the bar with Becky. "Oh, Hi Sam!!" Becky greets, brightly, as we come up to them. Sam nods at Becky, distractedly, while Chuck sighs. "Excuse us." Dean tells Becky and then he turns to Chuck. "In case you haven't noticed, our plates are kind of full, ok? Finding the Colt, hunting the devil. We don't have time for this crap." Dean said to him while I glance over and see Becky giving Sam come hither looks. 

I bite back a laugh as Chuck said. "Hey, I didn't call you!" I roll my eyes and sigh. "He means the books, Chuck. Why are you publishing more books?" I asked him. "Um...for food and shelter?" Chuck said and Dean leans over Chuck's chair. "Who gave you the rights to our life story." he growls. "An Archangel, and I didn't want it!" Chuck exclaims.

"Well, deal's off, ok. No more books. Our lives are not for public consumption." Sam said as he glances at Becky, who turns slowly to stare at Chuck. "Ah..Becky. Would you excuse us for just a second?" Chuck asked her. "Uh-huh!" she said, nodding quickly, then she leaves.

Chuck leads us down a hallway as he starts to talk. "Do you guys know what I do for a living?" Chuck asked us. "Yeah Chuck, we know." Sam said. "Then could you tell me? Cause I don't, all right? I'm not a good writer. I've got no marketable skills. I'm not some hero who can just hit the road and fight monsters, Ok?" Chuck said and I felt a little bad for him. "Until the world ends, I gotta live, all right? And the Supernatural books are all I've got. What else do you want me to do?" he asked us then we hear a woman scream.

The boys and I immediately take off toward the sound. "No, guys...wait!" Chuck shouts after us but we ignore him and head up the stairs.

We make it to the stairs to see a maid crouched in the corner of the hallway. "Hey, are you ok?" Sam asked her as he helps her up. "I think so." she said. "What happened?" I asked her. "I saw a ghost." she replied as we heard more footsteps. I look over my shoulder to see many people running up, including the large man we saw earlier and next to him was a tall skinny man and a short woman who kinda reminded me of Velma.

"A ghost? Could you tell us what it looked like?" the tall guy asked her, in a fake deep voice. "Why don't you leave this to the grownups, pal." Dean tells him as we turn back to the woman. "A woman. She was in an old fashioned dress. Really old. Like a school marm, or something?" the maid said.

"Did she say something to you?" a female voice asked and the maid begins to grin. "Ok." she said and she raises her voice. "Gather close everybody, for a terrifying tale of terror. I saw, a ghost!" she said and Sam shakes his head and walks away, Dean and I follow him. "None other than the ghost of Leticia gore herself! I was on the third floor getting ice for a guest..." I hear the actress recite as we walk away.

Then Becky runs up to us. "Oooo, the LARPing's started." Becky said, excitedly. "The...What is that again?" Dean asked her. "Live Action Role Playing? It's a game. The convention puts it on." She said then she hands Sam a piece of paper and he reads it, frowning. "Dad's Journal. Dear Sam, (y/n) and Dean, this hotel is haunted. You must hunt down the ghost. Interview witnesses, discover clues, and find the bones. First team to do so wins a $50 gift card to Sizzler. JW." 

"You guys are soooo gunna win." Becky said to us, smiling, and I just look at the boys, shaking my head.

Many people, all dressed in suits, flip their FBI badges out at the convention manager. "Well, yes, Agents Lennon, Starr and McCartney, as manager of this fine establishment I can assure you that it is indeed haunted. This building was once an orphanage, run by mean old Leticia Gore. 100 years ago this very night, Miss Gore went insane, and butchered four little boys before killing herself. Now folks say that the souls of those poor little boys are trapped here and the evil spirit of Miss Gore punishes them to this very day." The manager explained while the boys and I stand in the background.

'Well, that's just about all the community theatre I can take." Dean grumbles. "Yeah, this cannot get any weirder." Sam said while the large guy, the tall guy and the Velma looking woman walked past us.

"Dad said...he said I may have to kill you two." The large man said, in a growling voice. "Kill us? What the hell does that mean?" the tall man asked, in a fake deep voice. "I don't know." The large man said. "You have to know something, Dean." The woman said, in a sort of valley girl sounding voice.

As they walk by, Sam, Dean and I look at each other. "I need a drink." We said, in unison.

Dean downs a shot glass, I take a long drink from my glass of whiskey and Sam sits on the other side of Dean, staring morosely at his beer. I look down the bar and see a woman, dressed as a ghost, is clicking away on her phone.

"How you doing?" I asked her. "Busy." she sighs as she continues to look at her phone. "I bet. Having to entertain these nerds here." I said and she chuckles a bit and raises her head to me. "Aren't you one of them?" She asked me and I shake my head. "No. My friends and I...well, let's just say we were tricked here by an acquaintance of ours who thought this would be funny." I said, as I gesture between me, Sam and Dean.

Then there was a loud voice behind us. "For the last time I'm not making this up, ok? She's upstairs, a real live dead ghost." a male voice said and we turn to see a couple of guys standing in front of us. "Excuse me." I tell the lady and the boys and I walk over to the two guys.

"I'm sure it was just one of the ghost actors." the second guy said. "Who beat the hell out of me and then vanished?" the first guy asked his friend. "You saw something?" Sam asked the guy and he turns to Sam. "This isn't part of the game jerk." he growls at Sam then turns to his friend. "Look, I'm getting out of here and you should do the same." He said and he walks away. "Alex, wait. Hey, come back!" Alex's friend shouts and chases after him.

"What do you guys think?" Sam asked us. "I don't think that guy's a good enough an actor to be acting." Dean said and I nod. "Yeah..." I muttered.

"Why, yes, Agents Jagger, Watts and Richards. As manager of this fine establishment I can assure you it is indeed haunted." The con manager said to some of the guests but the boys and I pass him on pur way to the front desk.

"Excuse us, mind if we ask you a few questions?" Dean asked the Hotel Manager. "Look, I don't have time to play Star Wars guys. Go ask the guy in the ascot." the guy said and I pull out a $50 and slide it across the desk. "Actually we ah...really want to talk to you." I said to him and the manager looks up at us. "Ok. You guys are really into this." He said. "You have no idea." Sam said and the manager takes the money.

"What do you want to know?" he asked us. "All this stuff they're saying. This place being haunted. Leticia Gore. Any truth to it?" Sam asked us. "We generally don't like to publicise this to...normal people...but yeah. 1909 this place was called Gore Orphanage. Miss Gore, killed four boys with a butchers knife, then offed herself." The hotel manager said.

"And is tonight really her anniversary?" Dean asked her. "Yep, guess your convention folks want authenticity." the hotel manager said. "There been any sightings?" I asked him. "Yep, over the years. A few maids have quit saying they heard the boys or saw them. A janitor even saw Miss Gore once."  the manager said.

"Where did Miss Gore carve up the kids?" Dean asked him. "Look, I don't want you stomping all over the joint. A lot of this place is off limits to nerds." the hotel manager said and I slide across another $50. "The attic." The manager said to us, softly, as he accepts the money again.

*3rd Person POV*

As the trio were talking to the hotel manager, they didn't realize that the three cosplayers they saw earlier, Demian, Barnes and Sasha, were listening behind the trio and they share a look amongst each other.

Later, in the attic, Dean, Sam and (y/n) crawl in through a small space, all of them with flashlights. The EMF starts buzzing. "The EMF's going nuts." Sam states. "Great. We got a real ghost, and we got a bunch of dudes pretending to be us poking at it." Dean said. "No way this ends well." (y/n) said. "Yeah well serves them right." Dean grumbles.

"Dean..." Sam and (y/n) said, exasperated. "I'm just saying." Dean said, defensively, and they continue on, looking for any clues.

At the other different end of the attic, Barnes, Demian and Sasha walk around and look. "It's gotta be around here someplace." Demian said, in a deep voice mimicking Dean. "Yeah, I dunno man. No one else is looking for the attic." Barnes said and Sasha nods. "Yeah, plus this is kinda creepy." Sasha said, nervously. "Ok, all right, guys." Demian said, in his normal voice, to his friends. "1. Stay in character. All right? If it's just me, I look stupid. and 2. You heard the guy downstairs. I think this is part of the game." He said.

"Help us." A young boy's voice said and they turn to see a young boy that looked oddly pale. "Oh my God! That make up is amazing." Sasha exclaims, excitedly. "I know, right?" Barnes said as they smile and nod. "Amateurs. Stay in character!" Demian yells at the two. "Sorry. Ahem." Barnes said then he clears his throat. "Sorry." He said, in a deep voice. "We'll do better." Sasha said, in the valley girl sounding voice again.

"Help us. Miss Gore won't let us have any fun." the boy said. "Where's the body buried, kid? We'll light her up nice and toasty." Demian said to the kid. The boy points behind them. They turn, but see nothing and when they turn back the hallway is empty.

"Wow. Fast runner." Barnes said. "Probably had a lot of Lucky Charms." Sasha remarks as Demian looking behind them again. "Guys. Check this out." he said and they turn to see a mark on the wall beside a painting. They move the painting, revealing a bloody handprint.

"Must have been what he was trying to tell us." Sasha said. "Gee, you think (y/n)?" Demian said and Sasha rolls her eyes, in a way (y/n) would. The back of the painting is covered in handprints. Barnes rips the backing to see there is an old map inside. "Ok, this is the coolest game ever." Barnes said, in his normal voice, and the three of them start to giggle.

But then Demian clears his throat and goes back to the deep growling voice. "Yes." He said.

Meanwhile, Sam, Dean and (y/n) continue to shine their flashlights into every corner. "My mommy loves me." a voice said and they turn around to see a boy, a different one that visited the cosplayers, crouching in the corner, hands holding his head. "I said my mommy loves me." The boy said.

"I'm sure she does." (Y/n) said, calmly, to the boy. "My mommy loves me this much!" the boy said and he moves his hands, revealing he has been partially scalped, then disappears.

Back at the bar, Becky looks up from her drink and sighs, longingly, as Sam paces while on the phone. He sighs, then notices Becky watching and nods at her. She smiles back, licks the middle of her palm and blows it at him.

Looking very concerned, Sam half waves at her. She winks back while Chuck, standing next to her, watches the back and forth. "Awesome." Chuck mutters while Sam walks over to where Dean and (y/n) were sitting. "All right. So that was a guy with the County Historical Society." Sam said to them. "And...?" Dean and (y/n) said, at the same time.

"Not only did Leticia Gore butcher four boys, but one of them was her own son." Sam explains. "Her son." (y/n) said, questioning but also a bit horrified. "Yeah. According to the police at the time, she scalped the kid." Sam said and (y/n) gasped then shakes her head in disgust. "Oh that's it, I'm gunna deep fry this bitch extra crispy." Dean growls.

"Guy say where she was buried?" (Y/n) asked Sam. "He doesn't know." Sam replied then they overhear a conversation at the next table. "Check it out. There's the orphanage, here's the carriage house, and right there...cemetery." Barnes said, in a deep voice.

"You think that's where Leticia's planted?" Sasha asked, in the valley girl voice. "It's worth a shot." Barnes said as Sam, Dean and (y/n) walk over to them and Sam reaches out to touch the map.

"Hey, hey!" Barnes said, surprised, and Demian grabs the map. "Hey, do you mind?" Demian asked Sam, who turns to Dean and (y/n). "It's real. A century old, at least, and he's right, there is a cemetery on the grounds." he tells them and Dean turns to the three.

"Where'd you get that?" Dean asked them. "It's called a game pal. It ain't called charity." Demian said, still staying in character, and Dean sighs. "Yeah, right. Gimme the map, Chuckles." Dean demanded. "Yeah well you're the Chuckles, Chuckles. Besides, Dean don't listen to nobody." Demian said and he pulls back his jacket to reveal a plastic gun.

Dean rolls his eyes. "Dean! Calm down." Sasha said, in her character voice. Dean pulls out his own gun, his Taurus. "Dean!" (y/n) said, warningly. "What! They're freakin' annoying." Dean exclaims and she shakes her head at him. "I know just...Calm down, honey." She said.

"Look, guys. We all wanna find the bones right? We just thought...it would go faster if we all worked together." Sam said to the cosplayers, who exchange looks. "Ahem. We..ah...we get the Sizzler gift card." Barnes said, in his normal voice, and Dean rolls his eyes again. "Fine." he said.

"And we get to be Sam, (y/n) and Dean." Demian said, gesturing to him and his friends, and Sam, Dean and (y/n) exchange looks. "Fine." (Y/n) said and the trio smile. "Yes." Demian whispers to himself.

Later, Demian, Sasha and Barnes walk along a path, Dean, (y/n) and Sam behind them. "Hey, Rufus, Bobby, Ellen would you hurry it up?" Demian shouts at them, in character, as he turns to them then turns back.

"Are you all right?" Sam asked Dean. "I'm trying to be." Dean growls, in a grumpy tone. "The faster we get this done the better." (Y/n) mutters.

"So where were we?" Sasha asked Demian and Barnes. "Ah, Dr Ellicott had just zapped your brain." Demian said to Barnes, who nods. "Right, got it. Ahem." Barnes said then he goes into character. "Why are we even here Dean? You just following dad's footsteps like a good little soldier? You that desperate for approval?" Barnes asked Demian. "This isn't you talking, Sam." Demian said, in character. "Boys, stop!" Sasha said, also in character.

Dean turns to Sam and (y/n) with a 'How much do we have to put up with' look. Sam frowns as (y/n) shrugs. "See that's the difference between you and me. I got a mind of my own. I'm not pathetic." Barnes yells at Demian. "So what are ya going to do, Sam? Are you going to kill us?" Sasha asked him. "Man, I am so sick of you two telling me what to do." Barnes shouts and Dean had enough of it.

"All right, you know what? That's it. That is it." Dean yells, annoyed. "What's wrong, Bobby." Demian asked Dean, who is so angry he can't speak for a moment. "I'm not Bobby, ok? You're not Sam. You're not Dean. You're not (y/n). What is wrong with you? Why in the hell would you choose to be these guys?" Dean asked, angrily. "Because we're fans. Like you." Barnes said, in his normal voice.

"No. I am not a fan, ok. Not fans. In fact, I think that the Dean, (y/n) and Sam story sucks. It is not fun. It is not entertaining. It is a river of crap that would send most people howling to the nut house. So you listen to me. Their pain is not for your amusement. I mean, do you think they enjoy being treated like...like circus freaks?" Dean yells. "Uh....I don't think they care, because they're fictional characters!" Sasha said, in her normal voice. "Oh, they care. Believe me. They care a lot." Dean shouts and he storms off down the path, leaving the others staring after him. Demian, Sasha and Barnes turn back to Sam and (y/n) with a Dude, what the hell? look.

​​​​​"I'll go talk to him." (Y/n) said to Sam and she heads off, following Dean. "He..uh...he takes the story really seriously." Sam said to the three and they look at him, confused. "Well, he needs to lighten up, it's just a game." Sasha said and Sam sighs. "Believe me, I keep telling him that." Sam said.

Meanwhile, Dean was stomping ahead, fuming, and (y/n) comes up to him. "Dean...Dean!" She calls out as she runs up to him. "What?!" Dean exclaims as he stops and turns to her. “Calm down.” (Y/n) said, trying to reassure him. “Calm down? This whole thing is driving me crazy!” Dean exclaimed, running his hands through his hair.

“They are reenacting some of the worst moments of my life for fun! They get pleasure out of our pain!” Dean yelled. “I know but they don’t know any better. As far as they know, we’re just characters.” (Y/n) said. “Is that supposed to make it okay? I mean how would Kirk feel about people reenacting Spock’s death?” Dean asked and (y/n) rolls her eyes. “Dean, now you're being ridiculous.” She grumbled. “Am I? It’s the same situation!” Dean exclaimed.

(Y/n) sighs, steps closer and strokes Dean’s cheek. “I know how you feel. But just try to endure for a little longer. As soon as we salt and burn Leticia’s bones, we can leave.” She said, softly. Dean leans into her hand, closing his eyes. “Alright.” He muttered and (Y/n) leans up to give him a reassuring kiss.

The six make their way to the cemetery and start shining their flashlights on the gravestones. "I found the four boys." Dean said. "And here's Leticia Gore." Sam said and (y/n) looks over to see Demian, Barnes and Sasha tip toeing around the edge of the cemetery, shining their lights in the bushes.

"Ah...what are you guys doing?" (Y/n) asked them. "We're looking for bones genius. They gotta be around here somewhere." Demian said, in his character voice, and (y/n) rolls her eyes. "Ok. Generally, bones are in the ground." (y/n) said and Sam dumps his bag and leans down.

"Yeah, I know that. I just...." Demian said, still in character, but then he and the other two watch Sam pulling shovels out of his bag. "Wait, hold on. Are you guys serious?" Sasha asked, horrified. "Deadly." Dean said. "We're not really digging up graves you guys, we're just playing a game." Barnes said. "Trust us. You wanna win the game, right?" (y/n) asked them and the trio share a glance to each other.

Dean and (y/n) finish digging out the grave and hits the coffin. The others stand around the grave shining their lights. The wind picks up as Dean and (y/n) grunts and lift the coffin lid, revealing a skeleton. "That's not a plastic skeleton. That's a... that's a skeleton skeleton." Demian gags. "You just dug up a real grave." Barnes said, horrified. "Oh God!" Sasha exclaims.

"Yeah." Dean said. "You guys are nuts." Sasha accuses. "I thought you guys wanted to be hunters." Sam said. "Hunters aren't real man. This isn't real." Demian exclaims, freaking out, and he, Barnes and Sasha turn to walk away. "My God. You guys have seriously lost your grip on this...." Demian said and Barnes turns back to look at Sam and freezes.

"What?" Sam asked him. "Naughty, naughty, naughty!" A female voice said and Sam turns to see Gore was next to him. Before he could do anything, she backhands Sam across the cemetery. Demian, Sasha and Barnes scream and turn to run. Dean and (y/n) heave themselves out of the grave, grunting with the effort.

Barnes trips and falls. "Barnes!" Demian and Sasha shout as Dean rummages in his duffel, pulling out salt and burn materials. Sasha and Demian pull Barnes to his feet and they turn to run again. Gore is in front of them and they scream and grab hold of each other. "Oh my God!!" Sasha screams. "Naughty, naughty, naughty!!" Gore said and she pushes a hand into Demian and Barnes chests and they begin screaming, Sasha was too shocked and scared to do anything. "Barnes! Demian!" Sasha screams, fearfully.

Dean looks up from where he is pouring salt on her skeleton then (y/n) quickly pours kerosene as Dean reaches into his pocket for his lighter, flicking it and dropping it into the grave in one movement. Gore screams as she burns up. Demain, Sasha and Barnes stare at the place where she was, panting.

(Y/n) goes to help Sam up to his feet while Dean turns to face Demian, Sasha and Barnes. "Real enough for you?" Dean asked them and they turn to look at Dean, horrified.

Demian shoots down a shot glass that was filled to the brim and exhales carefully. Sasha was too stunned to do anything. "That was...really..." Barnes said, stunned, but he couldn't finish it. "Awful. Right?" Dean's voice said and Demian, Barnes and Sasha turn to find Sam, Dean and (y/n) standing behind them. "Exactly. Round's on us guys." Dean said and he slaps Barnes on the shoulder and puts some money on the bar.

"See you around." Sam tells them and (y/n) waves at them and they turn to go. "Hey. How'd you know how to do all that?" Sasha asked them and they turn to face them. "We..uh...We read the books." (y/n) said and Dean and Sam nod in agreement. They turn and cross the room to where Chuck is standing with the convention manager.

"Hey Chuck. Good luck with the Supernatural books, and screw you very much." Dean said to him and he, Sam and (y/n) turn and walk away. "Fans of yours?" the Con Manager asked Chuck. "Hmmm. I'd say no." Chuck said. 

Sam, Dean and (y/n) approach the main doors but they are locked. They push against them then turn around, looking around the room. "That's weird." Dean said. "Definitely." Sam mutters. "I've got a bad feeling about this." (Y/n) mutters. 

Dean strains to open a window with no luck while Sam and (y/n) approaches. "Hey. Anything?" he asked them. "Every exit's locked. Almost like..." Sam said. "Something's keeping us in?" Dean said, finishing his sentence, and he knocks his fist against the window in frustration. "Yeah. This is bad." (y/n) said and Dean turns to her. "Gee, ya think (y/n)?" he said, in an annoyed sarcasm.

Then a woman screams and they start running. The actor woman ghost, from earlier, runs out of a room, looking behind her, and is caught by Dean. "Don't go in there!" she screams. "Get downstairs ok? Go go!" Dean tells her and he, Sam and (y/n) walk into the library.

The Gore's son is again crouching in a corner holding his head. "Why'd you do that? Why did you send my mommy away?" he asked. "Ah, maybe because of the high and tight she gave you, huh? How bout some thanks." Dean said to the kid and Sam clears his throat. "Well, I'm just saying a little gratitude might be nice once in a while." Dean said, annoyed.

"My mommy didn't do this to me." the boy said. "What? Then who did?" (y/n) asked the boy but he disappears. 

Meanwhile, the Hookman cosplayer walks down the hallway. He turns, hearing footsteps behind him. It's the three ghost boys. "Ja, how original. Supernatural bringing us more creepy children. Sigh." he said, sighing heavily. "Miss Gore wouldn't let us have any fun." one of the boys said. "You look nothing like real ghosts, just telling you." the hookmqn critiques.

"But Miss Gore is gone and now we can have all kinds of fun." the second boy said and they each bring a large knife out from behind their backs. The Hookman freezes, drops his hook drops to the floor and starts screaming in German.

Sam, (y/n) and Dean come up the stairs and start running. They find the Hookman dead, scalped just like Gore's son. 

"Well guys I guess we're out of time. So thank you for your incredibly probing and rigorous questions, and have a good..." Chuck said to the crowd of fans. But then Sam runs out onto the stage and whispers in Chuck's ear. "Hey...What?" Chuck asked and Sam tells him.

"Holy crap!" Chuck exclaims and the audience murmurs in concern. Sam then covers Chuck's mic. "You gotta keep everyone safe in here, Chuck. This is life or death." Sam whispers. "For how long?" Chuck asked. "As long as it takes." said Sam.

"Well...how the hell am I supposed to do that?" Chuck asked him. "I don't know man. Just do it." Sam said and he walks off the stage. "Ok. So ahh, good news. I got much more to tell you... I guess." Chuck said, nervously, to the fans.

Dean opens the door and he and (y/n) ushers the staff inside. "Buddy, I got work to do." the hotel manager said to Dean and (y/n) "You're gunna want to see this, trust me. It's gunna be a hell of a show." Dean said and all the staff file in, ending with the actor ghost woman, looking pissed off.

Dean and (y/n) closes the door, Sam joins them and they begin laying salt. "Ah, what does the future hold for Sam, (y/n) and Dean? Well, how do you feel about angels? Yeah, because let me tell you, they're not nearly as lame as you think." Chuck said to the crowd.

"Ok. New theory. The legends about Leticia are ass-backwards obviously." Dean said to Sam and (y/n). "Yeah. So all right, let's say those three orphans were playing cowboys and Indians." (y/n) said. "LARPing as cowboys and Indians." Dean said and (y/n) rolls her eyes. "Whatever. And let's say they scalped Leticia's son and killed him." she said. "Mom catches 'em in the act, flips out, slices them and dices herself." Dean said.

"If that's true it means we've got three bloodthirsty brats in the building." Sam said. "Yeah and Leticia was the only one keeping them under control." Dean said and (y/n) sighs. "Smooth move on our part." she said. "Yeah, well we gotta get back to the cemetery, torch the kids' bones." Dean said.

"How? We're trapped, we don't even have our guns! The ghosts are running this joint and they're only scared of one thing." Sam said and (y/n)'s eyes light up. "Exactly." she said. 

"You want me to do what?" the ghost actress asked as she stood before Sam, Dean and (y/n). "You're an actress. We just want you to act." (Y/n) tells her. "I work at Hooters, in Toledo. No, you can forget it." the girl said. "You'll be safe, we promise. This is really important." Sam said and a hand drops on Dean's shoulder.

"We wanna help." Demian said as he, Barnes and Sasha stand in front of him. "Just give her the puppy dog thing ok?" (y/n) whispers to Sam as Dean said to the three cosplayers. "Guys, no."

"Why not?" Barnes asked Dean. "Cause this isn't make-believe." Dean warns them. "Look, we know. We're not nuts. We're freakin' terrified." Demain said. "Yeah but if all these people are seriously in trouble, we gotta do something." Sasha said. "Why?" Dean asked them. "Because. That's what Sam, (y/n) and Dean would do." Demian said.

"No, there's really no such thing as a Croatoan virus for down there. You really should see a doctor." Chuck said, responding to a question a fan.

The actor woman walks into the library, nervously. "I don't wanna do this." she said to Dean, who was leaning around the corner. "We're right here, we've got your back. Trust me, this is going to work." Dean said and he pulls back so he can't be seen, grimacing, (y/n) right next to him. "Boys? Boys? Come here this instant. You come when I call you. You understand me?" the girl calls out to them.

"Miss Gore?" multiple voices asked and the girl turns and startles a bit as she sees the three boys, staring at her. 

Sam, Demian, Sasha and Barnes throw their weight against the door of the main entrance, attempting to force it open. "Push it!" Sam tells them and they push harder. 

"You boys have been very naughty. Now you open the doors. Open the doors right now." the woman orders them and the boys all flicker backwards, worried. 

The main door gives a little. "Go go go!" Sam tells them and Barnes squeezes out, then Sasha does the same and then Demian. 

"Very naughty, you hear me?" the woman said when music starts playing on a cell phone. The boys frown and look at each other. Downstairs the main door slams closed. "Damn it." Sam growls. 

Upstairs in the hallway, Dean closes his eyes and bangs his head softly back against the wall while (y/n) face-palms at this. The Actress, looking scared, slowly reaches into her skirt pocket, takes out the phone and kills the music. The boys stare at her. Dean and (y/n) raise their iron bars and come into the room. "Run." Dean and (y/n) shout as the boys raise their knives and move toward them.

Demian, Sasha and Barnes dig a grave each. "Oh my God. Supernatural makes digging graves seem so easy. It's not though. I'm gunna throw up." Barnes groans. "No, you're not." Demian tells him. "Keep digging boys!" Sasha yells and they do just that.

Dean is thrown against the wall, his iron bar sliding across the room. Two of the boys raise their knives and move towards him while the third was dispersed by (y/n), who turns to three the other two. "Oh no you don't!" (Y/n) said and she swoops up her bar and disperses them. She puts out a hand to pull Dean up.

"Thanks." He said to her, standing up. "Hey!" Sam's voice said as he comes in the room. But before any of them could say anything, (y/n) is flung back against the wall, losing the iron bar. "(Y/n)!" Dean shouts.

Back at the auditorium, Chuck was now sitting in a chair, in front of a bored audience. "Let's see, what else? I fell in love for the first time at 16. Lost my virginity, actually. But then she went around telling everybody it didn't count." Chuck said as the hotel manager moves toward the door.

"Excuse me! You really can't leave. Please sir." Chuck said, panicked, as he stands up. Ignoring him, the manager reaches for the handle. "Don't open that door!" Chuck shouts and the manager opens the door, breaking the salt line. He goes to walk out but jumps back when one of the boys appears in the doorway, grinning. The crowd gasps and jumps to their feet. The boy lifts the knife and slowly steps inside the room.

Chuck flies forward and disperses the ghost with an iron stand. He grabs the doors and slams it closed again, then turns back to the crowd. "I said nobody leaves damn it. Now somebody salt this door." he shouts while Becky is watching him with the same glint in her eye she used for Sam. 

Dean and Sam slam to the ground on their backs, a boy on top of each of them, glaring at them. 

Demain flicks repeatedly at his lighter but it doesn't flare. "How come Dean can always light the stupid thing on the first freaking try?" Demian asked as be keeps flicking. "Come on!!!" He shouts while Sasha and Barnes look on, anxious. "Oh dear Lord, here!" Sasha yells and she grabs the lighter, flicks it and it comes on.

A boy grabs (y/n) by the hair and yanks her backwards. He holds his knife to (y/n)'s hairline. "No!....Dean! Sam!" (Y/n) shouts as she sees the boys being held down. Deqn has one hand holding off a hand at his throat, the other the knife at his head. Sam using both of his to hold up the second boy's knife-wielding hands.

The trio grunt with the effort as the knives get closer until the boys burn up. Sam, (y/n) and Dean lay panting and gasping. 

Demain, Sasha and Barnes stand watch over the graves as they burn. "I could've done that." Demian said and Sasha scoffs. "Yeah, well you took too long." She retorts and Demian looks over at Barnes, annoyed. "Hey, man, she's your cousin." Barnes said, defensively. 

Back at the library, Dean goes and picks up an iron bar then turns to the others. "You know maybe that guy was right. Maybe we should put these things on a bungee." He said and (y/n) rolls her eyes at this. "We'll add it to the list." She said, tiredly.

The next day, emergency vehicles are lined up and a few people were talking to police, the Hook Man's body was also being removed. Dean and (y/n) come down the stairs with Demian, Sasha and Barnes. "You know I gotta hand it to you guys. You really saved our asses back there. So ah, you know, thanks." Dean tells them and they stand looking at each other for a moment.

"Guys, we don't even know your names." (Y/n) said. "Oh. Well, I'm Barnes." Barnes said, pointing to himself. Then he points at Demian. "This is Demian." He said then he points to Sasha. "And this is Sasha. What's yours?" Barnes asked Dean and (y/n).

The couple look at them for a moment, considering, before they speak. "Dean." Dean said. "(Y/n)." (Y/n) said. "The real Dean and (y/n)." Dean said and, after a moment, Demian, Barnes and Sasha laugh.

"Ahhh, yeah right. Us too!" Sasha laughs as she gestures to her and Demian. "Get the hell out of here, Dean and (y/n)!" Barnes laughs while Dean looks disappointed for a second, then smiles, and (y/n) shakes her head. "Well, anyway. Thanks. Really." Dean said to them and he takes (y/n)'s hand and they go to walk away. 

"You're wrong you know." Demian said and Dean and (y/n) turn back. "Sorry?" Dean asked. "About Supernatural. No offense but I'm not sure you get what the stories about." Demian said and Dean smirks. "Is that so?" Dean said, questioning. 

"All right. In real life, he sells stereo equipment. I fix copiers. And she is an owner of a bookstore. Our lives suck. But to be Sam, (y/n) and Dean, to wake up every morning and save the world. To have a brother and a friend who would die for you. Well, who wouldn't want that?" Demian said and (y/n) smiles. "Maybe you got a point." Dean said.

"You know, you three don't make a bad team yourselves. How do you know each other anyway?" (Y/n) asked them. "Well, Demian and I are cousins and we met Barnes online. Supernatural chat room." Sasha explained. "Oh. Well, it must be nice to get out of your parent's basement. Make some friends." Dean said and (y/n) elbows his side.

"We're more than friends." Demian said as he gestures to Barnes then he takes Barnes' hand, they twine their fingers together. "We're partners." Demian said and Barnes drops his head onto Demian's shoulder and they both grin at Dean and (y/n) while Sasha looks on, proud. "Oh. Wow. Ahem. Howdy partners." Dean said, obviously stunned. "Howdy." Barnes said. "Well, you guys stay safe. And...have a good one." (Y/n) said. "You too!" Sasha said and Dean and (y/n) walk away. 

Further down the car park, Sam stands with Becky and Chuck. "Look Sam. I'm not gonna lie. We had undeniable chemistry. But like a monkey on the sun, it was too hot to live. It can't go on. Chuck and I, we found each other. My yin to his proud yang. And well, the heart wants what the heart wants. I'm so so sorry." Becky said while Sam looks at her, a slight confusion on his face. "Yeah, Sam. Sorry." Chuck said.

Sam grimaces at them both while Chuck smiles sheepishly at him. "Will you be all right?" Becky asked and Sam puts on a sad face and sighes, heavily. "Honestly I don't know. I'll just have to find a way to keep living, I guess." he said and Becky gives him a sympathetic look. "God bless you." Becky said. "Ok." Sam said then he turns to Chuck.

"Oh, hey. Chuck. If you really wanna publish more books, I guess that's ok with us." he said and Chuck's eyes light up at this. "Wow. Really?" he asked, excitedly. "No, not really. We have guns and we will find you." Sam said. "Ok, ok. No more books." Chuck said, quickly. "See you around." Sam said and he turns and begins to walk away.

"Sam! Wait, one more thing." Becky shouts as she runs after him. He stops and she gets in front of him. "In chapter 33 of Supernatural Time is on my Side, there's that girl Bela? She was British, and a cat burglar." she explains. "Yeah, I know." Sam said. "She stole the Colt from you and then she said she gave it to Lilith, remember?" Becky said. "Yeah." said Sam.

"Well, you know she lied right, she didn't really give it to Lilith." Becky said and Sam stops and stares at him. "Wait, what?" he asked. "Didn't you read the book? There was this one scene where Bela gives the Colt to a demon named Crowley. Lilith's right hand man. And I think her lover too." Becky said, excited. "Crowley." Sam said then he turns to Chuck.

"Didn't it occur to you to tell us this before?" he asked him. "I'm sorry. I didn't remember. I'm not as much of a fan as she is." Chuck said, nodding towards Becky. "Becky, tell me everything." Sam said to her and she gives him huge smile and begins laughing.

Dean and (y/n) lean against the Impala, Dean was lost in thought. "You ok?" (y/n) asked him as she notices him smiling, slightly. "Yeah, you know? I think I'm good." he said and she smiles. "You know, we might have hated it here but...it is nice to hear people say that they love what we do. In a weird way, they appreciate what we do." (Y/n) said and Dean nods.

"Well, you guys are  not going to believe it, but I got a lead on the Colt." Sam said as he walks up to them. "What?" Dean and (y/n) asked. "Long story, I'll tell you on the way?" Sam suggested. "What are we waiting for?" (y/n) asked and they get in, slam the doors and cruise out of the car park.

@rach5ive @kitsun369 @itzabbyxx @cevans-winchester @ellie-andthemachine

[scoobydoodean]

I saw (I think through you) something about Lucifer not letting cas die after the swan song battle but just exploding him and keeping him near

I ALSO keep thinking about how the empty says nobody has pull there, nobody has the ability to bring back anyone from there (except jack on accident)

This implies to me that chuck never let cas truly die at all because he was brought back several times

I think it makes some sense because chuck was supposedly watching the Winchester's closely and would've known what would happen if cas was truly gone and he couldn't let that happen (yet)

It's interesting that cas dies finally only after chuck abandoned the world (not watching his favorite show, feeling no obligation to help) and I can't help but wonder if Dean asking for Chucks help made him so mad (it was rude and didn't appeal to chuck like he would've needed, Sam would've done a better job asking for help because he can suck up) that he flung cas into the empty.

What are your thoughts?

I don't remember reading a post like that, so it must have been someone else—but that's interesting! Chuck's alleged lack of power in The Empty vs. Castiel's resurrections is definitely another one of those tricky little bits introduced in the Dabb run that's difficult to make sense of. I mean to be real I think the guy is a fuck up of a showrunner with ineffective communication with his writing team who therefore ends up creating continuity errors and dropped plots left and right... but I think when reviewing the previous seasons through the lens that Dabb's run requires, Chuck kind of keeping Cas in his back pocket and not allowing him to drop into The Empty is still genuinely sensible (unless you want to theorize something like "The Prestige" is going on and... meh). The speed of Cas's resurrections in 5.01 and 5.22 show God was paying very close attention to Cas and that at that time, he wanted Cas around, doing exactly what he was doing—helping defy the narrative.

We see in 5.22 that despite what happens not fulfilling what God had prophesied, Chuck is pleased with the outcome. Some may take this as a sign that he intended things to go exactly how it went, but I don't think that's true. I think Chuck was just genuinely entertained by Dean and Cas leaping out of his writing at that time. Leaping out of causality is something Dean and Cas do together in 4.18, 4.22, and 5.22.

In 4.18, Dean pleads with Cas to help him save Sam, even though Cas thinks what's going to happen is fate and can't be subverted. Cas doesn't personally act, but he gives Dean the idea that Dean then executes, leading Chuck to say "What are you doing here? I didn't write this."

In 4.22, Dean pleads with Cas again. They again fight about the inescapability of destiny. This time, it's Dean's pleading but Cas's actions—flying Dean out of the green room (somewhere Dean is incapable of escaping from on his own). Chuck says when they pop into his house, "Wait. T-t-this isn't supposed to happen" and then "Yeah, but you guys aren't supposed to be there. You're not in this story".

In 5.22, after Lucifer takes Sam over (something that was foretold to happen in Detroit), Cas and Bobby despair, but Dean refuses to give up and calls Chuck, who says, "Oh, uh, Dean. Uh, wow. I, uh, I didn't know that you'd call." Then Dean goes to Stull Cemetery alone. However, the moment that Michael begins to walk up on Dean and says, "You little maggot. You are no longer a part of this story!" Guess who suddenly appears with a holy oil Molotov cocktail?

So these moments where they defy "fate" (i.e., prophecy foretold to the archangels) seem to require Dean and Cas working together in order to be pulled off, and Chuck likes this. Viewing through the Dabb lens—it excites him maybe for the first time in years. So he keeps Cas around. He resurrects Cas twice. He doesn't mind "losing"—he wants more of these things he can't anticipate to occur.

But at some point, Chuck snaps, and he isn't enjoying his creations having free will anymore. At a certain point, he turns on Castiel, because by season 15, he's complaining about Cas the exact way Naomi did in season 8: Cas is the angel with a crack in his chassis who never does what he's told. Chuck also isn't enjoying Dean's defiance anymore, but is still (as Lilith tells us) "creepily obsessed" with Dean.

The thing is, if my theory about the devil baby brainwashing is correct, then Chuck begins to sow his Moriah finale in season 12, which means Dean's prayer probably isn't what makes Chuck mad. Something has to happen between season 11 and season 12 that acts as the catalyst for Chuck to begin his most psychologically complicated, painstakingly crafted attack on Dean's mental state ever. What my brain is currently theorizing, is that the catalyst for Chuck snapping and finally trying to force Dean to act out his fratricide fantasies once and for all... is Amara.

Chuck didn't want Amara standing in his way and didn't want to share authority, so he locked her away, but then she got out and there was nothing Chuck could do about it. He lost control. That's... one theory I am thinking of anyway. (It's possible I've been watching too much true crime).

Now—Chuck had lost control before (during the first apocalypse) but never to a degree that was life threatening for him. Team free will can do things Chuck doesn't anticipate, utilizing free will... but Amara is his equal and can literally kill him. What's more—who saved his ass from Amara? Dean—and of all things—with the power of love—with his pesky, bleeding heart—the number one thing that always seems to stand in the way of the repeated fratricide plot! Dean gets Chuck and Amara to make nice, and then they go away together, but... Amara isn't that interested in Chuck. He begins to annoy her. This is another way that Chuck loses control—control of how his equally powerful sister perceives him (This is something that's also sent Sam over the edge in the past, and Chuck&Amara and Sam&Dean are mirrors).

So Chuck loses control in this major way, and in his desperation to reassert control in the aftermath, because he can't control his sister, he focuses on trying to control his "toys". He doesn't want them defying his writing anymore. It enrages instead of entertains now. So he begins this plot, and a major component of that plot needs to be separating Dean and Cas, either through death or through emotional distance or both, because 1) his experience is that they defy his writing together, and 2) it will hurt and isolate Dean.