#I have many thoughts on why anna couldn't change the story despite encouraging castiel's autonomy to begin with

[ulfie-by-osmosis]

One of my favourite aspects of castiel's character is that in his entire arc, he never has it in himself to be gentle. He goes from apathetic to irritated to confused to secretive to defensive (even in s7 I would argue that he is naive, but not gentle) to depressed to hopelessly in love, and none of that mellows his temper.

Castiel is fierce and turbulent, violent and reckless and sharp, sassy, commanding, reassuring - never mild, even in his best moments. And that is why I think he's the only character that could have "ripped up the narrative" to the extent that he did: too much heart to afford to be placid.