#male friendship is indeed in dire need of representation

[charliewrites99]

Representation

Super rare male friendship on tv

VS

Slow-burn over several seasons, friends to lovers between two guys (neither of which was introduced as queer)

[castiel-left-his-mark-on-me]

What's the difference between queerbaiting, bromance, and canon? I am genuinely confused. Also... which one is Destiel?

Okay, well none of these are really comparable-- they have common threads especially when applied to Destiel, but they all are really very different.

Queerbaiting is a term that’s been used to describe the different ways entertainment media use the idea of queer relationships and characters as a way to create viewer interest, without ever truly delivering. Supernatural of course, has been blamed for doing this a lot and I see why. The actors themselves have said that they’ve been directed to act like “jilted lovers” towards their costars of the same sex-- but when it comes to actually stating that a character is gay or bi, or any other alternative sexuality, nothing is ever definitive. So the audience can become aggravated when scene after scene hints at LGBTQ+ representation, but never truly commits to it (or, if they do commit ... they quickly kill off the character ... Charlie! I miss you so much!)

A bromance is a fairly new concept if you’re considering the last couple of decades. Bromance goes beyond just male friendships-- it obliterates those traditional barriers of masculinity and gives two men the freedom to be more affectionate and intimate with one another without being in a relationship. To put it in the most basic of terms-- it’s letting guys have the same style of close friendships that women have always been allowed to have. They can hug, they can cuddle, they can be soft and gentle with one another. It’s not all just fart jokes and beers anymore. Some people claim that Destiel is just a long, drawn out bromance but I don’t agree with that and I’ll explain why in a second.

Now “canon” is a term used in entertainment to define what has actually been written and filmed for a show or movie. Canon elements are usually things that can’t be heavily debated. For example-- it’s canon that Dean owns a 1967 Chevy Impala. It’s canon that he and Sam are brothers. It’s canon that ghosts and goblins and such are real in the Supernatural universe. Those are the easy to define canon-elements though-- other things can be more debatable depending on your interpretation of the plot and characters that surround them.

Destiel is a prime example of this. I personally see Destiel as canon because what I perceive Destiel to be is two men (or one man and an angel) who have confused, repressed feelings for one another but just don’t know how to show them. They want a relationship, but neither believes they really deserve something so real and good. They’re tragic heroes and this is a common theme for any tragic character. Yet, when it comes to life and death, both Dean and Cas can’t see life being livable if the other is gone; and it’s that devastation that brings what they have beyond friendship or “bromance” for me. Not to mention, they have been scripted and set up in every traditional romantic trope there is, showing the audience that their profound bond is one of intimate love and not just “brotherhood”. Now others say that Destiel is not canon because they have not seen the two characters kissing. They have not specifically stated “We are in a romantic relationship with one another”-- which, yes, that’s true-- they have not specifically said that; but does that really mean that there’s no possibility of them being together romantically? Not everyone has outwardly affectionate, advertised relationships. And it has been put in the scripted canon of the show that those two share even more off screen then they do on screen. We never saw Dean give Castiel a mix tape-- but apparently it happened because Castiel tried to give it back. The show had implied that they chat on the phone all the time, but we tend to only see the serious, dire phone calls when someone needs help. We didn’t see Castiel show up naked, covered in bees on Dean’s car, but later on, Dean stated that it indeed, happened. That’s the beautiful thing about stories like Supernatural. It is ever evolving-- things can be alluded to, referenced outside the scope of the camera, moments and relationships can be implied and that can be more real to the viewers than what’s actually been put on screen for the world to see.

So, in conclusion-- Destiel is a canon relationship to me; and yes, there have been times where I think the writers and producers have used the idea of Destiel as a ploy to get higher ratings, but as much as I don’t appreciate the run around, it doesn’t make me think that Dean and Cas’s relationship is any less valid for it. It’s not a bromance because it’s far deeper and more serious than that.

A bromance is fun and desired, but it’s not really necessary.

And it’s 100% canon that Dean needs Cas.

They need each other-- they both see each other as necessary.

Their bond is unique, and deep and necessary; and that’s because it’s made up of true love.