It? It’s not an “it”, Sam. It’s Cas.

Probably my favorite line from tonight’s episode. I was actually on the verge of crying when Dean immediately jumped to correct Sam on this. I think it tells us something fundamentally different about the way both brothers perceive who and what Cas is and honestly, I am drowning in emotions because of it. Let me explain. 

So, Sam reffered to Cas’ vessel as an “it” and… he’s not necessarily wrong. Cas is, after all, an angel inhabiting a human vessel, and as we all know, Jimmy Novak’s soul has been absent from it for quite some time, which turns his body into some kind of empty shell ready for him to use. A tool. Sam calling the vessel an “it”, clearly shows he hasn’t forgotten this, and tells us a lot about how he views Cas. Sure as a friend, as someone he cares deeply about, as someone to trust… but also as the supernatural being he actually is. As grace, energy and power inside a body that serves a function. “It’s a strong vessel Dean, it’s held Cas for years”. The real Cas is not the one he sees, but the one inside. For him, Jimmy’s body is not Cas. 

Now let’s get to Dean and how defensive he is at Sam talking about Cas like this. In his mind, he wasn’t talking about a vessel, a tool, much less about something disposable or something to use and risk. He was talking only about Cas, because Cas’ vessel is as much Cas as everything else. Just as his grace, conscience and powers, to Dean, Jimmy’s body is important to the point in which separating “it” from the “real Cas” is unconceivable: it’s a He and it is Cas. Sure, Dean too has shown he doesn’t forget Cas is a supernatural being, but in tonight’s episode, he shows he also believes that Cas, the Cas he’s known for years now, is as human as he gets. Someone he can touch, see, trust and care about. Someone he loves. 

Why do I think this is important? Because I believe the writers wanted to make a point of it for a reason. To show how this affects the relationship both Winchesters have with Cas, and possibly, how it might affect it in the future. Basically, it makes the possibility of a romantic, not only platonic relationship between Cas and Dean more plausible. I would be very surprised if this is not what they’ve been hinting at at this point. Thing is, some of the main issues some people have had with this are “Jimmy is probably still there” which can’t be used anymore because of 10x20, and “but people want Dean to be with Cas when Jimmy’s body is not even Cas, it’s just a vessel” or “he’s an angel so why would Dean even consider being involved with him” plus “Cas in any other vessel would be the same, so him loving Cas doesn’t prove he loves a guy” but… guess what! Dean doesn’t see it like this!

The eyes he looks into, the hand he takes, the shoulder he grabs, the smile he sees, the voice he hears, even the scruff, and definitely even the clothes he wears… everything, every single detail is important to Dean! ‘Cause that’s Cas and it’s his Cas and he’s not gonna give up on him that easily.