Supernatural - S12E19 - The Future

Previously on Supernatural, “The Memory Remains”

Well… that was something.

Castiel finally graced Dean with his presence (more or less to return a mixtape), remaining vague about his plans with the angels to seek and destroy the mother of destruction, Kelly Kline (Courtney Ford). After a few months under Dagon’s “protection”, Kline and her unborn son chose Cas as their protector and father figure. Restored to old form, Cas, Kelly and baby make three as they prepare to usher a new era for humanity and beyond. Damn. Did you see this coming because I sure as heck didn’t!

While Supernatural finally shook things up on a grand scale, the results felt eerily familiar as Castiel is once again under the influence of a powerful entity. It is and isn’t disappointing how our favorite seraph has become the doormat every malevolent force that wipes their grimy feet upon in the series. In this case, the nephilim growing inside Kelly doesn’t appear to be inherently evil like its father. Everyone expects the worst because of its lineage yet they quickly dismiss the notion that he’s part-human. If it’s inherited anything from its mother, this unholy spawn has already appreciated its freedom from the conventions ingrained in the ancient beings that constantly meddle in human affairs. This revelation wouldn’t have been possible without Castiel, whose defiance in the face of both the angelic host and the Winchesters may have spelled the end of everything (again).

How this all went down is pretty easy to follow: Dean mentioned how Castiel has been looking for a ‘W’ throughout season twelve. After losing Kelly in “LOTUS”, killing Billie the following episode then getting his ass beat by Ramiel, Cas was in a really dark place. Lest we also forget that he got his assbutt knocked around by the Men of Letters in the first couple episodes this season. Feeling completely impotent and unconcerned about “cosmic consequences” for his rash behavior, Castiel was thoroughly convinced that his only option was to kill Kline. Even with the fate of the entire universe in his hands, Castiel failed yet again. Despite all of Kelly’s unfounded hopes for her satanic child, she remains an innocent. Although she was doing her best Lewinsky impersonation for the President when we first met her. Semantics!

It’s been infuriating that angels are portrayed as rigid ideologues that deal in absolutes, yet we have to remember that they aren’t imbued with free will like humans. They need order and a hierarchy of command like we need oxygen. The problem is the more seraphs and archangels that die off, the more disorganized the host have become. Look what happened to Joshua mere seconds after his arrival on earth… before he could say “Peace be with you”, he’s turned into the biggest pile of angel dust thanks to an overclocked Dagon (Ali Ahn).

After a year of pain and rampant inadequacy, Castiel placed his faith in the child and was immediately rewarded with a renewed strength to dispatch Dagon and any others that seek to disrupt this new trinity. If anything, this rejuvenated Cas is fully cognizant and responsible for his own actions, unlike the brief possession by the Leviathans.

While it’s been occasionally frustrating to witness angels, demons, ancient gods and other mythical ilk threaten humanity at an exceedingly diminished capacity, the impending birth of the nephilim is exactly what Supernatural needs. Sam and Dean are way too good at their jobs; there’s essentially no one on earth or in purgatory they can’t defeat, save for the unborn hybrid in Kelly’s belly. The Men of Letters remain a thorn in the Winchesters’ sides but they’ve only two advantages over the boys: numbers and resources. If the MoL are as excellent at their job in protecting humanity as they claim, why did they sit back when the world was nearly destroyed a few times, or when Lucifer and Amara walked among us? How about the incidents with the fallen angels or Abbadon or the leviathans?

Granted, they’re an organization that primarily chronicles supernatural events but they’ve hunters like Ketch at their disposal to neutralize dangers in a coolly efficient manner. The Brits may have centuries of knowledge to fall back on and keep their part of the world clear of monsters, but they lack the heart, tenacity and superior experience of the Winchesters. Thanks to Dagon, the board has been cleared when she destroyed The Colt. Now that the Winchester’s ace-in-the-hole is no more, it would be nice to see the usual three-man act return to its loose committee of hunters next season to combat the nephilim (if he survives the finale).

Sam and Dean will need all the help they can get now that Castiel is empowered and inspired by the nephilim’s vision for the future. But first they’ll have to contend with a bloodthirsty MoL hit squad and a vengeful Lucifer. Oh, you know he’ll find a way to escape Hell one more time.