Castiel

I'm the one who gripped you tight, and raised you from perdition. – Castiel to Dean, 4.01 Lazarus Rising

Castiel is the Angel who rescued Dean from Hell, according to Castiel on a command from God. His handprint is burnt into Dean's arm.

His true voice is piercing to the human ear and only certain people can hear him properly this way or so he claims, and looking on his true visage will burn a human's eyes from their head, as Pamela Barnes found when she tried to summon him in a seance. It will also burn the eyes of humans possessed by demons as shown in the diner scene when Sam is attacked by a blind demon.

Uriel, appears to be junior to him. In the past Anna Milton, in her angelic state, was his superior.

Dean first refers to Castiel as "Cass" in 4.04 Metamorphosis. The nickname is subsequently used by Sam and Anna as well.

On the season four dvd box set, sometimes the english subtitles call him "Cass" and other times it's "Cas".

• see also Angel Lore

Misha Collins who plays Castiel reports that "Kripke wanted to base the look of the character on the comic book character ‘Constantine’" Source. There was great secrecy around the introduction of the character. When the role was being cast it was advertised as being for a demon. It was only at the audition that Misha found out Castiel was an Angel.

4.01 Lazarus Rising

Castiel tries to 'speak' to Dean after his resurrection, but all Dean hear's is a piercing sound. When Pamela Barnes conducts a seance to reveal the being who saved Dean, Castiel warns her off, but she persists and is blinded when she encounters him. Again, while Dean is alone in the hotel room in Pontiac, Castiel tries to speak to Dean, but his 'voice' shatters all the glass in the room and makes Dean's ears bleed.

Dean is intent on summoning Castiel, and so he and Bobby prepare an empty warehouse with protective sigils and symbols and Bobby performs a summoning ritual. When Castiel appears, Bobby and Dean shoot him with rock salt to no effect. Dean stabs Castiel with Ruby's Knife, also to no avail. Castiel causes Bobby to pass out. Castiel tells Dean he is inside the body of a man he says "prayed for it" and then reveals to Dean that he is an angel, who saved him from Hell on God's command. "I gripped you tight and raised you from perdition." He tells Dean that God "has work for him."

4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester

Castiel appears to Dean in Bobby's kitchen, and confirmed that the spirits who attacked them were Witnesses. He tells Dean that their summoning by Lilith broke the first of The 66 Seals , and that when the last one is broken Lucifer will be freed.

Misha Collins plays Castiel in Season 4

4.03 In The Beginning

Castiel sends Dean back 1973 to meet his parents when they were young. The purpose of this was to find out the truth of what happened with Mary Winchester and Azazel, but still have no idea what Azazel's endgame is. He then tells Dean that Sam is headed down a dangerous road and that if Dean doesn't stop him, the angels will.

4.07 It's The Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester

Dean and Sam return to their motel room to find Castiel and Uriel waiting. Sam is thrilled to meet Castiel. Castiel's response is to acknowledge Sam as the the 'boy with the demon blood' and say that he is glad Sam is no longer using his powers. Castiel reveals they found a hex bag, which would've killed the boys, secreted in the room and that the raising of Samhain by the witch will break another of The 66 Seals. He advises Sam and Dean to leave town, because he and Uriel are going to destroy it. Sam and Dean argue that they can find and kill the witch and stop the summoning of Samhain. Later Uriel expresses his contempt for humans and tries to persuade Castiel that they should destroy the town anyway. Castiel reminds him that Dean was saved because he has 'potential', and reminds Uriel that they must follow their 'true orders'. After Sam has sued his powers to send Samhain to Hell, Castiel appears to dean. He reveals that their true orders were to follow whatever Dean decided to do, as a test under battlefield conditions. Dean, thinking he's failed, asserts that he'd make the same decisions all over again if he had to, because of what he and Sam have saved. Castiel confides that he was praying Dean would choose as he did, and also that he has questions and doubts about the plan from Heaven. He warns that in the coming months, there will be more hard decisions for Dean -- and the angel does not envy him that.

4.09 I Know What You Did Last Summer

Castiel appears with Uriel to kill Anna at the end of the episode.

4.10 Heaven And Hell

Castiel and Uriel appear and demand that Sam and Dean hand over Anna, with Castiel announcing, "We're here for Anna...she has to die." Uriel states that Anna is not as innocent as she appears. The boys protest but the angels attack. Suddenly a bright light engulfs them and the angels are repelled and disappear. The boys go to the room where Anna was hiding, and find that she has used her blood to draw sigils on a mirror and use some spell against the angels.

Uriel and Castiel reappear from being banished later to take Anna. Dean's choice is revealed: either Anna dies - or Sam. As the angels are about to take her, an injured Ruby appears with Alastair. The demons and angels confront each other and another fight ensues. During the confrontation Castiel faces off with Alastair, landing several blows and tries to cast the demon back into the Pit. It proves ineffective and Alastair pins Castiel to the ground, strangles him and starts a demonic chant. Castiel is saved from Alastair's grip when Dean hits the demon across the back with a tire iron and distracts him from Castiel.

During the fight Anna steals her Grace from Uriel and becomes an angel again. During the process, Alastair disappears. Uriel and Castiel leave, and we find out that it was Sam's plan all along to bring the demons and angels together to get them to fight each other.

4.15 Death Takes A Holiday

Castiel, pretending to be Bobby Singer tells Sam how it is described in a version of Revelations:

And he bloodied death under the newborn sky

Sweet to taste

But bitter once devoured

This is one of The 66 Seals which will be broken if two reapers are killed under a solstice moon. Castiel needs Sam and Dean as the demons are holed up in a refuge protected by sigils that keep angels out. The boys are successful in stopping the seal being broken and in the process Castiel captures Alistair. Dean questions Castiel why, if death is part of the natural order, he was rescued from Hell. Castiel replies "You're different."

4.16 On The Head Of A Pin

In the first scene, Castiel finds an angel from his garrison dead.

Castiel and Uriel then appear in the Winchesters' home, explaining to Dean that the torturing abilities he learned in Hell were required on Alistair to find out which demon was killing the angels. Both Uriel and Castiel, after hearing that Dean did not want to go, took Dean to the place they were keeping Alistair.

Castiel tells Dean about how his emotions were impairing his judgment, resulting in Uriel being placed in charge. He then tells him how the angels need, rather then want, Dean to do this.

Anna attempts to tell Castiel that forcing Dean into torturing again is morally wrong but Castiel is convinced his 'superiors' are correct.

After Alistair is freed from Devils trap and beats Dean, Castiel tries to fight him. Alistair attempts to chant a Demonic spell to send Castiel back to Heaven but Sam interrupts him using his demonic powers, saving Castiel.

Alistair dominates Castiel in 4.16 On The Head of a Pin

Castiel confronts Sam at the hospital Dean is being kept in. Sam assures Castiel that the Alistair was not lying.

Uriel and Castiel meet at a playground at talk about how 'something is wrong'. Castiel calls Anna and tells her that he is considering disobedience, however he does not believe it is 'good'.

Castiel finds out that a leaky pipe enabled Alistair to escape from his Devils trap. Uriel confronts him and informs him that he was responsible for the death of the 7 angels and that he wishes Lucifer to rise and humanity to be destroyed. After Uriel's failed recruitment, Castiel attacks Uriel however he is too strong. Anna kills Uriel just before he tries to kill Castiel.

Castiel visits Dean in hospital and confirms that Dean's actions in Hell resulted in the breaking of the first seal.

4.18 The Monster At The End Of This Book

Castiel reveals Chuck Shirley is a Prophet of God and that his books will one day be known as the Winchester Gospels.

Dean returns to the motel, to find Sam has burned the hex bags, so that Lilith will find him. Frustrated Dean threatens to leave, but changes his mind and just storms out into the parking lot. Desperate, Dean starts to pray and Castiel appears. Castiel gives Dean information on how to stop Lilith, revealing that Chuck is protected by an archangel who will intervene if Chuck is threatened. By putting Chuck in the same room with Lilith, the archangel appears and Lilith flees.

4.20 The Rapture

Castiel is about to reveal information to Dean when he is forcibly taken back to Heaven. His vessel Jimmy Novak was able to be an angelic vessel due to something "is in his blood". Jimmy describes being possessed by Castiel as like being "chained to a comet".

Jimmy returns to his family, but he is pursued by demons who shoot him. Castiel possess Jimmy's daughter Claire Novak, but as he lies dying Jimmy begs Castiel to use him as a vessel instead.

As Castiel leaves, Dean asks him what it was he wanted to tell him, but Castiel rebuffs him, saying he doesn't serve man...or Dean, only Heaven.

4.21 When The Levee Breaks

Dean calls on Castiel, who tells Dean that Sam could kill Lilith but consuming that much Demon Blood would make him inhuman. Castiel says dean can be the one to stop the apocalypse, rather than Sam, and asks if Dean will do it. Dean agrees and swears fealty and obedience to God and the angels.

Later Castiel comes and uses his powers to release Sam's bonds and open the door Bobby's Panic Room. Anna visits Castiel, and confronts him over his actions, but he says he is acting on orders, and she is taken captive by other angels.

4.22 Lucifer Rising

Castiel and Zachariah hold Dean captive, waiting for the apocalypse approaches. Dean pleads with Castiel to let him see Sam but Castiel refuses.

Later Castiel returns and apologises to Dean for deceiving him. Dean is angry, and argues with Castiel, trying to convince him to help them stop the apocalypse. He initially refuses but then returns, and cutting himself draws a sigil on the wall. Zachariah arrives to stop him, Castiel places a bloody hand on it and Zachariah is sent away. Castiel says he will take Dean to Sam to stop him killing Lilith - because her death IS the final seal.

Castiel and Dean visit Chuck Shirley who has forseen that Sam is at the Convent. An archangel arrives, and Castiel says he will hold it off and sends Dean directly to the Convent.

5.01 Sympathy For The Devil

As Zachariah tries to coerce Dean to being a vessel for the Archangel Michael, Castiel appears. He attacks the angels with the Sword Of Lucifer and orders Zachariah to make Sam and Dean better, and then leave.

Castiel is elusive about how he has been bought back from death, but before he leaves he touches Sam and Dean, burning an Enochian sigil into their ribs, that will hide them from the angels.

[[5.02 Good God Y'All]

Castiel calls Sam to find out where the boys are - the Enochian Sigils he etched into their ribs, hides them from all angels including Castiel. He is angry, that he has killed his brethern and is cut off from Heaven. He tells Bobbythis means he can't heal him. He then says in order to defeat Lucifer he plans to find God. He asks Dean for his amulet which he says will burn hot in God's presence.

Castiel trivia

• According to "Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels"(ISBN-13: 978-0029070529), Castiel is an Angel Of Thursday in the occult lore. This may be a reference to the fact that Supernatural airs on a Thursday night on The CW.

• There is a municipality in Switzerland called Castiel. Its coat of arms is the archangel Michael killing a dragon. This image has appeared in paintings in 2.13 Houses of the Holy and 4.22 Lucifer Rising.

Castiel in fandom

• see also Dean/Castiel
• spn_castiel - Castiel group on LJ
• fromperdition - LJ fan community dedicated to Castiel
• deancastiel - LJ community to the relationship between Castiel and Dean
• Rock Salt And Feathers - A fan fiction archive for the pairing of Dean and Castiel