thebaratheonbull:

necklace890:

dotthings:

Let’s talk about how SPN has been on the air for 7 seasons and Castiel has been a part of 4 of them.

Let’s talk about how he’s important to the Winchesters and they’re important to him.

Let’s talk about how some SPN fans continue to act surprised that he’s there at all.

Let’s talk about how some SPN fans scapegoat and hard-link decline in show quality to one character, claiming he “ruined SPN,” and that he lowers the quality of episodes he’s in— somehow magically making the pacing and writing go off the rails by his mere presence.

Let’s talk about how when fans get upset over Sam and Dean and make their voices heard, the cause is righteous but when Castiel fans get upset about Castiel they’re going against the “core” of the show and therefore should sit down, shut up and demonstrate show loyalty, while fans upset at the way Sam and Dean are being written are as vitriolic as they please without examination.

Let’s talk about the assumption that the support for SPN is made up enitirely of fans who care only or primarily about Sam and Dean, and wow, where did all these other fans come from (even though they’ve been a vocal part of the fanbase for 4 seasons now, it’s still somehow a surprise that they exist), these fans are ruining everything (4 seasons running now), surely they haven’t had anything to do with SPN’s popularity or longevity, or love and care about the whole show the way Sam and Dean fans do.

Let’s talk about how coming in late to a TV series and coming in for a side character is considered doing it wrong and ruins a fandom.

Let’s talk about fans who have watched the show from the start who are tired of hearing how they don’t understand the “heart of the show.”

Let’s talk about the assumption that the majority of Castiel fans are not concerned with how the show writes Sam and Dean, or don’t get upset or hurt or concerned or worried or are not engaged with the brothers’ story. (Unless people want to assume that having Sam as a favorite means not caring about Dean or having Dean as a favorite means not caring about Sam…)

Let’s talk about watching it for Sam and Dean but seeing the supporting characters as crucial, and not merely as props for Sam and Dean’s angst, and not as characters where it’s ok if they are there, sure, but they’d better stay in their place and not get too important and better be seen/heard as little as possible or the show is ruined.

Let’s talk about the assumption that the supporting characters had very little to do with adding to the show’s success. (Let’s talk about how amazing SPN’s supporting characters are).

Let’s talk about the argument that characters can only be close to ONE other character or the show is ruined and the relationship is destroyed.

Let’s talk about the assumption that the majority of Castiel fans hate Sam.

Let’s talk about the insulting, condescending, character-bashing language fans use when they talk about Castiel, in a fandom where character-bashing is frowned upon (or is that protection valid only for the leads?)

Let’s talk about Castiel fans being trolled and bashed for criticizing the show and then trolled and bashed for squeeing.

Let’s talk about how one of SPN’s major themes is “family.”

Let’s talk about Eric Kripke who in his interview said that he always wanted to expand the Supernatural world and who said himself that although the show might be about two people, others can still grow as characters in their own right and add to the show. 

A show cannot thrive without character development. Characters can not develop when it’s merely two characters who revolve around each other in a destructive collision course.

To say that the “core” of the show is about these two brothers is a wrong assumption. The very first scene of the very first episode in the very first season starts with the Winchester family. The entire motivation of this show is the destruction of the Winchester family. The Quest of the first season was to find John. John as a character is still a complicated, mufti-faceted subject of dissension among fans. His choices and actions are still being argued about even almost six years since his death. The repercussions of his choices are still felt within the show. The relationship he had with his sons and how that affected their relationship with each other highlighted the difference between the brothers and how they viewed things.

Mary’s fingerprints are still all over the show. Her death scarred Dean, destroyed John and forged Sam. Her own actions and choices are what started the series of events that we saw in the Pilot. And even as recently as “Mommy Dearest” her memory was being used against the boys showing that her death is still making an impact on them.

The first season used Meg, Jessica, Mary, John, Bobby and a slew of other characters to show case how each brother relates, copes and deals with aspects of their lives. Sam and Dean have NEVER been insulated but rather restricted. As they grow so to does their make-shift family. Ash, Ellen and Jo become extended family members. Castiel becomes a brother in arms, a best friend, someone they can count on which is why it hurt so much to see what happened to him and the relationship he had with the boys in late season six and season 7.

Secondary and axillary characters make an impact and leave an impression. Sometimes they highlight an on going conflict between the brothers, bring out sides of Dean and Sam we’ve never seen, give the boys support they cannot or feel they cannot give the other. To say that Sam and Dean should be alone and shouldn’t make connections to where they only have each other completely diminishes and cripples these two characters. I have never understood how one could believe that when Sam and Dean have so much love and care to give after everything they have been through. If anything it gives them more to fight for, more reasons to stay alive, more reasons to continue on. To reduce and completely dismiss the meaning of simple human connection for them is heartbreaking.

This idea of a “true fan” is insulting. To say that one has to only be a fan of one or the other and never both, to humiliate, embarrass and harass other members of fandom because they don’t enjoy the show in the same way as you is disgusting and shameful. Constructive criticism for the writing, for the treatment of characters and for how a season is going is not wrong but helpful. How are they supposed to get valid feeback, if not from the fans?

To put it simply, be respectful towards your fellow fans. Do not leave hate in their askbox if you disagree, don’t harass them because they enjoy the show differently. Maybe step back and understand their perspective? It could change how you see the show and open up a new understanding of a character. Do unto others as you would want done to yourself. Do you want hate in your askbox? Do you want to be shamed and humiliated because of what you like? No. Probably not.

Be kind to one another.

All of the above, but especially the be kind to one another. 

The attractiveness of this fandom is that we all proclaim to be a part of it, to be part of this enormous Supernatural Family and to be proud of it: it gives the fans a sense of belonging that I’m sure many would like to have in RL too (and yes, that has been at times my case.)

So let’s maybe talk about how everyone shouts around that we’re all part of this family, and how for some people the unspoken (or not so much) truth is that Castiel fans are the unwanted child that keeps showing up at family reunions.

We’re the ones that came in late, we’re the ones obsessed with our character and we’re the ones that are driving the fandom (and Show, apparently) off the road.

Except that we’re thousands, tens of thousands of people lurking or being actively supportive of the show, being bashed for the choice (and it’s not a choice: you don’t choose to love someone. Castiel arrived, we loved him: it happened) of being emotionally attached to someone the brothers themselves became attached to.

So why in hell can two fictional characters understand this and take in someone that came in OH MY GOD after a life spent together and loved them, fought for them, rebelled for them and saved them, and at the same time made mistakes for them just like any other human being (Sam and Dean included) would have done. 

Why can they do it when super-über-cool real fans of supernatural can’t?


I say yay, let’s be nice to each other, yes, but I’ll choose to ignore and think of anyone who bashes, hates and despises this character — people who actually write comments full of hate and ridiculous comparisons so TPTB could see them and think ‘wow, these people really, really do not get it uh?’ — because I can. You can hate on us and being childish and idiotic, and I for one can think of you as such and keep loving my beloved Cas. 

so much for being the Supernatural Family. I’m sure every parent would be oh-so-proud of their children hating on their siblings. 

dotthings:

A quick reaction to the SPN season finale.

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This is such a good opportunity to see Sam grow up and be finally his brother’s hero, 
and Dean and Cas in Purgatory would be the perfect setting for some deep character development and for their relationship to start on a new level. 
I really want them to work their issues out but I don’t want it to be rushed as it seemed in their little ‘forgiveness’ scene; I want them to keep fighting about it and shout at each other and still fight together to get out of that mess.

I want Cas to regain his confidence and find the courage to face what he did, just not in the rush of the moment at the eve of a battle, but after a careful conversation, maybe two or three or ten, as hard as it’s gonna be for Dean to talk it out. And of course I want Dean to forgive him, but I also want Cas to start feeling strong and confident about himself a little more independently from what the Winchesters think of him.

Thing is, I have so many feelings at the moment I can’t even make sense of it.  

Give me some PTSD!Dean in Purgatory now.

I really hope they’re gonna use Purgatory to show us more about Dean’s time in Hell.

Maybe have some details about how Cas raised him out of the pit as they plan for an escape?

Castiel still has his wings and grace, right? so maybe he could remember how he fought his way out of Hell and talk to Dean about it.

And then Dean would have these flashbacks and be all PTSD and we’d have beautiful, beautiful angst.

I really want to see Dean go in PTSD mode and Cas stepping in as the protector while Sam tries his best from above. 

But first I think I want to see Cas be his own person and fight back because he chooses to, and not because his loyalty pushes him into action. 

I’m a bit disappointed about how it only took a half uttered word of forgiveness from Dean for Cas to try and put himself in BAMFy mode again. 
And it’s not because I think Dean should have gone out of his way to show Cas that he is forgiven, because I don’t. Not yet at least. 

It’s just that I hoped Cas would go down a different path and just go back gradually to be his old, badass self with his own purposes and not as a satellite around Dean. 

I really need to watch the episode again and make sense of my feelings.