I really liked this episode. I was pretty unsure how I would like it based on the way last season ended. I have always had mixed feelings about Cas. I think Misha is pretty entertaining in his own right and I have a lot of respect for all his charity work. As for Cas, he always added an interesting dynamic when he was involved. Season 4 Castiel was a character I didn't really warm up to very quickly. As he started to fall in Season 5, I really liked his progress as a character. Misha does comedy really well and Cas was used for comic relief a lot. He was a lot of fun to watch even when he was in a serious place in the plot. Then off to Season 6 and he was back to a character I couldn't really relate to. At the end, I was having trouble seeing Cas as the Big Bad. I think I've seen too much Misha gag reel and convention stuff. I did a lot of eye rolling at the end of the last episode especially with the close-up of everyone's eyes. After 7.01, I feel like the Big Bad as played by Misha in Cas's body has the potential to be pretty good. Leviastiel can do more with emotion and Misha pawns that.
Maybe Cas is still in there to get control of the Leviathan. It could be played out a lot like Swan Song with Cas jumping into purgatory with the Leviathan on board. That's pretty close to been there, done that so I hope it gets wrapped up a different way. I won't believe Cas's dead until I see the black wings.
Here's some good stuff
Slow Ride is such an ironic song for the Road So Far
New exploding ectoplasm title card with the dripping goo
Dean's red plaid shirt of angst and the overshirt from the I Wuv Hugs scene
Dean's printed T-shirts calling back to earlier seasons
Dean repairing his car is always awesome
Crowley in the trailer park
Crowley's expression while he waits to be smited
Crowley, Crowley, Crowley
Death, Death, Death - everything about that whole scene
Sam not giving up on Cas and putting up with Dean
Nick!Lucifer, so cool to see him, I was completely surprised
Here's some stuff I hope gets worked into further episodes
Dean's spiral of depression
Dean's drinking (he was drinking in four of the scenes he was in)
Sam's PTSD
More Crowley, Nick and Death
Some sort of decent resolution for Cas
I hope Dean, Sam, Bobby and Cas survive the season and go on for more. Is it Friday yet?
