Supernatural Confirmed This Gay Ship, But Destiel Fans Are Fighting
A longtime, beloved ship was officially confirmed last night, but LGBTQ+ fans of the series had mixed reactions...
Taylor Henderson
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Last night on Supernatural, one of the longest-lasting gay ships of all time was canonically confirmed.
Dean and Castiel, widely known by their ship name "Destiel," have been shipped by fans for over a decade. The sweet, sweet angel and demon-fighting badass have had undeniable chemistry since Cass raised Dean from perdition in season four but most fans ever thought the two would be anything more than speculation, or something to scream about on Tumblr.
The third-to-last episode of the entire series aired last night, and unsuspecting fans finally received what they'd been praying for.
Like The Mary Sue points out, Castiel has expressed some of his feelings for Dean in the past, but his final words have elevated their relationship from just guys being dudes to something more intimate. It's impossible to understand the weight of this scene without spoilers, but we'll try to keep them to a minimum.
To keep a long-story short, Castiel made a deal that if he experienced a moment of true happiness, an entity called The Empty would take him to his final resting place. In order to save Dean from certain Death, Castiel realizes what would finally make him happy.
"The one thing I want is something I know I can't have," Cass tearily tells Dean, expressing some suppressed desire. "Happiness isn't in the having, it's in the being. It's in just saying it."
Tears rolling down his face, he finally confesses what fans have been screaming at their TVs for years.
"Knowing you has changed me," he knowingly continues. "Because you cared, I cared. I cared about you, I cared about Sam, I cared about Jack. But I cared about the whole world because of you. You changed me, Dean."
Dean asks why it sounds like Castiel's speech feels like a goodbye. "Because it is," Cass replies. "I love you. Goodbye, Dean."
Overtaking the agony of the current election, "Destiel" became the number one trend on Twitter last night after the episode aired. But not all fans were happy with the one-sided confession of love. Dean remained rather stoic throughout the scene and fans couldn't help but wonder why there seems to be hesitance between showing a real connection between the two. That, combined with Castiel dying immediately after his confession, has viewers wondering if the decade-long wait was worth the payoff.
Check out reactions and memes below:
\u201cThis destiel stuff is literally the funniest thing to happen this year I have been in a state of complete disbelief all afternoon\u201d
\u201closing my mind over these destiel tumblr posts instead of paying attention in math rn\u201d
— lucy reporting live from adx montrose (@lucy reporting live from adx montrose)
1604683552
\u201cjust watched that whole destiel scene and i couldn\u2019t stop laughing they really haven\u2019t changed clothes in like 15 years\n\nalso here\u2019s a compilation of my favourite comments\u201d
So is this just another example of the Bury Your Gays television trope? It's not over 'till it's over. We'll see what comes of Destiel on the final two episodes of Supernatural, beginning next Thursday on the CW.
\u201cQUICK PASSING AROUND THE CONFESSION SCENE AND PASS AROUND THIS ONE \u2755 THIS MAN IS GONNA HURT FOR THE LAST EPISODES ALL BECAUSE HES GONNA REGRET NOT SAYING ANYTHING BACK\ud83d\ude2d\u2755\u2755#destiel\u201d
