Spoiler Warning; this article discusses major plot points from one of Supernatural's most recently aired episodes
A lot happened on the 18th episode of Supernatural's final season, but what most fans of the long-running series seem to be talking about is the declaration of love from one of its characters to another: Destiel is here. But why are fans excited about this pairing in particular? Why does it stand out in a season where God is the big bad, and many fan favorite characters have made a return in some form of another? And what even is Destiel?
Destiel is the pairing between main characters Dean Winchester and Castiel. When the show Supernatural started, it was just about Dean and his brother, Sam. The angel Castiel wasn't introduced until Season 4, and originally he wasn't even meant to last longer than a few episodes. Fans loved the character however, and he became part of the main cast. It's been said that when he was killed off in season 7, it was meant to be for good, and it was only fan backlash to his departure which brought him back. His place in the show has been cemented ever since, and he is just as much as a main character as the two Winchester brothers.
Dean and Castiel have always had something of a special relationship. Castiel was introduced after bringing Dean back to life (Dean having been killed at the end of Season 3), and it was Dean (with Bobby) who was the first character to meet him on the show. Dean has acknowledged their bond in the past, going so far as to call Castiel "family". It was Dean who inspired Castiel to rethink everything he was told to believe and rebel against heaven, and whenever Castiel has drifted away from the other main characters it has been because of a personal problem between him and Dean.
The idea of a romantic spark between them has even been commented on by other characters in the show. In Season 6, the angel Balthazar quips that Castiel is in love with Dean. In Season 8, an angel named Naomi brainwashed Castiel by having him "kill" hundreds of conjured conjured illusions of Dean. "Destiel" itself was even directly named in Season 10 episode Fan Fiction, an episode which revolved around a high school musical version of the Winchesters' lives (it made Dean very uncomfortable).
This relationship has been building for years at this point, and it finally came to a head with Season 15, Episode 18 when Castiel finally declares his love to Dean. However, the "ship" might not have landed yet. Because of a deal Castiel made in the previous season, he was forced to go to The Empty (the afterlife for angels and demons) immediately after saying how he felt, and Dean doesn't say whether or not his feelings are reciprocated.
If Supernatural does end with both of them having admitted romantic feelings for the other, or even in a relationship, it will be doing this on the back of similar moves made by other shows in recent years. Avatar: The Legend of Korra ended with main characters Korra and Asami walking away together, hand in hand. Adventure Time's final episode had a kiss between Princess Bubblegum and the Vampire Marcline, and She-Ra and The Princesses of Power ended with two of its female leads declaring their love for one another. Destiel might have seemed more far fetched ten years ago, but after years of LGBT+ couples becoming more prominent in popular TV shows, it has become much of a possibility; after all, TV shows don't exist in a vacuum.
Having a gay relationship between two of its main characters would be a big step forward for the show's LGBT+ representation. Sure, it's had gay characters in the past, but Charlie, the most prominent was killed off to provide motivation for Dean. More often than not, the idea of LGBT+ characters was used to make the show's lead characters (Dean especially) uncomfortable, especially in the show's early seasons. The one major exception came in the form of Jesse and Cesar. The two are married to each other, kick ass as hunters (people who hunt monsters), and they get a happy ending. They even get on well with Sam and Dean, who consider asking them to stay around for that season's big fight before deciding they didn't want to interfere with their happy retirement. However, as positive as their story was, it was only one episode, and the negative ways LGBT+ characters have been treated do outweigh it. Ending the show with Castiel and Dean together would be a great sign of how far it has come in terms of its treatment of queer characters, and it would be another great queer couple for audiences to enjoy.
After years of being one of the most popular Supernatural fan pairings, it is no surprise that the prospect of Destiel has fans excited. If the writers have actually decided to make them an official couple it would be the perfect way to end the show. The two of them have great chemistry, and whether intentional or not, the show has only made the case to bring them together romantically stronger over the years. Supernatural has always been a show which has embraced its relationship with its fans. Ending its run with a move that would not only work as a great apology for its earlier handling of queer characters, but which also embraced something which so many fans have passionately believed in, would be the most Supernatural thing to do in the circumstances. As endings go, it just fits.