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The Man Who Would Be King is the 20th episode of Season 6. It aired on May 6th, 2011.

Summary[]

Dean Purgatory Blade.png There was something about being there... It felt pure.

This episode summary is an official CW press release. It may contain errors.
DO NOT CHANGE!

Castiel tells Sam, Dean and Bobby (guest star Jim Beaver) about the war in Heaven and how he and Raphael became enemies. Bobby believes Castiel is hiding something, but Dean refuses to believe it.

Plot[]

Castiel is sitting on a bench in a park and begins talking to God. He is asking for guidance from God, and begins to recount his earliest memories. Cass recounts watching the creation of the Tower of Babel and commented that feces can only be stacked so high. Castiel also talks about coming to Earth, taking a vessel, and meeting Sam and Dean. Plus, Lucifer breaking free from his Cage and Sam saying Yes and failing. Although in the end, Sam broke free, jumped into the Hole and averted the Apocalypse. Back in the park, Castiel asks God if he has made the wrong choices or not, and tells his story.

Dean is driving the Impala when Castiel pops in. Castiel tells Dean that he is looking for Crowley and he doesn't know how Crowley is still alive. Dean responds by saying that they will find Crowley and will then kill him. Castiel notices Sam isn't there and Dean replies that Sam is hunting a Djinn, and Dean is just going to meet him there. Dean tells Castiel to call if he needs any help and Castiel disappears.

Crowley EVE

Castiel walks into a room where Crowley is working and is currently dissecting Eve's corpse. Crowley finds that, although Eve is dead, she is still producing eggs, and that torturing her, pains her creations. He demonstrates this by stabbing her brain, causing the vampire nearby to howl in pain. Crowley complains to Castiel about the Winchesters killing her, due to it causing a problem in their plan to get to Purgatory. Then he reminds Castiel not to see them again, even though Castiel just saw Dean.

Castiel tells God that he considers himself to be the guardian of the Winchesters and remembers what happened when Lucifer killed him. For him it was one second; blown to pieces, put back together. But everything was finished, and Dean kneeling where his brother used to be. Castiel heals Dean and brings Bobby back to life. Following that, Castiel went to Hell once more and tried to pull Sam from the Cage. Although at the time Castiel didn't know that he forgot Sam's soul due to arrogance.

Back to Crowley's lab, Crowley asks Castiel to kill Sam and Dean, but Castiel refuses and tells him not to worry. Crowley retorts about how Lilith, Alastair, Lucifer, and Azazel didn't worry about Sam and Dean and subsequently Azazel and Lilith were killed by them. Castiel tells Crowley to find purgatory or they both will die "again and again until the end of time". As Cass leaves, he promises that Sam and Dean will not find him. Crowley screams to let them find him so he can rip their hearts out.

Bobby Dean Sam 620

At Bobby's house, Sam and Bobby are interrogating a demon, Red, for the whereabouts of Crowley. He doesn't give any information, and they pull out Ruby's Knife just as Dean arrives. Bobby sticks it into the demon's leg, and goes over to Dean. Dean promised he didn't tell Castiel anything after he mentions Cass popped into his car. Castiel, meanwhile, is spying on them and knows they are suspicious of him and that Dean is torn between trusting Sam and Bobby vs. Castiel. The demon finally reveals his dispatcher, another demon named Ellsworth.

The scene moves to a demon with multiple phones surrounding him. Castiel says if there was a demon counterpart for Bobby Singer, Ellsworth would be him. Castiel goes ahead of Sam and Dean, so they won't find Ellsworth. Afraid they would follow Ellsworth to Crowley or himself, Castiel destroys the hideout. When Sam, Dean and Bobby arrive, the place is clean, and they are confused about what has happened. Castiel watches them as they try to figure it out.

The scene moves to another flashback, to where, after saving Sam, Castiel returns to Heaven. He states how each soul generates its own individual paradise, and that he favors the "eternal Tuesday afternoon of an autistic man who drowned in a bathtub in 1953". There he finds Rachel and other angels wanting to speak to him. Castiel tries to tell them about free will, but the angels don't know what to do with it. He later speaks to Raphael, who resides in Ken Lay's heaven. Raphael tells Castiel to pledge allegiance to him, and help free Michael and Lucifer to start the Apocalypse again. Castiel refuses and is defeated by Raphael. Raphael tells Castiel to either bow or he and his allies will die.

CAstiel saves everyone

At Ellsworth's, Dean suggests they call for Cass, and that they should give Castiel the benefit of the doubt. Despite their doubts, they call for Castiel, but Castiel doesn't come due to his worries about their questions he couldn't answer. As they leave, Crowley's demons attack them, and tell the gang that Crowley "says hi". Just as the demons are about to kill them, Castiel appears and saves them all. Castiel tells them he believes Crowley is alive, the news of which is no surprise to the group. Bobby and Sam apologize to Castiel for thinking he was working with Crowley, and trust him once again. Castiel is surprised they still trust him, but slips up, and accidentally says a line he overheard Bobby say when he was spying on them. When Dean hears this, he realizes that Castiel was spying on them, and comes to the conclusion that Cass must be working with Crowley. Castiel does not realize this.

Angry, Castiel heads to Crowley's lab and tells Crowley not to try to kill Sam and Dean again. Crowley believes Castiel is losing sight of the goal, and the fact that he wants to appear good to the Winchesters so they believe in him, is so that Castiel can believe in himself, that what he is doing is right. Castiel gets angry and grabs Crowley and slams him into a wall. Castiel tells Crowley if he goes after Sam and Dean again, he will destroy everything.

Castiel watching Normal Dean

Another flashback. After Raphael defeated him, Castiel goes to an old friend for help: Dean. As he watches Dean rake leaves, Castiel can't bring himself to ask Dean for help after all the sacrifices Dean has made. Then Crowley appears with a deal, and suggests they work together. Castiel, believing himself to be strong and smart enough not to fall for the demon's tricks, goes with Crowley. Crowley shows Castiel the new and improved Hell, which is one never-ending line. Crowley suggests to Castiel that he start a Civil War in Heaven. Castiel points out that it would make him the new Lucifer. Crowley retorts that God brought Castiel back for a reason, perhaps to lead the revolution. Crowley proposes they find Purgatory, get all the souls from it and use them. Castiel tells Crowley the Winchesters can't be involved. Crowley mentions he can call in Samuel Campbell for help. In return, Crowley wants half of the souls and Crowley offers Castiel a loan of fifty thousand souls from Hell so Castiel can set his side for the Civil War. Crowley tells Castiel that God chose him, and Castiel believes this. The next day, Castiel goes to Raphael and begins the Civil War.

CasHolyFired2

Back at Ellsworth's house, Dean summons Castiel. Castiel arrives, and they tell him they have a way to locate Crowley. Castiel asks what it is, and they answer, "It's you." and trap him in a ring of holy fire. Dean dares Castiel to look him in the eye and tell the truth. Ashamed, Castiel doesn't look at or respond to Dean. Dean tells Castiel that he must know that working with Crowley isn't right. Castiel responds that he did it for Dean, and to stop Raphael from restarting the Apocalypse.

Castiel also reveals that he was really the one who brought Sam back from hell, which surprises everyone. Sam then states that Castiel did a poor job of it and then asks if Castiel brought him back soulless on purpose. Castiel denies this and tells them he had no choice, but Dean refutes this by saying that it wasn't complicated; Castiel must have known this since he kept it a secret from Sam and Dean. Then a demon cloud approaches the house and Castiel notices this and warns them. Castiel tells them to run; Dean gives him one last look before they depart.

Crowley arrives and frees Castiel from the holy fire. He reassures Castiel he won't hurt the Winchesters. Crowley tells Castiel that friends will just hold him back, but Castiel isn't comforted by the words; he tells Crowley to get out of his sight. As Crowley leaves, he remarks that the difference between him and Castiel is that he knows what he is.

Dean asks Castiel to stop

At Bobby's house, they angel proof the house, and Dean is sleeping. He wakes up to see Castiel, and is surprised to see he got through the wards. Castiel comments that Bobby didn't do the wards right. Castiel tells Dean he is doing this for him because of what Dean taught him about freedom. Dean responds that the freedom to be able to do what he wants, isn't the freedom to do anything he wants. Dean continues on by saying that Castiel is like a brother to him and asks Castiel to stop. Castiel asks Dean what would he do if he doesn't stop. Dean responds by saying, he will do what he has to. Castiel tells Dean that he is an angel and Dean is just a man. Dean points out that he has taken down tougher opponents. Castiel then disappears.

Cut back to the scene with Castiel in the park, and him saying that the human perspective is limited. He asks God again if what he is doing is the right thing. If Castiel doesn't receive a sign, he will do what he must. Castiel waits, but there is no response. Castiel is once again disappointed by his father.

Characters[]

Main Cast[]

Recurring Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

Co-Stars[]

Featured Supernatural Beings[]

Continuity[]

Trivia[]

  • Writer and director Ben Edlund said before the episode airing that this sets up the high stakes for the season finale.
  • This is the first Castiel-centric episode.
  • The episode's title refers to the book: The Man Who Would Be King, regarding the working relationship between Castiel and Crowley.
  • It is revealed that Castiel is the one who freed Sam from Lucifer's Cage.
  • This is the first episode to feature a prehistoric creature, and a dinosaur footprint is showcased in The Bad Place.  

Featured Music[]

  • "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul
  • "Blue Danube Waltz" by Johann Strauss

Quotes[]

  • Dean: You know who spies on people, Cass? Spies!
  • Castiel: Sam, I am the one who raised you from perdition!

 International Titles[]

  • German: Nur ein Zeichen (Only one Sign)
  • French: L'Ange Déchu (The Fallen Angel)
  • Hungarian: A királyjelölt (The Royal Candidate)
  • Polish: Ten, który był niedoszłym królem (The One Who Was the Would-be King)

External Links[]

Navigational[]

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