#cas + brainwashing

[silver-stake-through-the-heart]

Dean noticing something's wrong with Cas

[shallowseeker]

Dean was afraid. Could these be the cosmic consequences he's been bracing for? Is this the moment of reckoning?

From above: DEAN: How [do we think like him]? I'm serious, Sam, I-- until now? Even when Cas messed up-- did the wrong thing for what he thought was the right reason-- I got it. (then) Even if I thought it was a dumbass move, I got it. I knew, deep down, Cas was always Cas. But this... (beat) Last night...when I looked in his eyes...I didn't recognize the guy starting back at me.

I didn’t recognize the man angel I loved the guy staring back at me.

My weird dorky little guy.

Cas had an about-face here, and he's serene, almost dazed when he begins to talk about Jack. Dean and Sam’s alarm was certainly understandable. It was alarming.

From 12x20: Twigs & Twine & Tasha Bane

[souporsaladnatural]

Obsessed with the sudden shift in Cas' willingness to say insane romantic shit to dean in season 8. A couple of seasons ago, he would tell dean that they had a profound bond to his face. That everything he did, he did for Dean. Now? He's hesitating. He clenches his fists to avoid hugging Dean back in purgatory. He stutters and looks away before saying he stayed away from Dean to protect him. When asked what broke through heaven's brainwashing, he looks away and says he doesn't know. It's so interesting to me

[strawlessandbraless]

Oof right in the abandonment issues

[humandisorderincarnatedean]

SCREAM just saw someone say that castiel deciding to protect Kelly and her future angel baby in s12 was their favourite turn in his story, because it was 'the first time he made a choice out of himself, without being blinded by heaven or by the winchesters' morals' SCREAM

[angelsdean]

I am just always thinking about Apocalypse World Cas's fucked up eye and how it implies that this Cas also suffered many many lobotomies which implies that this Cas was rebellious too until Heaven fully broke him. Which also means Chuck is a liar who lies when he said that our Cas is the only one who ever rebelled, the only one who came off the line wrong and wouldn't do what he was told. No, Cas has always been a rebellious force. Always been subjected to Heaven's manipulation and brainwashing for not staying in line. But what's different about Apocalypse World? Why is that Cas still under Heaven's control? Well, it's a world without Dean. AW!Cas didn't have Dean to remind Cas he "always has a choice" and that humanity and free will were worth fighting for (things Cas already felt but was made to forget again and again). He doesn't have Dean to be that "push" that makes him remember what Heaven keeps erasing and to be that "hand reaching out." He doesn't have Dean to make him feel less alone in this rebellion. And AW!Cas also doesn't have Dean to break him out of Naomi's mind-control and brainwashing. He doesn't have that personal link to humanity, that love, that person by his side. He's all alone, the rebelling angel with a flaw in his code, perpetually being reset by Heaven until it breaks his will and his spirit and he falls in line like a good soldier.

[thefableddestiel]

Someone watching Cas beat up Dean or vice versa: “Damn, they must really not like each other.”

Me: “they basically just had sex on our screen, what’re you talking about?”

[soullessjack]

the thing about brainwasher-jack is that, post-birth, he just does not remember a lot of things from being in utero. call it inconsistent writing or not but he has a very clear disconnection from himself and the fleshy bundle of pure instinct/intent he used to be which means he objectively does not remember —or at the very least perceive — the fact that he brainwashed cas and kelly. as far as jack knows he “chose” cas to be his father but he doesn’t know what “choosing” cas really entailed, anymore than he knows what resurrecting kelly after she literally killed herself out of fear of him, and magically convincing her that he’s a miracle she should bring into the world actually, really entails. does he even remember that she killed herself? oh I sure hope not. poor guy already has a complex about being brought into the world by her death and all that fun stuff. you can tell him he was a parasite who infected his dear begotten mother and father but you should make sure he’s in the right headspace to receive information that could harm him beforehand is all I’m saying

[monstermoviedean]

it's not that i doubt that cas loves and cares about jack. i just can't shake the feeling that jack was a mission he could take on. a purpose to claim. and it makes me a little sad for both of them.

[tiktaalic]

How dean Winchester’s definition of a wire mother (Mary) looks when a REAL wire mother comes at her (naomi)

[silver-stake-through-the-heart]

Cas is certainly especially skilled and strong, because Heaven keep wasting time reprogramming him, while some other angels are treated as disposable, killing at the first or second mistake (on-screen) like Anna, Samandriel or Akobel.

[shallowseeker]

Ficlet where Jack gets to witness the weirdness of Cas bringing the television into the kitchen and settling in to watch Weekly World News at 6 p.m. with a dreamy sigh.

Dean keeps flicking his eyes over to where Cas sits at the table fiddling with the TV's reception.

Before long, Dean starts in with obnoxious laughter, needling Cas about his crush and escalating the conversation until he's loudly encouraging Cas to "Go get 'er, tiger." Because, "You never know what your chances are, even with minor celebrities."

Then Cas reveals that he has, in fact, met her—and she was very nice.

Dean almost drops the head of lettuce he'd been stripping. "You what?"

"For a case, Dean. She told me where Metatron was."

Jack's eyes are bouncing back and forth like a ping-pong ball, because Dean's got the weird dents in his cheeks now, and a smile that looks about ready to crack his face in two.

"Oh-ho! So she, what, she just told you? How’d you manage that, you sly dog?"

"I just told her how brave she was to get on television in front of millions of viewers." Cas turns to look at the TV, where a pretty woman with long dark hair flashes a smile at the audience. "And that her coverage strikes the perfect balance��tough one moment, tender the next." “Wow. Maybe you should've gotten her number."

"Oh. She did give it to me, in case I needed more assistance in the future."

Dean's mouth works silently for a few seconds before he stretches on a fake smile—one of his patented Playboy specials that Jack recognizes instantly. (Dean uses it often when they're on cases.)

"'Assistance,' huh? Well, maybe you should, you know, try and tap that then. Go for it. I mean, you're not gettin' any younger."

"I'm sure she's busy, Dean. And it would be unnerving for a fan to approach her like that."

"A fan," Dean coughs. "Cause you're a—right. Well if ya ask me—"

"Dean, please. It's starting."

Dean's mouth snaps shut.

They fall silent after that, the rhythmic sound of Dean cutting lettuce the only interruption in the room. (Honestly, Jack thinks the news is pretty boring—even if the new lady is pretty and has a nice smile.)

//

After the broadcast ends, Sam shouts for help with a translation, and Cas gets to his feet, leaving the TV behind.

Jack cuts a look at Dean's grumpy face, then crosses the room to turn it off.

After that, Jack leans against the work table, watching as Dean chops up vegetables and sandwich ingredients for the week. Dean doesn't look up—just keeps working, jaw tight, hands moving with practiced rhythm.

Under his breath, not quite to Jack and not quite to himself, Dean mutters, 'Tough one moment, tender the next,' in a tone that’s definitely mocking and maybe just a little too soft.

After that, Jack picks up a Ziplock bag, needing something to do with his hands. He scoops a few jalapeños inside, uncaps the Sharpie, and dates the bag without really thinking about it, still watching Dean out of the corner of his eye.

"What’s your problem, kid?" Dean finally blurts, still not looking at him.

Jack takes a beat.

"Nothing. That was just... you were being kinda weird."

"You're the—the weird."

And that’s how Jack figures out that Dean has a crush on Cas.

[strawlessandbraless]

Emmanuel finally convinces Daphne to peg him but the next day a handsome stranger shows up and her depraved husband won’t stop staring at him

And the first ex wife bites the dust…

[dessertbird]

Daily Destiel 💙💚

I can reason with Dean. He's a good man. Kill him.

There has to be another way. You have done this a thousand times, Castiel. You're ready. Kill him. Then take the tablet and bring it home, where it belongs

I won't hurt Dean. Yes. You will. You are. 🥺😭💔

What have you done to me?! Just relax, Castiel. Let your vessel do what you know deep down is the right thing.

Please. End this, Castiel.

You have to choose, Castiel -- us or them.

[angelsdean]

thinking again abt fetus jack possibly / probably brainwashing cas to some extent as a defense mechanism and specifically showing cas visions that appeal to his own personal wants and desires. and i'm imagining cas eventually finding out that's what happened and how that plays into his previous experiences with brainwashing and manipulation via heaven / naomi. how in both instances the brainwashing served to get cas on side and to fulfill a certain goal / mission. for heaven / naomi that goal was to keep cas serving heaven and going against the winchesters (and ultimately to kill dean, specifically). for fetus jack, the goal was to have cas become his protector and ensure his survival, basically to serve him and kelly (for the duration of her pregnancy), and again turn against the winchesters, whom he previously was in agreement with re: the jack situation. i imagine he'd feel some complicated emotions about it. because he's come to care for jack, obviously, but i think he'd start to wonder if he's still being influenced by jack, whether consciously or not on jack's part, especially after seeing how powerful jack truly is, how easily he can make the world bend to his will (like how he stopped the whole world from lying)

[thegracefallen]

Cas mentioning several angels having been killed trying to save the seals is even more awful when you consider that Heaven never intended to stop the Apocalypse. They literally sent a bunch of angels to their deaths just to keep up an illusion. Cas had to watch a bunch of his siblings, likely members of his garrison, die only to learn that it was for nothing.