Are Dean and Cas In Love? A.K.A The Great Season 7 Rewatch (Part 9)
Previously: The Born Again Identity (Part 1, 2, 3, 4 and Coda)
I’ve often said that Season 7 convinced me of that Dean and Cas were in love, and to this day it boggles my mind that so many fans blame Sera Gamble for “ruining” the characters’ relationship. Far from it! So I thought I’d step through my favorite season, episode by episode, and point out why I was so convinced.
Here it is, “Party On Garth!” Finally! I apologize for all the many, many delays… I had a major work deadline to complete, you know how it goes. Thanks for your patience, and sticking with me, despite the delays.
Fair warning though: This is the longest single installment yet. I thought about breaking it into multiple parts, but I couldn’t find a good place to break. So, like, just be forewarned - you might need a stretch break halfway through. :)
**WARNING: Minor spoilers for early Season 8**
The first time I watched “Party On, Garth!”, I hated it. Hated, hated, hated it. To be honest, I felt downright insulted by it: the good cheer, its standalone plot, the lack of Cas. Everything about it just rankled.
In hindsight, however, I’ve changed my tune considerably. I think most of my initial reaction stemmed from the fact that I still reeled from the emotional apocalypse that is “The Born Again Identity”, because on its own merits, “Party On Garth” is actually a pretty cool little story. Not only is it a nice palate cleanser from the trauma that just occurred (and will occur again shortly), it also greatly advances Dean’s personal story arc without ever feeling over-the-top. It’s a solid bridge episode, linking past and present and carrying us into the season’s final act, and one of the best of its kind we’ve seen in the series so far.
