For a character that was only supposed to appear for a total of three episodes, Castiel (Misha Collins) became one of the most beloved parts of Supernatural, to the point where fans couldn’t imagine the show without him. Instead of just the intended number of three, Cas was present for almost 150 episodes between seasons four and fifteen, often mentioned even if he didn’t physically appear on screen. He was so loved by fans that his absence for most of the seventh season left them incredibly unhappy and beyond excited when he returned midway through.
Castiel was Supernatural’s most popular angel for many reasons. Watching him develop as a character and his relationship with the Winchester brothers only grow stronger throughout the years were definite high points. But his deadpan comedic responses and complete misunderstanding of sarcasm had audiences hooked from the get-go. Witty one-liners and some of the show’s most memorable quotes became second nature to Cas and a big part of his character. For over a decade, he unintentionally delivered some of Supernatural’s most iconic and funny lines. After all, he never really understood the references.
“No, he’s not on any flatbread.”
Season 5, Episode 2, “Good God, Y’all” (2009)
Supernatural’s fifth season primarily focused on preventing the impending apocalypse caused by the release of Lucifer (Mark Pelligrino) at the end of the fourth season. Castiel sets out to find God, admitting his plans to Sam and Dean (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles), to which both of them are shocked at the idea and think he’s crazy.
Dean offers some wise words and tells him to “Try New Mexico. I hear he’s on a tortilla,” when Cas says, “He’s not in Heaven. He has to be somewhere.” Cas, being one to never understand sarcasm, drops this iconic gem of a line and blatantly says, “No, he’s not on any flatbread,” taking Dean specifically by his word. It’s one of the earlier times fans get to see Cas’ completely literal responses, and the seriousness with which he delivers the line makes it even funnier.
“It’s funnier in Enochian.”
Season 5, Episode 17, “99 Problems” (2010)
Many of Castiel’s iconic quotes and one-liners came in his earlier season appearances, including this one. It stems from Cas trying to tell a joke that neither of the boys understands. When he first comes to Earth, he struggles to fit in and understand pretty much everything happening around him, and telling jokes to humans is evidently tougher than telling jokes to fellow angels in Heaven.
The seventeenth episode of Supernatural’s fifth season is appropriately named “99 Problems,” which is exactly what Sam, Dean, and Cas seem to have. But in a moment of, let’s call it, respite during the episode’s chaos, Cas translates something written in the angelic language that reads, “You breed with the mouth of a goat,” as a smirk appears on his face. But his amused smile is met with blank stares as he deflatedly says, “It’s funnier in Enochian” to Sam and Dean, as this time, it’s them who doesn’t understand the reference.
“This isn’t funny, Dean. The voice says I’m almost out of minutes.”
Season 5, Episode 4, “The End” (2009)
When fans were first introduced to Castiel, his persona appeared to be that of a good soldier, stoic and with his mind laser-focused on his task at hand. But viewers got to see his personality form as time progressed, and the Castiel that fans grew to love really began to shine through as the seasons went on.
As season five began, the loveable angel stepped further into the hearts of audiences as his humor and deadpan responses became more frequent. One of the most memorable earliest moments between him and Dean came in “The End,” in which Cas calls Dean, who finds it amusing that he’s talking to a messenger of God on a cell phone. Cas tries to convey the seriousness that he’s running out of minutes by coming out with this gem but follows it up with a line that meets its level of humor. When Dean hangs up the phone, Cas says, “I’ll just wait here then,” and is left alone on a dark road with the saddest puppy dog expression on his face. Poor Cas.
“I’ll interrogate the cat.”
Season 8, Episode 8, “Hunteri Heroici” (2012)
Supernatural is no stranger to some weird and wacky episodes. In fact, throughout its 327 episodes, it became a tradition for the show to include at least one in each season. They came in many forms, from ghost sickness and Grey’s Anatomy spoofs to even a crossover with Scooby-Doo and an episode that completely shattered the fourth wall, and they were a beloved part of the show.
Season eight followed the tradition with the comically perfect “Hunteri Heroici.” It follows Sam, Dean, and Cas as they embark on getting to the bottom of some cartoony reality-warping deaths. While investigating, they find themselves in an assisted living facility and interview the residents, to which Cas takes his role very seriously. When Dean asks a resident if they’ve noticed any cold spots or unusual happenings, she informs them that the cat talks, causing Cas to come out with this little gem of a line. It’s such a Cas thing to say, but the icing on the cake comes when Dean says it’s time to go, and as Cas gets up to leave, the cat calls him a dumbass.
“I don’t understand that reference.”
Season 5, Episode 13, “The Song Remains the Same” (2010)
There will have been a moment in everyone’s life when they’ve heard someone say or quote something and completely missed what they were referencing. It happens to everyone. But when it happens to an Angel of the Lord, it can be quite entertaining to watch. Imagine being someone up in Heaven, never experiencing humanity, and then being thrown into their way of life: lots of misunderstandings.
But those misunderstandings make for some entertaining content for audiences. When Cas and the boys are talking about time travel in one of the earliest episodes to incorporate it into the show, Cas talks about him being cut off from Heaven and how it makes it difficult to time travel. Dean seizes the opportunity to compare him to the iconic car from the Back to the Future film series, to which he understands it’s a reference but doesn’t understand it. Come on, Cas, it’s one of the most rewatchable movies of the 80s. Keep up, buddy.
“My “people skills” are “rusty.””
Season 6, Episode 3, “The Third Man” (2010)
There were two things Cas never really understood: that reference and the proper use of air quotes. Misplacing air quotes is arguably one of the best pieces of physical comedy from Castiel throughout the entire series. The moment comes very early into Supernatural’s sixth season. And while the feelings towards series six are mixed, there’s no denying that his comedic charm this season was brilliant.
Cas struggled with fitting in for the better part of four seasons before finally beginning to understand the ways of human life more openly in season eight. But in season six, Cas made it very clear that he struggled to talk to humans because of his lack of being around them. He may not understand some references, but he also doesn’t know how to use air quotes, and it made for one of his best unintentionally funny lines.
“I found a liquor store. And I drank it.”
Season 5, Episode 17, “99 Problems” (2010)
Two quotes from the same episode? It must be a good one. Season five’s “99 Problems” was a wild ride. Angels aren’t supposed to need to eat, drink, sleep, or do any basic necessity a human would in order to survive. They are powerful beings who run like soldiers. So when Cas started to need to do these things, it was amusing to watch an Angel stuffing his face with a burger.
While Cas’ need to eat was entertaining to watch when the Horseman Famine rode through town, none quite reached the humor level of when Castiel found a liquor store and quite literally drank the whole thing. He stumbles through the doors in answer to Sam’s message and begins slurring and rambling about his message being long and how his voice is grating to him. It will forever be a memorable line because seeing a drunk Angel isn’t something seen every day, even in a weird and wacky show like SPN.
“I learned that from the pizza man.”
Season 6, Episode 10, “Caged Heat” (2010)
Castiel may struggle with the basic human concepts of love and affection in the earlier seasons of SPN. But apparently, all it takes is watching an adult movie for the first time to get a feel for how he’s supposed to act around someone he has feelings for.
Of course, being around two very human brothers, who are the very definition of what it means to care for someone, helps, but this is a good second alternative for an Angel, apparently. Halfway through season six, Cas discovered what happens when two people become intimate when a pizza man is the ploy for a porno movie. He then uses his newfound knowledge and skills to kiss a demon in front of the boys before proudly turning around and explaining, “I learned that from the pizza man.”
“I’m the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition.”
Season 4, Episode 1, “Lazarus Rising” (2008)
Castiel’s introduction in season four brought about arguably one of the best opening lines for a new character. Throughout the episode, his presence is portrayed through shattering glass and eardrum-bursting high-pitched noises until his physical form takes hold at the end of season four’s “Lazarus Rising,” and Dean and Bobby (Jim Beaver) find themselves in way over their heads when he takes several shotgun shots to the chest with no effect.
His welcome to Supernatural is one of the best character introductions of the series. He brought on the presence of angels in the show and provided the opportunity for it to expand the way it did with the development and exploration of Heaven and Hell. With a character like that, they need to have an attention-gripping first few scenes to make the audience want to know more. And that they did. The iconic line “I’m the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition” were the first words out of Castiel’s mouth, initializing feelings of fear and wonder at the mysterious presence on the screen and immediately grabbing the attention of everyone watching.
“Hey, Assbutt!”
Season 5, Episode 22, “Swan Song” (2010)
The highest-rated episode of Supernatural came with the season five finale, a place where some members of the fanbase feel like the series should have come to an end. The storytelling, character development, and series culmination were perfect, so if SPN were to end in 2010, this would undoubtedly have been a good place to do it.
But while answers and edge-of-your-seat action were high points in the ever-popular “Swan Song,” the icing on the cake came in the form of perhaps one of the most hilarious quotes from the show. When the battle between Archangels Michael and Lucifer comes to a nerve-wracking end, trust Supernatural to throw a little bit of comedic relief into the mix of all the commotion. Interrupting the impending fight in an effort to save Dean and buy some time, Cas appears with a Molotov cocktail and throws it at Michael, but not before delivering the first mention of his iconic “Hey, Assbutt!” line. It went on to be a quote only Supernatural fans would understand and a funny insult they could use in their own lives.
Source: collider.com