Meet The New Boss

A God-Angel versus The Grim Reaper. Place your bets.

Castiel: What a brave little ant you are. You know you're powerless, you wouldn't dare move against me again. That would be pointless. So I have no need to kill you. Not now. Besides...once you were my favorite pets before you turned and bit me.
Dean: Who are you?
Castiel: I'm God. And if you stay in your place, you may live in my kingdom. If you rise up, I will strike you down. Not doing so well, are you Sam?

Written by Sera Gamble.

Directed by Phil Sgriccia.

Air Date: September 23, 2011.

Castiel does not kill Sam, Dean and Bobby, but warns them not to interfere in his business. Assuming his new role as God, Castiel sets out to right some of the wrongs in the world. Dean decides they should find Death and order him to stop Castiel, but the former angel is one step ahead of them, leaving Dean to face an angry Death, while Sam struggles to deal with the broken wall in his mind.

Body Count:

For this episode = At least 40 angels and 209 humans.

For the series so far = At least 688 humans (of which 6 were witches), 88 demons, 54 angels, 36 Jefferson Starships, 34 ghosts, 26 vampires, 19 zombies, 14 gods, 9 hellhounds, 7 skinwalkers, 6 changelings, 5 shapeshifters, 4 ghouls, 3 djinn, 2 Arachnes, 2 dogs, 2 werewolves, 1 crocotta, 1 dragon, 1 fairy, 1 Khan worm, 1 lamia, the Mother of All, 1 okami, 1 phoenix, 1 Purgatory creature, 1 rakshasa, 1 rawhead, 1 reaper, 1 rugaru, 1 shtriga, 1 siren, 1 wendigo, 1 whore of Babylon, and 1 wraith.

Tropes

A God Am I: Castiel goes on a full-on God-trip this episode.
Ain't Too Proud to Beg:
- After Castiel has become unimaginably powerful and turned evil, Bobby sees no other solution than to kneel before him and beg for forgiveness.
- Castiel knows that he has committed horrific acts and become a monster in the eyes of the Winchesters, but is still willing to ask them for help in returning the souls to Purgatory.
All Just a Dream: Hallucination!Lucifer tries to convince Sam that he is still in the Cage and that the life he is living is a lie.
All-Powerful Bystander: Death gives Dean, Sam, and Bobby advice on how to stop Castiel and even creates a second eclipse for them, but he refuses to personally do anything against Castiel because it is not his responsibility to clean up after the Winchesters. He doesn't even care what happens to them. He's only being helpful because he finds Castiel arrogant.
An Offer You Can't Refuse
Crowley: I gather this is not a negotiation.
Castiel: No.
Crowley: Then I graciously accept...boss.
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Castiel also kills New Age motivational speakers. Apparently God!Cas can't understand irony either.
Battle Discretion Shot: Dean hears a Dramatic Gun Cock and turns around to see Dr. Weiss and his wife.
Dean: I don't want to hurt you. Really.
Dr. Weiss: [smirks] I'm the one with the firearm, son.
[cut to Dr. Weiss and wife Bound and Gagged]
- Played for Drama when Cas wakes up after having killed everyone in the senator's office.
Be Careful What You Wish For: The sign outside the church where Cas kills the reverend says "BELIEVE IN GOD HE WALKS AMONG US".
Body Horror: The souls of Purgatory trying to escape cause Castiel's vessel to wear down quickly, and at one point horrifically try to break free. Also the Leviathans.
Book Ends: The episode starts and ends in the same place, with the heroes facing a powerful Not Himself Castiel.
Call-Back: When the Winchesters order Death to kill "God", Death asks why they even think he can. Dean retorts that when they first met in season five, Death claimed to be destined to reap God at the end of time.
Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Cas lets Crowley live because he has "plans" for him.
Captured Super-Entity: Sam, Dean, and Bobby bind Death so he can kill Castiel for them. Castiel frees him and then leaves. Death threatens to kill the three of them if they try to do that again.
Continuity Nod: Death refers to the Leviathans as the Old Ones, fitting in with H. P. Lovecraft having written about what he knew was in Purgatory, mentioned in an earlier episode.
Cosmic Entity:
- After his disappointment with the Winchesters, Death mentions that he might as well focus his energies on a better planet than Earth.
- When Bobby protests that they can only open the door to Purgatory during a lunar eclipse, Death calmly responds "I'll make another."
Demonic Possession
Did We Just Have Tea with Cthulhu?: Dean buys Death some very tasty fried pickle chips to placate him. When Castiel leaves, Death quietly eats them in Sam, Dean, and Bobby's presence, while they're too frightened to do anything.
Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: The Winchesters try to bind Death in a last-ditch effort to stop the newly godlike Castiel. Death warns them that it won't end well for them, but he doesn't follow through on his threat after Castiel unbinds his restraints because the "mutated angel" is a bigger concern for him.
Do Not Taunt Cthulhu: Plenty of this from both Castiel and Death.
Drowning My Sorrows: Dean drinks booze while watching hentai porn when he thinks the world is about to end. Crowley gets pretty sloshed too; he's even holding a bottle when the Winchesters teleport him to their basement.
Dutch Angle
Eldritch Abomination: The Leviathans.
Enemy Mine: The Winchesters get Crowley's help again, as he's not happy with his new "arrangement" with Castiel, who plans to keep most souls for himself, maintaining Hell only as a threat for his enemies and to keep Archangel Michael locked up.
Enemies with Death: Castiel and Death get into a very heated argument, in which Castiel outright threatens to kill Death. Death isn't impressed by the "mutated angel".
Evil Is Hammy: Regular Castiel was still pretty stoic even while giving grand speeches. Leviathan! Cas pretty much wolfs down scenery.
"TOO LATE!"
Evil Is Petty: Castiel insists he is not. He also doesn't consider himself evil.
Evil Laugh: Over the credits from Leviathan!Cas.
Face Death with Dignity: After Castiel pays him a visit, Crowley knows that the jig is up. He doesn't resist and prepares for the ensuing smiting. Subverted, as Castiel doesn't kill him, but orders Crowley to work for him instead.
The Grim Reaper: Death makes an appearance.
Hallucinations: Involving Chain Pain, Vertical Kidnapping, and a Creepy Basement with meathooks dripping blood.
Healing Hands: Castiel cures a blind believer of his ailment and leprosy in India.
Hearing Voices: The Leviathans start whispering to Castiel while they're inside him.
Heroic BSoD: After Death makes it clear to the Winchesters that compelling Cas to give up the souls falls on them, Dean has utterly given up without even trying to talk to Cas.
Sam: Dean, look, we can debate this once we deal with Cas.
Dean: You know how I'm gonna deal? I'm gonna stuff my piehole, I'm gonna drink, and I'm gonna watch some Asian cartoon porn and act like the world's about to explode because it is.
Heteronormative Crusader: The Reverend.
Hope Spot: For a minute it looks like all is well and the souls have been returned to Purgatory. They have, but the Leviathans managed to hold on. They take over Castiel.
Hot God: Castiel is acting as God and makes numerous appearances around the globe. One female parishioner describes him:
Parishioner: We all saw him. No beard, no robe. He was...young, and...and sexy.
Hypocritical Humor: Crowley blows his stack when the Winchesters teleport him into their midst, saying that Castiel will kill them all if he thinks they're conspiring against him. Then he adds hopefully, "You do wanna conspire, don't you?"
I Know You're Watching Me: The Winchesters are watching security camera footage about a massacre committed by Castiel, who turns and gives a Slasher Smile at them before the Snowy Screen of Death.
"I Know You're in There Somewhere" Fight/Prayer Is a Last Resort: After Dean gives up, Sam prays to Cas telling him they're still willing to help him. Fortunately, Cas hears the prayer.
Incoming Ham: Castiel when he's possessed by the Leviathans.
Castiel: TOO LATE!
I Told You So: Dean asks why Cas didn't just listen to him in the first place.
Kill the God: The Winchesters try to kill Castiel, who has become an outright god.
Kneel Before Zod: Following immediately from season six's finale, Bobby gets down on his knees and asks if that's good enough or if Castiel wants "the whole forehead-to-the-carpet thing?" Sam and Dean follow suit, but Cas decides it's pointless since they're only doing it out of fear.
Large Ham: Leviathan!Castiel.
Little "No": Castiel's only response to discovering that the souls of Purgatory are threatening to break out of him is a soft-spoken and frightened "No".
Mood Whiplash: Death very seriously threatens Sam and Dean, and coldly instructs them how to get the souls back to Purgatory. Then as he leaves, he suddenly turns and says in a very jovial tone that the pickle chips were really good.
Mr. Exposition: Death is the one who informs the Winchesters and Castiel about the Leviathans, the oldest beasts from Purgatory. Castiel has swallowed them, and now they're threatening to break out into the world.
Must Make Amends: Cas wants to apologize and make amends since he thinks he's about to die. He survives, but still feels the need to redeem himself.
Negated Moment of Awesome: "Shall we...kickbox now?"
New Era Speech: Castiel gives one to what remains of the Host of Heaven after he's done killing most of them.
Castiel: Understand...if you followed Raphael, if you stood against me...punishment is certain. There is nowhere to hide. The rest of you—our Father left a long time ago. That was hard. I thought the answer was free will. But I understand now—you need a firm hand, you need a Father. And I am your Father now. Be obedient, children...or this will be your fate. [motions to hundreds of angels corpses on the ground] It is a new day...on Earth and in Heaven. Rejoice.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Cas didn't swallow just souls.
Nigh-Invulnerable: Upon becoming a god, Castiel has become immune to angel blades and virtually anything else. The Winchesters resolve to ask the Grim Reaper for help.
Oh, Crap!: Crowley reacts this way when Castiel shows up.
Cas: Hello, Crowley. You look stressed.
Crowley: Bollocks...
- Again when Cas casually breaks the spell binding Death.
- This is naturally Dean and Bobby's reaction to Cas revealing the Leviathans hang on inside him and are about to break free.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Cas while possessed by first all the souls in Purgatory and then the Leviathans.
Power Incontinence: Not only are Cass and his vessel breaking down because of the millions of souls from Purgatory, but he also wasn't paying attention and also ingested the Leviathans... he's in serious trouble.
Preemptive "Shut Up": Death has been freed from the spell the Winchesters used to bind him. As he calmly eats fried pickle chips, Sam silently indicates to Dean that a groveling apology might be in order.
Dean: Umm—
Death: Shut up, Dean. I'm not here to tie your shoelaces every time you trip.
Pretender Diss: Death gives one to Castiel, who deems himself a god.
Death: Please, Cas. I know God, and you, sir, are no God.
Priceless Ming Vase: The Winchesters grinding the expensive fulgarite crystal for their spell during the montage, while its Bound and Gagged owner groans in frustration.
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Castiel after he's taken over by the Leviathans.
Leviathan!Castiel: Now this is going to be so. Much. Fun.
The Purge: Castiel's first order of business after he leaves the Winchesters is to go to Heaven and kill all of Raphael's followers, along with any other angel he views as disobedient.
Pitiful Worms: Plenty from Castiel and Death.
Castiel: What a brave little ant you are.
Death: Annoying little protozoa, aren't they?
Resist the Beast: Castiel is about to be taken over by the Leviathans, and yells at Dean and Bobby to get away from him.
Rushmore Refacement: Castiel changes a stained glass window to show himself.
Satan: He appears before Sam at the end, wearing Nick.
Sanity Slippage: Due to Cas knocking down the wall, Sam has been having increasingly worse (and frequent) hallucinations.
Sealed Evil in a Can: The Leviathans are the reason Purgatory was created.
Slasher Smile: Castiel gives one whenever the Leviathans are taking control.
Straw Hypocrite: The Reverend who preaches against homosexuality, according to Castiel.
Castiel: Tell your flock where your genitals have been before you speak for me.
Summon Bigger Fish: The Winchesters and Bobby summon Death to deal with God!Castiel. Subverted, though, in that Cas merely snaps Death free of their binding spell, defusing the situation. The potential danger of doing this is beautifully lampshaded by Crowley:
You really believe you can handle that kind of horsepower? You're delusional! They'll both mash us like peas.
Suspiciously Apropos Music: "These Boots Are Made For Walking" is playing when Crowley is drowning his sorrows over how his deal with Cas turned out.
You've been messin' where you shouldn't have been a messin'
And now someone else is gettin' all your best.
Castiel: Hello Crowley. You look stressed.
These boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do
Crowley: Bollocks...
One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you
Tainted Veins
Tempting Fate: BELIEVE IN GOD HE WALKS AMONG US
That Man Is Dead: After declaring himself God, Castiel proclaims the old Castiel to be no more.
- Almost word-for-word when the Leviathans take over him, as they/he say(s) "Cas is... Gone. Dead."
Understatement: "That was unpleasant."
We Used to Be Friends
Welcome Back, Traitor: When Castiel realizes he can't contain the Leviathans and comes to the Winchesters for help, Sam, Dean, and Bobby treat him awfully gently considering everything he's just done. It seems that, despite it all, they're mostly just glad to have him back in his right mind.
While Rome Burns: Dean fixes the Impala, figuring there's nothing he can do about God!Cas.
With Due Respect: The Winchesters bind Death with a spell so he can kill Castiel for them.
Death: Why should I?
Dean: Because...we said so and we're the boss of you. [Sam and Bobby give him worried looks]. I mean, respectfully...
You Are What You Hate: Castiel kills a homophobic preacher who Cas reveals is secretly gay himself.
You Fool!: The note on the spell for binding Death reads "Bye forever, you fools. Kisses, C."

Recap / Supernatural S 07 E 01 Meet The New Boss

Meet The New Boss

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Recap / Supernatural S 07 E 01 Meet The New Boss

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Meet The New Boss

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