Was Castiel's untimely death (and resurrection) in Supernatural unnecessary? Here's our take on the same

Few actors on television have had to make as many returns from the dead as Castiel did during Supernatural. Initially, a rough-around-the-edges, gruff-speaking angel, Castiel, was integrated into the series' mythology and emotional center. However, with the show running for 15 seasons, his dying and re-appearing on and off again became a story issue, and an audience one.

Was Castiel necessarily required to die so many times? Or was it an issue of having lower story making up and high stakes available? The Supernatural fandom and critics have argued along these lines, partially because Castiel's deaths sometimes seemed more plot temporarily than an actual character decision.

Let's talk about how many times he really died, how his availability changed throughout the run of the show, and whether or not these numerous exits were to the greater story.

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How many times has Castiel died in Supernatural?

Castiel dies six or seven times, depending on whether counting the number of times he died or not is taking place. The counting is not certain among both the fans and canonical books because literal death, symbolic rot, and temporary nudity at times cannot be distinguished from one another.

Season 4 Finale – "Lucifer Rising": Castiel is off-screen killed by archangel Raphael and then resurrected by God.

Season 5 Finale – "Swan Song": Lucifer blows Castiel to pieces. He is again resurrected by divine powers.

Season 7, Episode 2 – "Hello, Cruel World": Castiel's vessel is blown up in a lake after swallowing the Leviathans. He is later introduced in Season 7, amnesiac but alive.

Season 9, Episode 3 – “I’m No Angel”: As a human, Castiel is killed by reaper April Kelly and resurrected by the angel Gadreel (posing as Ezekiel).

Season 12 Finale – “All Along the Watchtower”: Killed by Lucifer using an angel blade. This death appeared final, but he was later revived in Season 13, pulled from the Empty.

Season 14/15 Arc – The Empty Deal: Castiel is dead or gone for a short time while working with the Empty and comes back. Those kinds of scenes aren't really one-off deaths.

Season 15, Episode 18 – "Despair": Castiel presents himself to be offered up to the Empty after "I love you" and "thank you" to Dean, rescuing a deal in which he dies in the grand design of the story.

Some fans also cite symbolic “deaths” such as Castiel losing his grace or being brainwashed, but these aren’t universally counted. The most frequently acknowledged deaths are the six listed above, with the Despair episode considered his final canonical exit in the show’s timeline.

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What season does Castiel appear in Supernatural?

Castiel first appears in Supernatural Season 4, Episode 1, "Lazarus Rising". His introduction, saving Dean Winchester from Hell, caused a change for the show, bringing divinity mythology into the mix and doubling the show's mythological potential.

Castiel was a recurring main cast member or series regular from Seasons 5 through 15. His tale always crossed-pollinated with the storylines: Apocalypse, Leviathans, Heaven and Hell trials, and final battle with God. Castiel played many roles as an angel warrior codenamed "Bird" or "Cas," a fallen angel grappling with his humanity, and the Winchester brothers' loyal and trusted friend.

Most notably, Season 7 had Castiel's temporary absence due to his seeming death at the Leviathans' hands. He returned afterwards, however, with amnesia, and slowly regained his position in the main narrative. There were sudden departures, but Castiel was not absent from the main storylines for long and helped shape the rest of the series.

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Were Castiel's deaths and resurrections necessary to the story of Supernatural?

All the deaths of Castiel have been worth it in terms of storytelling, but to values they were are questionable. His deaths in seasons like Seasons 4 and 5 were important previously. To be killed by the hands of archangels or Lucifer was important, and later resurrections were enabled to be something miraculous that was a part of fantasy in the universe of the show.

But subsequent deaths, especially in Season 12 and the current comebacks since Season 9, started getting trashed. Both critics and fans argue that perpetual dying took the emotional impact away. Or instead of mounting tension, they started to feel more like a storytelling crutch: whenever things were escalating, Castiel would die, and only when required extremely by the plot would he be resurrected.

Second, his final death in Supernatural Season 15, Episode 18 was not met with as positivity. While most viewers adored the emotional payoff, some wondered if the payoff was worth the build-up or if the scene benefited the overall narrative. Unlike most deaths, this did not result in resurrection, though the finale teased at possible survival, without proof either.

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From a strictly storytelling standpoint, Castiel's repeated deaths on Supernatural weren't necessary. They were necessary as valid emotional plot points or dramatic surprise points in some of them, but some of them were band-aids that grew increasingly implausible with each repetition. The reversibility and ubiquity of the deaths perhaps diminish their lasting effect.

Despite this, Castiel's character in Supernatural was still the emotional and moral fulcrum of the show. His own character development, starting as a duty-bound angel and ending up as a sacrificial one, was partially because of these flash-forwards of death and resurrection. Whether or not they are all deserved is suspect, but together they did help to propel one of the show's most complex character developments.

Also read: 10 Supernatural episodes so good they made the entire series worth it