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 4 and 15, 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.
Supernatural
TV-14
Action
Adventure
Drama
Horror
Sci-Fi
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
- Release Date
- September 13, 2005
- Creator
- Eric Kripke
- Cast
- Misha Collins , Jared Padalecki , Jensen Ackles , Jim Beaver
- Seasons
- 15
- Studio
- The CW
15 "Please accept this sandwich as a gesture of solidarity."
"Survival of the Fittest" - Season 7, Episode 23 (2012)
Having clashed with the leviathans earlier in Season 7, Cas is not the courageous angel fans loved by the time Sam and Dean have to face Dick Roman (James Patrick Stuart) in the season finale “Survival of the Fittest.” However, he still longs to be of service to the Winchesters, as evidenced when he helps them avoid the leviathans’ contaminated food by zapping to Normandy to make a sandwich.
When asked about Crowley’s insistence on him going to face the leviathans with Sam and Dean, Cas immediately refutes the call to action, saying he will be waiting for the Winchesters from the safety of their cabin. Sensing that Sam and Dean aren’t overly enthused by his intentions, he implores them to receive the meal he has provided as a gesture of solidarity. While the Winchesters still weren’t impressed, fans were laughing aloud at the angel’s kind yet cowardly notion.
14 "The whor* can only be killed by a servant of heaven… Not you. Or me. Sam, of course, is an abomination."
"99 Problems" - Season 5, Episode 17 (2010)
The Season 5 episode “99 Problems” sees Sam and Dean find an unlikely safe haven in the form of a small town whose residents are aware of demons and the looming apocalypse. As they stay with the townspeople, they learn that they are a deeply religious community who follow the orders of the preacher’s daughter, who they believe is a prophet. However, Cas says she is actually a deceptive entity from hell known as the whor* of Babylon.
While Sam and Dean realize they must kill her, a disgruntled Cas tells them that she can only be killed by a servant of heaven, ruling out himself and Dean before discarding Sam with a particularly barbed quip. His curt declaration that “Sam, of course, is an abomination” is definitive of Castiel at his coarse and blunt best.
13 "You don’t have to be ruled by fate. You can choose freedom. And I still believe that is something worth fighting for."
"My Heart Will Go On" - Season 6, Episode 17
While many of Castiel’s most famous quotes have emphasized the comic relief value that the character gave to the series, the dramatic heft he could present ought not be understated. One of his most hopeful and significant lines comes in the bizarre Season 6 episode “My Heart Will Go On,” which follows the Winchesters and co as they find themselves in a parallel universe where the Titanic never sank, leading someone to kill off the 50,000 descendants of the survivors.
The episode has an intriguing focus on themes such as fate, destiny, and free will, something Supernatural was always capable of exploring with strong ideas and poignancy. Castiel’s optimistic championing of free will, and his intentions to defend it, is defining of his and the Winchesters ceaseless efforts to stand in the way of God and the angels and their manipulative plans for humanity.
12 "I got your message. It was long, your message. And I find the sound of your voice grating."
"99 Problems" - Season 5, Episode 17 (2010)
“99 Problems” is quite possibly the best episode for Castiel quotes in the entirety of Supernatural, presenting the angel at his sassy, sarcastic best. Completely drunk and making no effort to keep his foul mood a secret, Cas arrives at Sam and Dean’s motel in response to Sam’s voicemail. Speaking plainly, he reveals what he truly thinks, describing the sound of Sam’s voice as “grating” as he staggers to inspect the contents of the fridge.
The scene is a brilliant one for Castiel, whose drunken stupor and bitter rambling marks a memorable highlight for the character in Season 5. In fact, his coarse statement about Sam's voice message is just one of several fantastic, snarky, and hilarious lines that he utters in the scene. While fans didn't get to see it too many more times, drunk Cas was a sensational highlight of the character's penchant for comedy, one that only enhances his claim as one of the greatest television angels of all time.
11 "I had my angel blade."
"I'm No Angel" - Season 9, Episode 3 (2013)
As much as he is the Winchesters’ most loyal and determined companion, and a heroic defender of humanity, there is still so much about humanity he struggles to understand. This is often used effectively as a source for comedy, with one of the best examples of such a gag occurring in the Season 9 episode, “I’m No Angel”, which focuses on Sam and Dean as they race against Bartholomew (Adam J. Harrington) to save Cas.
When they meet up with the angel, the Winchesters are surprised to hear his of his refreshed outlook on life courtesy of his brief though passionate romance with April (Shannon Lucio). Intrigued by the revelation that Cas has had sex, Dean asks if he had protection. Castiel’s oblivious response of “I had my angel blade” is as hilarious as it is characteristic.
10 "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.
9 "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.
Marking another great quote from the Season 5 episode "99 Problems," 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, deflated yet still amused, he says, "It's funnier in Enochian" to Sam and Dean, as this time, it's them who doesn't understand the reference.
8 "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 5 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 Cas 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.
7 "I’ll interrogate the cat."
"Hunter Heroici" - Season 8, Episode 8 (2012)
A highlight of Supernatural’s ability to churn out hilarious episode, Season 8’s “Hunter Heroici” sees Cas formally join Sam and Dean as a hunter, but his first day on the job proves to be baffling as the trio investigate a series of murders that have been made to look like cartoon deaths. Following leads, they arrive at a peaceful retirement home where Cas and Dean speak with an old lady whose fallen victim to a recent robbery.
While Cas battles to discern meaningful leads from madness, Dean asks the woman if anything strange has been afoot of late, leading her to mention a talking cat. Sharing a suspicious glance with Dean, Cas boldly announces that he will interrogate the cat, and he does try to do so. The line has become one of Supernatural’s most famous quotes, serving as another testament to Cas' hilarious yet serious nature that made him a fan favorite.
6 "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.
5 "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 8. But in Season 6, 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.
4 "I found a liquor store. And I drank it."
Season 5, Episode 17, "99 Problems" (2010)
.jpg "15 Best Castiel Quotes in 'Supernatural' Ranked (16)")
A fourth Castiel quote from "99 Problems", the energizing Season 5 episode is a wild ride that displays Cas at his absolute best. 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.
3 "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 6, Cas discovered what happens when two people become intimate when a pizza man is the ploy for a p*rno 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."
2 "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 4 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 4'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.
1 "Hey, Assbutt!"
Season 5, Episode 22, "Swan Song" (2010)
The highest-rated episode of Supernatural came with the Season 5 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 co*cktail 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.
NEXT: Most Memorable Quotes That Only 'Supernatural' Fans Would Understand
