Changes

|outline= The When people close to the Winchestersbegin disappearing, [[CastielSam]], and [[Jack]] search for a way attempt to kill protect those that remain, while [[Dean]] and [[Castiel]] confront [[Death]].

[[Sam]], [[Dean ]], and Cas [[Castiel]] are helping [[Jack ]] into a room in [[the bunkerBunker]]. He is dying The power froma spell [[Adam's Rib]], which was meant to be used to kill [[Chuck]], is killing him. [[Billie ]] appears and says, they have done enough. Standing with her sickle. She tells them that their plan was doomed, because of them. She she can notstop the process of what Jack is going through. She makes him Jack disappear from his chair. He is in the empty. Meg, the empty, is seated in front of him. She asks himhow he got there. Then he explodes. Billie tells them, that where Jack is finds himself in the empty. It's a place that can absorb the impact. It was intended for cosmic forces, Chuck. Cas asks if he is dead. She tells them that[[the Empty is not as powerful as Chuck, if he survives, the cosmic entity will be pissed. It has a beef with Billie for doing this. It won't bother her on Earth, but if summoned it could hurt her. She tells them that she will not bring him back till he gives her the bookhe took from her library. Jack is alive]], in the Empty. A black goo forms into Meg, again. It is mad. At the bunker, Sam brings the book to Billie. He drops it on the table and walks away. She reads it and smiles at what she reads at the ending, the ending has changed. Deandemands she bring Jack back. The Empty approaches Jack, he is unable to move. It puts its hands on both front of his checks. He is back at the bunker. All three go to him[[Cosmic Entity]],Billie says no, the boy who is mine. Dean goes after her with her sickle and cuts her. She throws him against the wall and disappears. They all go to Jack. Sam picks up thebook, it is sealed shut. Dean is at a table drinking whiskey. Sam comes seated in. They both can't sleep. Deanapologizes for pulling a gun on him. Says he was ready and willing to kill Chuck. Now they have no one to help them, no one front of power. Amara is gone and Michael is notanswering their prayers. Billie is in her library. One of her helpers tells her that he did the warding she asked for, to keep out the Empty. He says, I get the plan has changed. She turns andtells him yes, it has. A woman is making eggs in a kitchen. Charlie is cleaning her weapons on the kitchen table. She is suppose to do that in another room. She pushes it all aside andthe woman puts her eggs down and she eats. They are very good. The woman stands next to the counter and eatsform of [[Meg]]. She vanishes, her plates falls to the ground and breaks. Sam is taking a reading in the apartment Charlie shared with Stevie. She tells Sam and Dean how she met her, through Bobby on a case. Sam asks her what she saw. Saw or felt nothing. She was cooking and then she disappeared. Jack are by the Impala.He tells Cas he feels different. He was ready to die for Dean, Sam and the world. He tells Jack that they care for him, not because he is useful to them, but because you areyou. He mentions how so many of power are so mad that them and he doesn't have his powers anymore. He is scared and so is Cas. Dean and Sam are telling Charlie of Deaths plan and she had sent Stevie back towhere she came from. Theirs a pattern. Sams phone rings, it's Bobby. He was on a case with one of the apocalypse world people. He disappeared. Sam says, it's spreading,anyone who crossed over and was resurrected are on Billies list. He realizes that Eileen is next. They leave. In the Impala Sam is texting Eileen until it stops. She nolonger responds. When they get to Eileen she is gone, just her phone is left on the ground. He is upset and wants to round up everyone being targeted, get them safe anduse warding to protect them. Dean wants to end it with Billie, she left her blade, he can kill her with that. Cas goes with Dean, Jack goes with Sam. Sam is speaking to Donna on his cell. They will meet up. He asks Jack to drive.He needs to do research and contact people, he needs to drive. Jack is reluctant sincehe only drove one other time with Dean. He does the driving. Dean and Cas enter the bunker. They ascend the stairs quickly. Dean asks Cas ifhe still has the key to Billies library, he grabs her blade. He wants to burn her library and smoke her out. At a tall red building like a silo. Donna and Sam meet. She hugs him and tells himshe is sorry about Eileen. She meets Jack again and give him a hug, and tells them thatBobby and his crew are in there. More are coming, Garth, Jodi and the girls. Then Charlie arrives dressed in camos She doesn't want this to happen to anyone else. Inside got there are symbols all over the walls. Some are still painting them. Some are children. Bobby tells Sam he is the big man, the one in charge. He has one of Rowena's spells to strengthen the warding. Everyone is busy painting. Jack is onehe notices a plant and puts his hand near it and it dies. Dean and -- Jack enter Billies library. They separate. Dean comes up behind her. She knows he is there. Cas is on the other side of her with an angel blade. She sayshello boys. She asks, what's the plan to take me down with my own weapon? He mentions that she is killing her friends. He is thrown back against the wall, she reminds Cas how he stabbed her in her back with his blade. Dean pins her against the wall with her blade, and asks her to stop killing his people. She tells him it isn'ther, he's in the wrong place. Sam is casting the spell to activate the symbols, they light up, then fade. Back atlibrary. Billie tells Dean, it must be Chuck, your wasting your time. At the silo, a littlegirl on a cost disappears. One by one they all do. Bobby and Sam look at each other, he disappears in a puff of smoke. Donna senses something, she is gone, too. Billy tells Dean that the wound he gave her is fatal, she shows it to him. It's something she can't survive. One thing she wishes only apologize before she dies is to see Dean dead. At the pointshe disarms him and takes back her blade. Both Dean and Cas are thrown back, they run for the door they came in. Jack looks around and sees no one but he and Sam in the room. At the bunkerDean and Cas enter the room. They don't know what to do next. Seen behind Deanis Billie, her and clasped like crushing his heart. Dean clinches his chest from pain. She says, it's been you Dean, all along. Cas helps him out of the room. They fallin front of a book case. When she gets to it, they are gone. She follows them down a hallway. She is still taunting him, scrapping her blade against the brick wall. Isn't it time for the great release of death, she says. Once in a room. Cas pulls out a knife from Deans pocket and cuts his hand. He uses the blood to write a symbol on the door to keep her out. She keeps banging on the door, each time the symbol glows. They talk about what they need to do, fight. Dean is upset and says he lead theminto a trap, because he couldn't kill Chuck. He is upset with himself, it was Chuck all along. He knows everyone will die and it is his fault. Cas says, there is one thingshe is afraid of and can hurt her. He tells Dean about the deal he made with the Cosmic Entity. When Jack was dying he made a deal with him. When he was reallyhappy he would come and take him away forever. He wondered what his happinesswould look like. Happiness is not in having but in being. He tells Dean, he sees himself as his enemies. Cas sees him differently, hate and anger is what drives him andthat is what he is. All the good and bad are out of love and selflessness. Those aroundDean know and see this in him. He tells Dean he is the most loving and selfless person ever knew. He says, knowing him has changed him. From the day he pulledhim from hell. He cared about the whole world because of him. Cas crying says,you changed me Dean. Dean asks why this sounds like a goodbye. He tells him it is and that he loves him. The black goo comes into the room, the cosmic entity enters. Billy is behind him, he pushes Dean aside, a handprint in on his jacket like when Caspulled him from hell. Then goo takes them both. Jack and Sam leave the silo. Sam tries to call Dean, there is no answer. Jack asksif it was just them. Images of places empty, playgrounds, gas stations. Dean still on the floor see Sams name on his phone. He doesn't answer it. He puts his face in hishands and criesexplodes.

Billie tells them that the Empty is the one place that could absorb the impact, and hints that Jack may have survived. She tells them that the Cosmic Entity is not as powerful as Chuck, and if it survives, it will be angry at her. However, it can't reach her on Earth, unless summoned. She tells them that she will not bring Jack back till Sam gives her [[Chuck's Death Book|God's book]] that he took from her [[Death's Library|library]]. Sam brings the book to Billie, drops it on the table and walks away. She reads it and smiles at what she reads for the ending, which has changed. In the Empty, Jack is alive. The Cosmic Entity reappears, and is enraged, telling him he "made it loud." It attacks Jack, but he is transported back to the Bunker. Cas, Sam, and Dean go to comfort Jack, but Death intervenes. Dean goes after her with her [[Death's Scythe|scythe]] and cuts her. She throws him against the wall and disappears. They all go to Jack, while Sam picks up God's book, which is sealed shut. Later, late at night, Dean is at a table in the library drinking whiskey. Sam comes in. They both can't sleep. Dean apologizes for pulling a gun on him, explaining that his desire to kill Chuck had made him unable to see what he was doing. He noted that they have no one of power to help them. Amara is gone and [[Michael]] is not answering their [[prayer]]s. In her library, one of Death's helpers tells her that he did the warding she asked for to keep out the Empty. At the home of [[Charlie Bradbury (Apocalypse World)|Charlie]] she is cleaning her weapons on the kitchen table while [[Stevie]] makes eggs. As they are making plans for a date/hunt Stevie disappears. Charlie calls Sam and Dean who along with Jack and Castiel travel to see her. While Sam and Dean go to speak to her, Jack tells Castiel that he feels useless to help now he has no powers. Castiel tells Jack that they care for him, not because he is useful to them, but because of who he is. Jack admits he is scared, and Castiel shares that he is too.  Dean and Sam are telling Charlie of Death's plan and speculating that she has sent Stevie back to [[Apocalypse World]] as she wants to out everything back in order. Sam receives a call from [[Bobby Singer (Apocalypse World)|Bobby]], who was on a case with one of the Apocalypse World hunters who disappeared. Sam says he thinks anyone who should have died or has been resurrected will be on Billie's list. He realizes that [[Eileen]] might be next.  In the [[Impala]] Sam is texting Eileen when she suddenly stops replying. When they reach her car they find her bag and her phone on the ground. Sam struggles to hold back his grief, and decides they should get everyone being targeted and take them to a safe warded place. Dean wants to end it with Billie -- she left her scythe, and he thinks he can kill her with that. Castiel agrees to go with him.  Sam speaks to [[Donna]], who has found a suitable place to take refuge. When they stop for gas, Sam can see how distraught Jack is, so he offers to let him drive. At an abandoned silo, Sam and Jack meet up with Donna, Bobby, Charlie, and other Apocalypse World hunters and their children. They ward the silo by painting [[Warding Sigils|sigils]] all over the inside. As Jack reaches down to patch a crack in the wall, his hand passes near a small plant, which instantly withers. Sam does one of [[Rowena]]'s [[spells]] to strengthen the warding, and Bobby tells Sam that the hunters will look to him for leadership.  At the Bunker, Dean gets the door to Death's library from Castiel, with the intention of trying to destroy it in order to get Death's attention. Death is in the library, but she senses their presence and magically slams Dean against a wall. She reminds Cas how he stabbed her in her back with his [[angel blade]] and attacks him. Dean pins her against the wall with her scythe, and asks her to stop killing his people. She tells him it isn't her, asserting that it must be Chuck. Billie tells Dean that the wound he gave her earlier is fatal. One thing she wishes before she dies is to see Dean dead. She disarms him and takes back her scythe. Both Dean and Castiel are thrown back, and they run for the door back to the Bunker.  At the silo, a little girl on a cot disappears, and then one by one so do all the other hunters, including Bobby and Donna. Jack looks around and sees no one but him and Sam left in the room.  Billie pursues Dean and Castiel into the Bunker. She clasps her hand into a fist, and Dean feels pain as if his heart is being crushed. Cas helps him out of the room, through the corridors. Death follows, taunting them. They take refuge in a storage room. Castiel cuts his hand and uses the blood to draw a warding sigil on the door, which will briefly block Death's power, however, Bille keeps banging on the door, and each time she does, weakens the ward. Dean is upset and says he led them into a trap, because he couldn't kill Chuck. He says he knows everyone will die and it is his fault. Castiel points out that one thing can hurt her -- the Cosmic Entity from the Empty. He tells Dean about the [[deal]] he made with the Cosmic Entity in exchange for Jack -- that his life would be forfeit when he felt one moment of true happiness. He says he wondered what that moment could be, because he knew he couldn't have the one thing he really wanted. He tells Dean he knows Dean sees himself as his enemies do -- driven by hate and anger. But Cas knows Dean always acts out of love and selflessness. Those around Dean know and see this in him. He tells Dean he is the most loving and selfless person he ever knew. He says that knowing Dean has changed him and made him care about him, Sam and Jack and about the whole world because of him. Dean asks why this sounds like a goodbye. Castiel tells him it is and that he loves him. As he speaks the words, a [[portal]] opens, and the black goo of the Empty comes into the room, at the moment Death also finally breaks through the warding. As the Empty enters, Castiel pushes Dean aside as the Empty takes both Death and Castiel, who greets his death with a smile.  As Jack and Sam leave the silo, Sam tries to call Dean, but gets no answer as Jack asks if it was just them left. At the Bunker Dean sees Sam's name on his phone, but doesn't answer it. He puts his face in his hands and cries.

'''Cosmic Entity:''' Hey, kid. How'd you get in here? You're not looking so hot.<br>

'''Cosmic Entity:''' Oh sh...--

'''Jack:''' God, the Empty, Billie, everyone's so mad at us and I don't have my powers. There's nothing I can do to protect us. I'm scared, CassCas.<br>

'''Dean:''' I started this. I'm gonna end it.<br>'''Sam:''' Dean...<br>'''Dean:''' Your plan? Getting everybody safe? That's good, okay, but it won't last forever. Now, we couldn't make Chuck pay, but Billie? She left her blade. Her I can kill.}}{{TriviaQuote |Text='''Dean:''' Let's go, CassCas. Let's go reap a Reaper.

'''Sam:''' Yeah, well if Dean and Cass Cas can pull this off, we shouldn't be here too long.<br>

:"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith sayeth the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

Originally titled "Despair" which then changed to "The Truth" and then back to "Despair."

'''Billie:''' Castiel. Remember when you stabbed me in the back? 'Cause I do.

After this episode aired, [[Lisa Berry]] shared a behind the scene [https://twitter.com/_LisaBerry/status/1326894522668867590 set of pictures] on her Twitter, revealing that she was (visibly!) pregnant during the filming of this episode, with "a little baby reaper on the way." While the crew tried to block the scene as best they could to hide the pregnancy, there are multiple shots of a visibly pregnant Billie throughout the episode.}}{{TriviaQuote |Text=Charlie's Building building is named "Kim Manor" (it is seen etched on the front doors), a tribute to the late EP and director [[Kim Manners]].

When Jack tries to touch a flower, it wilts at his approachBillie scrapes her scythe along the wall as she stalks Dean and Castiel in the Bunker. This was previously seen in [[1. Something similar to what happened when 07 Hook Man]] as [[AmaraJacob Karns]] touched flowers in stalks his victims and [[117.23 Alpha and Omega18 Party On, Garth]] as the [[shojo]] after mortally wounding Chuckstalked Lee Baxter.

Before Castiel dies, he leaves a bloody handprint on Dean's shoulder, mirroring the [[Castiel's Handprint|burned handprint]] he left on Dean when he pulled him out of Hell in [[4.01 Lazarus Rising]]. Misha Collins later revealed at [[Darklight Online Con 2020]] that the handprint was not scripted, but rather an idea that he, Jensen, and Richard Speight, Jr. workshopped on the day of filming.He stated that "for some reason," the scene needed to be moved into another room of the Bunker, and they then needed to figure out how to get warding inside that room. After they decided that Castiel would use his own blood for the warding, the idea of the bloody handprint emerged. Moira Fentum provided [https://www.instagram.com/p/CIBRy7JA46c/ pictures] of the jacket with the handprint on her Instagram with the caption::"Before shooting the reveal, Jensen pulled up an image of the Season 4 scar. I painted Misha's hand to match using fake blood [...]. He placed his hand on Jensen's arm, and then I touched up the impression to make it match the scar."

After the episode, [https://twitter.com/mishacollins/status/1324541247885774848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Misha tweeted]: : "#Supernatural Tonight, watching Cas talk to Dean, I got lost in the story and forgot for a moment that I'm the one who plays that angel and I thought, 'He's how I want to be. He's openhearted and he's selfless and he's true.' "}}{{TriviaQuote |Text=Seven members of the SPN cast attended [[Darklight Online Con 2020]] the weekend after this episode aired, including Misha Collins, who discussed the confession scene (and its [https://tvweb.com/supernatural-destiel-canon/ controversy amongst fans]) while explaining to the other cast members who may not have seen the episode yet: :"Castiel tells Dean he loves him and basically makes Destiel canon. So Castiel makes this homosexual declaration of love which is, you know, amazing that that happens, and then he dies right afterwards, which plays into a timeless Hollywood trope of '[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BuryYourGays kill the gays],' which also then pisses off- Like we give, and then we take away." Misha later walked back this remark at a creation event after [[15.20 Carry On]] aired, saying: :"I've seen some people complaining about this is playing into the "bury the gays trope" which is an insidious and real trope in film and television, and I don't think that that is what's happening, and I don't think that's what happened with Castiel's ending. First of all he's not dead, he's in Heaven and working to rebuild that Heaven. But also so much good came from that declaration. Because Cas was able to save Dean, by the transitive property, that was essential for saving the world. That declaration ended up literally saving the world. And also it was of Cas' own volition, he wasn't forced to do it, that was his choice and I think that's important too. Maybe I'm naïve but I don't think we're playing into that trope and I'm glad Castiel got to express that. I think that's kind of important. I'm proud that the show did that, frankly."  Misha also went on to add that, while he did not wish to speak for Jensen or the character of Dean, he chose to play the scene as if Dean did not share the same feelings. Jensen would later state at a virtual meet and greet that he did not wish to "over-define" the scene, saying that he was not sure that Castiel as an angel could feel love in the same way as a human, believing the "I love you" could have a multitude of meanings, including "brother in arms." Misha also said that he knew the confession was coming for more than a year, that Jensen knew about it three months prior to filming the episode, and that Jensen had agreed to it. Richard Speight, Jr., the director of this episode, said that he, Misha, Jensen, and other crew filmed the confession scene last because of the weight of it. After filming finished Misha, Jensen, Richard and Alex Calvert had boarded a chartered plane to head to [[Salute to Supernatural Las Vegas 2020]]. Ten minutes into the flight, one of its engines explode, and they had to turn back to Vancouver. For a few moments they were all afraid they might crash, so it all made for a very emotional night. Misha also told this story, and how he felt filming that last scene, in [https://twitter.com/cw_spn/status/1326207999636074500 a CW spot posted to Twitter].}}{{TriviaQuote |Text=In the [https://twitter.com/CharCubed/status/1331475040018325506 Latin American dub] of this episode, Castiel uses the more romantic / affectionate version of "I love you," -- "Te amo" which is typically reserved for significant others or immediate family members. Fans were shocked to hear Dean respond, "Yo a ti, Cas," which is the romantic version of "Me too, Cas" though the English subtitles remained, "Don't do this, Cas." The episode is also titled "La Verdad" (The Truth), not "Despair." In the fan uproar to this revelation, Tumblr was overloaded and briefly went down while #TheySilencedYou trended #1 on Twitter in the U.S. as fans encouraged each other to boycott The CW for presumed censorship of the English version of the show, while "YO A TI CAS" and "DEANCAS" trended internationally.  Misha Collins went on to post [https://twitter.com/mishacollins/status/1331800202252931073 video to his twitter] to put the record straight that there was never any planned, scripted, or filmed reciprocation from Dean in this episode. In subsequent tweets, Misha [https://twitter.com/mishacollins/status/1331825062060515329 apologized] "about how tone-deaf my video is" and responded directly to comments from LGBTQ+ fans who felt unheard. Fans continued to propose various conspiracy theories that either the line was in an earlier version of the script, that it was in the filmed version of the script but edited out (based on the fact that Jensen had said he recorded the whole scene on his phone and a lot was cut out), or even that it was added later in ADR and then edited out (as Jensen had said he'd done ADR for this scene). An anonymous crew member posted [http://supernaturalwiki.com/File:1518s1.png photos] of the [http://supernaturalwiki.com/File:1518s2.png script] confirming it read "Dean can't reciprocate." [https://nepantla-dyke.tumblr.com/post/637356593462280192/okay-yall-are-driving-me-insane-arguing-that-we Other sources confirmed that there was never any scripted response from Dean], although Jensen ad-libbed "Don't do this" and "What are you talking about, man?" during filming.  In a December 2020 interview, Dean's Latin American voice actor, Guillermo Rojas, [https://teamironmanforever.tumblr.com/post/637355024027090944/highlight-translation-of-the-spanish-dub-actor confirmed that the reciprocation was not scripted or spoken in the original English version], but it was scripted as "me too (platonic) in the Spanish script, and changed to be romantic by the dub director. Rojas said (translated from Spanish): "The adaptation came entirely from my director, Adrian Fogarty. He adapted it and gave us our acting guidelines, and I performed accordingly. I gave what he asked of me. We all loved it."  In an [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNCPLSDOo64 interview for WonderCon@Home 2021], the LATAM voice actor for Castiel, Alejandro Mayen, stated when asked about Castiel's goodbye to Dean, that he believed that the "I love you" was fraternal, and didn't believe that the show was ever hinting at anything romantic between Dean and Castiel.}}{{TriviaQuote |Text=In September 2021, when the episode aired in Italy, the Italian dub of this episode had Castiel uses the phrase "Ti voglio bene" which is used for someone you are fond of, rather than "Ti amo" which is used for someone you are in a romantic love with. Italian fans flooded social media, and Misha responded with [https://twitter.com/mishacollins/status/1435999604479180800 a tweeted video] in which he said "Ciao Italia, ti amo" and the tweet "L'amore è amore in qualsiasi lingua. ❤️ (Love is love in any language.)".

Seven members Also in September of the SPN cast attended [[Darklight Online Con 2020]] the weekend after this episode aired2021, including Misha Collins, who [https://twitterwww.youtube.com/rainbowstiel/status/1325585270645907456 discussed the confession scenewatch?v=mJk-KI0iL1M Misha did a panel at Momento Con] (and its controversy amongst fans) while explaining to the other cast members who may not have seen the episode yetin which he answers a fan's question of, "When do you think Castiel tells first realized his feelings for Dean he loves him ?" Misha explained::"I first started talking with Berens, the writer of that episode, more than a year before we shot it: about the substance and basically makes Destiel canoncontent of that last scene. So Castiel makes this homosexual declaration it was at least a year, when it was very much at the forefront of love which ismy mind. But I think interestingly, you knowlatently, amazing that it was there for a long time. [...] I think that happensCas, like myself, like the producers and then he dies right afterwardswriters of the show, which plays into a timeless Hollywood trope like many of 'the fandom, were in denial. [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BuryYourGays kill the gays.]So I think it was there but it was latent for a long time,and I think that that' which s also then pisses off- Like we givejust fine. Cas was in denial, and then we take awayso was everyone else." At In answer to a similar question later in the conpanel, Misha also said that he knew the goes on to say, of Dean's reaction: :"I think Dean not rejecting [Castiel's confession ] was coming for more than a yearalso huge, that Jensen knew about it for three monthsand also profound, and that Jensen had agreed to italso important. [... Richard Speight Jr] Dean never reciprocated, and a lot of the other characters moved on in the director of this episodelast episodes, said but I think the fact that... I think Dean showed love in his eyes. And I think the fact that hedidn't say, Misha"Fuck off, Jensen, and other crew filmed " given the confession scene last because of the weight character of that show, was actually really profound. At least it, was to me. [...] I was so grateful that they all had drinks afterwe were able to go as far as we did, and then they boarded a plane I was grateful that Cas was able to express himself like that had one of its engines explode, making for a very emotional night. Misha also told this story, and how he felt filming that last scene, in "  See the [[https://twitter.com/cw_spn/status/1326207999636074500 a CW spot posted to twitterDestiel]]entry for more details.