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 Bunker]]. The power from [[Adam's Rib]], which was meant to be used to kill [[Chuck]], is killing him. [[Billie ]] appears and tells them that she can not stop the process of what Jack is going through. She makes Jack disappear from his chair. He , where Jack finds himself in [[the Empty]], in front of the [[Cosmic Entity]], who is seated in front of him in the form of [[Meg]]. She asks him how he got there - and then - Jack can only apologize before he explodes.

Billie tells them that the Empty is the one place that can could absorb the impact. Death , 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 he 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.

At 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 brings the book , and Dean go to Billiecomfort Jack, but Death intervenes. He drops it on the table Dean goes after her with her [[Death's Scythe|scythe]] and walks awaycuts her. She reads it throws him against the wall and smiles at what she reads at the endingdisappears. They all go to Jack, while Sam picks up God's book, which has changed. Deandemands she bring Jack backis sealed shut.

In the Empty, Jack is alive. The Cosmic Entity reappears, and it is enraged. 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 scythe and cuts her. She throws him against the wall and disappears. They all go to Jack. Sam picks up God's book but it 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 prayers[[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 (from Apocalypse World) |Charlie]] she is cleaning her weapons on the kitchen table while [[Stevie ]] makes eggs. Suddenly As they are making plans for a date/hunt Stevie disappears and her plate falls to the ground and breaks.  Charlie calls Sam and Dean who along with Jack and Cas 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's phone rings -- it's 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 is next.

In the Impala Dean and Sam is texting Eileen when are telling Charlie of Death's plan and speculating that she has sent Stevie back to [[Apocalypse World]] as she suddenly stops replyingwants to out everything back in order. When they reach her car they find her bag and her phone Sam receives a call from [[Bobby Singer (Apocalypse World)|Bobby]], who was on a case with one of the groundApocalypse World hunters who disappeared. Sam struggles to hold back his grief, and decides they says he thinks anyone who should get everyone being targeted and take them to a safe warded placehave died or has been resurrected will be on Billie's list. Dean wants to end it with Billie -- she left her scythe, and he thinks he can kill her with He realizes that. Castiel agrees to go with him[[Eileen]] might be next.

In the [[Impala]] Sam speaks 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 Donnahold back his grief, who has found and decides they should get everyone being targeted and take them to a suitable safe warded place . Dean wants to take refuge. When they stop for gasend it with Billie -- she left her scythe, Sam and he thinks he can see how distraught Jack is, so he offers kill her with that. Castiel agrees to let go with him drive.

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 bladescythe, 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 bladescythe. Both Dean and Cas Castiel are thrown back, and they run for the door back to the Bunker.

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. She , however, Bille keeps banging on the door, and each time she does, weakens the symbol glowsward.

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. Cas Castiel points out that one thing can hurt her - The - 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 too care about othershim, 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 that , at the moment Death also bursts into finally breaks through the roomwarding. As the cosmic entity Empty enters , Castiel pushes Dean aside, leaving a handprint in blood on his jacket like the one that was burned into his arm when Cas pulled him from Hell. Then 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, there is but gets no answer. as Jack asks if it was just them left.  At the Bunker Dean sees Sam's name on his phone. He , but doesn't answer it. He puts his face in his hands and cries.

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 twitterTwitter, 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.

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].

Seven members of the SPN cast attended [[Darklight Online Con 2020]] the weekend after this episode aired, including Misha Collins, who discussed In the confession scene (and its [https://tvwebtwitter.com/supernatural-destiel-canonCharCubed/status/ controversy amongst fans1331475040018325506 Latin American dub]) while explaining to the other cast members who may not have seen the of this episode yet, "Castiel tells Dean he loves him and basically makes Destiel canon. So Castiel makes this homosexual declaration uses the more romantic / affectionate version of "I love which is, you know, amazing that that happens, and then he dies right afterwards, " -- "Te amo" which plays into a timeless Hollywood trope of '[https://tvtropesis typically reserved for significant others or immediate family members.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BuryYourGays kill the gays]Fans were shocked to hear Dean respond,' which also then pisses off- Like we give, and then we take away." Misha later walked back this remark at Yo a creation event after [[15.20 Carry On]] airedti, sayingCas, "I've seen some people complaining about this which is playing into the romantic version of "bury Me too, Cas" though the gays tropeEnglish subtitles remained, " which is an insidious and real trope in film and television, and I donDon't think that that is what's happeningdo this, and I don't think that's what happened with Castiel's endingCas. First of all he's not dead, he's in Heaven and working to rebuild that Heaven. But " The episode is also so much good came from that declaration. Because Cas was able to save Deantitled "La Verdad" (The Truth), by the transitive property, that was essential for saving the worldnot "Despair. That declaration ended up literally saving " In the world. And also it was of Cas' own volition, he wasn't forced fan uproar to do itthis revelation, that Tumblr was his choice overloaded and I think that's important toobriefly went down while #TheySilencedYou trended #1 on Twitter in the U.S. Maybe I'm naïve but I don't think we're playing into that trope and I'm glad Castiel got as fans encouraged each other to express that. I think that's kind boycott The CW for presumed censorship of the English version of important. I'm proud that the show did that, franklywhile "YO A TI CAS" and "DEANCAS" trended internationally."

Misha also said Collins went on to post [https://twitter.com/mishacollins/status/1331800202252931073 video to his twitter] to put the record straight that he knew the confession there was coming for more than a yearnever any planned, scripted, or filmed reciprocation from Dean in this episode. In subsequent tweets, that Jensen knew Misha [https://twitter.com/mishacollins/status/1331825062060515329 apologized] "about it for three months, how tone-deaf my video is" and that Jensen had agreed responded directly to itcomments from LGBTQ+ fans who felt unheard. Richard Speight JrFans continued to propose various conspiracy theories that either the line was in an earlier version of the script, that it was in the director filmed version of this episode, the script but edited out (based on the fact that Jensen had said that herecorded the whole scene on his phone and a lot was cut out), Misha, or even that it was added later in ADR and then edited out (as Jensen, and other had said he'd done ADR for this scene). An anonymous crew filmed the confession scene last because member posted [http://supernaturalwiki.com/File:1518s1.png photos] of the weight of [http://supernaturalwiki.com/File:1518s2.png script] confirming itread "Dean can't reciprocate. After filming finished Misha" [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 Jensenad-libbed "Don't do this" and "What are you talking about, Richard and Alex Calvert had boarded man?" during filming.  In a chartered plane to head to December 2020 interview, Dean's Latin American voice actor, Guillermo Rojas, [[Salute to Supernatural Las Vegas 2020]]https://teamironmanforever.tumblr. Ten minutes into com/post/637355024027090944/highlight-translation-of-the-spanish-dub-actor confirmed that the flightreciprocation was not scripted or spoken in the original English version], one of its engines explodebut it was scripted as "me too (platonic) in the Spanish script, and they had changed to turn back to Vancouverbe romantic by the dub director. For a few moments they were all afraid they might crashRojas said (translated from Spanish): "The adaptation came entirely from my director, so Adrian Fogarty. He adapted it all made for a very emotional night. Misha also told this storyand gave us our acting guidelines, and how I performed accordingly. I gave what he felt filming that last scene, in asked of me. We all loved it."  In an [https://twitterwww.youtube.com/cw_spn/status/1326207999636074500 a CW spot posted watch?v=tNCPLSDOo64 interview for WonderCon@Home 2021], the LATAM voice actor for Castiel, Alejandro Mayen, stated when asked about Castiel's goodbye to twitter]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.

In September 2021, when the [https://twitter.com/CharCubed/status/1331475040018325506 Spanish episode aired in Italy, the Italian dub] of this episode, had Castiel uses the specifically romantic version of phrase "Ti voglio bene"I love which is used for someone youare fond of,rather than " with "Te Ti amo." Fans were shocked to hear Dean respond, "Yo a ti, Cas," which is the used for someone you are in a romantic version of "Me too, Cas" though the English subtitles remained, "Don't do this, Caslove with." The episode is also titled "La Verdad" (The Truth), not "Despair." In the fan uproar to this revelationItalian fans flooded social media, and Misha responded with [https://www.tumblrtwitter.com/ tumblrmishacollins/status/1435999604479180800 a tweeted video] was overloaded and briefly went down while #TheySilencedYou trended #1 on Twitter in the US as fans encouraged each other to boycott The CW for presumed censorship of the English version of the showwhich he said "Ciao Italia, while "YO A TI CASti amo" and the tweet "DEANCASL'amore è amore in qualsiasi lingua. ❤️ (Love is love in any language.)" trended internationally.