On September 18, 2008, Misha Collins debuted his character, Castiel, on Supernatural. Here at Nerds and Beyond, we have been celebrating by posting an article a day taking a look back at some of the biggest moments Castiel has had in the last ten seasons of Supernatural. We’ve seen all of his shortcomings and watched as he redeemed himself again and again.

What’s interesting about Castiel is that at his core, he is a flawed character with an immense lack of foresight, but even in spite of that, he is lovable enough to be worshiped by viewers. Castiel has a huge fan following and many fans loudly proclaim that he’s their favorite character on Supernatural. Unbelievably, people everywhere relate to Misha Collins’ portrayal of a celestial being! Wanting to delve into that dynamic a little bit deeper, we spoke to some of our staff members about how Castiel stole their hearts.

Get the tissues, because you’re going to need them.

“I think for me, the most memorable part of Castiel, the reason why he’s my favorite, is because he’s so damn tenacious. Good, bad or ugly, that angel makes choices. There’s nothing wishy-washy about him. And he always does what he thinks is in the best interest of the people he loves and the good of humanity.

Does that always work out super great for him? Heck no! But for an angel who is still trying to learn about the world and where he fits into it outside of the parameters of Heaven, I’d say he’s doing a pretty decent job.

There have been many times where Castiel could have simply chosen not to fight. To be honest, most of the times he’s sacrificed and pushed had little to do with his own self-interest. I think there’s something in that selflessness that a lot of us want to personify. In that way, Castiel is a character we can look up to. We’re all going to try and fail, and it’s going to make us sad. But Castiel never gives up – and neither should we.” — Becky

“For me, Castiel has always been a part of Supernatural. I started watching the show during his first episode and Castiel is one of the biggest reasons I continued. Here was this fish out of water who thought he knew what he believed, but suddenly he was seeing that maybe things were not as black and white as he knew them to be. And instead of refusing to grow, he latched on to every opportunity to learn more.

His biggest concern has always been taking care of his family. Whether that means his angel brothers and sisters or Dean and Sam. He wants everyone to be okay, possibly to a fault. But that is a personality trait that so many can relate to. I cannot imagine the show without him. Watching Castiel grow has been one of the highlights for me. Every time he falls he gets back up. He is an angel, yes, but he shows us all how to be human.” — Em

“From the minute Cas made his appearance in that barn and flared his wings to prove his angel heritage to Dean, I’ve been intrigued, captivated and delighted by him. He has endured and sacrificed so much and all for the greater good. He has transformed from a conflicted heavenly soldier just following orders to a full-fledged member of Team Free Will.

One of my favorite Cas moments happens in the second episode of Season’s 4 when he tells Dean, “You should show me some respect. I pulled you out of hell and I can throw you back in.” He is full borne angel at this point and a total badass.

I can’t believe it’s been ten years since Cas joined the Winchesters. It feels like he’s been there since the beginning and the show would not be the same without him.” — Deb

“Before I joined this fandom, I was already aware how special Castiel was. I could see the love for the angel in every post that crossed my path. It wasn’t until the Season 6 episode, “The Third Man” when Castiel said, “My people skills are rusty,” that he truly became a special character in my heart.  With that sentiment and the awkward finger quotes, it was the first time I found something I could relate to. I’ve had social anxiety my whole life, so I understand the awkwardness and rusty people skills.

From there on, I’ve found Castiel to truly be one of my favorite characters. I’ve laughed at his humor and awkwardness. My heart’s broken for him at the times he’s been lost or hurt. I’ve cheered at the times he’s succeeded. And I’ve been in awe when he’s fought like the warrior he is. I’ve appreciated every single scene Castiel has been in over these 10 years, and I’ll appreciate every single one to come!” — Melanie

“Cas is such an intriguing and endearing character. Even in a world full of crazy, we are able to take and share real life lessons from him. Cas is notorious for making wrong decisions for the right reasons. Practically everyone can say that they have done that same exact thing themselves. It makes his character relatable for me to see how this being with amazing powers can make the same mistakes that normal humans do, and how he deals with the consequences that comes with those choices.

I also love how Cas makes me laugh. From his awkward social interactions to not getting pop-culture references to his general sass, the angel can have me giggling no matter how many times I have heard or watched a specific scene before.

I wish I could say what my favorite moment I have of Cas is, but there are just way too many to count. Every time I think I have narrowed down my list, I think of another three times where I fell even more in love with him. I am so looking forward to seeing more from Castiel in Season 14 as we watch how he continues to love and learn about humanity. Hopefully, he is also able to make us all roll off our couches laughing at some point, too!” — Hailee

“When ‘Supernatural’ introduced angels like Castiel to the story in Season 4, I did not know what to make of it at first. As the seasons and story lines progressed, now I cannot imagine the show without them. Castiel has become an integral member of ‘Team Free Will’ and has repeatedly given everything for his chosen family including his life and grace. To think that his character was only supposed to be there for a few episodes and now we are going into Season 14. That alone should tell us how important Castiel is as a character to the story and the Winchesters.

Castiel embodies hope, he fights for what he thinks is right even when it is the wrong choice, it is a choice he made thinking it would help. Through the belief in his choices, he has hope for a better outcome for the world and his family.

It may have started with Castiel working under Heaven’s orders to break Dean out of Hell, but in the end, they all rescue and balance each other out. I cannot wait to see what Season 14 brings for the characters.” — Sarah

“Well, I actually started watching ‘Supernatural’ because of Castiel. Castiel pictures kept showing up on my Pinterest and finally I just wanted to know who Castiel was. I started watching Supernatural from the beginning and couldn’t wait to see the angel. And boy, he did not disappoint! From the minute Cas walked into that barn, I was hooked. I watched him break his years of programming and rebel to help humanity.

Cas dealt with human issues, even when he had his wings. Things like abandonment and trust issues, anxiety, and maybe even depression. He tried so hard to do what he thought was the right thing and protect the people he cares about. Those things – watching an angel going through some of the same emotions and feelings I was having – helped me through a lot. Cas taught me to not give up, and to stand by what I believed in, even if I was the only person standing.” — Nicole

“Castiel has had a very special place in my heart from the moment he arrived. He begins his journey knowing only the theory of humanity, unsure why they are worth protecting but he does as God commanded; he protects and loves them unconditionally anyway.

We are told that emotions do not come naturally to angels, but throughout the 10 seasons of Supernatural we have watched Cas learn to feel and embrace those emotions. He learns to love, feel regret, fear for his and others’ lives and to hope for a brighter future, all before our eyes.

He learns to make decisions for himself based on more than hard facts. From battling his own family to allowing Lucifer to possess him even though it likely meant death, Cas never hesitates to do what he feels is right. 

As I have watched Cas dedicate himself to his cause and strive to do better, I have tried to mimic the same goodness in my life. Our world is tough and harsh, but kindness and goodness can combat those malicious forces. We can choose, as Castiel did, to project good and protect the innocent. — Brianna

“The first time I sat down to watch ‘Supernatural,’ season one terrified me. After sitting through half of the first season I stopped watching for months. A friend told me that the show got easier to watch later on, so I decided to skip a few seasons. (Unconventional, I know.) I had seen this trenchcoated, black-haired character in a few Tumblr posts, so I looked up when he showed up and landed on season 4. And I liked ‘Supernatural ‘with Castiel a whole lot more.

I am not Sam or Dean. I am not the it girl with the bow-legged swagger and seemingly endless know how. But Cas – Cas I can relate to. Cas is socially awkward, but always well-meaning. He is loyal and fiercely protective of his family – both blood and found. It takes him a while to find his place on Earth, but once he does, it is his home. I too have struggled to find my place in the world, and seeing someone on my screen on that journey who is able to find that love and support gave me, and thousands of others, hope.

‘Supernatural’ changed when Castiel blasted through those barn doors. I did, too. And we both changed for the better. — Emily

It seems as if everybody here agrees: Castiel is the perfect example of a good guy who makes big mistakes. He’s the awkward outsider who never quite seems to fit in with the “cool guys” but is loved by everybody just the same. He makes us laugh with his unique inability to completely miss jokes and references, and he makes us snicker with his sass and sarcasm. He stands up for what he believes in no matter how hard it is, even if it means going against the people he loves most.

Though we have been focusing on Castiel rather than Misha Collins in this series so far, it has to be acknowledged that Castiel would not have been the same played by anyone but Collins, and the Supernatural family would not be the same without him, either. So while this entire series has been a love letter to one of our favorite characters on Supernatural, we also want to take a moment to say thank you to the man inside the trench coat, and congratulate Misha Collins on being an integral part of Supernatural for the last decade. Collins’ portrayal of Castiel has had a lasting impact on numerous people around the world, and the time, dedication, and passion poured into this character is deeply appreciated by the fans.

In a lot of ways, Castiel isn’t just a character on a television show. He is a part of many of us now, and he will be remembered with fondness long after Supernatural ends. Please join us in celebrating 10 years of Castiel all day long by sharing what he means to you with the hashtag #10YearsOfCastiel on social media. We can’t wait to see what you have to say!