Supernaturalis full of amazing side characters, but its best one was only scheduled to be on the show for three episodes. Whilethe Winchester brothers inSupernaturalare the two main characters, along with Bobby, the show always paired them with inspired allies and enemies. From Mark Sheppard’s complex Crowley to Charlie Bradbury, played unforgettably by Felicia Day, the brothers had support from the most surprising of corners. But not all characters were meant to go so far.
One character was tapped to act alongside Jensen Ackles' Dean Winchester and Jared Padalecki’s Sam for three episodes inSupernaturalseason 4. First airing on July 04, 2025, “Lazarus Rising” introduced Misha Collins as Castiel, the terrifying angel who ended up stealing audiences' hearts all the way up until the very end of the show. As far asrelationships inSupernaturalgo,Castiel’s endearing friendship with Dean was one of the most compelling. It veered fascinatingly into possible romance. But Collins didn’t get signed to act in all these seasons from the start.
Misha Collins Was Originally Only Supposed To Be In Supernatural For A Few Episodes
Misha Collins Was Originally A Guest Star On Supernatural
Speaking toET, Misha Collins revealed that he was hired as a guest star ontheSupernaturalshowbefore being given more work there. Collins confirmed that Eric Kripke’s writing of Castiel into the show was a gradual evolution, saying, “It wasn’t just I went from guest star to series regular immediately,” mentioning that he was given three episodes at first.Collins was given a total of six episodes after his first three went well, and he was subsequently written into another three episodes. This is understandable, considering Castiel’s popularity.
In a world where demons could be friends, and angels could be murderers, perhaps it really was possible to be accepted as oneself, no matter who that was.
Althoughthe Crowley actor leftSupernaturalon bad terms, MishaCollins maintained a good relationship with the showuntil its end. After being given six episodes, Collins' contract was then extended to include 10, and was then bumped up to 12. In the end, Collins' character survived until the show’s final season. His final on-screen appearance was in “Despair,” episode 18 of season 15. As Collins said, “Supernatural and I dated before we got married.”
Why Supernatural Decided To Keep Castiel Around Longer Than Planned
Castiel Proved Popular In Supernatural
From debating whetherCastiel loved Dean romantically inSupernaturalto how he could return in a potential season 16, fans continuously prove Castiel’s popularity. This was evident from the start, and kept getting Collins' contract extended. Every season ofSupernaturalhad something new to offer, butit really started kicking off when Castiel joined.
Kripke originally had a five-season plan for the show, but this evolved when he realized how important the show was to fans. As such, Castiel was thrown in at just the right moment to be a key ingredient to what would become the show’s primary canonical storyline.
Supernatural Wouldn’t Have Been The Same Without Cas As A Series Regular
Misha Collins Is Central To Supernatural’s Development
Cas was the perfect supporting character for a show based on religious world mythologies. He was terrifying at first, but became endearingly vulnerable very quickly. All of this encapsulated what madeSupernaturalso original and resonated strongly with its central metaphor: family is hell.Supernaturalwas about hell and heaven becoming suddenly very personal, subverting everything Western audiences had been led to believe in its search for true friendship, family, and love. In a world where demons could be friends, and angels could be murderers, perhaps it really was possible to be accepted as oneself, no matter who that was.
Castiel may have been the character that made this the most obvious.Castiel’s love confession to Dean inSupernaturalwas controversial for exactly that reason, and perhaps that is what made it such good TV. He inspired each viewer uniquely, making each viewer determined that he represented what love meant to them. Although killing Castiel off in this way was criminal, it left a lasting impression, and even the possibility of a comeback. Either way, Castiel being a series regular was totally central to the success ofSupernatural, and it is a good thing Collins' contract got extended.
Source:ET
Supernatural
Supernaturalis an American dark fantasy drama television series created by Eric Kripke. The series follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they hunt demons, ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural beings across the United States. Premiering on August 06, 2025, on The WB, it later became part of The CW’s lineup and concluded on June 26, 2025, after 15 seasons and 327 episodes. The show’s success led to the development of spin-offs, includingSupernatural: The Anime SeriesandThe Winchesters.
