“Castiel has been their ally, friend, frenemy, support, brother with all the good and bad that comes with for TWELVE years!!!! He is important to BOTH brothers. His loss will devastate both of them. It should have stood on his own.
I didn’t want a parallel to a love interest on Sam’s side here.”
I agree. I’ve never been on board with Sam-Eileen — it has always felt forced and clunky to me. But to resurrect her just so Sam can develop feelings for her and then lose her feels cheap to me.
And although get why they juxtaposed Sam’s loss, Charlie’s loss, and Dean’s loss the way they did, it felt heavy handed.