Supernatural "Swan Song": Reactions

So yeah.

There were some parts of this episode I absolutely loved and a few parts I hated and then there was a lot head scratching and ambivalence. I watched it again as I was writing up my comments and I had pretty much the same reactions this time around.

(note, this is a series of quick reactions, not really a comprehensive review and spoilers abound.)

LOVED
-The Impala love and the way it featured in the narrative. Fabulous.
-Sam and Cas saying goodbye, it was so wonderfully sweet and awkward
-Bobby's goodbye to Sam
-Chuck & Adam being an important part of the story
-Bobby surviving
-The showdown happening in Lawrence. Fanon=Canon
- Jared as Lucifer. Jared did a really wonderful job all around. Loved the scene with Luci and Michael. (Jensen was great too).
- The flashbacks
-Sam and Dean having faith in each other and being mature
- All the callbacks to The End
- Ambiguity= lots of opportunity for fanfic writers to fill the hiatus

HATED
-No Crowley. Ah, well, at least he didn't die
-Finality. I felt like this could have been a pretty good way to wrap up the series and knowing it's not kind of cheapens it.
-Er, this is weird, but I'm kind of upset no one died. Cas blowing up felt way too abrupt so I didn't really think he was dead and then when Bobby was snuffed out just as quickly I didn't quite buy it and I was a bit too much in shock. And then we knew Sam wasn't dead so... yeah. I actual cried way more when Ellen and Jo died.
-Cas flouncing on Dean at the end.
-I feel like they had done such a great job of bringing Adam into the Winchester clan but that it was really shoved aside in this episode. The only part where it was even really acknowledged was when Dean apologized.
- No surprise!JDM. I didn't think it was too likely but I was really hoping :(
-I loved Becky/Chuck so that not working out made me sad, though given the next point it kind of makes sense...

AMBIVALENT
-Chuck=God? That seems to be the popular interpretation on LJ and Twitter. The other theory that someone floated was that Chuck was a creation of God's just to assist the boys. Kind of fitting seeing as Chuck was modeled on Kripke. Though saying you're God... isn't that like "M Night level douchiness"? :)
-Cas surviving and getting all his angel powers back. I kind of like human!Cas and I also kind of like the idea of Cas sacrificing himself for Dean the greater good. Angel!Cas is too powerful to really help out much in season 6 and Cas living in Heaven isn't really that interesting to me.
-Ambiguity. Supernatural is rarely black and white when it come morality and emotion but the plotting is usually pretty tight.
-Lisa. I liked the character in season 3, I love what she represents, and I actually kind of like the idea of Dean getting the apple pie life that he'd tried not to let himself hope for. But, I did feel like she got shoehorned into the end of this season.
-I love meta and breaking the 4th wall, but I kind of wondered if the bitchy fan bit at the end was kind of a cop out.

QUESTIONS:
-Will Cas be back next season?
-Is that really Sam at the end? I think so, though some people are floating the idea that it was Luci!Sam.
-If it is Sam, will he tell Dean he's back? I can kind of see him not doing it, thinking that Dean's better off... in which case Dean is going to be hella pissed.
-If Sam got out did Adam? If Adam got out did he go to Heaven or is he alive? I'm rooting for alive or still trapped in hell and Sam and Dean need to get him back.
-Did the magic amulet never work? Cause if Chuck is God then it should have done its thing in 4x18.
-What about Jimmy? That would be another way to get Misha back. Jimmy becomes a hunter or something.
-Are Lisa & Ben going to be part of season 6?

Thanks for the memories Kripke. You'll be missed (even if I'm annoyed with you right now!)