In light of the upcoming whammy-ing all I can think of is, well this is what it takes for Dean to hand himself over to an institution. The whole season has a major theme of Dean's breakdown, his exhaustion. They've hammered to us over and over and over how the bit with Hell isn't something he can bounce back from on his own and won't be handwaved away. Sam's bitchrant over how Dean's weaker and is holding him back is heartbreaking in the context that's it's a little bit true. Poor Dean hasn't been heading the ass-kicking parade as much as we've been used to. For all the Rangers, Marshalls, FBI dressups the boys do Dean's seemed pretty much at the start of the line as far as giving organized authority the finger (unless it's Dad. And ooh boy the Castiel parallel is totally there. They're both so worried about not being the ideal son and living up to their fathers' will). Now Dean is without a position of strength, without any concrete allies, and, we can surmise from the foreshadowing, with a forthcoming large Sammy-shaped hole in his life. I think it's too much, I think he's so far down that for the first time he sees how being part or something larger is less painful than continuing to carve his own path. Though it's shivery to watch as he presumably volunteers for angel-whammying (regardless of the nature, though my shallow self insists that Dean + a touch of grace + flaming sword vs demons would be the prettiest thing ever) I think it's one of those "hurt so good" things that makes sense considering his character arc.

In other news, while we haven't seen too much direct angelic rendering of good deeds I find myself hoping that if Dead does hand himself over he is paid with a measure of healing. If they can't give balm to one hurting soul what the hell are the angels good for?