'Supernatural' EP Ben Edlund on tonight's episode: 'We go to heaven, we go to hell, and we go around the block'

Only a show like Supernatural can take you to heaven and hell in the same episode. And if there’s one person up for the particular challenge of such strange travels, it’s long-time fan-favorite writer and executive producer Ben Edlund, who tonight makes his directorial debut in a Castiel-centric episode that will address the story behind last week’s monstrously awesome twist that revealed the angel was in cahoots with King of Hell Crowley.

“For a while now we’ve know that Cas is up to something, and now, we know specifically his affiliations are very distasteful. [This is the episode] where he kind of tells his story. That’s the meat of it and where it takes us,” he says. “I will be coy about where it takes us, but for me it was really important that Cas remain sympathetic. Not that he’s right, not that he’s technically on the side of good or whatever, it’s just that he’s another person for us now. He’s graduated from angel to Winchester family member. This episode had to give him his due, you know? And that’s one of the crucial things that I think it accomplishes.”

As for the episode itself, Edlund jokes, Castiel’s all-access pass to the universe made filming locations a bit tougher than planned. “We go to heaven, we go to hell, and we go around the block. It’s kind of a neat episode cause it’s an episode that follows Cas, and he’s got a visa for everywhere,” he says laughing. “So conceiving of these different settings, and then landing on our feet in different places to try and pull them out of real surroundings. That was scary and really, really edifying.”

For now, the thought left on Castiel fans’ minds is whether or not the angel’s reason for betraying the brothers is good enough to warrant his actions. The good news? Edlund says there’s still reason to have a little faith in Castiel. “It looks at what kind of impossible situations could put those bedfellows together. Because, you know, we want to strain credibility initially, but then we want you to still feel like these are decisions that Cas would have made,” he says.

What do you say, readers? Will any reason be good enough to warrant Cas’ betrayal? Are you looking forward to tonight’s new episode?

Follow Sandra on Twitter: @EWSandraG

(Maggie Pehanick contributed to this report)

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