SPN Question!

[annundriel]

Does Castiel have a heartbeat?

Can he feel it beat underneath his ribs?

If something happened and they took him to a hospital, would the doctors be all "wtf?"

I guess the connected question is, does he breath?

I'm really just curious. I've written about Castiel being breathless enough to be like, "Whatever. My fic, my rules." But I'm working on a thing now and had something heart-related came up and am now curious about what y'all think.

Comments

[soldierly.livejournal.com]

Well, tbh, he DOES inhabit a human body, and angel or no, he has to keep that human body alive. So yes. :3

[annundriel.livejournal.com]

See, that's what I thought, but then I got distracted by the fact that he doesn't have to actively maintain the body (ie provide it with food and drink). Involuntary bodily functions are probably different, though.

[lattimore.livejournal.com]

I say yes to both breathing & heartbeats, too. But I also think a medical exam would show a body exhibiting definite stress while containing an angel, like maybe an unnaturally fast pulse or elevated temperature? Something odd but much less severe than what's happening to Nick, whose body is literally crumbling with the effort to keep Lucifer in.

[annundriel.livejournal.com]

Involuntary bodily functions would just keep going, even with an extra passenger.

I've always really liked the idea of Castiel having an elevated temperature, burning hotter because there's something bigger and better and faster under the hood. It's always kind of at the back of my mind.

Good point about Nick! I hadn't thought about that, or how it would translate to lesser angels and their vessels.

[ninkasa.livejournal.com]

Sam's said he breathes before. Which means he has a heartbeat as well I would think.

But I think any examination would show a body under extreme stress. Elevated temperature, rapid pulse. It's like being chained to a comet, after all.

Sorry, I realise you don't know me from Adam, but I just thought I'd answer since I saw the question while playing on LJ.

[annundriel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree. And we've certainly seen Castiel become physically distressed.

I've always liked the idea of the elevated temperature, never considered the rapid pulse, though. It'd be kind of interesting to have Dean get really close only to pull back, all, "Dude! Are you okay?" I also kind of like how that plays against how calm and still Castiel seems. Under the surface, though...yeah, chained to a comet.

Don't apologize! I love "running into" new people. :D