Castiel's handprint



Castiel's handprint was the scar on Dean's shoulder, created when Castiel and other angels rescued Dean from Hell.

History
After digging out of his burial site, Dean wandered into an abandoned gas station, still confused about how and why he was brought back from Hell. In front of a mirror, he lifted his shirt as he recalled his chest being shredded by hellhounds at the end of No Rest for the Wicked, but was amazed to find no scars. What he did discover was a raised red scar in the shape of a handprint seared into his left shoulder, but no memory of how it got there.

Still unable to discern who resurrected him after he reunited with Bobby and Sam, they traveled to see Pamela Barnes, whom Bobby regarded as "the best damn psychic in the state." Pamela reported that she had Ouija'ed with several spirits, but that no one knew who broke Dean out, or why. She decided to conduct a seance, just to get a peek. To prepare, Pamela told Dean that she needed "to touch something our mystery monster touched," and proceeded to rub his thigh. Slightly embarrassed, Dean revealed the handprint on his shoulder. Pamela placed her hand upon it and began the conjuring. She said the name "Castiel" and demanded that he appear in the circle, in defiance of his demands for her to turn back. She was rendered blind as a result.

Later, Dean and Bobby met Castiel for the first time, and he declared that he was "the one who gripped you tight and raised you from Perdition."

Anna became aware of the handprint when she and Dean were passionate in Heaven and Hell.

Dean’s bear shoulder is not seen again until The Third Man, during a dream sequence in which he and Lisa are making love. He no longer has the scar, possibly because he was in fact dreaming. Another possibility is that at the conclusion of the Stull Cemetery confrontation in Swan Song, newly resurrected Castiel healed the scar along with all of Dean’s wounds inflicted by Lucifer before Sam managed to jump into Lucifer's Cage

In The Slice Girls, Dean bore his scarless upper torso again when he hooked up with Amazon Lydia.

Appearances

 * Season 4
 * Lazarus Rising
 * Heaven and Hell