You may not remember, but there was once a time when a television show called Supernatural was on the air. It ran for a whopping 15 years between 2005 and 2020 and inspired a fervent fandom and meme culture, particularly on Tumblr.

Now, one of its most important memes is seeing a surprising resurgence on social media many years after the series finale.

happy birthday destiel confession pic.twitter.com/1c9XoCaz6U

— ervs (@eemmaraes) November 6, 2024

Here's the story behind the meme "Destiel Confession" and how it became an unexpected purveyor of breaking news.

What Does "Destiel Confession" Mean?

If you know nothing else about Supernatural, the only thing you really need to know for this meme is that fans shipped the characters Dean Winchester and Castiel for basically the entire show's run.

This "ship" was known as "Destiel," a portmanteau of "Dean" and "Castiel." During the series finale, which aired in November of 2020, Castiel confesses romantic love for Dean, making Destiel canon. Unfortunately, Castiel is then dragged into hell.

About a year later, practically out of the ether, Tumblr found it hilarious to edit screenshots of the scene making Dean reply to Castiel's confession with real-life breaking news. Thus, the "Destiel Confession" meme template was born.

Why Is "Destiel Confession" A Meme?

That is an excellent question. It's not a parody of the actual scene — in the actual show, Dean reacts appropriately to Castiel's confession given the context.

For whatever reason, Tumblr users found it very amusing to begin posting about breaking news in the context of Destiel Confession.

Though it's been years since Destiel Confession aired, the meme has continued seeing use online, seeing a resurgence this month in the context of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election.

Perhaps it's because many fans were displeased with the way "Destiel Confession" was handled after 15 years of shipping, and their disappointment with the scene is what continues to drive the meme.

It could also be fans find it an amusing non-sequitur crafted from a very impactful moment of television. Whatever the case, look for it again in 2028 when the next election rolls around.

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For the full history of Destiel Confession, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.