the iconic turning and looking back moment in tmwwbk gets used for orpheus and eurydice parallels pretty often, but really, i think lotās wife is a much better fit. dean isnāt losing cas in the act of looking back, heās already lost cas. but he canāt stop caring, so he looks back and lingers when he should be fleeing. when lotās wife turns, itās about watching what you love burn because you canāt stand not to see it one last time, you canāt walk away, immobilized by grief. and thatās dean every goddamn time.
when orpheus turns, on the other hand, itās about losing what you love because you love it too much to pretend you donāt, even if acknowledging it means you lose each other. itās the brief, blinding moment of joy of love seen and recognized, immediately torn away leaving only silence and absence behind. when cas confesses his love in despair? thatās orpheus turning.