He briefly abandons Dean to continue his own plans while wearing down Dean's willingness to resist, but although Michael eventually takes Dean as his vessel again, with the aid of his family Dean is able to trap Michael in his subconscious. He is later informed by Billie the Reaper, who has replaced Death after his death, that Michael will inevitably escape his prison in every future but the one where Dean seals himself in an Enochian box at the bottom of the ocean, but although Dean starts creating such a box, he accepts Sam's argument that they will still try and find another way first.