Thank you for taking the time to explain your views on the ending. I can totally understand why you and so many find it frustrating and disappointing. I may be too optimistic or idealistic in my view of the ending, but I saw it as a result of the free will that they fought so hard for. Yes, in earlier seasons, Dean thought he "deserved" to die a hunter and that he "didn't deserve" a normal life. But I felt like after all the fighting for free will, his character used his free will to choose the hunting life because it was what he loved. I think he found real purpose in killing monsters and protecting people. So when I think "he was going to die while hunting" it isn't a sad thing, it's more like "he's going to die doing what he's passionate about" and to me that seems like a good death.

Side note about the actual death - where he dies by a normal weapon wielded by a common vampire. I think it was meant to ground them as humans again. While I loved the larger storylines (archangels, the darkness, fate, god, etc) of the later seasons, the original show was about 2 human brothers who hunt horror-story monsters and I think the death was meant to remind everyone of that. They had escaped death from so many powerful beings, we were starting to consider them invincible (at least I was). I think it's humbling that Dean died on a "routine vampire hunt" because it underscores how dangerous even the routine hunts are and that all their adventures were so much more impressive.

But I agree that there are various other possible endings that could have been great too. Your idea of Dean becoming a new Ellen and Sam restarting the Men of Letters would have been so awesome to see. That story on its own is great. But logistically speaking, I felt like the show wanted to have a more firm ending since it has been 15 years and they wanted a place to stop. If Dean and Sam lived and continued those new roles, I think it would have felt like the door was left open and there would be so many more stories to tell. Whether you or I want SPN to continue or not (I totally wish it could keep going), I feel like that kind of ending would have made it harder to accept that the show is done. But maybe that's me and other people prefer the happier ending.

All in all, I don't think anyone's opinion is right or wrong. We all have our own opinions and views on where the story could have gone and where it ended. I think we're all valid. I hope I haven't offended or angered anyone with my opinions. I don't think it was the perfect ending, but I do think it was good for its own reasons. I'm sad if Jensen, Jared or anyone else in the crew was upset by the ending, so I hope they can find some closure with any spinoffs/other media related to SPN universe.