Supernatural is an American television drama series created by writer and producer Eric Kripke. It was initially broadcast by The WB network from September 13, 2005, but after the first season, the WB and UPN networks merged to form The CW network, which was the final broadcaster for the show in the United States by the series' conclusion on November 19, 2020, with 327 episodes aired. The Winchesters, a spin-off prequel/sequel series to Supernatural developed by Robbie Thompson, Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles, aired on The CW for 13 episodes from October 11, 2022, to March 7, 2023.
Supernatural and The Winchesters each feature two main characters, Sam Winchester (played by Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (played by Jensen Ackles), and Mary Campbell (played by Meg Donnelly) and John Winchester (played by Drake Rodger).
In Supernatural, the two Winchester brothers are hunters who travel across the United States, mainly to the Midwest, in a black 1967 Chevy Impala to hunt demons, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, witches, and other supernatural creatures. Supernatural chronicles the relationship between the brothers, their friends, and their father. Throughout the seasons, the brothers work to fight evil, keep each other alive, and avenge those they have lost. In The Winchesters, Dean Winchester narrates the story of how his parents John Winchester and Mary Campbell met, fell in love and fought monsters together while in search for their missing fathers.
Supernatural features many recurring guests that help Sam Winchester and Dean Winchester with their hunts and quests. Frequent returning characters include hunter Bobby Singer (who becomes a father figure to Sam and Dean after season two), Castiel (an angel), Crowley (a demon and the King of Hell), and Jack Kline (the Nephilim). The series also featured recurring appearances from other angels, demons, and hunters.
Cast
Main Actor Character Supernatural 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Jared Padalecki Sam Winchester colspan="15" Jensen Ackles Dean Winchester rowspan="2" colspan="15" Katie Cassidy Ruby colspan="2" colspan="13" Lauren Cohan Bela Talbot colspan="2" colspan="13" Misha Collins Castiel colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="7" Jimmy Novak colspan="3" colspan="5" colspan="6" Mark A. Sheppard Crowley colspan="4" colspan="5" colspan="3" colspan="4" Mark Pellegrino Lucifer colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="3" Nick colspan="4" colspan="8" colspan="2" Alexander Calvert Jack Kline colspan="11" colspan="3" Belphegor colspan="14" Meg Donnelly Mary Winchester colspan="15" Drake Rodger John Winchester colspan="15" Nida Khurshid Latika Desai colspan="15" Jojo Fleites Carlos Cervantez colspan="15" Demetria McKinney Ada Monroe colspan="15" Bianca Kajlich Millie Winchester colspan="15"
Recurring Actor Character Supernatural 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Jeffrey Dean Morgan John Winchester colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="2" Frederic Lehne Azazel colspan="2" colspan="10" Nicki Aycox Meg Masters colspan="2" colspan="12" Rachel Miner colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="9" The Shadow / The Empty colspan="12" colspan="2" Jim Beaver Bobby Singer colspan="6" colspan="3" Samantha Ferris Ellen Harvelle colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="10" Alona Tal Jo Harvelle colspan="2" colspan="9" Chad Lindberg Ash colspan="2" colspan="11" Genevieve Cortese/Padalecki Ruby colspan="3" colspan="10" Herself colspan="5" colspan="10" Kurt Fuller Zachariah colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="7" colspan="2" colspan="2" Traci Dinwiddie Pamela Barnes colspan="3" colspan="8" colspan="6" Julie McNiven Anna Milton colspan="3" colspan="11" Robert Wisdom Uriel colspan="3" colspan="11" Katherine Boecher Lilith colspan="2" colspan="10" Christopher Heyerdahl Alastair colspan="3" colspan="12" Rob Benedict Chuck Shurley / God colspan="3" colspan="4" colspan="2" Tango colspan="15" Mitch Pileggi Samuel Campbell colspan="3" colspan="10" Tom Welling colspan="15" Cindy Sampson Lisa Braeden colspan="2" colspan="10" Nicholas Elia Ben Braeden colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="10" Demore Barnes Raphael colspan="4" colspan="10" Jessica Heafey Gwen Campbell colspan="5" colspan="10" Corin Nemec Christian Campbell colspan="5" colspan="10" Sebastian Roché Balthazar colspan="5" colspan="10" Kim Johnston Ulrich Eleanor Visyak colspan="5" colspan="10" Julia Maxwell Eve colspan="5" colspan="10" Osric Chau Kevin Tran colspan="6" colspan="3" Kim Rhodes Jody Mills colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="5" colspan="2" Kevin McNally Frank Devereaux colspan="6" colspan="9" Benito Martinez Edgar colspan="6" colspan="9" Cameron Bancroft Dr. Gaines colspan="6" colspan="9" Sean Owen Roberts Chet colspan="6" colspan="9" James Patrick Stuart Dick Roman colspan="6" colspan="9" Olivia Cheng Susan colspan="6" colspan="9" Curtis Armstrong Metatron colspan="7" colspan="4" colspan="5" Alaina Huffman Abaddon colspan="7" colspan="2" colspan="7" Ty Olsson Benny Lafitte colspan="7" colspan="4" Amanda Tapping Naomi colspan="7" colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="2" Liane Balaban Amelia Richardson colspan="7" colspan="8" Tyler Johnston Samandriel colspan="7" colspan="8" Erica Carroll Hannah colspan="8" colspan="2" colspan="5" Tahmoh Penikett Gadreel colspan="8" colspan="7" Ruth Connell Rowena MacLeod colspan="9" colspan="6" Kathryn Newton Claire Novak colspan="3" colspan="5" colspan="3" colspan="3" Felicia Day Charlie Bradbury colspan="6" colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="3" Travis Aaron Wade Cole Trenton colspan="9" colspan="6" Lisa Berry Billie / Death colspan="10" colspan="3" Emily Swallow Amara / The Darkness colspan="10" colspan="3" Samantha Smith Mary Winchester colspan="2" colspan="3" colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="2" David Haydn-Jones Arthur Ketch colspan="11" colspan="2" colspan="2" Courtney Ford Kelly Kline colspan="11" colspan="2" colspan="2" Elizabeth Blackmore Lady Toni Bevell colspan="10" colspan="4" Rick Springfield Vince Vincente colspan="11" colspan="4" Woody Jeffreys Tommy colspan="11" colspan="4" Adam Fergus Mick Davies colspan="11" colspan="4" Ali Ahn Dagon colspan="11" colspan="4" Gillian Barber Doctor Hess colspan="11" colspan="4" Christian Keyes Michael colspan="4" colspan="7" colspan="2" Danneel Ackles Sister Jo / Anael colspan="12" colspan="2" Richard Speight Jr. Gabriel colspan="2" colspan="3" colspan="3" colspan="3" Loki colspan="12" colspan="2" Clark Backo Patience Turner colspan="12" colspan="3" Jeffrey Vincent Parise Asmodeus colspan="12" colspan="3" Katherine Evans Maggie colspan="12" colspan="2" Shoshannah Stern Eileen Leahy colspan="10" colspan="2" colspan="2" Gil McKinney Henry Winchester colspan="7" colspan="2" colspan="6" Bridget Regan Rockin' Roxy colspan="15" Andrea Londo Betty Donelan colspan="15" Ryan McCartan Kyle Reed colspan="15"
Notable guests Actor Character Supernatural 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Adrianne Palicki Jessica Moore colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="11" A.J. Buckley Ed Zeddmore colspan="3" colspan="3" colspan="7" Travis Wester Harry Spengler colspan="3" colspan="3" colspan="7" Sarah Shahi Constance Welch colspan="15" Shanae Tomasevich colspan="13" colspan="2" Jovanna Huguet Mary Worthington colspan="12" colspan="2" Christine Chatelain Jenny colspan="13" Loretta Devine Missouri Moseley colspan="11" colspan="3" Charles Malik Whitfield Victor Henriksen colspan="3" colspan="12" Sterling K. Brown Gordon Walker colspan="2" colspan="13" Lindsey McKeon Tessa colspan="2" colspan="7" Steven Williams Rufus Turner colspan="2" colspan="3" colspan="3" colspan="5" Carrie Ann Fleming Karen Singer colspan="2" colspan="9" Jake Abel Adam Milligan colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="9" Julian Richings Death colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="6" Emily Perkins Becky Rosen colspan="4" colspan="7" Rick Worthy Alpha Vampire colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="4" colspan="4" Theo Devaney Gavin MacLeod colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="4" DJ Qualls Garth Fitzgerald IV colspan="6" colspan="3" colspan="4" colspan="2" Lauren Tom Linda Tran colspan="6" colspan="3" colspan="7" Alaina Huffman Josie Sands colspan="7" colspan="2" colspan="8" Briana Buckmaster Donna Hanscum colspan="8" colspan="3" colspan="3" Danielle Kremeniuk Ingrid colspan="8" colspan="2" colspan="6" Katherine Ramdeen Alex Jones colspan="8" colspan="3" colspan="3" Sarah Smyth Bess Fitzgerald colspan="8" colspan="5" Jesse Reid Jervis colspan="10" colspan="2" colspan="4" Keith Szarabajka Donatello Redfield colspan="10" colspan="3" Alicia Witt Lily Sunder colspan="11" colspan="2" Yadira Guevara-Prip Kaia Nieves colspan="12" colspan="3" Erica Cerra Dumah colspan="12" colspan="2" colspan="2" Chris Nowland John Wayne Gacy colspan="13" colspan="2" Dimitri Vantis Sergei colspan="13" colspan="2" Notes
Angels and reapers Angels of God are extremely powerful spiritual beings. Merely perceiving their true form - even psychically - typically results in blindness, as the appearance of their natural "visage" is overwhelming. Only a select few can withstand their true appearances and voices, though no one is ever featured on the show that could do so. They often take human vessels to exist in and interact with the physical world; however, they can only enter with the hosts' consent. Angels need a particular vessel called the "chosen" one or "true vessels" to be their host if they want to reach their full potential.
Most angels are portrayed as emotionless authoritarian beings. Some angels show disdain for humanity, noting that humans are flawed and inferior creations. Lucifer was the only angel to refuse kneeling before humans at God's command. All angels, fallen or not, refer to each other as siblings and refer to God as their Father. However, most angels never actually meet or talk to God. God, their former leader, is noted as missing throughout the majority of the show, leaving the angels to protect humanity instead. There is a ranking among the angels, with the higher ranks commanding those at a lower rank.
Creator Eric Kripke originally did not want angels to be featured in the series, believing God worked through hunters rather than angels. However, with so many demon villains, he and the writers changed their minds when they realized that the show needed angels to create a "cosmic battle" between the angels and demons. As Kripke put it, "We had the empire, but we didn't really have the rebellion." They wanted to have a storyline with a few central characters, but with the massive battles in the background, comparable to Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, the addition of angels allowed for this. Kripke eventually found that it opened up new storylines to include in the show.
Anael Anael, portrayed by Danneel Ackles, is described as a low-level functionary. She first appears in season 12's "Devil's Bargain" in the guise of her vessel Sister Jo, working as a faith healer. Anael is found by Lucifer who is seeking angels to drain their grace in order to recharge his own. Recognizing the rogue archangel, Anael instead convinces Lucifer to take bits of her grace, allow her to recharge and then take some more. The Winchesters and Castiel eventually track down Anael and Lucifer. Anael pretends to comply with them, claiming that Lucifer is extremely weak. In their motel room, Anael aids Lucifer in fighting the Winchesters and Castiel. Before Lucifer can kill them, Arthur Ketch appears and throws a demon bomb, causing Lucifer to grab Anael and teleport away. At Anael's suggestion, Lucifer next visits the Heavenly Portal where he promises to restore the angels' wings and help make new angels if they will bow to him as their undisputed leader. Anael later stands by Lucifer's side as the angels all bow to him in Heaven's Throne Room.