Dean Winchester's Supernatural Finale: A Well-Deserved Ending

The Big Picture

Despite mixed reactions to the finale of Supernatural, The Winchesters serves as a thoughtful epilogue to Dean's story, providing him with more closure.

Dean's demise, while not the most remarkable within the series, grants him the chance to venture into the multiverse and alter the fate of his parents. Through shaping the lives of young John and Mary and arming them with wisdom and weaponry, Dean ensures they possess the means to combat malevolence and attain a more joyful conclusion.

Supernatural enjoyed an impressive 15-season run, but fans had mixed reactions when the series concluded in 2020. Although it was heartwarming to see Sam and Dean reunited in Heaven with a touching rendition of "Carry On Wayward Son," many viewers were unhappy with the ultimate conclusion. Dean's death during a vampire hunt, where he passed away in his brother's arms, was a particularly emotional scene in the final season. However, his entry into Heaven was solitary, with no parents, Castiel, or other deceased friends to greet him.

To be fair, the showrunners had intended a grand Supernatural reunion for the ending, but their plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, Bobby Singer was still there to guide the older Winchester through the gates of Heaven. Bobby always came through. While series creator Eric Kripke approved of the series finale, not everyone involved shared the same enthusiasm. Jensen Ackles, who portrayed Dean, expressed initial disappointment with the chosen ending during a conversation on the Inside of You podcast. However, after discussing it with Kripke, Ackles came to appreciate the ending as the perfect conclusion for Sam and Dean. Despite fan struggles and the episode's low rating on IMDb, the Winchester saga lives on beyond Dean's story in "Carry On."

Just two years later, the CW brought back Ackles' iconic character in their new spin-off/prequel series The Winchesters, where Ackles and his wife (and former guest-star on Supernatural) Daneel Ackles also serve as executive producers. The series primarily focuses on younger versions of John and Mary Winchester, but not the ones we remember from the "In The Beginning" episode in Season 4 or "The Song Remains The Same" in Season 5. With the introduction of the new Drake Rodger and Meg Donnelly portrayals of John and Mary, the CW's latest Supernatural love story shakes up the mythology and aims to provide a more optimistic (and much less violent) conclusion for the Winchester family.

'The Winchesters' Gives Dean a More Thoughtful Ending Than 'Supernatural'

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Despite its short one-season run, The Winchesters proved to be a captivating journey in its own right. Moreover, it served as a poignant conclusion to Dean's bittersweet Supernatural farewell. Although Dean himself appeared only in the initial and final episodes, his voice guided us throughout all 13, narrating the tale of John and Mary from a distance. Initially, this narrative device could have been perceived as gratuitous, but Dean's soothing narration lulled us into a false sense of familiarity, allowing us to believe that this was the Supernatural world we knew, where all would unfold as expected. However, in the finale titled "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," our false security is shattered as Dean reveals a startling truth that only the most devoted fans could have speculated: this parallel universe is not Dean's home, and these versions of John and Mary are not his parents.

After years of selflessly sacrificing himself for the sake of his family, it was rather underwhelming when Dean met his accidental demise in the field. Instead of an impressively heroic or world-shaking demise (since he had experienced plenty of those in the past, and even died on a few occasions), Dean met his end by being impaled while battling a vampire wearing a mask. This was hardly a noteworthy death and certainly not his most iconic, considering he had died countless times throughout the series, particularly in the Season 3 episode "Mystery Spot," where he met his demise hundreds of times. Consequently, it made perfect sense for Dean to take a "detour through the multiverse" in the midst of his renowned journey through Heaven (where time is already uncertain), providing him with one last opportunity to alter the destiny of his parents—the very destiny he had always yearned to change.

'Supernatural' Has Always Been Focused on Parents

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In the Supernatural episode "My Bloody Valentine," it is revealed by a Cupid that John and Mary Winchester, portrayed primarily by The Walking Dead's Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Samantha Smith in the original series, were actually brought together by a divine decree, turning their marriage into a form of arrangement. Dean has always carried this revelation with him, believing that his entire existence was carefully orchestrated. And it turns out, he was correct. In the Supernatural universe, "God" known as Chuck Shurley (played by Red Benedict) eventually discloses that he had been manipulating the Winchester family long before they were even born. In the Season 14 finale "Moriah," Chuck shocks the entire fanbase by admitting, "You're my favorite show," to Sam and Dean, shaking the very foundation of their world. However, even though Sam and Dean managed to defeat Chuck before the final act, they were unable to undo the negative impact he had on their lives and the lives of their parents.

In previous seasons, Dean attempted to alter the past by time-traveling, similar to Back to the Future, in order to prevent his parents, played by Matt Cohen and Amy Gumenick at that time, from making the same mistakes. However, his efforts were futile. Changing the timeline is exceedingly difficult, and even if successful, the consequences are immense. Ultimately, those experiences shaped John and Mary, and consequently Sam and Dean, into the individuals they became. It is worth mentioning that although John and Mary were reunited in the 300th episode of Supernatural, titled "Lebanon," they embarked on a new life together in Heaven after the series concluded. While Dean traversed the multiverse in search of a reality where his family had a happy ending, hoping to find closure himself, he became aware of Chuck's backup plan known as the Akrida.

The Akrida, named after the Greek word for "locusts," is one of the many supernatural creatures derived from the Book of Revelation in Supernatural. These creatures posed a threat to devour the entire multiverse. Although Chuck was ultimately defeated in the episode "Inherit the Earth," his army of monsters began invading the alternate 1970s world of The Winchesters. It is in this world that the new versions of John Winchester and Mary Campbell enter the story. Dean encouraged a young John to investigate his father's disappearance, leading him to cross paths with a young Mary. Unlike their counterparts in the main universe, they fell in love and started hunting together. As they confronted demons, werewolves, vampires, evil clowns, and even the Norse trickster Loki (played by Richard Speight, Jr.), Dean worked behind the scenes to prevent the Akrida from annihilating this world and eradicating his family's chance at happiness.

'The Winchesters' Finale Allows Dean To Have More Closure

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Jensen Ackles stepping out of the Impala as Dean Winchester is undoubtedly exciting. However, the more intriguing aspect is how he alters The Winchesters' story to avoid mirroring his own. In the finale, Dean kicks off the series by delivering a note from his deceased father Henry (played by Gil McKinney) to young John. Henry, who sacrificed himself to save his grandsons in the future, missed out on John's entire life. He was unable to impart the wisdom of being a Man of Letters or be there as a father. This significantly impacted John, leading him towards Vietnam and influencing his upbringing of Sam and Dean. Dean's intervention provides John with the closure he desperately needed, transforming him into a different kind of parent. However, Dean's changes to the alternate world don't end there.

Rescuing Mary from the World Between Worlds, cleverly referencing C.S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew, Dean encourages his young parents, as well as their friends and family, including his maternal grandfather Samuel Campbell (played by Tom Welling) and his paternal grandmother Millie Winchester (portrayed by Bianca Kajlich), to shape their destinies. Despite divine warnings from Jack Klein, with support from his surrogate father Bobby, Dean presents John and Mary with his own hunter's journal filled with his adventures alongside Sam. Alongside this, he gifts them a newly-acquired Colt, a weapon capable of killing anything, particularly Yellow-Eyed Demons. With the aid of their Monster Club allies, John and Mary gain an advantage that their Supernatural counterparts never possessed - an authentic chance to combat the forces of evil.

There's no doubt that the return of both Bobby (who, like Dean, is also deceased) and the extraordinarily powerful Jack was a highly anticipated yet unexpected addition (still no word on Cass though...). However, what truly made it all come together was Dean's explanation for defying Jack's wishes and persisting in the fight. The Akrida, specifically created by Chuck, were designed to consume anything in their path, including entire universes. This indicated that after taking control of John and Mary's world, they would inevitably target Dean's homeland next. Dean's demise left Sam alone, and he continues to struggle with feelings of guilt for that. Despite knowing that Sam eventually manages to find happiness (he gets married and has a son, whom he names Dean in honor of his late brother), Dean remains the fiercely protective older brother he has always been. By prioritizing Sam's safety over his own peace, Dean exemplifies his true nature more than ever, proving that even beyond the afterlife, Dean Winchester is a self-sacrificing hero.

Dean Is Still Dead in 'The Winchesters,' and It Works

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Despite the overused theme of Sam and Dean sacrificing themselves for each other, Dean's return to The Winchesters is particularly intriguing because he remains deceased. How he manages to interact with the world of the living, even though it is unfamiliar to him, is still somewhat mysterious (could Jack have granted him this ability?). Nevertheless, it means that he is not truly at risk. This selfless act does not potentially lead to his demise; instead, he simply forsakes his own peace and rest. And in the end, nothing embodies Dean Winchester more than that.

Supernatural is an incredible series that revolves around two brothers who are willing to go to any lengths for their family, be it their blood relations or their chosen surrogate family. The Winchesters capitalizes on this concept, seamlessly aligning itself with Supernatural like the Impala speeding down the highway at 90 miles per hour. Although not a prequel, The Winchesters complements Supernatural by offering Dean a sense of closure and the opportunity he has always yearned for: the chance to protect his family. With Dean's hunting journal serving as their roadmap, John and Mary have the freedom to carve out the life they desire. Regardless of the path they choose, they will embark on their journey as the united Winchesters.