8 Times Supernatural Changed Its Own Timeline and Lore

It’s no wonder that with its fifteen seasons, the television show ‘Supernatural’ had some inconsistencies in its internal storytelling and occasionally disrupted its own timeline. This series, which premiered in 2005, revolved around two brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester, as they journeyed across the country tracking down supernatural creatures. In the early stages, ‘Supernatural’ primarily offered standalone episodes focusing on a monster-of-the-week, but as the series progressed, it built up a complex mythology encompassing monsters, angels, and demons.

Over the course of its fifteen seasons, the intricate mythos and stories presented in ‘Supernatural’ naturally led to some minor inconsistencies and plot gaps. However, the show largely managed to keep significant contradictions at bay. Given its many compelling aspects, it was possible for viewers to look past these small discrepancies. Notably, ‘Supernatural’ underwent multiple transformations throughout its run, introducing concepts like time travel, alternate realities, and divine interference which added complexity to the narrative.

8. Demon Lore Changed Throughout Supernatural’s Run

Saying “Christo” To Identify Demons Only Lasted One Episode

In the fourth episode of “Supernatural,” titled “Phantom Traveler,” Sam and Dean come across a demon for the first time in their investigations linked to a series of mysterious plane crashes. During their research, Dean notes that dealing with demonic possession is far beyond their usual line of work, hinting at the numerous encounters with demons they would have over the next fourteen seasons.

In the TV series “Phantom Traveler,” it was suggested that uttering the name “Christo” could make demons recoil. However, this detail wasn’t explored much further in subsequent episodes. Initially, Sam and Dean often carried out exorcisms, a practice they repeated frequently during the first five seasons of “Supernatural.” As the show progressed, they performed fewer exorcisms, instead opting to eliminate demons directly.

7. Vampires Were Extinct & Werewolf Bites Have A Cure?

Monster Lore Shifted & Changed Throughout The Show’s Run

Similarly to how the tales of demons and angels evolved throughout the series “Supernatural”, certain aspects of the show’s monster folklore also underwent changes. For instance, when shapeshifters were initially introduced, they were required to brutally shed their skin to transform into a new form. However, later on, these creatures became capable of seamless transformation. In the first season episode titled “Dead Man’s Blood”, John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) expressed his belief that vampires had been eradicated by hunters.

Contrary to John’s assertion, vampires frequently appeared on the series, and the Winchesters crossed paths with hunters who were experts in dealing with them. Initially, on Supernatural, it was believed that werewolf bites were permanent. However, in season 12, when Claire Novak (Kathryn Newton) gets bitten, it’s disclosed that the Men of Letters had developed an experimental cure – a remedy never previously mentioned.

6. Sam And Dean Are Wanted Men

The Winchesters Brothers Had Run-ins With The Police & FBI

Sam and Dean have had multiple encounters with law enforcement agencies ranging from local police to the FBI across Supernatural’s fifteen-season span. They were arrested on more than one occasion, implying that their prints and true identities might be in official records. This leads to a curious question: How do the Winchester brothers manage their activities, which frequently involve pretending to be police officers or FBI agents, without causing suspicion?

In the season 12 episode titled “First Blood,” their past as outlaws, marked by occasional encounters with the law over the years, was alluded to for the first time. This was during an incident where they were arrested for attempting to kill the President of the United States, who happened to be possessed by Lucifer at that moment. Remarkably, they managed to escape (yet again), but it remains unexplained in the series Supernatural why more law enforcement agencies don’t seem to recognize them.

5. The Trickster Is The Archangel Gabriel & Chuck Is God

Both Of These Reveals Worked Well Even In Hindsight

In the second season of ‘Supernatural’, a character named The Trickster, portrayed by Richard Speight Jr., first appeared in an episode titled “Tall Tales.” According to Bobby (Jim Beaver), this character was hypothesized as a Trickster demigod. Although it seems that Dean kills the Trickster, he resurfaces in the following season in the memorable episode known as “Mystery Spot,” which is considered one of ‘Supernatural’s’ funniest episodes. As angels are introduced into the show’s mythology at the beginning of the fourth season, it is later unveiled that The Trickster is actually the archangel Gabriel.

In the heart of Supernatural’s fourth season, I made my debut as the writer of a captivating series chronicling the escapades of Sam and Dean Winchester. I maintained that these tales were bestowed upon me in dreams, providing me with a substantial income. Yet, it wasn’t until the episode “Don’t Call Me Shurley” in season 11 that the veil was lifted, unveiling that I, Chuck Shurley, am none other than the Almighty Himself – a revelation that left many fans questioning and speculating since the close of season 5.

4. Supernatural Shattered The Fourth Wall In “The French Mistake”

Supernatural Went Meta With The Genre-Bending Season 6 Episode

Over the course of its fifteen seasons, the show Supernatural creatively twisted and humorously adapted its storyline. At times, it would delve deeply into metatextual elements, inviting viewers to join in on the joke. For instance, during season 4, Sam and Dean stumbled upon a series of books that narrated their lives as if they were works of fiction. These novels gained a devoted following, culminating in a convention and even a school play.

In the sixth season of the series, “Supernatural,” the boundary between reality and fiction was significantly blurred in an episode titled “The French Mistake.” This particular installment presented a unique twist where characters Sam and Dean were unexpectedly thrust into a world where they were recognized as actors, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, who star on a TV show named “Supernatural.” Observing the real-life counterparts playing fictionalized versions of themselves is undeniably amusing. Moreover, this episode incorporates numerous jokes and references to individuals involved in the actual production of the show.

3. Supernatural Unsank The Titanic & Killed Hitler

Also, Samuel Colt & Eliot Ness Were Monster Hunters

In the sixth season’s episode titled “My Heart Will Go On”, Castiel, portrayed by Misha Collins, sends an angel back in time with the intention of preventing the Titanic from sinking. This was done to produce more souls, which would serve as ammunition for his faction in the ongoing angelic civil war. However, he eventually undoes this action. In another episode from season 6, titled “Frontierland”, the Winchesters meet Samuel Colt, played by Sam Hennings, who is revealed to be a skilled monster hunter and inventor of a gun capable of killing a wide variety of supernatural entities.

In Season 7’s episode “Time After Time”, it was disclosed that Eliot Ness, the Prohibition agent, had a hidden identity as a hunter. Later on, in Season 12’s “The One You’ve Been Waiting For”, the Winchesters encountered a coven of necromancers who brought Hitler back to life in their leader’s body, only for Dean to eventually eliminate him. Supernatural frequently took delight in reinterpreting historical figures and occurrences within a universe teeming with supernatural entities.

2. Supernatural Brought Mary Winchester Back From The Dead

Mary Winchester’s Death Set-Off The Entire Series

In Supernatural’s first episode, Mary Winchester’s (Samantha Smith) demise served as the trigger for most of the events that affected the Winchesters. Her passing was what led John Winchester to embark on his pursuit of the yellow-eyed demon, Azazel (Fredric Lehne), who had been responsible for her death. This quest became an obsession for him, and as a result, he initiated both Sam and Dean into the world of supernatural hunting at a tender age.

When Amara (Emily Swallow) brought Mary Winchester back to life at the close of season 11 on Supernatural, it significantly altered the series’ dynamics. Since Sam was an infant when Mary was slain, he had no recollection of his mother; however, Dean grappled with the reality that the resurrected woman wasn’t identical to the mother he once knew. Upon her return, Mary discovered her sons had been molded into hunters, and she faced challenges adjusting to this new way of life.

1. The Winchesters Rewrote John & Mary Winchester’s Story (Or Did It?)

The Winchesters Actually Took Place In An Alternate Reality

Despite various attempts at spin-offs during the run of Supernatural, none were ever commissioned as series. A year following its conclusion, there was an announcement about The Winchesters, a prequel series that chronicles the love story of John (Drake Rodger) and Mary (Meg Donnelly) Winchester’s meeting. Although some aspects of their tale had previously been explored in Supernatural, the initial trailer for The Winchesters appeared to contradict established facts.

In “The Winchesters,” Mary was the one who introduced John to the supernatural hunting world, whereas in “Supernatural,” he didn’t take up hunting until after her demise. Interestingly, the final episode of “The Winchesters” unveiled that the characters portrayed in the show were from an alternate reality. Following his death in the “Supernatural” series finale, Dean embarked on a multiverse quest to find a universe where his family led a content life. This narrative not only enabled Dean to keep saving various worlds but also enriched the intricate mythology of “Supernatural.

2025-06-02 01:18