With 15 seasons and a staggering 327 episodes, Supernatural is the longest-running live-action fantasy series in American television history and second overall behind Dr. Who. A deft mixture of horror, fantasy, and family drama, it famously follows the Winchester brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles), as they trek across the country hunting down all manner of monsters. Throughout its tenure, it became famous for its tendency to produce excellent finales.
This glistening reputation was earned in no small part due to the series’ happy knack for agonizing cliffhangers, though its ability to deliver rewarding and intelligent conclusions to seasonal arcs deserves credit as well. From squaring off with Satan to going toe-to-toe with God, and, of course, to Sam and Dean’s many, many heroic scarifies, the 15 Supernatural season finales range from the serviceable to the sublime.
Supernatural
- Release Date
- September 13, 2005
- Creator
- Eric Kripke
- Seasons
- 15
15 “Survival of the Fittest”
Season 7, Episode 23 (2012)
The seventh season of Supernatural wasn’t one of the series’ sturdiest outings, to say the least. It wasn’t bad per se, but it was disjointed as it saw the Winchesters going up against the Leviathans, vicious monsters from Purgatory who break into civilization and begin enacting a master plan to plump up humanity for consumption. The finale largely reflected this aimlessness as it saw Sam and Dean storm a corporate office to stop Dick Roman (James Patrick Stuart) for good.
The episode was ultimately undermined by the lackluster season that preceded it, but it still had some golden moments embedded within it. Seeing Castiel (Misha Collins), Crowley (Mark Sheppard), and Meg (Rachel Miner) all working together again was a treat, while the series was able to give Bobby’s (Jim Beaver) spirit a rewarding send-off.
14 “Alpha and Omega”
Season 11, Episode 23 (2016)
Season 11 of Supernatural hinges on the threat posed by the Darkness (Emily Swallow), aka Amara, revealed to be God’s sister. With the Winchesters planning to eliminate her as she threatens all existence, “Alpha and Omega” sees Dean once again eager to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Castiel, Crowley, and Rowena (Ruth Connell) develop a powerful bomb capable of killing the Darkness.
In the end, the hysteria surrounding the explosive and Dean’s umpteenth death is unnecessary as he instead manages to reason with Amara. Sadly, while Dean’s impassioned speech strikes at the heart of the series’ major theme of family, the episode serves as a bit of an anticlimax given what had been put at stake. It still packs a few surprise punches late, though, with Dean discovering his mother resurrected as a sign of Amara’s gratitude, while Sam gets shot by a woman working for the British Men of Letters.
13 “The Man Who Knew Too Much”
Season 6, Episode 22 (2011)
Supernatural‘s sixth season wasn’t originally conceived as part of creator Eric Kripke’s vision for the series, and while the season has some intriguing ideas, other parts show its somewhat added-on nature. The season’s central focus resides on Sam returning from Lucifer’s (Mark Pellegrino) cage in Hell without his soul. All the while, the mother of all monsters, Eve (Julia Maxwell), roams around on Earth while Heaven and Hell are on the brink of war.
Like much of the season, the finale struggles to interweave all the plot elements as effectively as possible. “The Man Who Knew Too Much” sees Bobby and Dean trying to help Sam, whose memories of Hell are returning, while Cas and Crowley hope to open Purgatory. Admittedly, Sam’s isolated story is a fascinating journey, but the episode’s conclusion with Cas absorbing the souls of Purgatory to become the new God is just confusing, as is his and Crowley’s overall scheme to begin with.
12 “Let the Good Times Roll”
Season 13, Episode 23 (2018)
Season 13 famously flaunts some of Supernatural‘s weirdest episodes, but its main arc revolves around an alternate reality known as Apocalypse World, where angels and demons wage war on a decimated Earth. The penultimate episode sees several key characters traverse from Apocalypse World to Sam and Dean’s reality, with Michael and Lucifer left behind. However, when the feuding archangels make it to Earth, the tensions increase. When Lucifer manages to power up, Dean agrees to serve as Michael’s vessel to combat him, an alliance that ends with Michael assuming complete control of Dean’s body.
While it wanted to flaunt its narrative turns to shocking effect, “Let the Good Times Roll” was too settled into Supernatural‘s typical finale tropes to leave many fans surprised. On top of this, it was also overly eager to establish focal points going into Season 14, an approach that gave the episode an entertaining urgency, but at the expense of allowing key character moments to land with the weight exhibited in many of the strongest Supernatural season finales.
11 “All Along the Watchtower”
Season 12, Episode 23 (2017)
Supernatural’s 12th season is defined by its playful ambition as well as its grounded weightiness. Lucifer, hopping from vessels sporadically as he tries to produce an Antichrist, settles on possessing the U.S. President and impregnating one of his staff. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean are reunited with their resurrected mother as they clash with the British Men of Letters’ efforts to expand their operation to America.
By the finale, all eyes are on the Winchesters and their allies as Lucifer descends upon them to claim his unborn child, with the looming birth opening an interdimensional rift. The episode has some staggering moments, such as the arrival of a new Bobby, Cas’ apparent demise, and Mary Winchester being snatched into the rift by Lucifer. It also marks the final episode for the fan-favorite Crowley, who sacrifices his life for the Winchesters’ cause. While emotionally overpowering, some of its plot points are difficult to digest, making the episode only a moderate success.
10 “Do You Believe in Miracles?”
Season 9, Episode 23 (2014)
With the angels having fallen from Heaven and adjusting to life as humans and Dean Winchester battling the Mark of Cain, Supernatural’s ninth season has a lot going on. “Do You Believe in Miracles?” sees Dean growing bloodthirsty as a result of the Mark of Cain. Meanwhile, Metatron (Curtis Armstrong) makes a move to become the new God, leading Sam, Dean, and Cas to work against him.
While it isn’t among the strongest finales in a narrative sense, it is propped up by a few unforgettable moments, such as Dean being killed by Metatron and, later, being resurrected as a Knight of Hell by Crowley. However, the episode struggles to inject a sense of excitement into the conclusion of Metatron’s largely underwhelming story, ensuring it was a finale carried by a few shocking twists, more so than any narrative brilliance.
9 “Carry On”
Season 15, Episode 20 (2020)
Finally coming to an end after 15 seasons, Supernatural‘s grand finale went in an interesting direction, with the season’s overarching conflict between the Winchesters and God being resolved in the penultimate episode. “Carry On” reverted to Sam and Dean saving people and hunting things, with the brothers facing a vampire nest. However, when Dean is mortally wounded, he winds up in Heaven alongside Bobby and others he lost along the way. Meanwhile, Sam gives up hunting to have an ordinary family life before succumbing to old age and reuniting with Dean in Heaven.
While the Supernatural finale was met with contention from some fans, particularly those who wanted a happy ending for Dean, it succeeded in hearkening back to the foundation of the earlier seasons. There was something cathartic about it ending on a simple hunt while still giving fans closure concerning where both of Sam and Dean’s stories concluded, even if it was more tragic than many had been hoping for.
8 “Brother’s Keeper”
Season 10, Episode 23 (2015)
“Brother’s Keeper” marks a second consecutive finale that revolves around Dean Winchester’s woes with the Mark of Cain. When Dean’s ailment leads to a fellow hunter being killed, he summons Death (Julian Richings) in order to escape the mark, with their deal leading Dean to threaten Sam’s life. However, he kills Death instead. Additionally, Rowena discovers how to remove the Mark of Cain, but the casting of the spell leads to the Darkness being released.
The episode is ultimately a strong example of what Supernatural always does well: placing Sam and Dean in imminent danger against entities far stronger than themselves. Yet, with their unyielding dedication to one another (and with help from a couple of friends), they prevail against all the odds. Richings is brilliant as Death (as he always was), while the cliffhanger ending had fans psyched for Season 11 as well.
7 “Devil’s Trap”
Season 1, Episode 22 (2006)
With a captivating debut season, Supernatural hit the ground running as it introduced fans to all the monstrous evils lurking in the world. The bulk of Season 1’s narrative focuses on Sam and Dean’s efforts to find their missing father, John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). “Devil’s Trap” sees them rescue John only to discover that he is possessed by the yellow-eyed demon, Azazel, leading Sam to make a desperate choice as his possessed father tortures Dean.
Looking back in hindsight, it is incredibly impressive just how much of Supernatural’s core identity is established in Season 1, with its penchant for a great finale made immediately apparent. While it isn’t as grandiose as some other finales in the series, it does bring about an effective and rewarding end to the season’s arc. Its final moments, in which the Winchesters are crashed into by a demonic truck driver, remain among the most shocking the series produced.
6 “Moriah”
Season 14, Episode 20 (2019)
The penultimate season of Supernatural has a slow-burn quality that gives it a weighted suspense as it explores Jack’s (Alexander Calvert) grappling with humanity. The sense of purpose in Season 14 enables its finale to pack a real punch. While it initially starts with some humor as Jack renders humanity incapable of lying (leading to some extreme consequences), it shifts its focus to God, and his efforts to make the Winchesters kill Jack. When they refuse, an enraged God smites Jack and brings back every evil entity the Winchesters had ever killed.
Playing with the series’ comedic instincts before embracing a palpable sense of dramatic tension, “Moriah” beautifully toyed with fans’ emotions before crescendoing in glorious, heart-stopping fashion with Sam, Dean, and Cas surrounded by hordes of the undead. It features the Winchesters at their defiant best, contains laughs and thrills alike, and fantastically sets the stage ahead of Supernatural‘s season to be a crowning glory of the series’ latter seasons.
5 “Sacrifice”
Season 8, Episode 23 (2013)
Season 8 sees Supernatural back in fine form following two somewhat jumbled entries. As Dean and Cas return from Purgatory, the Winchesters and their allies set out to prevent Crowley from opening the Gates of Hell, with Sam undergoing the Demon trials to lock the gates forever. In “Sacrifice,” an ailing Sam is talked out of completing the trials as it would kill him, while Cas and Dean learn Metatron’s “Heavenly trials” are a ruse that will actually evict all the angels from Heaven.
It’s an enthralling and eventful episode that places Sam and Dean’s bond at the center yet allows for Mark Sheppard to turn in an excellent performance as a reforming Crowley as well. It also ends with one of the most striking images in Supernatural, as Metatron’s success sees all the angels fall from Heaven.
4 “No Rest for the Wicked”
Season 3, Episode 16 (2008)
After Dean damns his soul to Hell to save Sam in the Season 2 finale, Supernatural‘s third season follows the Winchesters as they try to break Dean’s deal while hunting down demons that escaped from Hell. Tension gradually builds as the 12-month clock on Dean’s life ticks down, coming to a heart-pounding conclusion in “No Rest for the Wicked” as it follows the Winchesters’ desperate last gasp attempt to save Dean.
While one-in-a-million shots typically work a treat in Supernatural, Sam, Dean, and Ruby’s (Katie Cassidy) failure to oppose Lilith (Sierra McCormick) makes for a sickening and shocking, yet marvelously dreadful moment of realization. With Dean mauled to death by hellhounds before being seen hanging from meat hooks in Hell, “No Rest for the Wicked” sees Supernatural operating at its darkest and most cynical.
3 “All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 2”
Season 2, Episode 22 (2007)
The Season 2 finale is a game-changing two-parter. The penultimate episode follows Sam as he is abducted by Azazel (Fredric Lehne) and forced to fight against other psychics, and ends with him being killed by one of his rivals. The finale sees Dean sell his soul to revive Sam before the two brothers travel to an old cowboy cemetery to kill Azazel, but not before he can open a doorway to Hell.
It is an episode of rousing emotional beats, ones that round out Sam and Dean’s initial reason for reuniting; to kill the demon that murdered their mother. Seeing John’s spirit escape Hell and play a pivotal part in Azazel’s downfall was the perfect exclamation mark on the Winchesters getting their revenge. Not only is it an incredibly powerful episode that effectively rounds out the arc of the first two seasons, “All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2” also careens flawlessly into the focal points of Season 3 with an eloquence that refrains from being glaringly obvious or jarringly forthright.
2 Season 4
“Lucifer Rising” (2009)
Following Dean’s resurrection from Hell, Season 4 of Supernatural introduces Heaven’s angels to the fold. It follows Sam, Dean, Cas, and Ruby’s (Genevieve Cortese) efforts to stop Lilith from breaking the 66 seals, thus allowing Lucifer to roam free on Earth. Their efforts come to a head in “Lucifer Rising,” in which the angel Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) reveals the angels have been actively working to realize the apocalypse. Ruby is then revealed to have been Lilith’s follower all along and tricks Sam into breaking the final seal.
The episode maintains a captivating, frenetic tempo as Sam and Dean’s isolated stories reach unexpected conclusions. It also sees Castiel rebel against Heaven to side with the Winchesters for the first time. Ending with Lucifer’s cage opening as Sam and Dean helplessly watch on, “Lucifer Rising” is relentlessly intense and sets the stage for the phenomenal fifth season to come quite perfectly.
1 Season 5
“Swans Song” (2010)
Not only the best season finale, Season 5’s “Swan Song” also stands as the greatest episode Supernatural ever produced. With Lucifer on Earth, Season 5 sees Sam, Dean, and their allies working tirelessly to prevent the Devil from starting the apocalypse. Sam agrees to serve as Lucifer’s vessel for his showdown with Michael (Jake Abel), hoping that he can overpower the Devil and trap him in a cage in Hell.
The episode’s epic arc is beautifully underscored by a plethora of tender moments. Dean’s refusal to abandon Sam as his possessed body beats him to a pulp; Sam finding the strength to overpower Lucifer by glimpsing the army man wedged into the Impala’s ashtray; or even just the whole revelation of Sam and Dean’s bond through their history with their beloved car. “Swan Song” hit all the right notes to be perfectly bittersweet with a harrowing, mesmerizing beauty.
All 15 seasons of Supernatural are available to stream on Netflix.
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