After 15 years and 15 seasons, the hit tv series “Supernatural” has come to an end. The show, which first aired in 2005, followed two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, and their quest to find their missing father. The Winchester family is a group of hunters that find and kill the supernatural, such as demons, ghosts, vampires, werewolves and more. Dean Winchester, the eldest of the Winchester brothers, is portrayed by Jensen Ackles. Jared Padalecki portrays Sam Winchester. For the next 15 years, they are joined by friends and allies, with the recurring message that family doesn’t end in blood. They have a family business: Saving people and hunting creatures. 

This is not a review, so there will not be any spoilers of the final season and the series finale. The show has garnered a vast audience over the last decade and a half, with perhaps one of the most dedicated fanbases in pop culture. I began the show my freshman year of high school, and funnily enough, it has ended my final year of my undergrad. Many others have grown up with the show and have followed Sam, Dean and the lovable angel Castiel (portrayed by Misha Collins) through one apocalypse after another. 

327 episodes later, it is hard to imagine life without “Supernatural.” No matter how the show ended or how you felt about its conclusion, if you are a fan of the show, the fact it is over is strange. The show is not for everyone, especially due to its paranormal and fantastical elements. However, the show’s heart is not necessarily the plot, as many will agree that the storyline has had its ups and downs. I believe that the heart of the show is the characters. The viewers that grew up with the show also watched Sam and Dean grow up.  Everyone I have known who has watched the show has fallen in love with Dean’s immature but caring personality, Sam’s kind and intellectual habits, and Castiel’s curious and aloof character. After so many years with characters like the Winchester brothers, Cas, Jack, Jody, Bobby and Charlie, the ending feels like you have lost friends you only got to see on your TV every week. 

“Supernatural” has a distinct atmosphere. The actors on the show have described it as “back roads Americana.” The brothers began the show driving around the country in a 1967 Chevrolet Impala, listening to classic rock, researching the supernatural in old motel rooms. The earlier seasons had a grimy and creepy aesthetic that captured viewers, and as the seasons continue and the stakes are raised, people become comfortable within this world. 

The fact that the show went on for 15 years allowed many fans to become very acquainted with the cast through conventions. “Supernatural” meet-ups are one of the biggest out there — every panel, meet and greet, signing and concert feels like an intimate reunion between the cast and fans. So far, there are plans to continue the conventions into the future; however, with the pandemic, they will look different. 

The core of “Supernatural” is all about family and never giving up, and as the series has drawn to a close, fans everywhere are feeling the loss. It was time for the series to end but saying goodbye is also tricky. A testament to the power of  “Supernatural” will continue in the fans and cast and crew, who will not leave the show behind even after it is over. People will always tune into the tragedies and the laughs of the show because of its lasting presence in everyone’s lives. 

[email protected]