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Actor · Director · Writer

1991-11-08 · Paris, France · Male

6 series in the catalog

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.

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.

Anael again appears in season 12's "Bring 'em Back Alive" as Lucifer's second-in-command, growing increasingly frustrated with Lucifer's antics. Lucifer eventually admits to Anael that he had lied that he could restore angels' wings and make new angels and violently lashes out at her, but cannot bring himself to kill Anael. Fed up, Anael tells Lucifer that he now has nothing and has lost her too. Lucifer subsequently abandons Heaven. In "Funeralia", it is revealed than Anael is one of less than a dozen angels alive in all of creation. She makes minor appearances in seasons 14 and 15.

Balthazar

Balthazar, portrayed by Sebastian Roché, is an angel who had fought alongside Castiel during the last angelic war. Believed dead, this was merely a cover as he left Heaven, taking weapons with him. He has been on Earth enjoying a hedonistic lifestyle. In "The Third Man", the Winchesters discover that three corrupt cops were murdered by the young brother of one of their victims in possession of The Staff of Moses. Balthazar is revealed to have sold it to the boy in return for his soul. During a conflict with Raphael and his henchmen, Balthazar destroys the archangel's vessel with Lot's Salt. Dean then traps Balthazar in a ring of Holy Fire and forces him to give up the boy's soul. They want more from him, but Castiel releases him because he owes him his life. Sam uses an Enochian ritual to summon Balthazar, in "Appointment in Samarra". Sam asks him if there is any way to keep a soul out of its body. Balthazar informs him of a ritual that involves him defiling his vessel, helping Sam because he would find it useful to have Sam in his debt. He tells Sam that he would need the blood of his father (that need not come from the "father of your blood"), prompting Sam to try to kill Bobby before he is subdued, Dean and Death recover Sam's soul. In "The French Mistake" Balthazar transports Sam and Dean to an alternate universe to evade the angelic hit man Virgil and gives them a key that he claims gives access to the weapons he stole from Heaven. This is revealed to have been a ploy by Balthazar and Castiel to allow the latter to retrieve the weapons from their true location while Raphael was distracted. A suspicious alias used by Balthazar in 1912 leads to the brothers summoning Balthazar in "My Heart Will Go On". Balthazar claims he had saved the Titanic simply because he detested the movie and subsequent eponymous song. However, upon confrontation with Fate, Atropos reveals she knows Balthazar is working for Castiel; saving the Titanic was to provide additional souls to fund their side in the civil war. Castiel pulls out of the plan to kill Atropos once she threatens the Winchesters, stopping Balthazar from killing her. When the Winchesters reveal that Castiel is in league with Crowley in "Let It Bleed", Balthazar agrees to assist the brothers and act as a double agent. He then transports Sam and Dean to where Lisa and Ben are being held captive. In "The Man Who Knew too Much", Balthazar begins to have second thoughts about betraying Castiel, but ultimately continues to…