Jensen Ackles Addresses His Many ‘Supernatural’ Deaths

While character deaths have become increasingly commonplace on television, few shows have subverted the trope quite like Supernatural. And as series star Jensen Ackles recently explained, the possibility of Dean Winchester dying onscreen has begun to come with the territory.

Ackles addressed his frequent onscreen deaths last month, during an appearance on Conan. After Conan O’Brien asked if seeing a death scene in the script makes either of the show’s stars nervous, Ackles revealed that isn’t exactly the case.

“Not necessarily.” Ackles explained. “I think I’ve died over 110 times and I’m still here.”

O’Brien then pointed out that Ackles co-star, Jared Padalecki, has only had six onscreen deaths on Supernatural. And as Padalecki joked, there’s a pretty unique reason for that happening.

“It’s [partially inspired by] when I worked with [Conan co-host Andy Richter] on New York Minute, he taught me some very amazing things. One was ‘Make sure you don’t die more than six times.’”

All joking aside, the Winchester brothers are set to go up against quite a few dangerous threats when their thirteenth season debuts this fall. Early episode titles hint at a few major foes, including Lucifer’s son, who will be portrayed by Alexander Calvert.

Supernatural returns to The CW on Oct. 12. The season will include the backdoor pilot for spinoff series Wayward Sisters.

In the show’s eleventh season, Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki & Jensen Ackles) faced their greatest challenge yet: the all-powerful Darkness, better known as the sister of God. Freed from her prison by Dean, she threatened all of creation, until God (with the help of Sam, Dean, Castiel and Crowley), made amends with her. Before they left Earth, however, they restored Sam & Dean’s mother, Mary Winchester, to life. In Season Twelve, the Winchesters must not only contend with an escaped Lucifer and the British Men of Letters (who’ve come to end their hunting days), but they’ll also have to relearn what it is to be a family again after all these years.