After last week’s mythology-heavy finale, in which Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), along with Jack (Alex Calvert), squared off with God (Rob Benedict) and won, there wasn’t really a way to go bigger from there. Instead, the series finale of Supernatural returned to what the first season had been about: a couple of brother hunting the things that go bump in the night. Some familiar faces popped up along the way, and tragedy struck. To no one’s surprise, after fifteen years and more than 300 episodes, the fans of the series had some serious opinions about the nature of the tragedy.
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The first ten minutes or so of the episode were nothing but brotherly bonding, playing with the dog, and getting food — but it wasn’t long after a trip to a pie festival, where Dean ate pretty much everything in sight, that the brothers got a call: some creepy stuff was going on, and it was time for them to investigate. It would be the final case in the series, so as routine as it seemed to be, it was bound ot be surprising.
Spoilers ahead for “Carry On,” the series finale of Supernatural, which airs tonight.
The case turned out to be a group of mask-wearing vampires, who had murdered a couple and kidnapped their children. Sam and Dean set out to find them, and managed to do so, incapacitating the two who had done the deed and getting directions to their home base, where the kids were.
That led to a final brawl between the Winchesters and the two remaining vampires. During the melee, both vampires were killed, but Dean was also slammed against a post that had a sharp piece of rebar sticking out of it. Dean died peacefully, bringing love and consolation to his brother as he did, but even he admitted that he didn’t think tonight would be the night.
That seems to be the most consistent theme that ran through fan reactions. There was a lot of denial, and even after his body was burned on a pyre, fans were speculating that Jack might bring him back (that’s the perks of being best friends with the new God) — but instead, we got to follow Dean to Heaven, where he met Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) and found out that his parents had a place nearby. Hopping into the Impala, Dean made his way for the joyous reunion he deserved…and as an added perk, since time passes differently in Heaven, by the time he got there, Sam had lived a full life, died, and was there at his side.
Here are some of the responses to Dean’s death, which happened at about the halfway point of the episode, and so had the longest of any major plot point to linger with the audience before it was over.
Dean deserved better
Dean deserved better #Supernatural
— Aliyah (@cookiefeet101) November 20, 2020
Tetanus
actually kind of … iconic of the supernatural writers to make one of their main characters who’s literally been to hell and back die of tetanus
— alex (@jintual) November 20, 2020
Best Worst Finale
#Supernatural Fans:
— Carlos Thadeu (@Carlos__Thadeu) November 20, 2020
S5: Dean lives a normal life, Sam apparently in Hell.
Fans: OH MY GOD, BEST FINALE EVER, DEAN GETS A NORMAL LIFE, SAM DIES IN BATTLE
S15: Sam lives a normal life, Dean dies in battle and is in heaven
Fans: OMG, WORST THAN GOT, WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?
…
Man pain
Dean literally dies for no reason at all??? For sams man pain??? Huh??? What???? #Supernatural
— e l l e 💙💚 (@carryoncas) November 20, 2020
An unambiguous message
DEAN WINCHESTER
— Benny (@dreamingonmusic) November 20, 2020
THAT’S THE TWEET#Supernatural #spn
Hard to accept
#Supernatural #CastielForever
— Angelus1 (@js2art1953) November 20, 2020
Really have mixed feelings for the finale. Hard to accept Dean’s death in that way after surviving every big bad thrown at him, including Lucifer, God/Chuck etal for the last 15 years. And Cas – in heaven helping Jack, how?
Happy endings
how is this supposed to make us feel better tho ? just because they’re both in heaven it doesn’t mean everything is alright.. Dean fucking sacrificed himself all his life, he never got a moment of peace! He deserved to live a long, happy life as much as Sam 💁🏻♀️ #Supernatural
— simonne | was @smalltalkvol6 🐝 (@darlinxspallom) November 20, 2020
No resolution
So what? Cas got out of the empty with no explanation whatsoever and never tried to contact Dean or Sam? Dean never got to live his “free will” life the one he fought GOD HIMSELF FOR?? Sam ends up with random woman? Fuck this shit #Supernatural
— Feern ~ you changed me (@oxymoronFern) November 20, 2020
I get it, but…
As far as finales go,
— LiteBriteXmasLights 🎄 (@litebritewrite) November 20, 2020
-it made sense that Sam would be the one to live the long “normal” life.
-Dean died on a hunt after a good day
-liked the new heaven concept.
-what the hell they really couldn’t show us 3 seconds of Dean & Cas
Also… Eileeeeeen???#Supernatural
The real ending
DEAN WINCHESTER
— Benny (@dreamingonmusic) November 20, 2020
THAT’S THE TWEET#Supernatural #spn