16 Years Later, Eric Kripke Revealed His Original Ending for Supernatural (& It’s Much Darker Than Fans Realize)

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Supernatural is a beloved fantasy horror series created by Eric Kripke. It follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they battle monsters, demons, and other supernatural creatures. The show was a huge success, lasting fifteen seasons – a decade longer than the creator originally intended.

Despite enjoying any time with the Winchester brothers, many fans believe the show’s quality declined over time. The season five finale, “Swan Song,” is frequently suggested as an ideal ending point, though that wasn’t the creator’s original plan. Kripke envisioned a much grimmer conclusion, describing it as having ‘more of a horror movie feel.’

Supernatural’s Most Poignant and Heartbreaking Finale Was Actually “Swan Song”

Throughout the first few seasons of Supernatural, the show’s overarching story steadily built towards a final showdown between Lucifer and Michael. From season five onward, the creator and writers had already planned for the series to culminate in a battle between these two powerful beings.

I was listening to the Supernatural Then and Now podcast recently, and Eric Kripke was on talking about leaving the show. He explained that he always envisioned the central conflict between Sam and Dean being mirrored on a much larger, even cosmic, scale. It was about making their personal struggles reflect the bigger battles happening in the universe.

The battle between the two archangels was so massive it threatened to destroy half the world. They chose a field in Kansas as the starting point for the end of times, but their fight was unexpectedly interrupted. As the creator, Kripke, described it, a single human playing rock music managed to disrupt the most important battle in existence.

Dean arrived in his car, Baby, with Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages” playing loudly. He needed to talk to Sam one last time, both to try and get through to him and to make sure Sam knew he wouldn’t face his fate alone. Lucifer brutally beat Dean, leaving him battered and bleeding. Then, Lucifer’s gaze fell on the inside of the Impala, specifically the tiny plastic army man stuck in the ashtray.

Sam managed to overpower Lucifer, trap him again, and sacrifice himself to prevent the end of the world. Dean, fulfilling his promise, went to find Lisa and was welcomed by her. Meanwhile, Sam reappeared, watching from a distance under a streetlamp.

Many fans consider the episode “Swan Song” to be a perfect ending to Supernatural. It features a heartbreaking but beautiful scenario: Sam trapped in Hell while Dean gets to live a peaceful life with Lisa, leaving the rest open to interpretation. The show’s first five seasons are often praised for feeling like one complete story, while later seasons seemed to shift direction with each new showrunner’s vision.

Honestly, if the show had stopped there, it wouldn’t have been the finale we all saw. It would have been a much cleaner, more conclusive ending, really wrapping everything up nicely.

History Would Have Repeated Itself in Eric Kripke’s Supernatural Ending

There were some ideas about how the TV show Supernatural could have ended, suggesting Dean would have gone into the cage with Sam and the archangels. Another possibility was a more hopeful ending, where Sam and Dean were both brought to Heaven. Recently, actors Richard Speight Jr. and Rob Benedict were asked about this potential ending during an interview.

Kripke explained that Dean wasn’t originally meant to follow Sam into Hell. He believes it’s fortunate the show’s ending wasn’t solely his decision, as his initial idea leaned heavily into horror tropes and would have likely been disappointing for viewers.

For fifteen years, Kripke avoided revealing how he originally planned to end the show. He finally explained that the intended ending involved Sam going to Hell, as he remembers it.

Dean really pushed himself to try and rescue Sam, using a training montage similar to what we see on screen. However, he ultimately couldn’t save him because Dean had to accept that he needed to let his brother face his own struggles. The writers knew Sam would be severely tortured in Hell, and Dean’s arc involved learning to accept that he couldn’t fix it and had to leave Sam to endure it.

So, after everything, Dean went back to Lisa, and they actually had a baby girl! They named her Samantha. The way it would end is with Dean holding Samantha, kissing her and Lisa, then gently putting her in the crib. They’d turn off the light and just… leave. It was meant to be a really quiet, peaceful ending for him.

Kripke explained that a shadowy figure appears over the baby’s crib, followed by a complete loss of consciousness. This strongly suggests the cycle of events will repeat, with Dean taking on the role of his father, John, and Samantha mirroring a similar fate, while his wife will experience a terrifying, otherworldly situation.

Kripke, the creator of Supernatural, was influenced by the ending of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but he acknowledges that Buffy‘s conclusion was more optimistic than his own. The Buffy finale showed the Slayer and her friends permanently sealing the Hellmouth. As Kripke recalls, the final shot of Buffy suggested the battle for good would continue, even after the immediate threat was defeated.

He explained he was aiming for a horror movie feel with the ending, leaving things open with many questions and not a cheerful resolution. It would have been quite a contrast to the original conclusion.

Kripke Knew That Fans Wouldn’t Like His Ending

Eric Kripke hadn’t shared the details of his original ending before, but he’d previously hinted that fans wouldn’t be happy with it. Since the podcast revealed his plans, fans have been debating whether his version would have been better than the finale they actually received, with some now seeing merit in his idea and others still preferring the existing ending.

The finale of Supernatural received some of the lowest ratings of the entire show, and many viewers were disappointed with how it ended, particularly with Dean’s fate. However, looking back, Dean’s death during a relatively normal monster hunt feels more fitting than if the show had continued with endless cycles of pain and conflict.

After fifteen years of fighting and losing so much, Dean saw no hope for a future. In the episode “Trial and Error,” he admits he doesn’t see a light at the end of the road, but knows he’s going to die fighting. He wants Sam to escape while he can, as that’s all Dean expects for himself – a violent end. He urges Sam to save himself and get out.

The final episode of season fifteen showed the future Dean had always imagined, but that wasn’t the main issue for many viewers. Instead, they were disappointed by Dean’s sudden and unsatisfying death. Beyond simply wanting a happier ending for him, fans also noted several inconsistencies and gaps in the storyline of the finale.

Mary previously made a pact with the demon Azazel, allowing him to give her six-month-old son demon blood. Now, there needs to be a reason for another demon appearing in her daughter Samantha’s nursery, and whether its purpose aligns with Azazel’s – perhaps even hinting at a second apocalypse.

The show’s ending is dark and unsettling, which isn’t unusual for horror. Though many viewers are happy the original creator didn’t stick with his initial plan, some believe it might have actually been more consistent than the way the show ultimately unfolded. Despite saying he was glad he didn’t write the finale, the creator still seemed to like his original idea.

Kripke believes this sets the stage for a fantastic revival of the show potentially twenty years in the future. He felt that without a continuation, the original ending would have left fans feeling very unsatisfied and frustrated.

The way Supernatural ended felt unsatisfying, especially after five seasons of getting to know Sam and Dean Winchester and their world. Unlike horror movies that leave things open-ended to set up a sequel – like Jason Voorhees rising from the lake in Friday the 13th – this ending didn’t provide a sense of resolution or emotional fulfillment.

As a long-time horror fan, I have to say the ending of this franchise felt really… incomplete. After nine sequels spread over two decades, it just fizzled out. It felt like a needlessly grim conclusion, especially when you consider the network recently pulled the plug on The Winchesters after just one season. Honestly, it doesn’t seem like we were ever going to get a proper continuation anyway.

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2026-03-28 03:14