Supernaturalis a cult classic series created by Eric Kripke (The Boys) that had an unprecedented run on The CW. In fact, the show was on the air for so long that when it premiered in 2005, the network was still called The WB. Starring Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as demon-hunting brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, Supernatural aired for 15 seasons. That is a total of 327 episodes.
Supernatural
15 seasons means 15 season finales, some of which are undoubtedly better than others. Even so,Supernaturalis one of those rare shows that aired for so long that quality did not just slowly decrease over time. It ebbed and flowed, with the early and late seasons being celebrated in equal measure. Of course, there is something to be said about Eric Kripke’s initial five-season arc, but over time this beloved show has become so much more than that. Fans are fiercely loyal and, subsequently, have very strong opinions about each season.
Here are the top 10Supernaturalseason finales throughout the entire series.
10Season 6, Episode 22 - “The Man Who Knew Too Much” (2011)
IMDB Rating: 8.9/10
Season 6 aired as a two-part finale, with “The Man Who Knew Too Much” being the second installment. In this episode, the wall in Sam’s head keeping out memories of Hell finally breaks, unleashing havoc in his mind. Much of the action takes place in Sam’s head, while Dean and Bobby (Jim Beaver) try to stop Castiel (Misha Collins) from opening Purgatory.
If the title of the episode sounds familiar, that’s because it is a wink to the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name. Overall, season 6 has a 100% rating from critics and 77% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s also worth noting that this was Sera Gamble’s first season as showrunner, with Kripke having departed after the completion of the five-season story arc he’d developed. It wasn’t an easy role to take on and the fact that the Season 6 finale is still held in such high regard speaks to how the season was handled.
9Season 10, Episode 23 - “Brother’s Keeper” (2015)
IMDB Rating: 9.1/10
Having taken on the Mark of Cain in Season 9 to help defeat Abaddon (Alaina Huffman), Dean continues to struggle with the Mark’s dark influence. At the same time, Sam and Castiel are working with Rowena (Ruth Connell) to find a spell that can destroy the Mark for good. It’s an emotionally fraught episode andSupernaturalis always at its best when exploring the strongbond between Sam and Dean.
This finale successfully brought the Mark of Cain storyline to a close and left audiences with a strong cliffhanger. It also brought back Julian Richings as Death, which is always a delight. “[The Mark’s] removal had unexpected consequences with the death of Death and the unleashing of the Darkness…” writes Amy Ratcliffe forIGN. “It sets up a big bad for Season 11 and the Winchesters need to unite against a common enemy.” The episode has a 100% rating from critics but only a 64% rating from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
Jared Padalecki Addresses “Effing Terrifying” ‘Supernatural’ Reunion on ‘The Boys’
“I don’t know what we’re doing.”
8Season 9, Episode 23 - “Do You Believe in Miracles” (2014)
IMDB Rating: 9.2
Jeremy Carver, who wrote the Season 10 finale, also wrote the Season 9 finale. Dean is now deeply affected by the Mark of Cain and so Sam and Castiel have no choice but to lock him up for everyone’s safety. Meanwhile, Metatron (Curtis Armstrong) starts playing God up in Heaven. Sam, Castiel, and the angel Gadreel (Tahmoh Penikett) search for a way to break the connection between Metatron and the Angel Tablet. Meanwhile, Dean has his own plan for killing Metatron and to do so, he enlists Crowley’s (Mark Sheppard) help. The episode ends with Dean dying only for him to come back as a demon.
Fans saw that Dean twist coming, but that doesn’t devalue it. “As unsurprising as this turn of events is, it sets up a storyline with so much potential,“notes Anastasia Klimchynskaya for Den of Geek. The season as a whole holds a 100% rating from critics and a 75% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
7Season 1, Episode 22 - “Devil’s Trap” (2006)
IMDB Rating: 9.2/10
Early inklings ofSupernatural’s long-running success can be found in its first season finale, which was written by Kripke and directed by Kim Manners. In “Devil’s Trap”, Sam and Dead rescue their father, John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), from demons, only to discover that John is possessed by Azazel (Frederic Lehne), the “Yellow-Eyed Demon” who they’ve been hunting all season. Sam and Dean manage to get Azazel out of their father’s body, but wound John in the process. While they are rushing their father to the hospital, a demon rams their car with a truck.
This isSupernatural’s first cliffhanger finale, and it delivers with action, compelling family drama, and shocking twists. Critics only gave Season 1 a rating of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, but viewers gave it a 93% rating. It also sets up the Season 2 premiere, “In My Time of Dying”, which is arguably one of the best episodes from the show’s early years.
10 Myths and Legends Supernatural Never Tackled
Supernatural had an astoundingly long run of 327 episodes, but there are still some pieces of lore that never appeared.
6Season 8, Episode 23 - “Sacrifice” (2013)
IMDB Rating: 9.3
In this episode, Sam and Dean trap Crowley because “curing” him of being a demon is one of the trials required to close the Gates of Hell for good. The ritual costs Sam dearly, though. In the midst of it all, Metatron steals Castiel’s grace as part of a plan to close off Heaven, making Castiel mortal. The entire thing comes to a head when all the angels fall to Earth from Heaven.
As a whole, Season 8 isn’t the show’s strongest. It only has a 65% rating from critics and 55% rating from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Nonetheless, the finale is considered one of the best and paves the way for several higher-rated seasons. “Supernatural’s eighth season went out on a high note,“writes Diana Steenbergen for IGN, “With some game changing twists and great performances.” Shephard in particular gives an incredible performance as Crowley begins to feel the effects of Sam’s blood treatment to make him human.
5Season 3, Episode 16 - “No Rest for the Wicked” (2008)
Written by Kripke and directed by Kim Manners, “No Rest for the Wicked” takes place on the last day of Dean’s demon deal. With Lilith in possession of the contract, Sam and Dean track her to Indiana, where Lilith is torturing a family in the guise of a young girl for her own amusement. Lilith sends a hellhound to kill Dean and drag his soul to hell. As it turns out, Dean’s torture in hell is all part of Lilith’s plan to break the 66 seals that have trapped Lucifer in Hell.
It’s a gutting episode, with this deal for Dean’s soul having hung over everything all season. “Dean being torn apart by hellhounds is one of the scariest things the show has done yet…“writes Diana Steenbergen for IGN. “It was a disturbing sight, and the special effects worked well.” Steenbergen goes on to note that the show’s willingness to actually send Dean to hell is incredibly effective. “It is what the entire season has been building toward, and it is a good thing that they didn’t give us a quick or cheap fix.” Overall, Season 3 is a solid one. Critics give it an 88% rating and fans give it a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
4Season 14, Episode 20 - “Moriah” (2019)
Now that Jack (Alexander Calvert) is soulless, Dean sees the young Nephilim as a ticking time bomb — another monster they must kill, despite the fact that Jack has been like a little brother to them. Overwhelmed by the full force of his powers, Jack isn’t faring too well. Chaos ensues and Chuck aka God (Rob Benedict) shows up to help. Sort of. He gives Dean a gun that will kill Jack, but when Dean finally has the opportunity to pull the trigger, Jack agrees to go willingly, and Dean can’t bring himself to do it. This upsets Chuck, who calls the Winchesters his “favorite show.” From here, Sam and Dean’s relationship with Chuck unravels real fast.
Supernaturalwas nearing the end here, but that didn’t mean the quality of the show suffered. In fact, it’s surprising a finale so late in the game could still be so bold and be pullled it off so well. The last few moments are absolutely epic and change everything moving into the show’s final season. “If this finale doesn’t get you excited for the final season,“Samantha Highfill declares in Entertainment Weekly, “Nothing will.” As a whole, Season 14 has an 83% rating from critics but only a 65% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
3Season 4, Episode 22 - “Lucifer Rising” (2009)
IMDB Rating: 9.3/10
Kripke wrote and directed “Lucifer Rising” himself. With the apocalypse on the horizon, Sam teams up with the demon Ruby (Genevieve Padalecki) to fight Lilith (Katherine Boecher). Unfortunately, Ruby has been lying to Sam about her motives.Castieltells Deanthat killing Lilith will open the final seal keeping Lucifer in Hell. When Dean tries to warn his brother, it is too late. The seal has already been broken. Dean and Sam kill Ruby, but Sam is devastated, knowing that he has unwittingly contributed to the world’s demise. Lucifer is free.
When Kripke initially developed the series, he came up with a five-season arc and this finale sets up Season 5 perfectly. The guilt that weighs on Sam, as well as his reunion with Dean, make for some excellent television. And with Lucifer rising, the stakes have never been higher. The season has an 88% rating from critics and 68% rating from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
2Season 2, Episode 22 - “All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 2” (2007)
IMDB Rating: 9.4/10
This is the second half of a two-part finale that delivers on every front. Azazel’s psychic children, now adults, were all brought together to fight to the death in Part One. This includes Sam, who dies in Dean’s arms at the end of the episode. In Part Two, Dean sells his soul to aCrossroads Demon(Ona Grauer) to bring Sam back to life. The brothers then join Bobby and Ellen (Samantha Ferris) to stop Azazel. The Devil’s Gate, a doorway to Hell, opens, but they manage to close it. The victory isn’t all it should be though, because the shadow of Dean’s deal hangs over them. He has one year before his soul gets sent to Hell.
This episode brings the “psychic children” arc to a close and opens the series for new challenges, higher stakes, and the introduction of a certain angel in a trenchcoat that fans know and love. The two-parter “stood tall as a two-hour apocalyptic blockbuster that essentially ended the series, only to rebirth it anew,“writes Michael John Petty for Collider.Season 2 holds a 100% rating from critics and a 96% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
1Season 5, Episode 22 - “Swan Song” (2010)
IMDB Rating: 9.7/10
Using Sam’s body as a vessel has been Lucifer’s (Mark Pellegrino) plan from the beginning, and in “Swan Song” he gets his wish. Sam and Dean allow this to happen because they plan for Sam to regain control of his own body long enough to throw himself — and Lucifer — into a cage in Hell, thus avoiding the apocalypse. The episode ends in epic fashion, with Sam pulling both Lucifer and Michael (Jake Abel) into hell. Dean thinks that Sam is dead, but the audience catches a glimpse of Sam watching Dean from afar in the final moments. Has he managed to escape hell? And how? Is it Sam in this body or Lucifer? The episode really leaves audiences guessing.
One would be hard-pressed to find a fan who doesn’t consider “Swan Song” to beSupernatural’s all-time best finale. Everything built up to this episode, and it certainly delivers. Season 5 holds a 100% rating from critics and a 76% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, but this finale remains unmatched.
