'Supernatural': Sam and Dean's 11 Most Memorable Deaths

When your life is spent hunting the things that go bump in the night, you’re always in danger. And for Sam and Dean Winchester, that danger has brought them face-to-face with death (sometimes literally) multiple times.

Sam getting struck by lightning only counts as a death on a technical level, because otherwise, it’s not the most memorable — probably because it was mostly played for laughs.

Dean’s trip to purgatory would greatly impact him later on, but his actual death was so quick and unexpected that the scene barely gave viewers time to realize what was happening, much less feel something about it.

This death was brief, but still impactful, if only for the panicked look on Dean’s face as he watched his brother collapse. This scene also gets points for the Michael-in-John’s-body twist. 

A trip to Apocalypse World took a shocking turn when Sam fell victim to a pack of vampires, of all things. Dean watched as Sam had his throat ripped out, after which a heartbroken Dean was forced to leave his little brother behind. Thankfully, Lucifer showed up and brought Sam back to help him win favor with Jack. And the look on Dean’s face when he saw his brother again was worth all the heartbreak.

One of the more violent deaths, Sam and Dean were shot — at close range — in a motel room. In a show that’s about the unthinkable, this scenario was so realistic it was horrifying. But thankfully, the guys returned to the living after a memorable trip to heaven.

The episode with the most deaths, “Mystery Spot” found Sam stuck in a world where every day ended with Dean dying in some crazy way. The deaths were mostly played for comedy, but the final one — when Dean is shot by a mugger — also struck a dramatic tone by leaving the viewer to wonder if it would stick.

In a great scene for both Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki to flex their acting muscles, Dean watched as Lucifer-Sam snapped his neck in the future. Combined with Lucifer’s speech about how the scenario was inevitable for Dean, it was about as crushing as anything we’d seen.

This scene is memorable enough simply for being Sam’s first death on the show, but when you combine it with the moment Dean tries to warn Sam that Jake is sneaking up behind him (but can’t), it’s downright unforgettable.

Sam arrived just in time to see Metatron stab Dean, and as Sam held his brother, Dean managed to get out some final words. He told Sam, “I’m proud of us.” Tissues, please.

No true Supernatural fan will forget how they felt when the Hellhounds came calling for Dean in season 3, just as they’ll never forget the range of emotions experienced when Sam took hold of Lucifer and willingly jumped in the cage. There aren’t enough tears in the world.