Did Ellen have the idea of family don’t end with blood before Bobby on Supernatural?

Bobby is often quoted saying “family don’t end with blood,” but was he the first Supernatural character to live by that rule?

“Family don’t end with blood.” It’s a popular line from the Supernatural fandom. This is one of those lines that isn’t just a part of the show, but has become part of real life for many. In fact, the fandom is known as the SPNFamily partially because of it.

The line may have been said by Bobby Singer, but he’s not the first in the series to live by that belief. In the second season, the Winchesters met Ellen Harvelle, who may have been practicing the statement for years. Could she have been the first to prove that family doesn’t indeed end with blood?

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She gave Ash a place to stay

It’s not clear how exactly Ash is related to the Harvelles. They never say he’s a lodger or that he’s a distance relative. He’s just viewed as a regular, who happens to have a place to stay. Chances are that he’s a lodger, but he does become family to the Harvelles and they become family to him. In fact, when Ash dies and goes to Heaven, he is sad to learn that Ellen and Jo were killed fighting demons. He’s also sad to learn that they’re not in Heaven yet; at least, not that he’s seen.

Ash is almost like a brother to Jo. They act as if they’re siblings throughout the second season and Jo refers to him fondly.

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Ellen looks out for the Winchesters

At first the Winchesters wonder if Ellen and John had a romantic history. It soon turns out that it was just a friendship, once upon a time. However, that friendship leads to some softer feelings for the Winchesters and she does look out for them at the start of the second season.

She becomes one of those the Winchesters can call and trust. When they run into Gordon, Ellen makes her worries about Gordon known to protect the brothers. They almost becoming like family to her and she just wants to keep them safe.

While Bobby may be the one accredited with the idea that family don’t end with blood, Ellen was the one that showed it first. She opened her home to others and made sure the Winchesters knew they could call her when they were in some sort of trouble.

Next: #WCW: Ellen Harvelle

What do you think? Did Ellen have the idea of family before Bobby? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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