Supernatural seasons 1-5: Sam’s Story

This first five seasons of Supernatural have amazing continuity. The story builds on itself through the seasons. Let’s look at Sam’s story during this time.

It’s no secret that many fans consider the first five seasons of Supernatural some of the best seasons. When a show has been on as long as it has, there are sure to be some hit or miss episodes or even full seasons. Beginning with the pilot, Supernatural set up a story that built on itself up until the finale of the show’s fifth season. Each of the brother’s had an overreaching arc that played out. This is Sam’s story.

Just like John

From early on in the show, Sam tries to distance himself from the “Family Business.” In fact, he’s attending Stanford in the pilot. Several times over the course of the first few seasons, he makes it clear, he doesn’t want to hunt. They play up his strained relationship with his dad. However, once his girlfriend, Jess, dies in the same way as his mom, the similarities between the two men become obvious. Their reasons for hunting are driven by revenge. They are both after the same demon.

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As the season moves forward, we start to really see a lot of John’s obsessive tendencies come through in Sam.  During the fourth season, Sam starts to become brutally honest with people, especially with his half-brother Adam by being brutally honest with him about hunting life. This was the episode in which Dean realized why Sam and John never got along. They were too much alike.

His mojo

From early on in the first season we start seeing that there is something different with Sam. And then he starts getting visions. Seeing people die before they die. We begin to learn about his abilities. And why he has them. And these weren’t huge information dumps. These are revelations spread between seasons. And as his powers develop, they develop slowly. First, he’s getting visions. Then he can move items. And just when you think they’re dormant, he can exorcise demons using his “mojo.”

Of course, his powers come at a price. Chosen by the Yellow-Eyed Demon as an infant and fed his blood, Sam has great fears of turning into a monster. This is a fear that he holds throughout the first five seasons. And it begins to come into fruition during the fourth season. Consuming demon’s blood in order to exorcise demons while saving the vessel. While saving the vessel was good, consuming demon’s blood began to change Sam’s personality and became an addiction.

Lucifer’s vessel

By Supernatural season 5, Lucifer is out of the cage, and it comes to light that Sam is Lucifer’s vessel. But it’s not a revelation that comes completely out of left field if you’ve been paying attention. Throughout the series up to this point, demons have always said Sam is special. That he’s chosen. It gets explained that demons were Lucifer’s first creation. Sam was fed demon blood as a baby and consumed demon blood in order to strengthen himself to kill Lilith. It only makes sense that he would end up Lucifer’s vessel.

Sam becoming Lucifer’s vessel was the cap on a five-season journey for the Winchesters. After he accepted Lucifer, he was thrown into the cage, seemingly ending Sam Winchester’s story. And it sure felt as if it were the end.

Then showrunner, Eric Kripke, had five seasons planned. He had wrapped up the story he wanted to tell, and that story ended with Sam trapped in Hell. Of course, the show went on, and we’re anxiously awaiting Supernatural season 14 right now. However, I would argue that since those first five seasons the story arcs of Sam and Dean haven’t been as overreaching and tight.

Next: All 13 seasons of Supernatural ranked from worst to best

So, what do you think? Did you notice how smoothly the first five seasons flowed for Sam’s story? What was your favorite part of Sam’s journey in those early seasons was your favorite? Let us know in the comments. 

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