13 best throwbacks in Supernatural Season 13

Supernatural Season 13 had numerous throwbacks to past episodes. Here’s a look at the 13 best moments throughout the whole season.

Whether it was Jack’s introduction, a soulless Donatello, or even reminders of Hell, Supernatural Season 13 was full of throwbacks to previous seasons. Sure, there were moments that had us scratching our heads, but there were other moments that made us feel like we were watching the early years again.

It’s time to look back at the good moments of the season with the hope that the next season brings more to us. This is a chance to remember the parallels to previous seasons and the moments that reminded us of past characters, storylines, and more. Here are the 13 best throwbacks in Supernatural Season 13.

#13. Dean calling out for help

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In the Season 13 premiere, Dean called to God for help. While Sam went off in search for Jack, Dean went behind the building and prayed that Chuck would come and save them; help them after everything they had lost in the fight against Lucifer. It looked like Chuck had abandoned them, however, a later episode suggests that God is working in mysterious ways.

The whole scene and the aftermath is just what happened in the very first season. When Sam and Dean had to return home, Dean made a tearful phone call to John Winchester. He was terrified of what they’d find and needed his father there to support him. Dean believed that he’d been ignored, but John was there just in case his sons really did need him.

#12. The new Ghostfacers

During “Advanced Thanatology,” two boys went into an abandoned asylum in the search for the horror stories and ghosts that live there. One didn’t make it out alive and the other stole a plague mask, leading to him returning to the asylum to face the spirit and be killed. All this was similar to two elements in past seasons.

The first was Supernatural Season 3. There was the sense of the Ghostfacers when the filming was through the handheld cameras. However, this was also a throwback to the very first season. The whole storyline matched “Asylum” in a way, bringing back the creepiness to Supernatural.

#11. Helping one brother deal with grief

“Advance Thanatology” also had the throwback to the past of the Winchesters helping each other deal with grief—while managing it themselves. Sam purposely found a case for Dean, knowing that it would help. While on the case, he encouraged strip bars and other things that would usually make him uncomfortable but he just wanted Dean to feel better. Then after waking up hungover, Dean had the sunglasses and squinty eyes.

This was exactly like previous seasons. Sam has used hunting as a way to help his brother. He’s found ways to cheer him up, encouraging him to talk at strategic moments. Even the very end was a reminder of Supernatural Season 4 when Dean opened up about Hell. The sunglasses moment was reminiscent of Supernatural Season 1 perfectly!

#10. Reminders of Becky and Sam’s wedding

In Supernatural Season 13, Episode 12, we got two young witches using magic to cast love spells on men. They did it for their own personal gain, especially with Dean, who they wanted the Black Grimoire from. It was a cringe-worthy episode that brought up the topic of consent.

This was a stark reminder of Supernatural Season 7’s “Time for a Wedding.” Becky used a love spell on Sam to make him fall in love with her and marry her. That was a creepy episode that I wish I could forget, but it did bring up a huge debate about consent due to magic.

#9. What’s dead should stay dead

Also in Episode 12, there was the focus on raising the dead. The Plum sisters wanted to bring their mother back. While it’s something we’ve all wished at some point for various reasons, we know that it would be messing with nature. Even if it could happen, it shouldn’t. And when the mom did come back, she was a zombie, intent on killing.

The whole feeling of the episode reminded me of the second season. In “Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things,” a boy brought his best friend back to life only for her to go on a killing spree. Dean brought Sam back after he couldn’t accept that his little brother was gone. All the while, we thought the dead should stay dead.

#8. A soulless man

“Good Intentions” brought a topic that saw Sam, Dean and Castiel struggle to agree on: how to handle soulless Donatello. They needed the information from him, but he’d been corrupted by the Demon Tablet. The only option was to risk brain damage by Castiel going in for the information. However, it wasn’t this that brought back memories—although there were a few of Crowley extracting information and using pins to make angels talk. The whole situation reminded us of Soulless Sam.

Remember in Supernatural Season 6 when Sam was more than happy to let Dean become a vampire? He just didn’t care. Well, Donatello reminded us of that in Supernatural Season 13 when he sent Dean and Castiel off to fight gods that they shouldn’t have been able to kill.

#7. Jack becoming a teenager right away

In the Supernatural Season 13 premiere, we got a young adult version of Jack. Despite this, he kept reminding us that he was just a few days old. He was learning all about the world and what his powers could do. There were two throwbacks to the past, one more recent than the other.

The first was a reminder of “Slice Girls” and involved Dean’s daughter, Emma. She was conceived, born, and grew up within days and then went out to find her father, with the intention to kill him of course. Remember Jack wanted to find his father. The other throwback was to Season 11, with Amara’s growth from baby to adult. This was through the gathering of souls, but we also saw Amara’s learning growth at the same time.

#6. The search for Jack’s dad

The Supernatural Season 13 premiere also gave us Jack’s search for his father. At first, we had no idea who this would be and assumed Lucifer. It turned out that he was in the search for Castiel, believing Cass to be his dad because of everything Kelly had said.

This brought us all the way back to the start of the series. Sam and Dean reunited after four years apart to go in the search for their father. John had gone missing and was possibly dead and they were forced to go on a season-long journey together.

#5. Throwback Charlie moments

It’s easier to stomach this throwback now that Charlie has returned to us in Supernatural Season 13. In “The Scorpion and the Frog,” Dean and Sam were forced to work with Smash and Grab. Smash was a sarcastic, self-sufficient young woman, who wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was. However, underneath it all, she needed the Winchesters help.

This was a throwback to Charlie’s character in the seventh season. One of the biggest moments that had us remembering Charlie was when Smash got on the bus with the goodbye that reminded us of Charlie’s “peace out, bitches.” The only thing that was missing (and it was possibly a good thing) was Dean thinking of her as the little sister they never wanted.

#4. Dean and his food

It’s been a while since we’ve had references to Dean and his food. Supernatural Season 13 gave us two: the love for bacon and the love for pie. The latter came in Episode 8, with the King of the Crossroads ready with the pie for Dean Winchester.

This was just a reminder of all the times Dean had asked for pie in the past. This demon did his homework, even if it was just to butter up Dean because he needed him!

#3. Calling on the payphone

When Castiel got out of the Empty, he headed straight for a payphone to call Dean. He needed to make sure the Winchesters knew that he was alive and to come and get him. This, coupled with the way Castiel woke up in the field, was reminiscent of Supernatural Season 4.

Dean woke up in the middle of a field on his own (albeit in the dirt) when he was raised from perdition. He then went in search for a phone to make a call. The first person he called was Bobby—well, he called Sam but all of Sam’s numbers had changed. He knew Bobby would have the same number.

#2. Jack’s introduction

In the Supernatural Season 13 premiere, we finally got to see Jack’s introduction. In case you needed a reminder that he was part angel, he made the lights in the police station explode as he lost control of his powers. The camera angle as he walked down the hallway also brought up some interesting throwbacks.

Yes, it’s all about Castiel’s entrance in Supernatural Season 4. We got the exploding lights, the high-pitched ringing, and the menacing looks. When Castiel was first introduced we didn’t know what to expect, and that’s exactly what we got with Jack.

#1. Sam thinking back to Lucifer’s face

It took until Supernatural Season 13, Episode 12 for the show to finally bring up the fact that Sam had been in Hell. Rowena shared why she was so scared of Lucifer and it was all linked to seeing Lucifer’s face. Finally, Sam had someone he could open up to about the past trauma he’d faced.

This was an important throwback to a past storyline. Episode 8 had already overlooked the fact that Sam had been in Hell and tortured. This would follow suit with Episode 20 when Gabriel mentioned seven years of torture. At least, “Various and Sundry Villains” gave us a moment between Sam and Rowena that had our hearts going out to both of them and reminded us of the past.

Next: Ranking Supernatural Season 13 from worst to best

What were your favorite throwback moments in Supernatural Season 13? Which times did you think of seasons past? Share in the comments below.

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