Supernatural lore: What are death echoes?
Death echoes were introduced in Supernatural Season 3, Episode 13. Described to be as scary as a horror movie, here’s a look at the Supernatural lore and the real inspiration.
Supernatural Season 3, Episode 13 introduced a new ghostly figure. This time, we got what was known as a death echo. In a way, it’s similar to Molly McNamara in the second season; the ghost who relived the night she died without ever realizing. However, that loop lasted longer and she was aware of Sam and Dean Winchester with her.
In “Ghostfacers,” death echoes didn’t realize others were around them. They were stuck reliving the way they died and only someone close to them would be able to shake them out of it. Here’s a look at the Supernatural lore and where the inspiration comes from.
Supernatural death echoes
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In the series, Dean explains that death echoes are about as scary as a horror movie. That suggests that they never harm people–although we’ve seen what can happen if enough people believe in a ghost story!
Anyway, the echoes relive the moment they died over and over again. Most of them are where they either lived or where they died. However, in “Ghostfacers,” we see them trapped in the house. This is where their bodies are. Despite one man dying from an incoming train, the ghost relives the moment in the house.
It is possible to snap an echo from this cycle. Dean tries to by shouting and shocking the spirit, but that doesn’t work. Sam later explains that it usually needs to be someone they know and are connected to. That’s why Ed can help bring Corbett out of the cycle to help send Corbett to the afterlife.
Inspiration for the lore
There isn’t really anything about death echoes and it’s possible that this idea mostly came from ghost stories or was an adaptation of the ghost loop Molly found herself in during the second season. There is the idea that ghosts can become trapped in what happened to them running up to the moments of their death.
Interestingly, The Magicians uses the idea of the dead being trapped in a loop. Co-showrunner Sera Gamble is a former Supernatural showrunner and was around from the beginning of the series. In this show, the spirits weren’t snapped out of their loops but they could interact with the people around them at times.
Next. Where the idea of the Ghostfacers came from on Supernatural. dark
Where do you think the idea of death echoes came from? Why haven’t they been seen since? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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