Dead...or are they?
What's dead should stay dead.
– Dean Winchester, 2.04 Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things
You throw away your life because you've come to assume that it'll bounce right back into your lap. But the human soul is not a rubber ball.
Getting killed in Supernatural is almost when you know you've made it. It's like getting a Weird Al song about you. You're no-one in Supernatural until you've died.
In Supernatural, death is a rather impermanent state of being. Some, like Sam and Dean Winchester, come back to life. Other characters - such as Bobby, Jess, Mary and John Winchester, Jo, Ash, Pamela, and Rufus - remain dead but reappear in the show as ghosts on Earth or as souls in Heaven, or through flashbacks, Time Travel, or Alternate Universes.
Death was killed but the mantle passed to Billie the reaper following her own demise. As Dean put it, Billie had to die to become Death.
Michael and Adam were trapped in Lucifer's Cage. Chuck turned out to be God.
The following beings have the power to resurrect the dead:
- God has shown the ability to resurrect deceased angels and even a town of people without much trouble. He also resurrected the demon Lilith despite being in a weakened state and the Cosmic Entity's claim that God has no power in the Empty. The Entity later admits that its claim that God has no power in the Empty is just "sweet little lies."
- Amara was able to resurrect Mary Winchester after thirty-three years dead and when her body had been burned to nothing.
- Angels and Archangels
- Angels have shown that they are capable of resurrecting cremated remains, as seen with Adam Milligan in 5.18 Point of No Return.
- Death, the Horseman of the Apocalypse
- Billie, as both a Reaper and Death, has shown the ability to resurrect the dead. In particular, she was able to resurrect Jack Kline from the Empty.
- Demons can resurrect the dead within the context of making a deal (i.e. Sam in 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two). It is unclear if the Crossroads Demon does the actual resurrecting or if a more powerful demon does it for them.
- Crowley claimed to have resurrected Sam and Samuel Campbell, pulling them from Lucifer's Cage and Heaven respectively, after he became the King of Hell. He lied about Sam, who was raised by Castiel. It is unclear if he raised Samuel Campbell who could have been raised by Castiel as they were in an alliance at the time and Castiel has the power to resurrect the dead.
This page features the deaths and reappearances of recurring characters on the show (that is, those who have appeared in two or more episodes).
For who killed who - and what - check out the Table of Death
Contents
Dean
Dean may have the distinction of being the most-killed character. He was killed approximately 100 times on the repeating Tuesday and subsequent Wednesday in 3.11 Mystery Spot by the Trickster, who also brings him back to life.
- Ways Dean is known to have died in the episode:
- Shot at the Mystery Spot
- Hit by a car
- Crushed by a falling desk
- Chokes on a sausage
- Slips in the shower
- Poisoned by a taco
- Electrocuted by his razor
- Accidentally killed with an axe by Sam
- Shot with an arrow by Doris the waitress
- Mauled by a golden retriever
- Shot by a robber
Dean was later killed by hellhounds in 3.16 No Rest for the Wicked when Lilith collected on the deal he had made with a Crossroads Demon in 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two. Dean was brought back from Hell by Castiel in 4.01 Lazarus Rising.
In 4.15 Death Takes a Holiday, the boys ask Pamela Barnes to send their souls into the veil so they can speak to a ghost.
Future!Dean is killed by Lucifer in an alternate version of the future in 5.04 The End.
Dean is killed by hunters in 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon and brought back to life by Joshua. During this episode, Ash comments that when Sam and Dean have died before and been brought back, angels have erased their memories of Heaven. This may mean that they have died more times than they themselves are aware, and if so, no accurate death tally can be established for either brother.
During 6.11 Appointment in Samarra, Dean goes to an unlicensed doctor to have his heart stopped. Desperate to solve the issue of Sam's missing soul, Dean uses his time as a spirit to contact Tessa, and ends up making a deal with Death. After a full seven minutes of death, the doctor and his assistant are able to revive Dean.
In 9.23 Do You Believe in Miracles? Dean is killed by Metatron, one of the first angels and the scribe of God, when he is stabbed in the heart with an angel blade. Because he died while the Mark of Cain was in power, he is later resurrected as a demon.
In 11.17 Red Meat, Dean takes an overdose and dies so that he can beg Billie the reaper not to take Sam, who it turns out actually wasn't dead. Dr. Kessler is able to resuscitate him a few minutes later.
In 12.09 First Blood, Dean and Sam do a deal with Billie the reaper to kill them so they can escape prison. They are each dead for a short period.
In 13.05 Advanced Thanatology, Dean kills himself to speak to ghosts who are trapped in the veil. He encounters Billie the Reaper, who is now Death. She takes him to a place full of books and explains that all the books on the nearby shelves contain Dean's possible deaths, and what happens next depends on what he does. She says none of them say he dies today, though, and that she knows that he and Sam are important and have a job to do, so she lets him brings him back.
In 15.04 Atomic Monsters, Dean's neck is snapped by Sam with telekinesis in Sam's nightmare of a world where Sam gave into his demon blood addiction. God later reveals in 15.09 The Trap that this was an alternate reality Dean.
In 15.05 Proverbs 17:3, Dean is burned alive by Lucifer in Sam's nightmare. God later reveals in 15.09 The Trap that this was an alternate reality Dean.
In 15.20 Carry On, Dean dies after being impaled in the back with rebar by a vampire. This is his final death and he goes to Heaven afterwards.
Sam
Sam is second to Dean in number of deaths. He is killed by Jake Talley in 2.21 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part One and brought back to life when Dean makes a deal with a Crossroads Demon. His other known deaths are as follows:
- Killed by a wish from Hope Lynn Casey in 4.08 Wishful Thinking and brought back when Wes Mondale removes the coin from the Wishing Well.
- In 4.15 Death Takes a Holiday, the boys ask Pamela Barnes to send their souls into the veil so they can speak to a ghost.
- May have been killed by Zachariah, who removes his lungs in 5.01 Sympathy for the Devil, and resurrected by the same after Castiel intimidates him.
- Killed by Anna in 5.13 The Song Remains the Same and resurrected by Michael.
- Killed by hunters in 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon and brought back to life by Joshua.
- In 5.22 Swan Song Sam is trapped in Lucifer's Cage. He is bought back by unknown means in 6.01 Exile on Main St. In 6.07 Family Matters, Crowley takes credit for Sam's resurrection, but says he kept back his soul for bargaining purposes. This is a lie, as it is later revealed that Castiel raised Sam. However, neither Castiel nor Crowley can restore Sam's soul. It is Death who eventually retrieves Sam's soul from the cage and returns it to his body.
In 8.19 Taxi Driver Sam is escorted by a reaper to Purgatory and then visits Hell to rescue Bobby's soul. He could technically be considered not living at these times.
In 11.17 Red Meat, Sam appears dead after being shot by a werewolf and then suffocated by Corbin Tilghman, but he is not. Doctors later explain that Corbin's suffocation only put Sam into a near-death state from which he eventually recovered.
In 12.09 First Blood, Dean and Sam make a deal with Billie the reaper to kill them so they can escape prison. They are each dead for a short period before Billie resurrects them again.
In 13.21 Beat the Devil, Sam is killed by vampires in Apocalypse World and then resurrected by Lucifer.
In 15.05 Proverbs 17:3, in a nightmare Sam has, he is killed with the First Blade by Dean who is a Knight of Hell and still has the Mark of Cain. In 15.09 The Trap, God reveals that this is an alternate reality Sam.
In 15.09 The Trap, God shows Sam a future where the Winchesters and Castiel succeed in trapping God. In this increasingly dark future, Sam is eventually turned into a vampire on a hunt gone wrong. During a final stand, Sam is shot with a dead man's blood bullet by Jody Mills and then decapitated by Bobby Singer. This is averted when Sam chooses not to trap God as a result of what he has seen.
John Winchester
Chronologically, John is first killed by Azazel in 4.03 In the Beginning, and is resurrected by Azazel after Mary makes a deal to allow the demon entry to her house in ten years.
He is killed by Azazel a second time in 2.01 In My Time of Dying, when he sells his soul to save Dean, who is dying.
Postmortem appearances:
- John reappears as a spirit when he escapes from Hell in 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two.
- John's meetings with Sam and Dean when they travel back in time in 4.03 In the Beginning and 5.13 The Song Remains the Same both occur after his death from their point of view.
- It's a fake-out, but the crocotta imitates the voice of John Winchester in 3.14 Long-Distance Call. It is, however, the voice of Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
- In 14.13 Lebanon, John is pulled from 2003 to 2019 when the Boys find a Baozhu which grants a person their heart's desire. John gets to spend a day with his boys and his wife, before he has to go back to 2003.
- In 14.18 Absence, its confirmed that John and Mary, following her second death, are peacefully sharing a Heaven together.
Mary Winchester
Mary is killed by Azazel in the 1.01 Pilot. Mary has since appeared on multiple occasions, either as a spirit, an illusion, or a younger version of herself in the past.
- Appears as a spirit in 1.09 Home.
- Appears in Dean's Wish Verse in 2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be.
- Appears in a vision to Sam created by Azazel in 2.21 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part One.
- Meets Dean when he travels back in time in 4.03 In the Beginning.
- Appears as a hallucination to Sam as he detoxes from Demon Blood in 4.21 When the Levee Breaks.
- Meets Sam and Dean when they travel back in time in 5.13 The Song Remains the Same.
- Appears in Dean's childhood memory in Heaven during 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon. In the same episode, Zachariah torments the boys in Heaven by saying he's enjoying his sexual relationship with their mother, although this is most likely a fake Mary Winchester created by Zachariah in order to manipulate them.
- Appears as a face of Eve in 6.19 Mommy Dearest. Eve takes on Mary's form while talking to Sam and Dean.
- Bought back to life by Amara in 11.23 Alpha and Omega.
- Believed by Dean to have been killed by Lucifer after trapping the archangel in Apocalypse World. Revealed to her sons to still be alive by Jack in 13.09 The Bad Place, having been captured and imprisoned by Michael.
- Accidentally killed by Jack off-screen in 14.17 Game Night. Attempted resurrection by Jack in 14.18 Absence, but only succeeded in restoring her body. Confirmed to be at peace and sharing a Heaven with John Winchester.
- God offers to resurrect Mary again if Dean kills Jack in 14.20 Moriah, but Dean refuses as he knows Mary wouldn't want that.
- Revealed in 15.06 Golden Time that Rowena had been working on a spell to resurrect Mary again without her body before they learned that she was at peace.
Jessica Moore
Jess is Sam's girlfriend, and her death occurs in the 1.01 Pilot as ordered by Azazel. Jess subsequently:
- Appears as a vision to Sam in 1.05 Bloody Mary.
- Appears in Dean's Wish Verse in 2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be.
- Appears as a vision created by Lucifer for Sam in 5.03 Free to Be You and Me.
Castiel
Castiel is killed by Raphael after he helps Dean escape from Zachariah in 4.22 Lucifer Rising. At that time, the force that resurrected him was unknown. In 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon, it is confirmed that it was God.
When Zachariah transports Dean to a version of the future in 5.04 The End, Future!Castiel is presumed to have been killed by demons near the end of the episode during Future!Dean's attempt to kill Lucifer.
Castiel is also killed by Lucifer after he Molotovs Michael with Holy Fire in 5.22 Swan Song. He is brought back "new and improved" by God after Lucifer's defeat. It is worth noting that when killed by both Raphael and Lucifer, Castiel "exploded. Like a water balloon of chunky soup."
When Castiel takes in the souls of Purgatory, he quickly begins to deteriorate. With Sam and Dean's help, he manages to send the souls back, but other creatures from Purgatory, the Leviathans, are also inside him. They take over his body and declare that Castiel is dead before walking his vessel into a reservoir where it disappears under the water, seemingly exploding and releasing the Leviathans. Dean finds Castiel's Trench Coat washed up on the shore and takes it with him.
Castiel is later found by Daphne Allen, wet and naked, with no memory of who he is. She claims that God led her to him and takes him home. Using the site bouncingbabynames.com, she helps him choose the name Emmanuel for him. They later marry, and she supports his work as a healer until Dean turns up seeking his help.
After regaining his memory and taking on Sam's insanity, Castiel tells Dean "it's a punishment resurrection. It's worse every time."
In 9.03 I'm No Angel, Castiel is killed by the Reaper April Kelly. He is later resurrected by Gadreel.
Castiel is once again killed by Lucifer in 12.23 All Along the Watchtower. At the end of 13.03 Patience he is awakened by Jack Kline in the Empty and 13.04 The Big Empty, he is revived by the Cosmic Entity. Despite being resurrected by the Cosmic Entity, Castiel later attributes his resurrection to Jack for an unknown reason despite Jack having only woken him up in the Empty.
Castiel is killed one last time in 15.18 Despair after fulfilling his end of the bargain with the Cosmic Entity when he finally gives himself permission to be happy. He summoned this entity and allowing it to take him and Billie to the Empty, sacrificing his life to save Dean. In 15.20 Carry On, Bobby reveals that Jack brought Castiel back from the Empty so that they could redesign Heaven for the better.
Jack Kline
After having his grace drained by Lucifer in 13.23 Let the Good Times Roll, Jack begins to die as his lack of grace causes his human and angel sides to attack each other. After a failed attempt to save Jack in 14.07 Unhuman Nature, he dies at the beginning of 14.08 Byzantium. The Winchesters and Castiel come up with a plan with Lily Sunder to resurrect Jack by retrieving his soul from Heaven and then using Enochian magic to sustain his body. After bargaining with the Cosmic Entity, Castiel temporarily resurrects Jack who performs the Enochian magic that heals his condition and makes his resurrection permanent.
In 14.20 Moriah, Jack is killed by God via smiting after Dean refuses to kill Jack with the Equalizer. Jack then awakens in the Empty where he is greeted by the Cosmic Entity and Billie who tells him that they need to talk about what has happened.
From 15.01 Back and to the Future to 15.03 The Rupture, Jack's corpse is possessed by the demon Belphegor to manifest on Earth. When Castiel prepares to kill him, Belphegor claims to be Jack, but Castiel sees through the lie and smites the demon. This second smiting burns Jack's corpse into a charred skeleton that is left on the floor of Lilith's Chamber when Castiel flees Hell.
At the end of 15.09 The Trap, Billie appears to Jack in the Empty to tell him that "it's time." In 15.11 The Gamblers, Jack is revealed to have been resurrected once again by Billie to fight God. Having been hidden in the Empty for safety until God left the Earth, Billie resurrected Jack with a plan that will allow him to become strong enough to kill God Himself.
Bobby Singer
Bobby is apparently killed by people infected by the Croatoan virus in the alternate future in 5.04 The End.
He first dies in reality when his neck is snapped by Lucifer in 5.22 Swan Song, but he is later resurrected by Castiel.
After being shot in 7.09 How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters by Dick Roman, he enters a coma and then dies in 7.10 Death's Door. However, Bobby chooses not to cross over, and stays on Earth as a ghost.
Bobby eventually becomes consumed by rage toward Dick Roman and starts becoming a vengeful spirit, so at his own request, Sam and Dean burn the hip flask he is attached to and dispatch him.
Bobby's soul returns in 8.19 Taxi Driver where Sam travels into Hell to rescue him as part of the second trial. Despite being little more than a ghost, Bobby seems to be solid, as he is able to interact with Sam and the demon-killing knife with no issues. With the help of Benny Lafitte, Sam gets out of Purgatory with Bobby's soul in his arm, and thanks to Naomi stopping Crowley, his soul is released into Heaven where it belongs. However, Bobby expresses interest in being resurrected again if Sam and Dean find a way.
In 10.17 Inside Man Sam and Dean contact him in Heaven to help free Metatron.
Bobby also appears as part of Sam's subconscious in 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here, and in a flashback with Rufus in 11.16 Safe House.
In 15.20 Carry On, Bobby appears in Heaven again when Dean dies for the final time and is greeted by Bobby outside of Harvelle's Roadhouse. It's revealed that he was locked up in Heaven's prison for helping to break out Metatron, but was released by Jack after he became the new God.
A version of Bobby exists in Apocalypse World.
Crowley
- As a human, Crowley died at some point before 1723 as revealed in 6.04 Weekend at Bobby's.
- Crowley appears to die in 6.10 Caged Heat when Castiel incinerates his bones, but reappears alive in 6.19 Mommy Dearest, having faked his death with Castiel's help.
- Crowley is apparently killed by Lucifer in 12.21 There's Something About Mary with even the British Men of Letters believing him to be gone in 12.22 Who We Are. It's later revealed in 12.23 All Along the Watchtower that Crowley survived, having fled into the body of a rat to escape.
- Crowley dies for real in 12.23 All Along the Watchtower when he stabs himself with an angel blade, sacrificing his life to imprison Lucifer in Apocalypse World.
The Impala
The Impala has had her own brushes with death. In 1.22 Devil's Trap, the Impala is crushed by a semi-truck being driven by a demon. Bobby refers to the Impala as having been totaled, but Dean is able to repair her. The Impala is also shown destroyed in the alternate future of 5.04 The End. The Impala is damaged in 6.14 Mannequin 3: The Reckoning, and Dean is seen repairing it at the end of the episode. It is later overturned by a cloud of demons in 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much, and left upside down with all its windows blown out. Dean straightens her body, fixes the windows, and repaints her in 7.01 Meet the New Boss. The Impala is damaged in 7.23 Survival of the Fittest when Meg crashes it into the SucroCorp sign. It is repaired by Sam during the time between Survival of the Fittest 8.01 We Need to Talk About Kevin. In 11.04 Baby, the Impala is severely damaged when Deputy Donnelly crashes the Impala during a fight with Dean. Though smashed up badly, the car still runs, albeit rough and Dean is able to drive it home. It is repaired by the start of 11.05 Thin Lizzie. In 12.01 Keep Calm and Carry On, the Impala is damaged when Ms. Watt rams it, though it doesn't impair the use of the vehicle. Dean later repairs the car. In 15.10 The Heroes' Journey and 15.11 The Gamblers, the Impala suffers various issues, including breakdowns, after God "downgrades" the Winchesters back to normal people. The problems cease when Fortuna restores Sam and Dean's luck.
Samuel Campbell
Samuel is possessed and killed by Azazel in 1973 in 4.03 In the Beginning, and later resurrected by Crowley sometime prior to 6.01 Exile on Main St. (nearly 40 years later). Sam kills him in 6.16 ...And Then There Were None while Samuel is possessed by the Khan Worm.
Gabriel
- As the Trickster, Gabriel is apparently killed by Dean with a wooden stake in 2.15 Tall Tales. At the end of the episode, its revealed that Dean killed a fake Trickster. Sam and Dean learn of his survival in 3.11 Mystery Spot.
- Sam apparently kills Gabriel as the Trickster with a wooden branch in 5.08 Changing Channels. The Winchesters later realize that the Trickster survived when Sam is merged with the Impala. Gabriel's survival and some other clues cause Dean to realize that he's an angel.
- In 5.19 Hammer of the Gods, Gabriel is apparently killed by Lucifer with his own archangel blade while buying the Winchesters and Kali time to escape. Everyone, including both Lucifer and God, believe Gabriel to be truly dead after this.
- In 9.18 Meta Fiction, Gabriel appears to enlist Castiel's help in raising an angel army to fight against Metatron. Gabriel claims that he faked his death once again and hid out in Heaven, but was injured by the Fall. Castiel later realizes that its all only an illusion, but Gabriel doesn't answer when Castiel asks his brother if its really him and if Gabriel is really alive or dead.
- In 13.13 Devil's Bargain, nearly eight years after Gabriel's apparent death, the Prince of Hell Asmodeus reveals to Arthur Ketch that Gabriel is in fact alive and his prisoner. Sam and Dean learn of this after Ketch rescues Gabriel in 13.17 The Thing and brings him to the Men of Letters Bunker. In 13.18 Bring 'em Back Alive, the story Gabriel writes on the walls of a room reveals that he had faked his death again with Lucifer killing yet another double before he went into hiding and was eventually betrayed and sold to the Prince of Hell. In 13.20 Unfinished Business, Gabriel expands upon this story and explains Loki and his family's betrayal. In 14.07 Unhuman Nature, its revealed that Gabriel hid from everyone's detection by using a cloaking spell from Sergei.
- In 13.22 Exodus, Gabriel sacrifices himself to hold off the Apocalypse World Michael and buy his friends some time to escape. No match for the stronger archangel, Gabriel is killed by Michael with an archangel blade. This time, his death appears to be genuine.
Kevin Tran
- In 8.21 The Great Escapist, Kevin's video message to Sam and Dean after his disappearance suggests that he is most likely dead with Sam and Dean sharing a belief that Kevin is gone, unaware that he was actually kidnapped by Crowley. Kevin is subsequently rescued by Metatron.
- In 9.09 Holy Terror, Kevin is killed by Gadreel on Metatron's orders via smiting. Dean gives him a Hunter's Funeral in 9.10 Road Trip.
- In 9.14 Captives, Kevin returns as a ghost, having been trapped in the Veil by Heaven being closed. After the rescue of his mother, Kevin's ghost leaves with her until he can enter Heaven when it is reopened.
- Kevin returns as a ghost in 11.21 All in the Family, called in by God to help confirm His identity. God tells Kevin that he has been stuck in the Veil for too long and with a wave of His hand, apparently sends Kevin's soul to its final resting place in Heaven.
- In 13.07 War of the Worlds, Lucifer encounters an Apocalypse World Kevin and comments on how the Kevin of his world is dead. The Winchesters are surprised to learn of this alternate Kevin in 13.13 Devil's Bargain, mistaking him for their own dead Kevin.
- In 13.20 Unfinished Business, the alternate Kevin commits a magical suicide bombing on the orders of Michael who promises to reunite Kevin with his mother in Heaven. Only Jack and Mary Winchester survive.
- In 15.02 Raising Hell, the Kevin of the Winchesters' world returns as one of the Hell Ghosts. Kevin reveals that God lied and instead condemned his soul to Hell. With Belphegor revealing that a soul can never go to Heaven once it has been condemned to Hell, Kevin chooses to wander the Earth as an untethered ghost, risking going insane over an eternity of torture in Hell.
Linda Tran
- When Crowley kidnaps Kevin in 8.19 Taxi Driver, he claims to have killed Linda before he got Kevin's address from her Smartphone. In 8.23 Sacrifice, Kevin shows a belief that Crowley was telling the truth. In 9.02 Devil May Care, Crowley claims to Kevin that Linda is still alive and offers to take Kevin to her if he releases him. Kevin refuses and Dean later tells the young man that if Linda is still alive, she is as good as dead anyway.
- In 9.14 Captives, Kevin's ghost learns from other ghosts that Linda is still alive and in Wichita, Kansas. The Winchesters manage to rescue Linda and reunite her with her son.
- In 13.20 Unfinished Business, the Apocalypse World Kevin reveals that his mother died during the alternate reality version of the Apocalypse. Michael has promised to ensure that Kevin and Linda are reunited in Heaven to get Kevin to perform a magical suicide bombing.
Billie
Billie the reaper is killed by Castiel to prevent her from collecting on the deal she made with Sam and Dean which would've cost one of them their lives. She is reborn as Death for over two years until she is killed again by the Cosmic Entity in 15.18 Despair. Her death is confirmed in 15.19 Inherit the Earth as Betty becomes the new Death when Lucifer kills her, the same way Billie became the new Death following the demise of the previous incarnation of Death.
Lucifer
Lucifer is finally killed by Dean with the archangel blade in 13.23 Let the Good Times Roll while Dean is acting as a vessel for the Apocalypse World Michael. However, he is awakened in the Empty by Nick's prayer in 14.07 Unhuman Nature. Nick performs a spell to resurrect Lucifer in 14.17 Game Night, successfully pulling the archangel to Earth. However, they are interrupted by Jack Kline who kills Nick and sends Lucifer back to the Empty before he can be fully revived. In 15.19 Inherit the Earth, Lucifer is resurrected by God in order to get Chuck's Death Book. However, his resurrection is short-lived as Lucifer is killed for a second time by Michael.
Nick
Lucifer's primary vessel Nick is apparently burned out by the archangel's possession over the course of a year from 5.01 Sympathy for the Devil to 5.22 Swan Song. He is seen lying, apparently dead, on the ground after Lucifer possesses Sam. However, in 14.01 Stranger in a Strange Land, Nick is revealed to be alive following the death of Lucifer. It is left unclear if he was actually dead after Lucifer left him or if Crowley resurrected Nick when he restored his body to act as Lucifer's vessel again prior to 12.08 LOTUS and 12.13 Family Feud. Nick is later killed by Jack Kline in 14.17 Game Night for trying to resurrect Lucifer. In 15.19 Inherit the Earth, when Lucifer is resurrected by God, he returns in the form of Nick, but Nick has not been restored as God simply resurrected Lucifer in his form. When Lucifer is killed for a second time, he bursts into ash, leaving nothing behind.
Rowena
The witch mother of Crowley. She has suffered multiple apparently permanent demises on the show.
- Lucifer snapped her neck in 11.10 The Devil in the Details to prevent Rowena from sending him back to the Cage. After being believed gone for some time, she is revealed in 11.18 Hell's Angel to have been resurrected by a Resurrection Charm hidden in her own body.
- Lucifer crushed Rowena's head and burned her body in 12.23 All Along the Watchtower in an effort to prevent her from being resurrected again. Multiple characters believe that Rowena is truly gone after this, though Arthur Ketch suggests that Rowena survived in 13.07 War of the Worlds. In 13.12 Various & Sundry Villains, Rowena is revealed to have indeed been resurrected again, though the damage she suffered required a long period of time to recover. Subsequently in 13.19 Funeralia, the Reaper Jessica reveals that every version of Rowena's ultimate fate has her killed by Sam.
- In 15.03 The Rupture, Rowena decides to sacrifice herself to use a spell from the Book of the Damned to send all of the Hell Ghosts back. To accomplish this, she cuts out her last Resurrection Charm and has Sam fatally stab her before Rowena casts herself into Hell. As Rowena was fated to die at Sam's hands, this was believed to be the final end of her.
- In 15.08 Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven, its revealed that while Rowena is in fact dead, she has managed to become the new Queen of Hell following her permanent demise. As a result, Rowena appears once again after her believed final end to help the Winchesters and Castiel.
Arthur Ketch
A British Men of Letters operative turned mercenary hunter who has been both an ally and an enemy of the Winchesters.
- In 12.22 Who We Are, Ketch is shot in the head and killed by Mary Winchester when he tries to kill Dean. Its mentioned in 13.07 War of the Worlds that his body was subsequently dumped in a waste canal.
- In 13.07 War of the Worlds, Sam and Dean find a man who appears to be Ketch hunting witches and searching for Rowena MacLeod despite her death in 12.23 All Along the Watchtower. The man claims to be Ketch's twin brother Alexander with records apparently confirming his story. Its eventually revealed that the man really is a resurrected Arthur Ketch who explains that he made a deal with Rowena for a Resurrection Charm that brought him back and is seeking the witch for a recharge. In 13.13 Devil's Bargain, the Winchesters and Castiel initially plan to kill Ketch, burn his body and scatter his ashes to ensure that he won't come back again.
- In 15.03 The Rupture, Ketch is killed once again when the demon Ardat rips out and crushes his heart for not telling her where to find Sam, Dean and Belphegor. With no indication that Rowena gave him a new Resurrection Charm, this death is apparently final.
Deaths of Other Recurring Characters
- Abaddon: In 8.12 As Time Goes By, Henry Winchester shoots Abaddon in the head with a bullet engraved with a devil's trap. Dean decapitates her and she is then cut into small pieces and buried in cement. Technically she is not dead at this point, and Dean and Sam later dig her up and sew her back together. She is eventually killed by Dean with the First Blade in 9.21 King of the Damned.
- Adam Milligan: Killed by ghouls sometime prior to 4.19 Jump the Shark. Resurrected by angels in 5.18 Point of No Return and subsequently serves as Michael's vessel before falling into Lucifer's Cage in 5.22 Swan Song. Escaped with Michael during the events of 15.08 Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven and remains Michael's vessel, though he shares control with the archangel. In 15.19 Inherit the Earth, Michael reveals that Adam died once again when God erased every living thing from existence, although the archangel continues to use Adam's body as his vessel until Michael's own death. As Jack reversed God's erasure of every living thing, Adam would've been restored once again, though this time without Michael in his body for the first time in ten years.
- Alastair: Killed by Sam in 4.16 On the Head of a Pin. Reappears during Sam's hallucinations in 4.21 When the Levee Breaks.
- Anna Milton: Killed by Michael in 5.13 The Song Remains the Same.
- Andy: Killed by Ava in 2.21 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part One.
- Ash: Killed by demons in the Roadhouse in 2.21 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part One. Seen in Heaven in 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon.
- Ava: Killed by Jake in 2.21 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part One.
- Azazel: Killed by Dean with the Colt in 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two. Reappears in a flashback in 4.22 Lucifer Rising and in the time travel episode 4.03 In the Beginning. Appears as a djinn-induced hallucination in 6.01 Exile on Main St.
- Balthazar: Killed by Castiel with an Angel Blade in 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much.
- Bela Talbot: Killed by hellhounds when Lilith collects on the deal she had made with a Crossroads Demon ten years previously.
- Belphegor: Killed by Castiel via smiting in 15.03 The Rupture after his deception and manipulations were revealed.
- Benny Lafitte: (AKA Benjamin Lafitte) Killed by Dean to guide Sam and Bobby out of Purgatory in 8.19 Taxi Driver. Previously killed by Sorrento but resurrected by Dean. In 2020, its revealed by a Leviathan that he is dead in Purgatory as well.
- Charlie Bradbury: Killed by The Wicked Witch of the West in 9.04 Slumber Party when she jumps into the witch's spell to save Dean. She is brought back to life by Ezekiel at Dean's request. She is later killed in 10.21 Dark Dynasty by Eldon Styne. A version of Charlie exists in Apocalypse World.
- Christian Campbell: Neck snapped by the Alpha Vampire in 6.07 Family Matters. However, it is quickly revealed that Christian was possessed, as he revives with black eyes. He disappears with a group of demons that capture and transport the Alpha Vampire. The demon possessing Christian is killed in 6.10 Caged Heat when Dean stabs him with the demon-killing knife.
- Daniel Elkins: Killed by vampires in 1.20 Dead Man's Blood. Reappears when Dean travels back to the past in 4.03 In the Beginning.
- Death is killed by Dean in 10.23 Brother's Keeper. The role is taken over by Billie.
- Dick Roman: Dick is killed by Dean and Castiel using their specially-prepared weapon in 7.23 Survival of the Fittest.
- Dr Gaines: Bibbed (made to eat himself) by Dick Roman in 7.09 How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters.
- Eileen Leahy: Killed and dragged to Hell by a hellhound controlled by Mr. Ketch in 2019. Returned as a Hell Ghost and resurrected by Sam Winchester in 2019. Later revealed that God manipulated events so that she would be resurrected as part of His plans.
- Eleanor Visyak: Fatally wounded by Castiel and Crowley, who torture her for information. We see her die in Sam's fractured memories in 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much.
- Ellen Harvelle: Killed by a bomb in 5.10 Abandon All Hope.... In the alternate timeline of 6.17 My Heart Will Go On, Ellen is alive and married to Bobby.
- Eve: Killed by drinking Dean's phoenix ash-laced blood in 6.19 Mommy Dearest.
- Frank Devereaux: Killed by Leviathans in 7.16 Out with the Old, though no body was recovered.
- Gadreel: Killed himself in 9.23 Do You Believe in Miracles?.
- Gordon Walker: Turned into a vampire by Dixon and then killed by Sam in 3.07 Fresh Blood.
- Gwen Campbell: Killed by Dean while he was possessed by the Khan Worm in 6.16 ...And Then There Were None.
- Jo Harvelle: Killed by hellhounds in 5.10 Abandon All Hope.... In the alternate timeline of 6.17 My Heart Will Go On, Jo is alive and hunting with her own group, and occasionally her mother. Reappears as a ghost in 7.04 Defending Your Life.
- Karen Singer: Killed (stabbed) by Bobby when she becomes possessed. Killed again (shot) by Bobby after she is raised by Death as a zombie in 5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. Reappears as a manifestation of Bobby's subconscious in 7.10 Death's Door. In 14.05 Nightmare Logic, its revealed that the Apocalypse World version of Karen is also dead, having died under tragic circumstances that drove her son and husband to hunting.
- Kubrick: Killed by Gordon in 3.07 Fresh Blood.
- Lenore: Killed by Castiel at her own request in 6.19 Mommy Dearest.
- Lilith: Originally killed by Sam in 4.22 Lucifer Rising. Resurrected by God in 2019. Killed by Michael shortly after her resurrection.
- Metatron was killed by Amara in 11.21 All in the Family.
- Meg Masters: "Killed" when she falls from a window in 1.16 Shadow and dies when Sam and Dean exorcise the demon Meg in 1.22 Devil's Trap. Reappears as a vengeful spirit in 4.02 Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester. The demon possesses Sam in 2.14 Born Under a Bad Sign and reappears in 5.01 Sympathy for the Devil. She is then thrown into a ring of Holy Fire by Castiel in 5.10 Abandon All Hope.... The demon returns in 6.10 Caged Heat and in 7.21 Reading Is Fundamental. The demon is killed in 8.17 Goodbye Stranger by Crowley.
- Michael: Smote by God in 15.19 Inherit the Earth for his previous betrayal of God.
- Naomi: Faked her death in 8.23 Sacrifice and revealed to be alive in 13.19 Funeralia.
- Pamela Barnes: Killed by a demon in 4.15 Death Takes a Holiday. Seen in Heaven in 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon.
- Raphael: Killed by Castiel, who took in a massive amount of souls in 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much.
- Ronald Resnick: Killed by a SWAT sniper in 2.12 Nightshifter. Reappears as a vengeful spirit in 4.02 Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester.
- Ruby: Died sometime in the Dark Ages, then became a demon. Lilith appears to perform something equivalent to an exorcism on her in 3.16 No Rest for the Wicked. When she returns, Ruby claims to have been sent to the far reaches of Hell, but her complicity with Lilith calls her story into question. She is killed by Dean in 4.22 Lucifer Rising.
- Rufus Turner: Killed by Bobby while he was possessed by the Khan Worm in 6.16 ...And Then There Were None. Reappears as a manifestation of Bobby's subconscious in 7.10 Death's Door and in a flashback in 11.16 Safe House.
- Tessa: Killed herself with the First Blade in 9.22 Stairway to Heaven.
- Uriel: Killed by Anna in 4.16 On the Head of a Pin. A younger version of him appears in 5.13 The Song Remains the Same.
- Victor Henriksen: Killed by Lilith in 3.12 Jus in Bello. Reappears as a vengeful spirit in 4.02 Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester.
- Zachariah: Killed by Dean in 5.18 Point of No Return. His double from Apocalypse World was killed by Jack Kline in 13.14 Good Intentions and an alternate timeline version of Zachariah is also killed in 14.13 Lebanon by Sam.