supernatural fictional character drama horror television series supernatural protagonist comic book spin series supernatural origins developed series creator character mainly portrayed john father sam protagonists seeking revenge wife mary killed demon hunter raised sons fight supernatural john disappears early supernatural season revolves primarily sam dean trying find morgan filming episodes grey anatomy season supernatural production future appearances character hindered busy schedule morgan portrayal praised fans critics generally frustrated character keeping secrets plot father series protagonists sam appears pilot episode series plot devices flashbacks time travel detail background later seasons apparently abandoned father young age father actually died serving secret order known grew man john left high school join marine_corps eventually attaining rank corporal receiving medals service vietnam leaving service found job mechanic fell love fourth season episode beginning dean sent time angel dean meets parents ends convincing john buy eventually dean later watches john killed demon exchange mary permission enter house years angel travels time fifth season episode song remains prevent sam dean john agrees serve temporary vessel michael stop michael subsequently kills anna john mary memories incident later uses pact mary enter home pilot episode ultimately kills second season episode hell breaks loose reveals witnessed demon secretly feeding blood sam john investigated incident learned existence supernatural desire find kill led hunter supernatural creatures took sons travels left long periods time hunts leaving dean instructions shoot ask questions later watching sam revealed fourth season episode jump shark john slept woman met away hunt learning decade later fathered son adam john occasional visits years father son activities hid truth adam protect revealed existence sam dean vice versa john trained sam dean hunters sam later left life start college leading fallout john son years mary death john disappears hunt forcing sam dean reunite unsuccessful attempt find sam returns life hunter kills girlfriend john reluctantly chooses avoid sons season investigates eventually reuniting episode shadow demonic attacks reveals john escaping brothers split father demons vampires murder old mentor steal mystical gun capable killing john teams sam dean dead man blood retrieve demons killed conventional means hope effective response begins killing friends salvation threatens kill deliver john captured trying fake gun reveals possessed brothers come rescue season finale devil trap manages resist demon control despite john pleas sam shoot sam bring allows escape flee dean possessed crashes second season premiere time dying sam john awake hospital minor injuries dying dean john secretly summons know demon plans makes deal save dean giving life soul dying john instructs dean kill sam evil fourth season episode head pin reveals demon tortured john hell century john refusing demon offer stop torture soul escapes hell second season finale hell breaks loose gateway hell opened saves dean demon long dean kill john gives sam dean loving smile white light fifth season episode dark moon suggests heaven characterization actor morgan deemed john soul motivated equal combination revenge protecting sons following death mother sam dean secondary john quest killing demon responsible morgan believed aspect changed john began spending time thought john world best dad definitely lot mistakes actor noted things wrong good sons buddytv felt reasoning extended john decision hide truth adam protect suggested john involved adam life achieve level father opportunity previously lost following death sam dean mother overall morgan felt john loved kids loved life character demonic pact serving way finding redemption portrayal character morgan commented played extra angst think page knowing going tell lot going head going anybody including sons lot going later confirmed stating view john knew producers know john knew stuff ready reveal won come couple seasons awesome hunter time showed dead man blood knew development writing pilot episode series creator dramatic revisions john storyline draft script sam dean raised aunt uncle changed realized backstory complicated having john raise road revision john dying end episode instead sam girlfriend survives final version pilot writers decided halfway production season john die believed separation sons split having away interesting things boys felt john kept sam dean away lines death required allow brothers explore investigate confront yellow eyed demon directly writers initially intended john die car accident devil trap ultimately postponed death prevent finale dark following character eventual escape hell executive producer stated writers unsure john soul ended evil dead actor choice portray character campbell unavailable eventually received role fact morgan scene pilot episode takes place years series morgan expected replaced older actor subsequent episodes years older portrays eldest son dean morgan surprised asked reprise role teased age difference filming season morgan frustrated times character avoidance sons stating everybody actors audience watching knew gon reasoned john motivation actions having knowledge production supernatural season morgan working shows grey anatomy traveling forth los_angeles vancouver interfered times morgan acting trouble getting winchester portraying nice character grey anatomy morgan commented stuck land nice winchester harder find intense guy john guy having trouble living charming morgan reluctant return supernatural second season role grey anatomy lent voice season episode long distance future appearances morgan character second season hindered actor busy schedule writer stated love scheduling conflict continued sixth season supernatural executive producer revealing writers considered bringing character alternate reality episode heart instead concerns able secure morgan return ultimately chose ellen deceased character temporarily return episode production fifth season morgan interview stated contacted making appearance expressed desire return episode believed final season enjoying working screen sons felt john storyline ended soon reception critics praised morgan performance role reaction character generally mixed buddytv felt john divisive character fans understanding john motivation keeping sons dark williams found character completely fascinating chose time dying second best episode series mainly john contributions stating huge fan think impossible moved final minutes episode john final speech dean finally tells son proud hell tear knock scene park williams praised performance younger version character time travel episode beginning believing excellent job portraying innocent seen ign criticized john lack explanation feeling exactly easy watch john treat dean sam especially nearly killing season find praised morgan acting writing series effective john felt brought emotional weight character allowing audience feel john resignation things likely enjoyed morgan performance happy character killed john presence sam dean followers merely existing wake father father gone brothers longer prevented heading battle
John Winchester (Supernatural)