Supernatural: Your Burning Questions Answered!

While another Thursday at 9 pm show is notorious for keeping secrets, Supernaturalis not. We invited TVGuide.com readers to send in their questions about the chiller-thriller, and creator Eric Kripke happily answered. While he doesn't spoil everything  you'll just have to keep watching to find out about Sam's powers or Dean's amulet he does offer juicy tidbits about why John was killed off, when that notorious demon will be rearing its ugly head, and what to expect during November sweeps.

Question: Any hints as to what's to come during November sweeps? And also, many thanks for not killing off the Metallicar! agtspooky
Kripke: You're welcome. I'd never let anything happen to that car! In November, the boys face the homicidal spirit of H.H. Holmes, America's first serial killer I think it's a pretty scary friggin' episode. In another, the law finally catches up to the boys for all the felonies they've been committing over the past few years. (The lead detective is played by Linda Blair). And in the final sweeps episode, Dean confronts a female demon, and he learns for sure that John made a demonic deal to save Dean's life, which of course further screws up an already screwed-up Dean.

Question: Will we ever find out why Dean's eyes bled in "Bloody Mary"? mariec
Kripke: Yes, but not any time soon. One day...

Question: Was it always your plan to have John Winchester die in order to advance the plotline? escapism101
Kripke: Yes, it was always in the cards. It was never a question of "if," it was a question of "when." We knew it would make the stories more intense and vital if the boys were chasing and fighting the Demon themselves, instead of simply chasing Dad. It makes the boys alone, scared, outgunned, overwhelmed, with the odds stacked against them which will be good drama. And the overall emotional story for the series, after all, is how these boys become men, and for that to happen, their mentor has to die and they have to step up and take his place.

Question: In the season premiere, when John is bargaining for Dean's life, the Demon says Dean is not much of a threat, and that neither is Sam. To me, that means they are both definitely a threat. Are we going to find out how much and why sometime this season? Also, are the Winchesters the only family that the Demon has attacked where there has been more than one child? Max was an only child, and so was the baby in Salvation, but this is obviously not the case with the Winchesters.  notenufTV
Kripke: I can't really answer that first question, but I can say this: We will definitely learn this season why the Demon has chosen Sam and the other children, and we get a better sense of what the Demon's plan is. For the second question, I can say that yes, there are definitely other families with more than one child. It's not just the Winchesters. You're going to meet one of those families soon.

Question: I've heard rumors of plans for a tie-in comic book telling tales from the days when John was learning to be a hunter and traveling with his little boys. Any more information on when that might happen, who would be working on it, and whether there are any plans for other show-related merchandise (hint-hint, like a soundtrack)? The classic rock is great, but I can get that already; I'd love Chris Lennertz's and Jay Gruska's underscores!   Bardicvoice
Kripke: Unfortunately, there currently aren't any plans for a musical-score soundtrack, but I'll pass on your compliments to Chris and Jay. They'll be happy to hear it. As for a comic book, we're hoping to get one out by summer [2007], if all goes well. Peter Johnson, our co-executive producer, is planning on writing it, and not only is he a member of the gang who knows all the ins and outs of the mythology, but he also wrote a series for Marvel called Powerless, so he's the perfect person for the job. And yes, the concept is to tell the John Winchester story, to show how he became a hunter, how he met Bobby, Ellen, etc., to answer questions that seem to nag everybody. For instance, where the hell did John keep the boys when he went off on hunts? Who took care of them? We have answers, and the comic will be another way to present them.

Question: Why Lawrence? I live in Lawrence, Kansas, and have to admit, the boys being from there was what initially drew me to the show last year. I expected Kripke to be from our little college town, but, alas, Ohio. So... why Lawrence? gaelicspirit8
Kripke: I chose Lawrence because of its proximity to Stull Cemetery, and the urban legends that come out of there. You're a local, so you probably know what I'm talking about!

Question: Is it easier or more difficult to show and develop Sam and Dean's relationship, as well as tell the overall story, with only two regulars on the show? In terms of finding reasons for them to interact and talk, potential audience fatigue, etc.... JenJenJen
Kripke: It is challenging. Almost every episode, we need to tell an emotional or relationship story about the boys, or else some other kind of deeper thematic, so that it's not just about monster hunting or shallow horror-movie stuff. We always say it's not a show about monsters, it's a show about family, so yes, in the writers' room, we work very hard to find those emotional stories, and ones that we haven't told yet. Luckily for us (and unlucky for Sam and Dean), they've suffered so much tragedy and loss, and they're so wildly dysfunctional, that we haven't run out of emotional stories yet  and it doesn't look like we're going to anytime soon.

Question: Are you expecting the death of John to have a "significant" change on the personality of both boys making Dean more capable of a relationship with Jo, for example  or does it go back to being Dean and Sam from Season 1 after a little while? ugahill
Kripke: On the surface, Sam and Dean will seem very much like themselves Dean will be a smart-ass, Sam will be empathetic. However, on a deeper level, John's death had a major impact on them and in many ways caused them to shift roles. Sam, once reluctant to become a hunter, begins to accept his role in the family business, because he wants to respect his father's memory. Dean, on the other hand, begins to buckle under the pressure from the pain of John's death, from the secret that John burdened him with before he died. Dean begins to act in more violent, more reckless, more hard-core ways. Don't worry, Dean will still be the charming, devil-may-care guy you know and love, but every so often you see a crack in the facade, and when you do, it's scary.

Question: Is the Colt the only way to kill the Demon? sfoster1
Kripke: No. There will be other ways. But the boys have to find them first.

Question: Is "the truth" that John was looking for in "Home" the information that he knows about the special children? sfoster1
Kripke: You're correct. "The truth" John was looking for was the truth about Sam and the other children like him. In my mind, when John shows up in "Dead Man's Blood," he knows all the secrets. He was just keeping them to himself.

Question: Since it's driving me nuts (eight-plus hours of book/computer-research nuts so far), could you please tell us: A) what Dean's necklace represents, and B) if it will ever come into play? greeneyedgal
Kripke: Sorry. Don't go nuts. Yes, it will definitely come into play, but no, I'm not ready to tell anyone what it represents. But it represents something, for sure.

Question: Any more appearances for Bobby or Missouri? Jim Beaver is endearing. Bobby would make an excellent surrogate father and best friend to the brothers, while Loretta Devine kicks all sorts of butt in the charm department. galveston
Kripke: We'd like to bring Missouri back, we just need to figure out the right story in which to do it. As for Bobby, he's definitely coming back soon. We're working on a story right now in which Bobby plays a part.

Question: I'm wondering if we're going to learn more about Sam's abilities in the near future? Related to that, when Mary apologized to Sam in "Home," what was she sorry for? If she had been apologizing for not being there for him while he was growing up, she'd have apologized to Dean, as well. Will this ever be addressed? Jonisa
Kripke: Yes, we're going to learn more about these abilities. As for Mary, well done  you're paying attention. I can't tell you yet what Mary is apologizing for, but it's definitely tied into Sam's abilities and what Mary knows about them.

Question: Why on earth is Dean lying to Sam about John's final words? Jonisa
Kripke: John made Dean promise not to tell Sam. Once you hear what the final words are, you'll understand. And yes, you will hear what they are. We reveal the secret mid-season. Dean can't handle the burden any longer, and tells Sam the truth.

Question: Will the brothers meet back up with the Demon this season? November'sGuest
Kripke: Definitely.

Got a question about the Winchesters' wild world? Share it in our Supernatural TV Show Commentary blog, and we'll see what we can do about getting it answered!