Supernatural: Dean's Back But Something Is Off About Him

It's been a rough season for the Winchesters on Supernatural with Michael parading around in Dean's (Jensen Ackles) body attempting to build what he believes will be a better world. Dean's absence had already begun to take its toll on Sam (Jared Padalecki), who'd been crumbling under the weight of leading a group of rowdy Apocalypse World hunters while desperately searching for his missing older bro.

Although Sam had his doubts about whether or not he'll find Dean, we all knew the elder Winchester would return at some point this season. But now that he's back, there's something off about him. According to Supernatural executive producer Eugenie Ross-Leming, Dean's inevitable return won't go the way you think and the happy reunion will be marred by an underlying threat.

"Whenever he comes back, there will be a sort of twist to his return, which I can't tell you about," she teased to TV Guide. "It's subtle. It doesn't show up right away, but if you keep watching, there will be signs of it."

Ross-Leming remains tight-lipped about what that twist might be but something tells us Michael leaving Dean's body won't be the end of Team Free Will's problems. Especially since Michael, while a formidable foe, won't be this season's big bad. The question is, what other supernatural force will the Winchesters be up against?

Additional reporting by Lindsay MacDonald.

Supernatural airs Thursdays at 8/7c on the CW.

(Full disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies.)