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Not even Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki could have foreseen Supernatural‘s impact as not only the CW’s longest-running series but also one of the most beloved shows from the network.As the occult drama gears up for its 15th and final season this fall, this weird little show about a pair of ass-kicking brothers who hunt demons for a living remains as popular and relevant as ever. After a game-changing season finale that found the Winchesters pitted against their biggest foe yet in Chuck (Rob Benedict)‚ who literally unleashed Hell on Earth, the show is set to go out in a “BIG!!! REAL BIG!!!” way.
The road to get to this point has been difficult, if not thrilling, as the brothers faced their fair share of strife, from close calls with death (and actually dying) to going toe-to-toe with powerful beings hell bent on ending the world. With the show coming to an end after exploring so many narratives over the course of the series, we’ve ranked every season (so far) from worst to best.
Check out the full ranking below and then add your own input in our interactive poll.
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14. Season 7
Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, Supernatural
Between convoluted storylines and the Winchesters facing loss after loss, this just wasn’t a fun season at all. After absorbing the souls from purgatory and declaring himself the new God, Cas (Misha Collins) turned into a Grade-A jerk and abandoned Sam and Dean to rule heaven. But as it turns out, his mind was being controlled by the Leviathans, Sam and Dean’s biggest threat. It was a season of loss for the Winchesters with the death of Bobby (Jim Beaver), who became a vengeful spirit at one point before finally being put to rest. Plus, Sam was left all alone when Dean and Cas wound up in purgatory and Crowley (Mark Sheppard) abducted Kevin (Osric Chau) and Meg (Rachel Miner). It was all too much for the youngest Winchester, who decided to quit the hunting game. Yeah, not a fun season.
13. Season 12
Mark Sheppard, Jensen Ackles, Samantha Smith and Jared Padalecki, Supernatural
For a season that included Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) possessing a rock star named Vince Vincente (played by Rick Springfield), Season 12 was pretty dull. Sam and Dean returned to form, hunting monsters of the week alongside their mother Mary (Samantha Smith) and even took on a group of Nazi necromancers trying to resurrect Adolph Hitler. But it all sort of meshed together. Despite the lack of excitement, however, this season also gave us the birth of Jack (Alexander Calvert), the Nephilim son of Lucifer and human Kelly Kline (Courtney Ford), and turned Cas into a surrogate dad, so there’s that.
12. Season 9
Jensen Ackles, Supernatural
We hate to see Sam and Dean fight, which is why this season ranks so low on the list. The fallout from Sam trying to close the gates of hell resulted in him nearly dying, leading to Ezekiel possessing his body. Taking control of Sam, Ezekial killed Kevin and the fallout left Sam and Dean’s relationship strained as they grieved over their fallen friend. It was also the season in which Dean went straight up evil thanks to the Mark of Cain and turned into a bloodthirsty killer with super strength. After being stabbed in the heart by the Metatron (Curtis Armstrong), Crowley resurrects him as a demon, an unsatisfactory ending to a tumultuous season.
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11. Season 10
Julian Richings, Supernatural
Season 10 improved over Season 9 with the introduction of Rowena (Ruth Connell), Crowley’s powerful witch mother whose lively spirit made her an interesting villain/ally to watch. The stakes were high for Sam, who searched for his missing brother while a weakened Cas faced a grim future as his grace slowly drained from his vessel. They eventually reunited, but Dean, still bearing the Mark of Cain, endured the consequences, which included an insatiable lust for killing and uncontrollable rage. Forced to fight Sam to the death, the season delivered an epic brother moment when Dean chose to kill Death instead of his brother. Oh, and Rowena eventually removed the mark, but Cas was left under a dog attack spell that made him more dangerous than ever.
10. Season 8
Mark Sheppard, Supernatural
This season doesn’t get enough credit for how decent it actually was. Sure, Sam and Dean fought over their less-than-savory choices–Dean was upset Sam retired from hunting and Sam was not cool with Dean letting a vampire live– but it also gave us the unlikely team-up of the Winchesters and Crowley and introduced us to the Men of Letters. Plus, the season ender, in which Sam, Dean, Cas, Kevin, and Crowley watched helplessly as angels fell from heaven, was unforgettable.
9. Season 11
Rob Benedict, Supernatural
At best, this was a middle-of-the-road season full of episodes that all seemed to mesh together. However, it delivered several memorable ones, including “Baby,” which took place entirely from the perspective of the Impala. It’s also the season we first met the reaper Billie, who dropped an ominous warning on Sam and Dean: the next time they die, she’ll send them to the Big Empty, an endless void of nothingness. With Cas still under an attack spell, the Winchesters turned to Rowena to remove it, which she eventually did. But the season went out with a bang when Cas found himself banished and Sam was shot, his fate unknown. On the plus side, Dean was gifted his resurrected mom Mary after convincing Amara to leave Earth instead of destroying it. Oh, and the show finally, officially, 100 percent confirmed that Chuck (Rob Benedict) was God.
8. Season 6
Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins, Supernatural
This season had a lot going on; Dean was living a normal life away from demon hunting and Sam teamed up with their grandfather Samuel, who was actually working for Crowley. Meanwhile, Cas was stuck dealing with a civil war in heaven thanks to the archangel Raphael, who planned to free Michael and Lucifer and start the apocalypse. This season, we were also introduced to a soulless Sam who came back from hell a different person and committed some heinous acts, like attempting to kill Bobby. On the other hand, this season delivered one of the show’s most memorable episodes, “The French Mistake,” which found Sam and Dean thrown into an alternate universe in which they were known as Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, actors on a TV show called Supernatural. Meta, right?
7. Season 13
Alexander Calvert, Supernatural
In Season 13, the Supernatural family expanded to include Jack, the son of Lucifer and Kelly Kline. We saw a different side of Sam, who took the young Nephilim under his wing as Cas was lost in the Big Empty. Plus, the show traveled to an apocalyptic universe where we got to see some familiar characters, albeit alternate versions. It was also the season that delivered “Scoobynatural,” the epic animated crossover between Supernatural and Scooby-Doo, automatically ensuring a higher place on this list. It was really a season of experimentation, as the show also tried to launch the spin-off Wayward Sisters.
6. Season 14
Supernatural
Season 14 took the show into uncharted territory with Michael possessing Dean for an extended period, forcing a bearded Sam to step up as the sole leader of the pack. We got to see a new side of Dean, who fought for control of his body while the manacing archangel waged war against the Winchesters in that snappy tweed suit and newsboy hat. Season 14 was also a season of introspection for the show’s ever-evolving characters, like Jack, who grappled with life as a powerless being and, later, an extremely powerful being going through an identity crisis. Plus, this season saw Supernatural ring in its milestone 300th episode with a poignant hour that featured John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) returning to offer up much-needed closure for Sam and Dean, who were finally able to unload some of the personal baggage they’ve been lugging around for three decades. Season 14 laid the groundwork for a spectacular last ride with consistently strong episodes, complex character work, and a game-changing season finale that will go down as one of the show’s strongest.
5. Season 1
Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Supernatural
Before Sam and Dean were ass-kicking demon hunters they were part of a normal, happy family. However, their lives were forever changed when their mother Mary was murdered by a demon, leading their father John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) on a never-ending quest to find his wife’s killer. Kicking off with the brothers reuniting to find their missing father, Season 1 explored their relationship and how that deep brotherhood was formed. Enlisting the monster-of-the-week format, this new series was exciting and dark and bold. The season wrapped on a huge shocker, with Sam and Dean rescuing their father only to wind up in a car wreck.
4. Season 2
Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, Supernatural
Building upon the strong first season, Season 2 was when we saw the show really start to become the juggernaut we know today. With their father dead, the boys teamed up with John’s friend Bobby, who would eventually become their surrogate father. This season was also notable because it marked the first time one of the brothers died; Sam was fatally stabbed and died in Dean’s arms, which was a real gut-punch. In an effort to save his brother, Dean sold his soul to a crossroads demon and had one year before it collected on its offer.
3. Season 3
Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, Supernatural
The writers’ strike of 2007 cut this season from 22 episodes to 16, leading to a disjointed but fun season. Delivering memorable episodes like “Mystery Spot,” in which Sam was forced to watch Dean die over and over again, and “Ghostfacers,” in which the Winchesters ran into wannabe ghost hunters, Season 3 proved the show wasn’t afraid to step out of the box and have a little fun. The season also delivered one of the show’s most heartbreaking and iconic finales with “No Rest for the Wicked,” which featured all the Sam and Dean angst your heart could handle.
2. Season 4
Misha Collins, Supernatural
Where do we start with this one? It’s the season that we met Castiel, who rescued Dean from hell. Plus, it featured a compelling overarching story as Dean, Sam, Castiel and Bobby united to take down Lillith, who planned to free Lucifer from his cage. It was the first time we saw Sam really go off the rails after drinking demon blood in order to get strong enough to defeat the enemy, but it backfired when he started becoming a different, less likable person.
1. Season 5
Jared Padalecki, Jake Abel and Jensen Ackles, Supernatural
By the time Supernatural had reached Season 5, it had already figured out what it wanted to be; therefore, it could really stretch its legs with a grand story that included life and death stakes. With Lucifer unleashed, Sam and Dean faced a new enemy who turned out to be surprisingly likable thanks to some funny one-liners and a brilliant turn as a truly formidable, complex foe. Sam and Dean were up against their biggest threat to date as Lucifer was hell-bent on destroying the human race via the Four Horsemen. It also delivered a satisfying finale that could have served as a series finale if The CW had pulled the plug with Sam and Dean winning the epic battle and Dean deciding to retire and live a normal life.
Now it’s your turn! How would you rank Supernatural‘s 14 seasons?
Supernatural Season 15 premieres Thursday, Oct. 10 at 8/7c on The CW.
(Disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation.)