My 'Supernatural' Fan Theory

Dear Vocal Readers,

Oh, Supernatural, how I used to love that show. I was completely and utterly obsessed with the series for a good year where I binged the first nine seasons. This had been a few years ago of course, because at this point the show is way past their ninth season. Even though I am not up to date on the show and have missed many seasons, I still can't help but think about the theory I came up with years ago. I doubt this theory of mine will be the endgame for the show, but it is just so haunting and could explain everything. Have I peaked your interest in my theory? Well, if so, let us begin!

The Theory

As any Supernatural fan would know, everything began once the Winchester house was visited by a demon. Here, Dean and Sam's mother Mary meets her bloody demise. Their father John is able to escape the house along with the two boys before the house is set ablaze. But what do I think happened? I think John died in that house along with Mary. I believe that young Dean took his baby brother outside and watched as their house was engulfed in flames.

Now for baby Sam, this experience would not be much of a shock as he was far too young to remember any of it. But Dean on the other hand, was definitely old enough to be scarred by that night. It was the night he tragically lost both of his parents, and was saved by his father after he instructed him to run out of the house with Sam. Could Dean have grown up with immense feelings of guilt for leaving his father? I very well believe so. I also believe that this whole experience drove Dean to insanity.

This theory was not one that I was happy to think up, but once the idea popped in my mind I realized how accurate it could be. This would be a terrible thing for Dean if it were to be true, but it makes so much sense. I believe the two brothers grew up together under someone else's roof, and tried their best to live normal lives. But Dean could never forget what happened that night, and grew up extremely troubled. At some point Dean was admitted to a mental institution, and left there ever since. Every once and awhile Sam comes to visit him, as we see Sam grow older over the years. But every time Sam comes to visit, all Dean has to talk about are the monsters that surround them.

As a coping mechanism for that terrible night, Dean placed all the blame on unforeseen monsters and demons. This was his reasonable explanation for the events that took place, and from then on he wished to devote his life to killing these evil beings that ruined his life. However, they don't exist and they never did. What the entire series is, is actually Dean's insane mind running through scenarios of killing the evil monsters with his brother.

This makes Dean feel powerful, a feeling he didn't have the night of his mother and father's deaths where he was powerless. Now he can protect his brother Sam from all the evil out there and even help save the world and all its other inhabitants. His father survives for a bit longer inside of Dean's brain, but in the end it's the demon from the start that kills him too. His dad was unable to escape his original fate, something Dean couldn't even escape if he tried.

Who are all the other characters then? Well, a reasonable assumption would be that they are all people around him in the mental institution. There could be his enemies like Lucifer and Azazel, and also people he gets along with like Castiel. Cas is Dean's guardian angel in the series, which I take to mean that he was a helpful force in Dean's crazy life. Perhaps a doctor or therapist, Cas was always there for Dean (other than the moments he went kind of crazy). Dean imagined those around his as characters in his story, a story to make his normal life float away.

But why is there so much death and heartache in Dean's story? Well, that's simple. It's because he knows he can never escape his true life and the death that fell upon his parents. There is no happy ending because there isn't one in Dean's real life. He knows deep down that he is troubled, even becoming a demon for a time in his own made up story.

So, there is my Supernatural theory. All along the show has been a story that the insane Dean tells himself to cope, and escape from his troubled life. I hate this theory because it assumes Dean is crazy and living in his own head. He was by far my favorite character so I hate to think about it, but it makes so much sense. Monsters and demons are not real, but the fantasies of a mentally unstable person can be very real.

So what do you think? Have I ruined the show for you? I'd certainly hope not! Have you ever thought about something like this as a theory? If so, we can suffer together knowing that our handsome and charming Dean may be insane. Poor Sam, too! Visiting his brother without ever truly being able to get through to him. If this were to be true, then I'd rather the show just keep us believing the monster hunt has been real all along. Even the Winchester's messed up hunter lives would be better than one that could happen in the real world.

Sincerely from my saddened mind,

Kacie