Like most people, I had a considerable amount of free time over the summer. I did not want to binge-watch an entire new show, and I liked the comfort of my favorites. So I landed on an all-time comfort watch: “Supernatural.”

While the show’s core may not scream “comforting” to the average person, it still makes me want to curl up in a fluffy blanket while drinking a crisp Dr. Pepper. That is because of, in my opinion, one of the best fictional characters of all time, Dean Winchester, played by Jensen Ackles. 

Dean Winchester is Sam Winchester’s older brother. When his character is introduced, he is portrayed as a typical womanizer. He often describes himself as stuck in his father’s shadow and is quoted as calling himself his “father’s blunt instrument.” 

But as the seasons progress, depth is added to Ackles’s character, making me love him all the more.

One episode in particular that reminds me of my love for Dean is in season 5 episode 16. In this episode, Sam and Dean are shown in their personal heavens, reliving their most significant memories.

Dean’s memories are with Sam growing up,  or including his mother, who dies in episode one. However, when we see Sam’s memories, they are of all the times he ran away and was away from his family.

Dean’s reaction to this encapsulated my own in that moment. Dean was not only heartbroken by this when he saw it but angry as well. This episode further solidified my love for Dean when you can see just how much he loved his brother. 

There are many moments like this throughout the 15 seasons, and while Sam does have his moments where I find him tolerable, there is just no part of me that can make me love him more than his older brother.

On the other hand, some people online do not like Dean for some of his lines and jokes in the earlier seasons, as they are clearly quite dated. However, to me, this does nothing to change my favoritism for this character.

If a person watches all 15 seasons of the show and ignores the character development that Dean goes through, then they should give the show a re-watch.

Dean is more than his brute strength. He is one of the most caring characters in television. Though he has difficulty showing it at times, one cannot deny that he gives his everything to save not only his family, but the whole world.

I could write a whole essay on how bad the show’s ending was, especially given Dean’s fate. Spoilers ahead, but if you haven’t seen it, why are you reading this? Dean’s death seemed cheap to me, and it was a quick way to give Sam’s character a more fulfilling ending.

In one of the earlier episodes, Dean shared his childhood dream of becoming a firefighter, and at the beginning of the finale, we see Dean applying to become just that. So when, after Sam and Dean literally defeat God himself, his dying to a rusty nail just seems like poor storytelling. 

Overall, with every rewatch of “Supernatural,” Dean has become more and more of a beloved character to me. I even have a Build-a-Bear of him. I cannot help but want to cry about his ending. 

Boggess can be reached at [email protected].