Summary

• Dean Winchester dies a whopping 111 times in Supernatural, with the majority of those coming in one episode.
• Dean's deaths are often sacrifices to save Sam, loved ones, or humanity, highlighting his willingness to give up his life.
• Season 3's finale contains Dean's most significant death, torn apart by hellhounds, as it carries emotional weight and uncertainty of his return.

The number of times Dean Winchester has died in Supernatural — and been resurrected — is shocking, even for a show that's infamous for bringing characters back from death. Through 15 seasons, Dean and his brother Sam Winchester each died multiple times, usually brought back by higher powers. Although the brothers have dangerous jobs bringing them face-to-face with death, they're important on a cosmic scale. Dean dies 111 times in Supernatural, with many of those deaths seen in a single episode.

However, Dean is killed many other times in the series. On some occasions, Dean kills himself to speak with entities beyond the veil, like Death or his reapers. The high Dean Winchester death count also doesn't include alternate realities. Almost all of Dean's deaths are attempts to save Sam, other loved ones, or humanity at large. Dean's willingness to sacrifice his life is established throughout the series. In the end, his final death is one that he never returned from, and it is his most peaceful death, with him telling Sam, "Always keep fighting."

Dean Dies Dozens Of Times In "Mystery Spot"

Season 3, Episode 11

Dean's first death in Supernatural is followed by dozens more as he's killed by the Trickster's time loop. During season 3, episode 11, "Mystery Spot," Dean is shot in the chest, hit by a car, crushed by a falling desk, shot with an arrow, mauled by a dog, and electrocuted when plugging in a razor. He also chokes on a sausage, eats a bad taco, falls in the shower, and is accidentally killed with an ax after he and Sam struggle over it.

Dean's "final" death in the episode foreshadows events later in season 3. After Dean is shot in the parking lot by a mugger, Sam spends six months looking for the Trickster, willing to do anything to resurrect his brother. He's eventually successful, although the Trickster leaves him with a lecture about how he should let Dean go, saying the brothers' constant sacrifices for each other will lead to nothing but pain.

The Trickster is later revealed to be the archangel Gabriel, who seems to be trying to prevent Sam from making mistakes that lead to the apocalypse. He's right to be concerned. When Dean dies in the Supernatural season 3 finale, Sam falls into the same dark pattern he did in the time loop, going to any lengths to rescue Dean. In the four months that Dean is dead, Sam starts drinking demon blood and begins relying on the demon Ruby. Gabriel, who likely knows the future, foresees this but is unable to prevent it.

Hellhounds Kill Dean In "No Rest for the Wicked"

Season 3, Episode 16

Dean's first "permanent" death is in season 3, episode 16, "No Rest for the Wicked," when he is torn apart by hellhounds that then drag him to Hell. Dean's death is the result of a crossroads deal he made, in which he offered his life in exchange for Sam's. Dean had a year to live before the demon Lilith came to collect. Despite Sam's best efforts, he couldn't break the deal. Dean died and went to Hell on May 2, 2008. Like all Supernatural deaths, it didn't last long. Four months later, Castiel resurrected Dean.

Roy & Walt Shot & Killed Dean In "Dark Side of the Moon"

Season 5, Episode 16

Dean's next death comes in Supernatural season 5, episode 16, "Dark Side of the Moon," when he is shot by vengeful hunters Roy and Walt. The duo tracks down the Winchester brothers so that they can kill Sam in revenge for starting the apocalypse. They're successful, but when Dean IDs them, they're forced to shoot him as well, fearing retribution. Before his death, Dean warns the hunters he'll get revenge, saying, "When I come back, I'm gonna be pissed."

Dean's faith in his inability to die is validated when Ash later reveals Sam and Dean Winchester died dozens of times before. The angels always resurrect them and wipe their memories of Heaven, he says. Per that pattern, Dean and Sam are resurrected by the angel Joshua, who leaves their memories intact after giving them the bad news that God won't help with the apocalypse.

Dean Stopped His Heart To Talk To Death In "Appointment in Samarra"

Season 6, Episode 11

By Supernatural season 6, Dean proved that he values Sam's life above his own, so, unsurprisingly, his next death is caused by an attempt to rescue Sam. After Dean discovers Sam was resurrected sans soul, he starts trying to find a way to pull Sam's soul out of hell. To convince Death to help, Dean kills himself, so the two can talk. Dr. Roberts, an old friend of John Winchester, aids Dean, injecting him with a solution that stops his heart. Roberts plans to restart it three minutes later but ends up resuscitating Dean seven minutes later.

Metatron Killed Dean With The Angel Blade In "Do You Believe in Miracles?"

Season 9, Episode 23

Dean's unexpected demise in the Supernatural season 9 finale is more significant than other deaths in the series, some of which are temporary or played for laughs. Like Dean's death in season 3, it's at the hands of a powerful enemy who's determined to put him six feet under for good. During the season finale, Sam, Dean, and Castiel fight Metatron, a mega-powerful angel. Dean, who has the Mark of Cain and can wield the First Blade, seems to be the only one who can take him down.

Even powered-up, however, Dean is no match for Metatron, who ends the fight by stabbing him through the chest with an angel blade. Dean's death in Supernatural is, in his mind, for the best, and he tells Sam to let him go because he doesn't like what the Mark of Cain is turning him into. Unfortunately for Dean, the Mark of Cain refuses to let him go. With help from Crowley, Dean is brought back from death as a demon, ending the season on a cliffhanger.

Dean Takes His Own Life To Talk To Billie In "Red Meat"

Season 11, Episode 17

By Supernatural season 11, one particular reaper had enough. Billie, who assumes leadership over the reapers once Death is gone, tells Sam and Dean their days of immortality are over. The next death will be their last. Dean's next death is self-inflicted. Dean overdoses, so he can talk to Billie, begging her to bring Sam back from an unexpected end. Dean's efforts are fruitless since Sam is still alive, but Billie plans to reap Dean. Despite Billie's determination to throw him into the Empty, Dean pulls off a narrow escape via doctor resuscitation.

"First Blood"

Season 12, Episode 9

Billie appears again in season 12 when Dean and Sam are captured by the U.S. Secret Service and left to rot in a military black site. Unable to escape by normal means, the Winchesters make a deal with Billie — she'll kill and resurrect them one last time so that they can escape, and she'll then reap one of them permanently. Dean and Sam die, mystifying military personnel.

The two end up in the morgue where they come back to life and break free. When reaping time comes, Mary Winchester offers herself up. Billie accepts the deal but is stabbed in the back by Castiel, who refuses to let any of the Winchesters die.

Dean Has His Heart Stopped Again In "Advanced Thanatology"

Season 13, Episode 5

Dean seems to have concluded that killing himself is a good way to have a chat with beings that exist in the veil. When the Winchesters take on an army of ghosts in season 13, Dean proposes temporarily stopping his heart, so he can gather intel. Despite Sam's protestations that it's an "insane risk to take," Dean goes through with the plan. Dean's willingness to sacrifice himself hints at suicidal tendencies seen throughout the show. Upon dying, Dean is unexpectedly met by Billie, who has become Death.

During their conversation, Billie says Dean wants to die, an accusation he doesn't refute. Following the death of Castiel and Mary, Dean seems to be drowning in grief. "It doesn't matter. I don't matter," he says. The episode ends on a solemn note. With a mysterious message that it's not his time yet, Billie resurrects Dean, forcing him to continue living. In a conversation with Sam at the end of the episode, Dean says he doesn't believe what they do is important anymore and doesn't know if he can keep fighting.

Dean Dies For Good In "Carry On"

Season 15, Episode 20

When the last season of Supernatural was announced, many predicted the series finale would include the death of Sam or Dean Winchester — or both. After so many years of fighting, it seemed like there was only one way the story could end. This idea turned out to be correct when it came to Dean, who died in the series finale when he was impaled on a piece of rebar. It was an ignominious end that prompted outrage — how could Dean be killed by a random metal hook when he's survived battles with archangels?

However, it's fitting. Hunting is the only lifestyle Dean has ever known, and he's said in several episodes he wants to go out fighting. In Supernatural season 8, Dean said he couldn't see a future beyond hunting, and he'd "die with a gun in (his) hand." Since Sam still hopes for a happy ending, Dean wants to do everything he can to protect that dream.

"I want you to have a life," he said. "You, with a wife and kids and grandkids ... that is my perfect ending, and it's the only one that I'm gonna get." Sam retires from hunting, gets married, and has children. The brothers eventually meet in Heaven, where they're finally able to live peacefully, reunited with their friends and family.

Alternate Reality Deaths And Close Calls

Many More Dean Winchester Deaths

In addition, here are some other near-deaths Dean experiences in Supernatural:

The Best Dean Death In Supernatural

The Hellhounds Provided A Shocking End

Since Dean has had so many deaths in Supernatural, it becomes hard to compare them all, but it also makes it easier to determine which ones are truly the best. One of the problems with Supernatural's continuous killing of the Winchester brothers is that, at a certain point, there's little to no emotional resonance to any of Supernatural's Dean or Sam deaths. For this reason, Dean's best death is arguably his first "official" one in the season 3 finale.

Not only is the sight of Dean being torn apart by invisible Hellhounds compellingly graphic, but the moment carries genuine weight for both brothers. Jared Padalecki turns in a very solid performance grieving Dean's body, and it feels genuinely unknown whether Dean will ever come back (a notable contrast to every other death). The moment is anything but a throwaway, and the well-earned tragedy of it makes this Dean's best death in Supernatural by a long shot.

Who Else Died More Than Once On Supernatural?

Bobby, Castiel, & More Have Died Multiple Times In Supernatural

Dying multiple times in Supernatural is not limited to just Dean Winchester. When considering how many times Dean dies in Supernatural, no one comes close to his number of deaths. However, dying and coming back from the grave is a trope that Supernatural uses up to its final season. Sam Winchester dies eight times in the show. While that wasn't close to the 111 times Dean died, it was the same number of times that Dean died other than the Trickster deaths.

Castiel is an angel, and while he was the third leading cast member in the show's long run, he was not immune from death. Castiel died six times in Supernatural and that was two times less than Sam and Dean Winchester. Castiel died so many times that God got tired of bringing him back. Raphael, Lucifer, and the Leviathans all killed Castiel, which were the only deaths God reversed. His next three deaths end up reversed by Gadreel and Jack.

Bobby Singer was one of the most tragic deaths, and he returned as a ghost before going to Heaven. That final death was Bobby's fourth death. The deaths included an alternate future Bobby and the real Bobby dying at Lucifer's hands. Castiel resurrected Bobby, but he finally died for good at Dick Roman's hands. Other deaths on Supernatural included John Winchester (3 times), Mary Winchester (3 times), Zachariah (3 times), and Charlie (3 times). Crowley, Adam Milligan, and Rowena each died twice on Supernatural.