After 15 long seasons, Supernatural has finally been cancelled. Actors, creators, and directors are wrapping up season 14 and season 15 will be their final adventure. Though the show has a large, dedicated fanbase, even many die-hards have been anticipating the end. Few shows ever last as long as Supernatural has. In 2005 fans were introduced to the Winchester brothers, and it's wild that 15 years later they still are hunting demons, monsters, and more.
While season 15 is now the official ending, it isn't the first time fans thought the show would/should end. It isn't even the first good stopping point that the writers had. Over all that time, there have been a couple episodes that could easily have marked the end of the Winchester brothers.
"SWAN SONG"
In a lot of fans' eyes, "Swan Song" is the "real" ending of Supernatural. The series didn't think it was going to get picked up again (ironic thought, 9 seasons later) and the main writer finished off the story he had in mind for the brothers. Even though they did get renewed, they got a new writer and the show really never was the same again.
During this season 5 finale, Sam is finally facing up to and trying to destroy Lucifer, the Devil himself that's trying to use Sam as a vessel to reign Hell on earth. Though Sam almost falls to the Devil's tricks, he eventually overpowers him and wins the day. Compared to other Supernatural season finales, this is one of the most uplifting and hopeful ones. It could have been a rare, positive send-off for the brothers.
"DEVIL'S TRAP"
Even though most television shows don't want to end after only one season, things like Netflix and Hulu have really changed the game. Sometimes a season is told like a complete story that has an ending, not some cliffhanger.
Speaking of cliffhangers, Supernatural's season 1 finale, "Devil's Trap", could have easily completed a story instead of leaving fans on a semi-truck surprise. Sam could have worked out his issues with his dad, ultimately deciding he still loves him after all of their problems. But instead of giving up, he could have shot John Winchester and ended the yellow-eyed demon once and for all. That would have tied up their daddy issues arc and tied up their story. After all, most all of their issues are still weird family ones to this day.
"ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE pt. 2"
During "All Hell Breaks Loose Pt. 1" Sam gets casually stabs and bleeds out. As the devoted brother he is, Dean sells his soul to get Sam back. While the episode would take a lot of edits to turn from a "big bad reveal" to a proper ending, it could have been a better ending than what fans might get in season 15.
When Sam loses his life, a demon could have offered Dean the deal but he could turn it down, knowing Sam wouldn't want that. After all, deals with devils and supernatural promises are what tore their family apart. Then, Dean could have gone out in a blaze of glory, destroying the evil that led to losing Sam. Then, Dean could have ended a hunter while evolving and realizing deals with devils only feed into the hellish problem that destroyed their parents.
"WHAT IS AND WHAT SHOULD NEVER BE"
One of the few episodes on this list that aren't a finale, "What Is And What Should Never Be" is an episode where a djinn puts Sam and Dean in a wish world where demon hunting isn't apart of their lives. In this dream life, Jess is still alive and she's Sam's fiance. Similarly, Dean now has a funny, beautiful live-in girlfriend who understands him and accepts him for who he is.
The biggest change, though, is their mother being alive. Their father is still gone, but she is now there to support and love them. As the softer, kinder Winchester parent she's probably the better one for that.
Though it would have been a bit of a shock, for all the horror in their lives, it would be a sort of twisted ending for Sam and Dean to choose a beautiful dream over their hellish lives.
"THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH"
Considering how much fans adore Castiel, it's baffling how much this season 6 finale warped him into something evil and hateable. He's willing to destroy old allies, command his friends to bow down, and (by questionable means) become the new God. There's a reason there's a set group of the fandom who pretend the series ended with season 5.
If the show was really running out of ideas, a wild (albeit likely controversial) rewrite to season 6's finale would be to have Castiel destroy the main cast and take over the world. While abrupt and violent, it would be on par with the amount of random character murder the show likes to do. Might as well end with some.
"SACRIFICE"
While the ominous ending is rare, "Sacrifice" could have proved an interesting one. Throughout Supernatural's many seasons, the two Winchester brothers may have always stuck close and supported one another, but there was also a near constant tension between them. In the end of this season 8 finale, the show tries to address that by Sam feeling that letting Dean down so much is his sin. Furthermore, he feels like one day those letdowns will lead to Dean letting him go.
The brothers reconcile and quit the trials they were apart of, choosing each other against all other circumstances. Afterwards, angels start raining down from the sky, leaving an ominous future ahead. If the show put more emphasis on this being the final resolution of their brotherly turmoil, concluding they would stay together no matter what, this ending could work. The world would be in shambles, but the resolution would be that the Winchester brothers would be ready for whatever came their way.
"BROTHER'S KEEPER"
Throughout their time as demon hunters, Sam and Dean seemed plagued by bad fortune. Everything that follows them, and most everyone they love, perishes. In "Brother's Keeper", Dean and Death seem to have come to a conclusion that the world might be better off without the Winchester brothers.
During the real episode, the brothers choose to stay together and, instead of stabbing either man, stab Death. While it's a fierce act of loyalty, it ties the Winchesters to destruction and pain all over again.
They could have sacrificed themselves to stop the trail of bloodshed behind them and that could have been an effective and emotional end. After all, the demons and monsters stalking them are half the reason they cause so much havoc. Instead, the episode leaves cliffhangers galore.
"ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER"
When it comes to the Devil's son, things can get a little dangerous. Spending a good chunk of the season helping out Kelly, pregnant with the demon baby, everything comes to a head with her labor. Lucifer and Mary Winchester end up trapped in an alternate world, Kelly passes on, and the baby pops out a fully grown adult man named Jack.
If the show wanted to end, it could have removed Lucifer's influence but leave the baby just that: a baby. Then Dean and Sam would have the new job of raising the kid into a good person. They'd teach him to protect himself from his Devil dad's influence. Having to pass on their knowledge of fighting for good would have been a decent send-off, and possibly even a way to do a spin-off about the kid. Instead, Supernatural kept on kicking.
"TORN AND FRAYED"
There are very few times where the Winchester brothers are tempted away from their life of demon-hunting. However, sometimes losing a brother in action led to the other starting some sort of a life on his own. One example is when Sam met Amelia, while Dean was missing. When Dean resurfaced, Sam had to abandon his life with Amelia. However, he didn't forget her.
In the episode "Torn and Frayed", Sam and Amelia meet up again. She gives an ultimatum: Sam meets her at the hotel the next night and stays with her or they never see each other again.
Though it would have been an abrupt change, it was everything Sam ever dreamed of. The series could have ended with Sam getting his happily ever after that he thought died with Jess. And Dean? He'd go on hunting, trying to make the world a safer place.
"LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL"
As the end-cap of season 13, "Let The Good Times Roll" set-up for a decent ending. Dean had to team-up with untrustworthy Michael to defeat the Devil, once and for all. Instead of handing Dean back, Michael decides to take his body on a joy ride.
Though most Supernatural endings are not happy ones, this one could have been. After finally achieving victory against Lucifer, he could have had an honest moment where he gives Dean back and thank the brothers. With the Devil gone and the world safer, they finally could have moved on. Maybe even rested peacefully and had (somewhat) normal lives. Ultimately, Dean probably would never fully give up hunting. Moreover, Sam's domestic life would be interrupted by helping his brother every so often. However, it could have been the happiest these brothers could be.
Now, who knows where season 15 will leave them.