There are always going to be differing opinions over which episode might be the best in a series that has lasted fifteen seasons, but Supernatural fans almost unanimously accept “Swan Song” as the very best. For some, it was the episode where the show peaked in quality.
While the show has lasted a whole decade longer than when Season 5’s finale aired, fans do accept that this episode could’ve been an appropriate time to end the show. With Season 15’s finale confirmed as the last episode of the whole series, we’re looking at the reasons that both speak in favor of and against the decision of continuing Supernatural long after “Swan Song.”
Not Glad: No Finale Has Reached The Same Level
There have been about a decade’s worth of season finales since the fifth season, and while some of them have been quite memorable, none of these episodes have reached the heights of “Swan Song.” In actuality, Supernatural has taken to having cliffhanger endings every finale.
The great thing about “Swan Song” was that it could’ve been interpreted as an open ending even if the show hadn’t returned the following season. Meanwhile, the subsequent season finales have clearly been set up for fans to return for the next season’s premiere. This has made these episodes carry a fair bit of emptiness to them.
Glad: All The Supporting Characters From Recent Seasons
There’s no question that the supporting characters in the second half of the show’s run have been infinitely stronger than those in the initial seasons. We’ve had fan-favorite characters like Jack, Kevin, Charlie, Balthazar, Rowena, Ketch, and a slew of others in recent times.
The show’s end a decade ago would’ve robbed us of these supporting players in the story, whose recurring appearances have been sought-out by fans as each of these characters has presented a distinct style of their own. While earlier characters like Jo, Ellen, and Ash were good enough, they just weren’t as good as the ones we have now.
Not Glad: Some Lackluster Storylines That Followed
We’ve filled out an entirely different list dedicated to storylines fans didn’t like on the show, with quite a few of them being those that came after “Swan Song.” The reason for this is because Eric Kripke, the original showrunner, had devised a long-term arc that had one main storyline until Season 5. This allowed all the plot points beforehand to carry a certain amount of weight and meaning.
With subsequent seasons having different showrunners, we’ve had some lame ones such as the Men of Letters angle that bored us pretty bad, along with the likes of the Leviathans, the needlessly stretched out Mark of Cain plot, among others which had no business being there.
Glad: The Whole Universe Has Been Seen
There’s no doubt that fans would’ve had an endless set of questions over the lore of the Supernatural universe had Season 5 been the end, as the identity of God would’ve remained a mystery. There would also have been tireless questions over Sam and Adam’s status in Lucifer’s Cage.
With such a long history now in place for the show, there’s nothing we haven’t seen in this universe, as even alternate universes like the Bad Place and the Apocalypse World have been seen. Now, we can look back at the enormous world created by Supernatural with no feelings of incompleteness.
Not Glad: It Took Away The Impact Of Sam's Sacrifice
If you are to binge-watch the show, there wouldn’t be any impact felt from the ending of “Swan Song” to the Season 6 premiere, as Sam would simply return in the next episode. His return undermined the long storyline seen in Season 5 over Sam’s attempts to redeem himself.
Since Sam returned very easily, and that too in an unlikable light being soulless, the sadness you once felt at seeing Dean mourn his brother’s loss was taken away. Replays of this episode now don’t have that emotional quality it originally did, since one knows it wasn’t permanent.
Glad: Castiel's Progression
Castiel had become a fan favorite from the first season he arrived in, but he would’ve been an underutilized character had his stint only lasted two seasons. At that time, we’d only seen him firstly as a soldier, and then as a rebel.
Since Season 6, Castiel has progressed greatly from being an antagonist, to hoping to redeem himself, becoming a leader, and fully being part of the Winchester family. He was even seen as a fatherly figure to Jack, so we’re very glad we got to see so much of Castiel in the last decade.
Not Glad: The Horror Element Has Been Removed Since
It was in the first five seasons of the show that Supernatural kept the horror element alive in its stories, following which the show has been purely fantasy and even comedic at times. Even the camera filter has changed starting from the sixth season as the show took a different turn.
In recent times, ghosts, monsters, demons have all become part of the act, and none of them seem scary in the slightest due to their casual nature. We must admit we miss episodes where these beings had a horrific mean streak to them and the eerie atmosphere that accompanied these stories.
Glad: Closure Over Several Arcs And Characters
Although Sam’s sacrifice in “Swan Song” was poignant, he would’ve taken with him a lot of potential for closure. Most of all, fans would’ve rued the opportunity to see him reconcile with his father, which he finally did in Season 14.
Likewise, Castiel’s farewell to Dean in “Swan Song” was very unsatisfying as he simply upped and left him without a proper goodbye. In the last decade, we’ve had many satisfying exits that wouldn’t have been possible had Season 5 been the end, most of all the ending between Sam and Dean which is what fans are excitedly waiting for in the Season 15 finale.
Not Glad: It Meant Adam Was Stuck In Hell For 10 Years
No Supernatural fan loves Sam and Dean 100% due to the fact that they let their younger brother stew in Hell for a decade. Even though Adam is back, it didn't have anything to do with the Winchesters, with the two not even seeming very sorry about it.
Had “Swan Song” been the final episode, then we could’ve at least interpreted it as Sam perhaps shielding Adam in Hell from the wrath of Michael and Lucifer. There also could’ve been theories suggesting Adam got out somehow but allowing his captivity will now remain as the worst thing Sam and Dean have done.
Glad: Fans Are Now Part Of The Longest-Running Fantasy Fandom
With the eleventh season’s commission, Supernatural became the longest-running Sci-Fi and fantasy show in US history, a run it has extended to fifteen seasons. The fandom has now grown exponentially over the years due to streaming services coming into play. Teenagers back in 2005 are in their late-20s or early-30s at present, and those who were already adults at the time of the show’s release have been joined by younger fans only just discovering the series.
This means the Supernatural fandom has viewers from all age groups, something that wouldn’t have been possible had “Swan Song” spelled the series’ ending way back in 2010. Supernatural fans can proudly say that their favorite show was on-air in three different decades once it ends in 2020.