It seems like everyone in the Supernatural universe has to follow a set of rules, no matter what side they're on. The Men of Letters have to obey without question, the angels aren't allowed to show their true forms, and the hunters can never live in the same town twice.
But what about the Winchester brothers? Surely the stars of the show can live however they please, right? WRONG. The Winchesters have a very complicated family history, beginning with Cain and Abel, so nothing has ever been "simple" for them. Here are 10 weird rules the Winchesters have to follow.
Updated by Madison Lennon on February 13, 2020: Supernatural has been on the air for over a decade. It is the longest-running sci-fi/horror series and sadly, it's finally coming to an end later this year with the end of its fifteenth season.
The series has an incredible legacy and will likely inspire genre television for decades to come. We thought now would be the perfect time to revisit this list and update some of the strange rules the Winchester brothers live and die by every day of their lives while on the road, monster-hunting.
Latin Can Save Your Life
Most schools don't teach Latin. It's not a very popular language anymore, although you wouldn't know that by watching Supernatural. In the series, the boys and most other hunters frequently use Latin.
The exorcisms are written in Latin, as are many of the other incantations, used by hunters, witches, and other creatures. In the world of Supernatural, knowing Latin can actually save your life, especially if you happen to have a whole exorcism memorized.
Not Every Monster Is Bad
In the early days of the series, it seemed like every monster that Sam and Dean encountered was evil and out for blood. Even when it became apparent that wasn't always true, Sam and Dean still struggled over their morality and what they were always raised knowing.
Is it okay to leave a monster alive when they have the potential to turn into a killer, even if they haven't killed yet? That is a question explored much more in-depth as the series goes on. What seems like a black and white issue at first quickly becomes increasingly complicated.
Demon Deals Are Sometimes A Necessary Evil
For two hunters that are known for their hatred of basically anything non-human, you might be surprised to learn they're willing to make deals and bargains with demons and even the devil when need be. Sometimes Sam and Dean make demon deals because it's the only option left.
It started when their dad, John Winchester, made a deal to save Dean's life and then Dean made a deal to save Sam. Throughout the remainder of the series, we learn about way more deals made in the past and we see more happen across the series.
Never Use Your Real Name
Considering the fact that Sam and Dean are constantly traveling across the country and generally on the move to hide from some villain or monster, it makes sense that they don't use their real names. They're also roped up in tons of credit card schemes since being a hunter doesn't exactly pay the bills.
Needless to say, there are a lot of good reasons for Sam and Dean to keep a low profile. When they check-in at motels, they usually use a fake name to prevent anyone from finding out who they are and they're often rock n' roll aliases.
Tattoo Yourself To Prevent Demonic Possession
In the early days of Supernatural, before the boys were fully aware of how scary demons were and the terrifying consequences of demonic possession, they left themselves unprotected. Who could forget when Sam got possessed and almost killed Jo Harvelle?
Luckily, Bobby helped them realize how important it was for them to keep themselves warded against potential possessions at all times. Both Winchesters got a demon trap tattoo to permanently prevent possessions from happening by basic demonic entities.
Pass On Your Knowledge
The Winchesters might not agree on much, but "saving people, hunting things, the family business" is the Winchester family motto, and trust me, they take it seriously.
Like most hunters, John Winchester passed on his knowledge of the supernatural to his sons via his journal, which ended being the most valuable asset the brothers ever received (you know, besides the Colt and the keys to the bunker). Despite John Winchester's hatred for his old man, the journal was also used by his father, Henry Winchester. Like I said, they like to keep it in the family.
Always Look After Each Other
It's clear to anyone who watches Supernatural that the Winchesters will do just about anything for family. After Sam and Dean's mother, Mary, gets murdered by a powerful demon, her husband John takes to the road and becomes a full-time hunter out of a need for revenge. After John goes on a "hunting trip" and never returns, the boys leave their normal lives behind and set out to find him.
As a child, Dean was always told to "watch out for Sammy," a task he has taken VERY seriously over the years, even selling his soul to a crossroads demon to bring Sam back to life. Dean's not the only one doing all the sacrificing, however. At the end of season 5, Sam jumped into hell with Michael and Lucifer to save his brother's life. Yeah, they've died for each other A LOT).
Work Together
Sam and Dean have always had each other, but that doesn't mean they don't work well with others. Bobby Singer, for example, was an old friend of John's who eventually turned into a father figure for both Sam and Dean. Bobby is a fount of information when it comes to all things supernatural, as well as a skilled hunter, and Sam and Dean rely on him heavily at different times throughout the series.
Sam and Dean also team up with Castiel, a powerful angel, a network of other hunters, and even the King of Hell (when he plays nice). In other words, the Winchesters will partner up with whoever can get them from point A to point B.
Take Care Of Your Car
Next to Sam, Dean's black 1967 Chevrolet Impala (affectionately nicknamed "Baby") is the closest thing to Dean's heart. There's a lot to learn about Baby, but the most important thing to know is that it's more of a character than a car.
The Impala is a family heirloom passed down to him by his father and has provided shelter, memories, and safety for the Winchesters over the years. Baby's trunk is also very functional, with enough room to hold their arsenal of weapons and adequate space for a body or two. Who needs seat warmers?!
Cremate Everything
Salting and burning the bones is a pretty important part of the Winchester family's routine, but why? When a hunter dies, the body is laid down on a row of logs with a white sheet over the body. To prevent the hunter's soul from coming back as a ghost, demon, or whatever, the body is salted and burned as part of a ritual (what can I say, Hunters have weird rules).
I'm not exactly sure why the salt is needed, but the fire acts to destroy the remains and purify the spirit, allowing it to move on into the afterlife.
We Do What We Do And We Shut Up About It
Sam and Dean are both Hunters and Men of Letters, and both groups are sworn to secrecy about what they do. Sam and Dean didn't even know about the Men of Letters until they received the keys to the bunker, and by that point they were well into their thirties. According to Supernatural Wikia, prior to their extinction, the Men of Letters used to share their information with only the most elite hunters, and took on an advisory role. I'm assuming all the secrecy is meant to prevent widespread panic (and to keep them from being admitted to a psychiatric hospital... again).
Don't Forget The Salt
Dean doesn't just carry around salt for his fries, he uses it to repel ghosts, demons, hellhounds, and pretty much every other supernatural being out there, no matter how powerful they are.
Salt can keep ghosts and demons from entering a room when it is left at every entry point, it can be loaded into a shotgun cartridge and fired at a spirit, making it temporarily disappear, and it can be used to purify human corpses. Yep, salt is a lot more versatile than you think. It's can also be used to exorcize demons, distract fairies, and torture demons. It's the gift that keeps on giving!
Don't Get Romantically Involved
This rule is there for a reason, because Winchesters and romantic relationships just don't mix. Plus, who has time for wining and dining when there are monsters to kill?! John Winchester falls in love and gets married, and his wife is killed by a demon. Sam falls in love in college and his girlfriend is (you guessed it) killed by a demon.
Ruby, Sam's demon girlfriend, betrays him after getting him addicted to demon blood and Dean's got a string of failed relationships a mile long. Even Bobby Singer had to kill his own wife after she got possessed! If you're looking for a successful love story, you might want to watch This Is Us instead.
Don't Hunt On An Empty Stomach
Dean is probably eating for 90% of the show, but there's a reason for that. As I'm sure you've noticed, hunters don't exactly have a desk job. Fighting demons often requires hunters to resort to hand-to-hand combat, and that kind of energy requires calories. Regardless of whether it's a greasy burger for Dean or an organic quinoa salad for Sam, eating delicious food is one of the few simple pleasures the Winchesters have in life.
When's the last time you saw Sam and Dean on vacation? There are no vacations during the Apocalypse! Eating brings the Winchesters joy and keeps them alive and kicking, so it's important that they never miss a meal. Sure, Dean's cholesterol level is probably through the roof, but his body has definitely been through worse.
Never Live In One Place
The Winchesters haven't really lived in a house since their mother died, but that's typical of most hunters. Sam and Dean have spent all of their adulthood living in their car and different motels so they can freely move around the country, looking for cases and protecting people.
Like criminals, the Winchesters are basically living on the run and have few personal belongings (except Baby, of course). The Men of Letters bunker is the closest thing to a permanent "home" the Winchesters have had in a while. It's not exactly the life that Mary Winchester had hoped for them, but we can't imagine it any other way.