With a new Supernatural prequel dubbed The Winchesters in development, here's John and Mary's history and backstory explained. After 15 seasons of Supernatural, it's clear the Winchesters aren't your average suburban couple. Since John and Mary met in the 1970s, they've been attacked by angels, tricked by demons, and even resurrected by mystical forces. Between the memory wipes and the time travel, it can get a little confusing. While most of the big moments in the couple's decades-long history are explained in episodes of Supernatural, there are still plenty of blanks for The Winchesters to fill in.
The story of the Winchesters doesn't start with their meeting. John and Mary each come from a long line of supernatural soldiers. Although John never knew the full details of his heritage, his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all members of the Men of Letters, a secret society dedicated to researching the supernatural. After John's father went missing in 1958 (hunted by the demon Abaddon), he grew up thinking his father had abandoned him. Mary's family, on the other hand, were renowned hunters, including her father Samuel Campbell and her mother Deanna. Mary grew up as a hunter, helping keep the world safe from monsters.
Eventually, John and Mary each ended up in Lawrence, Kansas, where they presumably met and began dating. John, having served in the Vietnam War as a U.S. Marine, returned stateside to work as a mechanic, while Mary kept hunting. At one point in Supernatural, it's mentioned that their romance was orchestrated by angels to ensure Dean and Sam would be born, despite the Winchester brothers not featuring in original plans. "They couldn't stand each other at first," said an unnamed cupid. By 1973, however, the two were a happy couple planning to get married. Cue the supernatural interference.
Mary Makes A Deal With A Demon
The earliest chronological appearance of John and Mary Winchester in Supernatural is season 4, episode 3, "In the Beginning," at which time the two were already dating. It was during that year, 1973, that Mary encountered a strange hunter going by the name Dean van Halen who, of course, was actually Dean Winchester. Together, the two tracked down a demon making deals in Lawerence, inadvertently drawing its attention. The demon, Azazel, became fascinated with Mary and later killed both her parents. After also killing John, Azazel promised to resurrect him in exchange for permission to enter Mary's house in 10 years. Mary agreed, got engaged to John, and swore off hunting for good.
The Winchesters Are Attacked By Angels
Five years later, in 1978, John and Mary were a happily married couple living together in Lawerence, Kansas, as shown in season 5, episode 13, "The Song Remains the Same." Mary had just become pregnant with Dean when the couple was again visited by time travelers. That time, it was Anna and Uriel, angels bent on killing John to prevent the apocalypse. As the Winchesters fought for their lives, John was possessed by the archangel Michael, who sent the other angels running. Michael wiped John and Mary's memories to ensure history stayed on track.
In the subsequent years, Mary and John started a family. On Jan. 24, 1979, Dean was born. By 1980, however, Mary had started hunting again, albeit for a brief period of time. In season 12, episode 6, "Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox," it's revealed she killed a werewolf she'd been tracking for a while, saving the life of a boy named Asa Fox. Mary presumably returned to Lawerence later, giving birth to Sam on May 2, 1983.
Mary Winchester Dies Trying To Protect Sam
Six months after Sam's birth, on Nov. 2, 1983, Mary Winchester died. Ten years after her demon deal, as promised, Azazel entered her home and poisoned Sam with demon blood. Although Mary tried to stop the demon, he burned her alive. John, who is oblivious to the supernatural world, witnessed her death, triggering a lifelong obsession with hunting.
John Winchester Starts Hunting
Following Mary's death, John went to a local psychic (Missouri Mosely) and discovered the truth about the supernatural. Having learned about hunting, John embarked on a mission of revenge, planning to kill the demon that murdered his wife. John traveled the whole country, amassing knowledge and making connections with other hunters like Bobby Singer and Bill Harvelle. As Sam and Dean grew up, he also taught them how to hunt.
In the fall of 2002, John got a shocking phone call from former girlfriend Kate Milligan, who told him they had a son together, now 12. After meeting Adam Milligan, John visited him sporadically, keeping his existence a secret from Dean and Sam. By 2005, Sam and Dean were adults and John was hunting on his own. Supernatural season 1, episode 1, "Pilot" started with John going missing during a run-of-the-mill case in California.
During another season 1 episode, the Winchester brothers also discovered Mary had become a ghost in their childhood home following her death. During the hunt of a poltergeist in the Kansas house, the ghost version of Mary appeared to save Dean and Sam from death. Later on, the brothers eventually discovered John went to ground to follow a lead on Azazel, staying away from his sons in an effort to keep them safe. John eventually rejoined Dean and Sam to hunt Azazel. In season 1, episode 22, "Devil's Trap," John was possessed by Azazel before Sam shoots him (nonfatally) with the Colt. On the way to the hospital, John, Sam, and Dean were hit by a semi-truck.
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John Winchester Dies To Save Dean
Supernatural season 2, episode 1, "In My Time of Dying," opened with Dean in a coma. Desperate to save his son's life, John summoned Azazel and made a deal with the demon — he sacrificed his life and soul so Dean would live. Dean and Sam eventually avenge their parents, killing Azazel in the season 2 finale, "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 2." Dean even gets an assist from John, who emerges from Hell, where time passes differently, as a ghost, fights Azazel and then ascends to Heaven in peace.
Mary Is Resurrected
Supernatural season 12 continued the show's history of shocking resurrections when writers brought Mary Winchester back to life. Mostly absent from the early series, Mary's reappearance in the season 11 finale shocked audiences. The Winchester matriarch was brought back to life by the Darkness as a "reward" to Dean for helping her make peace with her brother God (another storyline that could be found only on Supernatural). Mary struggled to reconnect with her sons during season 12 but eventually reconciled herself to the fact that hunting was in her blood.
Mary briefly worked with the British Men of Letters before her relationship with them came back to bite her. After being betrayed by Arthur Ketch, Mary abandoned their cause and rejoined the now-older Dean and Sam. The family's reunion didn't last long, however. During the season 12 finale, "All Along the Watchtower," Mary tackled Lucifer into an alternate universe and was trapped there. Dean and Sam made multiple attempts to rescue her during season 13 before finally succeeding, bringing Mary, Jack, and many "Apocalypse World" humans back with them to their reality.
Winchester Family Reunion
In season 14, episode 13, "Lebanon," the Winchesters have a true family reunion when John is briefly transported to the bunker. Thanks to an enchanted object that grants wishes, John is moved from 2003, prior to the start of Supernatural, to the current day. John reunited with Mary on the 300th episode, and the show saw the first-ever Winchester family dinner before John returned to the past.
Mary Dies (Again) In A Tragic Accident
John and Mary do eventually get a happily ever, meeting in Heaven. Shortly after their mystical reunion, in Supernatural season 14, episode 17, “Game Night,” Mary is killed in a tragic accident. Jack, while soulless, loses control of his powers and lashes out at Mary when she tries to bring him back from the edge of power-madness, killing her. Although Jack and the Winchesters make multiple attempts to resurrect her, they eventually have to admit she's gone for good, especially after Castiel discovers she's at peace."She's with John, and there's no sorrow. There's no guilt. Just joy," he says after a visit to her Heaven. The Supernatural series finale, "Carry On," reconfirmed that John and Mary met again in Heaven.