Supernatural’s Best Dean Winchester Episode Is Mandatory Viewing

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For fifteen seasons, brothers Sam and Dean Winchester traveled the country in their classic Chevy Impala, investigating supernatural occurrences. The show boasts over 300 episodes filled with great moments for the actors, but one episode particularly shines as a showcase for Jensen Ackles’ talent and is essential viewing for his fans.

The second season episode, “What Is and What Should Never Be,” is a standout for Dean Winchester. Jensen Ackles delivers a deeply emotional performance, and the episode truly captures the essence of Dean’s personality.

‘What Is and What Should Never Be’ Is Dean Winchester’s Best Episode of Supernatural

For the second season of Supernatural, creator Eric Kripke planned to direct an episode and wanted it to be memorable. He was inspired by a powerful story from Buffy the Vampire Slayer – where Buffy questions her reality and wonders if her life as a vampire slayer is all in her head – and adapted that idea, using elements of Djinn mythology.

Sam researches Djinns at the hotel while Dean searches the surrounding area for the creature’s lair. Remembering Sam’s idea that Djinns like large, ruined places, Dean checks out an old warehouse he noticed earlier. While exploring amongst the dusty, antique typewriters, Dean is suddenly attacked by the Djinn. He abruptly wakes up in bed, seemingly having dreamt the whole encounter.

Dean calls Sam, but Sam dismisses his brother’s confused talk about Djinns as a result of him being drunk. Sam notices the apartment is filled with bills and seems to be shared with a woman named Carmen. When he picks up a photograph, he’s clearly shocked and immediately leaves. Meanwhile, Dean arrives at the house he grew up in and knocks on the door.

Dean desperately hopes his mother, Mary Winchester, is really at the door, but as an experienced hunter, he cautiously tests her with a personal question only she could answer. When she passes the test, Dean embraces her, overwhelmed with emotion at seeing her alive and well. He finds out that their father, John, passed away peacefully in his sleep, and that Sam is pursuing his dream of becoming a lawyer in law school.

Jensen Ackles’ Performance Brought the Supernatural Crew to Tears

As soon as Dean found himself in this strange new world, he was filled with both fear and a glimmer of hope. He realized a Djinn was responsible, and he remembered these creatures were known for both killing people and granting wishes. Trying to understand his situation, Dean quickly discovered this wasn’t some kind of dream – he apparently had a history of struggling with alcohol and making bad choices.

Though Dean tried to connect with Sam, they remained distant and felt like they had little in common. However, Dean was happy when Sam started dating Jessica, and even more thrilled when they got engaged. It started to feel like the Djinn’s wish had come true: their mother was alive, and Sam hadn’t been exposed to any demonic influence as a baby. Life wasn’t perfect, but they were a family, and that’s all Dean had ever wanted.

He was devastated to discover that everyone they’d rescued over the last two years had died. The supernatural threats still existed, continuing to hunt people, but now there was no one left to protect. Dean went to his father’s grave, struggling with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He imagined his father telling him, “That means you need to hunt the Djinn. It’s the reason you’re here, and it’s the only way to bring things back to how they were. Don’t hesitate; those people’s lives were worth it.”

Jensen Ackles delivered a powerfully emotional performance as Dean, voicing questions he’d always kept hidden. He desperately asked, “Why am I always the hero? What about our happiness? Why can’t Mom live her life, and Sammy get married? Why must we always give up everything, Dad?” The scene was filmed with two cameras to capture every nuance of Ackles’ performance without needing to switch angles.

The scene was incredibly emotional, and Jensen Ackles delivered a truly stunning performance, moving many of the crew to tears. According to creator Eric Kripke, Ackles completely elevated the episode. Though Dean initially resists sacrificing his own happiness to save others, his strong sense of responsibility ultimately drives him. He sets out to hunt the djinn, but Sam discovers him taking a silver knife from their mother. Before leaving, Dean pauses to wish Sam happiness and bid farewell to the life they both dreamed of.

Sam sensed Dean was saying goodbye and refused to let him face whatever was happening alone. This was also likely the Djinn’s attempt to prevent Dean from tracking it down. When Dean returned to the abandoned warehouse from the start of the story, he discovered the woman who had been troubling him, and understood it was all a creation of his own mind – nothing had actually happened. Those Dean cares about tried to prevent him from defeating the Djinn or escaping the illusion.

Despite knowing it wasn’t real, Dean didn’t want to leave the dream. He felt a strong sense of pain when he had to wake up, and sadly said goodbye to his dream family before intentionally ending the dream. He wakes up to Sam trying to help him. Back at the motel, Dean is deeply saddened, realizing he’s returned from a pleasant dream to a harsh and upsetting reality.

Even though Sam was glad Dean finally broke away, Dean was clearly still deeply hurting. The emotional scars were obvious, and he didn’t even need to talk about what he’d been through.

The Episode Perfectly Embodies Dean Winchester’s Character

Okay, let me tell you, “What Is and What Should Never Be” is a Dean Winchester masterclass. Jensen Ackles absolutely kills it, but beyond that, this episode just is Dean. It nails everything that makes him, well, him. Honestly, my only complaint? We didn’t see him enjoying a slice of pie. A serious oversight, if you ask me!

Dean’s greatest wish reveals how much he longed for a family. Throughout his life, he wanted to reconnect with his parents and see Sam happy – and he briefly experienced that in a dream created by a Djinn. Despite this, Dean felt like he hadn’t achieved much in life, working a simple garage job and struggling with alcohol. When he tries to connect with a ‘new’ version of Sam, he discovers he had previously stolen from his family multiple times.

Dean didn’t care about fame or being a hero. All he wanted was a simple, normal life with his family. More than anything, he wanted Sam to be happy and get everything he deserved. Seeing Sam engaged and with a promising future was enough for Dean. He knew he couldn’t undo the past or give Sam back the childhood he’d lost, but he could try to repair their relationship.

This episode wasn’t just about ensuring Dean’s family was safe and happy; it also let viewers see all the charming aspects of his personality. We saw him genuinely enjoying a sandwich his mother made, and his playful excitement while mowing the lawn – moments that really captured who Dean is. His love for food and simple joys are classic Dean traits.

Ultimately, Dean’s strong sense of duty and purpose were the reasons he couldn’t remain in the dream, despite his desire to do so. Although he’d prefer a simple life, he couldn’t ignore his responsibility as a hunter and prioritize his own happiness over helping others. It was his inner strength that brought him back to reality, a world filled with hardship and the need to make sacrifices.

Dean was devastated by his father’s death and haunted by his final warning. On top of that grief, he had to give up on his dreams, which felt incredibly heavy. This emotional state sets the stage for the season finale, “All Hell Breaks Loose.” In a desperate act, Dean makes a deal with a demon to bring his father back. While selfish and unfair to Sam, Dean couldn’t face losing Sam after already sacrificing everything else.

“What Is and What Should Never Be” is a standout episode, and it’s not just because of Jensen Ackles’ incredible acting. While he’s given many fantastic performances – like in “Lazarus Rising” and “Regarding Dean” – this episode is special because of its moving story that really explores Dean’s character and motivations.

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2026-01-04 03:10