When Supernatural began, the series maintained a serious and scary movie vibe which focused on a monster of the week. As the series progressed, I think we can all agree, Supernatural has taken ridiculous seeming plots and ran with them, making unforgettable episodes, which become the perfect fodder for fan jokes.
Who could forget the time Sam and Dean investigated the passing of an imaginary friend? Remember when Sam and Dean went up against a nerdy shapeshifter and the whole episode was in black and white? Not to mention, the show's tendency to take a meta turn, even giving Sam and Dean their own book series. The series doesn't take itself too seriously and knows how to have fun as much as it knows how to be heartbreaking. Going on 14 seasons, the series can get away with the zaniest of plots, even diving into the cartoon world of Scooby-Doo with Sam, Dean and our favorite angel, Castiel, as cartoon characters solving a mystery with the Scooby Gang. Regardless of how insane the series has become, Supernatural never forgets its heart, which is why fans are so dedicated after 13 seasons.
The Supernatural fandom is known for having a meme for every occasion. Need a meme about alpacas? Done. Need a random meme of someone brushing their teeth? Done. Fans casually takeover any post with inside jokes, crossover humor and poking fun at the show itself.
15 Dean acts like a dog
At times, Supernatural will break our hearts and the emotional turns send us for more Kleenex. Then other times the series decides to see how eccentric it can be. It's a roller coaster every fan knows and has happily embraced. “Dog Dean Afternoon” is a fan favorite and the more down to earth of the ridiculous plots. The episode finds Sam and Dean investigating two murders with the only witness turning out to be a dog.
So the obvious decision here is for Dean to cast a spell so he can communicate with the dog, known as the Colonel, and question him. He doesn't expect the dog-like side effects that come along with the spell, such as hanging his head out a window, yelling at the mailman and, arguably one of the best scenes of the series, Dean arguing with a pigeon. In his defense, the pigeon had an attitude and threatened Dean's beloved car.
The Colonel aids Sam and Dean in the investigation, which leads them to a chef consuming animals in order to gain certain traits. The Colonel is a delightful character who challenges Dean and even criticizes his music. The episode makes us want the brothers to have a talking dog that helps them solve cases. The episode ends with Dean leading a pack of dogs against the chef for some overdue justice. The Colonel gets his own happy ending when Dean finds him a happy new home.
14 How can the fandom scare us today?
Supernatural loves bad guys to be devilishly charming with clever banter, evil plans and delightful frenemy relationships with the brothers. Mark Pellegrino's line delivery and charm made for a devil of a delightful character. Pellegrino's Lucifer is a constant thorn in Sam and Dean's side, but fans wouldn't have it any other way. His introduction comes in Season 4 when he possesses Sam, but, as with nearly every character in Supernatural, Lucifer never stays gone for long before popping back up.
Lucifer returns in Season 12 to continue to wreak havoc, which includes a brief stint as a rock star, played by Rick Springfield. The season ends with the birth of his son, Jack. Season 13 largely focuses on Lucifer trying several different avenues for his life, every attempt leading to comedic results, like how he completely fails at ruling Heaven and the often extreme attempts at creating a bond with his son. He follows them over to the apocalypse world where he does a number of “good” deeds, including bringing Sam back to life. Lucifer quickly takes a turn from comedic frenemy back into the villain when he tricks Jack into traveling the universe with him before stealing his son's grace and attacking Sam. Despite the character's dramatic exit at the end of the season, the Supernatural fandom proudly declares their love for Lucifer, even if it creeps out everyone on Tumblr.
13 It's a lifestyle
Supernatural isn't a quick summer binge. It's a commitment. Ask a fan and they'll tell you, it's a lifestyle. Supernatural has become so much over the course of its run. It's a show about family. Over the seasons, Sam and Dean have built a family with various characters who have won fans' hearts: Castiel, Bobby, Charlie, Kevin, Jody, to name a few. They've lost a few of them along the way, and gained a few back, but it's this family that has become a foundation for the series. The Winchesters revolve their lives around saving people, even at the cost of losing others.
But the journey has been unforgettable, with monsters, vampires, angels, shapeshifting monsters played by Paris Hilton.
It's difficult to not form an attachment after watching the brothers lose each other, find each other, get their mom back, go to the future, go the past and visit alternate dimensions. Once you step your toe into this strange world, you might as well stay for the long haul. Leave it to fans to come up with the perfect way to describe dedication to the series by using a scene from Gilmore Girls. As every Supernatural fan knows, the beloved series stars a young Jared Padalecki. Extra points to the fans who know his character's name on that show is Dean.
12 Fans have a meme for that
If you've ever scrolled through Tumblr or Pinterest, you've seen plenty of Supernatural fans pop up in random places with a meme or GIF ready to fulfill insane requests. So when someone challenges the fandom to provide a GIF of someone brushing their teeth, what do the fans do? They come back with Sam brushing his teeth beside the Impala. It may not be a classic moment and, for some, not even a memorable one, but every moment means something.
Fans will gladly use these moments for the next trending meme. While this scene appears to be simply Sam brushing his teeth while Dean is asleep in the car, it's a moment showing the brothers as regular people. As crazy as the show can get, and it can go to extremes, the quiet moments are treasured. This is highlighted in the Season 10 episode “Fan Fiction” which brings Sam and Dean face to face with a school musical based on the Supernatural books. It was the writer's version of a celebration of their 200th episode of the series by creating a meta-love letter to the fans. The musical includes heart to heart conversations by the Impala, which the teenager director explains the importance of to Sam and Dean.
11 Everyone loves a good salt joke
One of the biggest jokes in the Supernatural fandom is about salt. Yes, salt. In order to get rid of a ghost, Sam and Dean have to salt and burn either the remains or an object the ghost was attached to. The use of salt originates in the pilot and is seen constantly as a weapon the brothers use to battle ghosts. When you're caught up in the moment of a ghost attacking and watching the brothers create a salt circle to keep someone safe, you don't think about how funny it is something so simple is treated so seriously.
Who doesn't laugh a little whenever Dean opens up his trunk and among all the weapons is a container of salt?
While salt is a big deal on the show as a legit weapon, it's just as big of a deal for fans, but for entirely different reasons. So it's always fun to see when someone comes up with a new salt joke, especially when it turns into a Gordon Ramsey cooking burn. Everyone knows Ramsey is known for being a harsh critic when it comes to food, so saying the beef is so salty Sam and Dean are hunting with it is the ultimate food insult.
10 Writing jokes is better with "Supernatural"
As a writer, I have a deep appreciation for writing jokes. I love them, even more, when the shows I love are included. Everyone knows what it's like to lose a favorite character. Everyone feels like it's always your favorite character that doesn't make it to the end of the book. It's not a leap to wonder if authors have a devilish side when it comes to which characters meet their end early.
Just imagine your favorite author sitting down with Lucifer to chat about the downfall of all the characters you love. I wouldn't put it past Lucifer to plot with an author over ways to make a character's life miserable. Given the meta turns Supernatural have taken, isn't be the strangest idea. After all, Lucifer has many conversations with Chuck (the author of the Supernatural books, later revealed to be God) and is personally responsible for several incidents that Sam and Dean have to prevent.
It wouldn't have been the strangest episode of Supernatural if Lucifer teamed up with an author to put Sam and Dean into a book world. Of course, Lucifer would be right there to give advice about the best possible plot twists to befall the brothers. After all, if Charmed can do it, there's no reason Supernatural can't send the brothers into a book.
9 Some fans just don't get it
It's easy to sympathize when fans lose their favorite characters, but no one knows the loss of a favorite character better than Supernatural fans. Any new character on Supernatural seems to come with a time limit before some monster gets to them. Ask any fan and they can give a list of names: Kevin, Bobby, Charlie, Jo, Ellen, Ash. And that's only naming a few. What else do they have in common? They've all returned in some form or another, whether as a ghost or in another world. While the series likes to break hearts by doing away with characters after making you fall in love with them, Supernatural also plays loose with the rules and brings most characters back eventually.
Bobby and Kevin have each returned as ghosts before their doppelgängers make appearances in the apocalypse world.
Even the delightful Felicia Day returns as apocalypse world Charlie. Season 3 deals with Dean's limited timetable after making a deal with a demon, but it's the episode “Mystery Spot” that's a classic for two reasons: the Trickster (who is later revealed to be Gabriel) and for the many, many accidents to befall Dean. While it's a devastating episode, it's also rather comedic as Dean faces cartoonish accidents such as a piano being dropped on him. That episode doesn't even put a dent in how many times Sam and Dean have faced the afterlife.
8 Who wants pie?
Nothing on Supernatural can quite beat Dean's love of pie. Except maybe his love of his car. The idea of Dean distracted from a serious moment because he thinks he smells pie is easily something that could occur. Dean's eating habits have been a subtle joke throughout the series. Supernatural has even used food as the occasional weapon. Remember the gross burgers the Leviathans were using to subdue people? In the Season 7 episode “How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters” Dean can't resist trying out a new Turducken burger, which causes zombie-like side effects.
Dean often orders Sam to get him some pie and can be swayed by nearly any place if they serve the dessert. His love of pie is touched upon when their mother, Mary, returns. In an attempt to get to know her sons as adults, she asks Dean if he still likes pie. Every fan can easily answer that one.
Food is a memorable part of the Supernatural world, including the pig-in-a-poke Dean orders in the time loop of “Mystery Spot." Dean attempts to change his fate by changing his order, but Dean's outcome remains the same until Sam is able to confront the Trickster face to face. Every time they stop in a bar or cafe, Dean gets a burger or a slice of pie while the ever health conscious Sam typically gets a salad. The vast difference in their eating habits is a nice visual for the differences between the two brothers.
7 "Walking Dead" jokes, anyone?
Known for his role on The Walking Dead, Jeffrey Dean Morgan is also famous in the Supernatural fandom as John Winchester, the father of Sam and Dean. His disappearance in the pilot is what drags Sam back into hunting and brings the brothers back together. John Winchester is the reason they became hunters. After they lost their mother, their father raised them on the road and pushes them to follow in his footsteps, going from state to state hunting monsters. He's also a source of tension for both brothers. As Sam spends several early seasons rebelling against “the family business," Dean's not having such a fun time.
His struggle to live up to his father's image plays a large role in his character arc in the beginning.
Morgan's arrival on The Walking Dead shook the internet due to the significant loss of fan-favorite characters in gruesome ways. Along with the angry tweets and posts, The Walking Dead gave a new source of jokes for Supernatural fans to play around with. The idea of Sam and Dean's devastated reactions to their father's actions is only the tip of the iceberg. Many of the jokes ranging from “dad going on a hunting trip” to an image of Rick calling the brothers to ask them to come to get their dad. Most of the jokes are about the choice of weapon used by Morgan's character, which is a bat wrapped in wire.
6 Alpacas are the greatest animal
The Season 6 episode “The French Mistake” is one of Supernatural's best and the most meta territory the series has ventured into. Sam and Dean find themselves in another world where they take the place of two actors named Jared and Jensen who star in a series called Supernatural. They also get to meet Castiel's doppelgänger Misha Collins, but the real humor is found when the brothers try their hand at acting and fail miserably at it. In the episode, Sam and Dean are treated to the lavish actor's life, which pokes fun at the real lives of the actors.
Dean discovers Jensen's past on a soap opera, a nod to his time on “Days of Our Lives,” while Sam gets to meet his wife, played by Jared Padalecki's real-life wife whose known for her time as Ruby number two. While dealing with the shock of Fake Ruby, as Dean dubs her, Dean covers up his odd behavior with the excuse of returning to see the alpaca.
When fans receive a challenge that they could even find a meme about alpacas and claim the post, they swoop in with a quote from “The French Mistake.” What makes the episode so much fun is how easily the actors make fun of themselves, which makes it perfect for fans to turn into memes. If it wasn't already evident, Supernatural fans are always ready for anything thrown their way.
5 Sometimes no words are needed
A true Supernatural fan doesn't need words to understand the joke. Sam and Dean are known for their fearlessness going against several types of monsters and not batting an eye. They've dealt with werewolves and skinwalkers, gods and angels without any of it phasing them. They're so calm about monsters, even going straight into a vampire den seems like a walk through the park. The brothers have saved the world from ending at least once per season and they've gone up against the Devil, gods and Darkness herself.
So the moments you get to see them afraid of mundane things allows for a chance to see them as human characters.
Sam's fear of clowns is prominent in the Season 7 episode “Plucky Pennywhistle's Magical Menagerie” while early in season one Dean confronts his fear of planes. These fears are often played up with humor so Dean terrified as the plane takes off is something funny to see. No one can forget the Season 4 episode “Yellow Fever” when Dean gets infected with fear by a ghost. He grows paranoid about everything around him as he and Sam investigate a ghostly presence. He becomes so jumpy he temporarily quits hunting and ends up chased by a Yorkie. The funniest scene from the episode occurs when Sam opens a locker and Dean screams at the sight of a cat, proclaiming "that was scary."
4 Remember the other brother?
It's no secret that the show revolves around the relationship between Sam and Dean, so it may be hard to recall the other brother. Season 4 episode “Jump the Shark” introduces Adam after the brothers receive a phone call from him asking for their help. The teenager claims to be the son of John Winchester, which they discover to be true, but they barely get time to bond with their newfound half-brother when Dean discovers they aren't even with the real Adam but a ghoul that took his form in order to get revenge against John through his sons.
Adam returns in the Season 5 episode “Point of No Return” when the angels, specifically Zachariah, want to use their half-brother as a vessel for Michael. This comes to pass in the season finale when Michael shows up (as Adam) to face Lucifer (now Sam). The battle ends with Sam gaining control over his body and pulling Michael down into the cage with him. This is the last we see of Adam who has seemingly been forgotten. Fans love to poke fun at this, often making jokes, but nothing beats the image of Adam as a weatherman sharing how hot it is down there and then going to Lucifer for the sports news, which of course is cage wrestling. If Season 14 brought Adam back, would Sam and Dean even recognize him? How awkward would that be?
3 It runs in the family
While Supernatural can be quite serious, these serious moments can be turned into a clever joke. Paired with a young John and Mary making the same face as Sam and Dean, this lists everything running in the Winchester family. You know the usual family things: making deals with demons, drinking and meeting an early end. Simple things affecting each of them, at least once or twice. How many times have Sam and Dean made a deal with a demon or two? Especially when dealing with their frenemy Crowley who Dean even palled around within his demon days.
Though he's not the only brother who has made a deal with a demon.
Sam's on-and-off relationship with Ruby, a demon who was giving Sam demon blood to increase his supernatural abilities, plays a major rift in their relationship back in Season 3. Much like Sam and Dean, their parents have a habit of popping back. The brothers have gone into the past where they had to ensure their parents got together, but while they were there they spent time with their young parents. Season 13 brought Mary back from when the brothers last saw her. Mary had to learn to accept her sons going from a 4-year-old and a baby to two adult hunters having grown up without her. They have their rocky moments as Mary adjusts to the current technology and often spends time away from them in order to find who she is now.
2 Shawn and Gus, Or Dean and Sammy
It's delightful whenever my favorite shows are referenced in my other favorite shows. It still makes me smile when Buffy is referenced in, well, anything. While we don't know officially if this Psych quote is directly related to Supernatural, it's fun to pretend the Dean and Sammy mentioned are our Dean and Sammy. After all, Sammy is Dean's favorite nickname for his brother.
The series is no stranger to crossing the boundaries of meta and other TV shows. Sam and Dean have spent time with the Scooby Gang. They've had their own books, fan conventions and musical. With the Trickster's help, they've even spent some time in TV going through various shows. Sam and Dean spend time on a medical drama, Japanese game show, sitcom and even a crime drama. The episode “Changing Channels” even has a fun Knight Rider reference as Sam has to take the part of K.I.T.T in order to track down the Trickster.
Besides, it's fun to imagine Sam and Dean working a case as a fake investigator partnered with the fake psychic Shawn? Then a monster shows up and while Sam and Dean are busy fighting it, Shawn and Gus take off running and screaming. The Psych duo can't even handle pretend ghosts let alone scary real ones. It's one crossover I'd like to see.
1 The times you don't know what to do with the fandom
What starts as an innocent post offering a moment of appreciation for Tarzan's parents quickly turns into a Supernatural/Tarzan mashup. A moment of appreciation for the couple who are briefly seen after they shipwreck, find their way to shore, and build an awesome treehouse is taking over by the Supernatural fandom. It only takes one fan to point out comparisons to Jared Padalecki with Tarzan's dad, Jenson Ackles with Tarzan's mom and Misha Collins with baby Tarzan for the photo to warp into a bizarre image of the actors' faces on the body of the cartoon characters.
Though you have to admit the tiny wings on baby Tarzan is adorable.
One thing is certain, you'll never see Tarzan the same way again. Try to watch the Disney movie without seeing Jensen Ackles or Jared Padalecki in the role of Tarzan's parents. It won't be easy, because this post will keep the image with you. It'll be hard not to see baby Tarzan without a little trench coat. The memes and Tumblr takeovers prove that anything with Supernatural fans is possible. It only takes one word for fans to swoop in and making any post their own. You never know when the Supernatural fandom will strike.