As the final season of Supernatural gets underway, Mandi and Kimberly look back at the show and their fandom.
“The year was 2005, and I was heavy into my Urban Fantasy. Then a show came along which fit perfectly into my obsession. Two brothers, one car, fighting against the evil in the world. I was instantly hooked. I’ve followed Supernatural since then, through its high and lows.
What I loved most about Supernatural was the underdog theme of the show. No matter how the big the evil and how small the odds were of Dean and Sam winning, they always pulled through. More lovable characters joined through the years which grew my love and the Supernatural fandom. The show has had some great seasons and some less fantastic ones. However, it has always pulled at the heart and the imagination. It certainly inspired my writing over the years.
Even though the show is ending, its legacy will remain. Fans will rewatch the show and continue writing fanfiction. They will still cosplay and post on forums. I will always be inspired by the themes and characters of the show. I can only hope for a happy ending for the Winchesters and their crew. They truly deserve a happy ending. A show with as much impact as Supernatural will carry on for years to come.” -Mandi Harris
“In 2005, I was 26 years old and just getting settled into adulthood with my job and a new home. Little did I know that something else would occur that year that would have a profound effect on my life and my identity; something that had to do with two brothers named Winchester and their 1967 Chevrolet Impala.
Before the premiere of Supernatural, I had been involved in media fandom with a few beloved shows, so I knew well the power of characters and storyline to transcend the screen and leave viewers to explore canon more extensively. This show, however, was far different. Not only did fans trade reactions after each episode, share their talents through their creative explorations, and show their love through visual representation, they also became more than a community and more like a family. And this was in no small part due to the representation we saw both on-screen from Dean and Sam, as well as off-screen from Jensen and Jared. We love and cherish these characters because of who they represent and what they mean to our own lives.
My identity has been built around Supernatural going on fifteen years. I attended my first actor convention to meet Jensen, Jared, and others who brought the show to life. I became an academic fan and explored the fandom community for my Masters thesis as a result of the show. I was supported and encouraged through rough times by way of Jared’s Always Keep Fighting campaign. I flourished both academically and personally with the Winchesters being a constant presence in my life. I became part of a family that doesn’t end with blood and hopefully will not end when the Winchesters are no longer on our screens.” -Kimberly Workman
