Hell on His Mind: Dean Winchester’s Journey to Hell and Back

Season three of Supernatural (2005-2020) closes with a shot of Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) in Hell. The place has no discernible features and resembles neither the long waiting line nor the gothic castle of later seasons. What is does resemble is a brain, with a labyrinth of ropes reminiscent of neurons, suggesting Hell is a place that exists first and foremost in Dean’s head. The lack of establishing shots and the abstract terms used to discuss Hell, damnation, and Dean’s experience present the viewer with a physical place into which all of Dean’s fears and trauma converge. This essay analyzes Supernatural’s first iteration of hell as the manifestation of the ‘foundational drama’ of post-9/11 America and, as such, as a place not too dissimilar to the microcosm that Dean already inhabits. Through the use of gender studies and queer studies, it highlights the importance of White hegemonic masculinity and queerness in Dean Winchester’s damnation and salvation, as well as the role played by Hell in the deconstruction of the character.