It’s officially been announced that Supernatural’s 15th season will be its last. And while it’s sad to say goodbye to a show that has been in so many of our lives for so long, the show has taught us so many wonderful things and encouraged the Supernatural family to do their best to make their corner of the world better, too. So whatever happens when the credits roll on that final episode in season 15, these are 4 lessons we’ll remember about the show long after the final bow.

“Family Don’t End With Blood”

You really can’t talk about Supernatural without talking about family. While Supernatural is about slaying monsters, and occasionally staving off the apocalypse, the heart of the show was always about family. And while Sam and Dean’s relationship as biological brothers formed the emotional core of the show, over the years they gained a huge found family who they cared for just as much as anyone with the last name Winchester. That heart has absolutely translated into the fandom: Not only do Supernatural fans call themselves the Supernatural family, but the idea of finding and growing a found family, whether or not your biological family is there for you or not, is something the Supernatural family embraces fully.

Fight For Those Who Can’t

While Sam and Dean certainly spend a lot of time fighting for those who can’t onscreen, the actors on the show have also taken it upon themselves to use their platform to help others. And it has inspired the fandom to do the same. Misha Collins started the scavenger hunt GISHWHES and the charity Random Acts to create an outlet for people to do what they can to help others in whatever manner they can. Jared Padalecki started Always Keep Fighting, and he’s partnered with Jensen Ackles and Collins to run several campaigns to raise awareness and funds to help remove the stigma from those with mental illness and fighting against suicidal thoughts and self-harm.  Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster have run several campaigns for girls’ education across the globe, animal rights, and more. Ruth Connell ran a campaign to help breast cancer survivors with the costs of recovery and reconstructive surgery. Rachel Miner has done a campaign for environmental justice and raises awareness for MS. And those are just a few examples. This cast, onscreen and off, has show how crucial it is to help those who need it most.

You Can Choose Your Own Destiny

Sam, Dean, Cas, and several other characters on Supernatural have found themselves destined for less-than-stellar situations (to put it lightly). However, Sam, Dean, and Cas (aka Team Free Will) aren’t ones to sit and let destiny take the wheel. It’s an idea that the show has been touting since the early seasons, and the fandom likes to think of themselves as a member of Team Free Will. The Supernatural family isn’t one to sit idly by and let a bad situation stand simply because the odds are stacked against them. The Supernatural family fights back for what is right, and if they’re told they’re destined to fail, they just try that much harder.

Don’t Rely On Your Half-Brothers to Rescue You From the Pit

Seriously. The show is ending. Like, for good. Can we please rescue Adam from hell now?

Supernatural has given the fandom a lot over the years. While we’ll always remember the amazing adventures we had each week with Sam, Dean, and Cas, the show has left us with so much more.


Feature Image: The CW