Comic-Con 2009: Supernatural

Last year was Supernatural’s darkest year ever, pitting brother against brother, angels against demons, angels against other angels, and the brothers against obsessed fans. Despite the fact that neither stars Jensen Ackles nor Jared Padalecki were in attendance at this year’s Comic-Con, it was a standing-room-only crowd that heard Eric Kripke, Misha Collins, Jim Beaver, Sera Gamble, and Ben Edlund discuss what will be the show’s fifth and most optimistic season yet.  This time around, the boys come back together again to stop Lucifer, played by Mark Pellegrino (Lost), who is now walking free on Earth.

This season, we will see a number of familiar faces and themes.  Sam’s girlfriend Jessica (Adrianne Palicki), Chuck the Prophet (Rob Benedict), Meg the Demon (now portrayed by Rachel Miner), and mother and daughter Hunters Ellen (Samantha Ferris) and Jo (Alona Tal) will all be back.  Also making a reappearance is the Colt, last seen in season 3, and the ever-present threat of the Apocalypse, which will be explored further in an episode set 5 years in the future.

Collins will have a bigger role this year, despite the dire circumstances Castiel found himself in during the season finale.  After being blown apart molecule by molecule, he will return with a mysterious and ambitious mission, fewer friends, and a little less angel mojo.  He is cut off from Heaven and is trying to figure out what it means to be human, not having been around them for the past 2000 years.  Naturally, Dean will take him to a whorehouse (without Bobby, much to Beaver’s disappointment).  Castiel will also be joining the Winchesters on Monster of the Week cases, which will inevitably be awkward.

What there will not be a lot more of in the upcoming season are the classic rock and metal songs that helped make early episodes so memorable.  Due to budgetary cuts,  they can only afford one song every episode or two.  Fans looking to buy a soundtrack for the show will have to keep waiting, as the producers have been unsuccessful in their efforts to convince a record company to sell one.  They are, however, looking to create a Playlist on iTunes, so be on the lookout.

Supernatural returns to The CW on September 10 at 9/8c.

For more on Comic-Con, click here.

For more on Supernatural, click here.

Photographs courtesy of The CW and Michael Courtney.