One 15-Year-Old Supernatural Scene Feels So Much Like The Boys, I Can't Believe I Never Noticed It Before

The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke rose to fame with Supernatural, and one scene from the 15-season CW series is so much like his Prime Video show, I can’t believe I’m only now realizing it. Kripke served as Supernatural‘s showrunner for its first five seasons, departing from the series after season 5’s last episode, “Swan Song.” The season 5 finale was Supernatural‘s original ending, though the series wound up continuing well past this installment. And now, its main cast will reunite in The Boys season 5, bringing Kripke’s career full circle.

And those waiting for The Boys‘ next outing might be inclined to revisit Kripke’s previous TV show, as rewatching Supernatural can be a lot of fun. There are minor things you’ll pick up on when following Sam and Dean Winchester for a second or third time. And while returning to Supernatural season 5, I noticed that one 15-year-old scene feels hilariously similar to The Boys’ most gruesome moments. Even years before Prime Video’s anti-superhero show, Kripke was showing his talent for capturing gory and outlandish moments on-screen.

One Scene From Supernatural Season 5’s “Swan Song” Feels So Much Like The Boys

Lucifer “Killing” Castiel Is Both Grim & Absurd

Supernatural season 5’s “Swan Song” features many big emotional moments, especially as Sam sacrifices himself to ensure Lucifer can’t wreak havoc on Earth. But this installment isn’t all doom and gloom; it also has some comical scenes interspersed throughout its 40-minute run. Among the funniest is Castiel throwing a Molotov Cocktail of holy fire at Michael, with the angel uttering the words, “Hey, a**butt” as he does. It’s a ridiculous line, and it perfectly fits Castiel’s character. Unfortunately, Lucifer doesn’t find his antics hilarious, and he responds by trying to kill Castiel.

The scene is grisly for the CW show, but it’s also as shocking and absurd as anything that’s happened on The Boys.

All it takes is the snap of Lucifer’s fingers to reduce Castiel to nothing, and Supernatural depicts this as a gruesome death for the character. Castiel quite literally explodes, with blood and guts splattering all over Bobby Singer and the surrounding area. The scene is grisly for The CW show, but it’s also as shocking and absurd as anything that’s happened on The Boys. And with Castiel returning mere minutes later, viewers are spared the emotional fallout. This makes it more humorous and out there than anything else, and that sort of action is par for the course in Kripke’s later series.

Castiel Exploding Isn’t As Gruesome As It Would Be In The Boys, But It Feels Similar

It Was An Early Sign Eric Kripke Was The Right Person To Helm Prime Video Show

Given that Supernatural aired on The CW, the image of Castiel exploding in “Swan Song” isn’t totally on par with The Boys’ most gruesome moments — but it still feels similar. The Boys is known for its blood splatters, regularly showing its characters covered in guts. Hughie Campbell gets covered in blood in just about every season, and he’s not the only character to deal with such gore. In fact, it seems like the Prime Video series is constantly trying to one-up itself when it comes to disturbing and graphic violence.

And Castiel exploding in Supernatural may have been one of the earliest signs that Kripke was the right person to helm The Boys. Even if it couldn’t go to the extremes the Prime Video series often does, it highlights that the showrunner understands the sense of humor and approach to violence that’s needed for the adaptation. Kripke strikes that balance as well in The Boys as he did in his prior hit.

I’m Glad The Boys Allowed Eric Kripke To Fully Embrace The Shock & Gore Supernatural Couldn’t

There Were Hints Of This Greatness In The CW Series

Although I loved Kripke’s work on Supernatural — his seasons of the series remain its best — I’m so glad he was able to move on to The Boys and embrace a darker storytelling approach. There are hints of that throughout the CW show, but the obvious constraints of network television prevent it from going too far, even when it leans into its horror roots. The Boys allows Kripke to deliver on things Supernatural could never dream of, and that’s precisely what makes the series so entertaining.