Supernatural May Have Taken Sam’s Soul, But Gave Him a Personality In Return

Summary:

• Throughout all 15 seasons of Supernatural, the show leaned more and more into the stereotypical personas of the Winchester brothers.
• Sam was the smart, compassionate, law-abiding one, while Dean was the brawling, tough, free spirit.
• The soulless Sam, perfectly portrayed by Jared Padalecki, remains one of the most popular iterations of the character among fans due to the change in his personality.

One of the reasons why Supernatural has worked so well for so many years and kept so many viewers hooked on each and every episode has been the undeniable chemistry between the two leads, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, who portray brothers Dean and Sam Winchester. Without them, many believe, Supernatural could not have lasted for 15 years.

No matter who they hunted and how many people they tried to save from evil spirits and deadly supernatural entities, family always came first. Dying more times than you can count and coming back with a bond stronger than before, it's hard to fault them as characters.

But over the years, many viewers agree that both Sam and Dean have fallen into the trap of being dumbed down by the writers. And if Dean remained entertaining only for the comedy and action factor, Sam, who was supposed to be the voice of sanity, was considered boring even by the most loyal fans.

How Did Sam Winchester Lose His Soul?

Maybe that is why the change that came in season 6 seemed so exciting to fans not only at the time, but also years later. In season 5, when he was willing to sacrifice himself for Dean, viewers were led to believe that he would be stuck in the cage forever. However, in Season 6, his body and mind seemed to be on the move while his soul was still trapped.

Since then, Soulless Sam has become a popular character in Supernatural fanfiction, as well as an extremely popular iteration of the character overall. What's surprising is how the most opposite and contrasting version of Sam has managed to gain so much traction.

Here's what Redditor AnunayKuJain had to say about her take on Soulless Sam:

“I liked season 6 Soulless Sam more. He was more mature, takes his own decision on hunting, He took calculated risks, he drived his own car - without soul he had more character to him.”

While many people agreed, adding the undeniable sex appeal of the darker version of a character, others argued that the lack of soul literally made Sam a sociopath. His risks weren't really calculated, and the decisions he made were nothing but excessively cruel.

Much of the entertainment that soulless Sam brought to the screen had more to do with Dean's reactions to him. However, the lack of care in response could have killed the show's most important element, brotherly love. So the comeback of the same good old soulful Sam was highly appreciated.

If you want to enjoy Soulless Sam's arc again, you can stream Supernatural on Netflix.

Source: Reddit