The Man of Many Faces

Season 1 - An Innocent, sweet, sensitive but naive and brave young man.

Season 2 - A lost, tortured soul, searching for his place in the world.

Season 3 - The loyal brother who wouldn't let his big brother die and go to Hell.

Season 4 - The misguided and selfish hunter who turned into a demon-blood drinking monster.

Season 5 - The remorseful and realistic hunter on the path to redemption.

Season 6 - The soulless, robotic but intelligent and humorous hunter.

The above descriptions are how I see Sam Winchester in each season. To me, he is the ultimate man with many faces. I find Sam to be an interesting and complex character. He's been through much; gained and lost and endured hardships which would make most people buckle and succumb to the pressure.

Born 2nd May 1983 to Mary and John Winchester, Sam's life began into a dark descent at the age of 6 months when a yellow-eyed demon, Azazel, entered his nursery and fed him his blood. It coursed through his veins and became a strong, important part of whom he is and who he is becoming. Being different from his father and brother, Sam left to become a ‘normal’ person and went off to college.

It was there that he met Jessica Moore, the love of his life and his soul-mate. The time passed quickly and all too soon, Dean returned into his life, asking for help to find their father. The weekend ended with the death of Jessica and Sam’s world turned upside down and to find the answers he craved, he moved out onto the road with his brother in search.

Halfway through the journey, Sam learned more and with the death of his father at the hand of the same demon, fuelled his desire for revenge and for its death to come swiftly. It almost ended with his death at the hands of other ‘special’ children like himself but Dean brought him back at a great cost and in a cemetery, the yellow-eyed demon’s end came. But along with it, an army from Hell was unleashed.

With Dean’s deal, Sam set out, researching and asking questions to whoever would listen, even to a demon that stalked him, for a way to stop his brother from going downstairs. It was futile and at the end of the one year deal, Dean, ripped to shreds by a hellhound died and went to Hell, leaving him alone in the supernatural world.

Once again, Sam’s world turned upside down and it plunged into darkness at the pushing of loved ones away and Ruby’s return to ‘help’ him. Months passed and with heavenly help, Dean returned but a rift soon came between them and by the end, Sam’s drinking of demon blood was discovered and by wanting Lilith’s head on a platter, he chose Ruby, leaving to end things once and for all.

But with the first demon’s death, Lucifer rose and with more heavenly help, he and Dean were saved, along with the help Dean had to begin with, Castiel. With the devil free, Sam desperately tries to redeem himself by stopping the devil’s plans and putting the lid back on the apocalypse. Soon, Dean and Sam part ways once again as Sam has another attempt at a ‘normal’ life. But it’s quickly shattered at the appearance of Lucifer.

Sam and Dean reunite and despite the unresolved issues and tension clear between them. With the knowledge of their being vessels, they attempt to right the world together once again. At first the desire to say no is overwhelming but when push comes to shove from Death, the horseman, Sam’s inability to say no fades and he finally lets Lucifer in.

Back in Lawrence, he faces off with the archangel Michael, possessing his half-brother Adam, and with Dean’s assistance and pleads, Lucifer’s cage is opened and he jumps in, taking Michael with him, effectively, killing himself.

But the time in the cage is brief and before he knows it he’s back on earth, staring up at the sky, lying alone in a field. For almost a year, he finds his once dead grandfather and a few other remaining Campbell’s and begins hunting with them, only revealing himself to Dean in order to save his life from a Djinn.

The brothers reunite once more and begin hunting together like they once did. But the changes in Sam have not gone unnoticed; shown to be cold and calculating, emotionless and also a more efficient and ruthless hunter, particularly when he does not object to the torture of a child. When Dean confronts, he denies but his story of being fine isn’t easily bought.

With assistance from Castiel, Sam admits that something is wrong and it’s learned he no longer has his soul, that it’s most likely still in the cage with Michel and Lucifer. The hunt then begins to track it down, starting with the demon that brought him back but it turns out hopeless until Death returns, giving at least Dean, a glimmer of hope.

So far, this is the very short and un-detailed life of Samuel Winchester. The aftermath of Death returning Sam’s soul to him is yet unknown although I do believe it will prove both interesting and gripping.

On a personal level, while Sam is not my favourite character, I still find him a fun character to watch. There have been times when I’ve felt bad for him, pitied him, been angry with him, even come close to hating him but despite all of that, I still find Sam an amazing character. He’s a great credit to the show and, of course, it would be nothing without him.