The Supernatural season 5 finale is almost here and all of the pieces are in place for the final showdown in the Apocalypse.  Dean has all four Horsemen rings and is ready to trap Lucifer back in his cage while Sam has a plan of his own: saying "Yes" to Lucifer and sacrificing himself.

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Supernatural has a history of tragic endings.  In season 1, Sam, Dean and John were in a car accident.  In season 2, Sam died and Dean sold his soul to bring him back.  In season 3, Dean went to Hell.  And in season 4, Lucifer rose.  Will season 5 continue the trend of a very dark ending, or will Supernatural finally end on a positive note?

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As I see it, there are four possible outcomes to the season.

Sam Sacrifices Himself

In season 3, Dean was doomed to Hell, and despite trying everything to avoid the inevitable, the season ended exactly as promised.  Season 5 could do the same thing, only this time it's Sam who goes to Hell by following through on his plan and sacrificing himself to trap Lucifer.

Someone Else Dies to Trap Lucifer

Sam may be Lucifer's true vessel, but as Michael illustrated by taking on the forms of John and now Adam, there are alternatives.  Maybe someone else will be able to take in Lucifer and make the sacrifice for Sam.  The official episode synopsis promises a major death, and since Supernatural was already renewed for a sixth season, the most likely candidates to sacrifice themselves to stop Lucifer are Bobby and Castiel.

Happily Ever After

After five seasons of bad news, Supernatural could use a happy ending.  Maybe Sam and Dean find a way to trap Lucifer without being injured, and Bobby and Castiel are safe because God shows up as the ultimate dues ex machine to fix everything at the last minute.  But let's be honest, this probably won't happen.

The Thelma and Louise Ending

Imagine this scenario: Sam says "Yes" to Lucifer and stands at the edge of the trap.  Rather than losing his brother, Dean decides to pull a Thelma and Louise by jumping into the pit with his brother, leaving both of them stuck.  I'm not sure what season 6 would look like, but maybe the first few episodes could take place in a nightmarish Hellscape of the cage as Sam and Dean try to find a way out.


So which ending do you see happening?  Personally, I kind of like the idea of Sam and Dean jumping off the cliff together.  Eric Kripke always had a five-year plan, so maybe he wanted to end Supernatural with the brothers sacrificing themselves side-by-side.  Season 6 would be someone else's problem.


(Image courtesy of the CW)