Ellen Harvelle

"Hey, I just run a saloon."

- Ellen, to Sam and Dean

Ellen Harvelle was a retired hunter who ran a saloon called Harvelle's Roadhouse that her fellow hunters often visited until it was destroyed by demons in "All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 1", at which point she resumed hunting.

Ellen hunted with and was married to Bill Harvelle prior to his death. She also had a daughter with Bill who was named Jo, who later became her new hunting partner. In an alternate timeline, she married Bobby Singer.

Ellen sacrificed her own life in "Abandon All Hope..." during a failed mission to kill Lucifer.

Season 2
Four months prior to his death, Ellen leaves a voicemail message on John's phone saying she can help him with the demon. Sam retrieves the message and the boys travel to the Roadhouse. Ellen explains that she knew John and that he was "was like family once." While waiting for Ash to analyze John's information on the Yellow-Eyed Demon, Ellen passes on to the boys a case she was "saving for a friend".

Sam speculates as to whether Ellen and John ever "you know", but Dean thinks not.

After the boys kills the Rakshasa, they return to the Roadhouse where Ash has set up a computerized demon tracking system. Ellen invites the boys to stay, but they decline and return to Bobby's.

After encountering Gordon, Sam rings Ellen for information, and she warns him that Gordon is a good hunter, but very dangerous ("and Hannibal Lecter is a good psychiatrist").

Sam and Dean go to the Roadhouse for help after Sam has a vision. After dealing with Andy and his evil twin Ansem, the boys get a call from Ellen and return to the Roadhouse. She indicates she knows the boys are part of something:

"... This isn't just your war, this is war. Now, something big and bad's coming and it's coming fast, and their side holds all the cards. Now, at best all we got is us. Together. No secrets or half-truths here."

Ellen is trying to prevent Jo from hunting on her own, but even though Ellen gives Jo's case and research to Sam and Dean, Jo sneaks off and joins them. Despite getting Ash to help her cover her tracks, Ellen works out that Jo is in Philadelphia with the Winchesters. When she rings, Dean confesses that Jo has been kidnapped by the spirit of Dr. H.H. Holmes. Ellen flies out to Philly, and after Jo is rescued, rides back in the Impala with Sam, Dean and Jo.

Back at the Roadhouse, Ellen reveals to Jo that her father was killed while hunting with John Winchester.

As he searches for the other Special Children, Sam seeks help at the Roadhouse. Ellen tells him that after they last met, Jo insisted on continuing hunting, and Ellen said "not under my roof". Ellen explains that she doesn't blame Sam and Dean for Jo leaving, or their father for what happened to "her Bill". She tells him she forgave John long ago, though she doubts he ever forgave himself. As Sam leaves, he asks Ellen to not tell Dean where he's going, and she reluctantly agrees. Sometime later, Dean calls her to check again if Sam had been there. She tells him, "Now, Dean, they say you can't protect your loved ones forever...but I say what the Hell. What's family for?" and sends him after his brother.

Later Gordon reveals someone at the Roadhouse told him about Sam's powers and Dean calls her in a rage. She tells him that neither she nor Ash would ever tell anyone about Sam being a "psychic child" and that Hunters are very smart people and know their trade very well, and that any one of over a dozen off the top of her head could have figured it out on their own.

After the Roadhouse is suddenly and explosively destroyed by demons, Ellen turns up at Bobby's place. She explains that she was out buying pretzels when demons attacked the bar, killed everyone inside and burned it to the ground. But she also managed to rescue Ash's research from a safe that they kept there. Bobby makes her drink a shot of holy water to ensure she isn't possessed, then she demands whiskey.

At the devil's gate in Wyoming, Jake uses his mind-control powers to force Ellen to point her own gun at her head. After the gate opens, it is she and Bobby who finally get it closed again. Afterwards, she leaves for some unknown destination (most likely to be with her daughter).

Season 5
In Good God, Y'all Ellen and her daughter end up in a small town called River Pass in Colorado. They were there to help Rufus, a demon hunter and one of Bobby's friends, to help kill the demons that have laid siege to the town, but both mother and daughter were separated in the chaos. Later Ellen is joined up by Sam and Dean. Eventually they attack, Sam and Ellen, and they appear to be possessed by demons. Dean and Ellen arrive while Sam is being tortured and after a brief struggle, both manage to convince Jo and Rufus that War, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, was responsible for making all the people in town turn against each other by thinking that both sides are demons.

In Abandon All Hope..., Jo and Ellen decide to help Sam, Dean, and Castiel kill Lucifer. They split into two groups being Sam and Dean, and Jo, Ellen, and Castiel. Castiel is eventually trapped in Holy Fire by Lucifer. The group continues into the town and is confronted by Meg and several Hellhounds. They escape into a store, but not before Jo gets mauled by a Hellhound. With desperation, Sam and Dean make a bomb and Ellen decides to stay with Jo, saying someone needs to open the door. Jo and Dean share their first and last kiss before the Brothers leave. Eventually, Jo dies in her mother's arms and Ellen is left to blow up the building.

Season 6
In My Heart Will go on, Ellen shows up as Bobby's wife. Due to Balthazar changing events in the past, Ellen is back along with Jo and 50,000 other random people. Though it did not last once Balthazar set history right and sank the Titanic.

Season 7
Ellen is mentioned in The Mentalists communicating through a psychic, she tells Dean that she'll kick his ass if he doesn't tell anyone what's bothering him and begin trusting people again.

Season 2

 * "Everybody Loves a Clown"
 * "Bloodlust"
 * "Simon Said"
 * "No Exit"
 * "Croatoan" (mentioned only)
 * "Hunted"
 * "Playthings" (off-screen via phone call)
 * "Born Under a Bad Sign" (off-screen via phone call)
 * "All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 1" (mentioned only)
 * "All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 2"

Season 4

 * "It's A Terrible Life" (mentioned only)

Season 5

 * "Good God, Y'all"
 * "Abandon All Hope..."
 * "Sam, Interrupted" (Mentioned only)
 * "Dark Side of the Moon" (mentioned only)

Season 6

 * "Caged Heat" (mentioned only)
 * "My Heart Will Go On"

Season 7
Ellen Harvelle Ellen Harvelle
 * "The Mentalists" (mentioned only)