Sam and John

Sam and John Winchester have a Father-Son relationship as well as a soldier-commander relationship. Unlike Dean, Sam and John have had a very rocky relationship. This is mostly due to Sam questioning John's orders. Sam and John are also very similar to another. Dean has even told Sam this. Over time, Sam understands why John raised them the way he did. Their relationship almost directly mirrors Lucifer and God's relationship.

Background
Sam is John's youngest child with Mary, who was killed in Sam's nursery. John pulled baby Sam from his crib when he saw Mary on the ceiling. After that, John protected Sam fiercely, and whenever he went on hunts, he told Dean to watch out for Sammy. John didn't tell him about hunting or about what really goes on in the dark. When Sam told John that he was afraid of the thing in his closet, John gave him a .45.

Sam started asking questions as he got older (about 8 years old) about what John does and why they always have to move. One Christmas, Sam asked if John was going to be home. Dean  told Sam on Christmas Eve what John really does when he left them. Sam cried himself to sleep with tears of disappointment (because John wasn't going to be there when he woke up). Sam gave Dean the necklace he was going to give John, because Dean was there when John wasn't.

As the years go by, Sam and John's relationship became more and more rocky. They constantly argued and fought. Sam, like his brother was brought up in the hunter lifestyle. But unlike his brother, Sam wanted to be normal and realized how messed up his childhood was. When Sam wanted to go to college, he and John had a huge argument that ended with John telling Sam if he leaves, to never come back. Sam and John didn't talk for two years after that.

Season 1
"Dad, NO! After everything we've been through, all the time we've spent looking for you, please, I've gotta be a part of this fight. Clearly this fight is just starting, one we are all going to have our parts to play. For now you've gotta trust me son. (pauses) Ok, you've got to let me go."

- Sam and John

Sam joins Dean in the hunt for John after John goes missing. Sam realizes that John is no longer at his last known spot. Finding John becomes Sam's mission after Jessica's death and he rather go look for John instead of helping people and doing jobs. Sam and Dean do get a lead on John when they discover his old number has been re-actitvated. But it goes staight to voice mail.

Then Sam gets a vision about their old house and they head back there. They solve the case and leave. Unknown to them, John was actually in town watching silently over his boys. John still doesn't want to make himself known to Sam and Dean just yet. Though in Scarecrow, John calls Dean's phone and Sam answers. Sam asks John where he is and if hes okay. John tells Sam hes fine, but Sam needs to trust him. John continues by saying he hunting the demon that killed their mother and he wants Sam and Dean to stop looking for him. He tells Sam write some names down, but Sam refuses. He is more corcerned with finding John than a job.

Dean takes the phone and does as John asks. As they head towards the job, Sam figured out where John was and wants to go there instead. Sam wants to help John hunt the demon rather than do the job. This makes Dean and Sam seperate for a bit, but Sam chooses Dean over finding John.

Sam and John are reunited in Shadow. Its the first time they have seen each other since the fight they had two years ago. John tells Sam its good to see Sam. Sam answers with a Yes Sir. They continue on about talking about the fight they had before Sam left, and then they are attacked. Due to John's weakness to the boys, Dean suggests they seperate. Sam doesn't want to though, since they had just found John. John tells Sam they all have their parts to play and Sam need to let John go (quote is above). So Sam and John go seperate ways.

They meet up again in Dead Man's Blood when John joins them in the hunt for vampires. As they head towards the abandon car's location, Sam begins to get angry at John for not giving them any information on what going on. This causes Sam to stop the Impala in front of John's truck. Sam voices his anger to John, but Dean spilts them up. The anger remains as they prepare to raid the nest, then John explains to them what the colt is and how it is esstential to killing the demon. Sam and John later have a heart to heart. John tells Sam that he never wanted this life for Sam. In fact, when Sam was born, every month John put $100 in an account for Sam to use to go to college with. But when Mary died, that thought slipped away. Sam asked where that fund went and John reveals he spent it on ammo. Sam and John relationship grows from there. John eventually agrees to stay with the boys and hunt the demon together.

So they begin looking for yellow eyes. John shares his research with Sam and Dean. John also finds out about Sam's visions and isn't too happy they didn't tell him about it. Dean points out that its damn near impossible to get John on the phone. John agrees reluctantly. This shows that John may know more than hes letting the boys know. Then John and Sam seperate due to Meg's threats. Sam does confront the demon, but the demon gets away. Like John, Sam wants to go after the demon no matter the costs, but Dean stops Sam.

So with John captured the boys go and find him. They find him, but Sam makes sure John isn't possesed first by dripping some holy water on John. John appears not to be possesed and they get him out. In the abandoned cabin, Dean figures out that "John" isn't really John. Sam is forced to choose between the two. Sam chooses Dean over "John". "John" actually was yellow eyes possesing John.

John manages to overpower the demon and tells Sam to shoot him. Sam does, but not a killing shot. Sam uses the colt to shoot John in the leg, making the demon lose control of John. John is able to briefly keep the demon inside him and begs Sam to kill them both, but when he hesitates to kill his father, the demon escapes. John is very angry that Sam didn't listen to him. Sam responds by saying that killing the demon isn't important, family is and they will get another chance. Then a truck smashes into the impala.

Season 2
"Can we not fight? You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads. Sammy, I, I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?"

- John to Sam

After the crash, Sam and John are the only ones awake. John gives Sam his insurance card for Dean (whos in a coma), and asks how Dean. Sam gets angry at John when John asks about the colt. He tells John, "Your son is dying and you’re worried about the colt?" John replies by saying the demon is coming for them and the colt is their line of defence. John also tells Sam to clear out the Impala before someone finds it. Sam tells John that Bobby towed the car for them. John asked Sam to get somethings from Bobby. Sam questions what its for, but John lies and says it for protection. Sam asks what the demon meant by when he said that he had plans for Sam and children like him. John appears to know something, but to protect Sam, he lies and says he doesn't know.

Sam later confronts John on the items he requested (they were for demon summoning). Sam believes John wants to use it summon the demon to kill it. In other words kill the demon rather saving Dean. John responds back by yelling at Sam that he doesn't know anything. Sam continues on how revenge isn't going to help Dean. Then they notice the glass fly off the table. Sam later discovers that Dean's spirit is around and tells John this. John promises Sam not to hunt the demon until they know Dean is okay. Later on Dean wakes up and John comes to his room. Sam asks where John was last night and if he went after the demon. John asks Sam if they cannot fight (quote above), and this surprises Sam. Plus gives Sam a hint something is not right.

Sam asks if John is alright, and John says yes and asks Sam to get him a coffee. Sam leaves to get John a coffee. When Sam returns, he finds John on the floor no breathing, and shouts for help. Sam and Dean watch the nurses trying to revive John, but nothing works. Sam and Dean give John a hunter's funeral.

Since John's death Sam gains a respect to John and honors his memory by taking jobs. He even tells Dean when he explains why they took a job is because "It what Dad would have wanted." Sam also no longer has a desire to return to college. Although it does take Sam awhile to accept John's death.

Sam sees John one last time when John escapes from Hell and saves Dean, allowing him to finally kill the demon. Sam tearfully nods at his father who, crying, smiles and nods back at him before moving on. Sam is left stunned by John's appearance, wondering if it was really him, if he really could have escaped Hell. Dean reassures him that it was, saying that the door to escape was open and if anyone was stubborn enough to escape, John was.

"You're right. About me and Dad. I'm sorry that the last time I was with him, I tried to pick a fight with him. I'm sorry I spent most of my life angry at him. I mean, for all I know he died thinking that I hate him. So you're right, what I'm doing right now is too little. Too late. I miss him, man. And I feel guilty as hell. And I am not alright."

- Sam's guilt over John's death

Season 5
In The Song Remains The Same Sam goes back in time to save Dean and his parents. Sam and young John have a moment together. Sam talks about his dad (future John) to John. John asks Sam how Sam knew about all this stuff and Sam tells John, his dad did. John wonders who the hell would raise a child in this lifestyle and tells Sam his father was supposed to protect him (not knowing his talking about himself). Sam responds by telling John that his father was trying and died trying.

Sam tells John what he wanted to say before John had died (in Season 2). Sam talks about how he used to hate his father but now, Sam understands him which shows Sam and John are very alike more then Dean. Like how his father was trying to keep it together after Sam's mother died. Sam tells john that he understands, why he did, what he did, and that Sam forgives him and loves him.

Fate, not being kind as it is, brought Michael along and he erased John's memory of ever meeting Sam.