| “ | My world? This world? Nothing but failed drafts. And when he realizes that they're flawed, he moves on and tries again. | ” |
| “ | Sam: How many there? How many other worlds, or--or universes, or realities, or whatever? God: I don't know. Kinda lost count. |
” |
An Alternate Universe is a universe with different properties and events from the main one. They are sometimes accessible by rifts opened in space and time through innate power or a powerful ritual.
It appears that all or at least most universes were created by either God or interferences in the timeline.
Known Alternate Universes
- The End (Sam said "Yes" to Lucifer)
- The French Mistake (Supernatural is just a TV show)
- Apocalypse World (Mary Campbell refused to make a deal with Azazel)
- The Bad Place (A wooded world that appears to be ruled by monsters)
- Scooby-Doo Universe (An animated world where the Scooby Gang exists)
- Yokoth and Glythur's World (A universe mostly consumed by the gods Yokoth and Glythur)
- A universe where everything is in reverse
- A universe where the color yellow doesn't exist
- A universe inhabited entirely by squirrels
Appearances
- Season 5
- The End (The End)
- Season 6
- Season 12
- All Along the Watchtower (Apocalypse World, first appearance; The French Mistake mentioned only)
- Season 13
- Lost & Found (Apocalypse World)
- The Rising Son (Apocalypse World)
- War of the Worlds (Apocalypse World)
- The Bad Place (Apocalypse World; The Bad Place, first appearance)
- Wayward Sisters (The Bad Place; Apocalypse World, mentioned only)
- Devil's Bargain (Apocalypse World, mentioned only)
- Good Intentions (Apocalypse World)
- Scoobynatural (Scooby-Doo Universe)
- The Thing (Yokoth and Glythur's World and Apocalypse World, mentioned only)
- Bring 'em Back Alive (Apocalypse World)
- Unfinished Business (Apocalypse World)
- Beat the Devil (Apocalypse World)
- Exodus (Apocalypse World)
- Season 14
- Nightmare Logic (Apocalypse World, mentioned only)
- Optimism (Apocalypse World, mentioned only)
- The Spear (Apocalypse World and The Bad Place, mentioned only)
- Nihilism (Apocalypse World, mentioned only)
- Moriah (collectively mentioned only)
Trivia
- Mary Winchester was trapped in Apocalypse World with Lucifer. However, Lucifer managed to escape in War of the Worlds.
- She and Jack were trapped in Apocalypse World together from The Bad Place to Exodus before returning to their universe.
- Virgil is the first and longest character to be trapped in an alternate universe.
- Dean has visited every single one except Yokoth and Glythur's World.
- The French Mistake is the only known universe without magic. A Goblet of Blood still works there though and can reach someone in the Main Universe. Additionally, the magic in the Bad Place is incompatible with the Main Universe as seen in the fact that the magic that the alternate Kaia used to open a rift did not work for her in the Main Universe to return home.
- While using Kaia's powers in an attempt to locate Mary Winchester, Jack sees windows into several different realities, one of which appears to be a paradise.
- The Apocalypse World is the most recurring alternate universe.
- Season 13 featured the most alternate universes and the most appearances of alternate universes. It also has several rifts open between the universes throughout the season.
- In Wayward Sisters, a rift was open between the Bad Place and the Main Universe for a few days. As a result, monsters from that alternate universe crossed over into the Main Universe. Though several were killed, Sam suggested that more monsters may have made it through before the rift closed that aren't accounted for.
- Despite Dean having been to multiple alternate universes, when the Winchesters use the Demon Tablet Alternate Reality Rift Opening Ritual to reach Apocalypse World, his hair is enough of a guide to not end up in one of the other universes he has been to.
- The Alternate Kaia is the only one who has managed to open a rift between universes whose means of opening it have not yet been revealed, as Michael and Lucifer, the Winchesters, Castiel and Rowena, Diego Avila, Yokoth and the alternate Kevin Tran all opened their rifts through a powerful spell and Jack opened the rifts through his own innate power.
- Alternate Michael has stated in Nihilism that the alternate universes are God's failed drafts. However, this is unconfirmed and may simply be Michael's bitter belief instead of actual fact.