| “ | Don't worry. Most creatures I meet can't get it up for iron. It's a common monster problem. | ” |
— Dean to Elias Finch
in Frontierland | ||
Iron is a metallic element that possesses strong supernatural properties, and is thus used by hunters when combating certain supernatural creatures.
Creatures that Iron affects
- Acheri - Contact with iron will force an Acheri to dissolve and temporarily retreat.[1]
- Demons - Touching an iron will burn low level demons.
- Fairies - All fairies are weakened by iron, although powerful ones like Leprechauns can shrug it off.[2]
- Ghosts - Shooting or stabbing a ghost with iron will temporarily make the ghost disappear. Ghosts also can't cross iron. Sam and Dean consider cold iron to be the best way to repel vengeful spirits. If a person possessed by a spirit touches something made of pure iron the spirit will be forced out of the human.
- Hellhounds - Iron can harm them as demonstrated in the episode "Abandon All Hope..." in which Ellen and Jo sacrifice themselves to attempt kill the attacking hellhounds by detonating a propane bomb filled with iron nails and rock salt.[3]
- Leshi - The only way to kill a Leshi is to cut off its head with an iron axe.[4]
- Phoenix - Iron burned the Phoenix's skin, and it couldn't touch Iron, or if imprisoned by it, escape.[5]
- Shtriga - Consecrated Iron bullets are the only known thing that can kill a Shtriga.[6]
- Witches - Although Iron doesn't hurt witches, it blocks their powers, as Dean used it to restrain James Frampton and he was unable to escape from them or astral project.[7] Olivette was also bound by Iron when Crowley captured her for his mother Rowena and was left powerless.
Trivia
- In many cultures and religions, iron is something that keeps evil and/or supernatural forces at bay.