Editing John Winchester

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{{RecurringCharacters
|name = John Winchester
|image = <tabber>
|-|
Adult=[[File:Lebanon 06.jpg|250px]]
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24-29 year old=[[File:YoungJohnWinchester2.jpg|250px]]
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|Title/Alias = Johnny, John Boy {{c|by [[Meg Masters (Demon)|Meg]]}}<br>Sir {{c|by [[Sam and Dean]]}}
|season = [[Season 1|1]]-[[Season 5|5]], [[Season 8|8]], [[Season 11|11]], [[Season 14|14]]
|category = [[Human]]<br> [[Ghost]] {{c|briefly}}
|status = Deceased {{c|[[Killed by Princes of Hell|killed by]] [[Azazel]]}}<br>[[Soul]] exists in [[Heaven]]
|occupation = [[Hunter]]<br>Mechanic {{c|formerly}}<br>Marine {{c|formerly}}<br>[[Vessel]] {{c|temporarily}}
|affiliation = [[Winchester Family]]<br>United States Marine Corps {{c|formerly}}
|family= [[Adam]] {{c|ancestor}}<br/>[[Eve (Human)|Eve]] {{c|ancestor}}
[[Cain]] {{c|ancestor}} † <br>[[Abel]] {{c|ancestor}} † <br>[[Henry Winchester]] {{c|father}} † <br>[[Millie Winchester]] {{c|mother}} <br>[[Mary Winchester]] {{c|wife}} †<br>[[Dean Winchester]] † {{c|son}}<br>[[Sam Winchester]] † {{c|son}} <br>[[Adam Milligan]] {{c|son}} <br> [[Emma]] {{c|granddaughter}} † <br> [[Samuel Campbell]] {{c|father-in-law}} † <br> [[Deanna Campbell]] {{c|mother-in-law}} † <br>[[Dean Winchester II]] {{c|grandson}}
|actor = [[Jeffrey Dean Morgan]]<br>[[Matt Cohen]] {{c|24-29 year old}}<br>Nels Guloien {{c|[[As Time Goes By|as a child]]}}
}}
{{Quote|You know, when [[Dean Winchester|you]] were a kid, I'd come home from a hunt, and after what I'd seen, I'd be, I'd be wrecked. And you, you'd come up to me and you, you'd put your hand on my shoulder and you'd look me in the eye and you'd... You'd say "It's okay, Dad". [...] You shouldn't have had to say that to me, I should have been saying that to you. You know, I put, I put too much on your shoulders, I made you grow up too fast. You took care of Sammy, you took care of me. You did that, and you didn't complain, not once. I just want you to know that I am so proud of you.|John Winchester to [[Dean Winchester|Dean]]|''[[In My Time of Dying]]''}}

'''John Eric Winchester''' (1954 - July 19, 2006) was the son of [[Henry Winchester|Henry]] and [[Millie Winchester]],<ref name="Time Goes By">''[[As Time Goes By]]''</ref> the husband of [[Mary Winchester]], and the father of [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] and [[Sam Winchester]]<ref name="Pilot">''[[Pilot]]''</ref> and [[Adam Milligan]].<ref name="Jump">''[[Jump the Shark]]''</ref> Seeking revenge after his wife was killed by the demon [[Azazel]], John became a [[hunter]] and raised his two oldest sons to fight the supernatural. When Dean was 26 and Sam had just started Law School, when John mysteriously disappeared. Which caused Sam to ultimately  leave law school and return to hunting, with his older brother Dean, in order to find him.<ref name="Pilot" /> Eventually they found John who sought the demon-killing Colt gun to kill Azazel,<ref name="Dead Mans Blood">''[[Dead Man's Blood]]''</ref> but the three were caught in a car crash after a brutal encounter with the demon.<ref name="Devil's Trap">''[[Devil's Trap]]''</ref> Soon after John made a deal with Azazel to bring back Dean from death and went to Hell for it,<ref name="In My Time of Dying">''[[In My Time of Dying]]''</ref> but eventually escaped when the [[Devil's Gate]] was opened and, as a spirit, assisted Dean in finally killing Azazel before moving on.<ref name="All Hell Breaks Loose">''[[All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 2]]''</ref> John's soul made it to Heaven where he was reunited with Mary following her resurrection and second death, allowing them to spend the rest of eternity together.<ref>''[[Absence]]''</ref><ref>''[[Carry On]]''</ref>

Before becoming a hunter, John was a Vietnam War veteran (USMC) from [[Lawrence|Lawrence, Kansas]], he worked as a mechanic and was eventually co-owner (with [[Mike Guenther]]) of a garage in Lawrence. John also served as a temporary vessel for the Archangel [[Michael]] and a temporary vessel for the demon [[Azazel]] in said demon's first true onscreen appearance.<ref name="Song Remains Same">''[[The Song Remains the Same]]''</ref>

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:Henryjohnwinchester.png|thumb|left|Young John Winchester and his father Henry.]]
John was born in 1954, presumably in Normal, Illinois, as this is where we see John Winchester when he was younger at the start of ''[[As Time Goes By]]''. At this time, it was unknown to him that his father [[Henry Winchester]] belonged to a secret society called the [[Men of Letters|Men of&nbsp;Letters]], as had his grandfather and his great-grandfather before him. Henry also states that he bought John a little music box which played "As Time Goes By" from the film "Casablanca" to help him sleep after he took him to see "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy" at the drive-in one night, which apparently scared the "beeswax" out of him. In 1958, he went to the club, leaving John home. However, due to the attack by [[Abaddon]], Henry was forced to flee to 2013, where he died at the hands of Abaddon. This led John to believe that his father had abandoned him.

{{Quote|Surviving a lonely childhood, a stinking war... only to get married and have his wife taken by a demon... and later killed by one himself. That man got a bum rap around every turn. But you know what? He kept going. And in the end, he did a hell of a lot more good than he did bad.|[[Dean Winchester]] to [[Henry Winchester]]|''[[As Time Goes By]]''}}

He joined the United States Marine Corps, and deployed to Vietnam with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division; and left the Corps at the rank of Corporal. He later returned to Lawrence, where he worked as a mechanic. On April 30, 1973, John bought a [[The Impala|1967 Chevrolet Impala]] secondhand at Rainbow Motors, after being convinced by a stranger named [[In The Beginning|Dean Van Halen]] to choose the vehicle. What John was unaware of, however, was that Dean was actually his future son [[Dean Winchester]].

[[File:SN403 702.jpg|thumb|225px|right|Azazel makes a deal with Mary after killing John.]]
John had a history with Mary Campbell, although before falling in love (under the influence of a cupid), they couldn't stand each other. John intended to propose to Mary, but later when Mary ran away from her family, he was killed by [[Azazel]] as he was possessing Mary's father Samuel, prompting Mary to strike a deal with Azazel to bring John back at the cost of allowing Azazel into her home ten years later.

Five years later, in 1978, John and Mary were visited by yet another future Dean and his brother [[Sam Winchester|Sam]]. They claimed to be Mary's cousins, as she already knew about time travel to an extent but John did not. John was called back to work by his boss unexpectedly, but once he got there he encountered the angel [[Anna Milton]], also from the future. Dean, Sam, and Mary stopped her from harming John, though John learned of the existence of monsters. Later John helped prepare their house for an angel attack where Sam told him of how his father raised them into the hunters life, at which John was disgusted (though unaware that it was in fact John himself that would do this). Much later, when Anna attacked, John was tossed outside the house, and was approached by the archangel [[Michael]], to whom John gave permission to use in order to save Mary from Anna. Afterwards, Michael erased John and Mary's memories of the attack.

=== Beginning to Hunt ===
[[File:SPN 0093 (John).jpg|225px|thumb|left|John vows revenge for the death of his wife.]]

In 1979, John and Mary had their first child, [[Dean Winchester|Dean]], and in 1983, they had their second child, [[Sam Winchester|Sam]]. On November 2, 1983, [[Azazel]] stayed true to his word and visited [[The Winchester House|the house]], though Mary tried to intervene. Azazel killed her as a result and destroyed the house, but John, Dean, and Sam escaped with their lives. After Mary's death John went to a psychic named [[Missouri Moseley]]. He learned the truth about Mary's past. He left Lawrence with his sons, Sam and Dean. He dedicated the rest of his life to hunting down monsters, particularly Azazel. John began his hunting "career" approximately on November 2, 1983, following the death of his wife. His primary goal, as a hunter, was to kill the [[Prince of Hell]], [[Azazel]], for murdering the mother of his children.

His hunter career led him to investigate the Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11 attacks, suspecting demons being involved.

John accumulated a vast knowledge of the supernatural, keeping [[John Winchester's Journal|a journal]] of the creatures he hunted. He was a well-respected hunter by his peers. John worked with several other hunters, most notably [[Bobby Singer]], [[William Anthony Harvelle]], [[Caleb]], [[Martin Creaser]], [[Lee Webb]], [[Tara]], and a pastor named [[Jim Murphy]] as well as a psychokinetic [[Fred Jones (Hunteri Heroici)|Fred Jones]]. He was described as one of the best hunters, one who hardly ever ended a hunt with the monster still alive. Despite this, Sam tells Dean that his elder brother is a better hunter than John. While working with [[Tara]], John hunted and exorcised [[Abaddon's protégé|a demon protégé]] of [[Abaddon]] who informed them about the existence of the [[Knights of Hell]] and [[the First Blade]], though John never believed in the Blade's existence. Nevertheless, he and Tara kept [[Tara's notes|notes]] of the information they gathered. They also had a brief relationship. Later, John kept a photo of Tara in his [[John's Lock-Up|locker]].

During his hunting career, when Dean was around ten, John left him alone with Sam to hunt a [[shtriga]] and returned only just in time to drive the shtriga away. John was furious as Dean leaving his brother for a while out of boredom led to the situation and it took a long time for him to trust Dean again. He also never completed the hunt as he had to take Sam and Dean to Pastor Jim's and when he returned, the Shtriga was gone and didn't resurface until 2006.

In 1995, John arrived at the [[Harvelle's Roadhouse|Roadhouse]] and met the [[Harvelle Family]]. He became friends with another [[hunter]] named [[Bill Harvelle]]. Though both usually hunted alone, John and Bill went on a hunt together. Bill was savagely wounded by the monster that John had been forced to shoot him to put him out of his misery. John cut all ties from the Roadhouse and never forgave himself for the incident.<ref name="Born Under Bad Sign">''[[Born Under a Bad Sign]]''</ref><ref name="Hunted">''[[Hunted]]''</ref>

His life as a hunter led to strain between him and his son Sam, who wanted to quit hunting, leading to an argument where John told Sam if he left he would have to stay away. However, John regretted saying it, as he didn't want Sam to be on his own. John would surreptitiously stop by Stanford every so often just to make sure Sam was all right. John admitted it was never his intention to raise his sons the way he did.

[[File:JohnAdam.jpg|thumb|170px|John and Adam]]
Around August or September 2002, after Sam had left for Stanford University, John received a call from [[Kate Milligan]], a nurse who had treated John several years previously in Windom, Minnesota. She informed him that they had a son named [[Adam Milligan|Adam]] who was twelve at the time. According to Adam, John "dropped everything" and drove all night to Windom. After the initial meeting, John had sporadic contact with Adam. He taught him to play poker, taught him to drive in the Impala, and bought him his first beer when he was fifteen. He also took him to ball games on his birthday. John never mentioned Adam to either Sam or Dean nor did he tell Adam about his other sons. They learned about him around two years after John's death. Dean suspects that John saw Adam as a second chance, a child he could raise outside of hunting and do normal father-son activities with. This may have also been inspired somewhat by Sam's recent leaving.

===[[Season 1]]===
In ''[[Pilot]]'', [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] visits [[Sam Winchester|Sam]] at Stanford, telling him that John has gone missing. Sam reluctantly accompanies Dean to [[Jericho]] where John was on a case, but while they find his motel room, and belongings including [[John Winchester's Journal|John's journal]], he is not there. While being interrogated by the police, Dean finds coordinates that John has left for him.

In ''[[Wendigo]]'', Sam and Dean follow the coordinates left in their father's journal and land in the middle of the woods where they investigate the disappearance of several campers in Black Water Ridge, Colorado. The two eventually realize that John was never in the area and had simply been assigning them a case.

In ''[[Phantom Traveler]]'', [[Jerry Panowski]] reveals that he got Dean's phone number from John's voicemail, surprising them as John's phone has been inactive until now. When Sam and Dean call John, they receive a voicemail saying that he is unreachable and redirecting people to call Dean if they want help - the first sign the boys have that John is still alive.

In ''[[Bugs]]'', Dean reveals to Sam that John would often check up on Sam at Stanford in secret.

[[File:JohnW..jpg|thumb|225px|left|John looking at [[John's wedding ring|his wedding ring]] after hearing Mary's spirit saved Sam and Dean.]]
In ''[[Home]]'', distressed at returning to his home town as they follow one of Sam's visions, Dean calls John but receives no answer. While investigating the haunting at their old home, Sam and Dean visit the garage John once owned with [[Mike Guenther]]. He directs them to [[Missouri Moseley]]. She helps the boys, but unbeknownst to them John Winchester is in town and in contact with Missouri. He tells her he can't contact them until he knows "the truth".

In ''[[Asylum]]'', John sends Sam and Dean on a case in an insane asylum through a text. After the hunt, Dean's cell rings, and Sam answers to hear his father's voice.

In ''[[Scarecrow]]'', John, on the phone with Sam, expresses sympathy at the murder of [[Jessica Moore|Jessica]], and for the first time reveals that he knows that what killed Mary and Jess was a demon. John tells Sam that he must stop looking for him and he starts to give Sam details of a new hunt, but Sam argues that he wants to help John hunt the demon. Dean grabs the phone and takes the details from John about couples who have gone missing near Burkitsville, Indiana.

Later Sam leaves Dean, intending to travel to California and find John. However, after Dean goes missing on the case, he returns saying while he still wants to find John, he and Dean need to stick together.

[[File:J Winchester.jpg|thumb|225px|John reunites with his sons.]]

In ''[[Shadow]]'', when Sam and Dean encounter [[Meg Masters (Demon)|Meg]] in Chicago and realize she is linked to the demon that killed Mary and Jess, Dean calls John who arrives after the case is apparently over. John's appearance surprises them and Dean embraces him warmly. John reunites for the first time in years with Sam, seemingly putting aside their argument as he is glad to see his son. To Sam and Dean's surprise, John reveals that he intends to kill the demon responsible for Mary and Jess' deaths - not exorcise it, actually kill it though he doesn't yet know how to do it. However, they are attacked by [[daeva]]s under Meg's control. Sam manages to dispel them and they escape, but are injured. Afterward, Dean supports John when he says it is too dangerous for them all to be together, and they part. John tells them that the fight is far from over and they'll see each other again.

{{clear}}

In ''[[Something Wicked]]'', after learning that the [[shtriga]] he once hunted has reemerged in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, John sends the coordinates to Dean as he knows that killing the shtriga is unfinished business for Dean. Dean ultimately kills the shtriga and finishes John's old hunt.

[[File:SPN 0356.jpg|thumb|225px|left]]
In ''[[Dead Man's Blood]]'', following up on the death of the hunter and old friend [[Daniel Elkins]], Sam and Dean are surprised when John arrives. He tells them about [[the Colt]], a gun that can kill supernatural beings, which he now realizes Elkins had. He is after it as it can kill the demon that killed Mary and Jess and avenge their deaths. Together they fight the [[vampires]] that killed Elkins, [[Battle for the Colt|and retrieve the Colt]], although John and Sam clash almost immediately and argue. John orders Sam and Dean to rescue the victims and then leave while he confronts the vampires alone and they realize that afterwards he intends to go off on his own again. Even Dean argues with this, saying they are stronger as a family, but finally they reluctantly agree. Using Kate, John draws the vampires into a meeting to exchange her for the Colt, but Kate breaks free and John is nearly killed. However, Sam and Dean disregard his orders and rescue him, though the vampire leader [[Luther]] takes Sam as a hostage to force Dean to surrender. John quickly recovers and kills Luther with the Colt, saving him.

[[File:SPN 1052 (John).jpg|thumb|225px|John about to kill Luther with the Colt.]]
The surviving two vampires retreat. Afterwards, John confronts his sons for disobeying him, but agrees that they did save his life and thanks them rather than yelling at them for it. The experience causes John to realize that they are right: the three of them are stronger as a family and he asks Sam and Dean to join him in hunting the demon that killed their loved ones and they eagerly agree. During the episode, Sam and John also spend some time alone and seem to come to some form of peace as they realize they are a lot more alike than they care to admit and John tells Sam he never wanted his son to have this life.

{{Quote|This isn't the life I wanted for you [...] You gotta understand something. After your mother passed ... all I saw was evil, everywhere. And all I cared about was keeping you boys alive. I wanted you ... prepared. Ready. Except somewhere along the line, I ... I stopped being your father and I became your drill sergeant. So when you said you wanted to go away to school, all I could think about was, my only thought was that you were gonna be alone. Vulnerable. Sammy, it just ... never occurred to me what you wanted. I just couldn't accept the fact that you and I were just different.|John explaining his actions to Sam|''[[Dead Man's Blood]]''}}
[[File:SPN 0464.jpg|thumb|225px|left]]
In ''[[Salvation]]'', as hunters they know start being killed, the Winchesters start the hunt for the demon in earnest, following signs, that John has learned are associated with its appearance, to Salvation, Iowa. Sam has a vision concerning a [[Monica Holt|young woman]] and [[Rosie Holt|her baby]], suggesting she is a target of the demon. John is angry that the boys hadn't told him about Sam's visions, but Dean stands up to him.

When Meg calls she demands the Colt, killing his friend [[Caleb]] as John listens having also killed [[Jim Murphy|Pastor Jim]]. John plans a ruse to give her a fake Colt, as Sam and Dean take the real Colt to kill the demon. Both plans go wrong, when John is captured, and the demon eludes the boys. When Sam and Dean try to call John after stopping the demon from hurting the Holt family, Meg answers and reveals that she has captured John.

[[File:SPN 1255.jpg|thumb|225px|John commands Sam to kill both him and the Yellow-Eyed Demon.]]
In ''[[Devil's Trap]]'', Sam and Dean turn to [[Bobby Singer]] for help. When Meg turns up, they capture her, and manage to find out John's location, exorcising the demon. [[Rescue at Sunrise Apartments|The boys rescue John]], and take him to a remote cabin. It is while he is telling Dean he is proud of him, even though Dean used the gun and wasted a chance on killing the Demon, that Dean gets suspicious and realizes that John is possessed by the [[Azazel|Yellow-Eyed Demon]]. He taunts Dean and Sam and is killing Dean when John manages to wrest control for a moment, and allow Sam to get control of the Colt. Sam however can't shoot to kill and only wounds John in the leg. Regaining control, John orders Sam to kill him to kill the demon. Before Sam can make up his mind, the demon flees John's body in smoke form. As they drive to the hospital, John berates Sam for not sacrificing him to kill the demon, having believed that Sam agreed with him that the demon must die at any cost. However, Sam tells him that family is more important and they can still catch up to the demon again and they still have one bullet left in the Colt to kill it with. However, at this moment, [[Trucker (demon)|a demon-possessed truck driver]] crashes into [[The Impala]], leaving John and his sons injured and unconscious.

{{Quote|It scares the hell out of me. You two are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So ... let's go after [[Azazel|this damn thing]]. Together.|John to Sam and Dean|''[[Dead Man's Blood]]''}}

===[[Season 2]]===
[[File:SPN 0966.jpg|thumb|225px|left|John dead on the floor.]]
In ''[[In My Time of Dying]]'', all the Winchesters are in the hospital with [[Dean]] dangerously close to death. [[Sam]] discovers John is planning to keep on pursuing the [[Azazel|Yellow-Eyed Demon]], and they argue. John promises to hold off until Dean recovers, but he actually summons the Yellow-Eyed Demon and makes a deal - his life for Dean's. While meeting with Azazel, John reveals that he does in fact know the demon's plans for Sam, though he lies to his sons that he doesn't.

John has a final few moments with his sons. He tries to make some peace with Sam, and then whispers to Dean a secret. Moments later the deal is called in - John dies and Dean recovers.

In ''[[Everybody Loves a Clown]]'', Sam and Dean give John a Hunter's Funeral, but Dean avoids telling Sam the truth. On John's cell phone, they find a message from [[Ellen Harvelle]], leading the Winchesters to [[Harvelle's Roadhouse|the Roadhouse]] for the first time.

In ''[[No Exit]]'', Ellen reveals to her daughter [[Jo Harvelle|Jo]] and Jo subsequently reveals to Sam and Dean that John got her father [[William Anthony Harvelle|Bill]] killed on a hunt.

In ''[[Crossroad Blues]]'', [[Dean's Crossroad Demon]] confirms Sam and Dean's suspicions that John traded his life for Dean's and is currently suffering in [[Hell]]. The [[Crossroad Demon]] offers Dean a deal of ten years in exchange for resurrecting John. Though clearly tempted, Dean instead traps the demon and forces her to break [[Evan Hudson]]'s deal.

At the end ''[[Croatoan]]'', Dean reveals to Sam that John told him something terrible before he died.

In ''[[Hunted]]'', Dean finally reveals to Sam that John had told him that he must save Sam and if he can't, Dean must kill him. This revelation has left Dean shaken ever since, but Dean admits that John never expanded upon what he actually met. While visiting the Roadhouse for help with finding more of the [[Special Children]], Sam learns from Ellen that she forgave John for Bill's death a long time ago, but she believes that John never forgave himself for it.

In ''[[Born Under a Bad Sign]]'', the demon [[Meg Masters (Demon)|Meg]], while possessing Sam, tells Jo that John didn't just get Bill killed, but John killed Bill himself after he was mortally wounded due to John's mistake. Dean later admits to Jo that demons do sometimes tell the truth, especially if it can mess with a person's head, suggesting that Meg wasn't lying about John killing Bill.

[[File:Supernatural 81460 3.jpg|thumb|225px|John's spirit disappears in a flash of light.]]
In ''[[All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 2]]'', John's [[ghost]] unexpectedly appears as [[Azazel]] is about to kill Dean, having escaped from Hell when the [[Devil's Gate]] was opened by [[Jake Talley]]. John pulls Azazel from [[Azazel's vessel|his]] [[vessel]] and struggles with the [[Prince of Hell]] who quickly overpowers John and throws him to the ground before reentering his vessel. John's attack gives Dean enough time to retrieve [[the Colt]] and Dean shoots Azazel dead when he rises again, finally getting the Winchester Family's long-sought [[revenge]] for the death of Mary. Before the stunned eyes of Ellen and [[Bobby Singer]], John approaches Dean and silently touches him on the shoulder before exchanging a teary nod with Sam. With a smile, John vanishes in a flash of light before the eyes of his sons.

In the aftermath of the battle, Sam and Dean are left stunned both by John's appearance and finally getting revenge upon Azazel. When Sam questions if John really got out of Hell, Dean comments that the door had been open and if anyone could make it out, it would be John. However, Dean and Sam aren't sure of where John went when he disappeared.

===[[Season 3]]===
In ''[[Long-Distance Call]]'', a monster called a [[crocotta]] imitates John's voice and tries to lure Dean to his death. Greatly missing his father, Dean believes it is truly John, though Sam is more cautious. Dean nearly kills an innocent man under the crocotta's influence, believing him to be the [[demon]] that holds his contract. However, Dean eventually realizes the truth after the man is unaffected by a [[devil's trap (object)|devil's trap]] while Sam kills the monster.

===[[Season 4]]===
[[File:SPN 0068.jpg|thumb|left|225px|Dean meets a younger version of his father.]]
In ''[[In The Beginning]]'', [[Dean]] is sent back in time to 1973 by the [[angel]] [[Castiel]] where he meets a young John who Dean believes he has been sent back to protect. Dean convinces John to buy [[the Impala]] instead of a VW van, but discovers the real threat is to his mother [[Mary Winchester|Mary]] who is in fact a [[hunter]], though she hates the life and wants to leave it. As John prepares to propose, [[Azazel]], possessing Mary's father [[Samuel Campbell]] appears and snaps John's neck, killing him. Azazel promises to [[resurrection|resurrect]] John so Mary can have a normal life with him if she gives Azazel permission to enter her house in ten years. Though Dean tries to intervene with [[the Colt]], Mary makes the deal and John is resurrected while Azazel flees Samuel's body before he can wake up with no memories of being dead.

During ''[[On The Head Of A Pin]]'', Alastair mentioned to Dean of how he took to torturing John when he was in Hell, in an attempt to break him enough to torture souls himself and break the first seal. However, he revealed John never gave in and always refused, despite the torture he suffered. The demon spoke highly of John for his strong will and stated that he expected the same from his son but voiced his disappointment that Dean wasn't nearly half the man that his father was. His comment left Dean angry.

In ''[[Jump the Shark]]'', it is discovered by Sam and Dean that John had another son, [[Adam Milligan]]. The two learn that John was hunting a ghoul and met Adam's mother and routinely spent time with him for years. However, the ghoul that John killed had children who wanted revenge and killed Adam and Kate to pose as them and lure him back. Since John was already dead, Sam and Dean had to pay for his sin but the two killed the ghouls, finishing some of their father's work. Sam and Dean, who came to believe that John was trying to protect Adam by keeping him out of the life, give the half-brother they never knew a Hunter's Funeral.

===[[Season 5]]===
[[File:SPN 0379.jpg|225px|thumb|A younger John again meets Dean and is introduced to Sam.]]
In ''[[The Song Remains the Same]]'', when the angel Anna goes back in time to kill a young John and Mary before their sons are born as it would supposedly stop the apocalypse from ever occurring John meets Dean and Sam, who traveled to stop Anna. He becomes aware of his wife's past life as a hunter, and is shocked people could raise their children to kill supernatural beings. However, John accepts the truth fairly quickly and even offers his help to Dean to set up defenses against the angels.

When they are all attacked by Anna and [[Uriel]], John is thrown out a window early in the fight. While on the ground outside, John is approached by the [[archangel]] [[Michael]] who promises to save John's family if he will say "[[yes]]." John consents to possession, allowing Michael to use John as a [[vessel]] to kill Anna and banish Uriel. In John's body, Michael finally meets face to face with Dean for the first time and explains that while Dean is his true vessel, he is not his only vessel. Instead, it is a bloodline starting with Cain and Abel and running down through John to Dean. Michael [[resurrection|resurrects]] Sam and promises Dean that John will be left unharmed by the possession and will be "better than new" instead of a drooling mess like most archangel vessels. Michael decides to erase John and Mary's memories of the night, both as a kindness and to keep them from remembering anything about the future.

In ''[[My Bloody Valentine]]'', a Cupid is later revealed to have been behind John and Mary's union and that it was ordered by the "higher-ups". However, the angel also added that he can only bring the two lovers together; the love they feel afterwards is completely of their own volition.

In ''[[Point of No Return]]'', [[Adam Milligan|Adam]] is resurrected by [[Zachariah]] under Michael's orders, supposedly to be Michael's vessel for the fight with [[Lucifer]]. As Adam is also John's son and Sam's brother, he is capable of holding the archangel for the fight. Though Sam tries to argue that Adam should hear them out as they are also John's sons, Adam states that to him John is the guy who took him to baseball games once a year and he has no father. Sam later tries to justify that John kept Adam out of the life for his own protection, but Adam bitterly points out that the [[ghoul]] that killed him didn't get that memo. Sam tries to tell Adam that the only thing worse than seeing John once a year was seeing him all year, but Adam admits that having grown up with just his mother, Adan would've taken anything John was willing to give him to have his father in his life.

===[[Season 8]]===
[[File:HenryJohn.jpg|225px|thumb|left|John's last moments with his father.]]
In ''[[As Time Goes By]]'', Sam and Dean learn the truth about John's father [[Henry Winchester]]'s disappearance along with the fact that John tortured a demon who worked for [[Abaddon]] and that he learned from the demon that Abaddon is a [[Knight of Hell]]. Sam also becomes more accepting of John's way of raising them, knowing that he did the best he could, but the brothers are left wondering how their lives would have been different if Henry had been there to raise John. Dean initially resented Henry in John's stead for not properly being there for his son, despite it not being his fault. Henry was also initially disgusted that John was a hunter rather than one of the [[Men of Letters]], but came to be proud of John after seeing how he raised Sam and Dean. Henry also tried to return to the past and be with his son when reading his journal but Dean stopped him and forgave him once he saw he was wrong to misjudge him. After Henry was fatally wounded by Abaddon, Henry expressed pride and his son and grandsons regardless of what he was. After burying Henry, Sam and Dean realized why Heaven put their father and mother together while also wondering what John would've been like if his father had stayed around.

===[[Season 9]]===
In ''[[First Born]]'', Dean is approached by [[Crowley]] to help locate [[the First Blade]] which Crowley could only find [[Abaddon's protégé|one demon]] that knew about it: one that was captured, interrogated and [[exorcism|exorcised]] by John. Checking [[John Winchester's Journal|John's journal]] and [[John's Lock-Up|his lock-up]], Dean and Crowley learn that John worked a case with a hunter named [[Tara]] where they did interrogate and exorcise a demon who knew about the Blade, but find no further information in John's files. Finding Tara, they learn that she and John apparently had a sexual relationship as well as a professional one and that John never believed the demon about the Blade, thinking it was just lying to get out of being exorcised. However, Tara had started searching for the Blade and she is able to give Dean and Crowley their first clue on where to look. She also indicates to Dean that she believes that John would be disgusted with him for working with Crowley despite the necessity of the situation.

===[[Season 11]]===
In ''[[Baby]]'', a being takes on the form of a young John Winchester to speak to Sam in his dreams. While Sam believes it to be [[God]], the being is revealed to in fact be [[Lucifer]] in ''[[O Brother, Where Art Thou?]]''.

In ''[[Don't Call Me Shurley]]'', after Dean lashes out at God for abandoning his creations and for not doing anything despite the many tragedies that happened throughout the centuries that in Dean's view didn't get better, God expresses his sympathy and interpreting Dean's emotional response as attributed due to his residual anger and bitterness at John, tells him not to confuse him with his father. Dean does not deny that it is true, simply giving God a sad look.

===[[Season 12]]===
In ''[[Keep Calm and Carry On]]'', after the [[resurrection]] of [[Mary Winchester|Mary]], Dean uses Mary's history with John to convince her of his identity as her son. As Dean fills Mary in on everything she's missed in the past 33 years, she asks about John. Dean tells Mary that John died trading himself for Dean which Mary tearfully admits sounds like something John would do. She is also shocked to learn that John ended up being a [[hunter]] and trained Sam and Dean as one. After being brought to [[the Impala]] in the [[Men of Letters bunker]], Mary recognizes it as John's car and stares into the backseat with a smile, clearly remembering fun times she had with John there.

In ''[[Mamma Mia]]'', Mary tells Dean she had a lot of dreams about the times she had with John and that he was a good father. Dean later tells Mary that after she died, the hunting life consumed John along with the need to find answers to what happened to her and it changed him.

In ''[[Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell]]'', Dean uses [[John Winchester's baseball bat|a barbwire-wrapped baseball bat]] on a hunt that once belonged to John. Returning to the Bunker, Dean comments "man, Dad really loved this thing."

In ''[[The British Invasion]]'', Mary is shown to be in possession of [[John's wedding ring|a golden ring]], presumably the one John kept, given that Dean had given Mary many of John's possessions.

In ''[[There's Something About Mary]]'', [[Lady Toni Bevell]] reminds Mary of her deal with [[Azazel]] to save John. She also informs Mary of John's actions following her death, something Mary wasn't aware of previously and calls the way John treated his sons "practically child abuse."

===[[Season 13]]===
In ''[[Breakdown]]'', when Dean uses a CB radio in his attempts to find [[Wendy Hanscum]], Sam complains causing Dean to defend himself by stating that John used them.

===[[Season 14]]===
In ''[[Unhuman Nature]]'', [[Jack Kline (Nephilim)|Jack]] has [[Dean]] take him fishing when Jack is dying because he knows that it's the one activity Dean truly enjoyed doing with his own father.

[[File:John Winchester 2003.jpg|225px|thumb|left|John returns from the year 2003.]]
In ''[[Lebanon]]'', Dean and Sam find the [[Baozhu]], a Chinese treasure, which they hope could expel Michael from Dean's mind. After Dean makes his wish, the brothers are attacked by a figure while the bunker goes on high alert. The figure threatens them before it is revealed to be John who was summoned from the past because of Dean's desire. John believes it is 2003 before he learns he was pulled sixteen years into the future. John has his sons update him on the situation, as they mention [[the Apocalypse]], [[God]], [[angels]], and their men of letters legacy through Henry. John is amused to hear these tales and expressed pride in his sons in their endeavors. John is then reunited with a resurrected [[Mary Winchester]] and they share a loving embrace.

[[File:Lebanon 15.jpg|thumb|225px|John shares dinner with his family.]]
Afterwards Sam and Dean tell him of how time is changing, due to John being taken out of the timeline. John accepts that the only way to fix the situation is to send him back. He shares a family meal with his loved ones and is happy at the chance to do so. Once Sam destroys the treasure, John disappears back to 2003 and wakes up in the Impala. He gets a call from the Dean of that year and believed the events were a dream, before telling Dean that he's coming home.

In ''[[Absence]]'', [[Castiel]] is allowed to visit Heaven after Mary's death and discovers that she is at peace in a special Heaven with John.

John appears in a flashback during Mary's hunter's funeral to the family dinner the Winchesters shared when John was pulled to 2019.

In ''[[Jack in the Box]]'', after Castiel tries to go after [[Jack Kline (Nephilim)|Jack]], [[Duma]], now the [[Ruler of Heaven]], threatens to end John and Mary's shared Heaven with just a snap of her fingers to force Castiel to capitulate. Enraged, Castiel instantly kills Duma with his [[angel blade]] to protect John and Mary.

===[[Season 15]]===
In ''[[Raising Hell]]'', [[Belphegor]] reveals that once a [[soul]] has been cast to [[Hell]], it cannot enter [[Heaven]]. The Winchesters point out that John and [[Bobby Singer]] got in after escaping Hell, but Belphegor speculates that [[God]] made exceptions those times because he liked the Winchesters.

In ''[[Last Call]]'', [[Lee Webb]] asks Dean about John. Dean informs Leo that John has been dead for thirteen years but "he was doing what he loved the most -- kicking ass and taking names." Dean is clearly upset by the reminder of the loss of John and Leo offers his condolences which Dean appreciates. Leo comments that he always liked John and the two reminisce about John catching them drunk on a hunt and how John was so mad, it looked like he was going to have an aneurysm. Dean tells Leo that John had always liked Leo and said that he'd never seen anyone better in a fight which was high praise coming from John. The two then raise a toast to John and later do a duet of the Theme from the Dukes of Hazard which John would play for them before they went out on a hunt and state that it was real music.

In ''[[Galaxy Brain]]'', a [[resurrection|resurrected]] [[Jack Kline (Nephilim)|Jack]] suggests trying to use a spell called [[the World Bender]] to open a [[rift]] to [[The Bad Place (Alternate Universe)|the Bad Place]]. However, the Winchesters reject the idea after learning that it requires the liver of a [[Mandragora]], explaining that in [[John Winchester's Journal|John's journal]], John states that he hunted and killed [[The Last Mandragora|the last of the species]] in Fargo.

In ''[[Drag Me Away (From You)]]'', in a flashback, John drops a young Sam and Dean off at motel in January 1993. As he drives away, Dean complains about John leaving him to watch Sam instead of taking Dean with him. Later, Dean attempts to contact John through [[Bobby Singer]] about a monster sighting, but Bobby tells him that John is at least two days out of range. When John eventually arrives to pick his sons up, Dean tells Sam that they will tell him that Dean handled the situation with a little help.

In ''[[Carry On]]'', while hunting a nest of masked [[vampires]], Dean remembers them from John's journal. Checking the journal, Dean learns that John had hunted [[Masked Vampires|the vampires]] in 1986, but they were able to evade him. The information on John's old hunt helps Sam and Dean to predict the vampires' next move and intercept them.

After Dean dies and goes to [[Heaven]], [[Bobby Singer]] tells him that in the newly-restructured Heaven, Mary and John have a place close to [[Harvelle's Roadhouse]] and points him in that direction.

Pictures of Mary and John are amongst the collection that Sam keeps during his long life, including a large picture of the entire family together from when John was pulled to 2019.

===''[[The Winchesters]]''===
In ''[[Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye]]'', after meeting the [[John Winchester/The Winchesters|John]] and [[Mary Winchester/The Winchesters|Mary]] of [[Monster Club Universe|an alternate universe]], [[Dean]] tells the alternate version of his parents about [[John Winchester's Journal|John's journal]] and how he lived his whole life by it. Returning the favor, Dean provides the alternate version of John with [[Dean's Journal|his own hunter's journal]] to guide his father through hunting as John had guided him.

==Personality==
John was an ordinary child up until his father [[Henry Winchester]]'s disappearance. What became of John after that moment is never specified, though he likely hardened from the lack of his real father.

As part of the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, John was undoubtedly a capable fighter by that point, strong and fearless though he retained, at least until Mary's death, a gentle, loving heart. He moved to [[Lawrence]] seeking a better and more stable life, and he became devoted to Mary, even though her parents were against the match.

John was naive to the supernatural world and despite marrying a hunter, he never learned what lurked in the shadows until Mary's deal with Azazel led Azazel to come into their home one night. Mary was set ablaze on the ceiling of Sam's nursery and John's life was forever changed.

Many of John's friends have described this period as difficult and rough for John, who had two young sons to tend to. Without a home, he relied on old friends for shelter until he picked up the habit of living on the road or in cheap motels. He was regarded as deluded and a little disturbed during this time, as John was beginning to find out about the supernatural.

His years as a soldier helped to prepare John a bit in what he had to face, and he was able to train his sons to become skilled and tactical fighters. However, coupled with the loss of his wife and the stress of dealing with monsters on a regular basis as well as his desire to avenge Mary at all costs made him neglect the boys. He also put high expectations on his elder son, turning Dean into the perfect little soldier who was to protect Sam at all costs.

John was aware of his neglect, and he may have tried to compensate by shielding his sons from most of the things he hunted. Although John expected Sam and Dean to be ready to face a few horrors, Sam and Dean were nevertheless left in the dark about many creatures. John's head strong personality, molded from his years of killing and hiding and searching for Azazel, made it hard for him to form any lasting relationships.

John's two lovers, Tara and Kate, rarely heard from him again after their hook up. Bobby Singer, a close friend and occasional caretaker of Sam and Dean, wanted to shoot John dead with a shotgun over an unspecified offense. Other friends of John also became distant, leading to years of no contact.

Eventually, John found out about Azazel, about [[The Colt|a weapon that could kill the demon]], and some of the demon's plans. John's wish to foil the demon's plans drove John to want Sam dead should Sam become evil, eventually passing it on as a final order to his good son Dean and putting a wedge in the brothers' relationship.

John was, for most of his life, met with misfortune that could easily have turned John into a self-loathing and self-deprecating man. He had few friends he could share secrets with, and for the most part John lived a rather lonesome life filled with nightmares come to life. His dream of a happy family, which he could not have in his childhood, was never made real for more than a few years and Mary, the love of his life, was forever gone after her demise for the rest of John's life.

During his brief reunion with his family, John was very happy to be with his sons again and expressed pride in them for saving the world when told of their exploits. He was also happy to learn that his father did not truly abandon him and seemed content to learn of his legacy as [[Men of Letters]].  John also showed genuine remorse for what he had put his sons through, taking the time to make amends with Sam as well as admitting to Dean that he hoped for Dean to get a normal life and a family after they killed Azazel, though he also accepted Dean's admission that he had a family with a smile, showing he was truly happy for his sons. However, the thing that really elated him was being with Mary again and he shared a loving embrace with her. As noted by his sons, John was more happy than they ever saw at dinner, most likely because he had his whole family with him. Though he forgot the event after returning to the past, John could not help but crack a smile at the experience and implied he believed it occurred.

==Skills and Abilities==
===As a human===
Already having remarkable skills from his experience as a Vietnam Marine Corporal, with him also achieving four medals in his military career, as a hunter, John Winchester would become among the best hunters in history.
*'''Master Hunting Skills''': One of the greatest [[hunter]], John's skills were famous and well-known to the point that a lot of other hunters, including veteran ones like [[Bobby Singer]], all refer to John as an extremely capable hunter, and even after his death, a lot of hunters talk about him; [[Gordon]] considers his [[Sam and Dean|sons]] to have "big shoes to fill" in their father's absence. Sam and Dean stated that it was very rare (only happening once for sure) that a monster survived an encounter with John. He was also noted for being able to find ways to kill things that had no apparent weaknesses: when facing a [[Shtriga]], Sam noted that the lore stated that it couldn't be killed by the weapons of "God or man", but John had somehow figured out that it was vulnerable to consecrated [[iron]] while feeding. How he determined this is unknown as he never actually killed the creature. Even [[Azazel]] noted that he considered John more dangerous than the Colt, stating while he wanted both the Colt and him to die, John was even more important to be killed off than him retrieving the Colt. However, by ''[[Trial and Error]]'', while Sam considers John to be still superior to him and Bobby, he also states that Dean has surpassed their father.
**'''Knowledge of Lore''': John had a very impressive command of lore to the point that many times Sam and Dean consult [[John Winchester's Journal|his journal]] as their first source of information. Although John still had gaps in his knowledge, displayed by his unawareness that his theory about a possible [[werewolf cure]] was false, that [[vetala]] usually hunt in pairs, and didn't knew about the [[vampire cure]] or the cure for [[djinn]] poison, his knowledge, contained in his journal, proved to be constantly detailed for his sons to identify a creature and how to kill it. In ''[[The Rising Son]]'', John's journal displayed knowledge of the [[Shedim]], extremely obscure monsters that very few were aware even existed. The journal showed that John was aware of the [[Princes of Hell]] too despite all of the Princes being believed to be long-dead. As well, John knew enough to list in his journal that there were only four Princes of Hell. John also knew about the [[First Blade]] and [[The Colt]] but his knowledge of them was limited enough that he believed them to be legends, only learning the Colt was real after [[Daniel Elkins]]' death.
**'''Master Combatant''': Already an exceptionally skilled fighter from his intensive training as a Marine Corporal, with him having served for at least 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days deployed, which earned him the Vietnam Service Medal, John retained his skill even after having retired to be able to mold Sam and Dean into formidable fighters even as children, rendering them capable of easily defeating bullies. John only sharpened his skills after becoming a Hunter, having been good enough to overpower and kill almost any monster he encountered, his fighting prowess earning him great fame even among other Hunters, along with also continuing to train Sam and Dean to make them among the best fighters in the entire series. Although Sam has stated that Dean had surpassed their father but acknowledged he was still inferior, when pulled into the future in ''[[Lebanon]]'', John proved to be able to overpower both his sons with ease, easily outmaneuvering Sam and kicking down Dean after getting punched once. Although they were caught off-guard, it was still notable that John was able to defeat them both so quickly considering their increased skills, but at the same time John was noticeably younger and was probably at his prime.
**'''Weaponry Master''': From his intensive training as a Marine Corporal and experience over having served many deployments that earned him the Vietnam Service Medal, John was highly well-versed in the use of weapons, especially firearms, which earned him the USMC Expert Rifle Badge (Highest score of qualification for the USMC with his service rifle, which at the time was most likely an M16A1). He kept his knowledge and skill after retiring and was able to successfully teach Sam and Dean how to use and even build firearms. As a hunter, John's skills with weaponry only further increased as he trained his sons into mastering how to use the weapons needed to fight against the supernatural. He was capable of easily decapitating the vampire Hank with a single blade and shooting Luther, also a vampire, dead, without him being able to react despite his superhuman speed and reflexes. When he was pulled into the future, John proved able to effectively wield a shotgun as an improvised melee weapon, swiftly knocking down Sam and Dean with it.

*'''Master Strategist and Leader''': Having served as a Marine Corporal, John was an exceptional tactician and leader, known for having led soldiers under him effectively and saved the lives of his men many times, which earned him the Bronze Star Medal. His tactical and leadership skills did not decline over the years he spent retired as a husband and father and once he became a hunter, he was able to effectively lead his sons into numerous successful hunts and once he left Dean, he was able to stay out of his sons attempts to find him until he eventually decided to work together with them again.

*'''Indomitable Willpower''': An exceptionally mentally strong man, John's indomitable willpower was another one of his many noteworthy traits. Despite the many atrocities he likely witnessed in his military career, John was able to remain an optimistic and strong-willed man and maintain this even after losing his wife, as even though John became hardened over the years, he never succumbed to despair, drawing on his desire to take revenge on [[Azazel]] and love for his sons, which drove him to sacrifice himself for Dean without hesitation. Even after being sent to [[Hell]] and being egregiously tortured by [[Alastair]], the most skilled torturer in Hell, John was able to withstand the torture for a hundred years (of Hell-time), which greatly impressed Alastair, who would later note that John was tremendously stronger than Dean who only resisted for 30 years. Even despite the torture, John was able to escape [[Hell]] itself while the [[Devil's Gate]] was open and subsequently overpower Azazel long enough for Dean to finally kill his long-time archnemesis, which Dean noted only John would have the willpower to do so. Another testament to his willpower was how John was able to temporarily take control of his body when he was taken over by Azazel, an impressive feat as few others have been able to retake control from even weak demons, while Azazel was one of the most powerful. The only other people to display similar levels of willpower are [[Bobby Singer]], Sam with Sam managing to temporarily mentally subdue the archangel [[Lucifer]] and Dean with Dean managing to mentally lock the archangel [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael of Apocalypse World]] away in his subconscious for months.

*'''Archangel Hosting''': As a descendant of [[Cain]] and [[Abel]], John is able to host the [[archangel]] [[Michael]]. Unlike [[Donnie Finnerman]] and [[Raphael]], Michael was able to use John as his vessel with no permanent damage, instead stating that John would be "better than new" when he was done with him.

===As a Spirit===

* '''[[Super Strength]]''' - He was able to climb out of Hell passed demons and other ghosts. 
* '''[[Intangibility]]''' - He was able to hold on to Azazel's smoke form for a few seconds. 
* '''[[Photokinesis]]''' - He glowed with light when he moved on to the beyond. 

==Major Kills==
''See page: [[Killed by John Winchester]].''

==Deaths==
===Killed By===
*[[Azazel]] {{c|[[In The Beginning|First Time]]}}
In order to force [[Mary Winchester]] into making a deal with him, Azazel snapped John's neck while [[possession|possessing]] [[Samuel Campbell]]. As part of his deal with Mary, Azazel [[resurrection|resurrected]] John and [[Memory Manipulation|erased John's memory]] of his death.
*[[Azazel]] {{c|[[In My Time of Dying|Second Time]]}}
As part of a deal to save [[Dean Winchester|his son's]] life, John agreed to die and go to [[Hell]]. After saying goodbye to his sons, John completed his deal by giving Azazel [[the Colt]] and died shortly thereafter.

==Relationships==
*[[Dean and John|John and Dean]] - John and Dean's relationship.
*[[Sam and John|John and Sam]] - John and Sam's relationship.
*[[John and Mary]] - John and Mary's relationship.
*[[John's Relationships|John's minor relationships]] - A list of John's relationships with other characters.

==Appearances==
===''[[Supernatural]]''===
*[[Season 1]]
**''[[Pilot]]''
**''[[Wendigo]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Phantom Traveler]]'' {{c|voice}}
**''[[Bloody Mary]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Bugs]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Home]]''
**''[[Asylum]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Scarecrow]]''
**''[[Faith]]'' {{c|voice}}
**''[[Shadow]]''
**''[[Something Wicked]]''
**''[[Dead Man's Blood]]''
**''[[Salvation]]''
**''[[Devil's Trap]]''
*[[Season 2]]
**''[[In My Time of Dying]]''
**''[[Everybody Loves a Clown]]'' {{c|corpse and mentioned}}
**''[[No Exit]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Crossroad Blues]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Hunted]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Nightshifter|Night Shifter]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[What Is And What Should Never Be]]'' {{c|photo and gravestone}}
**''[[All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 2]]'' {{c|as a ghost}}
*[[Season 3]]
**''[[Bad Day at Black Rock]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Jus In Bello]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Long-Distance Call]]'' {{c|voice only}}
*[[Season 4]]
**''[[In The Beginning]]'' {{c|young}}
**''[[Metamorphosis]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[After School Special]]'' {{c|silhouette}}
**''[[On The Head Of A Pin]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Jump the Shark]]'' {{c|photo only}}
*[[Season 5]]
**''[[Sympathy for the Devil]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Fallen Idols]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[The Song Remains the Same]]'' {{c|young}}
**''[[Swan Song]]'' {{c|flashback}}
*[[Season 6]]
**''[[Exile on Main Street]]'' {{c|flashback}}
**''[[Appointment In Samarra]]'' {{C|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 7]]
**''[[The Girl Next Door]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Death's Door]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 8]]
**''[[Hunteri Heroici]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[As Time Goes By]]'' {{c|child}}
*[[Season 9]]
**''[[Bad Boys]]'' {{c|silhouette}}
**''[[First Born]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[King of the Damned]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 10]]
**''[[Fan Fiction]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[The Things We Left Behind]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 11]]
**''[[Baby]]'' {{c|young, as a vision}}
**''[[Just My Imagination]]'' {{C|unseen, honks Impala}}
**''[[All in the Family]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 12]]
**''[[Keep Calm and Carry On]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[The British Invasion]]'' {{c|referenced only}}
**''[[There's Something About Mary]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[All Along the Watchtower]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 13]]
**''[[Patience]]'' {{c|mentioned only; deleted scene}}
**''[[Breakdown]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Scoobynatural]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Unfinished Business]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Beat the Devil]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 14]]
**''[[Mint Condition]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Nightmare Logic]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Unhuman Nature]]'' {{c|referenced only}}
**''[[Nihilism]]'' {{c|referenced only}}
**''[[Damaged Goods]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Lebanon]]''
**''[[Don't Go In The Woods]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Absence]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Jack in the Box]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Moriah]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*[[Season 15]]
**''[[Raising Hell]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Last Call]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Galaxy Brain]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Drag Me Away (From You)]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Unity]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
**''[[Inherit the Earth]]'' {{c|flashback}}
**''[[Carry On]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}
*''[[A Very Special Supernatural Special]]'' {{C|archive footage}}
*''[[Supernatural: Nevermore]]'' {{c|non-canon; flashback and mentioned only}}
*''[[Supernatural: Witch's Canyon]]''

===''[[The Winchesters]]''===
*Season 1
**''[[Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye]]'' {{c|mentioned only}}

==Trivia==
*In the earliest drafts of the episode script for ''[[Pilot]]'', John's original name is Jack and his and Mary's last name is Harrison. They both were first written as being in a car crash caused by a demon, where she doesn't survive, but he does.<ref>[https://www.docdroid.net/nTXtqZ3/supernatural-1x01-pilot-draft-pdf Supernatural - "Pilot" Draft]</ref>
*John Winchester's actor is only 12 years older than [[Dean Winchester|Dean's]] character.
*John's name means "Yahweh is gracious".
*According to the novel ''[[Supernatural: Nevermore]]'', John had always been a devout Christian. But because of his life as a hunter, never had time to attend church. It is unknown what denomination John belonged to, although in ''[[Defending Your Life]]'', Sam mentions that the family is "not Catholic."
*John drove a 1983 GMC Sierra. It had a closed console which had a high-tech box to house his weapons.
*Because of his military life, it can be assumed that he used that same mindset to train his sons in the hunter lifestyle. In ''[[Dead Man's Blood]]'', he admits to Sam he "stopped being [the boys'] father, and . . . became [their] drill sergeant."
*According to [[Dean Winchester|Dean]], the last time that [[Bobby Singer]] had seen John, Bobby had threatened to shoot him for some offense.
*John never visited [[Mary Winchester|Mary's]] [[Mary's grave|grave]] site.
*Even though his wife had many family members, John never had relations with them after her death.
*Though John had a much younger son by another relationship, he never told [[Adam Milligan|Adam]] the truth about his family instead preferring to do regular father-and-son activities. Dean believes that John saw this as a second chance to raise a child normally and not as a hunter as he had no choice with Sam and Dean but did with Adam.
*John served as the basis for Season 5's story with Lucifer and God. As [[Gabriel]] explains, Sam is reminiscent of [[Lucifer]], as he rarely sees his father and disapproves of him, whereas Dean is loyal to a father he never sees, much like Michael. [[Sam and John]]'s relationship was reminiscent of Lucifer and God.
*[[Season 6]], [[Season 7]], [[Season 10]] and [[Season 12]] are the only seasons where John has not appeared in some form or another. He was reported to make an appearance in the [[Survival of the Fittest|Season 7 finale]], but this turned out to be an April Fool's joke.
*John has been killed twice. Both times he was killed by the demon Azazel. Once in 1973 and the other in 2006.
*Between ''[[In My Time of Dying]]'', and ''[[All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 2]]'', John was in Hell for the whole season. As one year is the usual time that takes place in a season and one month in Hell time is approximately 10 years, John spent roughly 120 years in Hell.
*Had the North American branch of the [[Men of Letters]] survived into the present, John would have been ordained as one in the same manner as his father [[Henry Winchester|Henry]].
*John is the first character on the show to overcome [[possession]].
*In the animated series, John's [[John Winchester's Journal|journal]] came from [[Fletcher Gable]] who also gave it to him in the comics.
*John was originally going to buy a VW campervan until [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] persuaded him to buy [[the Impala]] instead calling it "the car of a lifetime" and promising that it would be still be "badass when it's 40".
*After giving Dean the Impala, John began driving a black pickup truck with a case for his weapons in the truck bed. This case had an electronic opening mechanism.
*John's weapons collection was apparently less diverse than Sam and Dean's, consist of various firearms and a few blades and shurikens. However, he also carried more religious objects than Sam and Dean did, his weapons' box containing two rosaries, two bottles of Holy Water, two different crosses, and two small containers bearing the Chi Rho. This may reflect John's specific hunt for the Yellow-Eyed Demon as opposed to Sam and Dean's custom of investigating every potentially supernatural incident they come across.
**While his weapons collection was less diverse, John's was much more organised than Sam and Dean's was, as his weapons were all in containers.
*John had met both his older sons before their births. He meets [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] for the first time in the episode ''[[In The Beginning]]'', and then meets Dean again along with [[Sam Winchester|Sam]] in the episode ''[[The Song Remains the Same]]''. John would have no recollection of this ever happening as his and [[Mary Winchester|Mary's]] memories were wiped by [[Michael]]. It is also debatable that John did not realize that Sam and Dean were in fact his and Mary's sons as he was not present in the room during [[Dean and Mary]]'s heart to heart.
*It is unknown as to when John moved to [[Lawrence, Kansas]]. He may have lived there before he was deployed to Vietnam, or simply moved there after returning from the conflict.
*John was close friends with fellow hunters Pastor [[Jim Murphy]] and [[Caleb]]. They are referenced several times through the first season while also being mentioned in various flashbacks. In ''[[Something Wicked]]'', John instructs [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] to call [[Jim Murphy|Pastor Jim]] in case of an emergency. [[Dean Winchester|Dean]] then states that after the [[Shtriga]] attacked [[Sam Winchester|Sam]], John dropped them both off at Pastor Jim's. Jim Murphy and [[Caleb]] were both killed by [[Meg Masters (Demon)|Meg]] in ''[[Salvation]]'', and John is noticeably hurt by their deaths.
*In the pilot, Sam implied that John was an alcoholic to both Dean and Jess. This was never shown in the series.
*Apparently John's idea of Thanksgiving was a bowl of chicken and passing out on the couch.
*John is the first known character to escape from Hell, climbing out when [[Jake Talley]] opened the [[Devil's Gate]] on Azazel's orders. Second is Dean when [[Castiel]] raises Dean from Hell, third is Sam after Castiel raises him (without his soul) from [[Lucifer's Cage]], and fourth being Bobby when Sam helped him escape.
*Many characters on the show and fans alike consider John as one of the greatest hunters in the world during his life, Meg even commending him. Dean worshiped his father and considers John as one of the best hunters to have ever lived, especially by his number of hunts and almost no creature having survived their encounter with John except the Shtriga for certain. However, by ''[[Trial and Error]]'', Sam considers Dean the best saying he's even better than John, himself or Bobby.
*Before his death he confirmed he knew the truth about Sam to Azazel, with Eric Kripke confirming he figured out what the whole picture was including the coming of the apocalypse and his son's destinies to an extent.
**This is further confirmed in ''[[Lebanon]]'', where he mentioned this in his talk with Sam and Dean.
*John Winchester's blood type is AB. It is unknown whether he is AB+ or AB-, but statistically there's a higher chance of him being AB+ according to redcrossblood.org.
*John Winchester was awarded four medals from his military career
**USMC Expert Rifle Badge (Highest score of qualification for the USMC with his service rifle, which at the time was most likely an M16A1)
**The Bronze Star (Acts of heroism, merit, or meritorious service in a combat zone)
**The Purple Heart (Wounded in action)
**Vietnam Service Medal. (Served for, or more than, 30 consecutive/60 non-consecutive days deployed during the Vietnam War)
*John once worked with a hunter named [[Tara]] who it was indicated he had a sexual relationship with. Apparently he promised to call her but never did. She didn't seem to harbor any or at least much resentment about this and when Dean told her he was one of John's sons, she asked if he was Sam or Dean, showing that John had apparently talked to her about them.
*John apparently kept files on at least some of his cases in [[John's Lock-Up|his lock-up]]. How many case files there are is unknown, but he at least has one filing cabinet full of them.
*While working with Tara, they captured, interrogated and [[exorcism|exorcised]] a demon who had knowledge of [[the First Blade]]. While it started an obsession in Tara looking for the First Blade, John didn't believe in it and never recorded any information on the hunt besides the basics that he interrogated and exorcised the demon with Tara's help and that it mentioned the First Blade. He didn't include the information the demon gave on the [[Knights of Hell]] either, possibly as they were all believed to be dead. However, unknown to him, the Blade was real and would later become an object that Dean would later search for with the help of [[Crowley]] and Tara, using the information John gathered as a starting point. When enlisting Dean's help on this case, Crowley claimed that the demon John exorcised was the only one he could find with knowledge of the First Blade and John got to it before he did.
*In ''[[Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell]]'', Dean uses [[John Winchester's baseball bat|a barbwire-wrapped baseball ball]] and comments "man, Dad loved this thing." The bat resembles [[w:c:walkingdead:Lucille (TV Series)|Lucille]] from ''the Walking Dead'', the signature weapon of [[w:c:walkingdead:Negan (TV Series)|Negan]]. Both John and Negan are played by [[Jeffrey Dean Morgan]].
*John was used as a [[vessel]] on two occasions and they were by [[Azazel]] and the other by an [[Michael|archangel]].
**He is chronologically the first Winchester to give consent to an archangel.
*He is the third Winchester to be pulled into the future as [[Dean Winchester]] and [[Henry Winchester]] were sent to the future like him.
*John is the only member of the immediate Winchester family to have never killed a [[demon]] or [[angel]] though he acted as a [[vessel]] to [[Michael]] when he killed [[Anna Milton]]. [[Sam]], [[Dean]] and [[Mary Winchester|Mary]] have all killed both demons and angels. John did assist in Azazel's death however, holding the demon back long enough for Dean to rearm himself with the Colt and kill him.
*Despite initially believed to be soulmates due to Heaven's manipulation, John and Mary did not in fact share a personal heaven (until Jack's later intervention). This was clearly shown in ''[[Absence]]'', when Castiel visits Mary and only her lifespan dates are on the door, but not John's. This means that the John with her at that time was only a memory, not the real one.
*John is the only member of his family not to meet [[Castiel]] who was on a hunt when John was brought forward to 2019 and didn't return until after John was gone.
*Apparently John had beautiful handwriting, as stated by Castiel in ''[[Hunteri Heroici]]'' while reading John's [[John Winchester's Journal|journal]]. He also seemed to have some artistic skill, considering all the handmade drawings of sigils and creatures.
*If John's military history aligns at all with his [[John Winchester/The Winchesters|alternate counterpart]], then he was able to sign up while underage by forging his father's signature on a waiver and he was a Marine scout, meaning that his job was to find people which he was very good at.
**John being a Marine scout would've greatly helped with his hunting career where he had to find both people and monsters.

==See also==
*[[John Winchester (Anime Series)]]
*[[John Winchester (Apocalypse World)]]
*[[John Winchester (HunterCorp)]]
*[[John Winchester/The Winchesters]]

==References==
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