Saving people, hunting things, the family business

“	This book. This is Dad's single most valuable possession—everything he knows about every evil thing is in here. And he's passed it on to us. I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know, saving people, hunting things. The family business.	”
	— Dean explaining to Sam the family business in Wendigo

“	I'm killing everyone you've ever saved. The damsels in distress, the innocent whippersnappers, the would-be vampire chow -- all of them... I'm going to gut one person every 12 hours until you bring me the demon tablet and stop this whole... Trials nonsense... About now you'll be thinking of ways to stop me -- you won't be able to. But you'll try, because that's what you do, you... you try... What's the line? "Saving people, hunting things – the family business." Well, I think the people you save, they're how you justify your pathetic little lives. The alcoholism, the collateral damage, the pain you've caused – the one thing that allows you to sleep at night, the one thing is knowing that these folks are out there, still out there happy and healthy because of you, you great, big, bloody heroes! They're your life's work, and I'm going to rip it apart piece by piece because I can, because you can't stop me, and because when they're all gone, what will you have left? You want to keep those people alive. I want complete and utter surrender. The tablet, the Trials – you'll give them up, or we'll keep doing this dance. Your choice, my darlings.	”
	— Crowley using the motto to taunt the Winchesters in Clip Show

“	Saving people, hunting things. The family business? I am down. But... I was raised on Tolkien, man. I mean, where is all this? Where are my White Walkers and volcano and magic ring to throw on the damn thing? Where... Where's my quest?	”
	— Charlie explaining to Sam her need for a quest in Slumber Party

“	We need to get back on the road, Dean. Doing what we do best. (...) Saving people, hunting things. You know? The family business.	”
	— Marie, as Sam, using the motto as part of the Supernatural play in Fan Fiction

“	Hunting things -- we're good at that. Sure, we're great at that. But that's only half of the bumper sticker, man. (...) Saving people means all of the people, Dean.	”
	— Sam reminds Dean of just what their motto means during the Rabid Infection of Superior, Nebraska in Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire

“	And hell, I'm a Bishop! That's what we do right? Hunting people. Killing them. The family business!	”
	— Pete Garfinkle explains the Bishop Family's twisted version of the motto to Dean. in The Memory Remains

Dean explaining the motto

Saving people, hunting things, the family business is the motto of the Winchester Family, something that was first coined by hunter Dean Winchester but has also been used by other characters along with variations of it.

History

In Wendigo, when Sam wants to quit a hunt in favor of finding their father and the demon that killed their mother and Jessica Moore, Dean shows him their father's journal and tells Sam that he thinks their father wants them to pick up where he left off. Dean reminds Sam that their mission is "saving people, hunting things, the family business."

In Clip Show, while using the Supernatural books to kill everyone the Winchesters have ever saved, Crowley monologues to them as they try and fail to save Sarah Blake. While taunting the Winchesters, Crowley mockingly quotes the motto and states that he thinks the people the Winchesters save are how they live with themselves.

In Slumber Party, Charlie talks to Sam about how hunting isn't magical and it's not like what she grew up reading.

In Fan Fiction, Marie, as Sam, uses a variation of the motto during the Supernatural play as part of the "B.M. scene," drawing the attention of the real Sam and Dean.

In Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire, Sam references the motto by telling Dean "hunting things -- we're good at that. Sure, we're great at that. But that's only half of the bumper sticker, man" and that "saving people means all of the people, Dean" when Dean is reluctant to find a cure for the Rabid Infection of Superior, Nebraska and instead wants to shoot his way out. Sam eventually convinces Dean to leave with Jenna Nickerson and Amara while Sam stays behind in an effort to save the people turned Rabid.

In The Memory Remains, Pete Garfinkle tells Dean that for the Bishop Family its "hunting people. Killing them. The family business!" This earns him a glare from Dean.

In Nihilism, Dean can be heard telling Sam the motto in his memories from when they hunted the wendigo together.

Appearances

• Season 1
  • Wendigo
• Season 8
  • Clip Show
• Season 9
  • Slumber Party
• Season 10
  • Fan Fiction (play variation)
• Season 11
  • Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire (referenced only)
• Season 12
  • The Memory Remains (twisted variation)
• Season 14
  • Nihilism (memory)

Trivia

• Jensen Ackles and his family founded a brewery called Family Business. In Inherit the Earth, Dean shuts off a Family Business beer tap and later pours himself a drink of it.