'Supernatural' boss previews Sam and Dean's prison blues

Even Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) should face the authorized penalties of their actions every so often on Supernatural. With the variety of legal guidelines they break each day whereas demon-hunting, the chances are by no means of their favor: they're sure to get caught a few times. 

Their newest endeavor was mistaken as an tried assassination of the President of america, so it is no shock that the Secret Service assumed they have been deranged criminals. 

In fact, what the Secret Service didn’t understand was that the POTUS was being possessed by Lucifer, so regardless of making an attempt to save lots of the world as soon as once more, Sam and Dean have been labeled as enemies of the state and thrown right into a figurative gap so deep that each one hope appeared misplaced.

When Supernatural returns for the second half of Season 12 on Jan. 26, the Winchesters will discover out that despite the fact that they have been caught at a authorities black website feeling the jail blues for six weeks, the world has carried on with out them. 

Castiel (Misha Collins), their recently-resurrected mom Mary (Samantha Smith) and even Crowley (Mark Sheppard) have taken on new missions and constructed new relationships. And beneath every little thing is the lingering menace of Lucifer's unborn baby — conceived whereas he was possessing the POTUS — rising increasingly more highly effective someplace out on the planet. 

Mashable spoke with Supernatural government producer Andrew Dabb about Sam and Dean's struggle for freedom, Lucifer's progeny and extra, together with whether or not or not the longest-running CW collection was making an attempt to make any type of assertion with the satan turning into president so quickly after one of the crucial controversial real-life elections this nation has ever seen.

Now that Sam and Dean have been arrested by the Secret Service, how lengthy are we going to see them behind bars? Is that this one thing that's going to be an extended story arc or is simply the crux of the primary episode again from hiatus?

It is the crux of the return episode, however as we study through the course of that episode, they have been behind bars for fairly a while. There's a few six-week time leap earlier than we come again, so we're not going to maintain them in jail for a number of episodes. 

However they have been away from the world for some time in order that's had a huge impact on our guys. They're being handled primarily as terrorists, so it isn't simply common jail. They have been remoted, they have not spoken to anybody, they have not even spoken to one another. They have been dwelling with their very own ideas, and Sam and Dean... what goes on of their heads just isn't tremendous sunny, as we all know. Our guys have numerous baggage and trauma to work by means of. 

What sort of influence does which have on their buddies, household and allies, having them primarily disappear from their lives for therefore lengthy?

Sam and Dean began off as two guys in a cool automotive killing vampires, however they've advanced into the lynchpin upon which the destiny of the cosmos depends, in lots of methods. Them being off the board creates an influence vacuum that folks just like the British Males of Letters are fast to fill, however it additionally has ripple results for Crowley, Castiel, Mary. The world is altering round them however Sam and Dean are stationary. Once they do get again into the world, nevertheless that occurs, they're strolling right into a world that modified, and our guys should modify to that.

Cas and Crowley spent a lot of the primary half of this season working collectively to hunt Lucifer, so now that he is gone what's their mission? Is that this odd couple nonetheless going to be teaming up?

Now that Lucifer's gone, Crowley could be very targeted on reestablishing Hell and reestablishing his maintain on it. Castiel, the disappearance of Sam and Dean spins him out in a number of methods. Cas has actually gotten to taking his cues from Sam and Dean and with them gone, there's a void for Cas. He is asking himself, "What do I do now?" And, "If Sam and Dean have been right here, what would they do?" This can be a Cas who, for a piece of episodes, is definitely functioning like a daily hunter. He is nonetheless an angel with powers however now he is on the market working common instances, doing common case-of-the-week issues we have by no means seen him do earlier than as a result of Sam and Dean usually are not out there. So Cas and Crowley, placing the 2 of them collectively on display is enjoyable and we like to do it, however in the meanwhile they're being pulled in reverse instructions. 

Now that Mary has dedicated to returning to life with the boys, as soon as Sam and Dean get out of jail what's that relationship going to appear to be?

I really like attending to discover the dynamic between Sam, Dean and Mary extra. Sam and Dean had this concept that if their mother was round, their lives can be far more nurtured. She'd be a nurturing mom, making them pie and issues like that. The Mary we're seeing now is just not that character. She grew up a hunter. She grew up the identical method that Sam and Dean did. She has her personal baggage, drive and agenda. That is allowed us to make her a personality who's extra dynamic and lively. 

How Sam and Dean react to that's each constructive and unfavorable, as a result of within the again half of our season, they love that mother is on the market side-by-side with them searching, however they're additionally desperately nervous that one thing goes to go flawed. And that goes for Mary too. After which Cas turns into virtually like a good friend for Mary, as a result of Sam and Dean are her sons and she or he wants somebody she will open up to issues that she will't inform her sons. Cas is the closest factor to a pal that Mary has had at this level. So we're evolving these mother-son relationships and that friendship much more shifting ahead.

It took every little thing they've, together with their freedom, however Sam and Dean lastly despatched Lucifer again to Hell within the winter finale. Is that this the top of his arc on the present?

Even when Lucifer has been off the desk, even again in Season four when he was locked within the cage, he was nonetheless orchestrating issues. As we discovered final season, even when he is within the cage he is not a benign determine. Even when Lucifer is off the desk, he is not inactive. Definitely together with his son, his baby on the market, he isn't going to take that laying down. As we'll study shortly in episode 12, there could also be some individuals very loyal to Lucifer who're making a number of hassle for Kelly [Courtney Ford] and our boys. The purpose being is his story shouldn't be over.

Talking of that unholy offspring, I am getting some critical Rosemary's Child vibes. Lucifer having a toddler goes to be an enormous drawback for the world, proper?

We're dwelling in a world the place, in case you take a look at what sure individuals on the present think about to be propaganda concerning the satan's baby, he is a nasty factor and it is a harmful factor. However from Kelly's viewpoint and motivating her decisions, sure that is the kid of the satan which on the floor appears fairly dangerous, nevertheless it's additionally her youngster. Even Lucifer — earlier than the Mark of Cain, earlier than the autumn — was a very good individual. He was the chosen of God. This youngster is highly effective, completely. 

Highly effective how?

We have talked about nephilim on our present earlier than. We have met one or two. However we have by no means actually dived headfirst into their mythology. An enormous a part of the second half of our season is about that. We'll set up how highly effective nephilim are, and the way a nephilim born to an archangel is much more highly effective. The query is, is that this youngster destined to be a drive for evil or is it one thing to be turned for good? It is like nuclear energy – it will probably blow up a metropolis or it may possibly energy a metropolis. What is that this youngster going to do? From Kelly's viewpoint, the character vs. nurture debate, she believes that she will steer this youngster down the right path. However there are definitely individuals in our world who we all know and love who produce other concepts.

One thing Supernatural all the time does nicely is put a singular spin on previous folklore/mythology, like how angels, sometimes proven as symbols of pure goodness, are literally company jerks on the present. What sort of liberties are you going to be taking with the mythology of nephilim?

Often what occurs with the spins we placed on our mythology is that mythology in a common sense is already basic, so it is exhausting to place a selected spin on it. Once we have been speaking about angels or demons earlier than they confirmed up, it was fairly commonplace biblical stuff. After which when these characters began displaying up, it was extra about character than it was about mythology. 

At this level, nephilim are nonetheless very theoretical. It isn't till we meet one or two or Kelly has her youngster, that is once we'll get into extra specifics. However that may occur. It is nonetheless evolving for us. It isn't one thing the place we'll be throwing curve balls proper off the bat. Originally no less than, we're capturing for the established model being that these are creatures of nice energy, extra highly effective than angels, so God [Rob Benedict] himself needed to attain right down to cease them. God isn't actually on the board for us in the meanwhile as we all know from final season, so if Kelly's youngster is born, can something cease it? That is one thing our boys, Castiel, the British Males of Letters and everybody else, even Crowley, are going to be grappling with.

The timeliness of the episode by which Lucifer turns into POTUS was virtually too pointed, given what's occurring on the earth proper now. Have been you making an attempt to make any intentional statements with that episode?

I want to say we might predict the longer term over right here at Supernatural, however sadly we will not. That episode was written and filmed lengthy earlier than the presidential election occurred. It is not likely a commentary on anybody particular though I can definitely get how individuals might see parallels. It was extra a touch upon if the satan turned president, you already know what I imply? [Laughs.] Hell, we have made this in a world the place that really has occurred, however we didn't see that coming. Let's put it that method.

The British Males of Letters began off this season as antagonists for Sam and Dean, however now all of them appear to be on the identical aspect. How is that this alliance going to play out shifting ahead?

It is all the time been our hope or plan or intent that once we speak concerning the British Males of Letters, we're speaking about a corporation of people. Each particular person has their very own ideas and reactions about Sam and Dean and America and our world. We began off with somebody who had a really unfavorable view on Sam and Dean and acted on that. Now we'll get to see somebody who's a peacemaker, an educational, who appears at Sam and Dean and respects and admires what they do. There will probably be extra compromise. For Sam and Dean, they reply to that. All of the sudden there's somebody they will work with and who can perhaps even assist them win. Within the again half of our season we will deliver some individuals again and make some massive strikes that may show that the British Males of Letters means will get outcomes. 

Have Sam and Dean's earlier points with the British Males of Letters been put apart completely? 

Nicely, the British Males of Letters are far more strict with their views than Sam and Dean, like in case you're a monster or have powers or have the potential to be a hazard to humanity, you are lifeless. Sam and Dean clearly have a extra nuanced view on that. Everybody needs the world to be safer and rid of monsters however the query is, do the ends justify the means? Sam and Dean might be battling that as they get to know and respect the British Males of Letters extra and realizing how darkish this group can get. How a lot darkness can they bear?

Supernatural airs Thursdays at eight p.m. on The CW.