When I was planning this series out I came very close to deciding that I should be for "Idjits", Bobby Singer's favourite way to sum up the Winchester brothers when they were doing something stupid, but there is another I that has featured throughout all 9 seasons of Supernatural and may be the only thing Dean cares about more than his brother. I is for Impala.
"Three days later another car rolled off that same line. No one gave two craps about her, but they should’ve. Because this 1967 Chevrolet Impala would turn out to be the most important car... no, the most important object in pretty much the whole universe."The words of Chuck Shurley, the author behind the 'fictional' Supernatural book series featured in the show - Sam and Dean's adventures would come to him whilst he was sleeping, but that's another entry.
The Impala originally belonged to Sam and Dean's father, John. We actually see the moment John purchases the Impala in the season 4 episode, In The Beginning. Dean travels back in time to 1973 and in one scene persuades John to buy the classic automobile instead of a VW Camper Van. Later, John gives the car to Dean and it really does become his pride and joy. He's been known to refer to the car as "Baby".
At the end of the first season the Impala, and it's occupants are seriously damaged when a truck driven by a possessed trucker smashes into it. At the start of season 2 the Impala is at Bobby's salvage yard, it's in a terrible state, the frame is mangled and the engine's ruined. Bobby even says it's not worth salvaging. But the Winchester brothers rarely give up on a good cause, especially when it's one of 'the family'. Dean spends considerable time rebuilding the car and restoring "baby" to her former glory.
"The Impala, of course, has all the things other cars have... and a few things they don't. But none of that stuff's important. This is the stuff that's important: the army man that Sam crammed in the ashtray - it's still stuck there. The Legos that Dean shoved into the vents - to this day, heat comes on and they can hear 'em rattle. These are the things that make the car theirs - really theirs. Even when Dean rebuilt her from the ground up, he made sure all these little things stayed, 'cause it's the blemishes that make her beautiful." - Chuck Shurley
At the start of season 6 Sam has got himself a new vehicle, a black 2006 SRT8 Dodge Charger. When Dean offers him the Impala "because she should be hunting" Sam refuses, saying he has his car fitted out how he likes it. Dean's not impressed and shows the Impala's superiority by beating the Charger to a witness' home. When Sam asks if he was racing him, Dean replies "No, I was kicking your ass!" The Charger didn't last long, in episode 3 of season 6 it is destroyed when an angel that Castiel has thrown out of a hotel room lands on the car. the Impala would never bow out that easily.
One of my favourite moments to date in Superntaural came later in season 6 during the episode The French Mistake. After being transported to an alternate reality where Sam and Dean are the actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, they see multiple Impalas in various stages of repair on the set of their TV show, Supernatural (I appreciate if you've not seen it that may sound confusing, but trust me it's a blast). Dean is horrified when he sees multiple versions of "baby", and he tells Sam that he's going to be sick. Take a look:
Next time J is for ?
Previous entries
A is for Azazel
B is for Bobby
C is for Castiel
D is for Dean
E is for Exorcisms
F is for Family
G is for Ghostfacers
H is for Hunters
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