Dean Winchester: An Existentialist Hero?

The popular show Supernatural, in particular the character of Dean Winchester, provides an interesting examination of freedom of choice. In fact Supernatural proves itself amenable to an existentialist reading of law, in particular the existentialism of Jean Paul Sartre. After a brief introduction to the show, the elements of Sartre’s existentialism I will be developing in this paper include freedom, choice and authenticity. These elements combine to demonstrate the existentialist law favoured by Dean, whereby Dean’s scepticism of God allows for an authenticity that furthers his own autonomy. The patterning trope of two brothers is essential to Dean developing his own law and morality separate from the divine one that is imposed on him throughout the show, with natural law showcasing that there is more than one kind of existentialist law to choose from.