Why Supernatural Killed Off Bobby In Season 7

Bobby Singer died in Supernatural season 7, episode 10, “Death’s Door.” Bobby had one of the most tragic deaths in the show. After seven years of being a reliable ally in the battle against evil and a stalwart father figure to Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) died after being shot by the Leviathan, Dick Roman (James Patrick Stewart). Bobby Singer had survived encounters with ghosts, vampires, demons, and even multiple vessels of Lucifer himself. So why did the writers of Supernatural kill Bobby off in season 7?

Bobby Singer was first introduced to the world of supernatural entities when a demon possessed his wife, and in response, Bobby accidentally killed her. From that day, Bobby learned all he could about the world of ghosts and monsters and aided fellow hunters, including John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). For seven seasons, Bobby was an ally to Sam and Dean Winchester. He would pose as their FBI supervisor, research demons for them, and provide emotional support and shelter when they needed it. Bobby wasn't originally a main character of Supernatural, but he was one of the best recurring characters.

Bobby Singer's Death On Supernatural

Bobby Was Shot While Battling The Leviathans

In Supernatural season 7, episode 10, “Death’s Door,” Bobby Singer was shot as Sam and Dean fled from the Leviathans. The rest of the episode took place inside Bobby’s mind, as the Reaper tried to take his soul to the afterlife. Bobby relived his most important memories throughout the episode as he struggled to communicate with Sam and Dean. Bobby confronted his greatest fears and managed to relay information to Sam and Dean that helped them defeat the Leviathans before he died.

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The Supernatural writers killed Bobby in the episode "Death’s Door" to shift the show's direction in a way that would most dramatically impact the characters. In the Supernatural season 5 finale, Sam and Dean Winchester stopped the apocalypse, so the writers needed a way to up the stakes. When Bobby Singer died in season 7 of Supernatural, the writers challenged the characters to deal with a devastating emotional burden the likes of which they'd never faced before.

Although John Winchester was Sam and Dean’s literal father, Bobby served as their parental figure throughout the show, and nothing would be the same for the two after Bobby’s death. Bobby's death made Sam and Dean, as well as the audience, understand how important Bobby was and how to move forward without him.

The Reason Bobby Was Killed Off

Bobby's Death Was To Add Obstacles To Dean & Sam's Journey

Although Bobby’s actor Jim Beaver was sad to see Bobby die, he agreed it was for the best. As Jim Beaver said in an interview (via TV Guide), “Drama is about conflict, and it’s about putting obstacles in the path of people who you care about. Although I’ll miss it, I can’t argue the dramatics of it.”

"I was really, really impressed with the script and the variety of things we got to do. It was very complex, and a lot of fun to shoot. I was really happy to get to work with Carrie Anne Fleming, who played Bobby's wife, again. The only real downside was that most of my active stuff wasn't with Jared and Jensen."

Bobby was Supernatural's longest-running supporting character up until that point, so his loss generated the most emotional impact on the characters and the audience. Bobby's death also worked out for Jim Beaver because he had been offered the role of Sheriff Shelby Parlow on the FX show Justified around the time of Bobby's death.

Bobby Returned A Few Times On Supernatural

Bobby Returned As A Ghost & In The Afterlife

At the time, Beaver said he didn't know if he would appear again. Luckily for fans, Bobby Singer appeared several more times in the show after his death. He was a ghost or an alternate multiverse version of himself, and the human Bobby never again appeared on Supernatural as he did before his death.

No one on Supernatural could take Bobby’s place after he died, which is why he returned to the finale of Supernatural, “Carry On,” when he reunited with Dean in Heaven. Still, Bobby Singer's death perfectly encapsulated why he was so beloved and important to Sam and Dean on Supernatural.

This Wasn't Bobby's First Death

Bobby Died Four Times On Supernatural

There have been many characters with multiple deaths on Supernatural. Dean Winchester holds the record with over 100 deaths, although most of those deaths came in one episode thanks to the machinations of Gabriel having Dean relive every day and killing him in new and unique ways throughout the episode. Sam actually died more than Dean, if that one episode was eliminated, with eight deaths. After that is Castiel with six deaths, and then Bobby, who died four times on Supernatural.

Bobby Singer died for the first time on Supernatural in 2010 when Lucifer snapped his neck and killed him. However, Castiel intervened and brought Bobby back from the dead after that and the hunter lived to fight another day. Bobby also had his alternature future version die when Lucifer killed him there too. Finally, there was one more death after Bobby died. He returned as a ghost but he had his flask burned, killing his ghost so he could move on to the other side.

Created by Eric Kripke, Supernatural is a fantasy/drama series that premiered in 2005. The series follows the adventures of Dean and Sam Winchester - two men wronged by supernatural beings as children who now spend their days investigating and hunting demons, ghosts, and monsters across the United States. 

Release Date September 13, 2005

Seasons 15

Showrunner Eric Kripke