Summary
- Supernatural's lasting impact is evident through its extensive references to pop culture, especially Star Trek, reflecting its passionate cult following.
- Various episodes of Supernatural cleverly incorporate nods to Star Trek, showcasing the show's attention to detail and fondness for the iconic series.
- By seamlessly weaving Star Trek elements into its storylines, Supernatural pays homage to the beloved franchise and connects with fans on a deeper level.
Throughout its remarkable 15 seasons, Supernatural contained countless references to other television shows and films, but The CW series had a particular love for Star Trek. Following brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester as they traveled around the country hunting monsters, Supernatural gained a passionate cult following similar to the Star Trek fandom. As the resident pop culture aficionado, Dean was always quick with a sarcastic remark or relevant reference for nearly any situation. With its talented cast and compelling storylines, Supernatural spanned genres and became the longest-running American live-action fantasy TV series, with 327 episodes.
Since Star Trek: The Original Series began in 1966, the Star Trek franchise has become a pop culture phenomenon. Characters like Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) have become so ingrained in popular culture that even those with little knowledge of Star Trek can recognize them. Star Trek has since spawned numerous films and television shows and produced some of the most iconic science fiction stories of all time. It's no surprise then, that references to Star Trek and its characters have been popping up in other films and television shows for decades. Here are 10 times Supernatural has nodded to Star Trek.
10 The Vulcan Mind Meld
Supernatural Season 1, Episode 6 - "Skin"
As Sam and Dean investigate a suspicious murder, they realize the culprit is a shapeshifter who can look like anyone. When the shapeshifter captures Sam and Dean, it takes on the appearance of the older Winchester, which gives the being access to Dean's memories. As Sam explains the situation to the real Dean (who had been unconscious), he says: "It was like he was downloading your thoughts and memories."
Dean replies, "You mean, like the Vulcan mind meld?," to which Sam agrees it was "something like that." Throughout Star Trek, Spock and other Vulcans have used the Vulcan mind meld to share their thoughts and gain a better understanding of others. Unlike a mind meld, the shapeshifter's ability only worked one way and the creature used it as a means of control.
In another surprising Star Trek connection, "Skin" was directed by none other than Robert Duncan McNeill who played Lt. Tom Paris in Star Trek: Voyager.
9 The USS Enterprise
Supernatural Season 4, Episode 3 - "In the Beginning"
When the angel Castiel (Misha Collins) sends Dean back in time to 1973, he encounters the younger version of his parents. Initially, Dean has no idea where (or when) he is, and he heads to a nearby diner and sits down next to a young man, who is later revealed to be his father, John Winchester (Matt Cohen). Still unaware that he has traveled back in time, Dean tries to use his cell phone, but of course has no reception in 1973.
Dean turns to John and asks: "Know where I can get any reception?" John looks at Dean's 21st-century flip phone and says: "The USS Enterprise?" Dean soon realizes he has been transported back in time and sets out to learn more about his young parents. Considering how popular Star Trek reruns were in the early 1970s, it makes perfect sense that John would liken Dean's phone to a Star Trek communicator.
8 The Holodeck
Supernatural Season 4, Episode 22 - "Lucifer Rising"
In the Supernatural season 4 finale, a high-ranking angel named Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) whisks Dean away to a location he calls a "Green Room" to keep him safe until it's time for him to play his role in the apocalypse. Zachariah tries to tempt Dean with different diversions, encouraging him to wait patiently. Dean, however, refuses Zachariah's suggestions, saying: "No, no. Let's bail on the holodeck, okay?"
Introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek's holodeck allowed people to virtually visit any real or fictional location they could imagine. Since Zachariah offers to conjure up all manner of distractions for Dean, his "Green Room" could be seen as its own kind of holodeck. Dean, however, has grown fed up with the angels, and he doesn't get to experience any holodeck-like illusions.
7 Redshirts
Supernatural Season 6, Episode 13 - "Unforgiven"
When Sam and Dean investigate a series of missing persons, Sam remembers that he had previously worked a similar case with his resurrected grandfather, Samuel Campbell (Mitch Pileggi). In flashbacks, Sam and Samuel hunt a monster known as an Arachne by using the local sheriff as bait to lure the creature. When Sam suggests this course of action, Samuel questions him saying, "So, what, Roy's just some redshirt to you, just spider bait?"
Sam replies that this is his backup plan, but Samuel notes how cold Sam has become. During this time, Sam had been missing his soul after a brief stint in Hell. Without his soul, Sam did not experience emotions like empathy, and he had no problems using the sheriff to catch the monster. Samuel's reference to a "redshirt" refers to the disposable security officers who were often killed on away missions in Star Trek: The Original Series.
6 Speaking Klingon
Supernatural Season 8, Episode 10 - "Torn and Frayed"
As Dean and Castiel investigate a strange occurrence involving a burning bush, they interview the badly burned witness. He reports that the bush spoke to him, but when Castiel asks what the voice said, the man replies: "No clue. Sounded like Klingon to me." Dean then asks the man to repeat what the bush said and he responds that it sounded like "sol-voch-tay."
While this does sound like a Klingon word, Castiel reveals that it is actually an Enochian word that means obey. As Enochian is a language unique to angels, Castiel reasons that this particular angel must be desperate to communicate via burning bush. Since their introduction in Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek's Klingons have become one of the franchise's most iconic aliens, and their language has a full alphabet and English translations.
5 Holodeck, Part 2
Supernatural Season 7, Episode 2 - "Hello, Cruel World"
As Sam continues to experience hallucinations of Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino), he struggles to differentiate reality from what is only in his mind. As Dean tries to convince Sam that he's real and Lucifer is the hallucination, he asks his brother: "Why would the devil holodeck you a whole new life, when he could just kick your ass all over the cage?"
After the end of Supernatural season 5, Sam spent time trapped in a cage in Hell with Lucifer, and he continues to feel the effects of that experience. With his reference to the holodeck, Dean suggests that there would be no reason for Lucifer to create an elaborate fictional life for Sam if he were really still trapped in the cage. As Dean points out, the "post-apocalyptic mess" they are currently living in would be the worst type of holodeck adventure.
4 Planet Vulcan
Supernatural Season 4, Episode 21 - "When the Levee Breaks"
As Supernatural season 4 comes to a close, Dean and his uncle Bobby Singer (Jim Beaver) try to help Sam overcome his addiction to demon blood. Sam and Dean have different ideas about preventing the impending apocalypse, and Dean chooses to align with the angels rather than the demons. When Bobby questions why Dean trusts the angels, Dean replies that he doesn't, adding that "they come on like shady politicians from planet Vulcan."
Dean points out that an alliance with the "shady" angels is still better than letting Sam trust a demon. Although Sam is often considered the "nerdier" of the two brothers, Dean makes the most references to Star Trek and other movies and franchises throughout Supernatural. Dean clearly knows enough about Trek to liken the often difficult-to-read angels to the ever-logical Vulcans.
3 Live Long & Prosper
Supernatural Season 7, Episode 20 - "The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo" & Season 8, Episode 11 - "LARP and the Real Girl"
Introduced in Supernatural season 7, Felicia Day's Charlie Bradbury quickly became a fan-favorite character, with her fun personality and nerdy interests. As Sam and Dean work to stop the dangerous Leviathan, Charlie uses her computer skills and connections to help the two brothers. When Charlie says goodbye to Sam and Dean, she offers them a Vulcan salute.
Charlie returns several times throughout the show, and Sam and Dean learn more about her geeky interests, which include Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Like Dean, Charlie often references television shows and films, and she eventually becomes like a young sister to the Winchesters. She regularly uses the Vulcan "Live Long and Prosper" salute as a means to say goodbye.
2 Khan Worms
Supernatural Season 6, Episode 16 - "...And Then There Were None"
In this tense episode of Supernatural, Sam, Dean, and their uncle Bobby face off against a parasitic worm-like creature that Dean refers to as "a Khan worm on steroids." The worm could enter a person's body through their ears or mouth and then control them. Once the worm has left the person, they had no memory of what they had done while under its influence.
Never given an official name, these creatures were referred to as Khan worms from that point forward. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) used similar burrowing worm-like creatures called Ceti eels to manipulate Commander Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig). The eel larvae could crawl into a person's ear and make them extremely susceptible to suggestion.
1 Save The Whales
Supernatural Season 6, Episode 18 - "Frontierland"
In the Supernatural episode "Frontierland," Dean realizes that he and Sam need to travel back in time to acquire the ashes of a Phoenix. When Dean explains the plan, he excitedly says: "We’ll Star Trek IV this b*****." While Sam gives his brother a blank look, their uncle Bobby responds that he only watched Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Dean shakes his head, saying: "It’s like I don’t even know you guys anymore. Star Trek IV. Save the whales."
The original line had Bobby saying he only watched Star Trek: The Next Generation, but actor Jim Beaver requested the line be changed to DS9 because his late wife Cecily Adams had portrayed the Ferengi Ishka on that show.
In the end, Dean lays out his plan to travel back to 1861 to get what they need, and the brothers call on their angel friend Castiel to send them back in time. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, of course, follows Kirk, Spock, and their crew as they travel back in time to the 1980s to find two humpback whales they can bring back to save Earth of the future. Dean Winchester may not seem like a typical Trekkie, but he shouts out Star Trek numerous times over Supernatural's fifteen seasons.
