I've always heard the term used in reference to someone who doesn't rest in peace for whatever reason (usually revenge for wrongs done) and who comes crawling out of their grave.

I thought the Witnesses were revenants. Really amped-up, high-powered revenants. I could be wrong on that.

But they don't use the term revenant in that episode, right? I didn't see it in the transcript. They only seem to use it when they test to see if someone is really who they're supposed to be.

I think I only ever heard Bobby use it when Dean comes back in Lazarus Rising.

Matt's interpretation is closest to what I've heard, or assumed. It's a sort of zombie or ghost who comes back for a reason, usually a nasty one.

Hey! I'm watching Hollywood Babylon, and when Sam is arguing with the writer about the script, he mentions "Enochian summoning rituals". S. and I both looked up at once -- I never noticed that before!

Huh. Must be fanfiction that's put revenant in such a big place in my head then. I could have sworn it had come up more often as something to test for.

I've generally heard it in the context of the returning spirit re-animating its body, rather than just being an angry ghost like the Witnesses.

I'm trying to think of creatures they haven't encountered for S6. They've done zombies and vampires twice now, and I'm not sure werewolves need another turn. Time Is On My Side featured the sort of Frankenstein-ish creature Buffy battled, except that the creature and the scientist were one in the same (which was actually a fairly cool twist).

The lack of other really familiar supernatural beasts is probably what led to angels vs. demons and all that, actually. Even in YA paranormal fiction now, it's all faeries and angels and psychics where it isn't vampires, because there's just not a lot else out there, I guess.

However "faerie" covers one hell of a lot: Goblins, Sidhe, Banshees, Rawhides, Redcaps, pixies, gnomes - just off the top of my head. Also I always felt the Wild Hunt was an extremely TV friendly legend that horror shows should explore more.

Well, they can fall back on the urban legends they started out with -- there's a lot they can play with there.

Faeries would be funny. If only for the "Why are we hunting gay people, Sam?" and the resulting eyeroll and bitchface.

I mean they did do that one Faerie colony - Faerie Queen and changelings. But many many other type of faeries.