Jus in Belo is one of my favorite episodes, too. I love the BTS photo of Jensen carrying Jared's chains as they walk through the set. And the tattoo reveal, which was awesome, in the moment. And of course, Henriksen finally understanding, and coming to a moment of fellowship with Dean. He was a favorite recurring of mine, too, and for just a few moments I could contemplate what a great resource he could be for hunters. His unexpected death--amd Nancy's--hit hard.

It was Henrikson, wasn't it? I couldn't remember the spelling (and still don't), and the first couple of googles got me to Hendrickson. Now I have to go look more.

Yeah, Nancy's death (I couldn't remember her name) was also harsh. Show.

Jo and Ellen's deaths hit hard for me. Very hard. What made it hurt so much was seeing Ellen watch her only child dying a horrible death and the two of them managing to turn that into something that had meaning and purpose. Ellen's last moments had me both sobbing and cheering her on as she took out the hellhounds.

It's Henriksen, named after Lance.

So far, IO9 people have brought up Ellen and Jo and John.

I've found that people seem to miss characters more than they analyse the impact deaths (or continued appearances) would have on the plot.

Gabriel was a lot of fun every time he appeared, but he didn't appear that many times. And jimmying him into the plot many times a season would have been more awkward than finding a way to get Castiel in as a recurring character. If he doesn't have power, how much fun is he? If he does have power, what is he doing? What side is he on? Why is he not fixing everything or killing everything or doing similar wide-ranging powerful actions?

Didn't his conversion and death...well, wasn't it the only goddamned non-sucky thing that happened that episode?

I do think Ellen and Jo should have been in the series more before they died, but I think they died well, with agency and impact, and each of their reappearances were well-considered and sad.

Maybe that's the problem. Not that people died, but that they weren't around more before they did. But I do think Gabriel didn't have a place in the boys' lives.

It's Henriksen, named after Lance.

That's funny, because when I first typed it, I thought, "No, I'm confusing that with that actor named Henriksen," Except I spelled his name wrong, too. Oops.

Brady's death seemed really significant to me, because it had so many levels. They were killing a powerful demon, yeah, but it had the feel of a hit, as well as personal vengeance. Their complete calm was incredible ("You see, Brady, we're the ones you should be afraid of."), and the damp, shadowed alley created the atmosphere of a hit, but Sam twisting that knife was so raw and personal and clearly satisfying to him, it was chilling.

That said, the death that hit me hardest was probably John's, until Ellen and Jo died.

Brady's death seemed really significant to me, because it had so many levels.

Oh, yes. I need to rewatch, so I don't know how much of this is canon and how much is my own headcanon, but Brady was probably the closest friend Sam ever had who wasn't Dean.

Brady was probably the closest friend Sam ever had who wasn't Dean.

Based on the dialogue in the episode, it seemed so to me because Brady talks about Sam trying to help him and intervene with the drugging, etc. And Sam was so very betrayed, it seemed more personal to me.

And Sam was so very betrayed, it seemed more personal to me.

Oh, yes. That demon was responsible for the death not just of Jess, but of the real Brady. It becomes more and more heartbreaking the more I think about it.

I loved the whole thing because there was so much to it -- not just Winchesters killing someone who betrayed them, like Ruby, which was accomplished in the heat of the moment without a lot of fanfare, or something dramatic like Jo and Ellen, but this weird combination of everything, and then staged really well, too. They took him to that alley to kill him, there was nothing not-planned about it.