Chuck Shurley, the man who might literally be God on Supernatural, called it the most important object in all of the universe. The Impala has been a part of Supernatural’s fans lives for over a decade. In the lives of Winchesters, it’s been around even longer than that. So it’s surprising it took Supernatural 11 seasons to have an episode devoted to the iconic car. In honor of the Supernatural episode “Baby” here are 11 of the coolest Impala moments.
#11 Jensen Ackles Lip-Syncing “Eye of the Tiger”
Consider this more an honorable mention because it never really happened in Supernatural canon. However, I’m sure the outtake of “Yellow Fever”, included in the credits of the episode, comes to everyone one’s mind when thinking of the Impala. This goofy Supernatural episode closed out with actor Jensen Ackles having a bit of fun of his own. He lip-synched to the song “Eye of the Tiger” while dancing on the Impala. It is somehow both silly and cool. The cool factor being brought completely by the retro car.
#10 The Impala During Mary’s Murder
Whether you realized it or not the Impala was there from the very beginning. When Yellow Eyes attacks and kills Mary in the opening moments of the first episode, John takes the boys out to the Impala. It is on the car where they huddle together and watch their old home go up in flames. The Impala is there from the start as the Winchester’s resting ground and stable home.
#9 The Impala Is Resurrected
The glorious sequence when Bobby has fixed the Impala after the Season 1 finale that crashed it, is one of the best. The coolness of the Impala derives a lot from the meaning the car has for characters and fans but it also has a great appearance. The sequence reminds you of how cool the Impala looks with appropriate classic rock accompanying it.
#8 Dean Convinces John to Buy the Impala
The sense of destiny that comes with the Impala makes it one of the best, in not the best, vehicles in TV history. Supernatural played with that destiny in an interesting way in the time travel episode “The Song Remains the Same”. It was actually Dean who suggested that John buy the Impala when his father was much younger. It was a clever way of Supernatural playing with the idea that Impala would always be Dean’s by having Dean himself influence the decision to put the Impala in the Winchesters’ lives.
#7 Sam Putting in an iPod Jack
Though some might see this as a cute moment between the Winchester brothers, it is also about the car. Dean is disgusted when Sam put in an iPod jack into the Impala after Dean has been in hell. Dean rips it out and goes immediately back to his old classic rock tapes. Anything less than classic rock pumping out of the Impala’s speakers is sacrilege. Rock and roll is the coolest music around and the Impala is rock made into a car.
#6 The Impala Representing Dean
As mentioned the Impala is more than a car. It is an object that represents the love of the Winchester family. So naturally when Dean was dying in the Season 2 premiere and the Impala was destroyed, Sam was desperate to have one of them back to normal. Sam’s heartbreaking speech about Bobby repairing the Impala is one of the car’s most memorable moments.
#5 The Impala Should Be Hunting
After Dean momentarily quit hunting in Season 6, he offered Sam the Impala because in Dean’s words, she deserved to be hunting. This is not only a nice moment between the brothers but a sign about how tied the Impala is to the mission. The Impala really does deserve to be out there filling the mission statement of Supernatural. It needs to be saving people and hunting things as much as the Winchesters.
#4 Dean Allows Sam to Drive so He Can “Grow Up”
The big brother and little brother dynamic is what makes Supernatural so emotional. So it’s great when the Impala can be used as a manifestation of that relationship. The Impala is (and always will be) Dean’s car but there was a really sweet moment in the early seasons of Supernatural involving Sam driving the car. Sam asked for Dean to start treating him like an adult so Dean gave Sam the chance to drive the Impala. This perhaps the first explicit moment on Supernatural that showed the Impala is more than a car.
#3 The Impala Is Used as a Distraction
The Impala making its reappearance in Season 2 is good but it’s nothing compared to how the car was used near the end of season 7. After being forced to hide the Impala Dean and Sam brought it back in blaze of glory. The Impala was integral part of Sam and Dean’s assault against Dick and Sucrocrop. It was the battering ram that they used a distraction while the real stealthy work was done. Except a battering ram never looked this sleek and sexy.
#2 The World Through Baby’s Eyes
In any other show, all the scenes taking place in one location would be limiting. However, on Supernatural there was very little missed in “Baby”, which was told entirely from the Impala’s perspective. “Baby” drove home the line that Sam uttered at the end of the episode. The Impala is home. Some of the Winchesters most important, if not the most important moments happen in the car.
#1 The Impala Saving the World
Was there really every any doubt that this moment wouldn’t top the list? The Impala literally saved the world. OK maybe Sam had a bit to do with it, but it is because of the Impala that Sam comes to his senses. Seeing his reflection in the Impala, Sam was able to break Lucifer’s control and go forward with the plan that Team Free Will had set up to save the world. No other car in TV history can claim to save the world and no other car in the universe as much love and memories contained within as the Impala on Supernatural.
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.
