This season on Supernatural Sam came back from being trapped in Hell, and while we don’t know how he got out, it’s clear he didn’t come back the same. The latest episode, “The Third Man,” ended with Dean confronting his brother about the changes he’s undergone since returning. However, Sam claimed he was still himself.
But is he? The Sam we knew wouldn’t sleep with prostitutes or let kids get tortured for information. So what’s to blame for these changes? I have three primary theories.
Theory #1: Sam Has No Soul
In “The Third Man,” Balthazar talked a lot about the value of souls, which may have been a big clue. Perhaps to get out of Hell, Sam had to give away his soul and now he’s walking around without a moral compass. This would certainly explain his callousness with women and children.
If this is true, Supernatural season 6 may be all about Sam’s soul. Maybe the person who has it was whoever Samuel was talking to on the phone about collecting various monsters.
Theory #2: Sam Is Still Lucifer
I’m not sure if Sam is actually Lucifer or if there’s just a little bit of Lucifer still in him, but either way, Supernatural has yet to explain what happened to Lucifer after Sam beat him into submission thanks to the magic of the Impala. A small bit of evil nagging away at Sam’s insides could easily explain his new outlook on life.
Theory #3: There’s Nothing Wrong with Sam
Maybe Sam was telling the truth when he told Dean he’s OK and that his experience in Hell was different than his brother’s. Maybe spending a little time in Hell and a year of hunting with his family has just altered the actual Sam a little bit so that now he’s more focused on the mission of killing monsters.
While I accept that this is possible, I highly doubt it. When Sam came back from the dead at the end of season 2, he was essentially the same person even though the demons tried to convince Dean that Sam came back wrong.
That time, I believe Sam came back just fine and it was just the demons trying to get inside Dean’s head. This time, however, Sam is definitely different. He’s not the same loveable giant we loved, and figuring out exactly what’s different about him will be the first big clue about the larger mystery of season 6.
(Image courtesy of the CW)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
