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Supernatural brothers

Hex Bags. Cathic Cross. Cosmic Void. Devil's Gate. Salt '' Burn. If these phrases sound familiar, then chances are that your TV remote had gone into freeze mode at STAR World every weeknight at 9pm for the last few months.

For that's when the Winchester brothers — Dean and Sam — transported thousands of fans across the country into the world of deadly demons, urban legends and metaphysical myths. Into the world of the cult TV series Supernatural.

Developed by Eric Kripke, Supernatural traces the adventures of Dean and Sam who travel the length and breadth of the US of A hunting down demons. Having lost their parents to demon attacks, the two are now on a single-minded mission to hunt down such ghouls. Heavily influenced by films like Poltergeist, Evil Dead, An American Werewolf in London and The Ring, Supernatural has been lapped up by fans across seven seasons, with an eighth season having just been commissioned. In India, Seasons 1 to 5 have just been telecast on STAR World while Season 6 is telecast on AXN (weeknights at 10pm).

t2 lists five reasons why Supernatural has us hooked.Why do you like Supernatural? Tell t2@abp.in

1The premise of two righteous brothers taking on bloodthirsty demons, who are determined to create hell on earth, is gripping. Dean and Sam criss-cross the US landscape, hunting down the anti-God, most often putting their own lives on the line. Any series with a theme like this has the danger of straying into far-fetched territory, but it is to the credit of the Supernaturalwriters that they manage to keep it real even when it deals with the absurd.

2Ghosts, vampires, shape shifters, werewolves, demons… the chills on Supernatural come in various forms. Even seasoned Supernatural fans have shivers running down their spine every time a demon's eyes turn black or yellow, signalling impending doom.

3The badass women on the show are a top draw. OnSupernatural, there is almost always a hot demon chick hanging around, ready to kick some ass. Meg to Bella and ultimately Ruby, Supernaturalbrings some hot women to the fore and makes them fight the guys, tooth for a tooth and eye for an eye.

4Jensen Ackles, who plays Dean Winchester, is a primary pull for the female TG tuning in to Supernatural every night. Handsome and cocky, Dean's 'devil-may-care attitude' finds him fans galore. He can be obnoxious, pushy, close-minded and bull-headed, but also brave, fiercely protective, compassionate and steadfast. Dean has spent his whole life being the anchor that binds him and younger brother Sam (Jared Padalecki) together. The dynamic between the two brothers — Dean the son of god but an atheist; Sam who is half human-half demon— gives the show its fun and sometimes, emotional moments. Though they are on a mission to eradicate evil, the show often taps into Dean and Sam's vulnerable side.

5Dean and Sam are not only at loggerheads with the demons, they are also at war with the angels who are out to eliminate Sam because of his demonic status. The interplay of good and evil where every character has shades of grey contributes to the show's enduring popularity.

SUPERNATURAL STOCKS
Impala: The 1967 Chevrolet Impala that the brothers travel in for their demon hunts has its own fan base. Serving as a makeshift base for the wandering Winchester brothers who have no real home to call their own, the Impala stocks various weaponry and their fake IDs. "We say it's a modern American Western — two gunslingers who ride into town, fight the bad guys, kiss the girl and ride out into the sunset again. And we were always talking from the very beginning that if you're going to have cowboys, they need a trusty horse," was Kripke's reason to make the Impala the car for the brothers.

Colt: Passed on to Dean by his father John, the Colt is a prized possession for the brothers who use
it to slay their supernatural enemies. Legend has it that anything shot by this gun, using one of its 13 original bullets, will die, including creatures normally immune to other weapons.

Hex Bags: The small drawstring bags that protect the brothers from evil forces. The hex bags generally comprise bird bones, rabbit's teeth, stones, herbs and tree roots.

The music: It is impossible to imagine Supernatural without the classic rock that has been used throughout the seasons. Blue Oyster Cult to Bad Company, Stevie Ray Vaughan to AC/DC, Poison to CCR. The show has the tradition of playing Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas at the beginning of each season finale for a montage titled "The Road So Far". Some episode titles are references to Led Zeppelin numbers.