Supernatural Fans Are Glad They Never Had To See This Conflict On Screen
Conflict is needed for any good drama to function, and when watching "Supernatural," conflict is what you get. When a series revolves around two characters traveling the country by themselves, fights tend to happen. Add in a traumatic childhood and Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) are prime candidates for emotional baggage.
"Supernatural" starts relatively low on personal drama in its early seasons. Sam wants to live a normal life while Dean only wants to please their father by becoming a monster hunter. But after John Winchester's (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) sudden death, issues between the two become more intense as their dynamic gets complicated. Should Sam and Dean really be required to fight in a death match as the vessels for Michael and Lucifer? The answer is unclear, but brothers will be brothers. At the end of the day, the most important relationship the Winchesters have is with each other, which is something the fans tune in for. And through thick and thin, viewers are, at the very least, relieved that Sam and Dean don't involve themselves in one specific conflict.
Fans love how Dean and Sam don't fight over women
Sam and Dean have had their fair share of arguments over the years. With angels and demons in the mix, the brothers do not always come out on the same side of issues. But fans on Reddit are relieved that any time the boys did fight, it wasn't over being romantically interested in the same girls.
"Despite the dozens [of] unnecessary conflicts and drama between them, it's great that a girl wasn't one," remarked one Redditor. "They were both happy when the other found someone, [whether] it be serious relationships or casual hookups." And of course, there were many of those flings to go around. An intrinsic part of Dean's character is his relationships with women. Rarely does he find lasting and meaningful connections as opposed to Sam who is a serial monogamist. However, they always respect each other's choices.
"I think it's important to note that even if both guys were attracted to the same woman, there is literally zero point in fighting over her if she's already let on that she's into one over the other," added u/craftymom75. Since the brothers are rarely without each other's company, fixating on the same woman is bound to happen. However, as is the case in the early "Supernatural" episode "Heart," once Dean understands that Sam has a connection with burgeoning werewolf Madison (Emmanuelle Vaugier), he stops his advances. It turns out there is some honor among brothers.
It's hard to fight over women when many of them don't last
As anyone slightly familiar with "Supernatural" will tell you, the Winchester boys don't have a lot of luck in the romance department. It all starts with everyone's favorite divisive parent John Winchester and the death of his wife Mary (Samantha Smith). As soon as one of the boys makes an emotional connection with someone or is through with them, they are likely to meet a gruesome death. Sam, for one, has quite a traumatic history. First was the death of serious girlfriend Jessica (Adrianne Palicki) followed quickly by Madison, who dies in the most powerful scene in all of "Supernatural."
Even Dean, with his notorious treatment of women, has his share of loss. Jo (Alona Tal) — who also hails from a capable hunter family — is punished for her relationship with Dean. As soon as she rebuffs his advances, she almost immediately meets her end. Ultimately, Jo and her mother Ellen (Samantha Ferris) both die brutal deaths at the hands of Hellhounds just so Dean and Sam can go on to fight another day. While their sacrifice may seem noble, they are simply next on the list of women who are dispensable. Once love interests outlive their usefulness, they don't survive very long on the show. Even if it is just the price to be paid for being around hunters, it doesn't give the brothers much of a chance to fight over women.
One woman is the exception
Since her first appearance in the brothers' lives, Ruby has been a hot-button issue. The seemingly helpful demon portrayed at first by Katie Cassidy and later by Genevieve Padalecki, neé Cortese, creates one of the biggest rifts the brothers ever have.
"Technically they fought over Ruby," pointed out Redditor u/Terrestrious. Of course, Dean's issues with Ruby are never romantic. After Castiel (Misha Collins) pulls Dean out of hell, Dean is shocked to find his brother aligned with a demon. Sam is convinced that Ruby wants to help them, but Dean has his doubts. It turns out that Ruby is schooling Sam in the art of drinking demon blood, which is all part of her plan to bring Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino) to the land of the living. This conflict lasts all throughout Season 4 until the very end when Ruby reveals her duplicitous motives.
As Dean predicted, Ruby is never on their side. She was always teamed up with the demon Lilith (Katherine Boecher) with the intent of helping Lucifer walk the earth freely. Years after the Season 4 debacle, Dean still refers to it as one of Sam's worst mistakes. Many fights were had over this woman, with the brothers even coming to blows over her in the Season 4 episode, "Metamorphosis." Though not romantic by any stretch of the imagination, she is the only woman to come between Dean and Sam. And of course, she meets her violent end just like any other love interest.