The final season of The Boys is now airing on Prime Video, and the showrunner Eric Kripke is finally opening up about how his new series connects to his old hit show Supernatural. Fans have noticed many links between the two shows over the years. These include shared actors, hidden visual clues, and similar story ideas. Kripke recently explained in several interviews that the connection is not just about fun surprises for audiences. He says the bond between The Boys and Supernatural goes much deeper than most people realize. According to Kripke, both shows share the same emotional heart.
The Same Creator Brings His Favorite Ideas to Both Shows
Eric Kripke created Supernatural, which ran for 15 seasons and followed brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they fought monsters. After that show ended, he started working on The Boys for Amazon. Many people who worked on Supernatural followed Kripke to his new project. This includes directors, writers, and even the composer who makes the music for both shows. Because of this, it makes perfect sense that The Boys feels familiar to fans of the older series. Kripke does not try to hide these similarities. In fact, he enjoys putting them in on purpose. He told Variety that the creative team cannot help adding these small nods because Supernatural was such a big part of their lives for so long.
The Main Theme That Connects Both Series Together
When asked about the real connection between The Boys and Supernatural, Kripke pointed to one central idea. He told CBR that the theme of family sticking together against impossible odds is something he keeps returning to again and again. This idea appears in both shows in very clear ways. In Supernatural, the Winchester brothers fight demons, ghosts, and angels while always protecting each other. In The Boys, the group of vigilantes led by Billy Butcher operates like a family that chooses to stay together. Kripke explained that it does not matter if it is the family you are born into or the one you create for yourself. What matters is that you define who your family is and you hold onto them.
“The theme of a family sticking together through overwhelming odds against an entire world that is against you seems to be something I keep returning to over and over again. I think in that way, that The Boys is not so much like a sequel to Supernatural, but I’m just really interested in the central notion, which is whether it’s your family that you choose or the family you’re born into, however you define your family, that’s the most important thing.” – Eric Kripke to CBR
Kripke added that when bad things happen in society or when scary and difficult events come at you, the tighter you hold onto the people next to you, the better your life will be. This message appears in every season of The Boys. The characters constantly face terrible situations. But they keep going because they have each other. This is exactly the same formula that made Supernatural successful for so many years.
Many Supernatural Actors Have Appeared on The Boys
One of the most obvious connections between the two shows is the cast. Kripke has brought over many actors from Supernatural to appear in The Boys. Jensen Ackles, who played Dean Winchester, joined The Boys in season three as Soldier Boy. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played the Winchester brothers father John, appears as Joe Kessler in season four. Jim Beaver, who played the beloved Bobby Singer on Supernatural, shows up as Robert Singer, the Secretary of Defense in The Boys. The joke here is that his character has the same first name and the same hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This is a clear nod to his Supernatural role.
Other Supernatural actors who have appeared include Rob Benedict and Gattlin Griffith. Griffith played a young character named Gunpowder, who was Soldier Boy’s sidekick in flashbacks. On Supernatural, Griffith played the antichrist, a boy named Jesse Turner. These casting choices are not accidents. Kripke keeps the phone numbers of actors he likes and finds roles for them in his new projects.
Season Five Brings the Biggest Supernatural Reunion Yet
The final season of The Boys is making fans very happy by bringing in even more Supernatural stars. Jared Padalecki, who played Sam Winchester, will appear as a character named Mister Marathon. Misha Collins, who played the angel Castiel, will also join the show in an unknown role. This means the three main stars of Supernatural will finally share the screen again in The Boys. Collins shared a fun detail about filming. He said the cast actually filmed one take of a scene where they acted in character as Castiel, Sam, and Dean from Supernatural. He joked that the production team might use that version of the scene in the final cut of the show. This shows how much Kripke enjoys giving gifts to fans who have followed his work for many years.
Small Visual Clues and Hidden Details Fill Both Shows
Beyond the actors, Kripke has placed many small visual clues in The Boys that remind viewers of Supernatural. One of the most famous is the trunk shot. In Supernatural, the Winchester brothers kept their weapons in the trunk of their black 1967 Chevy Impala. The camera would often show a shot from inside the trunk as they grabbed their guns and knives. The Boys has used the exact same camera angle multiple times. In one scene from season three, Hughie, Butcher, and Mother’s Milk open a trunk full of weapons. The shot looks exactly like the ones from Supernatural. Kripke told Variety that he and director Phil Sgriccia specifically requested this shot because it would be a fun reminder for fans.
Another hidden detail involves a specific date. In season three, a Russian scientist mentions a procedure that happened on January 24. This date is the birthday of Dean Winchester from Supernatural. Kripke has also admitted that this date is his wife’s birthday. So he put something very personal into both shows. There is also a music connection. In Supernatural, Dean Winchester sings the song “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon. In The Boys, Soldier Boy plays the exact same song during a very adult scene. Kripke clearly enjoys making these connections for audiences who pay close attention.
The Five Season Plan Links Back to Kripkes Original Idea
Another deep connection between the two shows involves how Kripke plans his stories. He has said many times that he originally wanted Supernatural to run for only five seasons. But the show became so popular that it continued for 15 seasons. While Kripke left the show after season five, he learned a valuable lesson. For The Boys, he decided to follow his original plan. He announced early on that The Boys would run for exactly five seasons and then end. This allows him to control the story from beginning to end without stretching it out too long. So The Boys is like a second chance for Kripke to tell the kind of story he always wanted to tell. It follows the same five-season structure he imagined for Supernatural but never got to complete.
Both Shows Fight Against Broken Systems
The villains in Supernatural and The Boys are very different. One show has demons and angels while the other has corrupt superheroes. But the way the characters fight against these forces is the same. In Supernatural, the Winchester brothers fight against a broken system of heaven, hell, and fate. In The Boys, the team fights against corrupt corporations, dishonest politicians, and lying celebrities. Kripke says both shows deal with the problem of “us versus them” and ask what ordinary people can do about it. Neither show gives easy answers. The heroes in both series are flawed. They make mistakes. They hurt people they love. But they keep fighting because giving up is not an option.
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The Final Message of Both Shows Is the Same
As The Boys heads toward its series finale, Kripke has shared what he wants audiences to remember. He hopes people see The Boys as an honest picture of the time we live in. He wants it to be a time capsule that shows what life was like during these years. But more importantly, he wants viewers to understand one simple lesson.
“If [The Boys] imparts any lesson, I just want [audiences] to understand that no one’s coming to save you, so start taking care of the people next to you because that’s the only way to save the world.” – Eric Kripke
This message comes directly from Supernatural. The Winchester brothers also learned that no angel or demon would fix their problems. They had to rely on each other and the friends they made along the way. So while The Boys and Supernatural look very different on the surface, they are deeply connected. They share the same creator, many of the same actors, similar visual styles, and most importantly, the same belief in the power of family. For Kripke, that connection is the most important thing of all.
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