One ofSupernatural’searliest episodes blatantly copied a famous horror franchise in season 1, sparking an interesting trend in the long-running series. Although the show has many different influences,Supernaturaloften references popular horror moviesin its episode plots and characters, especially inSupernatural’smeta episodes, and has evencopied similar supernatural shows likeBuffy The Vampire Slayer. However, in 2005, whenSupernaturalreleased its first season, the show had not established itself yet, so it is understandable whyone of the earliest episodes inSupernaturalseason 1 was based onFinal Destination, a previously successful horror franchise.
As a supernatural horror film that was released in 2000,Final Destinationfollows the lives of a group of teenagers who cheat deathby avoiding a plane explosion. Throughout the movie, they are effectively hunted down by Death, who stages elaborate accidents to kill off those who were meant to die.Final Destinationwas a box office success due to its interesting take on the genre, spawning a five-movie franchise, andFinal Destination 6is currently in production. The premise of this movie is copied inSupernatural’s“Phantom Traveler,” which was released five years afterFinal Destination.
How Supernatural’s “Phantom Traveler” Copies Final Destination
Supernatural’s Season 1 Episode Has The Same Premise
Supernaturalseason1, episode 4, “Phantom Traveler,” copiesFinal Destination’spremise as the episode is centered around a plane crash. During United Britannia’s flight 2485, a nervous passenger becomes possessed by a Disaster Demon, who opens the door mid-flight and causes the plane to crash. However, when seven people survive the plane crash, the Demon then hunts down the remaining targets, declaring “No survivors,” and begins killing them in other plane crashes.The Winchesters encounter the Demon while aboard a targeted flight, exorcising it from the co-pilot before it can cause another plane crash, sending the Demon back to Hell.
Supernatural’sDisaster Demon is the first demon Sam and Dean encounter in the show.
“Phantom Traveler” directly copiesFinal Destinationas it has the same premise; a plane crashes and the seven survivors are hunted by an unknown entity and killed one by one. Moreover, when Alex stops Carter’sdeath inFinal Destination, Death skips to the next person, similar to howSupernatural’sDisaster Demon skipped over people and only targeted those on planes. Nevertheless,Supernaturalmakes the concept its own by changing the unknown entity to a Demon, instead of Death, as well as maintaining the original manner of death. However, this is not the only time thatSupernaturalhas copiedFinal Destination.
Supernatural Season 6 Has Another Final Destination Style Episode
“My Heart Will Go On” Delivers A Tense Set Up
In one ofSupernatural’sstranger episodes,season 6, episode 17, “My Heart Will Go On,” sees the Titanic saved from sinking by the angel Balthazar, causing history to change. As a result,Fate intervenes, killing those who should have died through seemingly accidental, sequential deaths. The opening scene in thisSupernaturalepisode shows aFinal Destination-style ridiculous death,as although the target was sharpening a blade, a bizarre series of events ends with him being decapitated by the garage door. However, there is also one death scene in “My Heart Will Go On” that copiesFinal Destinationone for one.
Supernatural Has A Habit Of Copying Horror Movies (But It Works)
Supernatural Is No Stranger To References
Final Destinationis not the only horror movie thatSupernaturalhas copied. Other episodes blatantly rip off iconic movies, sometimes even referencing moments from them, likeSupernatural’sbus death scene.Supernaturalseason 5’s “Fallen Idols,” sees people murdered by wax figures in an ode to 2005’sHouse of Waxstarring Jared Padalecki and Paris Hilton, season 10’s “Halt & Catch Fire” is reminiscent of 2014’sUnfriended, and season 11’s “Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire” copies28 Days Later. Yet these types of references inSupernaturalhelped to define the showand are well-loved by fans, despite being ripoffs.
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Supernaturalgets away with copying horror movies because the show never takes itself too seriously, often includinghorror actor cameos inSupernaturaland criticizing its tropes, setting the series apart from other shows.Supernaturalprides itself on the ability to embrace meta concepts, which is important forSupernatural,especially, as the show is actually written by God. Therefore, it is not a big deal whenSupernaturalcopies other horror movies likeFinal Destination, because the show always provides a twist or commentary that keeps the concept fresh or, in the case of Shawn’s bus death, blatantly parodies it.
Supernatural
Cast
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
