Supernatural's ending, utilized in increasingly creative ways by the two brothers.

Strongest when wielded against ghosts and spirits, salt sufficed as a demon repellent in some scenarios, and could even foil mythical creatures such as leprechauns. Like most things in Supernatural, the show's rules around salt were inspired - partially, at least - by the real world. Naturally, Supernatural took plenty of creative liberties - search for historical records of pagans loading shotgun shells with rock salt, and you'll come up empty-handed - but the basis of why salt was a catch-all weakness for so many Supernatural villains can be explained by genuine spiritual beliefs.

The Origin Of Salt Being Used To Ward Off Evil

Salt Has Long Been Considered A Force For Good

Before refrigerators and chemical additives, salt was one of the most common ways to preserve food, while salt's moisture-beating qualities meant it was also used to slow the decomposition of dead bodies during ancient rituals such as embalming. Salt's usefulness as a purifying agent can perhaps explain why it became integral to a range of different religious and spiritual practices, as well as folklore superstitions. Salt can be added to holy water in a church, is used for cleansing in Wicca, and also holds great significance in Buddhism.

Pepper's best friend came to represent purity, and it is easy to see how the mineral would become viewed as a force to drive back the impure - demons, ghouls, etc. Although the symbolism is less overt, the principle is similar to using holy water or a cross to ward away paranormal nasties: the presence of a natural, cleansing substance as an antidote to something unnatural and tainted. That belief has flowed through to modern culture regarding ghosts and hauntings, with salt touted by some as a method of protecting physical spaces from unwanted non-human invaders.

Why Salt Works So Well Against Monsters In Supernatural

Salt Became A Recurring Trope In Supernatural

Supernatural adopted the folklore around salt, specifically its potency against evil, and molded the idea to fit Eric Kripke's fictional concept of hunters secretly tracking down and disposing of ghosts across the United States. From relatively grounded uses such as circles and barriers, Supernatural pushed salt's spiritual purpose to its limit by employing it as ammunition and an anti-possession drug. The core premise was still the same - fighting impurity with purity - but the execution became more fantastical.

The reason for salt's versatility in Supernatural - why so many different monsters fell to their knees when faced with it - can possibly be attributed to how widespread salty folklore is in real life. Rather than an aspect of one specific belief system, the power of salt is a common thread running through otherwise conflicting areas of spirituality. Because salt is a rare area where believers generally concur, it makes perfect sense that the substance was one of very few weaknesses shared by ghosts, demons, fairies, and more.

Supernatural's stance on gods and religion was always somewhat muddy. On one hand, Chuck Shurley and his heavenly setup felt very similar to Christianity. At the same time, Supernatural also depicted gods from other religions, thereby itting all faiths are broadly accurate to some extent, and all deities existed either as separate Gods or depictions of Chuck himself. Because Supernatural operated on the basis that most religions are onto something, it's only logical that salt - as a feature within many of those beliefs - became a common feature of the show. It honored the attempt to be faith-inclusive.

Salt Shows How Much Supernatural Changed Across 15 Seasons

Supernatural's Biggest Villains Could Deal With Some Salt On The Floor

Supernatural's salt usage decreased as the show continued, and not just because Dean cut back on the pie. With each season, the Winchester brothers relied less and less on the salty shenanigans that seemed so common when their journey was just starting out, and that shift is indicative of how Supernatural's villain focus realigned in later seasons. The show was originally a monster-of-the-week affair where each episode adapted a new corner of spooky folklore, so the abundance of salt made sense.

As Sam and Dean began taking on the Devil, Knights of Hell, primordial beings, and God himself, a few grains of salt weren't going to cut it, and the trope faded into Supernatural's background. As the stakes increased and the antagonists became more powerful, superstitions were no longer a believable weapon, and Supernatural's transition from folklore to more biblical matters was cemented.