Spin-Off Final Turn In

Though this is not copyrighted, please respect the creator's work and do not use this for your own profit or research. Thank you.

Dear Mark Pedowitz,

     The package that I am submitting to you here consists of documents that discuss a proposal of a Supernatural spin-off mini series that will have the possibility for multiple seasons. The first few pages include a show summary, description of characters, and a 13 episode outline for your reviewing. Beyond that, I have written an explanation of the spin-off idea based on a Supernatural class I have taken at the University of North Florida, and also included information about the marketability of the spin-off, how it adheres to the original story, why is should be a mini-series, and justifying the need for a spin-off. Enjoy.

Title of Spin-Off: Supernatural Origins

Logline: Before there was a '67 Impala and before , one boy by the name of Jesse Turner gave up everything to return to the past to find a way to keep demons away from the world forever. As he lands in 1952 New York City, Jesse goes undercover as Henry Winchester and forms a group of hunters that are going to find a way to keep demons away from innocents for good.

Show Summary: The spin-off is centered around the origins of Henry Winchester. This is set up from the beginning by returning to the anti-Christ child, Jesse Turner, whom Sam and Dean rescued in Season 5. The year is 2016, Sam and Dean have vanquished both Heaven and Hell. No one has seen angels or demons in a long time. Jesse is about to graduation from high school in Hawaii (as the episode he was in, I Believe the Children are Our Future, suggests that's where he vanished to because of his love of surfing), that is unless he decides to drop out and become a professional surfer. But something happens that causes Jesse to be on the run again, and inspired by his English teacher and book The Outsiders, Jesse uses a spell he discovers along with the last bit of his powers to time travel back to New York City, 1952. Driven by vengeance to stop demons from ever coming to earth to wreck the havoc he has seen, Jesse assumes the new identity of Henry Winchester, inspired by the brothers who rescued him and would read about in the papers. At first, things are rocky as he tries to assimilate into the new society and get news on the supernatural world without giving away his position. After he hears about the case of a woman murdered in a peculiar way, Henry goes off on his own to solve it but is beaten to it by someone who was masquerading as an agent. His name is Robert Chelling, a smooth-talking sharpshooter who works as a bartender and performer at the Glass Barrel in central Manhattan. But the way Robert was introduced into the supernatural world may not by so clean if Henry were to find out the truth behind his hunting skills... After banning together and making the Glass Barrel their head quarters, Henry and Robert work during the day and hunt at night. During a hunt, the two boys rescue Thomas James from being possessed by a demon. He too joins Henry and Robert as hunters, but he mainly stays in the library where his job is and does research for the other two when they find a case. After a successful hunt, the boys eat at a local diner, Biggerson's, where Henry meets Millie Lonigan. The two end up dating after a case brings them together, but little does Henry know that Millie is keeping a big secret about her family and why she came to the Big Apple in nothing but rags. All together, these three hunters take the New York supernatural world head-on as they tackle cases of monsters Sam and Dean never got to see, and while Henry struggles to hide his secret identity, there's an evil sneaking up on Robert, Thomas isn't as innocent as he seems, and a great force has been awakened by Henry's power when he arrived in the city and this force could be the event that starts the legacy of the angel vessels.

Overview of Characters

Main Characters

Henry Winchester (a.k.a. Jesse Turner)- Jesse Turner travels back in time from 2017 to 1952 after a traumatic event that happened to him in the former time. Once there he assumes the new identity of Henry Winchester by using the last bit of his power to change his physical look to be in his mid-twenties so that people would respect him more, inspired by the Winchester brothers who rescued him and would read about in the papers. At this time, Lucifer is still locked away in hell thus his powers are next to nothing. Obsessed with finding a way to keep demons away forever, Henry becomes a hunter in New York City and connects to the hunter network. While there, he meets Robert Chelling and Thomas James who became his best friends and comrades when they hunt. Although Jesse loses his care-free nature, his immaturity still show when it comes to hanging around the city.

Robert Chelling- born on Long Island, but raised in New York City, Robert is open-minded, loud, and one of the best sharpshooters around. He claims to have been brought into the hunting world when he fought off a demon trying to possess his sister, but a darker truth lays behind him. He use to be a private detective but a case went horribly wrong and a deal was made... Robert is the man people turn to when they want to know about the underground of the city and that's how he meets Henry Winchester. Robert has no connections with his family and prefers gambling away his money and courts escorts when he has the luxury.

Thomas James- born in Brunswick, Main, Thomas ran away to New York City to pursue a better education and a high-paying job instead of staying home on the farm. He's intelligent, painfully shy, yet warm-hearted. Henry sees him as his little brother and takes him under his wing when he discovers Thomas after he survives an attack from a mysterious being. Thomas is good at putting spells and chants together as he does the most research out of the bunch.

Millie Lonigan- born in Chicago, Illinois, Millie came to New York City after her folks try to marry her off to a man she didn't know in order to get out of poverty. She works at two local diners and has dreams of starting her own restaurant in the city. Millie is innocent, sweet to the core, and gentle with everyone she meets, but the real reason why her family fell into poverty is a secret best-kept hidden or they could all be charged with a devastating title that would put her life in danger.

Episode Outlines

Episode One: Pilot

     The season opens up with Jesse Turner, the boy Sam and Dean Winchester saved in I Believe the Children Our Are Future 5X6. Jesse is a junior at a high school in Honolulu, Hawaii. He has a shack that he built for himself by a private beach inlet where he goes surfing everyday. He could care less about graduating high school as he wants to be a professional surfer. Jesse has been lying low since his run in with the Winchesters and rarely uses his powers except for small tricks. His best friend of three years, Rich Yearling, hangs out with him a lot. Jesse and Rich are on the surfing team for the school and at a competition Jesse sees Rich use demonic magic to win a round and injury an opposing member. When he confronts him Jesse finds out that Rich was a demon who went undercover to find the Anti-Christ child to become the new King of Hell. In a panic, Jesse kills of Rich, but not without a few people witnessing it so he returns to his shack where he garners up as much of his power he can to go back in time to the 50s. Inspired by reading The Outsiders which his favorite teacher assigned. Once there, he begins to explore New York City and assumes the identity Henry Winchester. Unbeknownst to him, his time-travel created a ripple that alerted demons in the area and they begin hunting him down, but he joins forces with Robert Chelling as he realizes there is no escaping them.

Episode Two: Huntin' for a Changelin'

     After Robert takes Henry under his wing at The Glass Barrel, a bar and gambling house that Robert works at as a performer and bartender, the two men decide to find their way into the hunting network of New York City. At first they connect with Chandler Bets, a hunter who claims to have been in the field for thirty years. Bets says that he's been hunting a Changeling for a about a year and invites the boys to join him.

Episode Three: Bad News Thomas

     Robert scores with a lady one night, but Henry awkwardly walks-in on him. This inspires Robert to set up a double-blind date at a nice restaurant down the street. After it flops, on the way home the boys see someone getting chased by demon smoke and rescue him. They find out his name is Thomas James, a local librarian and Robert's old battle buddy, who believes in the myths he reads about because of what he saw oversees.

Episode Four: Demons Get With It

     Now that Thomas has joined their team, Henry and Robert continue working in The Glass Barrel part-time and hunting demons and monsters on the side, using Larry as reference and scribe when they're stuck on a case. Although deep in the library Larry works out there seems to be a secret spot where demons like to meet.

Episode Five: Back Seat Banshee

     Thomas falls in love with a girl who has been visiting the library a lot recently and Robert tries o teach him how to be a "cooler guy" but this girl might have ulterior motives. While down in their new hideout in the library, Henry discovers a horrifying secret about the Chelling family line which threatens their friendship and could expose Henry as the Anti-Christ.

Episode Six: I Believe In Henry Winchester

     After Robert learns about Henry, they work together to find a way to seal away his powers forever. All the while, crazy storms start popping up around New York City and the possessed souls of the deceased begin to pop up from the shadows. Thomas believes it's because of a shift in the "ley lines" and the demons are trying to use it to open a direct portal to Hell.

Episode Seven: Ankle-Biter

     In the aftermath of the ley shift, Henry, Robert, and Thomas are still fighting off the demon spawn that come from it. While closing up The Glass Barrel one night, Henry finds a young girl in the alley shivering, hungry, and without parents. He decides to take her in and nourish her. Robert has a bad feeling about her but decides to try and teach her magic tricks. After a few days they find an orphanage to put her in, but something eerie is going on with her.

Episode Eight: No Sweat

     After a string of prostitutes are murdered over a couple of nights, the boys believe they are dealing with the real Jack the Ripper, but when they start finding goat fur at the scenes they begin to wonder if they're dealing with some type of hybrid.

Episode Nine: Millie Nillie

     Finally having a few days off, the boys travel to Coney Island for a vacation day. While there people begin to disappear in the water at the beach. Attributing it to a shark attack, the boys think nothing of it until they see huge, iridescent scales washing up on the beach and a leading lady Henry likes is about to become a target.

Episode Ten: Kappa Whacka

     Robert gets a call from an old friend in Syracuse that says his kid hasn't been home from prom in the big city for almost a day and asks him, Henry, and Thomas to try and go check up on him at this friend's house. When they arrive the son and his friend are missing and it looks as though they were dragged away by something that came from the river for it left water and seaweed everywhere.

Episode Eleven: Grendelville

     A strange flu-like virus begins infecting only men around the city. Women begin going into the work force, Millie being one of them, and the race for a cure is on. During a performance one night, Robert starts showing symptoms of the virus and it's up to Henry and Thomas to put a stop to it and along the way they find help from a Danish family in Brooklyn who have mystical ties with an old classic story.

Episode Twelve: Crooked Tales

     Demons come crashing in during a kegger at The Glass Barrel threatening innocent bystanders. The boys jump into action trying to keep people safe but another supernatural being joins the party when they start instantaneously exorcising demons. At first they believe it to be an angel but after it summons an army of religious zeal children the boys hit the Bible to figure out what mythical creature is trying to start the next Crusades.

Episode Thirteen: Drop Dead, Henry

     Millie gets an urgent call to return home to Chicago. Henry begs to go with her, but she keeps denying him without giving a reason. Curious that she might be some type of monster, Henry follows her there and starts piecing together the big secret she has been hiding from him. As their relationship begins to change, Henry  starts thinking of big decisions.

Explanation

     I wasn't expecting this class to force every ounce of creative juice out of my mind for this proposal. I enjoyed every minute of it. Every Friday when we gathered for class we would talk amongst ourselves about the episodes we analyzed in depth and our instructor would teach us how to apply literary tropes, themes, motifs, and structures to the show making it more complex and dynamic than I ever could have imagined. Thinking about my Supernatural Convention experience and combining it with the theories the class has put together about the origins of Cas, Sam and Dean's destiny, and more I was inspired by the mysterious case of Jesse Turner, the Anti-Christ child. When I expressed my thoughts about the theory of how Jesse could possibly be Henry Winchester the class encouraged me with the idea so I spent hours upon hours doing research on how this could work out logically with the Supernatural story. After we all discussed our season reviews, it became easier for me to see how broad and eccentric the show truly is compared to everything else currently airing. We were taught how to recognize certain cinematic affects and how they reveal more about the character. We understood story, canon, and meta which opened us up to more twists and turns that need to be explored within the Supernatural universe; and lead me to here.

Audience Commodity and Marketability

     The Men of Letters are a huge part of the Supernatural history. Fans have been begging to know more about the origins of them. With the prevalent loose ends left behind in some of the episodes that fans also want to know more about, I took it upon myself to try to find a way to connect the two. I feel as though this pitch will intrigue Supernatural fans across the world as secrets will be revealed about the Winchester line. This theory is twisted, but not so much as fans will resent it for deviating from the normal universe rules. With this cast of characters, the ever-potent male-dominated cast will be in play to make it familiar territory for the viewers but they won't have the same ideals as the current cast, making it interesting from a ideology and historical standpoint. Fans will be loving the fifties and being introduced to new monsters will keep them watching. Market wise, by having the story surround another Winchester, the Winchester Bros.  can continue forward and long-standing fans won't feel like they're disconnected from the original story. Creating paraphernalia for the new show will be able to fit in with the current items as it is all still Supernatural related with the monster hunting and "bromance" between boys, but incorporating 1950s style will create a new novelty for everything.

Adherence to Show's Content and Structure

     This series still connects to the original story of Supernatural by taking one of the characters that influenced the angels and apocalypse arc, leaving behind a mystery waiting to be solved. Knowing that the Anti-Christ child grew up to be a decent guy and was inspired by the Winchesters, it makes sense that when he is pushed to his breaking point to run away for good. The familiar "monster-of-the-week" theme will keep current fans comfortable by viewing how Henry and his boys solve cases as hunters; which is really intriguining because Henry later claims in front of Sam and Dean that he "despises" hunters so fans will be hooked wanting to know how Henry came to that point. Most of the information, characters, and such in the show relate to the modern Supernatural so finally being able to see the backstories will help bring certain events together and could create a new television empire.

Discussion of Medium Choice

     I believe with the way Supernatural is now it will be very easy for this series to be adapted into a full-fledged television show. There is so much content that can be explored about hunting in the 50s and how the Men of Letters came to be, it just couldn't be fit in a mini series. If Henry was the Anti-Christ then there is a whole new Heaven vs. Hell battle to explore. This spin-off could easily inspire fans to create more fan art, cosplays, fiction work, and more as the Supernatural universe expands before their very eyes. This could allow for more convention space, podcasts, and gear to sell. If there really are as many monsters as what the show claims then this is a great opportunity to begin exploring it.

Justification of Spin-Off

     For anyone who is a fan of Supernatural then they have wondered at least once, "Why were Sam and Dean the chosen Vessels?" This got me thinking. We don't know much about the Winchester line. Henry time-traveled and was killed by a Knight of Hell. The Anti-Christ child was never spoken of again although he was suppose to be one of the most powerful opposing characters. Is it possible that this could be linked? Perhaps if Jesse truly did go back in time to become Henry, lost his powers, and gave birth to John (who wasn't suppose to be a hunter in the first place) maybe Heaven thought they would get rid of the Anti-Christ child and possibilities of Lucifer rising forever. But then Azazel had to come in and ruin everything (remember he said he had "big plans" for Sammy so perhaps he was preparing him to be another Anti-Christ-like child? After all, he did poor his blood into him. And perhaps his infected children were going to be the most horrible army with all of those powers combined?). This theory could be a beautiful wrap up to the series on how exactly the Winchesters and their narrative came to be.