In a show such asSupernaturalwhere there are numerous running jokes, various monster types, and a catalog of characters so dense it could give the MCU a run for its money, it should come as no surprise that the show is full of references to pop culture. The meta nature of the show essentially guarantees that each episode will have at least one mention of a famous person, song, or movie. Sam was always labeled as the nerdy one of the Winchester brothers, but Dean is just as geeky as his brother is when it comes to entertainment and pop culture. Between the two brothers and the multitude of witty characters they met along the way, it almost seemed like the show competed with itself to include the most pop culture references possible.
Since Sam and Dean often had to pose as government agents or reporters to gain access to the crime scene they wanted to investigate, the Winchesters had to come up with a laundry list of aliases to use. One of the running gags in the show was that the brothers almost always picked out names that were in reference to someone or something. Their ability to use famous names, such as their frequent use of the names of Led Zeppelin band members, heavily relied on the hope that whoever they were trying to fool had little to no pop culture knowledge. It made for some hilarious moments in between the monster-hunting and world-saving that fans have come to love over the years. Without further ado, here are 20 of the best fake names Sam and Dean used inSupernatural.
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Agents Hamill & Ford
The episode “Dead in the Water” is one of the earliest episodes of the show as it is the third episode of season one. It shows the boys on one of their first cases together after Sam lost Jess while they are looking for their missing father. The boys investigate something in the lake of a small town that is seemingly killing people, so they pose as members of the U.S. Wildlife Service to gain unrestricted access to the lake and the family members of the victims. In doing so, they introduce themselves as Agents Hamill and Ford, one of the show’s first of manyStar Warsreferences. Hamill and Ford are of course in reference to actors Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford,who played Luke Skywalkerand Han Solo, respectively.
Agents Landis & Dante
In the season two episode titled “Heart”, Sam and Dean investigate a brutal death only to discover that the killer is a lycanthrope, which is a werewolf. Turns out, the woman they were protecting, Madison (Emmanuelle Vaugier), was actually the werewolf that was stalking the streets at night. This was particularly unfortunate for Sam as he and Madison had developed feelings for each other. Prior to all of this occurring, Dean had introduced him and Sam as Agents Landis and Dante, the directors of two famous werewolf movies from the ’80s. John Landis directedAn American Werewolf in London, while Joe Dante directedThe Howling
Agents Spears & Aguilera
By the time that season nine had rolled around, the rock star shtick that Dean always pulled when creating aliases for him and Sam was an expected part of the gig. Cas understood this too as he was fully committed to becoming a hunter and was living in the bunker with Sam and Dean by this point in the season. However, he did get a bit mixed up when it come to which musicians Dean typically chose to borrow a name from. When Sam and Dean arrive at the crime scene, they are addressed as Agents Spears and Aguilera by the cop there, thanks to Cas who had already informed the police of Sam and Dean’s presence. Dean was of course irritated by the reference to pop stars Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, to which Cas explained simply that he chose musician names just as Dean usually did.
Wedge Antilles
When Dean is miraculously raised from Hell by Castiel, who Dean had not met yet, he obviously wanted to find his brother. After a trip to Bobby’s to let him know he was indeed back, the two set out to look for Sam who had essentially gone AWOL by then. Dean was always very in tune with his little brother, so he knew exactly how to find him and which alias he would be using. Bobby even questions how Dean knew Sam would use the name Wedge Antilles,theStar Warspilot, but Dean simply knew his younger brother better than anyone.
Lemmy Kilmister
Dean’s love of rock music is no secret to anyone around him, but occasionally, Sam was the one using the names of rock legends as his aliases. In season seven when he is looking for a childhood friend of his, the name on the fake credit card he uses is Lemmy Kilmister, the late lead singer of Motorhead. Three seasons later in season ten, Sam hands somebody a business card with just the name Lemmy Kilmister when he is hunting down demon Dean in the episode “Reichenbach”. Sometimes Dean’s love of music rubs off on his little brother.
Nigel Tufnel
Dean loves movies and music perhaps almost as much as he loves a good burger. He fused his love for movies and music in the tenth episode of season one in the episode “Asylum” when rescuing two teenagers from a haunted asylum. He states himself to be Nigel Tufnel, who is the lead singer of the fictional heavy metal band from Rob Reiner’s mockumentaryThis is Spinal Tap. Given Dean’s taste in music and his love for movies, it was a perfect opportunity for him to use a name that combines two of his favorite things.
Father Simmons and Father Frehley
The nods and references to classic rock and heavy metal legends started out quite early on inSupernatural. Season one had multiple rock references on its own, and in the episode “Nightmare”, Sam and Dean take the names of one of the most famous rock bands to hit the stage. When Sam’s premonitions start happening while he’s awake, the brothers investigate the unusual murders he predicted. The boys visit one of the victim’s family members disguised as priests. They refer to themselves as Father Simmons and Father Frehley, two members of the band KISS.
“Doctor” James Hetfield
Dean’s love of Metallica was established early on inSupernatural. He mentions them numerous times throughout the seasons, and one of the first instances is in the fourth episode of the first season, titled “Phantom Traveler”. Sam and Dean receive a phone call from a friend of the father’s inquiring about a strange recording on the black box of a crashed airplane. When investigating, Dean introduces himself as Dr. James Hetfield when on the phone with one of the airport staff. Hetfield is of course the lead singer of Metallica. Later on in the episode the brothers actually have to get on a plane,Dean listens to Metallica’s"Some Kind of Monster" to keep himself calm as he has a fear of flying. It may be from an extremely early episode of the series, but it is a memorable Dean moment.
Jerry Wanek and Robert Singer
“Phantom Traveler” had more than just Metallica references in the episode. When Sam and Dean boldly impersonate Homeland Security agents, they claim to be Agents Wanek and Singer. Jerry Wanek was one of the production designers on the show, and Robert Singer is none other than the executive producer of theSupernatural. This wasn’t the only time that Singer’s name was used, as Bobby' Singer’s character name is literally an abbreviated version of the producer’s name. The name drops also serve as one of the earliest instances of meta references in the series.
Agents Smith & Smith
The 200th episode of Supernatural, titled “Fan Fiction”, is to be remembered for many reasons. From high school students dressed up as the main characters to Dean being offended that the teens are turning their lives into a musical, there are a lot of memorable moments in the episode. A more subtle nod in the episode is when Sam and Dean introduce themselves as FBI agents when they arrive to investigate the school. Dean claims they are agents Smith and Smith, no relation. Given the irony of the two brothers claiming to have no relation to each other makes for a funny scene on its own, it is even funnier when you realize it’saDie Hardreference. It’s a nod to two FBI agents who introduce themselves in a similar monotone voice as Johnson and Johnson with no relation.
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