The Colt is probably the most iconic weapon in Supernatural’s history. Not only is it one hardcore killing machine, but it also has some of the coolest lore behind it.
Back in 1835, when Halley’s comet was overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo. They say Samuel Colt made a gun. A special gun. He made it for a hunter, a man like us only on horseback. Story goes he made thirteen bullets, and this hunter used the gun a half dozen times before he disappeared, the gun along with him… They say… they say this gun can kill anything.
— John Winchester 1.20 Dead Man’s Blood
The gun used in Supernatural is an accurate replicate of one of the first guns that Samuel Colt ever made, the 1836 Texas Paterson. According to John, the gun was made in 1835, making the mystery of the gun a whole lot more interesting. The Colt’s 13 bullets are each numbered, and the gun itself is engraved with a pentagram and the Latin saying “Non timebo mala” which translates to “I will fear no evil”. Even if the real Samuel Colt made no such weapon, the concept of enchanted and blessed weaponry is a very old idea. Consider the story of the Beast of Gevaudan. This monstrous creature was supposedly responsible for many deaths in the 1760s in France. There were several failed attempts to defeat the creature. It was only until one hunter came with blessed silver bullets that the beast could be killed.
Although John says that the gun can supposedly kill anything (most importantly the Yellow-Eyed Demon), we later find out that this isn’t quite true. There are five things that the gun cannot kill. Lucifer is definitely one of them (as shown in 5.10 Abandon All Hope) and it is likely that the other archangels and Death make up the other four.
The Battle of the Alamo and Halley’s Comet
The 1836 Battle of the Alamo, which took place in February, was a battle between Texian rebels and the Republic of Mexico during the Texas Revolution. The siege took place at the Alamo in San Antonio, and lasted for almost two weeks before the Mexican soldiers breached Alamo’s walls. Although the specifics are uncertain, this battle is remembered as a symbol of a heroic battle against almost impossible odds. The men at the Alamo sacrificed their lives for their freedom. It’s interesting to consider why this event in particular was chosen to be a part of Supernatural lore. Perhaps it is a reference to Sam and Dean directly, and their continuous heroic struggle against supernatural evil.
Halley’s Comet is the most famous periodic comet, appearing about every 75 years and remaining overhead for a period of several weeks. In 1835, the comet was at perihelion (the point in the orbit closest to the sun) around the 16th of November. There is some superstition surrounding the comet’s appearance. Through history, a number of unfortunate events have been blamed on Halley’s Comet including numerous natural disasters and the Black Death in England.
Who is the real Samuel Colt?
Samuel Colt is a American inventor born in 1814, renowned for his developments in firearms that had the ability to fire multiple times without the need to reload. Colt first patented the concept of a revolving pistol in 1836 with the first ever gun being made in that year. During the Mexican War (1846-48), his pistol with a revolving cartridge was mass commissioned due to the new innovation. It proved to be a huge advantage for the US troops who were fighting in Texas and Florida.
The Colt Manufacturing Company is still operating today, and has produced more than 30 million firearms.
Who is Supernatural’s Samuel Colt?
In addition to creating the gun, Colt as also responsible for constructing the lock of the door on the Devil’s Gate in Wyoming. This door is a portal to Hell which can only be unlocked with the right key – the Colt’s barrel.
Additionally, Colt built a series of iron rail roads around the Devil’s Gate in the shape of a pentagram for extra protection.
BOBBY: Yep. And there’s more. He built private railway lines connecting church to church. It just happens to lay out like this.
DEAN: Tell me that’s not what I think it is.
SAM: It’s a Devil’s Trap. A 100-square mile Devil’s Trap.
DEAN: That’s brilliant. Iron lines demons can’t cross.
— 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose
The Thirteen Bullets
So what happened to the thirteen bullets Colt made? Although some of their uses are unknown, we do know how most of them were used.
When Sam and Dean go back in time and visit Samuel Colt in 6.18 Frontierland, we learn that two of the bullets were used by Colt to kill demons and one was used by Dean to kill the phoenix. Once the Colt is introduced late in season 1, only 5 of the 13 bullets remain.
The 5 bullets were used:
- 1.20 Dead Man’s Blood – John shoots a vampire
- 1.21 Salvation – Sam shoots at the Yellow-Eyed Demon and misses
- 1.22 Devil’s Trap – Dean shoots a demon to save Sam
- 1.22 Devil’s Trap – Sam shoots John in the leg when John is possessed by the Yellow-Eyed Demon
- 2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two – Dean uses the final bullet
It’s also interesting to consider the choice of the number thirteen here. Why was this number chosen? Although the number thirteen is generally considered bad luck in Western culture. However, this was not always the norm. The fun word, triskaidekaphobia, refers to the fear of the number thirteen. The association of the number with bad luck, arising in medieval times, is possibly due to the fact that there were thirteen people at the Last Supper with Jesus. You can read more about the possible origins of the association in this article.
The Journey of the Colt
Over the course of Supernatural, the Colt has been passed around quite a bit. Here, I will attempt to summarise it’s journey in some sort of order. The Colt’s current whereabouts are unknown.
6.18 Frontierland – Samuel Colt is in possession of the gun. He uses it to kill two demons. He gives Sam the Colt so that Dean can use it to kill the phoenix. Just before the boys are transporter back to the future, Dean drops the gun. It is likely that the saloon owner (Elkins) somehow got possession of the gun and handed it down to Daniel Elkins.
1.20 Dead Man’s Blood – Daniel Elkins is killed, and leaves a note for John telling him about the Colt and the five remaining bullets. The Winchesters retrieve the gun from the den of the vampires who killed Elkins.
2.01 In My Time of Dying – John trades the Colt and the remaining bullet (and a little something else) in a deal with Azazel
2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two – Azazel gives the Colt to Jake and it eventually ends up in the hands of Dean following the events in Wyoming.
The boys continue to use the gun with the help of Ruby who teaches them how to make the gun work again to kill demons.
3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me – Bela takes the Colt and then later, in 3.15 Time Is on My Side, says she gave it to Lilith. It is later revealed by Becky in 5.09 The Real Ghostbusters that she actually gave it to Crowley.
4.03 In the Beginning – Dean goes back in time to 1973, where he borrows the gun from a young Daniel Elkins and later leaves it in Lawrence.
5.10 Abandon All Hope – Crowley gives the Colt to the Winchesters. Dean drops the Colt in the struggle with Lucifer, and is rescued by Castiel before he is able to retrieve it.
5.04 The End – Future!Dean tracks down the Colt in an attempt to kill Lucifer. This would indicate that the Colt was somehow found where Dean had left it and had continued to be passed around.
Additional references
Brown, N. R. (2011). The Mythology of Supernatural. New York: Berkley Boulevard Books.
Knight, N. (2007). Supernatural: The Official Companion Season 1. London: Titan Books.
Supernatural Legends 