Supernatural Spoilers!

Supernatural exec producer Eric Kripke gave us such good scoop on Season 5 back in July, so we thought we’d go back and try for some more. With new episodes set to return Thursday, September 10, the cult show’s creator tells us about writing for God, Castiel’s future, President Sarah Palin and what 2014 will look like for the Winchester Brothers. Think zombies. And then there’s what we all want to know: Could there be a Season 6?

You have Lucifer [Mark Pellegrino] as a character. How about God? Where’s the High Holy been?
I know it sounds nuts, but God will be a character on Supernatural this season. He’s vanished from Heaven, which is why the Angels have taken over the joint, but we’re planning on God’s return, probably around the end of the season. This story thread has generated much hilarity in the Supernatural writer’s room. We ask ourselves questions like, “Well, what’s God’s motivation in this scene?” And then we start laughing, cause, you know, Gossip Girl just ain’t having these problems.

How will God enter into the battle?
Tune in.

Who will play Him—or Her? (Well, why not?)
You’ll see.

What can you tell us about Castiel [Misha Collins] and his future on the show? Haven’t the Angels turned against him? Will he basically be in the same condition as the Hunters?
Cass returns to the show as a hunted fugitive. All of Heaven is out to kill him. Some of his powers are beginning to fade. In short, he’s totally boned. But on top of that, he has an interesting story arc. Now that he’s cut off from heaven, he’s learning more and more, how to be human. Which leads to stories that are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, and hopefully both. But he still looks the same—trenchcoat, tie, Misha’s face. No worries there.

Will any of the hunters be back this season to help Sam [Jared Padalecki] and Dean [Jensen Ackles] and Bobby [Jim Beaver]? If so, which ones?
We plan on bringing back practically every hunter who’s alive and kicking. It’s the Apocalypse, and it’s all hands on deck. Ellen [Samantha Ferris]. Jo [Alona Tal]. Rufus [Steven Williams]. Also, Chuck [Rob Benedict], though he’s technically not a hunter. I love bringing back characters that the boys have a history with—it leads to more interesting scenes—at least, I hope they’re more interesting. Who knows? You tell me.

How will the Apocalypse develop through the season? Will it literally be hell on earth?
Well, that's the tension of the season. Things start bad—North Korea's arming up, swine flu rips across the country, hurricanes slam into American cities—oh wait, all that is going on now. But seriously, we start bad and get worse. And the big question is, can Sam and Dean short-circuit the Apocalypse, before the planet is roasted alive?

What will we see when the show leaps five years into the future? Were you joking at Comic-Con when you said Sarah Palin would be President? If you weren't, is that an indication of the aforesaid hell on earth?
No, we weren't joking. Like I said, it is the Apocalypse, after all. Beyond that, the world in 2014 is a entertainingly nasty place to be. The Croatian virus, introduced in Season 2, has spread worldwide, resulting in a 28 Days Later situation. Our band of hunters have resorted to living in the woods, protecting as many terrified survivors as they can. When we meet our heroes in the future, we'll see that time has changed them. Especially Castiel. But on the plus side, Chuck is living with the guys at the refugee camp, and he's still as neurotic as ever.

Any hints on the infamous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
They don't ride horses. They drive muscle cars. The first horseman will be played by Titus Welliver, a brilliant actor and one of the regulars on Deadwood.

Will we see the boys’ dad, John Winchester, again? If so, could it be with an actor other than the super busy Jeffrey Dean Morgan?
It will either be Jeffrey, or we won't do it. And yes, it is a matter of working out schedules. I'd love to make something work, if it was possible.

Are you looking to wind the show up as you have often said at the end of Season 5?
At the beginning of Supernatural, I had a five year plan, and, with some notable exceptions, I've stuck with that. And so, now that I've come this far, I feel I gotta take it the rest of the way home. Yes, this season, we are going to wrap up this storyline. We're not going to stretch it out into Season 6, or otherwise dilute it. We're going to make sure it's told with a bang. This chapter is over, but that's not to say another chapter won't begin. If we returned for Season 6, we would commence a new epic storyline.

With your competition this season—Grey’s Anatomy, CSI, Fringe and the NBC comedies—do you identify with Sam and Dean? Your doughty little show against the big guns?
Yes. I've always felt like the screaming Japanese tourist underneath Godzilla and Mothra. But honestly, that's where I like to be. I like being the underdog. That way, you can still surprise people.

Source: TV Guide Magazine