Ellen Harvelle
Encyclopedia
Ellen Harvelle is a fictional character
on The CW Television Network
's Supernatural
portrayed by Samantha Ferris
. Introduced in the second season in order to explore a mother-daughter relationship in the hunting world, the "gun-toting, beer-slinging" Ellen brought a "maternal energy" to the male-dominated series. The mother of Jo Harvelle
and the proprietor of Harvelle's Roadhouse—a bar frequented by hunters of supernatural creatures—Ellen provides advice and assistance to Sam
and Dean Winchester
throughout the second season. However, the character's appearances in the third season were dropped due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
and failed negotiations. Critical reception to the character has been positive, with many critics happy to see her return in the fifth season.
, Ellen Harvelle is the wife of hunter William Anthony Harvelle and the mother of Jo Harvelle
. She runs Harvelle's Roadhouse, a saloon and pub frequented by hunters of supernatural creatures. When Sam
and Dean Winchester
arrive there in the second season episode "Everybody Loves a Clown", they find the place empty. Wary of new strangers, Ellen holds Sam at gunpoint while Jo subdues Dean. Upon realizing that John is their father, Ellen offers them a room in the back where they could stay, but Dean declines the offer. In "Bloodlust", Sam asks Ellen for information on a hunter named Gordon Walker, and she tells him that, although Gordon is a good hunter, he is too dangerous to work with. Later, in "Simon Said", Sam and Dean explain about the coming demon war against humanity, revealing to her what they know about the demon Azazel
and the psychic children he has pursued.
However, her relationship with the brothers is strained in the episode "No Exit", where she reveals that she believes her husband's death was the result of a mistake made by John Winchester while they were working together on a hunt. In "Hunted", Sam goes to see Ellen at the Roadhouse. She admits to him that her husband's death was not John's fault, and that she had forgiven him a long time ago. She also informs Sam that Jo has gone hunting by herself. Sam apologizes for this, but Ellen does not blame the brothers. Having had an argument with Dean, Sam then tracks down another of Azazel's targets by himself, and Ellen breaks a promise to him by telling Dean of his location, saying afterward, "You can't protect your loved ones forever."
The Roadhouse is destroyed by demons in "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One
", and her whereabouts are unknown throughout the episode. It is later revealed in "Part Two" that she had left the Roadhouse to run a few errands, leaving Ash behind in it. In the Roadhouse's safe they find a map with marks surrounding Wyoming, which is really a giant devil's trap to keep demons away. She, the Winchesters, and fellow hunter Bobby Singer all go to a cemetery in the middle of the trap, where they corner the special child Jake, who is being forced by Azazel to open a gateway to Hell in a mausoleum there. They are unsuccessful, however, and hundreds of demons are released into the world. As the brothers then deal with Azazel, Ellen and Bobby close the gateway. The two then inform the Winchesters that many demons have escaped Hell, thrusting them into a war against the forces of evil.
In the fifth season episode "Good God, Y'all!", Ellen reappears with Jo to help fellow hunter Rufus kill demons that have laid siege to a small town called River Pass, Colorado
. Both mother and daughter are separated in the siege, but Ellen joins up with a group of townspeople holed up in a church. Later, on a patrol, she reunites with Sam and Dean. She and Sam search for Jo but find that she, Rufus and some other townspeople have apparently become possessed. Sam distracts the demons long enough for Ellen to escape. Ellen returns to the church, and the two come to realize that War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
, is responsible for the siege, making the townspeople think each other are demons. Ellen is almost killed by one of the town's residents until War's spell is destroyed by Sam and Dean.
In the episode "Abandon All Hope...", Ellen and Jo once again team up with the brothers to find Lucifer and kill him. Upon their arrival in a seemingly abandoned small town, the four come face-to-face with the demon Meg, who send a pack of hellhounds after them. On the run, Dean gets attacked by one, and while helping him, Jo is severely mauled as well. They hide in an old store trying to come up with a plan, until Jo tells them to be realistic; she is not going to survive. She suggests to make a bomb of salt and iron—repellents of hellhounds—using her as bait so they can escape. Ellen initially refuses to let her daughter sacrifice herself, but Jo convinces her that it has to be done in order to stop the Apocalypse. Ellen ultimately agrees and stays behind as well, opening the doors to let the hellhounds in. Jo dies in her arms, and seconds later, Ellen blows up the building, killing the hellhounds and herself in the process.
An unforeseen consequence of Balthazar's saving of the Titanic in "My Heart Will Go On" leads to Ellen marrying Bobby and neither her nor Jo dying in the fifth season. Once the action is rescinded the timeline is restored and both are once again deceased.
came to view their characters more as equals rather than mother and daughter.
. Ellen was meant to have a "true and honest platonic friendship" with John Winchester, and her backstory of her husband having been killed due to John's mistake was added to the storyline to explain why John never mentioned the Roadhouse to his sons. Ferris auditioned for the role, and feels that she was exactly what they had been looking for. She commented, "I have a certain kind of personality that works specifically with a role, and Ellen is just me on television. They were looking for a tough, strong, yet a little maternal actor, and I struck a chord." Series creator Eric Kripke agrees, feeling that Ferris "really brought the character to life", being "nuanced and complex and tough, yet beautiful and feminine".
The writers intended for the character to make only two guest appearances in the third season, which left Ferris "a bit surprised and [disappointed]" at Ellen's lack of involvement. However, her initial return was scrapped due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
, and the actress declined a guest appearance in the finale because the lackluster offer "could cost [her] money and work". The opportunity to return for the fifth season surprised her due to the large time span since her previous appearance. Though she expected her character to eventually die, a devastated Ferris was surprised at how quickly it occurred. However, after speaking to director Phil Sgriccia—he told her that Ellen was the "perfect fodder" for the "kick" that the series needed, and would "go out in a blaze of glory"—the actress came to realize that the character's death made sense. Ellen's last words to Dean—"Kick it in the ass."—was an improvised homage to the late Supernatural executive producer and director Kim Manners
, who had died the year before and would often recite the phrase before filming a scene.
' s Scooby Gang, comparing Ellen to Buffys Giles
, as she is "the elder who can help guide the boys from a home base and serve as an emotional link to their father, a parental figure without all the melodramatic baggage of the actual father from the first season". Diana Steenbergen of IGN
also favored Ellen from the beginning, believing her to be "a great addition to the show". She deemed Ellen "tough and direct, and also female, something the boys don't have a lot of in their lives right now". Steenbergen was happy to see the character return in the fifth season, noting that the show has been missing "smart, tough women who are not evil in general". Maureen Ryan of Chicago Tribune
was "annoyed" at the destruction of the Roadhouse in the second season finale, as she "really loved Ellen". Though happy to see her return in the fifth season, Ryan was disappointed at the lack of screentime the character received in the episode "Good God, Y'All!". Commenting on the character's final appearance and her farewells, Ryan noted that Ferris "brought [her] A-game to 'Abandon All Hope…'". She added that "[Ferris fits] perfectly into the 'Supernatural' world because [she understands] that on this show, restraint is everything. It's not necessarily just about what the characters say or do, it's about what they don't say—what they can't find the words for". Tina Charles of TV Guide
also welcomed the character back, and enjoyed how Ellen's initial reaction to Dean Winchester—hugging and then slapping him—was "very much in character". Regarding the character's death, Charles noted that "when [Ellen] went down in 'Abandon All Hope' like [she] did, I felt it. [Her death] meant something".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
's Supernatural
Supernatural (TV series)
Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
portrayed by Samantha Ferris
Samantha Ferris
Samantha Ferris is a Canadian actress and in the mid-1990s was a television reporter for the Bellingham, Washington station KVOS TV-12 and Vancouver's BCTV, where she went by the name Janie Ferris...
. Introduced in the second season in order to explore a mother-daughter relationship in the hunting world, the "gun-toting, beer-slinging" Ellen brought a "maternal energy" to the male-dominated series. The mother of Jo Harvelle
Jo Harvelle
Joanna Beth "Jo" Harvelle is a fictional character on The CW Television Network's drama/horror television series Supernatural portrayed by Alona Tal. She was introduced in the second season in order to explore a mother-daughter relationship in the hunting world. Series creator Eric Kripke described...
and the proprietor of Harvelle's Roadhouse—a bar frequented by hunters of supernatural creatures—Ellen provides advice and assistance to Sam
Sam Winchester
Samuel "Sam" Winchester is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists of The CW Television Network's Supernatural along with his older brother Dean. He is portrayed by Jared Padalecki.-Background:...
and Dean Winchester
Dean Winchester
Dean Winchester is a fictional character from The CW Television Network's Supernatural, portrayed by Jensen Ackles. He hunts demons, spirits and other supernatural creatures with his younger brother Sam.-Background:...
throughout the second season. However, the character's appearances in the third season were dropped due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
and failed negotiations. Critical reception to the character has been positive, with many critics happy to see her return in the fifth season.
Plot
An old friend of John WinchesterJohn Winchester (Supernatural)
John Eric Winchester is a fictional character on The CW Television Network's drama/horror television series Supernatural, and the protagonist of the comic book spin-off series Supernatural: Origins. Developed by series creator Eric Kripke, the character is mainly portrayed by Jeffrey Dean Morgan...
, Ellen Harvelle is the wife of hunter William Anthony Harvelle and the mother of Jo Harvelle
Jo Harvelle
Joanna Beth "Jo" Harvelle is a fictional character on The CW Television Network's drama/horror television series Supernatural portrayed by Alona Tal. She was introduced in the second season in order to explore a mother-daughter relationship in the hunting world. Series creator Eric Kripke described...
. She runs Harvelle's Roadhouse, a saloon and pub frequented by hunters of supernatural creatures. When Sam
Sam Winchester
Samuel "Sam" Winchester is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists of The CW Television Network's Supernatural along with his older brother Dean. He is portrayed by Jared Padalecki.-Background:...
and Dean Winchester
Dean Winchester
Dean Winchester is a fictional character from The CW Television Network's Supernatural, portrayed by Jensen Ackles. He hunts demons, spirits and other supernatural creatures with his younger brother Sam.-Background:...
arrive there in the second season episode "Everybody Loves a Clown", they find the place empty. Wary of new strangers, Ellen holds Sam at gunpoint while Jo subdues Dean. Upon realizing that John is their father, Ellen offers them a room in the back where they could stay, but Dean declines the offer. In "Bloodlust", Sam asks Ellen for information on a hunter named Gordon Walker, and she tells him that, although Gordon is a good hunter, he is too dangerous to work with. Later, in "Simon Said", Sam and Dean explain about the coming demon war against humanity, revealing to her what they know about the demon Azazel
Azazel (Supernatural)
Azazel is a fictional character on The CW Television Network's drama and horror television series Supernatural. He serves as the primary antagonist during the first two seasons. A demon, he feeds his blood to infants so that they will grow up to develop demonic abilities. His endgame of using one...
and the psychic children he has pursued.
However, her relationship with the brothers is strained in the episode "No Exit", where she reveals that she believes her husband's death was the result of a mistake made by John Winchester while they were working together on a hunt. In "Hunted", Sam goes to see Ellen at the Roadhouse. She admits to him that her husband's death was not John's fault, and that she had forgiven him a long time ago. She also informs Sam that Jo has gone hunting by herself. Sam apologizes for this, but Ellen does not blame the brothers. Having had an argument with Dean, Sam then tracks down another of Azazel's targets by himself, and Ellen breaks a promise to him by telling Dean of his location, saying afterward, "You can't protect your loved ones forever."
The Roadhouse is destroyed by demons in "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One
All Hell Breaks Loose (Supernatural)
"All Hell Breaks Loose" is the joint title for the two-part second season finale of the CW television series Supernatural. It consists of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes of the second season. "Part One" was first broadcast on May 10, 2007, and the second part aired the following week...
", and her whereabouts are unknown throughout the episode. It is later revealed in "Part Two" that she had left the Roadhouse to run a few errands, leaving Ash behind in it. In the Roadhouse's safe they find a map with marks surrounding Wyoming, which is really a giant devil's trap to keep demons away. She, the Winchesters, and fellow hunter Bobby Singer all go to a cemetery in the middle of the trap, where they corner the special child Jake, who is being forced by Azazel to open a gateway to Hell in a mausoleum there. They are unsuccessful, however, and hundreds of demons are released into the world. As the brothers then deal with Azazel, Ellen and Bobby close the gateway. The two then inform the Winchesters that many demons have escaped Hell, thrusting them into a war against the forces of evil.
In the fifth season episode "Good God, Y'all!", Ellen reappears with Jo to help fellow hunter Rufus kill demons that have laid siege to a small town called River Pass, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Both mother and daughter are separated in the siege, but Ellen joins up with a group of townspeople holed up in a church. Later, on a patrol, she reunites with Sam and Dean. She and Sam search for Jo but find that she, Rufus and some other townspeople have apparently become possessed. Sam distracts the demons long enough for Ellen to escape. Ellen returns to the church, and the two come to realize that War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, called the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ to Saint John the Evangelist at 6:1-8. The chapter tells of a "'book'/'scroll' in God's right hand that is sealed with seven seals"...
, is responsible for the siege, making the townspeople think each other are demons. Ellen is almost killed by one of the town's residents until War's spell is destroyed by Sam and Dean.
In the episode "Abandon All Hope...", Ellen and Jo once again team up with the brothers to find Lucifer and kill him. Upon their arrival in a seemingly abandoned small town, the four come face-to-face with the demon Meg, who send a pack of hellhounds after them. On the run, Dean gets attacked by one, and while helping him, Jo is severely mauled as well. They hide in an old store trying to come up with a plan, until Jo tells them to be realistic; she is not going to survive. She suggests to make a bomb of salt and iron—repellents of hellhounds—using her as bait so they can escape. Ellen initially refuses to let her daughter sacrifice herself, but Jo convinces her that it has to be done in order to stop the Apocalypse. Ellen ultimately agrees and stays behind as well, opening the doors to let the hellhounds in. Jo dies in her arms, and seconds later, Ellen blows up the building, killing the hellhounds and herself in the process.
An unforeseen consequence of Balthazar's saving of the Titanic in "My Heart Will Go On" leads to Ellen marrying Bobby and neither her nor Jo dying in the fifth season. Once the action is rescinded the timeline is restored and both are once again deceased.
Characterization
Series creator Eric Kripke felt that Ellen brought a "maternal energy" to the series, and described the character as "a lioness, which is tough and badass and 'You touch my children, I will kill you.'" Likewise, actress Samantha Ferris described her as a "gun-toting, beer-slinging, bar-owning broad" with a "very maternal core". Ferris also feels that, despite Ellen having gone through a lot in her life, she is cautious rather than jaded, and is "very protective of the things she has in her life", especially her daughter Jo and the Winchesters. Thus, her main concern is Jo's safety, which prompts her to forbid her daughter from going on hunts. When she realizes that she can no longer stop Jo from doing what she wants, Ellen becomes her hunting partner, deciding it is the best way to look after her. By the time of Ellen's final appearance, actress Alona TalAlona Tal
-Career:Tal started her career fresh out of the Israel Defense Forces, with a children's musical video tape, in which she played an evil witch. Following that, she appeared in a commercial for a laundry detergent...
came to view their characters more as equals rather than mother and daughter.
Development
Due to the father-son dynamics of the hunting world depicted in the series' first season with the Winchesters, the writers decided to explore a mother-daughter relationship, resulting in the introduction of Ellen and her daughter Jo. The name originated from the writers' decision to base her on the "tough yet emotionally-vulnerable" characters portrayed by actress Ellen BarkinEllen Barkin
Ellen Barkin is an American film, television and theatre actress.-Early life:She was born Ellen Rona Barkin in Bronx, a borough of New York City, New York, the daughter of Evelyn , a hospital administrator who worked at Jamaica Hospital, and Sol Barkin, a chemical salesman...
. Ellen was meant to have a "true and honest platonic friendship" with John Winchester, and her backstory of her husband having been killed due to John's mistake was added to the storyline to explain why John never mentioned the Roadhouse to his sons. Ferris auditioned for the role, and feels that she was exactly what they had been looking for. She commented, "I have a certain kind of personality that works specifically with a role, and Ellen is just me on television. They were looking for a tough, strong, yet a little maternal actor, and I struck a chord." Series creator Eric Kripke agrees, feeling that Ferris "really brought the character to life", being "nuanced and complex and tough, yet beautiful and feminine".
The writers intended for the character to make only two guest appearances in the third season, which left Ferris "a bit surprised and [disappointed]" at Ellen's lack of involvement. However, her initial return was scrapped due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
, and the actress declined a guest appearance in the finale because the lackluster offer "could cost [her] money and work". The opportunity to return for the fifth season surprised her due to the large time span since her previous appearance. Though she expected her character to eventually die, a devastated Ferris was surprised at how quickly it occurred. However, after speaking to director Phil Sgriccia—he told her that Ellen was the "perfect fodder" for the "kick" that the series needed, and would "go out in a blaze of glory"—the actress came to realize that the character's death made sense. Ellen's last words to Dean—"Kick it in the ass."—was an improvised homage to the late Supernatural executive producer and director Kim Manners
Kim Manners
Kim Manners was an American television producer, director and child actor best known for his work on The X-Files and Supernatural.-Early life:...
, who had died the year before and would often recite the phrase before filming a scene.
Reception
Critical reception to Ellen has been positive. In their initial appearance, Bryan Enk of UGO felt that the new hunters of the Roadhouse had potential to be the Supernatural equivalent of Buffy the Vampire SlayersRupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
, as she is "the elder who can help guide the boys from a home base and serve as an emotional link to their father, a parental figure without all the melodramatic baggage of the actual father from the first season". Diana Steenbergen of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
also favored Ellen from the beginning, believing her to be "a great addition to the show". She deemed Ellen "tough and direct, and also female, something the boys don't have a lot of in their lives right now". Steenbergen was happy to see the character return in the fifth season, noting that the show has been missing "smart, tough women who are not evil in general". Maureen Ryan of Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
was "annoyed" at the destruction of the Roadhouse in the second season finale, as she "really loved Ellen". Though happy to see her return in the fifth season, Ryan was disappointed at the lack of screentime the character received in the episode "Good God, Y'All!". Commenting on the character's final appearance and her farewells, Ryan noted that Ferris "brought [her] A-game to 'Abandon All Hope…'". She added that "[Ferris fits] perfectly into the 'Supernatural' world because [she understands] that on this show, restraint is everything. It's not necessarily just about what the characters say or do, it's about what they don't say—what they can't find the words for". Tina Charles of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
also welcomed the character back, and enjoyed how Ellen's initial reaction to Dean Winchester—hugging and then slapping him—was "very much in character". Regarding the character's death, Charles noted that "when [Ellen] went down in 'Abandon All Hope' like [she] did, I felt it. [Her death] meant something".