| Ellen Harvelle | |
|---|---|
| Supernatural character | |
Samantha Ferris as Ellen Harvelle |
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| First appearance | "Everybody Loves a Clown" |
| Portrayed by | Samantha Ferris |
| Information | |
| Occupation | Proprietor Hunter |
| Spouse(s) | William Anthony Harvelle (husband, deceased) |
| Children | Jo Harvelle (daughter) |
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.
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An old friend of John Winchester, 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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4] 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."[5]
The Roadhouse is destroyed by demons in "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One", and her whereabouts are unknown throughout the episode.[6] 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.[7]
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.[8]
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.[9]
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.
| “ | Everyone always loved her because they thought she was this kick-ass broad, but to see Ellen go out with pride, dignity, and emotion was necessary. | ” |
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—Ferris on her character's emotional side.[10] |
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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.'"[11] Likewise, actress Samantha Ferris described her as a "gun-toting, beer-slinging, bar-owning broad" with a "very maternal core".[12] 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.[12] 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.[8] By the time of Ellen's final appearance, actress Alona Tal came to view their characters more as equals rather than mother and daughter.[13]
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.[11] The name originated from the writers' decision to base her on the "tough yet emotionally-vulnerable" characters portrayed by actress Ellen Barkin.[14] 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.[14] 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."[12] Series creator Eric Kripke agrees, feeling that Ferris "really brought the character to life", being "nuanced and complex and tough, yet beautiful and feminine".[11]
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.[15] However, her initial return was scrapped due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike,[16] and the actress declined a guest appearance in the finale because the lackluster offer "could cost [her] money and work".[17][18] 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.[10] 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.[10][19]
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 Slayers's Scooby Gang, comparing Ellen to Buffy's 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".[20] Diana Steenbergen of IGN also favored Ellen from the beginning,[21] believing her to be "a great addition to the show".[22] She deemed Ellen "tough and direct, and also female, something the boys don't have a lot of in their lives right now".[21] 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".[23] Maureen Ryan of Chicago Tribune was "annoyed" at the destruction of the Roadhouse in the second season finale, as she "really loved Ellen".[24] 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!".[25] 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".[26] 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".[27] 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".[28]
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