Growley
| Name | Growley |
| Breed | Hellhound |
| Owner | Crowley |
| Episode(s) | 5.20 The Devil You Know (Invisible) 6.04 Weekend at Bobby's (Invisible) |
Dean: You're back?
Crowley: I'm invested… currently. [Hellhound growls] Stay!
Crowley: Not that one… [pats his Hellhound which appears to be about 5 feet high] I brought my own… Mine's bigger… Sic 'em boy!
Dean: You can control them?!
– Crowley and Dean, 5.20 The Devil You Know
History
Growley is a fan nickname for a specific hellhound that personally belongs to the demon Crowley and serves as his "pet". Crowley stated that he's bigger than the average hellhound and he appears to his master's aid upon hearing him whistle.
Episodes
5.20 The Devil You Know
Growley makes his first appearance when Crowley attacks and eliminates a hive of demons single-handedly, while sparing one who not only got the idea that Brady and Crowley are conspiring against Lucifer to get leverage over the Horsemen's stableboy, but also sends a hellhound after them by tracking Crowley with a magical coin planted in his suit. Crowley briefly teleports away to bring in a hound of his own to fend off the enemy's hound while everyone made their escape. Crowley pets his head as he sits beside his master before moving to attack the enemy hound at his command. Although the hounds' fight cannot be seen, their surroundings are quickly damaged in the scuffle and their blood gets splattered on the walls as the sounds they make can be overheard. Crowley is utterly confident that Growley will win the fight, saying "I'll wager $1000 my pup wins" as he enters the Impala.
6.04 Weekend at Bobby's
Growley returns to aid his master when Crowley gets captured within a devil's trap by Bobby, who is trying to complete the deal he made with the newly appointed King of Hell for his soul to be returned once Lucifer was reimprisoned in the Cage. He barks at Bobby when Crowley summons him by whistling. When Bobby smells his breath and realizes that Growley is presently about to attack him, Crowley offers his own deal: "Ten years of living, or ten years as Alpo." Bobby reluctantly releases Crowley to avoid being killed by his hellhound.
Trivia
- Although its origin is unclear, the hound has been called Growley in fanfic, and the name was also mentioned by a fan to Mark Sheppard at Asylum 6 2011 (Source).
- "Growley" is also sometimes used as the mash-up pairing name for fanworks featuring a Slash relationship between Crowley and Gabriel.
- It was rumored that Crowley's hellhound was the one killed by Sam Winchester in 8.14 Trial and Error, but this remains under heavy speculation, though Sam did theorize "he [Crowley] just sent his dog, told him to go fetch" in order to collect on the various deals he made. In the same episode, Dean also called the hound "Crowley's bitch" in the barn, commenting how "pets really do look like their owners" while wearing Hellhound Glasses to see the invisible hound in preparation for killing it to complete the first trial. Crowley also stated in 8.17 Goodbye Stranger that he has a bone to pick with Sam after killing his "poor dog", further implying the hellhound he killed was Growley as he went out of his way to make that clear to the younger Winchester, despite arriving for the angel tablet, realizing Castiel has been killing his demons, and searching for Meg after Castiel and the Winchesters helped her escape captivity.
- While there seems to be a height difference between 5.20 The Devil You Know and 8.14 Trial and Error, it could be stated that the hound was sitting upright beside Crowley as he patted his head before moving after the enemy hound on command, making him appear as though he were five feet tall. Not to mention, Growley didn't have to be right in Bobby's face for him to smell his breath. After making two unseen previous appearances, the only explanation could be that Growley only appears shorter when he crouches defensively and treads on the grounds as he's stalking his prey, as the overall sizes of hellhounds are normally on the larger end of the spectrum and they remain strong enough to overpower and kill humans without effort.
- In 10.01 Black, Crowley makes the name "Growley" become canon, as he muses to Sam about how he and the demonized Dean are having the time of their lives, calling the potential graphic novels that'll be written about them "The Misadventures of Growley and Squirrel" However, rather than using the name in conjunction with his personal hellhound, he uses it to emphasize how much of a dynamic duo they've become in Sam's absence.
