Arthur Ketch

You're a killer, Dean Winchester, and so am I. And if we go too long without something to track or trap or punch or gut, well, things get a bit ugly. Don't they? The Men of Letters keep me busy. They point me in a direction and bang. Off to the races. It's not a bad life. – Mr. Ketch, 12.14 The Raid

History

Mr. Arthur Ketch was one of the top agents of the British Men of Letters. As a part of the organization, Ketch undertook wet work for the London Chapterhouse and is an expert in weapons, both traditional and magical. He is described by Lady Antonia Bevell, with whom he had a relationship, as a psychopath. He kills monsters and humans alike without compunction.

He wears finely tailored suits, and had a distinctive cross tattoo on his hand, which was no longer present after his resurrection. He usually rides a Norton Commando Motorbike, but he is later seen driving a Continental Flying Spur which holds his weapons arsenal while in the United States.

He is killed by Mary Winchester, but is resurrected by a powerful charm sewn into his body which he received from Rowena when she was captured by the British Men of Letters a few years prior. Afterwards, he decides to become a mercenary hunter under the alias "Alexander," killing monsters all over the world for a fee provided by a certain sort of clientele. He is also staying incognito knowing that the British Men of Letters would execute him for desertion.

After falling into the service of Asmodeus, Ketch joined the hunt for the Nephilim Jack Kline and his father the archangel Lucifer. He subsequently became a reluctant ally of the Winchesters due to the greater threats from Asmodeus, Lucifer, and the Apocalypse World Michael. Displaying remorse for his past misdeeds, Ketch rescued Gabriel and joined a mission to Apocalypse World, helping Dean to rescue Charlie Bradbury and then remaining behind to help the human resistance in their fight against the angels. Following the return from Apocalypse World, Ketch remains an ally of the Winchesters, helping them in their fight against Michael by searching for the hyperbolic pulse generator.

Ketch later joined the fight against the Hell Ghosts, but was also hired by the demon Ardat to assassinate Belphegor. After Ketch failed to complete the job and refused to give up his friends for any price, he was murdered by Ardat.

Episodes

12.01 Keep Calm and Carry On

As Lady Antonia Bevell tells Sam about how the British Men of Letters deal with monsters in the UK, we see Mr. Ketch being brought a recently captured vampire for disposal. As the vampire is laid out and restrained on a table, Mr. Ketch calmly walks to the table and decapitates the vampire. Later when Lady Bevell and Ms. Watt have hit a brick wall with torturing Sam, Ms. Watt suggests they bring Mr. Ketch. However, Lady Bevell is vehemently against bringing him in by stating that she doesn't want "that psychopath anywhere near [her]."

12.02 Mamma Mia

After Mick Davies collects Lady Bevell, the two argue about her failed mission. Lady Bevell feels that the Winchesters need to be eliminated. Davies assures her that if it comes down to it, he is prepared for that. He reveals he has sent for Mr. Ketch, who is shown packing cases with various weapons as he prepares to leave the UK.

12.03 The Foundry

While he is not seen, Mr. Ketch's British Norton Commando motorcycle is noticed and appreciated by Dean Winchester.

12.04 American Nightmare

"I cleaned up the Winchesters' mess. As suspected, they couldn't finish the job."

While tracking the Winchesters, Mr. Ketch stops to inspect the Impala while the Winchesters are talking with the Peterson family, before driving off on his motorcycle.

When Magda Peterson's bus to California makes a pit stop, Magda steps off to use the restroom and is followed in by Mr. Ketch, who attaches a silencer to his pistol. When he enters the restroom, Magda notices the gun in his hand, but before she can scream or do anything, she is shot dead. As Mr. Ketch is leaving the rest area, he receives a phone call from the London Chapterhouse and reports that he "cleaned the Winchesters' mess" and that "as suspected, they couldn't finish the job."

12.08 LOTUS

"U.S. government plates. Elite dogcatcher level. Someone special wants you. Whose hydrant have you lads been tinkling on?"

Mr. Arthur Ketch introduces himself.

After Sam, Dean, and Castiel are stopped and held at gun point by the Secret Service. Mr. Ketch drives up to the scene in his car. Casually exiting his car with a grenade launcher, he fires it at the Secret Service's SUV, blowing it up and knocking the agents unconscious. He tells Castiel to wipe their memories as he kicks Rick Sanchez, knocking him unconscious. He asks the Winchesters who is after them, noting the government plates on the cars. When Dean demands to know who the hell he is, Mr. Ketch introduces himself as "Arthur Ketch, British Men of Letters."

That night, Mr. Ketch explains that his job is to "strongly encourage" the Winchesters' cooperation with the British Men of Letters. He was sent by Mick Davies after Sam called him and hung up, leading Davies to believe that the Winchesters were in trouble. When the boys are leery after dealing with Lady Bevell, Mr. Ketch has Castiel confirm that he's not lying. He shows them his arsenal of weapons, including a Hyperbolic Pulse Generator, a device capable of exorcising a demon from its vessel. Recognizing its potential, Sam asks if it will work on an angel. Intrigued, Mr. Ketch asks what they have gotten themselves into, only to be told by Dean that if the British Men of Letters want to be trusted, they need to trust the Winchesters with the pulse generator, which Mr. Ketch freely gives up.

12.09 First Blood

"Site 94? It’s a government facility, off books. Shadow ops. One of those places that officially doesn’t exist."

Needing help tracking Sam and Dean down, Castiel has Mary take them to meet with Mr. Ketch and Mick Davies, who gladly offer up their services. After Sam and Dean are reunited with Mary and Castiel, they are surprised to learn of Mr. Ketch and Mick's aid in their escape. When Sam mentions that they left survivors, Mr. Ketch is baffled and finds it very unprofessional. While Dean and Sam defend their actions, Mick and Ketch share a nod and depart.

The next morning Mr. Ketch makes his way to Site 94, where he proceeds to kill everyone involved in Sam and Dean's incarceration, ensuring that there is no longer any government threat.

12.12 Stuck in the Middle (With You)

"Oh, yes. I know all about the Colt."

Ketch sits in a diner, mixing sugar in his tea, asking to be told a story. Mary Winchester proceeds to recount her encounter with the Prince of Hell, Ramiel. Mr. Ketch claims ignorance, telling Mary that when the British Men of Letters sent Mary on the mission, they didn't know what Ramiel was, just that he had what they wanted. Mr. Ketch attempts to apologize, but gets chewed out by Mary who promises to burn the British Men of Letters down if anything like that happens again. Apologizing once more, Mr. Ketch asks to see the item Mary procured. Mary pulls out the cloth-wrapped item and sets it on the table in front of Ketch who unwraps it, revealing the Colt. He tells Mary that he knows all about it.

12.13 Family Feud

"You're different when you talk to them. Softer. Weaker. Not an insult, just an observation. But when you hunt, Mary... you're one of the best I've ever seen. Now you might play at being the good mummy, but when you're in the thick of it, nothing but a blade in your hand and blood in the air, that's the real you, the best you."

Mary and Mr. Ketch are hunting together. As Mr. Ketch drops Mary off at her motel he asks her about getting a drink, but she declines. Mr. Ketch then brings up Sam and Dean, and suggests Mary "disengage" from them for a bit. He says that working for the British Men of Letters is demanding work and must come first above everything else. He calls the Men of Letters his family. Mary refuses the notion, telling him nothing comes before her family. Ketch asks her if she really believes that, noting she is "softer, weaker" around them.

Dean and Ketch talk about the Men of Letters over scotch.

12.14 The Raid

"And whilst I understand that you're not feeling... warmly disposed to me, I wonder, what's your disposition to this incredibly rare, unspeakably expensive bottle of barrel-proof Scotch?"

Ketch turns up at the Bunker with a bottle of expensive scotch, which convinces Dean to let him in. Ketch persuades Dean to join him on a vampire hunt, but when they arrive at the nest it is deserted except for one vampire. She tells him the others have gone to "hunt the hunters." Dean and Ketch head to the British Men of Letters base, although by the time they get there the fight is over -- Sam and Mary saved the day.

12.17 The British Invasion

"Well, that was unexpected. But invigorating. I must say, when I first met you I didn't see this coming. My thought at the time was, 'I'll end up shooting this one.' Life is full of surprises."

After a hunt, Mary and Ketch have drinks and sex. Mary makes a point of telling Ketch that the encounter didn't mean anything, as it seems to have had some emotional impact on him. He makes the point that she seems to be separating herself from her family and concentrating on hunting, but she denies this, and thinks she can have both.

At the British Men of Letters base, Dr. Hess arrives to shut down the U.S. operation. Mick Davies refuses her orders and while he argues with her, Ketch executes him with a bullet to the back of the head. She later tells Ketch that the hunters in America will have to be exterminated, including Sam and Dean.

12.18 The Memory Remains

"It's clear. Onward. Now remember your orders. By the time we leave, Dr. Hess wants to know everything about our 'friends' the Winchesters -- their allies, their habits. How does Sam get his hair so shiny? How many ratty flannels does Dean own? So work quick, work quiet, and leave no trace. Oh, and apparently, Mick let Sam and Dean get their hands on the bloody Colt. Find it, huh?"

After receiving Sam's email, Ketch announces to his men it's time to go. Ketch again receives another of Sam's texts as he and his men break into the Bunker. Once they they enter, Ketch orders his men to learn everything they can about the Winchesters, as well as locating the Colt. As the team is photographing everything, they plant listening devices in various locations. Ketch searches Dean's room himself, finding interest in an old photograph of Dean with Mary. As Ketch and his team finish their inventory of the Bunker, Ketch asks if they have located the Colt, but his man tells him the Winchesters must have it. Before leaving, Ketch plants a bug under the war room map table.

When Sam and Dean return to the Bunker after their case, Sam places a call to Mick, only to find Ketch answering. Ketch tells them that Mick has gone back to London and that he will be their liaison henceforth and ends the call. After they hang up, Sam and Dean complain about Ketch, saying that he creeps them out, while Ketch listens to them on the surveillance monitor and stares at the picture of Mary and Dean that he stole from Dean’s room.

12.20 Twigs & Twine & Tasha Banes

"I've been cleaning up after them for months. I took care of those federal agents they stupidly allowed to live. I killed a psychic girl who they thought was... human. Honestly, they're damn sloppy."

A shapeshifter in Mary's form is passed out, strapped to a chair in the British Men of Letter's facility. Ketch throws a bucket of water on her as a cell phone goes off, prompting Ketch to turn to the real Mary and tell her to ignore it as Ketch continues torturing it for information. Ketch starts pushing silver screws into the shifter, which screams. Mary tells Ketch it won't talk; Ketch replies that he is just giving the murdering shifter what it deserves. As the shifter mocks Ketch, Ketch punches it suddenly, causing the shifter immediately takes Ketch's form. Exiting the interrogation room, Mary questions Ketch about his tactics. Ketch brushes her off, telling her the British Men of Letters don't need a conscience.

Ketch and Mary come to blows.

While listening to Dean's voice mail, she overhears Ketch speaking on the phone about a package in the armory. As Mary's phone vibrates, Ketch is alerted to Mary's presence, who enters the office asking to use Mick's computer to check her email, which Ketch gladly allows.

Finding Mary has seen the BMOL room tracking American hunters, Ketch confronts her and when she questions him about Mick's body in the armory, Ketch seems unconcerned and tells her he was killed in a werewolf mishap. Mary, not believing Ketch, attempts to leave, but he grabs a hold of her and pushes her back. When she asks if Ketch killed Mick, he admits to it, telling her Mick was weak. Mary punches him in the face. Ketch turns and grabs her and throws her into the wall, where she falls to the floor. He stops and unbuttons his blazer. He slowly advances on Mary. He grabs her and lifts her off the floor and slams her into the wall again, holding her by her neck. Mary breaks free and pull his arm back behind him, injuring it, and punches him in the face again, causing Ketch to fall to the floor. Mary tries again to leave, but Ketch grabs her leg as she walks by, tripping her and throwing her across the table and onto the floor. Mary slowly gets up off the floor from behind the table. Ketch moves closer to her as he talks. He tells her that American hunters are done, but he can protect her, if she plays nice. Mary just stares at him and head-butts Ketch in the face. He punches her again, with his injured arm, sending him reeling back in pain for a moment. Ketch looks up and laughs weakly as he sees Mary pull brass knuckles from her coat pocket, telling her the Enochian brass knuckles won't do much, since he is not an angel. Mary kicks him in the groin, dropping him to his knees before Mary punches him with the brass knuckles. Mary again walks around him on the floor and opens the door to leave, but Ketch comes to and shoots her in the back with a taser, knocking her out.

Mary comes to restrained in a chair, with Ketch standing in front of her, smugly telling her he gave her a chance. As Mary's phone buzzes, Ketch walks over and declines the call, just as Lady Antonia Bevell enters the room.

Ketch and Mary make their escape from the Bunker.

12.21 There's Something About Mary

"I'm not sure what you're expecting. That I'll intervene? We made it clear to each other, we don't have a relationship."

Eileen Leahy runs for her life from a hellhound. Despite her attempts to defend herself she is quickly mauled and killed. The hellhound only stops after Ketch blows a dog whistle, calling it off of Eileen before congratulating it and giving it a treat in the form of human flesh.

At the British Men of Letters facility, Ketch watches on monitors as Mary is dragged back to her room after a session with Lady Bevell. As Lady Bevell debriefs with Dr. Hess, Ketch mocks her and the two snipe at each other. Dr. Hess tells Ketch that Lady Bevell may be reporting to him soon, but Ketch tells her he is not an administrator. Hess tells him that he'll do fine, revealing to his surprise that she knows Ketch and Mary were in a sexual relationship.

Ketch asks the hellhound to sit for Lady Bevell, and feeds it some more human meat. Ketch and Lady Bevell talk about who will be taking over Mick's post when Ketch is called away to see Mary. In Mary's room, Ketch asks what she wants from him; he says he will not interfere, because as she stated, they have no relationship. As Mary pleads to Ketch to help her, she is able to get Ketch's gun and attempt to commit suicide, but is stopped by Ketch before she can. She begs Ketch to kill her, only prompting a response that it will be over for her soon.

After Sam and Dean capture Lady Bevell and bring her back to the Bunker, they are surprised to find Ketch and some BMOL guards waiting for them. As Lady Bevell starts to disarm Sam, he grabs her arm and begins shooting with deadly accuracy. Dean pulls his gun and also begins shooting. Sam backs away using Lady Bevell as a shield. Mr. Ketch points one of his cronies in another direction to move behind the brothers. Dean motions Sam to get behind Mr. Ketch, while he kills the member of the BMOL who tried to circle around to get behind him. Dean is able to slide up behind Mr. Ketch and grab his gun and hold him at gun point. As Mary enters, she tells Dean to let Ketch go, firing a warning shot at him. Freed from Dean, Ketch tells Sam, Dean, and Lady Bevell that the Bunker will now be their tomb, as they will be sealed inside to suffocate.

Driving back to the British Men of Letters facility, Ketch assures Mary that things will get easier, that soon it will be easier for her to kill the people she doesn't remember loving. He also asks how she feels, and Mary responds, "fine."

12.22 Who We Are

"Mary... I... I knew you were a killer... You both are..."

At the British Men of Letters facility, Ketch has a briefing with Dr. Hess and the rest of her agents. She gives them commands to kill a few more hunters, including Garth and Claire, as well as eliminating any and all witnesses to their operations. He later pulls Paige to the side and has her track down Mary's location, telling her to keep it between themselves.

Ketch kneels in defeat.

Tracking Mary to the Men of Letters Bunker, he kills Lady Bevell by slicing her throat before pulling Dean out of his and Mary's sub-conscious. Dean’s head snaps back at the electrodes being pulled off his head, and looks up to see Ketch facing him. Dean lunges towards Ketch and they begin to fight. Ketch throws Dean against a bookcase and Dean slides across the floor. Dean gets up and Ketch kicks him in the back of his knee. As Dean threatens to kill Ketch, he tells him he would like to see him try. Ketch begins mocking Dean, telling him Mary never spoke about him while hunting. He grabs Dean by the collar and punches him in the face. Ketch picks up the bloodied Dean from the floor and punches him again. Dean growls and flips Ketch onto a table, breaking it. Ketch attacks Dean with a table leg. He gets in a few blows and then pushes Dean up against the wall, the table leg pushing across his chest and neck. After several seconds, Dean headbutts Ketch, grabbing the table leg from Ketch and hitting him three times. Ketch remains with his back to Dean, trying to recover.

While Dean tells Ketch he was stupid for leaving them to die in the Bunker, Ketch turns towards Dean, pointing a gun at him and saying he is a lot of things, but not stupid. Ketch raises the gun towards Dean's head when there is a gunshot. Ketch cries out in pain, lowers the gun and grabs his shoulder. As Dean looks past him, Ketch turns and sees Mary standing there, gun pointed at him. Shocked that Mary has shot him and was released from her mental prison, Ketch drops his gun and falls to his knees. Dean limps past, kicks the gun away and goes to stand next to Mary. Ketch gives his final words, telling Mary and Dean that he always knew they were killers, before accepting his fate. Mary shoots Ketch in the head, finally killing him. His body is later seen covered by a tarp while Dean and Mary are cleaning up and recovering from their wounds.

13.07 War of the Worlds

"I am separated from the British Men of Letters, lying low because they will kill me for desertion. I make a rather good living as a sort of soldier of fortune, deep underground, for a certain sort of clientele who appreciate my skill set. And I do use the name 'Alexander.'"

"Alexander Ketch" being interrogated by Sam and Dean.

When looking into the recent killing of a witch, Dean spots Ketch on security footage, and along with Sam they soon learn that he is searching for Rowena by capturing and torturing witches. One witch, Daniela, is able to immobilize him and escape before he could kill her and reaches out to Sam and Dean to help keep her safe. Sam and Dean decide to use her as bait. Later that night, Ketch throws a smoke bomb into the cabin, immobilizing Daniella, and uses an assault rifle to kill anyone else that may be in the cabin, but he is quickly apprehended by Dean, who shoots him with a tranquilizer dart.

Ketch is then taken to the Bunker where he is tortured for information, but he tries to convince them that he is actually Ketch's twin brother, Alexander, who supposedly fled Kendricks Academy before his initiation into the British Men of Letters and became a mercenary hunter working all over the world for a fee. Sam is able to confirm the existence of an Alexander Ketch by checking the hard drive he stole from the British Men of Letters base in Lansing, Michigan, checking academic records for both the Ketch brothers and following Alexander's paper trail. After seeing Ketch get shot in the head and his corpse dumped in a waste canal, Dean is suspicious of Ketch and refuses to believe that he is who he says he is. After a strange phone call from Castiel, they leave Ketch chained in the Bunker to search for Cas. Ketch, however, is able to pick the locks in his chains and proceeds to take some weapons and one of the motorcycles from the Bunker and track the Winchesters down with the GPS on their cell phones.

He arrives to see a quartet of demons attacking Sam and Dean; when Sam gets overpowered by one, Ketch is able to save Sam by killing the demon. With all the demons dead, Dean turns his gun on Ketch, telling him to drop the act, that his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the look in Ketch's eyes when he asked about Mary. Ketch drops the facade and explains that everything else that he told them was true. When questioned as to how he is still alive, Ketch explains that the British Men of Letters captured Rowena several years ago and he discovered that she implanted a special charm that can revive her if she is ever killed. In exchange for her release, Ketch made a deal with her to have the same charm implanted in his body. However, the charm has to be recharged after each use, hence his crusade for Rowena. He hints that Rowena is still alive before escaping with a broken shoulder.

Ketch is later seen at Needham Asylum meeting with Asmodeus, who hires him to search for Jack Kline.

13.13 Devil's Bargain

"I know you think I'm a monster... But even I must draw the line somewhere. And letting Lucifer free upon the Earth? Well, as it turns out, that's my line. Not to mention the whole Michael situation. I know you want to kill me. I know you can't forgive me. But if you think about it, I'm the lesser of well, at least three evils. All I ask is that you wait to murder me until after I prove useful."

Ketch meets with a returning Asmodeus at the Needham Asylum not long after Castiel and Lucifer have escaped confinement. When Ketch mentions that it was monumentally stupid for Asmodeus to try and keep Lucifer imprisoned, Asmodeus agrees and decides he wants Ketch to kill Lucifer. When Ketch is visibly taken aback at the thought of killing the Devil, Asmodeus assures him he should be able to kill Lucifer in his weakened state... probably.

Ketch's hunt for Lucifer brings him to Elgin Hall in Missouri, where he crosses paths with the Winchesters and Castiel, also on the hunt for Lucifer. He tells them he is going after Lucifer for the good of humanity; the Winchesters don't buy his reasoning and upon Ketch offering a team-up to go after Lucifer, his proposal is rejected by Castiel who renders him unconscious with a touch to the forehead. The Winchesters bundle his inert form into the trunk of the Impala to be taken back to the Bunker, where Dean proposes they interrogate him, kill him again, burn the body, and flush the ashes.

Ketch is able to free himself from the Impala's trunk, but rather than escape he grabs a demon bomb and uses it against Lucifer who is in the process of slowly killing the Winchesters and Castiel. Unfortunately, Lucifer teleports away with Sister Jo before it goes off. Ketch once again proposes that the four work together, and when Sam states his unease in trusting Ketch again, Ketch reveals that he is working for Asmodeus and, as proof of his sincerity, offers to pass off information to them. He tells a cynical Castiel and Dean that while they see him as a monster, he draws the line at Lucifer roaming the Earth, on top of the Michael situation. He simply asks they not murder him until after he proves useful.

Later, he meets with Asmodeus and explains the situation with Lucifer's restrengthened status and questions whether even he'll be able to kill him at full power. Asmodeus, in turn, reveals to Ketch that he recently went on an important errand concerning a weapon that was believed to have been lost forever and recently recovered in parts unknown. Asmodeus reveals the only known weapon capable of destroying an archangel: the archangel blade. Ketch is skeptical, as the weapon can only be used in the hands of an archangel to kill another, but Asmodeus takes him to the dungeon and introduces him to one of his prisoners - the presumably deceased archangel Gabriel.

13.17 The Thing

"But when he finds out that I stole his prized milk cow, well I imagine that he will hunt me to the ends of the earth. So... This is the only safe place I know."

After being called to Needham Asylum by Asmodeus but then forced to wait interminably for him, Ketch barges into the throne room and witnesses Asmodeus extracing grace from Gabriel, and telling Ketch to wait for him. When Ketch finally has a face to face with Asmodeus, the two clash, with Ketch telling Asmodeus he pays him to do what needs to be done, nothing more. Asmodeus, however, does not take kindly to Ketch's perceived disrespect, telling him he owns him, and beats him severely. Having been left to wallow in his injuries Ketch decides to escape; he releases Gabriel and takes him, along with the archangel blade and the archangel grace Asmodeus has harvested, to the Bunker, where he knows the Winchesters need archangel grace to open the portal. He offers the Winchesters all three in exchange for sanctuary from Asmodeus, which Dean agrees to over Sam's protests.

As Dean prepares to perform the spell to open a rift, Ketch gears up and offers to join him, saying that Asmodeus will scour the the earth for him and that the safest place for him would be on another Earth. Dean once again agrees, over Sam's protests, to Ketch's proposal. After opening the rift, Ketch and Dean cross over.

13.18 Bring 'em Back Alive

Ketch finds some angel-killing bullets.

Oh, I've had many failures... friends and colleagues who have died on my watch. Only difference is, I didn't... try to save them. 'Duty' and all that rubbish."

In Apocalypse World, Ketch offers to give Dean assistance, which Dean reluctantly accepts. They see some humans captured by angels, one of whom is the local version of Charlie Bradbury. Dean is intent on rescuing her; he tells Ketch this is because she knows where Mary and Jack are. When Dean is attacked and shot with a poison-coated bullet, Ketch helps heal him with a herb-based antidote after recognizing that the British Men of Letters used bullets coated with a similar poison to disable monsters. Dean reveals that he wants to rescue Charlie because on their world she was part of his family, and he and Sam couldn't save her from being killed. Ketch reveals he has also lost people on his watch, but that he never tried to save them because he always put his duty to the Men of Letters first. He hopes that helping to save the world from Michael would allow him to be redeemed for some of his past actions.

They manage to save Charlie, and they return to the portal. Ketch decides to stay behind with Charlie to gather intel, hopefully help save Mary and Jack, and prepare for the upcoming battle against Michael.

13.22 Exodus

"You actually saving me? It's about bloody time."

After news of an angel kill squad reaches the camp, Ketch tags along with Charlie to rescue the humans about to be executed. The two intercept the angels leading a human to his death, but when Charlie removes the hood on the prisoner to tell him he is saved, the prisoner pulls an angel blade and captures Charlie at blade point, forcing Ketch to drop his weapon as well.

Ketch and Charlie are then taken to an old Gas-N-Sip where Charlie sits, restrained and beat up, while Ketch is being brutally tortured by an angel. When Ketch proves resistant, meeting the angel's torture with mockery, the angel reveals he has made a call to a specialist in extracting information. Upon his arrival, Castiel tells Charlie she has a strong will, but like everyone it will be broken too, and all her information will flow from her mind to his. As he places his hands on her head and begins to extract information, Ketch watches helplessly with tears in his eyes. The power soon cuts out. Realizing they are under attack, Castiel flees as Jack and the Winchesters mount a rescue. As Castiel confronts and kills his evil counterpart, Sam, Dean, and Mary burst in and Dean kills the angel that has been torturing Ketch before freeing him, leading Ketch to comment on the irony of Dean saving his life for once.

Ketch and Charlie return to Bobby's camp, where their injuries are treated. During the escape from Apocalypse World, Ketch leads the way as the first one through the rift to show the refugees how it's done. Arriving on the other side, Ketch is surprised, intrigued, and somewhat disgruntled to see Rowena there. Later, he is one of many enjoying a glass of liquor as the refugees celebrate their escape.

13.23 Let the Good Times Roll

While on a walk with Mary, Bobby reveals that Ketch is "out doing Ketch things," presumably meaning he is back to mercenary work.

14.01 Stranger in a Strange Land

While discussing the situation with Dean possessed by Michael, Mary reminds Sam that Ketch is following up on a lead in London. Sam later speaks with Ketch on the phone. Afterwards he tells Castiel that Ketch is searching for the Newton-Dee Hyperbolic Pulse Generator, reminding Castiel that it was the device that ejected Lucifer from the President which they hope can similarly eject Michael from Dean. However, Ketch's search was unsuccessful.

14.07 Unhuman Nature

When Sam calls Ketch to help find a way to save Jack, Ketch tells them about Sergei, a nomadic shaman that the British Men of Letters often consult with when they need to "solve the unsolvable." Ketch facilitates a meeting between Sergei and Castiel. Although Sergei has never met Ketch in person, he calls their reputations "mutually stellar." Sergei provides a spell that can save Jack and a vial of Gabriel's archangel grace, but Jack's condition worsens as a result. Sergei later reveals that it was an untested experiment and therefore Ketch's efforts were fruitless.

14.09 The Spear

"Look, I improvised. It's not as if I have access to the top-shelf clandestine courier networks I did during my British Men of Letters days. And really, so, whose fault is that, hmm?"

Ketch calls in to the Bunker by video and the Winchesters walk in on Jack listening to him explain how he infiltrated a compound. They cut his story short, telling Ketch to get on with it, and he reveals he was able to locate the Hyperbolic Pulse Generator in the possession of a Hungarian rare weapons collector named Arpad Valko. After stealing the egg, he was met by a group of mercenaries in Budapest, which forced him to "drop" the egg. He attempts to reassure the worried Winchesters that he mailed it through Certified Priority Express and it should arrive the day after tomorrow, which does not ease the Winchesters. He reminds the brothers he no longer has access to top-shelf clandestine courier networks and did his best to improvise. Upon learning that they needed the egg "now" to deal with Michael, Ketch apologizes before signing off.

15.02 Raising Hell

"Oh, admit it. You've killed me once. You've been itching to do it again."

As Francis Tumblety tries to force Sam and Dean into removing the warding by having townspeople possessed and killed, Ketch appears with a weapon that fires iron flakes, forcing the Hell ghosts to be ejected from their bodies and Tumblety to flee.

At the high school, Ketch informs the Winchesters he was in the area and answered their call for help. Seeing Rowena, he apologizes to her for their last meeting in which the British Men of Letters had her tortured. Rowena assures him she hasn't forgotten how he helped her escape. When Belphegor arrives in the room, Sam and Dean reveal to Ketch that Jack is dead and was killed by God. Belphegor introduces himself to a surprised Ketch, who tells Sam and Dean he was hired by a demon named Ardat to assassinate Belphegor, whom she claimed was a monstrous threat to humanity.

Later that night, Ketch and Dean go on patrol and are alerted that two hunters have failed to check in. Arriving at meat-packing plant, the two are attacked by an ax-wielding ghost, which is forced to abandon the two by a shadowy figure, which reveals itself to be Kevin Tran.

Back at the school, Ketch and Rowena begin flirting as she creates the soul catcher. Ketch offers to aid her alchemy with science; after splitting a wire and using the electricity to cause a shock in Rowena's mixture of ingredients, he tells her she can now skip two steps. As their flirtation becomes more intense, they are interrupted by a phone call from Dean, telling Rowena to hurry things up.

With the soul catcher finished, Rowena goes to meet with everyone, but is confronted by Tumblety. Ketch soon appears and shoots the spirit with rock salt, allowing Rowena to make her escape, before Tumblety re-materializes and strikes Ketch in the back of the head with a rock.

Ketch lies dead in his hospital room.

At the barrier, Rowena begins using the soul catcher to absorb the Hell ghosts. In the midst of this, Ketch knocks her down and takes the soul catcher for himself, revealing that he has been possessed by Francis Tumblety. After threatening to use the soul catcher to destroy the barrier, Dean shoots Ketch with iron rounds, forcing Tumblety out of Ketch's body, and allowing the ghost to be absorbed into the soul catcher.

As Castiel is unable to heal Ketch's bullet wounds, he is carted off on an ambulance after Sam and Dean give their regards.

15.03 The Rupture

"Not at any price."

Ketch wakes up in the hospital and is determined to return to Harlan to help his friends. However, Ardat, enraged at Ketch's failure to kill Belphegor, kills Ketch's nurse and overpowers him when Ketch tries to attack the demon with an angel blade. Ardat recognizes that Ketch is protecting his friends, the Winchesters, and won't give them up for any price. Rather than try further to make him talk, Ardat brutally rips out his still-beating heart and shows it to Ketch before crushing it, killing him. Ardat then uses Ketch's cell phone to text Dean and trick him into revealing what the Winchesters are up to. Belphegor is later able to kill Ardat, avenging Ketch's death.

After the Hell ghosts are sealed away again, Dean reveals to Sam that the other hunters found Ketch's body and that it was bad. Dean tells Sam that Ketch was most likely killed by a demon and the Winchesters are left to mourn his loss and the loss of Rowena. Even though they realize that Ketch was killed by a demon, they don't know that the demon was Ardat.

Trivia

• There was an executioner in the 1680s named Jack Ketch, appointed by King Charles II, who was renowned for botching his kills.
• Mr. Ketch sported a Celtic cross tattoo on his right hand throughout Season 12. Upon his return in Season 13, the tattoo is gone. It is not clear if Ketch had the tattoo removed intentionally or if his hand was fully healed as a by-product of the resurrection spell though Dean at least suspected he had it removed as part of his guise as "Alexander Ketch."
• According to Ketch in 13.17 The Thing, he has fought in multiple unspecified war zones. When Sam calls Apocalypse World a war zone, Ketch's response is to state that it "won't be my first. Shan't be my last."

See also

• Ketch's Car
• Ketch's Motorcycle
• Ketch's Weapons Arsenal

External links

• Interview with David Haydn-Jones by Inquisitr