Ben Braeden

Name	Benjamin Isaac Braeden
Actor	Nicholas Elia
Dates	May 1999 (born)
Location	Battle Creek, Michigan
Occupation
Episode(s)	3.02 The Kids Are Alright 5.22 Swan Song (seen in the distance) 6.01 Exile on Main St. 6.02 Two and a Half Men 6.03 The Third Man (on phone) 6.05 Live Free or Twihard 6.14 Mannequin 3: The Reckoning 6.21 Let It Bleed 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much‎

You say family's so important, but what do you call people who care for you? Who love you even when you're a dick? You know you're walking out on your family, right? – Ben Braeden, 6.14 Mannequin 3: The Reckoning

History

Ben Braeden is the son of Lisa Braeden, a woman Dean once spent a weekend with in August 1998. Lisa and Ben live in Cicero, Indiana. Though Dean suspects he is Ben's biological father, Lisa says that Ben's father is a man she met in a biker bar - "I had a type - leather jacket, couple of scars, no mailing address." She could also quite possibly be lying to dissuade Dean's attention from the boy, and discourage any fatherly attention or advice Dean might attempt to provide to him. Dean meets Ben at Ben's eighth birthday party in 3.02 The Kids Are Alright, so he probably turned ten soon after Dean showed up in 5.22 Swan Song and turned eleven sometime around 6.02 Two and a Half Men.

Episodes

Ben and Dean at his eighth birthday party.

3.02 The Kids Are Alright

When Dean drops in to see Lisa while investigating a case, it is Ben's eighth birthday party. Dean meets Ben and is struck by his familiar rock-music loving, girl ogling ways, but Lisa assures Dean that he is not Ben's father. Later Dean helps Ben out in an encounter with some bullies. Although his advice, to "kick the kid in the nuts," doesn't get Lisa's approval, Ben hugs Dean in thanks. Later Ben is one of the children taken by a mother changeling, and one of her offspring imitates Ben and starts feeding on Lisa. Dean and Sam rescue all the children and kill the head changeling, destroying the imitation Ben. Dean is impressed by Ben's cool headed behavior during the rescue, having put Ben in charge of helping the other children out a window.

3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me

While in Dean's subconscious, Sam and Dean see a vision of Lisa, who invites Dean to join her in an idyllic picnic scene - "Come on. We only have an hour before we have to pick Ben up from baseball."

5.17 99 Problems

When Dean is preparing to comply with the angels' demands that he become Michael's vessel in order to end the Apocalypse, he visits Lisa, who has moved to a new home.

Dean: I have no illusions. I know the life that I live. I know how it's going to end for me. Whatever. I’m okay with that. But I wanted you to know, that when I do picture myself happy, it’s with you. And the kid.

Lisa mentions that Ben is at baseball.

5.22 Swan Song

Dean returns to Lisa after the showdown at Stull Cemetery, and we see Ben at the dinner table with Dean and Lisa.

6.01 Exile on Main St.

Dean has been living with Lisa and Ben for about a year when a djinn attacks. Dean is surprised Lisa took him in after the events in Stull Cemetery, when he was grief stricken, drinking too much, and spending months trying to work out how to save Sam. Dean takes Lisa and Ben to Bobby's for safety, and is regretful that he came into their lives, but Lisa tells him he's been a great parent to Ben, and that it's been the best year of her life.

6.02 Two and a Half Men

After the attack by the djinn, Dean has insisted he, Lisa, and Ben move again. Dean is hypervigilant to danger and doesn't want Ben or Lisa to leave the house; he keeps making excuses to keep Ben from riding his bike around the new neighborhood. Dean is nervous that Lisa and Ben's lives will be the same as his was while he was being raised by John. When Ben takes a shotgun out of the trunk of the Impala, Dean yells at him for wanting to learn how to shoot a gun.

Ben: But I don't get it. You had your own rifle when you were my age.

Dean: Ben, mark my words. You will never, ever shoot a gun, ever.
Ben: I know what's going on. You think something might be coming for us.
Dean: There's nothing coming for us.
Ben: I could do what you do. You could teach me how to shoot-

Dean: Shut up about the freaking gun, okay!

When Sam asks for his help on a case, Dean is conflicted about leaving, but Lisa shows him she can handle a gun, and he leaves. When he returns, Ben is out riding his bike alone after dark, and Dean is worried, but does not admit it. Lisa asks him about what he wants - she recognizes how much hunting is a part of him. Dean is torn: he wants to stay with Lisa and Ben, but is worried he is starting to behave like his father, and he also wants to be hunting. Lisa says it doesn't have to be either one thing or the other and suggests that he start hunting again, and return to them when he can.

6.03 The Third Man

When Dean arrives in Pennsylvania to meet Sam, he is on the phone with Ben.

Dean: Ben, I know you're lying... Because I lie professionally, that's how. Now tell your mom that you broke the damn thing and take it like a man. Okay? Okay.

Ben's Halloween mask is in the trunk of the Impala. He went as a wendigo.

6.05 Live Free or Twihard

Shortly after Dean is turned into a vampire, he goes to his house to see Lisa. She wakes up to see him standing over their bed. He thanks her and Ben for everything, and his behavior worries Lisa, who tries to get him to explain what's going on. He pushes her against the wall and is overwhelmed by the sound of her heartbeat. He turns and tries to leave when his fangs extend, but Ben comes out of his room and, although Dean warns him away, he advances. Dean pushes him against the wall of the hallway and shouts at him before leaving. Lisa pulls Ben to her in fear as Dean leaves. After Dean is cured of vampirism, he tries to call Lisa and explain what happened, but she doesn't answer.

6.11 Appointment in Samarra

As Dean prepares to purposefully die and then have himself revived in order to contact Death, Dean hands a letter to the nurse, with instructions to mail it if he should die. The letter is addressed to "Benjamin Braeden, 213 Weinbach Ave, Battlecreek, MI 49014." For more information on where Ben and Lisa have lived see the entry on Lisa.

6.14 Mannequin 3: The Reckoning

Dean gets a couple of calls from Lisa's cell, but he refuses to answer them until Sam urges him to deal with it. Ben tells Dean that Lisa is locked in her room, depressed, and Dean needs to come at once. Again, on Sam's urging, Dean goes. When he arrives, Lisa is dressed for a date; Ben set them up because he wanted to derail Lisa's third date with a doctor named Matt. After a conversation with Lisa, where nothing is really resolved, Dean goes to speak to Ben who is in his room playing Plants vs. Zombies. Dean explains to Ben that he fears that if he stayed around, Ben would end up like him. Ben is still upset and accuses Dean of abandoning his family. Dean leaves, remembering the times he's had with Lisa and Ben as he heads back to Sam.

6.21 Let It Bleed

Ben is in his room listening to music and reading while Lisa is downstairs with Matt. Two demons break into the house, killing Matt and grabbing Lisa. Ben quickly calls Dean, who tells him to jump out of his window to escape. Ben is too late and the demons burst through his door. Dean calls Ben's name but there isn't an answer. Instead, Crowley picks up the phone. He tells Dean that he's keeping Lisa and Ben until he's certain Sam and Dean have backed off, which would give him the opportunity to find a way to open a door to Purgatory. Crowley hangs up and Dean and Sam decide to try find Lisa and Ben.

Ben helps Dean fight off demons.

Knowing that Castiel is working with Crowley, they assume he's aware of Lisa and Ben's kidnapping and summon Balthazar for help. He eventually leads them to the building in which Lisa and Ben are being held. Meanwhile, Castiel confronts Crowley, revealing that he was unaware of Lisa and Ben's abduction. He tells Crowley not to harm them.

When they enter the building Balthazar directed them to, Sam is knocked unconscious by demons and Dean finds Lisa and Ben tied to a post. He cuts them free with Ruby's knife, but Lisa grabs it from him and holds the knife to Ben's throat - she's possessed by a demon. Dean throws holy water on her. As he's exorcising the demon, she stabs herself in the stomach. Ben freezes and Dean slaps him, helping Ben pull himself together. Dean carries Lisa as they make their way out the building while Ben, armed with a shotgun, follows, shooting a demon before it can get too close. They hear Sam and after freeing him, he hot-wires a car so that they can rush Lisa to the hospital.

In the hospital, Lisa is unconscious and Dean and Ben sit next to her bed. When Dean tries to apologize for what happened, Ben leaves. Castiel appears and, without being asked, heals Lisa. Dean asks Castiel for a favor - to wipe Lisa and Ben's memories. Ben greets Lisa as she wakes up, telling her she's in the hospital because they were in a car crash. Dean walks in and neither of them recognize him. He tells them he's the guy who hit them and apologizes, saying he's glad their lives can get back to normal now. Lisa says that she and Ben are okay, and that's what's important. Dean tells Ben to take care of his mom and then leaves.

Sam doesn't approve of Dean having Lisa and Ben's memories wiped, but Dean tells Sam to never mention them to him again.

Trivia

• In a 2008 interview, Eric Kripke revealed that Dean is not the father of Ben.

Ben in Fandom

• @BraedenBen - Twitter Role Play, Canon, Gen
• @BadCompanyKid - Ben Braeden roleplay account on Twitter