Devil's trap (symbol)

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Sam: And these, uh, these protective circles. They really work?
Bobby: Hell, yeah. You get a demon in - they’re trapped. Powerless. It’s like a Satanic roach motel.

Sam and Bobby, 1.22 Devil's Trap

Origin

The devil’s trap is a mystical symbol used to immobilize and control demons. It is similar to a circle of salt but more powerful and persistent as it is usually etched or painted in place, and can't simply be brushed or blown away. If a demon walks inside the outer circle of a devil's trap, it cannot physically leave it, and is trapped. Devil's traps also inhibit the use of some demonic powers. Devil's traps have been used not only to detain a demon, but are also drawn at entrances as a deterrent to prevent access to a building, room, or container. The devil’s traps seen in Supernatural all originate from The Lesser Key of Solomon, which is a grimoire, or magical text, written in the 17th century. It contains rituals and spells for invoking and controlling both demons and angels.

There are two major variations of devil's traps in Supernatural:

1. The Heptagram

An example of the Heptagram devil's trap can be seen painted on the ceiling at Bobby's house. It is composed of two pentacles from the Lesser Key of Solomon that form a heptagram.

The Grand Pentacle: "It serves to convene all spirits; when shown to them they will bow and obey you."
The Fifth Pentacle of Mars: "It is terrible unto the demons, and at its sight and aspect they will obey thee, for they cannot resist its presence."

2. The Pentagram The pentagram devil's trap is the one most commonly seen, and is a simplification of the Grand Pentacle.

Drawn from several shots and scenes.


Abilities & Limitations

While demons can enter a devil's trap without being aware of its presence, they cannot exit it as long as the trap remains intact. There appears to be no specific medium required for the trap to work; characters have drawn traps in ink, blood, ash, or carved them into stone, expressing no preference for one over the other and simply using what works in their current circumstances. Traps can be drawn on the ground below the demon or the ceiling above it, but traps on small objects must be in direct contact with the demon to be effective, such as the demon having to sit on a chair with a devil's trap on it to be confined, or a bullet with a devil's trap on it only effective when the demon has actually been shot. Traps can remain intact if an object has fallen over the lines drawn on the ground, or if something is concealing the trap from view, such as a carpet, but they cease to be effective if the trap's lines are broken; methods for doing this vary between scoffing the paint and ash that created the trap to driving a knife into the trap. One demon was able to use a spell to break the trap from within at one point by causing the ground to shake and crack through the trap, but the ability to do this appears to be rare.

However, it would appear that the trap must be drawn in a visible medium for it to be effective, as Crowley was only aware of a devil's trap Bobby had created in ultraviolet ink when Bobby turned on the appropriate lights.

Devil's traps appear to affect most demons. One kept Azazel, a Prince of Hell away from the Devil's Gate, though Devil's Trap Bullets failed to harm Ramiel. However, he made a point of avoiding an actual devil's trap as did Lilith. Cain, despite his immense power, was able to be contained within a trap, but stated that it wouldn't hold him for long. Additionally, unlike other demons, a devil's trap didn't render Cain completely powerless, though it did effectively bind most of his powers.

A demon is contained within the trap unless its broken or they are exorcised no matter what form they are in. Abraxas, while in his demon smoke form, hit a barrier when he tried to leave a devil's trap after being released from an Enochian Puzzle Box within it.

Episodes

1.22 Devil's Trap

Before meeting up with Bobby, Sam and Dean are initially unaware of the devil's trap concept. Sam reads up about it while looking through the Key of Solomon. They tested one of these protective circles during their encounter with Meg at Bobby's house. While she is trapped, they interrogate her and later exorcise her. Sam later draws a version of the symbol on the trunk of the Impala to protect the Colt from demons.

Sam studies the devil's trap in Bobby's copy of the Key of Solomon.
At Bobby's house, Meg is trapped under the devil's trap.
Sam draws a devil's trap on the trunk of the Impala.


2.08 Crossroad Blues

Dean paints a devil's trap under the Impala in order to trap a crossroads demon. When that fails, he lures her under a water tower where he has painted another devil's trap. He nearly exorcises her there, but she makes a deal: her freedom in exchange for Evan Hudson being left alone. After the deal is made and a brief hesitation, Dean breaks the trap and sets her free.

The devil's trap under the water tower which traps the crossroads demon.


2.14 Born Under a Bad Sign

When Sam is possessed by the same demon who possessed Meg Masters, he is trapped by Bobby under the same symbol that trapped her. However, the demon casts a spell and breaks the symbol after a failed exorcism attempt.

Possessed Sam under the devil's trap.


2.22 All Hell Breaks Loose: Part Two

Samuel Colt built a huge devil's trap 100 miles across in southern Wyoming. There is a church at each point and the sides of the pentacle are made of iron railroad lines. At the center, in an old cowboy cemetery, is a Devil's Gate. The massive devil's trap is broken when the Devil's Gate is opened by Jake Talley.

The giant devil's trap
The gate to Hell is locked with a devil's trap opened by the Colt.


Season 3 Title Card

In the opening credits in season three, an image of the devil's trap can be seen.

Season three's opening titles.


3.01 The Magnificent Seven

Dean traps Walter Rosen, who is possessed by Envy, in the trunk of Bobby's car. Like the Impala, this car has a devil's trap drawn on the underside of the trunk hatch.

In Isaac and Tamara's house, they trap Envy under a trap before exorcising him and Bobby later traps Sloth under one and exorcises him, and Sam tries to trap Pride who sees the trap and breaks it.

Devil's trap in the trunk of Bobby's car.
Bobby traps Sloth under a devil's trap.


3.03 Bad Day at Black Rock

There is a devil's trap drawn inside the entrance to John's secret lock-up.

Devil's trap on floor of John's lock-up.


3.04 Sin City

Dean draws a devil's trap under a rug in Casey's basement in order to trap her. She is released from it when Father Gil uses his demonic power to break it. Later, when Sam kills them both with the Colt, their bodies end up lying in the trap.

Casey and Father Gil lie dead on the devil's trap after Sam shoots them with the Colt.


3.12 Jus in Bello

While creating a demon-proof perimeter inside the police station, Sam and Dean spray paint devil's traps under the windows and in front of the doors. When Ruby breaks in, she is temporarily caught. She is freed when part of the paint is scraped away, disabling the trap. When they decide to let the demons in to trap and exorcise them, they break all of the devil's traps in front of the doors.

3.14 Long-Distance Call

After being tricked into believing an innocent man is the demon holding his contract, Dean spray-paints a devil's trap in his house and fights him into it to perform an exorcism that can supposedly kill demons. However, when the man is easily able to step outside of the devil's trap, Dean realizes the truth and stops trying to kill the man.

3.15 Time Is on My Side

Sam and Dean trap a demon they are interrogating about Lilith inside a devil's trap and eventually exorcise him in it.

3.16 No Rest for the Wicked

When Sam summons Ruby to help with Dean's deal, Dean steals her knife and traps her under a devil's trap. She later somehow escapes it and doesn't answer how, only saying there's a lot they don't know about her.

Dean traps Ruby after stealing her knife.


4.01 Lazarus Rising

When Dean and Bobby summon Castiel, they put up many different traps for all kinds of monsters to catch him. Among these traps is at least one devil's trap. However, Castiel is an angel not a demon and is able to walk right through the trap.

Castiel crosses over a devil's trap.


4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester

Bobby, Dean and Sam take refuge from vengeful spirits in Bobby's panic room. It is protected by three devil's traps: one outside the door, one inside covering the floor, and one made of iron secured over the ventilation fan. The devil's trap on Bobby's trunk lid is also briefly visible when he, Sam and Dean go to investigate why Olivia Lowry isn't returning his calls.

Devil's trap in the roof of Bobby's panic room.
Devil's trap on the floor of Bobby's panic room.


4.04 Metamorphosis

Ruby and Sam use a devil's trap to restrain a possessed man while Sam uses his power to exorcise the demon.

A devil's trap made from chains.


4.09 I Know What You Did Last Summer

In a flashback, a devil's trap is used to hold the first demon that Sam attempts to exorcise with his powers.

4.10 Heaven and Hell

Sam and Dean visit Bobby's panic room with Ruby and Anna Milton and the devil's traps are visible with Ruby being kept out by them.

4.16 On the Head of a Pin

Castiel binds Alastair to a devil's trap which he describes as being old Enochian. The traitor Uriel causes a water leak which drips onto and erases part of the trap, allowing Alastair to escape the trap and attack Dean. When Uriel is killed, his wings are burned across the trap.

Dean unconscious on the devil's trap after Alastair escapes and attacks him.


4.18 The Monster at the End of This Book

Sam sets a devil's trap for Lilith under a rug, but she realizes it is there and breaks it with her powers.

4.21 When the Levee Breaks

Sam is held in Bobby's panic room, which has a devil's trap on the floor. When Castiel releases him, he breaks the traps to make it look as though Sam was freed by demons.

Sam hallucinates he is being tortured by Alastair


4.22 Lucifer Rising

When Sam takes the demon possessing Cindy McClellan with him and Ruby, he puts her in the trunk of a car that has a devil's trap drawn inside on the floor to contain the demon.

Devil's trap in Ruby's trunk.


5.01 Sympathy for the Devil

Zachariah lures Dean and Sam to John's lock-up, where the devil's trap is again seen.

Demon's dead inside John's lock-up.


5.02 Good God, Y'All

There is a devil's trap inside the door of the church which Ellen steps over. Rufus and Jo later trap Sam under one on a celling when they think he's possessed by a demon.

The devil's trap was there - but there were no demons.
A devil's trap on a ceiling.


5.10 Abandon All Hope...

Dean and Sam try and imprison Crowley with a devil's trap under a rug. He avoids the trap, and berates them for damaging the carpet.

5.13 The Song Remains the Same

In 1978, Mary takes her family to a safe house used by the Campbells that has iron fixtures and a devil's trap under the rug.

The devil's trap in the Campbell safe house


5.17 99 Problems

Fearing demon attacks, the people of Blue Earth have taken precautions.

The devil's trap outside the church in Blue Earth.


5.20 The Devil You Know

To transport Brady, Crowley puts a bag with a devil's trap drawn on it over his head. Brady is later tied to a chair placed over a devil's trap. Crowley also carves a binding link into his chest so he cannot vacate the body. When later fleeing a Hellhound attack, Sam and Dean break the trap so they can take Brady with them.

A devil's trap on the bag over Brady's head.


5.22 Swan Song

Sam, Dean and Castiel harvest demon blood in preparation for Sam being possessed by Lucifer. The people possessed by demons are seen hanging upside-down over devil's traps.

6.01 Exile on Main St.

While staying with Lisa Braeden, Dean paints a devil's trap under a rug just inside the front door. He checks periodically to make sure it is intact.

6.02 Two and a Half Men

In the panic room at the Campbells' compound, a devil's trap is visible on the floor.

6.04 Weekend at Bobby's

Bobby makes a devil's trap with black light paint on the floor of his study to trap Crowley. He has to let Crowley go or be attacked by Crowley's hellhound. Later in the same episode, Bobby traps Crowley in another devil's trap. This one is painted in red on the ceiling of his basement. Bobby also traps and interrogates a crossroads demon in a trap drawn in chalk on the basement floor.

Bobby captures Crowley.


6.10 Caged Heat

Sam paints a devil's trap on the ceiling with his blood to capture two demon minions and escape. Another ceiling trap is used to capture Crowley. He eventually breaks this one by throwing the demon-killing knife into an interior line of the trap and escapes after faking his death.

Sam captures two demons with a bloody devil's trap.


6.20 The Man Who Would Be King

Bobby, Sam, and Dean hold a demon named Redd captive under the devil's trap on Bobby's living room ceiling so that they can torture him for information.

The demon Redd captured under devil's trap at Bobby's place.


6.21 Let It Bleed

At Bobby's place Dean uses a devil's trap to restrain demons while he tortures them for information on Lisa and Ben's location. When he inadvertently breaks the trap by scraping it with his foot, the demon escapes, attacks and nearly kills him before Castiel shows up and kills the demon.

Demon captured over a devil's trap at Bobby's place.


7.01 Meet the New Boss

The Winchesters and Bobby summon Crowley and hold him with a devil's trap while they ask for help in binding Death.

Crowley captured over a devil's trap at Bobby's.


7.08 Season Seven, Time for a Wedding!

In order to capture Guy the crossroads demon and force him to cancel his deals, Becky Rosen lures him into a devil's trap made of blueberry vodka which she makes visible by lighting the vodka on fire and burning it into the carpet. However, Guy's minion Jackson arrives and scuffs away some of ash with his foot, breaking the devil's trap and freeing him.

Guy captured in a devil's trap by Becky.


7.15 Repo Man

Three devil's traps appear in this episode. The first is in a flashback, where Sam and Dean have a demon possessing a man named Jeffrey trapped in order to interrogate and exorcise it. In the present a woman named Nora Havelock, a woman that helped them on their earlier investigation, has just painted one in red on her shop floor. At the end of the episode, when Sam and Dean confront the demon again, Sam lures it into a devil's trap painted in orange on the ceiling, presumably by Sam or Nora, trapping the demon who is annoyed to be caught in another devil's trap. Despite the demon's best efforts, especially after Dean kills Jeffrey, he is unable to break free of the trap and is exorcised.

7.21 Reading Is Fundamental

After Meg leaves to meet with and kill two demons, she comes back and walks right into a devil's trap painted by Sam and Dean as they feared a betrayal. After Meg convinces them that she is still on their side, Sam breaks the trap by scraping away part of the paint with a knife.

7.22 There Will Be Blood

Dick Roman summons Crowley to SucroCorp and traps him, to make a deal and prevent him from giving the Winchesters his blood for the leviathan-killing bone. This devil's trap is actually a light fixture that displays a trap.

Crowley caught in Dick Roman's devil's trap.


7.23 Survival of the Fittest

While under the trap at SucroCorp, Crowley makes a deal with Dick Roman and is let go once the deal is settled.

8.01 We Need to Talk About Kevin

When Kevin Tran hides out in a church in Fairfield, Iowa, he paints a devil's trap in the middle of the church for protection, having learned how to make one from the demon tablet. Later, when Crowley and his demons arrive, they cause the floor to split through the devil's trap, breaking it.

8.07 A Little Slice of Kevin

After capturing a demon, Linda Tran traps it under a devil's trap drawn in chalk in the trunk of her car. The demon is kept imprisoned there until Dean kills him after he leads them to Kevin Tran.

8.12 As Time Goes By

In order to defeat Abaddon, Henry Winchester carves a devil's trap into a bullet and shoots it into her head. Having a devil's trap in her head binds Abaddon in her meatsuit and in place, allowing Dean to decapitate her and forever imprison her in one place by cutting her up and burying her in cement.

Devil's trap carved onto a bullet.


8.17 Goodbye Stranger

After capturing a demon possessing Wendy Rice, Castiel places her in a devil's trap beneath her kitchen table and ties her to a chair. Castiel tortures her for information which ultimately leads to Meg and then kills her with an angel blade before she can reveal the truth that the demons are searching for the angel tablet to the Winchesters.

8.19 Taxi Driver

Needing a way to sneak into Hell, Sam and Dean summon a crossroads demon to interrogate him about how to do so, but first paint a giant devil's trap in the crossroads so he is trapped when he arrives. Later, Sam and Dean torture the demon under another devil's trap in a warehouse.

In his increasing paranoia about Crowley being in his head, Kevin Tran paints a devil's trap in the middle of Garth's houseboat. When Crowley arrives, he manages to avoid the trap and capture Kevin.

A devil's trap painted on a crossroads.
A devil's trap in Garth's houseboat.

8.21 The Great Escapist

Kevin Tran tricks two demons pretending to be Sam and Dean into traveling to a location where they get trapped in a devil's trap. Realizing that this means that Kevin is on to them, they call Crowley and warn him. Crowley later bursts into the illusion of Garth's houseboat. There is a devil's trap painted in front of the door, but the door crashing down onto it apparently breaks it as Crowley is able to step over it without any trouble.

The devil's trap in Kevin Tran's demon trap.

8.22 Clip Show

While searching the Bunker's archives for a film, Sam and Dean find a hidden room with a giant devil's trap that takes up half of it and realize that it is a dungeon.

After learning how to cure a demon, Sam and Dean put Abaddon back together, except for her hands and rely on the devil's trap bullet that is still in her head to bind her powers. Unfortunately, while they are distracted by a call from Crowley, Abaddon is able to will one of her hands to move out of its box and pull the bullet out of the roof of her mouth where it is lodged, freeing her and allowing her to escape.

The devil's trap in the Men of Letters dungeon.

8.23 Sacrifice

Pretending to examine the contract of a deal Crowley is making with them, Dean slaps a handcuff around Crowley's wrist connected to one on his own. Crowley is initially amused until Dean reveals that the handcuff on Crowley has a small devil's trap painted on it, binding his powers and trapping him. The Winchesters take him to an abandoned church where they paint a devil's trap and chain Crowley in it. When Abaddon arrives, she breaks the devil's trap on the floor, but Crowley still has on the handcuffs and is helpless against her. After Sam defeats Abaddon, he fixes the devil's trap.

Sam painting a devil's trap.

9.02 Devil May Care

Dean has Crowley trapped in the Impala's trunk under a devil's trap. Sam later leads him into the Bunker bound by the handcuffs with the devil's trap on him and locks him in the Bunker's dungeon where he is bound by the handcuffs and the dungeon's devil's trap.

When going after three demons possessing soldiers and Abaddon, Dean arms himself, Sam, Irv Franklin and Tracy Bell with guns loaded with devil's trap bullets. During the confrontation that follows, Sam shoots at one of the demons, but fails to take him down. Tracy shoots Abaddon with several of the bullets, but she had protected herself with a bullet-proof vest and is unaffected. The hunters also paint a devil's trap in the store where Tracy and Irv were initially held captive, but the demons avoid it when confronting Sam and later Ezekiel there.

Devil's trap in the trunk of the Impala.
Crowley sitting in the Men of Letters dungeon.

9.04 Slumber Party

Crowley is still trapped by the devil's trap in the Bunker's dungeon. When the Wicked Witch of the West finds Crowley, she is unable to cross over the devil's trap or any of the dungeon's other wards.

9.06 Heaven Can't Wait

Crowley is seen still bound by the devil's trap in the Bunker's dungeon.

9.10 Road Trip

Crowley is once again seen imprisoned in the devil's trap in the Bunker dungeon, but Dean lets him out to free Sam from Gadreel's control. However, Dean keeps him in the handcuffs with the devil's trap on them that he used to initially capture Crowley and Cecily is unable to remove them without the key. Dean eventually releases him from the cuffs to allow him to work on Gadreel and as part of their deal, doesn't put them back on afterwards and lets him go.

9.11 First Born

While searching John's Lock-up with Dean for information on the First Blade, Crowley notes the devil's trap inside and can't go any further into the room because of it.

Visiting the hunter Tara, Crowley discovers that he has walked into a devil's trap hidden by a rug when he can't teleport out after Tara reveals she knows he's a demon. Crowley is trapped for the rest of the conversation until Tara releases him by shooting the trap with a shotgun so he can get the final ingredient for a locator spell to find the First Blade. When a demon arrives to find out where Dean and Crowley went, Tara notices that the trap is still broken, allowing the demon to attack her.

Devil's trap in John's lock-up.
Devil's trap under the knock-off Persian rug in Tara's Pawn Shop.

9.14 Captives

After capturing Del, Sam and Dean hold him with the binding link handcuffs which has a devil's trap visible on it.

9.15 #thinman

The devil's trap in the Impala's trunk is visible as Dean throws their stuff into the trunk at the end of the episode.

9.16 Blade Runners

Looking for Crowley, Sam and Dean summon Snooki into a devil's trap at a crossroads and exorcise her when she knows nothing.

After Crowley calls them, Sam and Dean handcuff him with the Binding Link handcuffs that have the devil's trap on them and later imprison him in the trap in the Bunker's dungeon twice.

When demons raid the Impala to find the First Blade, the devil's trap and other wards in the trunk keep that compartment safe.

Sam and Dean drawing a devil's trap on a crossroads.

9.18 Meta Fiction

The devil's trap in the trunk of the Impala is erased by Metatron when he goes to free Gadreel.

9.21 King of the Damned

Not wanting Crowley to interfere in her confrontation with the Winchesters, Abaddon shoots him with a bullet engraved with a devil's trap to immobilize him and bind his powers, something she credits Henry Winchester for. After Dean kills Abaddon with the First Blade, Crowley digs the bullet out of his shoulder with a knife and is annoyed when Sam and Dean don't help him.

The devil's trap bullet, after being dug out of Crowley's shoulder.

9.23 Do You Believe in Miracles?

Dean summons Crowley into the dungeon of the Men of Letters Bunker where the devil's trap on the floor is visible. It is later visible as Sam tries to summon Crowley there himself.

10.01 Black

Sam uses the binding link handcuffs with the devil's trap on them to hold Dar as he tortures her for information on Dean's location.

10.02 Reichenbach

Sam handcuffs Dean with the binding link handcuffs containing a devil's trap when he captures him.

10.03 Soul Survivor

Still bound by the binding link handcuffs, Dean is locked in the Men of Letters Bunker's dungeon by Sam where he is kept trapped by the devil's trap there. However, as Sam works on curing him, he becomes less susceptible to the devil's trap and although it caused some pain, he was able to cross the devil's trap and go after Sam. Castiel recaptures him and he is locked up once more but more securely until he is fully cured.

Dean inside of a Devil's Trap.


10.05 Fan Fiction

The devil's trap in the trunk of the Impala is briefly seen as Dean as closing the trunk. For the play, a large devil's trap had been drawn on the stage.

10.07 Girls, Girls, Girls

After finding out that Sheylene Johnson was working for a demonic brothel to help with a plot by Raul to get more souls through having people make deals for the hookers, Sam and Dean set a trap for the demon she works for and he walks into a devil's trap without even realizing it until Sam and Dean reveal themselves. After the demon makes disparaging remarks about her, Sheylene kills him with an angel blade she grabs from Dean.

Cole Trenton tortures a demon he captured for information on Dean inside of a devil's trap.

10.14 The Executioner's Song

Castiel is shown interogating a low level demon who is tied to a chair in a devil's trap, for information on the location of Cain. After the demon gives it to him, Castiel kills the demon with his angel blade.

As part of their plan to kill Cain, Sam, Dean, Crowley and Castiel lure him into a devil's trap with an illusion spell. However, Cain is merely amused, saying it won't hold him long and clears the hay off the trap. When Dean confronts Cain, he proves to be so powerful that despite still being in the trap, he possesses his superhuman strength and telekinesis. Dean eventually gains the upper hand and kills Cain, leaving his body lying in the trap.

Castiel interrogating a demon.
Dean confronts Cain.

10.15 The Things They Carried

The devil's trap in the Impala's trunk is visible as Dean puts his and Sam's bags inside at the end.

10.20 Angel Heart

The devil's trap in the Impala's trunk is briefly visible as Dean shuts the trunk.

10.21 Dark Dynasty

Eldon Styne is strung up in the Men of Letters dungeon in the middle of the giant devil's trap.

10.22 The Prisoner

When making good on his deal with Rowena to kill Crowley, Sam lures him to an abandoned building pretending to be Dean. He proceeds to shoot him with a devil's trap bullet, and hands him a hex bag that begins the Defigere Et Depurgeare spell to slowly kill Crowley. However, the spell is not powerful enough to kill Crowley and he is able to dig the bullet out and burn the spell. He spares Sam however.

11.03 The Bad Seed

After capturing Rowena, Sam and Dean chain her up within the devil's trap in the Bunker dungeon.

11.06 Our Little World

The demon Marco goes to assassinate one of Amara's victims, Goldie, but when he enters her cell, he finds himself stuck in a devil's trap Sam and Dean put on the ceiling in chalk. Marco is later held in the Winchesters' binding link handcuffs with a devil's trap on them and Sam uses them to bind other demons he captures so he can save the people they are possessing.

12.06 Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox

After finding out that the crossroads demon Jael is among them, Sam decides to create a devil's trap out of fireplace ash that they will all stand in. Sam's idea is that Jael will stay out of it and they will know which one of them is possessed. Though they are able to complete the devil's trap, Jael, possessing Jody Mills, is able to avoid getting trapped in it. While possessing Jody before it is exorcised, Jael dances around the edges of the devil's trap while taunting the gathered hunters.

12.12 Stuck in the Middle (With You)

Sam spray paints a Devil's trap under the carpet, but the Prince of Hell Ramiel just walks over it. Dean also fires devil's trap bullets at Ramiel, which have no effect on him.

12.23 All Along the Watchtower

A devil's trap appears as part of the spell to close the portal to Apocalypse World.

13.08 The Scorpion and the Frog

Luther Shrike leads a demon onto a devil's trap hidden under a rug as the demon tries to convince him to help Asmodeus capture Barthamus. The demon fails to realize this until Luther performs an exorcism upon him and shows the demon the trap.

Later, Sam stumbles across the trap while making his way through Luther's house.

Sam finds Luther Shrike's devil's trap.

14.11 Damaged Goods

In his search for Abraxas, Nick captures a demon and holds her in a devil's trap. When asked if he's a hunter, Nick tells the demon that he learned a few tricks from the Winchesters and tortures the demon for information with an angel blade before killing her.

After forcing Mary Winchester to take him to her lock-up holding the Enochian puzzle box with Abraxas in it, Nick kidnaps a security guard named Jeff to act as a meatsuit and places a devil's trap around him to hold Abraxas. After Nick breaks the box with a drill, Abraxas is released into the devil's trap which keeps the demon smoke contained within and Abraxas promptly possesses Jeff. He is contained by the devil's trap until Nick breaks it with his angel blade to free Abraxas after being confronted by the Winchesters.

The Winchesters

1.01 Pilot

A devil's trap is spray painted outside of a Men of Letters Clubhouse.

Devil's trap created by Mary Campbell.

1.03 You're Lost Little Girl

Ada Monroe tosses the demon that she and Carlos Cervantez are hunting into the back of Carlos' Van where the demon is contained by a devil's trap that Carlos has painted on the ceiling.

Trivia

  • The devil's trap has a greater prevalence in earlier seasons when demons were a bigger enemy. In later seasons, the devil's trap's major appearances tend to be as part of the Bunker's dungeon or on the Winchesters' handcuffs. When a devil's trap is used to trap demons in season 13 and season 14 as of 14.11 Damaged Goods, it is not used by the Winchesters.
  • Meg and Crowley have both been contained by a devil's trap multiple times over the course of the series as has Ruby, albeit by accident one time in her case.
  • In season 9, aside from a brief use against the Crossroads Demon "Snooki," Crowley is the only demon a physical devil's trap is used against, though the trap is used in the form of the handcuffs and Devil's Trap Bullets on other occasions.

See also