Changes

|powers and abilities= Varies; can include telekinesis and possession.<br>* [[Possession]]* [[Telekinesis]]* [[Teleportation]]|vulnerabilities= Varies; one standard is the salting and burning <br>* Burning of the ghost's physical remains.* [[Iron]]* [[Salt]]

|episodes= Various in Seasons 1-8 (see See below).

|text= '''Tessa:''' Well, like you said. There's always a choice. I can't make you come with me. But you're not getting back in your body. And that's just facts. So yes, you can stay. You'll stay here for years. Disembodied, scared, and over the decades it'll probably drive you mad. Maybe you'll even get violent.<br>'''Dean:''' What are you saying?<br>'''Tessa:''' Dean. How do you think angry spirits are born? They can't let go and they can't move on. And you're about to become one. The same thing you hunt.|author= [[Tessa]] and [[Dean]]

A ghost or spirit remains connected to the mortal realm because it is attached to it through unfinished business or an unwillingness to move on.<ref name="two16">[[2.16 Roadkill]]</ref> They may, as Dean nearly did and Bobby did doas well, refuse to accompany the their [[Reaperreaper]] who is tasked to help them move on.<ref name="two01">[[2.01 In My Time of Dying]]</ref><ref name="seven10">[[7.10 Death's Door]]</ref> Many ghosts have a desire for revenge against those who they perceive to have caused their deaths, or will target people like them, for example [[Constance Welch]] and , [[Peter Sweeney]], [[Dirk McGregor]] and [[Fiona Duncan]].<ref name="one01">[[1.01 Pilot]]</ref><ref name="one03">[[1.03 Dead in the Water]]</ref> Others like [[Dr . Ellicott]], [[Dr. H.H. Holmes]], and [[Nurse Glockner]] were evil in life and continued this after death.<ref name="one10">[[1.10 Asylum]]</ref><ref name="two06">[[2.06 No Exit]]</ref><ref name="two19">[[2.19 Folsom Prison Blues]]</ref>

A ghost who can move objects is referred to Ghosts are not always present by choice or as a result of unfinished business. Ghosts can also be summoned and controlled by [[witch]]es or [[demons]]. * [[PoltergeistWalter Dixon]],uses [[necromancy]] to summon the ghosts of past Hollywood actors and crewmen and forces them to kill people who have wronged him.<ref name="one09two18">[[12.09 Home18 Hollywood Babylon]]</ref> * The demon [[Lilith]] raises the [[Rise of the Witness |Witnesses]], who are spirits of the dead who died from supernatural causes, to attack [[hunters]] and when they materialize or possess another person they may exude break one of [[ectoplasmthe 66 Seals]].<ref name="two06four02">[[4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester]]</ref>* The demon [[Samhain]] summons ghosts and raises people from the dead, creating [[Zombie|zombies]].<ref name="four13four07">[[4.13 After School Special07 It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester]]</ref> Ghosts can also infect a person with * [[Ghost SicknessJimmy Tomorrow]], a disease that will make the sick person experience binds the ghost's feelings at the time of their death in slow motion. When [[DeanMargaret Fox]] is infectedto him so she will kill other psychics he has a grudge against. Though he also appear some for of intimate relationship with her ghost, he experiences extreme fear and comes close to suffering cardiac arrestevident by her bones being found in his bed.<ref name="four06seven07">[[47.06 Yellow Fever07 The Mentalists]]</ref>

===Types of Ghosts can affect objects in ===There are many types of ghosts, many of which have been created due to the material world. This is an ability that must be learned. Sam and Dean learn how to move physical objects and fight when manner they become astral projections in [[4.15 Death Takes a Holiday]]. The ghost [[Haskel Crane]] explains to Bobby and [[Annie Hawkins]] that to do this, the spirit must either become very calm and enter a Zen-like state, or tap into "explosive, anger and pure, red-hot rage"<ref name="seven19">[[7.19 Of Grave Importance]]</ref>had died while living.

Ghosts can manipulate electronic equipment * [[Buruburu]] – A type of ghost that died in state of fear in a terrifying manner. They have the ability to pass on their fear through a [[ghost sickness]], once a person is infected the symptoms will manifest at first in subtle ways such as being afraid of everyday things, eventually the sickness will spread and wounds mimicking the ghost's will begin to appear and their fear will become more irrational until the infected's heart finally gives out. If a buruburu's remains cannot be destroy, the only other known method to stop one is to use fear and scare it back to communicate by "death."* [[EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon)|EVPDeath Echo]]– If a person dies in a particularly traumatic manner, they may start reliving their death in the spot it happened, trapped in a loop. They A spirit can be detected break free of the loop if it is confronted by someone the interference deceased had a connection to in life.* [[Death Omen]] – Death omens are typically ghosts that have been murdered, but rather than seeking vengeance they cause with electromagnetic fields through seek justice and will appear to people in similar situations to warn them of their impending deaths. * [[Hell Ghosts]] – [[Soul]]s of the damned released from [[Hell]]. Unlike typical ghosts, Hell ghosts are stronger and are not tethered to any one place or object, allowing them to roam freely.* [[Myling]] – The vengeful spirit of a child in Scandinavian folklore, said to use their cries to lure adults to their deaths.* [[Poltergeist]] – Malevolent vengeful spirits. Unlike typical vengeful spirits, a poltergeist is indiscriminate in who it targets, only wishing to harm the person or persons they are haunting.* [[Spectre]] – A type of avenging ghost that possesses a person, and seeks out anyone that the possessed feels betrayed by and enacts vengeance upon. A spectre will typically only rise if their grave site has been desecrated in some manner. Unlike typical ghosts, a spectre leaves behind green [[ectoplasm]] rather than black.* [[Woman in White]] – A woman whose husband had been unfaithful to her in life, and due to this she suffers from temporary insanity and murders their children. Once the guilt of what they have done hits them, the woman commits suicide, cursing her spirit to roam back roads and waterways looking for unfaithful men to kill.* [[Vengeful Spirits]] – When a spirit fails to move on, the ghost will eventually begin to deteriorate and turn into a vengeful spirit. Vengeful spirits will act out to avenge some wrong they encountered during their life, but due to the deterioration from being dead, their judgement can become warped and attack those who they deem have wronged others, whether or not they were innocuous or justified. ===Powers and abilities===Ghosts can affect objects in the material world. This is an ability that must be learned. Sam and Dean learn how to move physical objects and fight when they become astral projections in [[EMF Meter4.15 Death Takes a Holiday]].The ghost [[Haskel Crane]] explains to Bobby Singer and [[Annie Hawkins]] that to do this, the spirit must either become very calm and enter a Zen-like state, or tap into "explosive, anger and pure, red-hot rage."<ref name="seven19">[[7.19 Of Grave Importance]]</ref>

* Elemental control – Ghosts can influence the elements, such as causing the temperature to drop in their presence. In rare cases spirits have been shown to have control over fire and water, if it was an element that led to their deaths such as [[Peter Sweeney]] and the [[Sailor’s Ghost]].* [[EMF|Electromagnetic interference]] – A ghost's presence can cause electrical interference in the place they are not always present haunting. Ghosts can manipulate electronic equipment to communicate by choice or as a result of unfinished business[[EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon)|EVP]]. Ghosts They can also be summoned and controlled detected by witches or demonsthe interference they cause with electromagnetic fields through use of an EMF meter. * Invisibility – Ghosts occupy the space within [[Walter Dixonthe Veil]] uses necromancy , making it impossible for humans to summon see them. Through practice and intense concentration, a ghost can manifest itself in the ghosts of past Hollywood actors and crewmen and forces them to kill people who have wronged himliving world.<ref name="two18"> * Perception control – Ghosts such as [[Constance Welch]], [[2.18 Hollywood BabylonTimmy's Mother]]</ref> * The demon and [[LilithFiona Duncan]] raises showed the ability to shift their forms from a beautiful young woman to a more monstrous appearance. The ghost of [[Rise John Wayne Gacy]] was also able to manifest into a more monstrous form of his clown alter ego, Pogo the Witness Clown.* [[Ghost Possession|WitnessesPossession]]– Ghosts have the ability to possess humans, who are spirits a tell tale sign of ghost possession is the dead, to attack sudden secretion of [[huntersectoplasm]] from the possessed. Possession also extends to inanimate objects. Ghosts have been known to possess everything from cars to stereo equipment and break one computers. * Soul absorption – The spirit of [[The 66 SealsWhitman Van Ness]]showed the ability to destroy ghosts and absorb their strength for himself, making him stronger.<ref name="four02">[[4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester]]</ref> * Superhuman strength – Ghosts have strength that far exceeds that of when they were human. The demon ghost of [[SamhainBobby Singer]] summons ghosts was capable of throwing and raises people from keeping down the leader of the dead, creating [[Zombie |zombiesLeviathans]] [[Dick Roman]].<ref name="four07">[[4.07 It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam WinchesterChester Johnson]]</ref>was able to overpower officers while possessing a teenage boy.* [[Jimmy TomorrowTelekinesis]] binds the – Through practice and concentration, a ghost will be able to influence their surroundings with simple gestures. Very powerful ghosts are capable of throwing and pinning people with little effort.** Biokinesis – Some ghosts can inflict wounds like the ones they received on others. Stronger ghosts can create the wounds in the victims, without needing to have received the wounds themselves.* [[Margaret FoxTeleportation]] – Ghosts can teleport, but typically only in the areas they are haunting or in the vicinity of an object they are tethered to him so she will kill other psychics he has a grudge against. <ref name="seven07">[[7This ability allows ghosts to move at incredible speeds.07 The Mentalists]]</ref>

Over time===Dispatching Ghosts===The boys commonly force a ghost to move on by [[salt]]ing and burning its corpse. Sam admits that, "My dad always said it's like death for spirits. But the spirits may go madtruth is, or simply degenerate into a state we never know."<ref name="two16"/> [[Bobby refers Singer]] later tells [[Annie Hawkins]] that he personally believes that ghosts just cease to as "Ghost Alzheimer’s"be when their bones are burned.<ref name="seven10seven19">[[7.10 Death19 Of Grave Importance]]</ref> It has been revealed that when a ghost's Doorremains are burned, a [[reaper]] takes their soul to where it belongs, or as in the case of Bobby Singer, somewhere else if an [[Crowley|outside source]] convinces them to.<ref name="eight19">[[8.19 Taxi Driver]]</ref>

Burning bones is successful in most cases, including those of [[Dr Ellicott]], [[Nurse Glockner]], [[Jonah Greely]] and [[Whitman Van Ness]] and his victims.<ref name="one10"/><ref name="two19"/><ref name=Dispatching Ghosts"two16"/><ref name===The boys commonly force "seven19">[[7.19 Of Grave Importance]]</ref> Sometimes, however, an object can anchor a person's ghost to move on by salting in the living realm. With the [[Hook Man Legend|Hook Man]], the Winchesters salt and burning its burn the corpse. Sam admits that "My dad always said it's like death for spirits. But but also have to melt all the [[silver]] from his hook, due to the truth ishook having been part of him in life as well as being his murder weapon, we never knowgiving him a deep connection to it."<ref name="two16">[[1.07 Hookman]]</ref> [[Bobby SingerCyrus Dorian]] later tells is salted and burnt but only banished when he and his truck are lured onto holy ground.<ref>[[Annie Hawkins1.13 Route 666]] </ref> In most cases, the object that he personally believes must be destroyed to force the ghost to move on contains a small amount of DNA that ghosts go into oblivion when their bones are burnedhas been preserved. This is true of [[Melanie Merchant]] and [[Dirk McGregor]], whose remaining hair had to be burnt.<ref name="seven19one19">[[71.19 Of Grave ImportanceProvenance]]</ref>In the case of [[P.T. Sandover]], his gloves needed to be destroyed, which may have contained some skin cells or fingernail clippings.<ref>[[4. 17 It has been revealed that when 's a ghostTerrible Life]]</ref> In one memorable case, [[Rose Brown]]'s remains are kidney, which she donated to her still living sister, [[Isabel Brown|Isabel]], bound her ghost to a living, moving object. Even though her body is burnedby Sam, she cannot be dispatched, a and Sam and Dean consider using [[Reaperhoodoo]] takes their soul to where it belongskeep Rose in check. Before they can explore that option, Isabel's sudden death, caused by Rose herself, or as in the forces Rose's ghost to move on.<ref>[[6.14 Mannequin 3: The Reckoning]]</ref> In [[Mary Worthington]]'s case of Bobby Singer, somewhere else if Sam and Dean were able to turn her power to kill those that have been responsible for other people's deaths with their own reflections back on her by showing her her own reflection. [[Iron]] repels ghosts. For example, Sam uses an iron poker to protect himself and [[Crowley|outside sourceSarah]] from [[Melanie Merchant]] convinces them to.<ref name="eight19one19"/>The use of iron to repel ghosts has another link with the electromagnetism theory, as striking a ghost with an object made of iron grounds their electric charge, disrupting them and warding them off until they're able to recover. If a person is possessed by a ghost, any contact with iron will repel the spirit from the body, as shown by Sam and Dean using an iron railroad spike to eject [[8.19 Taxi DriverChester Johnson]]</ref>from the possessed.

Burning bones is successful in most cases, including those of [[Dr Ellicott]], [[Nurse Glockner]], [[Jonah Greely]] Sam and [[Whitman Van NessBobby Singer]] and his victims.<ref name=also successfully "one10"/><ref name="two19"/><ref name="two16"/><ref name="seven19scare a ghost to death">[[7.19 Of Grave Importance]]</ref> In [[5.09 The Real Ghostbusters]], the final salting and burning is performed by [[Demian making him relive his torture and Barnes]]. Sometimesviolent death, however, an object can anchor thus effectively dispatching him (although they only resorted to this questionable method because the circumstances of his death -- he was dragged behind a car for a person's ghost in the living realm. With the [[Hook Man Legend|Hookman]], the Winchesters salt and burn the corpse but also have to melt prolonged distance- meant that it was unlikely at best that all the silver from of his hook, due to the hook having remains had been part collected after his demise as parts of him in life as well as being would have been scattered over the murder weaponroad).<ref>[[1.07 Hookman]]</ref> [[Cyrus Dorian]] is salted and burnt but This only banished when he and his truck are lured onto holy ground.<ref>[[1.13 Route 666]]</ref> In most cases, worked due to the object fact that must be destroyed to force the ghost to move on contains a small amount of DNA that has been preserved. This is true kind of [[Melanie Merchant]] spirit was created from fear and [[Dirk McGregor]], whose remaining hair has to be burnt.<ref name="one19">[[1.19 Provenance]]</ref><ref name="four13"/> In the case made of [[P.T. Sandover]], his gloves, which may have contained some skin cells or fingernail clippings, have to fear so it could be burnt.<ref>[[4killed with fear.17 ItPresumably it wouldn's a Terrible Life]]</ref> In one memorable case, [[Rose Brown]]'s kidney, which she donated to her still living sister, [[Isabel Brown|Isabel]], binds her ghost to a living, moving object. Even though her body is burned by Sam, she cannot be dispatched, and Sam and Dean consider using [[hoodoo]] to keep Rose in check. Before they can explore that option, Isabel's sudden death, caused by Rose herself, forces Rose's ghost to move on.<ref>[[6.14 Mannequin 3: The Reckoning]]</ref> In [[Mary Worthington]]'s case, Sam and Dean were able to turn her power to kill those that have been responsible t work for other people's deaths with their own reflections back on her by showing her her own reflectionevery type of spirit.

Iron repels ghostsOccasionally, a ghost is dispatched when it is forced to deal with its unfinished business. For example<ref name="three06">[[3.06 Red Sky at Morning]]</ref> Others must make the choice to crossover, like [[Molly McNamara]], Sam uses an iron poker to protect himself and [[SarahCole Griffith]] from and [[Melanie MerchantTimmy's Mother]].<ref name="one19two16"/> The use of iron to repel ghosts has another link with the electromagnetism theory, as striking <ref>[[4.15 Death Takes a ghost with an object made of iron grounds their electric charge, disrupting them and warding them off until they're able to recoverHoliday]]</ref><ref>[[9.07 Bad Boys]]</ref>

Sam and Sometimes one ghost has been shown to be able to destroy another ghost: The ghosts of [[Constance Welch]]'s children made her disappear when she finally confronted them, [[Bobby SingerCorbett]] also successfully "scare a ghost was able to death" by making him relive his torture destroy [[Freeman Daggett]] and violent death, thus effectively dispatching him (Although they only resorted to this questionable method because the circumstances of his death- he [[Whitman Van Ness]] was dragged behind a car for a prolonged distance- meant that it was unlikely at best that all of his remains had been collected after his demise as parts of him would have been scattered over the road). This only worked due able to the fact that that kind of spirit was created from fear destroy ghosts and made of fear so it could be killed with fear. Presumably it wouldn't work for every type of spiritabsorb their energy into himself.<ref name="four06"/>

Occasionally===Deterioration===Over time, the spirits may go mad, or simply degenerate into a ghost is dispatched when it is forced state Bobby refers to deal with its unfinished businessas "Ghost Alzheimer’s."<ref name="three06seven10">[[37.06 Red Sky at Morning10 Death's Door]]</ref> Others must make the choice to cross over, like While they remain trapped in [[Molly McNamarathe Veil]], [[Cole Griffith]] spirits will physically and [[Timmy's Mother]]mentally deteriorate at different rates until nothing remains.<ref name="two16"/><ref>[[4.15 Death Takes a Holiday]]</ref><ref>[[9.07 Bad Boys]]</ref>

Sometimes one ghost has been shown When Bobby and Annie investigate the Van Ness House, they are unable to be able to destroy another ghost: gain the attention of any of the ghosts of . They meet [[Constance WelchHaskel Crane]]'s children made her disappear when she finally confronted who explains that the other ghosts around them, are falling apart until nothing remains. One nearby ghost even reached both the brink of madness and complete deterioration. According to [[CorbettVictoria Dodd]] was able to destroy , the [[Freeman Daggettvengeful spirit]] and of [[Whitman Van Ness]] was able to destroy uses these spirits for food and perverse entertainment. After dispatching Whitman's spirit, they burn the remains of the other ghosts and absorb their energy into himselftrapped in the house.

* [[Constance Welch]], the [[Woman in White]] in [[1.01 Pilot]], [[14.20 Moriah]] and [[15.01 Back and to the Future]]* [[Peter Sweeney]], aka the drowned boy in [[1.03 Dead in the Water]]* [[Mary Worthington]], aka [[Bloody Mary (urban legend)]] in [[1.05 Bloody Mary]], and [[Jess14.20 Moriah]] in and [[115.05 Bloody Mary01 Back and to the Future]]* [[Jacob Karns]] from the [[Hook Man Legend]] in [[1.07 HookmanHook Man]]

* [[Dr Sanford Ellicott]] from Rockford Asylum in [[1.10 Asylum]]* [[Cyrus Dorian]]'s spirit possesses possessed his [[Racist Truck|truck ]] in [[1.13 Route 666]]

* Ghosts of old Hollywood Elise Drummond, Billy Beard and 2 unnamed actors in [[2.18 Hollywood Babylon]]

* [[Sailor’s Ghost]] and his brother in [[3.06 Red Sky at Morning]]* [[Freeman Daggett]], [[Corbett]] and the [[Death Echodeath echo]]s in [[3.13 Ghostfacers]]* [[Ronald Resnick]], [[Meg Masters]], [[Victor Henriksen]] and 3 unnamed girls ([[Rise of the Witnesses|The Witnesses ]]) in [[4.02 Are You There, God? It's Me, Dean Winchester]]

* Ghost Ghosts raised by [[Samhain]] in [[4.07 It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester]]

* [[Bobby]] in [[7.11 Adventures in Babysitting]] and [[7.13 The Slice GirlsHoward]] (unseen)* [[Howard|Howard's]] brother in [[7.14 Plucky Pennywhistle's Magical Menagerie]]* [[Marin|Marin]]'s]] brother and [[Bobby]] (unseen) in [[7.17 The Born-Again Identity]]* [[BobbySinger]] in [[7.18 Party On, Garth]] * , [[7.19 Of Grave Importance]], [[Bobby7.20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo]], [[7.22 There Will Be Blood]] and [[7.23 Survival of the Fittest]]* [[Annie Hawkins]], [[Victoria]], [[Whitman Van Ness]], [[Dexter O'Connell]], [[Haskel Crane]] , Dudley Scott, Debbie Tellen and others in [[7.19 Of Grave Importance]]* [[Bobby]] in [[7.20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo]], [[7.21 Reading Is Fundamental]] (unseen), [[7.22 There Will Be Blood]] and [[7.23 Survival of the Fittest]]

[[Category:Canon]][[Category:Library]][[Category:Creatures & Spirits]][[Category:Ghosts]]