Hello, Baby

I think it's time to give a little love to an under-appreciated Supernatural character.

The exact specifications for the Impala are a little hard to pin down, mainly due to the fact that there are seven Impalas total that are used in the filming of the show, ranging from "stunt cars" with very specific specs that make her easier to handle on rough terrain (look at "Route 666", for example) to "show cars" that are only used for shots involving the boys cruising through town.

There are some things that are agreed on, however, and they are as such: she is a 1967 Chevrolet Impala, with automatic transmission, the gear shift found on the steering column, a four-door sedan body (black paint, naturally), and a trunk filled with a hunter's armory. Oh, and a cassette deck, because Dean refuses to "taint" her with modern technology.

The reason I'm talking about all of this is the fact that the idea that a vehicle can become its own character is not new; science fiction shows have been doing it for years. Just to name a few, for Doctor Who there's the TARDIS, for Firefly there's Serenity, for Star Trek there's the USS Enterprise, and for Supernatural, of course, there's the Impala.

Many fans have dubbed her "Metallicar," which is catchy, to be sure, but I prefer to take a leaf out of Dean's book and call her "Baby."

Baby is important. In the pilot, we see her parked outside the Winchester's home as John holds Sam and Dean in the aftermath of their mother's death and the destruction of the fire, and since then, she has been the one, reliable home the boys have had. And she only gets more important as things go along, as I have found by racing through the rest of the series at lightening speed, pretty much as soon as my episode analyses for season one were complete.

She's occasionally temperamental, always beautiful, and has absolutely taken on a life of her own. She's Dean's pride and joy, ranking right up there with his father and Sam as Important, Protect At All Costs. When she's damaged, I physically cringe with Dean.

A '67 Chevy Impala has definitely been added to my list of dream cars (Joining the ranks with a '63 Volkswagen Beetle, and a '81 Delorean DMC-12.)

For a multi-season, spoiler heavy, more adequate reflection on Baby/Metallicar, check out this really awesome article.