Supernatural is about to fall into Darkness. Season 11 will kick off on Oct. 7, and before you dive into the Winchesters’ next adventure, here’s what you need to know:
The Mark of Cain
Season 10 ended with three major cliffhangers, and Dean’s murderous brand was the spark that fueled all three. A plague upon the Winchesters since Abaddon’s resurrection, the Mark continued to affect Dean long after he ditched his black eyes. Unable to fight the brand any longer, Dean turned to Death in hopes of removing the Mark.
![Dean starts to loose control in "The Prisoner" [Source: Liane Hentscher/The CW]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/u-470x313.jpg)
Rowena, however, managed to remove the Mark thanks to the Book of the Damned. Now, the Darkness is out in the world.
The Darkness
Little is known about this new baddie. According to Death, the Darkness existed before the events of Genesis and only God was strong enough to lock it away. As soon as that lock broke, the mysterious force came flooding back in dramatic fashion.
Death
Death’s solution to the Mark of Cain problem was to take Dean to a place where he could live out eternity alone, never to hurt anyone again. The only way to make sure he remained in solitude, however, was to keep Sam from looking for him. In other words, Death wanted Dean to off his baby brother. At the last moment, Dean chose to kill Death instead.
![Death gets a surprise in "Brother's Keeper" [Source:Katie Yu/The CW]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/i-470x314.jpg)
Rowena
The centuries-old enchantress came through for the Winchesters, but at a price. The spell to remove the Mark required Rowena to sacrifice the only thing she ever cared for – a young Polish boy she considered a son and later granted immortality. Crowley was more than happy to serve up his mother’s favorite son like lamb to slaughter, and Rowena didn’t take kindly to his actions.
![Rowena will not be a happy camper when season 11 begins [Source: Katie Yu/The CW]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/y-470x313.jpg)
Castiel
He may not have his wings, but the Winchesters’ angelic pal has his grace back. After a battle with Metatron, Heaven’s little rebel finally managed to recover his essence and give Death the cold shoulder once more.
![Cas will find it hard to shake Rowena's curse in season 11's "Form and Void" [Source: Carole Segal/The CW]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/21-470x313.jpg)
The Stynes
The legacies of Frankenstein and his monster, the Stynes have used their influence to control world events for centuries. Drawing their power from the Book of the Damned, the Stynes were none too pleased when Charlie stole their missing treasure.
As Charlie and Rowena worked to decode the book that would ultimately save Dean – a book he believed Sam had destroyed – the Stynes caught up with the hacker-turned-hunter and murdered her. Dean sought revenge – eliminating every Styne he could find – but is the entire family line really gone?
Metatron
The worst of Heaven’s host is free once more, albeit without his grace. God’s scribe made a break for it when Cas recovered his own mojo, and Metatron took the missing demon tablet with him.
![Metatron plays innocent in "Book of the Damned" [Source: Katie Yu/The CW]](http://www.nerdophiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/g-470x313.jpg)
Are you ready for season 11 premiere? Tune in to The CW Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET to catch “Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire.”