“Sort of love letter to the character”: Supernatural star DJ Qualls reveals unseen Garth story fans never got to watch

Supernatural fans know the show is just as much about Sam and Dean Winchester as it is about supporting characters who've become fan favorites, typically for their humor, their humanity, or the depth that underlies. Garth Fitzgerald IV is one such character, a geeky, lovable hunter played by DJ Qualls.

In a recent interview with CBR, Qualls spoke about what never was, a Garth plot that was pitched but never filmed, a peek at what might have been on Supernatural. He said,

"They wrote such a beautiful episode — a send-off episode for Garth. It was called “A Hero's Journey,” and Garth got to be the hero. I thought that was just a nice little sort of love letter to the character."

He added,

"The ending, I thought, was great, because it showed the audience that there was life beyond that, beyond hunting — that you could do something else."

Qualls called the storyline a fragment and not an arc. While the plot never graced the screen, it was a sign of a potential direction for Garth's character, one that would have had his hunter qualities treated in a way audiences never had the chance to see.

The revelation is a sign of how the writing process used to retain some things for themselves, leaving nothing behind for audiences.

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The unseen Garth story

It was also in the CBR interview that DJ Qualls revealed that the writers of Supernatural did once consider a plot in which Garth might regain his hunter status more proactively. Qualls discussed how he missed his "hunter coat" in the brainstorming session, symbolizing the character's heritage as a hunter that could have been taken further. As per CBR, he said,

"But I got to tell you, like, three episodes into being a werewolf, I was missing my hunter coat. I really, I mean, there's something magical about putting on that coat."

Qualls indicated that Supernatural had several storylines vying for position. Not all concepts were executed on camera, and this Garth plot was one that never moved past the planning process. The actor liked the concept, declaring its feasibility, but acknowledged the logistical problems that stopped it from being put into action.

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Garth's journey in Supernatural

Garth's on-screen journey was multifaceted and dynamic. He first appeared in Season 7 as a hunter and later became a fan-favorite supporting character. Garth experienced significant events in his life, including an attack by a werewolf and later returning to a domestic life while still assisting the Winchesters when the need arose.

During the later seasons of Supernatural, Garth made his comeback on the show with a supporting role, balancing family life with hunting duties. In DJ Qualls' opinion, Garth's exit was emotional and meaningful and spelled the growth of the character from being a side hunter to a full-fledged multidimensional character.

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Why the story was shelved

According to Qualls, the Garth storyline that was canceled wasn't filmed due to Supernatural's long-standing practicalities. The show had many characters, elaborate mythologies, and shifting narrative agendas. Therefore, all conceivable storylines weren't possible on camera.

The idea was never scripted or in pre-production. It was a concept that was in the early stages, so no written story existed to follow. The fans can dream up what could have been, but the sources tell us only that it was in development and then abandoned.

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What this tells us about Garth

Even as a discarded storyline, the idea gets across the impression of the Supernatural writers and DJ Qualls' take on Garth as a figure beyond comic relief. The potential of the character to touch upon an extended hunter persona reflects instances of depth that the series touched upon at best, but never crafted fully.

For the fans, learning this untold story enhances the heritage of Garth. He is friendly, offbeat, and courageous, and now there is a sense that authors saw possibilities for further growth, even if those possibilities never became canon.

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Fan perspective on unseen arcs

Backstory plots like these are likely to generate excitement among Supernatural fans. It inspires imagination and appreciation of characters' untold experiences. While the dropped Garth plot does not alter the canonical action, it adds a fresh spin to the understanding of creative choices on the show.

DJ Qualls's remarks are straightforward and factual, pointing out that even though the storyline was never filmed, the character's depth and its relevance were noted during the production of Supernatural.

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The release of an unreleased Garth episode on Supernatural also shows that small bits of concepts can make their presence known. The story never came to pass, but it proves the writers' and Qualls' commitment to the character. Garth remains the same character the fans were familiar with: amusing, rough, and sentimental.

The dropped story simply reminds everyone that in such a large show as this, even the stories that were not told matter.

Also read: What is the series Supernatural about?