First, it was just monsters and urban legends, followed by demons, angels, Lucifer, the apocalypse, Leviathan and a variety of other creatures, situations and world threatening problems.

Yes, Sam and Dean have practically done it all; even Death considers them legendary.

But clearly that was only the beginning of their journey, as the Winchester brothers still have plenty of work to do, saving the world one classic rock song at a time.

Indeed, Supernatural Season 9 is here - and with last season's finale, "Sacrifice," a fantastic conclusion that expelled the angels from Heaven unto Earth and left Sam a mess, "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" had a lot to live up to. But the season premiere followed through, paving the way for a brand new direction that's looking to be just as interesting as when the boys first set out to find their father way back in the pilot.

A lot has changed since then in the landscape of the series, the coming and going of allies new and old, in addition to the changing of show runners, more currently with Jeremy Carver leading the reinvigorated series' charge.

And yet the show still has that spark, that brotherly bond, and the ever-expanding mythology that begins with each new season title card (and again another unique and very cool one.)

Sam's stuck in a coma, but rather than chase various versions of himself like in the Supernatural Season 6 finale, "The Man Who Knew Too Much," the younger brother met up with Dean and yes, Bobby.

They were just essentially him inside his head, but it was good to see that the Dean version was all about keeping the fight going and the Bobby version was about being OK with being done. It was essentially two sides of the coin.

It's true, Sam has been through a lot and I understand him wanting to not mess anyone else's life up and just let things take their course. I almost forgot about the breakdown he had in the church, he really was on the edge both physically and emotionally.

But I'm glad that Dean, despite the odds, chose to put out an open prayer to help save his brother. That's just who he is, even if making a deal always, always, always has consequences.

The introduction of Ezekiel is a curious one and in a way very deus ex machina, almost fitting because he is an angel, even if on low battery. Castiel seems to trust him, but where has that gotten anyone with angels? And with Castiel essentially being the cause for the fall and lockdown of Heaven, the angels are out to get him and of course, Sam and Dean.

So, is Ezekiel really there to help Sam?

It's an interesting spin to have Sam possessed by Ezekiel and not know it's happening. I mean, he tried it with Lucifer and look how that turned out. I'm glad it'll help Sam get better again, but it could quite possibly be a trap for Castiel.

Look at the various angels that showed up, quite threatening and willing to kill. At least Castiel knew that you should always buckle your seat belt.

His journey should prove interesting as well, especially now that he is human and without his grace. He is more susceptible to getting hurt, as well as deciding that having something to drink is more important than washing your clothes. And I guess he's a boxers man.

But really, it was like he was shedding his older self. Goodbye, trench coat. So, I'm looking forward to seeing his new path and how he handles not having powers and learning to deal with things the way Sam and Dean have had to. It's going to be a tough road for him.

There's clearly plenty of uncharted territory still and exploring the open possibility of fallen angels, Crowley, a human Castiel, and of course, Sam and Dean saving the world and each other. Supernatural came back swinging those angel weapons, revving that Impala engine and giving fans an enjoyable premiere for what could be a great season. So… who do you love?

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.