Supernatural “Nihilism” Easter Egg Hunt: Rocky’s Bar!

Supernatural 14.11 “Damaged Goods” left much of the Supernatural family devastated, frantically worried about Dean. Since we can’t do anything but wait and worry until we learn how Sam and Castiel will save Dean, let’s lighten the mood a bit and have some Supernatural fun!

In Supernatural‘s 14.10 “Nihilism”, the archangel Michael locked Dean into a dream world within his own mind. Thinking contentment would keep Dean pacified, Dean became the owner and bar keep at a quaint home town establishment called Rocky’s Bar. This was both Dean’s perfect retirement scenario and fans’ dreams come true! The decor in the bar was a virtual treasure trove of call backs to earlier episodes, and Easter eggs of references that only dedicated Supernatural fans would recognize. Let’s go on a virtual tour of the bar and see what we can uncover along the way!

I’ve done some of the research for you, identifying obvious references and hidden gems. I also enlisted the help of Deb, @Drzyley on Twitter, to get the ball rolling on finding some Easter Eggs of earlier Supernatural episodes. The rest is up to you! I’ll provide the screen shots; YOU make the connections with earlier episodes or fan insider information! Who’s up for a trivia treasure hunt?

Inside Jokes and Behind the Scenes Shout Outs

Let’s start with the obvious Easter Eggs, i.e. the first clues that Rocky’s Bar is a very special place!

Who knew that Crowley’s nickname for Dean – Rocky, the flying squirrel, and Sam – Bullwinkle, the moose, would be adopted as the boys’ alter egos! Dean named his bar Rocky’s, perhaps as a subconscious homage to his frenemy?

14 10 0001 Squirrel

The children’s show characters of Rocky and Bullwinkle are always together, so they both proudly welcomed us to the bar!

14 10 0006 Moose head

The neon sign in the bar’s front window advertises Tom’s Tequilla. Superwiki suspects that Tom refers to director Thomas J. Wright, an accomplished director who has worked on the show every year since season 7.

14 10 0019 Toms

Note the jukebox under the moose head. Your first challenge: has that appeared in prior Supernatural episodes? It’s one of several in the bar. Can you find and identify the others as well?

Dean’s Office

Deb did some research on Dean’s personal space in the back of the bar so let’s check that out next. Dean has a rifle arcade game in his back office for personal use. The black and white circular design on its sides is distinctive, and can be matched to an double rifle arcade game that Deb found in Harvelle’s Roadhouse.

So the arcade game in the back office of #RockysBar was the same one at the #Roadhouse s02e02 #Supernatural #Eastereggs 14×10 @WinFamBusiness https://t.co/AyOEdnMPaN pic.twitter.com/yJ9qEdjEQl

— deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 19, 2019

While we’re in Dean’s office, check out the calendar and framed picture on the wall behind his desk. The calendar looks like a pin-up from Dean’s favorite “Busty Asian Beauties” porn sites! Superwiki identifies the woman in the calendar as Kathleen Robertson. Your second challenge: why did Dean select her specifically for his office? There’s also a larger poster on the wall. We’ll come back to that later.

@WinFamBusiness #Supernatural Behind #Dean‘s head is that an Japanese Anime calendar? pic.twitter.com/S1tUUqRltF

deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 19, 2019

Family Business Beer Company

Rocky’s Bar was a meta goldmine for promoting Jensen’s Family Business Beer Company in Austin, Tx! In Dean’s office, we see a scene that easily could be a crossover image of Jensen working from home!

14 10 0099 Family Business Beer receipts

@WinFamBusiness #Supernatural When #Dean is doing paperwork one of the receipts is for #FamilyBusiness Could it be a real one? #EasterEggs #nihilism #14×10 pic.twitter.com/gc3S966M18

— deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 18, 2019

Here’s the real brewery’s logo as a comparison:

The draft taps at the bar are obvious promotions for his brewery. The middle tap has an “FB Beer Company” logo. It isn’t exactly the same as Jensen’s brewery but the reference is still unmistakable. The tap on the left is for a “Cosmic Cowboy IPA”. The right tap is for a Fox Rye lager. Both are custom brews from the Family Business Beer Company!

He couldn’t get a more perfect marketing launch platform!

Deb captured a screen shot with the beer taps in the foreground and a large neon FB Beer Company wall sign in the background. Double marketing spot in one shot!

Are those Family Business Beer Company coasters on the bar under the taps?

Perhaps as a tip of his hat to fellow home state brewery, Texan Star beer is also proudly served at Rocky’s!

I’m guessing this is a knock-off of Lone Star beer. A quick check with Wikipedia suggests why this beer is near and dear to a Texas boy’s heart:

The Lone Star Brewery, built in 1884, was the first large mechanized brewery in Texas. Adolphus Busch, of Anheuser-Busch, founded it along with a group of San Antonio businessmen. The castle-like building now houses the San Antonio Museum of Art. Lone Star beer was the company’s main brand. It was marketed as “The National Beer of Texas.” The Lone Star name is now owned by Pabst Brewing Company. Production of Lone Star is currently contracted out to Miller Brewing Company in Fort Worth.

Rocky’s Bar doesn’t limit its libations to just those from Texas. El Sol beer has been used so many times before in Supernatural, Dean’s bar of course would serve it. Can you find at least a few images from prior episodes?

@WinFamBusiness #super #ElSol sign. An oldy but a goody pic.twitter.com/PpFHMKGxRM

— deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 19, 2019

Cowboy/Western Motif

Speaking of Texas, you can take the boy out of Texas, but he’ll always be a Texan! Dean’s fanboy attraction to westerns has provided the backdrop for many Supernatural episodes. Notice the cowgirl (on the left behind Sam) and the cowboy (behind Castiel). I suspect these are the washrooms at Rocky’s!

There were also several western pictures scattered around on the walls. A large painting adorns the pool room. It is rather hard to see but does anyone recognize it from a prior episode?

There’s also a cowboy/girl on a horse in a much smaller painting next to the all-important cooler door. Seen that before?

Now this one should be easy. A distinctive painting of Spanish Western skeletons hangs on the wall next to a jukebox.

Here’s a full view in the background, provided by Deb:

Compare that painting to the mural behind Dean’s suicide turned murder visit with Death in 10.23 “Brother’s Keeper”:

It’s not an exact match but certainly it’s the same family of inebriated, celebrating skeletons! Maybe you can find the exact painting in the episode?

Supernatural History

We’ve looked around the room a bit, so now let’s look at the main feature of Rocky’s – the bar itself!

14 10 0045 Full Bar

Dean would want a pool table for his own enjoyment for sure, but maybe it’s used by other hunters who need to hustle unsuspecting patrons?

Treasures from old episodes can be found in every corner of the bar!

14 10 0003 Monkey

This little guy was found by Anna Little, …then authenticated by Deb.

pic.twitter.com/018XbJ2hBQ

— deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 19, 2019

Front and rear views of the strange little monkey who likes to sit on bar counters?

Another distinctive figurine is on the other side of the back wall.

14 10 0575 Matador

Here’s a closeup of the guy.

@WinFamBusiness #Supernatural pic.twitter.com/U32mDqCEcZ

— deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 18, 2019

Any ideas if or where the matador‘s appeared before? He has to have a story!

To the left of the matador, Dean created a shrine to his Baby!

@WinFamBusiness #Supernatural The original license plate #KAZ2Y5 for #Baby the 2 photos are of the #67chevyImpala pic.twitter.com/ZyROGmHrGw

— deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 19, 2019

If we zoom in, you can clearly see Baby in the left picture, but is that a front view of the Impala on the right? What do you make of that?

14 10 Drzyley License Plates

The bar itself has an iconic call back to another passion of Dean’s, revealed in 13.14 “Scoobynatural”. Ever the romantic, I’m surprised Dean’s dream didn’t substitute his name for Fred’s in their carved heart!

Hidden behind the bar, is Dean’s weapon of choice against vampires! Are there any classic moments when Dean used this gun?

@WinFamBusiness #Supernatural The sawed off shotgun from the earlier seasons pic.twitter.com/LBjNm6EBJv

— deb ryzley (@DRyzley) January 19, 2019

Next to the bar, we see another old arcade game. The running stag implies it’s a “hunting” game. Have we seen it before on Supernatural?

14 10 0094 Texan Star gun arcade

I’m also intrigued by the umbrella stand next to the front door. Can you make out the image on the can? Doesn’t it seem odd that Dean would worry about water dripping on his floor? That is either a call back from the deep corners of Dean’s memories, or a visual cue to the water Thread of the episode. Any ideas?

Over the door are two prize winning fish, perhaps a memory of Dean’s time fishing with his dad?

14 10 Drzyley Fish

Before Jack took Dean fishing in 14.8 “Byzantium”, do you remember any references to Dean enjoying fishing as a pastime?

A pastime that Dean has frequently mentioned is his love of Las Vegas gambling! His bar wouldn’t be complete without a slot machine!

14 10 0010 slot machine

Have we ever seen Dean play this machine before?

As we finish our tour and get ready to leave Rocky’s, we look back to say goodbye to Dean and Pamela. This last glimpse reveals business cards around an old fashioned public phone that’s rarely seen any more. Dean’s nostalgia peeking through? There’s also a large pin up poster in his office. That’s a curiosity worth examining from Dean’s psyche!

14 10 0163 bar back wall

Hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of Dean’s establishment! I look forward to seeing your answers and screen captures from the trivia challenges posed by his bar, and feel free to add shots of iconic treasures I missed!

If you enjoy finding the hidden set treasures of Supernatural, check out our other Visual Reviews! Ranging from specials on motels and wallpaper, to episode color themes and motifs, to our Memorable Moments series, you’ll be amazed at the set design details that go into every episode!