<Tr> <Th> Abilities </Th> <Td> Demonic pacts Demonic possession Invulnerability Occult knowledge Superhuman strength Pyrokinesis Telekinesis Teleportation </Td> </Tr> <P> Crowley is a fictional character on the American paranormal drama television series Supernatural who is portrayed by actor Mark A. Sheppard, and is the King of Hell . Introduced in the fifth season, Sheppard has appeared a recurring role in every season since then, and was eventually promoted to series regular in the tenth season . He died in the twelfth season finalie in an act of self - sacrifice . His portrayal of Crowley has been met with positive reception from both critics and fans of the series . His name is inspired by Aleister Crowley . </P> <P> Crowley is introduced in mid-way through Season 5 in the episode "Abandon All Hope ...", having first been mentioned near the end of the previous episode, "The Real Ghostbusters", when series protagonists Sam and Dean Winchester learn that Crowley--not Lilith, as was previously believed--had been the one who took The Colt from Bela Talbot in the Season 3 . The following episode, they track down and confront him . Although his guards capture the brothers, Crowley uses The Colt to kill his own men before explaining that he shares the Winchesters' goal of them killing Lucifer, as he suspects that Lucifer would kill all demons once he has killed all humans . Crowley gives The Colt to the brothers to use to kill Lucifer and then informs them of Lucifer's location so that they can find him . When The Colt fails to kill Lucifer, Crowley is forced to go on the run to evade retribution from the forces of Hell for his betrayal . Learning of the Winchesters' new plan to stop Lucifer by trapping him in his cage in Hell once again using the Horsemen's rings, Crowley again aids the brothers in "The Devil You Know" to help them find Pestilence and retrieve his ring by orchestrating the capture of a high - ranking demonic minion of Pestilence's and ultimately manipulating the demon into revealing Pestilence's location . He then manipulates the Winchesters' long - time ally Bobby Singer to "lend" him his soul in order for them to find Death, with Crowley assuring Bobby that he will rescind his claim on Bobby's soul once Lucifer is imprisoned . It is soon revealed that he actually wants Bobby's soul to prevent the brothers from killing him after they stop Lucifer . Despite ever - increasing animosity between himself and the rest of the group, Crowley helps Dean recover the final ring from Death . </P> <P> The Season 6 episode "Weekend at Bobby's" reveals that Crowley went back on his promise to Bobby and plans to keep Bobby's soul, telling him that he will give him the ten years left of life customary for Faustian deals before he has him killed and brought to Hell . Eventually, however, Crowley is forced to return Bobby's soul to save his own life . The same episode establishes Crowley's backstory: he had been a 17th - century Scotsman named Fergus MacLeod whose own son, Gavin, hated him as much as he himself hated Gavin . It is also revealed that Crowley has become the King of Hell since Lucifer's imprisonment in the Season 5 finale . Several episodes later, Crowley reveals himself to be manipulating hunters into working for him by capturing monsters . He explains that he wants to interrogate the monsters on how to reach Purgatory--the afterlife of monsters--to be able to harvest the souls there and build his own power . He then coerces Sam and Dean into working for him, too, by claiming that he can restore Sam's missing soul; however, once he is forced to admit that he had lied in saying that he could, the angel Castiel seemingly kills him . It is eventually revealed that Crowley is, in fact, still alive and still trying to find Purgatory in secret; furthermore, he and Castiel have been working together all along to find Purgatory . They learn how to access Purgatory in the season finale, but Castiel reveals that he has no intentions of letting Crowley have any of the Purgatory souls, thus Crowley forms an alliance with Castiel's enemy Raphael . Castiel sabotages their spell to open Purgatory before taking all of the souls therein for himself, and Crowley makes his escape, leaving Raphael to be killed by Castiel . </P>

What episode of supernatural does crowley first appear in