This is not a scientific comparison but rather a fun and whimsical look at two pairs of popular brothers. One pair of brothers is from the television world, Dean and Sam Winchester of Supernatural, and one pair of brothers is from the movie world, Connor and Murphy MacManus of the Boondock Saints series.
The characters are: Dean Winchester (played by Jensen Ackles), Sam Winchester (played by Jared Padalecki), Connor MacManus (played by Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy MacManus (played by Norman Reedus). The Winchester brothers were created by Erik Kripke and the MacManus brothers by Troy Duffy.
1. Who/what do they fight? The Winchester boys fight evil spirits, monsters and demons. As their show name states, they hunt supernatural things. The MacManus brothers fight evil people, criminals who get away with bad things.
2. What do they fight with? The Winchesters have an arsenal of tools to fight with. The reason being that each evil being has to be killed in a certain manner. Some monsters need their heads cut off, others need to be shot with silver bullets, etc. The MacManus boys use really big guns. Since they are eliminating humans, really big guns work just fine.
3. Do they have any tattoos? The Winchesters each have an anti-possession tattoo to ward off demons from possessing their bodies. These tattoos are on the upper section of their chests. The MacManus brothers have several tattoos. Connor has the Latin word “VERITAS” tattooed on his left hand. This means truth. Murphy has its companion tattooed on his right hand, “AEQUITAS”, which means equity in Latin. Both brothers also have tattooed images of Jesus on the cross on their backs.
4. Are they outlaws or do they have police backing? In the earlier seasons of Supernatural, the Winchesters had the backing of a few police officers that actually saw the things the boys fight. As the series went on, that part of the story took on less importance. But they do have a friend in a local Sheriff, Jody Mills, who does play a part later in the series. The MacManus brothers are considered vigilantes and do things that go outside the boundaries of regular police work. They do have the backing of a few select FBI agents and three local Boston police officers. This allows them access to more information than if they were lone assassins.
5. Who has the better car? I have to go with the Winchesters on this one. Dean drives a beautiful 1967 Chevy Impala. In the second installment of the movie, the MacManus brothers ride around in their companion, Romeo’s, Volkswagen. The car is adorable but it is not a 1967 Chevy Impala.
6. Do they have any similarities? Both pairs of brothers speak Latin, both look good in jeans, both are physically fit, both are loyal to their friends and family, and both care for each other very much. They may fight like schoolgirls at times, but when it comes down to it, they would die for each other. In fact, Dean and Sam have died for each other a couple of times.
Both sets of brothers are anti-heroes. They work behind the scenes where most people do not even know they exist. The MacManus brothers are a little more famous locally than the Winchesters.
They both give the viewers something to cheer about, someone to care about, and someone to root for. They are ordinary people who have been put into extraordinary circumstances and have risen to the occasion. They do not have super-human powers, they are just human. They make us forget our lives for a short time and allow us access into their strange worlds.
I, personally, love both pairs of brothers. This is my opinion only, but I think it is a tie as to who are the baddest brothers of all. Both the Winchesters and the MacManus brothers make me stand up and cheer as well as sit and cry. My heart breaks for both at times. Their strong will and determination have been an inspiration to me for years and for that I am very thankful to both!
