Ep 14. Nightmare

Sam and Dean Winchester investigate a town where people seem to be dying in their sleep. They discover that a psychic boy named Max has been causing the deaths with his ability to enter people's dreams. Max's father, who also had the ability, was killed by his mother who feared him. Max's mother subsequently died in a suspicious fire, leaving Max and his older brother alone and traumatized. The boys grew up separately, with Max being raised by an abusive father figure who trained him to use his abilities to hurt and manipulate others.

Max is now using his powers to seek revenge on his father's killers and plans to kill his remaining parent. The Winchesters try to convince Max to give up his revenge and put an end to the deaths, but Max is too far gone. He traps Sam in a dream and hunts Dean in the real world, forcing Dean to face his own nightmares. With Sam's life on the line, Dean confronts Max and tries to convince him to let go of his pain and move on with his life. In the end, Max chooses to let go of his anger and dies peacefully, free from the burden of his abilities.

The episode deals with themes of grief, loss, and the consequences of using power for revenge. It also continues to explore the strained relationship between Sam and Dean that was established earlier in the season. Max serves as a mirror for the Winchester brothers, highlighting the different directions their lives could have gone if they had not had each other to rely on.

The episode features strong performances from Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean, as well as guest star Brendan Fletcher as Max. Fletcher's portrayal of Max is nuanced and sympathetic, making the character's tragic arc all the more affecting.

Overall, "Nightmare" is a standout episode of Supernatural's first season, offering a compelling case-of-the-week while delving deeper into the show's mythology and characters.