After Mary Winchester was killed John searched for answers, eventually bringing him to Missouri Mosley. Missouri, a psychic, provided what answers she could to John. But she believed it was more than a random act of evil. Winchester was steadfast in his desire to understand what had taken his wife and he persisted in questioning Missouri. He wanted to understand what was ‘behind the curtain’. Missouri introduced him to Pastor Jim Murphy and The Brotherhood, a secretive group of men and women brought together by the age old battle of good and evil. Its actual beginnings were shrouded in mystery, but most believe its roots lay as far back as the time of the Knights of the Round Table. Jim Murphy saw a promise in John Winchester, a willingness to fight, a desire to protect the innocent. Although fueled by revenge for his wife’s death, John’s potential was undeniable. The pastor recognized an opportunity-a moment of chance he could not let slip through his fingers.  

 Around the same time Mary Winchester was murdered, Missouri had a vision of a young man-another powerful psychic. Caleb Reaves was thirteen and found himself facing murder charges for the horrific deaths of his foster parents. Police found the presence of sulfur a fact they discounted, but one that was of interest to Bobby Singer and Daniel Elkins. The boy was placed in a psychiatric institution where Jim Murphy sent Dr. Mackland Ames to interview him. Mackland Ames had only been involved in The Brotherhood for a short time, acquiring telekinetic abilities of his own after a car accident that left him in a coma for several months. The wealthy neurosurgeon became acquainted with Missouri after helping the FBI with a missing person’s case in Kansas. Missouri had also been brought in by the victim’s parents and the woman soon discovered an ally in Mackland. She in turn introduced him to Jim Murphy and The Brotherhood. Mackland followed Jim’s wishes, his interest in Caleb purely scientific. But the pastor had a soft spot for the boy, convincing Mackland he was a danger not only to himself, but to others, if he continued on untrained. The doctor became quickly ensnared by the traumatized teen, adopting him as his own son in later months. Daniel Elkins believed Caleb to be a risk. Elkins had researched Caleb’s family, traced his lineage back to a great grandfather, Noah Seaver. Seaver was a preacher in the late 1800’s who became consumed with the idea of immortality. He led his congregation, which historians would later relate to a cult into the art of necromancy. Seaver had enough information to be dangerous, using an antiquity of great power to summon a fierce fire demon. Members of The Brotherhood of that time believed the demon possessed Seaver to walk among the humans. The possessed man had a son with Seaver’s wife, Thomas Seaver. Half-demon, half human. Later, piecing together reports from the journals of past hunters, Elkins believed Thomas Seaver and his mother, Lily, were the only two people to survive a horrible fire at Noah’s church, reportedly started by the preacher himself. Twenty-two men, women and children, including Noah, were burned to death. But a credible witness swore he had seen Seaver’s wife leaving town the next day, her young son in tow. A Cecily Reaves came to the attention of The Brotherhood in later years when she and her daughter-in-law were found with their throats slit. Thomas Reaves was never heard from again and his young son, Isaac, was placed in an orphanage. 

Years later, Isaac murdered his wife, Amelia and killed himself. They were survived only by their six-year-old son, Caleb. Jim feared for the boy’s safety, knowing that hunters had a low tolerance for anything or anyone even remotely related to the dark-side of their world. He felt no hint of anything evil in the boy, but instead sensed a hurt and thirst for justice he had seen in John Winchester. It seemed fitting that he bring the two together to let John mentor the boy. And if it were true that both of them were linked to the monster that tore their lives apart, their bond might be the very thing to defeat the beast. Or at least the bond between Caleb and John’s young sons could. The timely meetings were too connected to be of mere chance. Jim sent Mackland Ames to coach John Winchester in the ways of The Brotherhood and despite their diverse backgrounds the men found common footing in their dedication to the fight. So much so that Jim as The Guardian chose Mackland to be The Scholar and John to be the Knight. This Triad made up of a preacher, a doctor, and a soldier was uncommon as usually The Triad grows up together and bonds over time. Jim vowed never to allow The Brotherhood to find itself in the same position again. He began to prepare the next generation’s Triad—Sam as The Scholar, Caleb as The Knight and Dean as The Guardian-in one possible scenario. The boys were shielded from their positions for the most part. 

Caleb knows he is the next Knight. Sam figured out he is the next Scholar by reading the hunters’ journals found in Jim’s library (nicknamed The Hunter’s Tomb) . Dean has also realized he is the next Guardian. Both Winchesters are purposefully remaining oblivious.

They have not been officially told by Mackland, who after the death of Jim and John still remains in power. That Triad will dissolve upon either his death or retirement. It will be up to him to decide when the next Triad should come to power. There is another faction within The Brotherhood which does not want the next generation to come to power. This faction is led by Griffin. He has set plans into motion to achieve those goals.