Characterization
| “ | Everyone always loved her because they thought she was this kick-ass broad, but to see Ellen go out with pride, dignity, and emotion was necessary. | ” |
|
—Ferris on her character's emotional side. |
Series creator Eric Kripke felt that Ellen brought a "maternal energy" to the series, and described the character as "a lioness, which is tough and badass and 'You touch my children, I will kill you.'" Likewise, actress Samantha Ferris described her as a "gun-toting, beer-slinging, bar-owning broad" with a "very maternal core". Ferris also feels that, despite Ellen having gone through a lot in her life, she is cautious rather than jaded, and is "very protective of the things she has in her life", especially her daughter Jo and the Winchesters. Thus, her main concern is Jo's safety, which prompts her to forbid her daughter from going on hunts. When she realizes that she can no longer stop Jo from doing what she wants, Ellen becomes her hunting partner, deciding it is the best way to look after her. By the time of Ellen's final appearance, actress Alona Tal came to view their characters more as equals rather than mother and daughter.
Read more about this topic: Ellen Harvelle