Charlie’s death, in particular, is a blow to a core audience of Supernatural. Yes, some Supernatural fans may be fans of Felicia Day, a darling actress amongst the Internet nerdom, and are sad or perhaps outraged to see Day leave the show the way she did. But Charlie, as a character, fulfilled something more than that for the audience. Previously, characters like Becky (Emily Perkins) – well-intentioned but socially inept, clingy, and obsessive – represented a stand-in for the audience as a fan of the series of books within the show itself, written by the prophet Chuck (Rob Benedict) that details the Winchesters’ lives. She’s relatable in some ways, perhaps, but not nearly as strong a character as other females on the show. Ultimately, she’s not a hero.

Charlie is (now was) a nerdy female who had skills that could help, who had compassion for the boys, the drive to do the right thing, and a desire for adventure. Whether you think the character is or isn’t done well, she represented what the best characters tend to display: a relatable aspect for the audience, something to which they could aspire. She grows into her ability to be a true asset to the team, and we see over several episodes her development from being scared by this paranormal world to a world where she’s equal to the boys. What’s more, she does this typically not with brute strength – though she can handle her own when she has to – but with her quick mind. She is a nerd who young women can look at and want to emulate. Before she was sent to Oz, it was feared among the fandom that she would be killed. When she returned from Oz, it was feared again that she would be killed.

Characters like Sarah Blake (Taylor Cole) made the apprehension warranted. Sarah only previously appeared in episode 19 of the series, and returns in episode 171 simply to be used by Crowley as a threat, a bargaining chip to make a deal. When the Winchesters don’t budge, Sarah dies. In the following episode, Crowley then threatens to do the same to Mills. We’ve seen this with several female characters in the show’s run, dragged back after a long stretch off-screen simply to be killed: vampire Lenore who had been allowed to live because she refused to attack humans, angel Anna who was suddenly evil with little-to-no-explanation, and psychic ally Pamela, just to name a few. So when Charlie survives and goes to Oz, and when she returns from Oz and survives again, it is a relief each time that, finally, a female character gets to live a little bit longer.

Cue a bloodied Charlie laying lifeless in a tub, despite the fact that she knew better than to leave a safe place when there were people after her. Her death is more or less the result of an irrational and immature decision that is out of character for someone previously depicted as highly intelligent.

Both men and women alike have found value in Supernatural, and it’s not hard to see why: the cool muscle car affectionately nicknamed “Baby”; the brotherly love; the fun of watching the Winchesters battle any monsters-of-the-week like Wendigos and Werewolves or Big Bads like Lucifer and Leviathan; and the compelling and conflicted characters who don’t always make the right choices. But when women are not brought to the forefront and/or are unceremoniously killed as plot devices to motivate the males, the writers and showrunners cut a ripe opportunity at the knees.

Why did we never see an Ellen/Jo hunting team until just before their deaths? Why do we never check in with reluctant friends and odd couple Sheriff Mills and Sheriff Donna Hanscum (Brianna Buckmaster) without them calling the boys in for help? Sure, the focus of the show is on the Winchester brothers, but we get asides of Crowley that develop him as a character. We get asides of Castiel that develop him as a character. Of course, this is just fine, as they are both gripping characters.

But female characters should not be sacrificed – both literally and figuratively – in favor of an all-male cast, only diversified by the occasional and usually short-lived female. The function of these female characters should not be reduced to their service of the males’ plots, especially with the support of many young female fans driving the viewership of the show. Women should not be immune from death, certainly, but they should be treated with the same consideration as their male counterparts. Not all the ladies have to die or be sent packing to Oz.

Supernatural has been thoughtful enough to make the ladies capable, multifaceted, and flawed. They know how to do female characters. The writers should take that extra step and not shy away from keeping the ladies onscreen as much as possible while still staying true to the show and its narrative.