'Supernatural' season 12 air date, spoilers: New hunter joins series; Series ends on 300th episode?

"Supernatural" season 12 will be focusing on the world of hunters, which means fans and viewers of the show will get to have a more in-depth understanding of the hunter community in the show in this installment than ever before.

Sam's (Jared Padalecki) capture by the Men of Letters and Mary Winchester's (Samantha Smith) return from the dead may have prompted this arc. Another hunter will be introduced in episode 6 of the upcoming season, Alicia, who will be played by "Pretty Little Liars" actress Kara Royster.

According to Variety, Royster will play the role of a hunter raised by a witch with her brother Max. Her backstory will make for an interesting arc, seeing as how hunters have a hate-hate relationship with all things supernatural. It will be interesting to find out if the witch who took her and her brother in is a hunter, too, or if she became a hunter after escaping the clutches of the witch in true "Hansel and Gretel" fashion.

Meanwhile, a teaser trailer for "Supernatural" season 12 revealed Sam's state after the British arm of the Men of Letters abducted him in the season 11 finale. Apparently, they took Sam because they didn't like the way he and his brother Dean (Jensen Ackles) handled the apocalyptic problems that marked season 11.

Dean released the Darkness, and upon doing so, he likewise unleashed Lucifer, who will be taking on the body of rock artist Vince Vincente (Rick Springfield) as his newest vessel in "Supernatural" season 12. It certainly looks like the Winchester family, along with Castiel (Misha Collins), who's teased to be back to being the badass angel fans have known since the beginning, will be in for many adventures in the upcoming season.

In related news, Padalecki might have hinted in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly that he and Ackles will be retiring by the show's 300th episode.

"If we don't make it to 300, I think Ackles and I will both be truly bummed. When we get to 300, I think Ackles and I will think it might be time to say bye. There's a chance that changes, but we certainly do not take it for granted that we're going to make it to 300," the actor told EW.

Should that be the case, there should be at least two more seasons for "Supernatural," as the 300th episode might happen somewhere in the middle of season 14. Whatever the case may be, executive producer Bob Singer has already said that the series will be given proper closure owing to its immense success.

"Supernatural" season 12 returns Thursday, Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.