After 10 seasons of Supernatural, Jensen Ackles can break down most season finales into two categories:

1) “The guys are together and they’re fighting against an evil.”

2) “There’s an evil within them that one is having to battle, while the other one is trying to save his life.”

So, which does Ackles prefer? “I enjoy us fighting a common evil,” he said. However, this season does offer Ackles something new. “This is one of the first times that Dean has been on this side of battling an evil within while having his brother try to save his life,” Ackles said. “Usually, Dean is trying to save Sam’s life from something that’s going on with him—whether it’s the demon blood, whether it’s soulless Sam, whether it’s his possession by an angel.”

By flipping that around, fans get to see a side of Dean that’s usually hidden. “I like the fact that there’s this inner struggle and this turmoil that Dean is unable to get a handle on, because he’s always got a handle on something. He always plays the ‘I’ve got it under control, I’ve got it taken care of’ [card]. It’s difficult to watch such a strong character go through such a difficult struggle, but I think that makes for really good television.”

And as all Supernatural fans know, the “inner struggle” finale tends to come with another guarantee: Winchester tears (and usually more than just a single man tear). But despite the fact that Ackles previously told us Dean’s fears will come true this season, Ackles said it’s younger brother Sam who will shed the most tears in the finale.

“I believe this season, Jared [Padalecki] is going to out-tear me,” Ackles said, adding, “so I’m happy about that.”

The bad news? The last time Ackles told us somthing similar, Dean died … and then became a demon.