Season 3 of "Supernatural" left audiences hanging on the verge of despair and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) hanging "meat-hooked in the center of what looks like a thousand mile spiderweb of rusty chains," according to creator Eric Kripke. "Sort of M.C. Escher meets 'Hellraiser.'" While Internet rumor mills have ousted Ackles from the "Supernatural" payroll, Kripke has surfaced to assure fans that he is returning for season 4. And Dean will be "the same smart ass he always was." The assurances, however, stop there. In a recent interview with TV Guide, Kripke revealed that Dean will spend a great deal of time in hell and will be dramatically changed as a result of his ordeal. And the brotherly bond between Dean and Sam (Jared Padalecki) will be massively affected. "Dean is basically a POW coming home from the worst hellhole -- literally -- ever," he said. "How do you reconnect with your life when you've been through something that horrific?" The mystery surrounding Dean's stint and release from hell will be the subject of the season's ongoing story. Other scoops for the new season include the return of the demon Ruby and the embattled and embittered retired hunter Rufus (Steve Williams). To read the rest of the interview, click here.