Supernatural's Dean Winchester fought to keep the Mark of Cain under control through the first half of season 10, but the hunter failed in epic - and heartbreaking - fashion during the midseason premiere.

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As Dean (Jensen Ackles) looks to continue his battle with the mark in the midseason premiere, "The Hunter Games," Ackles has weighed in on his character's dangerous journey.

"I think right now it's less about what he was and it's more about what he might possibly still be," Ackles told Entertainment Weekly, referencing Dean's time as a demon. "He's still got the Mark of Cain so he's still dealing with whatever adverse affects that's having on him, which have yet to be really defined...He's trying to live a cleaner life because he doesn't want to let down his guard. He doesn't want to cloud his judgment right now because if he does, then he's like, 'I don't know if I'm going to be able to control myself and I don't want to go down that rabbit hole,' so right now it's a little tricky."

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It's clear that the elder Winchester can't control himself once he dips back into the hold of the mark, and viewers will see him spiral even farther when Supernatural returns on Jan. 20 (see video below).

Are you excited to see a dark, conflicted version of Dean, or would you rather the Mark of Cain story line wrap quickly? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Supernatural airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.

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