The Supreme Beings of ‘Supernatural’: Angels, Demons and Gods

9/13/2019

Written by Juanita ‘Obi-Juan’ Bonner

When it comes to Supernatural (CW), there is no shortage of characters beyond the show’s anchors Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester. Becoming particularly good at blurring the lines of good and evil, no matter the Big Bad of the week, the writers seem to have perfected giving the audience fresh meat to mull over, season after season. Additionally, fans are privileged to witness the sheer might and dazzling charisma of some of the most powerful roles within the Supernaturalverse. Friend or foe, they all find their way to Sam and Dean eventually. It is with these thoughts in mind that I present my top five picks, along with some honorable mentions, for three of the most diverse character presences in the series – Angels, Demons and Gods. ****SPOILERS AHEAD**** (All photos courtesy of Supernatural Wiki)

Angels

5. Balthazar
(Sebastian Roche)

As the perfect Angel we love to hate, Balthazar is vain, arrogant and narcissistic. All the qualities an angel should have right… LOL! Despite his shortcomings, and his desire to avoid Heaven and all its inhabitants, he comes to the Winchesters’ aid more than once. Even if, for the most part, he’s in it to protect himself and his hedonistic lifestyle, not wanting to go down with a sinking ship, has compelled him to do the right thing more than once. Played expertly by Sebastian, for some reason, I find myself rooting for this character every time and long after his death, wish he would somehow reappear.

4. Metatron
(Curtis Armstrong)

Garnering the title ‘Scribe of God’, Metatron comes across as a humble and loveable Angel in the beginning. We soon find out that he has other quite nefarious designs when it comes to Heaven and earth. Feeling he’s owed his chance at being God, he cons his way in and keeps the Winchesters’ hopping for quite some time before finally being extinguished by Amara (Emily Swallow). A formidable foe if for no other reason than his wits, it’s his overall personality that put him on this list. The character is so well played that the audience, along with the other characters, actually want to believe him – believe that his intentions are true and that he’s changed from the time before and the time before that. He fools virtually everyone at one time or another and, though he deserved what he got, I wholeheartedly loved him just the same.

3. Gabriel
(Richard Speight Jr.)

This charmingly fun character makes his debut in 2.15 Tall Tales as The Trickster setting Sam and Dean up for chaos and constant bickering in what turns out to be one of the silliest episodes of the season and possibly the series. Fooling everyone more than once over the years, including making Sam relive the same day, watching Dean’s death over and over just to prove a point, Gabriel quickly became a fan favorite and it wasn’t just for his Casa Erotica fetish. *wink* Not to mention that Richard Speight has some directing credits under his belt within the Supernaturalverse. All of his appearances include comical and diabolical twists and when it’s revealed that he is actually an Archangel who wants to stop the bloodshed between his fellow brothers, Michael (Jake Abel) and Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino), well… we just loved him all the more. Though he’s thought to be dead now, I’m hoping this mischievous character proves everyone wrong once again to show up in the final season standing up to good ‘ol dad, alongside The Winchesters’.

2. Lucifer
(Mark Pellegrino)

When it comes to evil Angels, no one beats Lucifer. And yep, I know that seems like it would be a given, but it’s not because he’s the devil, it’s because Mark Pellegrino sells this character with such vigor that at times, the viewer longs for this character. When he appears, fans are guaranteed that bedlam is coming along with some quick witted and self-serving humor that defines him oh so well! And with such big shoes to fill, others who have portrayed him, including Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester), Rick Springfield and particularly Misha Collins (Castiel), worked hard to embrace Mark’s mannerisms and sarcastic humor. He’s practical, cunning and sadistic, and quite frankly, the devil I’ve always wanted before I knew what I really wanted. We also get to see Pellegrino stretch his range when turned back to Nick once Lucifer is expelled for good. Taking on, a scared and lonely persona only to forego it for a murderous psychopath, Nick is almost scarier than Lucifer…almost! Before he is killed by Jack (Alexander Calvert), Nick, left a hollow shell without Lucifer possessing him, focuses on finding his family’s killer only to discover that what he’s really longing for, is Lucifer’s return. Same dude… same!!

1. Castiel
(Misha Collins)

Since his debut in 4.01 Lazarus Rising, Castiel was an instant fan favorite. We’ve watched him grow from a naïve Soldier of Heaven to a loving and devoted part of Team Winchester. Even when he made mistakes, because hello… Leviathan, working with Crowley (Mark Sheppard), lying to Sam and Dean, and playing God… we still wanted to see him succeed. From his aloof voice messages and pop culture references to his undying love for The Winchesters’, it’s clear this series would truly not be the same without him. Knowing he wasn’t originally penned for a series regular but became one because of his loyal fan base shows just how loved he truly is. If Sam and Dean are the heart of the series, Cas, as he’s so often called, is definitely the soul. Misha embraces this role so well that even when he’s bad, he’s good and we, the fans, can’t get enough! Still struggling to understand his father, I feel that Castiel has yet to reach his full potential, even if that means sacrificing himself to kill God (AKA: Dad). Therefore, I look forward to seeing him stand by the Sam and Dean’s side in the final season with Kleenex at the ready!!!!

Honorable mentions: Uriel (Roberts Wisdom and Matt Ward); Cupid (Lex Medlin); Zachariah (Kurt Fuller) – I love that Dean got to kill this asshat!!; Joshua (Roger Aaron Brown and Paul Barton); Raphael (Demore Barnes and Lanette Ware); and Samandriel (Tyler Johnston) – AKA: Alfie, who definitely deserved better!!

Demons

5. Abaddon
(Alaina Huffman)

As one of the only two surviving Knights of Hell, and handpicked by Lucifer no less, Abaddon makes a splash by crossing the boundaries of time. She possesses one of the few noted women within the Men of Letters and chases Sam and Dean’s grandfather Henry Winchester (Gil McKinney) from 1958 to 2013 through a magical portal. Loving her new surroundings, Abaddon decides the future is where it’s at and sets out to become Queen of Hell. Ambitious to say the least, this character poses a threat to everyone and everything, causing Sam and Dean to team up with Crowley to defeat her. Though she is not among my favorite female demons, Alaina plays this role boldly, bringing sass and finesse to a deeply disturbed persona. Not to mention, the immense amount of collateral damage in her wake, including Dean’s soul!

4. Alastair
(Christopher Heyerdahl)

This devilishly delicious character made his debut with Mark Rolston, but found his true evil meat suit within Christopher Heyerdahl. As the Grand Inquisitor of Hell, Alastair can be credited with getting Dean to break the first of the 66 Seals by performing torture only after he failed to get John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to do so. He displays an absolute love for Dean, his protégé as he sees it, in the creepiest way possible. Just the sound of his voice is enough to make Dean’s skin crawl… and mine too! But what truly makes him the worst kind of crazy is his calm and patient nature. Stoking the flames and relishing in moments of death, dismemberment, and mental torture are his forte. It is not revealed how old or how long he’s been a demon, but we do know that he was present in the concentration camps during WWII. However, finding earth and its inhabitants to be tediously annoying, Alastair prefers being in hell where he can happily torture souls. Though his death was a welcomed victory for Team Winchester, I still can’t help but miss him just a little. He’s the perfect balance between fear and intrigue drawing me to him time and time again.

3. Cain
(Timothy Omundson)

A counterpart of sorts to Abaddon, Cain is the second surviving Knight of Hell. Appearing sporadically over many seasons, his presence is so strong that for this fan, every time he returns, it feels like he’s been there all along. His fatherly appearance and calm nature instantly puts you at ease and on edge at the same time. Timothy’s acting is superb, particularly when Cain succumbs to The Mark once again and reverts to his homicidal ways. He’s merciless and insatiably frightening, but you can’t look away as he commands attention just by standing there. So much so that when it comes time for Dean to finally put Cain down in 10.14 The Executioner’s Song, regardless of his madness, the viewer is left wishing he didn’t have to go. This character is the epitome of the conflicted soul and, for that, I still miss him to this day.

2. Demon Dean
(Jensen Ackles)

There is more than one time that Dean is seen as a demon, but the longest lasting and most memorable is his post Mark of Cain resurrection after Metatron kills him. With one hell of a season finale cliffhanger at the end of 9.23 Do You Believe in Miracles?, Crowley places The First Blade in Dean’s dead hand and he awakens with black eyes. I’m pretty sure every Supernatural fan on the planet lost their minds!! However, none of this is why Dean makes the list. It’s when we catch up with him in Season 10 and spend the first two episodes seeing Dean at his worst that puts him on the Demon map. Debauchery at its finest, Dean indulges in excessive… well… everything. Sex, drugs, violence and rock and roll (if you can call Karaoke rock and roll… lol!) along with merciless murder, blunt abrasiveness and out right evil. Jenson plays the part to a tee sending Dean spiraling enough to even attempt killing Sam during a game of cat and mouse in the bunker before Sammy finally saves him with the demon cure. The amount of emotions in these two episodes range from comical to sheer terror that no fan will soon forget!!

1. Crowley
(Mark Sheppard)

There are so many things I can say about this character that I scarcely know where to begin. Portrayed with cunning skill, Mark Sheppard simply is Crowley and fans can never get enough. From his humor in the face of destruction to his underhanded turnabouts, Crowley never ceases to amaze. Over the years he’s worked with whomever necessary always with an ulterior motive that is actually oddly admirable for some damn reason! We’ve seen him spiral from an addiction to human blood and a brush with embracing his long lost humanity only to rise again seemingly with a plan all along and evil as ever. No matter what he’s up against, (like being Lucifer’s dog – licking the floors and all), he’s always poised to come out on top. Famously calling Sam and Dean, Moose and Squirrel, fans love their banter, particularly his relationship with Dean and/or Demon Dean. After he sacrifices himself at the end of 12.23 All Along the Watchtower, in the Season 13 premiere, Dean is shown mourning his death along with the deaths of Castiel, Mary Winchester (Samantha Smith) and Jack’s mother Kelly Kline (Carmela Nossa Guizzo) which seemed just as much for the fans as the characters. Though Mark has stated he doesn’t really see a reason to return to the show, fans everywhere, myself included, hope that isn’t the case. There’s very little fans would like see more than Crowley return for the final season. After all, his mother is a witch and he’s tricked us before, right??

Honorable mentions: Discussed in The Women of Supernatural (Ruby, Lilith and Meg); the Seven Deadly Sins simply because hello…brought to life in 3.01 The Magnificent Seven – awesome!!; Father Gil (Robert Curtis Brown); Jeffrey (Jeffrey Ballard & Russell Sams; AKA: human Jeffrey and the real demon in my opinion); Azazel (Frederic Lehne); and Samhain (Don McManus)

Gods

5. Madge and Edward Carrigan
(Merrilyn Gann & Spencer Garrett)

This delightfully lovely couple only appeared in one episode of the series – 3.08 A Very Supernatural Christmas. However, they make the list for a few reasons. For starters, they are Gods of the Winter Solstice which in and of itself is quite interesting. They also conceal their deity identity by playing the Ward and June Cleaver type neighbors, planning bridge night and scolding the boys for swearing… too funny!! Their powers, though immense, must be fed by sacrifice and they go so far as to explain to Sam and Dean that they used to accept hundreds of sacrifices, so what’s a few every Christmas… yikes!! Finally, this forthcoming holiday episode was my very first introduction to the Supernatural series. Brought together by a close friend around the holidays, I got to see both young and present day Sam and Dean as well as get a full overview of The Family Business in the most vicious holiday fashion possible. I mean, bloody Santa suit and all!! I was hooked immediately and will never forget how my Supernatural addiction started – all with these prim and proper yet sadistic Gods. Season’s Greetings ya’ll!!

4. Amara/The Darkness
(Emily Swallow):

Overall, I wasn’t the biggest fan of this character and storyline, but her power, which actually rivals her brother, God himself, cannot be denied. Additionally, her connection to Dean was seductively creepy to say the least. But what I found the most admirable was the nature with which Emily Swallow portrayed this complex and deeply flawed character. Her facial expressions, particularly when hurt by someone she put faith in, are priceless. At times she appears childlike filled with wonder by the modern world and its beauty and others she seemed to be bursting with deep wisdom for ancient times and things long past. Not an easy feat for any actor. Finally, with her still out in the universe somewhere, it seems only fitting that she would return. After being locked away by her brother Chuck, maybe turnabout is fair play, though I hardly believe the writers would make it that simple. Do you??

3. Eve
(Julia Maxwell)

Described as the Mother of All Monsters, this petite force to be reckoned with holds the original bloodline for all things supernatural. She is older than most creatures, living or dead, and has immense powers, including super speed and infectious contact, as well as telepathic connections to all monsters. Playing her own form of God, Eve experiments mixing species to create her own hybrid called Jefferson Starships… coined by Dean, of course. Killing her proved so difficult, that it required time travel to retrieve The Colt and use it to kill a Phoenix in the form of a man and gather his ashes. The only weapon effective enough to the do job. In the end, it’s Dean who baits and suckers this insatiable being just when she thought she had the upper hand. Only appearing in a handful of episodes, I have often maintained that her story was snuffed out way too soon.

2. Jessie Turner
(Gattlin Griffith)

Another character that only appears in one episode (5.06 I Believe the Children Are Our Future), Jessie is the product of a woman becoming pregnant and giving birth while possessed by a demon. The tricky part is there is no explanation for this and therefore he is thought to be an Antichrist and/or a Cambion who can destroy the Host of Heaven with a single word! Although he was just a child at the time and can die just as easily as any other human or being, good luck getting close to him. His abilities are significant enough to change reality and he can disappear before you even know what happened. He turned Castiel into an action figure just by thinking it – whoa!! Many Supernatural fan theories, including my own, have always expected him to return as a grown man at some point and now that we’re entering the final season, I hope we’re right!!

1. Chuck Shurley
(AKA: God; Rob Benedict)

1. Chuck Shurley (AKA: God; Rob Benedict): Although suspected by the fans for years, it wasn’t revealed that the writer Chuck Shurley is God until several seasons after his debut. He was a beloved character from day one but reached superstar status in fans’ eyes once confirmed to be the one and only God. Appearing slightly aloof and bumbling, you’re never quite sure if there truly is a grand design in that head of his. So well played by Rob, God just seems like a bit of a self-conscious nerdy guy that everyone can relate to. That is, until the end of season 14! At first, I was upset… nay, pissed off, that this whole time, The Winchesters’ have been mere puppets in God’s own personal theatre. I mean seriously, no one wants God to be bad. However, upon further examination, how else should the writers end a 15 year run but with the strongest Big Bad there is?? We know very little about how to destroy him simply because we never needed to. His only weaknesses thus far appear to be his sister Amara (AKA: The Darkness) and maybe The Equalizer gun which penetrated his shoulder in the season finale, but seemingly caused no harm. This means the boys definitely have their work cut out for them and I am so here for it. Bring it Chuck!!

Honorable mentions: Veritas (Serinda Swan); Vanir (AKA: The Scarecrow; Mike Carpenter); Anubis (Sean Amsing); Zeus; Prometheus; Atropos; Chronos (Jason Dohring)

Special Shout Out: Episode 5.19 Hammer of the Gods uses a Summit-type scenario where various deities converge to discuss the fate of the looming Judeo-Christian apocalypse. It’s a delightful way to see the writers play with the possibility of other forces at work within the Supernaturalverse. Different than single episodes surrounding Sam and Dean fighting one particular type of God, this one sees the boys directed to the meeting by a storm where they, for all intents and purposes, take a back seat to the discussion. Arguments ensue, secrets are revealed, and Lucifer shows up and deities die – all of which makes for a fun and interesting episode unlike any in the entire series. In fact, I believe it’s the only one with so many powerful beings in the same room all at once.

Those in attendance, prior to Lucifer’s arrival include Norse God Baldur (Adam Croasdell), Hindu Goddess Kali (Rekha Sharma), Norse Trickster Demigod Loki (AKA: Gabriel the Fallen Archangel), Haitian God Baron Samedi (Precious Silburne), Hindu God Ganesh (Keith Dallas), Chief Norse God Odin (Duncan Fraser), Roman God Mercury (John Emmet Tracy) and Chinese Kitchen God Zao Shen (King Lau). Quite the lineup eh?? It would be interesting to see any of these deities or others make an appearance in the final season, since they too have a stake in the coming battle between God and Team Winchester!

Well there ya have it… my picks for The Supreme Beings of Supernatural. Do you agree with my choices? Maybe you have your own list?? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below or on Twitter @obi_juanita. Or check out some of my other posts via the links below. Until next time…go Team Free Will!!

References:

Obi-Juan’s other works:

July 26th,2019: https://nerdsthatgeek.com/blogs/a-guide-to-spoiler-etiquette
July 11th, 2019: https://nerdsthatgeek.com/10/post/2019/07/the-women-of-supernatural-the-good-the-bad-and-the-wayward.html

0 Comments