The Best Supernatural Villains, Ranked

Curtis Armstrong portrayed the cunning Supernatural villain Metatron, a scribe of God who sought to usurp God’s place in Heaven. Initially presented as a reclusive angel, Metatron’s true nature unfurled over time, revealing his ambitious, manipulative, and destructive character. He cleverly used his knowledge of angelic spells and his access to divine tablets to expel all angels from Heaven, effectively gaining control over it.

Metatron was not only power-hungry but also deceitful, making him a formidable adversary for Sam and Dean Winchester. Despite his cunning and angelic abilities, his fate was sealed when he was killed by Amara, the Darkness, in retribution for his betrayal, concluding his tumultuous arc on the series.

Dick Roman, masterfully played by James Patrick Stuart, emerged as a formidable Supernatural villain. As the leader of the Leviathans, ancient creatures released from Purgatory, Roman disguised himself as a wealthy businessman. His powers included invulnerability, superhuman strength, and shapeshifting, making him a unique and dangerous foe for the series’ protagonists, Sam and Dean Winchester.

Roman aimed to establish a new world order where humans were nothing more than livestock, plotting his schemes with chilling efficiency. His time ended when Dean, armed with the bone of a righteous mortal washed in the three bloods of the fallen, managed to kill him, thereby ensuring the Leviathans’ defeat.

Abaddon, a Knight of Hell, was a terrifying and powerful Supernatural villain, portrayed with chilling intensity by Alaina Huffman. Born out of the fires of Hell, Abaddon demonstrated incredible power, with abilities ranging from near invulnerability to super strength and possession. Rising from the depths in the 20th century, she sought to usurp the throne of Hell from Crowley, sowing discord and fear in her wake.

Notably, Abaddon was one of the few characters who could stand toe-to-toe with the Winchester brothers, leaving a significant mark on the show’s history. Her destructive path, however, was ended by Dean Winchester who, wielding the First Blade, finally managed to vanquish this formidable villainess.

Crowley, the charismatic King of Hell in Supernatural, was brought to life by actor Mark A. Sheppard. Originating as a crossroads demon, Crowley’s wily intelligence and resourcefulness allowed him to ascend Hell’s hierarchy. Although villainous, his nuanced character and quick wit earned him a special place among fans.

As King of Hell, Crowley demonstrated several powerful abilities, including teleportation, telekinesis, and demonic possession. His unique survival instinct saw him repeatedly switch allegiances to keep his throne. However, in a surprising twist, Crowley sacrificed himself in the season 12 finale, using his own life to seal Lucifer in an alternate universe, marking a noble end to one of the most complex Supernatural villains.

Alastair, a character depicted by both Christopher Heyerdahl and Mark Rolston, was renowned as Hell’s Grand Torturer. His character, infused with a disturbing delight in inflicting pain, played a critical role in the show’s fourth season, causing mayhem and suffering. As a high-ranking demon, Alastair possessed formidable power that surpassed standard demonic capabilities, including extraordinary strength, torture skills, and an ability to resist exorcism.

Alastair’s sadistic nature and love for chaos were key components of his character, making him a particularly dreaded Supernatural villain for Sam and Dean Winchester. His reign of terror was halted when Sam, fueled by demon blood, harnessed his psychic abilities to kill the demon, marking the end of this horrific character’s arc in the series.

Lucifer, portrayed by Mark Pellegrino, was a fallen archangel and primary villain of the show’s fifth season. Known as the original rebel against God, Lucifer possessed immense powers ranging from superhuman strength to reality manipulation. His primary objective was to instigate the apocalypse to purify Earth of humanity.

Over the course of the series, Lucifer made multiple appearances, each time plotting to regain control and reshape the world in his image. His ultimate defeat came when Sam and Dean, in a hard-fought battle, managed to trap him in an alternate universe, thereby ending the cataclysmic threat he posed. This marked a dramatic conclusion to the arc of this powerful and memorable Supernatural villain.

Played expertly by several actresses including Katie Cassidy and Rachel Miner, Lilith was a key Supernatural villain throughout the series. As the first demon created by Lucifer, she held immense power, with abilities such as invulnerability and reality warping at her disposal. She emerged as a central antagonist in the show’s third and fourth seasons, notorious for breaking the 66 seals required to free Lucifer, setting the stage for the apocalypse.

Despite her seemingly innocent physical manifestations, Lilith embodied evil, leaving a wake of destruction wherever she went. She was ultimately killed by Sam Winchester, an act which ironically resulted in the release of Lucifer, thus maintaining her impactful presence in the series narrative.

Azazel, often referred to as the Yellow-Eyed Demon, was a crucial Supernatural villain masterfully portrayed by Fredric Lehne. As a Prince of Hell, Azazel possessed a host of demonic powers, including superhuman strength, telekinesis, and possession. His malevolent actions, such as killing Sam and Dean Winchester’s mother, kick-started the brothers’ lifelong battle against supernatural entities.

Azazel’s primary aim was to find a special child to open the gates of Hell, leading to the unleashing of the apocalypse. Despite his being one of the most powerful antagonists in the series, he was destroyed in the the show’s second season finale when Dean Winchester killed him using the legendary gun, the Colt, marking a pivotal moment in the series.