‘Supernatural’s Top 15 Celestials, From Ruby to Castiel (PHOTOS)
Hey, SPN Family! This is an excerpt from TV Guide Magazine’s special issue, Supernatural Forever! Grab it on newsstands now through August 16, 2021, or order it internationally at SupernaturalSpecial.com for a ton of incredible pics of the boys, a pull-out poster, and the full scoop on all 15 seasons of the demon-hunting hit!
Whether they were good, evil or somewhere in between, we rated our favorite angels, demons, and other spirited beings from Supernatural‘s 15-season run.
Scroll down for our picks for the Top 15 celestials, from Ruby and Lilith to Jack and Castiel!
15. Lilith (Katherine Boecher)
The world’s first demon (played most memorably by Boecher) was consistently one step ahead when she took control of Prince of Hell Azazel’s (Fredric Lehne) army in Season 3 and tasked them with breaking the 66 seals needed to free Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino). That evil plan aside, our beef grew personal when she sent Dean (Jensen Ackles) to Hell to be tortured. And her signature move of possessing little girls? Extra creepy!
14. Metatron (Curtis Armstrong)
When the Scribe of God, Metatron, arrived in Season 8, he seemed a modest fellow. We didn’t know how quickly the truly arrogant angel would screw everyone over! He wreaked chaos by tricking Castiel (Misha Collins) into helping him expel all the angels from heaven, and scheming to take over as God. We couldn’t wait for him to bite the dust, even if he finally did so with honor.
13. Azazel (Fredric Lehne)
The yellow-eyed demon does inspire a sort of nostalgia for being the big bad of Seasons 1 and 2. Azazel’s plan to unleash Lucifer was what set widower John Winchester (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), father of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean, on the path of being a hunter and kicked off the series. But while we’re grateful for the catalyst, we’re still angry at him for all the harm he did to the family — which is why he’s lower down on this list.
12. Ruby (Genevieve Cortese Padalecki)
When Ruby initially appeared in Season 3 (played by Katie Cassidy) and tried to convince the brothers that she was on their side, she fooled us. We should’ve known never to trust a demon: Ruby was a double agent for Lilith the whole time! We dinged her for getting Sam hooked on demon blood — gross! — but gave her points for bringing everyone’s favorite demon-killing knife to the party.
11. Balthazar (Sebastian Roché)
Unlike most angels, Balthazar was a mocking, self-serving rascal, and we adored him for it. He was always up to something, like un-sinking the Titanic! A fan of free will, Balthazar aided Castiel in his war against Raphael (played by Demore Barnes and Lanette Ware) in Season 6, but his loyalty waned when he learned of Castiel’s insane plan to open Purgatory. For all of his selfishness, he made the sacrifice play in the end. A legend.
10. Death (Julian Richings)
Considering his job, Death was actually a decent guy. He aided the Winchester bros. in a few jams, like helping to stop the Apocalypse and giving Sam his soul back. The horseman’s dry humor, sage advice and love of good food made him a joy to have onscreen. We still think it was mighty uncool of Dean to betray him like that after summoning him for help with the Mark of Cain in the Season 10 finale.
9. Amara/The Darkness (Emily Swallow)
Showdowns with a season’s big bad usually end bloody with horrible consequences. Season 11, with God’s sister Amara, was the first time we considered there could be a different way for the story to go. Despite her wish for nothingness and to get her revenge on her brother, Amara was able to grow as a person and see that God’s creations are beautiful. It’s that realization that eventually spurred her to side with the Winchesters against God to protect the universe. Respect.
8. Meg Masters (Rachel Miner)
One of the first demons to appear on the show in Season 1 (played then by Nicki Aycox), the sarcastic and witty Meg caused chaos as she served Azazel and then Lucifer. Over time, Meg became a more complex character, showing the capacity to care for others, proving she could be a valuable ally and stealing our hearts with her devotion and love for Castiel, her “unicorn.”
7. Gabriel (Richard Speight Jr.)
The Trickster, Loki…this archangel with family issues and a love of sweets wore many hats and was responsible for some of the series’ best concept episodes, including the Groundhog Day–style hour in which Dean repeatedly died and the one that trapped the Winchesters in a TV land. A master of illusion, Gabriel had many onscreen deaths, which were usually just another trick. Was his final death in Season 13 even real? Who knows!
6. Billie (Lisa Berry)
A take-no-prisoners reaper who made a leather jacket look good, Billie was especially peeved that Sam and Dean came back to life so many times. While she grew to appreciate the Winchesters after becoming Death in Season 13 (and occasionally bent the rules for them), her belief that what’s dead should stay dead led to her downfall when Team Free Will discovered her plans to become God and restore the natural order.
5. God/Chuck (Rob Benedict)
When we thought Chuck was just a prophet, we were pretty fond of the pathetic but sweet and nerdy author. Once we learned in Season 11 that he’s God…not so much! The only thing worse than the apathetic ruler’s refusal to help people was his decision to actually take action — to try to wipe out the universe and start fresh. In a series where angels were bad guys, God being the ultimate villain felt inevitable (and epic).
4. Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino)
Taunting and manipulative, the Devil lived up to his name when we met him in Season 5. The archangel with daddy issues aimed to eradicate mankind to spite God for choosing us over him. A constant thorn in the Winchesters’ sides, Lucifer was the character we loved to hate. Getting in Sam’s head, possessing Castiel, trying to take over Heaven or Hell — he drove us nuts, in the best way.
3. Crowley (Mark A. Sheppard)
The sly King of the Crossroads and later King of Hell was often the lesser of evils, leading him as early as Season 5 to frequently ally with the Winchesters. He was always out for his own interests, but it was fun seeing what crazy new scheme Crowley would drum up next. And we never could stop chuckling at his bromance with Dean. Perhaps it’s why he was one of the Top 5 longest-running characters on the show.
2. Jack Alexander (Calvert)
He may be Lucifer’s kid, but to our great surprise, when we got to know him in Season 13, Jack wasn’t evil. Instead, he wanted to be good, and Sam, Dean and Cass became like fathers to him. Watching his relationship with each of them grow was heartwarming. We’re still kind of skeptical that someone could be good at being God (it seems like a no-win job), but if anyone has a shot, it’s probably Jack.
1. Castiel (Misha Collins)
Where to begin with this angel in a trench coat? Castiel was hardly the most high-ranking or powerful angel (on the contrary, he’s a grunt). Yet he made himself important when he joined Team Free Will to stop the Apocalypse in Season 5. He didn’t always make the best choices (opening Purgatory is a particularly bad one!), but he fiercely loved Sam and Dean and never stopped fighting for them or the world. And that’s why we’ll never stop loving him.
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