Wayward Women: A Supernatural Feature

by - September 10, 2019

Photos © The CW

It’s hard to believe that 14 years ago, the world was introduced to Sam and Dean Winchester. Supernatural has not only created quality, pop culture-changing content, but has created a family amongst its fanbase. From Etsy shops to accompanying novels and everything in between, this show has made an impact that will last far beyond its last season.

Part of the reason behind its impact is its characters - particularly its female characters. As a show that began as male-dominated character development, it has introduced a vast amount of empowering, independent, badass females that we’ve loved, lost and loathed. Here’s a list of 14 female characters that we think made a tremendous impact on Supernatural:

1. Ellen Harvelle - Harvelle’s Roadhouse was a special place for the Winchester brothers and not only provided a lot of insight on their father but gave them a chance to experience life as a hunting family, with Ellen’s loving and protective nature at the root.

2. Jo Harvelle - Speaking of the Harvelle family, Ellen’s daughter Jo played bait for more than her fair share of dangerous hunting trips and wasn’t afraid to show her emotions. Her ultimate sacrifice alongside her mother was her bravest performance of all.

3. Charlie Bradbury - Hacker, hunter, Woman of Letters, LARP Queen; Charlie Bradbury was everything this show needed. She helped take down the Leviathans in season seven, killed the Wicked Witch of the West in season nine and is absolutely the most tragic death when she is killed over the Book of the Damned in season ten. The character of Charlie opened up a whole new door for independent female characters on the show.

4. Maggie Zeddmore - The adopted sister of Ghostfacers’ Ed Zeddmore is the Velma to their Scooby Gang. She is the main researcher of the team, and dedicates much of her time to her brother’s crazy dream before deciding to commit to her own dream: roller derby.

5. Velma Dinkley - In the episode we never knew we needed, Scooby Doo’s Velma and the rest of the Scooby gang are joined by Sam, Dean and Castiel to uncover who murdered Cousin Simple. In true Velma fashion, she solved the mystery far before anyone else did… and is as obsessed with Sam’s shoulders as we are.

6. Billie The Reaper - The most unpredictable character reincarnation was hands-down Billie, who started as a reaper that Sam stumbled upon in season nine. She may have been stabbed in the back by Castiel in season twelve, but surprised us all when she returned - this time as Death herself. Her dark humor and ability to make the strongest person quiver under her watchful eye makes her both loved and feared.

7. Rowena MacLeod - While there are many, many resurrected characters on Supernatural, none have ever resurrected themselves quite like Rowena. Her impressively powerful witching skills have saved her and the Winchesters on numerous occasions, and who didn’t love the mother/son interactions with former King of Hell, Crowley.

8.  Marie - After finding out that Carver Edlund ended his Supernatural book series in an unimpressive way, Marie takes it upon herself to write her own fan fiction musical. She fearlessly performed as Sam Winchester despite the real Sam being taken by the Scarecrow during the performance, and sings a rendition of “Carry On Wayward Son” that brings everyone to tears.

9. Donna Hanscum - Minnesota’s most cheerful sheriff taught us about self-love and accepting ourselves for who we are. She showed us that it’s ok to love someone that hurt you, stand up for what you believe in and still have moments of insecurities.

10. Lisa Braeden - As much as we love watching the Winchesters saving people and hunting things, we long for them to have simple, normal lives. Dean got that opportunity in season five after putting Sam in Lucifer’s cage. She was understanding, loving and exactly who Dean needed by his side after everything that happened.

11. Missouri Moseley - The calming presence that is psychic Missouri Moseley brought one of the best storylines from season one. It was a true surprise to see her again in season thirteen, and an empowering yet devastating moment to watch her fearlessly accept her own death that she predicted. She was one of the many mother figures that helped shape Sam and Dean into who they are today.

12. Mary Winchester - Fans will never forget the moment they saw Mary Winchester trapped on the ceiling and bursting into flames. Learning her origin story throughout the seasons helped Sam and Dean cope with her loss, and reuniting with her was bittersweet. She has always been brave and loving, and became a leader to many in recent seasons.

13. Anna Milton - A fallen angel reborn into human existence, Anna had a hard time coping on Earth despite having no recollection of her past life. She was trusting, but once that trust was broken she was borderline vengeful. She was passionate about what she believed in, but so desperately wanted the companionship of her fellow angels. You either loved her or hated her, but can’t deny her importance to the Winchesters.

14. Jody Mills - The Sheriff of Sioux Falls, South Dakota is, in our opinion, the beginning of what is now an influential movement called the Wayward Sisters. This is a character who watched her son turn into a zombie and murder her husband, which is emotional enough on its own, but continue to return to the show to become a full-fledged hunter. Her open-minded, compassionate personality is just part of the reason why she’s become such a beloved character.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourteenth Season is on Blu-ray and DVD September 10, 2019.

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