“Supernatural” may have a leading cast of all men, but viewers would be remiss to overlook the strong female supporting cast. “Supernatural” wouldn’t be “Supernatural” without the women that make appearances along the way. The road so far is not just a road with men, and I think that some people forget about that.
*Spoilers below*
Badass on and off screen, the women of “Supernatural” are forces to be reckoned with. Starting with two of my personal favorites: Sheriff Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes) and Sheriff Donna Hanscum (Briana Buckmaster). Donna is an absolute ray of sunshine. Her boorish ex-husband insults her, she brushes it off with a smile. She finds out monsters exist and has to chop off one of their heads to save the day, she smiles, yet again. She’s blessed with immutable positivity that adds a bright spot to the violence and tragedy of the show. Is she the best? You betcha!
Jody, bereft of her late husband and son, shows unwavering strength and fearlessness as she helps Sam and Dean hunt dangerous creatures. Her motherly instincts lead her to look out for the boys (sometimes using her "mom voice") and to build a new family, taking in two tough teens, Claire Novak (Kathryn Newton) and Alex Jones (Katherine Ramdeen). That resilience is a trait viewers can look up to and admire. (And she apparently makes a mean bowl of chowder, so that's a bonus!)
*she says fondly*
Speaking of resilience, Claire, Alex, and Krissy Chambers (Madison McLaughlin) also fit the bill. All three lost their families at young ages, forcing them to have to grow thick skin and learn how to defend themselves against all flavors of supernatural-crazy. The are basically female warriors who still have to deal with high school and normal teen drama, whilst battling the inexplicable. I mean, come on, how does one not marvel at such a strong-willed group?
Jody with Claire and Alex
Krissy doesn't mess around!
Charlie Bradbury (Felicia Day). Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. It's impossible not to fall in love with Charlie as a spunky, highly-intelligent character. She was a computer genius and a loyal friend to the boys--more like a little sister than just a friend. (It pains me to have to use past tense, but it wouldn't be "Supernatural" without heartbreaking deaths.) She sacrificed her safety time and time again to help Sam and Dean, eventually sacrificing her own life. She was a doting daughter and, as the cherry on top, she was a total awesome, nerd, who loved fan conventions and cosplay and fandom references. I think more than a few fans can relate to her passion when it comes to certain fictional worlds.
Rowena (Ruth Connell) and Amara (Emily Swallow) are heroic villains, if such a thing can exist. They are both immensely powerful and do cause a great deal of death and destruction, but they also join the good guys on occasion. Rowena, sassy and flirtatious (when it comes to the devil), should not be underestimated. Though she typically doesn’t have the purest of motives when helping the boys, she works her magic like the pro she is and doesn't let people get away with betrayal. Amara starts out as wicked, but also misunderstood, her evil streak stemming from an honest place (which I know sounds contradictory). She ends up saving the world and Dean, and resurrects Mary Winchester. (Thanks for that, Amara!) The pair even play buddy-buddy for a bit, until Rowena decides to switch sides.
Ruby (Katie Cassidy and Genevieve Padalecki), Abaddon (Alaina Huffman), and Meg (Nicki Aycox and Rachel Miner) are three other female villains, though their walks on the light side were either nonexistent (Ruby and Abaddon) or minimal (Meg started to turn a new leaf before her death). But not all characters are supposed to be wholesome and good, you wouldn’t have much of a TV show if that was the case. These are three great, fierce female villains that were invaluable to “Supernatural,” and again exemplify just how powerful and unstoppable women can be.
Ruby (both actresses)
The ever-charming Abaddon
Meg (both actresses)
Although Mary Winchester (Samantha Smith and Amy Gumenick), died in the first episode, she cannot be forgotten. (And she’s returning for next season! Yay!) From the flashbacks shown in various episodes, viewers can get a real sense of the loving, caring mother she was and also of the daring and expert hunter she was before she gave birth to her sons. She could teach the boys a thing or two (and hopefully will soon).
Young Mary and Present Mary (Perfect casting, right?)
Lastly, we’ve got to salute two women from way back when, Ellen (Samantha Ferris) and Jo (Alona Tal). The beloved mother and daughter duo were stalwart fighters and they died doing just that, in a selfless attempt to help stop the Apocalypse.
Not every single female character from the show is mentioned above (for the sake of your time--it would take ages for you to read about all of the show's fantastic females), but I think those I have listed are surely enough to prove just how integral women are to “Supernatural.” They epitomize tenacity and determination, and they never back down from a challenge. Ladies, take notes (excluding the killing and malicious scheming).
