The Evil Dead Main Characters, Ranked By Likability | ScreenRant
The Evil Dead franchise makes its triumphant return later this year with Evil Dead Rise. With the film set to take place in Los Angeles and focusing on two sisters, it seems this new entry will offer fans something they’ve never seen before in the series. However, while the setting and characters themselves may be changing, understandably the audience hopes the quality of the characters themselves remains the same.
One of the strengths of the Evil Dead franchise has always been its characters. Without them, it's doubtful the series would have lasted as long as it has or, at the very least, maintained its level of quality throughout four films, one of which being a remake, and a sequel television series. But who are the best of the best?
10 Annie Knowby (Evil Dead II)
One of the downsides in horror is how many characters lack intelligence, usually for the plot’s sake. That's not the case with Annie Knowby of Sam Raimi's best horror movie, Evil Dead II, though. The daughter of Dr. Knowby, the man who discovered the Necronomicon, Annie becomes Ash’s primary ally once she (quickly) figures out what’s been going on in the cabin.
Annie is not only book smart, but wise enough to see that this strange man in her family’s cabin is actually telling the truth. Standing out from the rest of the new cast, she provides a lot of help to Ash, and it’s a genuine shame she doesn’t live past dawn (though, that's par for the course for many characters in this series).
9 Cheryl Williams (The Evil Dead, Ash Vs Evil Dead)
Having the distinct honor of being both Ash’s sister as well as the first person to turn deadite in the franchise earns Cheryl a spot despite not having much screen time initially. Though she suffers through some of the most horrific things in the franchise, it’s easy enough even before then to care about her.
It seems that care extended to the creators too, as actress Ellen Sandweiss made a return as a ghost in Ash vs. Evil Dead. Her loss clearly haunts Ash, their father Brock Williams, and their hometown Elk Grove, and it was great to see Sandweiss herself reprise the role rather than Cheryl be recast.
8 Linda (The Evil Dead)
Speaking of deaths that still haunt Ash, here’s Linda, Ash’s girlfriend from the initially X-rated The Evil Dead. Their relationship is actually rather sweet, even when replicated in the subsequent two movies, as Ash gives her a necklace to tell her he loves her, and Linda’s worrying over Cheryl when Cheryl seems to be in dire straits.
The meat of her likability comes mainly from the first film as viewers get to spend more time with her. Much of her charm comes from Betsy Baker’s excellent performance, both as a human as well as a deadite. While she does make a return in every entry after to some extent, none of them hold a candle to the original.
7 Mia Allen (Evil Dead 2013)
Heading maybe the best horror remake ever produced, Mia, played by Jane Levy, is taken to the traditional cabin in the woods by her brother and friends to help her detox before checking into rehab. However, before long she takes the Cheryl Williams route and becomes the first to succumb to the evil.
Thankfully though, she doesn’t suffer Cheryl’s ultimate fate. She claws her way through her possession to reclaim a hold on herself and becomes the final girl, inverting the original. Her likability comes from her position in the beginning, that of a sweet young woman who just needs help, her strength in fighting through the evil in the woods, and just for being involved with such a miracle of a remake in the first place, given how much of the original Evil Dead trilogy still holds up today.
6 Brandy Barr (Ash Vs Evil Dead)
The long-lost daughter of Ash, Brandy appears in the third and final season of Ash vs Evil Dead, shaking up the dynamic of the core team. While she initially has her issues with her newfound father, as well as issues adjusting to the existence of the supernatural, she becomes a valuable deadite slayer in her own right as she embraces her heritage.
Like Mia, there were many reasons Brandy shouldn’t have worked. Introducing long-lost family members out of nowhere is often a recipe for disaster, but both Sam Raimi and actress Arielle Carver-O’Neill craft a character that becomes an absolute joy to watch as she slowly but surely slips into Ash’s vocabulary and mannerisms, all while ultimately being a far better person.
5 Evil Ash (Army of Darkness)
The main antagonist of the best Bruce Campbell horror movie, Army of Darkness, Evil Ash is a twisted homunculus of a deadite created by the evil’s influence on a mirror holding Ash’s reflection. Initially appearing as a carbon copy of Ash (the only difference being Bruce Campbell cranking the camp levels up to eleven), throughout the movie his skin deteriorates until he’s leading the titular Army of Darkness.
All of the deadites, while creepy and terrifying, are also demonically fun and campy throughout the entire series, but none of them steal the show quite like Evil Ash. It’s clear that, while Ash himself is not entirely a white knight of a character, Campbell is having the time of his life as a purebred baddie, making it impossible not to love him, even if he is trying to destroy civilization.
4 “Ruby” (Ash Vs Evil Dead)
“Ruby,” as she so calls herself, initially presents herself in the guise of Ruby Knowby, the daughter of Dr. Knowby and Annie’s sister, out for revenge against Ash. In truth though, she’s one of the Dark Ones, and the one who wrote the Necronomicon. Throughout the series, she switches alliances and even timelines with Ash, but her likability never diminishes.
And exactly where does that likability come from? Lucy Lawless, of course. Ruby had the capability of being an otherwise generic villain, but Lawless’ portrayal breathes an abundance of life and charisma in the character. Be it villain, anti-hero, or extra villain, Ruby was a much-welcomed addition to the Evil Dead lore, and it was in the show's favor that she appeared in all three seasons.
3 Pablo Simon Bolivar (Ash Vs Evil Dead)
The dollar-store Robin to Ash’s dollar-store Batman, Pablo joins Ash to undo the evils of the Necronomicon. Aside from having seen deadites with his own eyes, Pablo was raised on legends and lore surrounding the evil creatures, and is quick to catch up to Ash’s speed, especially since he believes Ash is the mythological figure El Jefe.
The AvED characters get somewhat of an unfair advantage as they are given more time to develop. Pablo begins the series as a total nerd, making him endearing enough, but the relationship and dynamic he cultivates with Ash and Kelly develops him into a competent hero, making him all the more likable the stronger he gets. Aside from that, with his hair and mustache, how could anyone dislike him?
2 Kelly Maxwell (Ash vs Evil Dead)
Kelly begins as Ash and Pablo’s coworker at ValueStop, the three only knowing each other in passing. She’s soon roped into Ash’s misadventures after her family is killed by deadites and becomes bloodthirsty for revenge against them. She’s also, it must be said, the most competent of the main trio by a mile.
Kelly’s the backbone of Ash’s team, balancing the naivety of Pablo and the cynical buffoonery of Ash. Furthermore, she manages to do so while being exceedingly likable. Such characters can often make audiences turn against them, but it’s the writing for Kelly, as well as Dana DeLorenzo’s performance, that save her from this fate, earning her such a high spot.
1 Ash Williams (The Evil Dead Franchise)
Hail to the king, baby. Who else was gonna take the top spot? Ash Williams begins the series as the strait-laced sole survivor, inverting the final girl trope, but becomes more and more wild and egomaniacal with each installment. Whether this is a result of his trauma or Raimi and Bruce Campbell just wanting to switch things up is anyone’s guess.
Ash’s likability arguably isn’t granted to him until Evil Dead II, but he still shines in the first film, given his endearing relationships with his girlfriend and sister. However, from II onwards, Evil Dead becomes the Ash show, as Campbell provides a ton of heavy-lifting with iconic solo performances until he evolves into a mentor figure in AvED. It’s always a blast to see Ash on screen, and his top placement was never in doubt.