Summary
- The Demonic Tree is an iconic and dangerous Deadite that wreaks havoc in multiple Evil Dead films.
- Cougie, the possessed high school mascot, is a deadly and monstrous Deadite that terrorizes Elk Grove.
- Evil Ash, the main antagonist of Army of Darkness, is the most powerful Deadite, commanding an army of demons.
Deadites are some of the most iconic movie monsters of all time, and here are 10 of the Evil Dead franchise's most powerful Deadites, ranked. The Deadites are a band of comedic yet immensely dangerous villains that franchise protagonists Ash, Mia, and Beth are tasked with taking down across the various Evil Dead movies and TV shows. Although they have all made it out alive so far, the demon-hunting heroes have faced off against some pretty powerful foes during the franchise's run. These 10 Deadites are some of the most powerful from the Evil Dead franchise, and here is who they are and what makes them so threatening.
Starting with 1981's classic The Evil Dead, Sam Raimi's beloved horror franchise has become a household name, with 2023's Evil Dead Rise carrying on the series' legacy more than forty years after Evil Dead's inception. Although a lot has changed over this extensive run, one thing has remained the same: the villainous Deadites. Deadites have been the main threat in every Evil Dead project so far, with the demonic entities coming in all shapes and sizes. While there are tons of demons in the Evil Dead movies, Deadites are specifically demons that possess living hosts. These 10 Deadites are not only iconic, but immensely dangerous.
10 Demonic Tree
The Demonic Tree is one of the most iconic and infamous Deadites in the Evil Dead franchise, with it appearing in The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Evil Dead 2013, and Ash vs. Evil Dead season 2. The Demonic Tree perpetrated vicious and disgusting attacks on Cheryl Williams and Bobby Joe, and although the plant is mostly stationary, its powerful reign over the forest makes it a force to be reckoned with.
9 Cougie
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Cougie is the mascot of the local high school in Elk Grove, Michigan, with the adorable cougar costume cheering on athletes at various games. However, Cougie becomes significantly less adorable when the student inside the costume becomes possessed by a Deadite, with the mascot becoming a sharp-toothed blood-dripping monstrosity. Cougie is incredibly dangerous and most likely could have wiped out the entirety of Elk Grove's high school if it weren't for the intervention of Kelly and Dalton, who managed to bring the cougar's carnage to an end.
Related: 10 Most Brutal Evil Dead Deaths In The Franchise
8 Linda
Linda is one of Ash's college friends who appears in both Evil Dead and Evil Dead II. Ash seemingly kills Linda by beheading her in The Evil Dead, but her disembodied head manages to come back for revenge in Evil Dead II. Linda is also the Deadite who introduces Ash to his iconic chainsaw, meaning that, while she is deadly, she managed to bring Ash to the weapon that he uses to kill countless Deadites throughout the franchise. Linda's disembodied head appears again in Ash vs. Evil Dead, proving that her evil spirit is still out there somewhere.
7 Cheryl Williams
Although there are plenty of Deadites in 1981's The Evil Dead, Cheryl Williams is undeniably the main antagonist. Cheryl is the sister of Ash, and after being attacked by the Demonic Tree, she becomes a Deadite that reigns terror on the rest of the group. Although she becomes trapped in the cellar, Cheryl breaks free, turning several other friends into Deadites. Although she is eventually defeated, Cheryl is resurrected in Ash vs. Evil Dead, with her once again turning into a Deadite and attacking Ash and his friends.
6 Mia Allen
Mia Allen is the protagonist of the 2013 Evil Dead reboot, but despite this, she is a Deadite for a significant chunk of the film. Mia seems to fill the role of Cheryl from the original film, with her spending a large portion of Evil Dead trapped in the cellar. Mia manages to turn several of her friends into Deadites, and she is only defeated by being buried alive. The Deadite is eventually exorcised from Mia, making her one of the few characters in the franchise to survive possession by a Deadite.
5 Henrietta Knowby
Henrietta Knowby is the wife of Professor Raymond Knowby, and while she may seem like nothing more than a sweet old lady, she is actually one of Evil Dead's most dangerous Deadites. Ash finds her in the basem*nt in The Evil Dead, with Knowby being a massive, grotesque monster. When Ash travels back in time in Ash vs. Evil Dead, he finds Knowby locked up in the cellar, leading to a battle with an even more powerful version of the character. Knowby is a powerful adversary as well as a skilled manipulator, making her incredibly dangerous.
4 Pablo Bolivar
As a human, Pablo Bolivar is one of the most powerful characters in the Evil Dead franchise, with his magical abilities and connection to the Necronomicon giving him all kinds of powers that Ash and the other protagonists don't possess. Because of this, Pablo's brief stint as a Deadite in Ash vs. Evil Dead cements him as one of the franchise's most powerful villains. Pablo is only able to rid himself of the Deadite with the help of El Brujo, but Pablo's time as a Deadite shows that he possesses powers that other Deadites do not.
Related: Every Evil Dead Movie Ranked By Kill Count
3 Ellie
Ellie is the main antagonist in Evil Dead Rise, with her being possessed by a Deadite and attacking her sister and her children. Ellie is far scarier than any other Evil Dead Deadite, with her supernatural and manipulative powers far exceeding those of the other demons. Ellie also has one of the highest kill counts of any Deadite, showing just how much of a threat she poses.
2 Ash's Hand
Ash Williams's hand becomes possessed during the course of Evil Dead II, causing Ash to chop it off. However, the hand continues to live without being attached to Ash, leading to some wacky fight sequences. Ash's Hand becomes one of the franchise's most frequently reoccurring villains, with it reappearing throughout Ash vs. Evil Dead. The hand is one of the few Deadites that escapes Ash Williams multiple times, and it is also able to grow an evil clone of Ash Williams, proving that it has abilities beyond human comprehension.
1 Evil Ash
While there are plenty of evil Deadites in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Ash is by far the most powerful. Evil Ash is the main antagonist in Army of Darkness, with the demonic doppelgänger leading the army of Deadites that Ash faces off against in the film. Evil Ash is a powerful foe in his own right, but his ability to command other Deadites is one of his most dangerous traits, as he could use his army to overwhelm almost anyone. Upon Evil Ash's death, the rest of the Deadites instantly die, with this marking the end of the Evil Dead franchise's most powerful Deadite.
