WhileSupernaturalis not exactly a horror series, the American show contained many monsters that seriously gave me nightmares. Debuting in 2005,Supernaturalhas gone through some big changes throughout its 15 seasons, moving away from its original “monster of the week” format and into a long-lasting show about two brothers against the world, asSam and Dean Winchester spent 15 years and over 300 episodes saving people and hunting things. However, whileSupernaturaloften focuses on the drama element of its genre, with the Winchesters having to navigate life on the road, there have been somescarySupernaturalepisodes.
Supernaturalfeatures a multitude of monsters for the Winchesters to hunt, from ghosts to demons and even gods, but one of the scariest beings in the show is no doubt humans. Episodes such as “The Benders” and “Family Remains” have the creepiest concepts due to their personal nature and are one of thethings I miss most aboutSupernatural. Therefore,Supernatural’smonsters must work harder to appear more terrifying than the sinister humans, as well as other monsters. As a result,Supernaturalhas produced some of the most terrifying monsters over the years, with some being pure nightmare fuel.
10Rakshasa
This Monster Is A Coulrophobic’s Nightmare
The rakshasa is one ofSupernatural’smost powerful creatures,yet has only appeared in one episode throughout the show’s15 seasons. This is because the monster only eats once every few decades, meaningthe rakshasa is an extremely rare monster for the Winchester brothers to encounter.Supernaturalseason 2, episode 2, “Everybody Loves a Clown” was an important episode in the show as it introduced the rakshasa, as well as the Roadhouse’s key characters (Ash, Ellen, and Jo) and Sam’s infamous phobia of clowns.
Sam: “At least I’m not afraid of flying.”
Dean: “Planes crash!”
Sam: “And apparently clowns kill!”
Rakshasas are creatures from Hindu mythology who eat human flesh and have the ability to shapeshift. In “Everybody Loves a Clown,” the rakshasa disguises itself as a clown and chases the brothers into a funhouse, where it turns invisible and starts throwing knives at Sam and Dean. For anyone afraid of clowns, the rakshasa in this episode is already nightmare material due to its disguise, however,its Grinch-like grin and super strength, speed and invulnerability make the rakshasa utterly terrifyingfor me. Thankfully, this monster needs to be invited in before it can kill you.
9Pishtaco
Sam And Dean Have A Hellish Spa Day
Pishtacos are fat-sucking creatures indigenous to Peru, making them rare in the United States. The Winchesters only encounter this monster once inSupernaturalseason 9, episode 13, “The Purge,” in which they first meet Donna Hanscum in a spa, who explains that she has lost 10 pounds in one session. Pishtacos are not necessarily deadly, as the ones in the day spa feed conservatively on human fat in order to remain under the radar. However, one of the pishtacos goes rogue and sucks all the fat out of a few humans until they die.
“The Purge” is the first episode to introduce a new monster sinceSupernaturalseason 7’s “Party On, Garth.”
While the episode is rather light-hearted, especially when Dean calls the creatures “fish tacos,” pishtacos are actually quite scary. They look like any other human until they feed, as their eyes roll back, and a horrible sucking appendage emerges from their mouths to feed on the humans.The pishtaco is one ofSupernatural’struly disgusting monsters, but what makes it truly unnerving is the intimacy of a strange being unknowingly feeding on you until you are skin and bones.
8Shapeshifter
Identity Theft Is No Joke In Supernatural
Shapeshifters (aka shifters) are one of the smartest monsters inSupernaturaland have appeared quite a few times throughout the show. Shifters join vampires and ghosts among the most popular creatures that the Winchesters hunt, andDean has been mimicked by shifters three times. The monster was first introduced in season 1, episode 6, “Skin,” where the Winchesters investigate a shapeshifter that has mimicked the brother of Sam’s college friend and killed his girlfriend. Later in the episode, the shifter also mimics Dean, causing him to become a murder suspect.
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Supernatural’sshapeshifters are not particularly scary in appearance as they simply mimic their human target, but they have one trick which is horrifying to see. Although their ability to steal someone’s identity without anyone knowing is quite worrying,shapeshifters' most terrifying quality comes from their transformation process, as they literally shed their skin to change form, leaving behind a pile of gore which honestly haunts me. The body horror element ofSupernatural’sshapeshifters alongside their habit of dwelling in sewers makes them one of the more terrifying monsters.
7Leviathan
Season 7’s Monster Was A Letdown
Appearing as a strange black goo, leviathans lack a solid form and are one of the fewSupernaturalmonsters that require a body to possess. People possessed by leviathans are humanoid in appearance, despite their black blood and huge hidden mouths, however, what makes leviathans so scary to me is their history.Leviathans are a race of primordial monsters from purgatorywhich are first seen inSupernaturalseason 7, episode 1, “Meet the New Boss,” when they take possession of Castiel. As one of God’s first creations, leviathans are older than angels and were locked away for being too destructive.
Upon possessing Dick Roman in season 7, the leviathans manipulated and sedated humans across America, essentially turning them into mindless cattle.
Upon possessing Dick Roman in season 7, the leviathans manipulated and sedated humans across America, essentially turning them into mindless cattle.The leviathans are arguably one of the most powerful monsters inSupernatural, especially as they were able to possess the angel Castiel. This should also make them the scariest but, unfortunately, they are seriously let down for me by their character design and apparent weakness to Borax.
6Changeling
Creepy Children Are A Supernatural Staple
Changelings are like a hybrid of shifters and pishtacos, as they appear humanoid until their true nature is revealed in reflections, and they feed on human synovial fluid. Originating in European folklore, changelings are creatures that secretly replace a human child. Their first and only appearance inSupernaturalis in season 3, episode 2, “The Kids Are Alright,” in which the brothers encounter the changelings on a visit to Dean’s previous girlfriend, when her son, Ben Braeden, suddenly goes missing.
Child monsters are not uncommon inSupernaturalas there are many ghost children that the Winchesters must put to rest, however, changelings are the scariest. As their primary food source,changelings are very protective of their mothers and innocent child-like actions are turned into a threat. Due to their elusive nature, changelings can also send mothers into hysteria for doubting whether their own child is really theirs. Parents have long been spooked by their children appearing in their bedroom at night, so the idea of an inhuman impostor taking their place to feed on you is the stuff of nightmares.
5Siren
The Shapeshifting Monsters Differ From Mythology
Most notably known in Greek mythology as beautiful women that lure sailors to their deaths,Supernaturalreinvents the idea of sirens in season 4, episode 14, “Sex and Violence.”Supernatural’ssirens influence humans by infecting them with venom which acts as a sort of love potionand causes the target to do anything for them, regardless of beliefs or even morals. In the episode, Sam and Dean encounter the same siren in different forms, which manipulates them into attacking each other. Interestingly, sirens were supposed to be one of the monster families inSupernatural’sproposed spinoff TV series,Bloodlines.
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Sirens are rare to be seen outside of Greece, so it’s not surprising the Winchesters only encounter one throughout the entirety ofSupernatural. I am also glad to have not seen any more of them, as the sirens are utterly terrifying. A siren’s true form can be seen in mirrors, much like a wraith, and consists of a pale, hairless, and vaguely gaunt humanoid with an inhuman mouth. Besides its appearance,the most horrifying aspect of sirens is that they use telepathy to manipulate youinto performing atrocious acts simply for their own pleasure, rather than to feed.
4Shtriga
Supernatural Plays Into Childhood Fears
A shtriga is an Albanian witch who feeds on the lifeforce of children, and the monster first appears inSupernatural,season 1, episode 18, “Something Wicked.”The shtriga’s appearance is of a deformed humanoid woman with pale skin and black eyes, but it disguises itself as a trusted human in the local community. Shown through flashbacks, Sam and Dean encounter this particular shtriga twice in their lives, once when they were children and again as adults, although the shtriga only appears in this one episode.
The title of the episode “Something Wicked” is a reference to Shakespeare’sMacbeth, in which a witch says, “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.”
In a strange cross between a ghost, shapeshifter, and changeling, the shtriga hosts a variety of different abilities. They are difficult to kill and can only be harmed by consecrated iron, are able to move at speed and host super strength, can cause electromagnetic interference, andshtrigas are one of the fewSupernaturalmonsters with the ability to feed on a person’s life force. While not nearly as powerful as other soul absorbers, the shtriga scared me particularly because it plays into the childhood fears of a monster tapping on your window and looming over your bed.
3Bloody Mary
This Urban Legend Makes Multiple Appearances
As one of the most classic childhood myths,Bloody Mary makes an appearance inSupernaturalseason 1’s episode of the same name, as well as season 14’s “Moriah” and season 15’s “Back and to the Future.” Bloody Mary is an urban legend which says that anyone who chants her name three times in a mirror will summon her, and she will harm you in some way. The lore varies depending on location and the true origin of the myth is unknown.
Season 1, episode 5, “Bloody Mary”
Season 14, episode 20, “Moriah”
Season 15, episode 1, “Back and to the Future”
However,Supernaturalestablishes that Bloody Mary was a young girl who was murdered and had her eyes cut out in front of a mirror, leading her to become a vengeful spirit that can be summoned into reflections. Sam and Dean even fall victim to her wrath in season 1, causing their eyes to start bleeding, butthe scariest aspect of Bloody Mary inSupernaturalis that her appearance is based on the horror film,The Ring.Bloody Mary’s unnatural and jolting movements paired with a childhood nightmare come to life makes her one of the scariest monsters inSupernatural.
2Hellhound
These Ferocious Invisible Beasts Once Killed Dean
Hellhounds are a unique monster inSupernaturalas they cannot be seen most of the time, and they can live for thousands of years. Sam and Dean first encounter a hellhound in season 2, episode 8, “Crossroad Blues,” which introduces them as soul collectors for crossroad demons. The fiercely loyal beasts are only visible to other supernatural creatures, although humans can see them through an object scorched by Holy Fire, which leads the Winchesters to create special hellhound glasses. The hellhounds are responsible for the deaths ofSupernatural’sunderrated characters,Jo and Ellen.
Hellhounds are one of the most recurring monsters inSupernatural, appearing in 12 episodes total.
Once a hellhound has a target, it will not stop hunting them until one of them is dead, or it is called off by its master. They are extremely intelligent yet wildly ferocious black dogs with red eyes that often have a shadow-like appearance. Hellhounds are nightmare material for me because targets are unable to see them coming, andthe hounds cause horrific hallucinations to their victims before tearing them to shreds. Even God deemed them too vicious, destroying them all except the pregnant Alpha, Ramsey, who was rescued by Lucifer.
1Kohonta
Supernatural’s Scariest Monster Revisits A Season 1 Classic
The most terrifying monster inSupernaturalfor me has to be the kohonta, which was introduced in season 14, episode 16, “Don’t Go In The Woods.” When human settlers engaged in mass cannibalism to survive, Native Americans cursed and bound them to a nearby forest with an insatiable hunger, creating the kohonta.The kohonta resembles a monstrous humanoid figure, deformed by its environment, with leathery green and decaying skin that resembles roots and is similar in origin to one ofSupernatural’sworst monsters, the wendigo. However, the kohonta was a much better iteration due toSupernatural’shigher budget.
The kohonta’s immortality and invulnerability make it similar to the shtriga, however, the addition of a xenomorph-like acid bile gives the creature a unique edge.
Aside from its twisted appearance, the kohonta also produces an eerie whistling sound, which was used presumably to warn off Native Americans when the creatures were still known to them. The kohonta’s immortality and invulnerability make it similar to the shtriga, however, the addition of a xenomorph-like acid bile gives the creature a unique edge. The reason this monster is the scariest inSupernaturalis because it resembled something fromThe Last of Us, has one of the most eerie calls, andthe kohonta has quite possibly the worst jump scare spider walk inSupernatural,which truly gave me nightmares.
Supernatural
Cast
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
