The Most Powerful 'Evil Dead' Deadites, Ranked
The Evil Dead Burn teaser trailer confirms that deadites are back and more horrifying than ever. The franchise's mainstay demons are what make Evil Dead so unique. Snap-of-the-finger possessions followed by gross transformations, ample supernatural powers, and expert deception skills go a long way in making deadites feel unbeatable. (And for the most part, they are, unless your name is Ash Williams.)
With Evil Dead Burn set to release on July 10, 2026, it's the perfect excuse to revisit the franchise and see how its deadites stack up. Here are the best Evil Dead deadites, ranked by how powerful they are. Watch their movies on Prime Video, Plex, and more.
7. Pit Witch - Army of Darkness (1992)
The Pit Witch features in one of Army of Darkness' most memorable early scenes. After Lord Arthur throws Ash into the pit, he has a slapstick-esque encounter with the Pit Witch before showing her the sharp end of his chainsaw.
The Pit Witch is memorable, but she's not necessarily anything special when it comes to deadites, which is why she earns the last spot here. Although, it's not often that you get to see a witch do acrobatics. For that reason, the Pit Witch gets consolation points from me.
6. Mia - Evil Dead (2013)
When it comes to sheer scariness, Mia definitely ranks toward the top. However, if we're talking about powers, Mia sits closer to the bottom. Still, her storyline is quite unique. Her fateful trip to the cabin in the woods already starts with tension, with her brother and friends not entirely convinced of her sobriety. As a result, her slower deadite transformation gets overlooked as a relapse.
Mia evokes the same tactics as many of the other deadites on this list, particularly deception and manipulation. By the conclusion of 2013's Evil Dead, she becomes unpossessed, making her one of the very few to have survived a deadite takeover. After, we get to see her go from antagonist to hero.
5. Ellie - Evil Dead Rise (2023)
While Evil Dead Rise maintains the franchise's dark humor, it also takes a more gritty approach to the material. Case in point: Ellie. This struggling single mom has a much slower possession than what's previously appeared in the series. When she does fully turn, she shares most of the traits as the other deadites on this list: strength, manipulation, and just overall grossness.
Her attempt to kill and possess her kids makes her one of the most unsettling deadites, but it's what happens in Evil Dead Rise's final moments that truly makes her stand out. Ellie fuses with her kids, Bridget and Danny, to become The Marauder, aka multi-limbed nightmare fuel. It doesn't necessarily make her more powerful, but it makes her more terrifying, which is why she sits in the middle of this ranking.
4. Cheryl - The Evil Dead (1981)
Ellie might have the higher kill count, but Cheryl is an absolute menace in The Evil Dead. Not only is her card-counting possession scene iconic, but she also puts Ash and his friends through the wringer. Levitating. Voice manipulation. Super strength. Unhinged violence. You name it, and Cheryl does it.
Even when confined in the cellar, she continues to torment Ash and eventually breaks free to wreak more havoc. Like Linda (mentioned later on the list), her deeper connection to Ash makes her deadite transformation all the more tragic. Cheryl returns in Ash vs Evil Dead (2015), dumping more trauma on Ash as he realizes that even time travel can't prevent his sister's deadite possession and death.
3. Evil Ash - Army of Darkness (1992)
Evil Ash is the demonic doppelganger of Bruce Campbell's hero that reigns as the big bad in Army of Darkness. Matching Ash in quipiness, but far surpassing him in sadism, Evil Ash's power primarily comes from the army of undead skeletons at his disposal. For this reason, he ranks just above the top two.
Still, Evil Ash not only rocks a cool set of armor, but he also has the deadites' trademark super strength. That certainly counts for something; however, it's really his battle prowess and smarts that elevate him above some of the other deadites on this list.
2. Henrietta - Evil Dead II (1987)
When it comes to the Evil Dead franchise, Henrietta ranks as one of the most iconic deadites. She also happens to be one of the most powerful. Once the wife of Raymond Knowby, the former owner of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, Henrietta lurks beneath the cabin and causes quite the predicament for Ash and his friends.
From levitating, shapeshifting, and super strength, Henrietta is a powerful deadite who knows how to sling around catchphrases like the best of them. When she's not threatening to "swallow souls," she's scaring the bejeezus out of Ash and making quite the ruckus in the fruit cellar. She also makes a fun return in the Season 2 finale of Ash vs. Evil Dead.
1. Linda - Evil Dead II (1987)
Ash's girlfriend and fellow S-Mart employee, Linda, makes an appearance in every Evil Dead entry featuring Bruce Campbell's Ash Williams, although she's played by a different actress each time. However, Linda's most memorable deadite transformation occurs in Evil Dead II, when she rises from the grave, attacks Ash, and puts on a bizarre dance number in the process.
Deadite Linda is incredibly strong. She survives decapitation and takes immense pleasure in tormenting Ash by switching between her possessed and "non-possessed" self. Perhaps her biggest strength is this exact type of manipulation. Deadite Linda puts Ash through a special kind of hell, and his prior bond with her often makes him falter when it comes time to put her down. For this reason, she earns the top spot because she is the hardest deadite for Ash to conquer.
Honorable Mention: The Deadites in Creepshow's 'Public Television of the Dead'
If you love Evil Dead's sense of campy gore, you'll adore Creepshow's homage in "Public Television of the Dead." The Season 2 episode takes place in a public broadcast TV station, à la PBS, where a spoof of Antiques Roadshow (1997) sees an unknowing host unleash evil on the station after reading from the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis.
What follows is a fun, cheesy, deadite takeover that culminates in a Bob Ross-esque character becoming this universe's Ash Williams. Technically, "Public Television of the Dead" isn't canon, but considering Ted Raimi kicks off the entire possession takeover, I like to pretend it is. The deadites here are scary, strong, and as quippy as ever. If you love Evil Dead, don't miss this one.
