Top Ten Supernatural Antagonists – #5
#5 – The Trickster
I can’t explain what The Trickster did for us in just two episodes, but he became iconic. Sure, the episodes were two of the more talked about ones but still, for someone with such a deadly sense of humor, he managed to win us over. Of course, it helps when that twisted sense of mischief comes with amusing Demi-God abilities and the same love of chocolate that appeals to us sometimes hormonally challenged female viewers. Move over Q from Star Trek:TNG, this Demi-God is more fun.
The Trickster, like Count Dracula, is another one of those borderline antagonists. We question if he really uses his powers for good or evil, but no one can really mess with someone’s head in a more powerful and creative way. Often the results are downright hilarious. But as funny as a staged alien abduction complete with horrifying forced slow dance is in “Tall Tales” or the cartoonish ways that Dean meets his demise in “Mystery Spot,” the ugly woman throwing the professor out the window and the alligator in the sewer gag did resort in death. That’s a no-no according to the Winchester code of conduct.
The Trickster’s powers of illusion helped him escape death in his first Winchester encounter, but it’s in “Mystery Spot” where he moved from one dimensional villain to a mastermind with intentions that aren’t necessarily malicious. His methods, yes, but not his intentions. By targeting Sam and his fragile mindset over Dean’s imminent death, he gets payback, some good laughs, and a chance teach Sam the lesson of how harmful life can be if he doesn’t let go. Too bad the last part of the plan didn’t work. One could theorize he let the almost year long alternate reality with Sam go farther than intended to see if Sam would finally see the light. When Sam didn’t, he gave up. Stubborn Winchesters. Interesting how that parallels to when Sam wouldn’t let go of the Lilith vendetta in season four. While it hasn’t become the death of him, it hasn’t done humanity any good.
You’ve gotta love the methods to The Trickster’s madness. He’s one outrageous demi-God and one we’d love to see back. Plus, Richard Speight Jr. is a seasoned actor who knows how to put some depth into a trivial character. The Trickster could have just been some ass clown and left like that. Thankfully we got so much more.
Oh, and as a bonus, here are pictures of me and Richard Speight Jr. at the Creation Con in Cherry Hill, NJ. I’ll give you a hint, he’s not the drunken redhead.
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Love the picture, dont “look” drunk to me!!
AH! The Trickster, I would have him much higher on my list but as long as he is in there its ok by me!
He obviously has a soft spot for our boys and, even though they are on opposite sides (?), and they tried to kill him (!), AND his methods are truelly his own(!) He was trying to “help” Sam come to terms with the future.
I am sure that by his standards he was doing things the right way…just not very helpful to Sams mind frame.
SOOOO hope we see him “helping” the boys again.
Waiting eagerly to see who is next (any more photos of the non drunks to come?
Diane
There are glass half-full people and glass half-empty people and you’re obviously a glass-too-small person! Woman after my own heart …
The trickster’s brilliant but just cos he’s funny that doesn’t make him well-intentioned. I don’t think he was trying to help Sam, he knew the best way to screw him up was to give him a foretaste of his own private hell … Life without Dean. It wasn’t meant to be a tough-love life lesson, it was twisting the knife and then salting the wound for good measure!
That said I do hope he shows up again … Definitely a class act.
Hi, Alice,
First off, great photos!
I love The Trickster and dearly hope he returns in Season 5. YOu picked a great scene for in this the lesson is taught — although not learned but hey, what fun would there be then. It’s a great time between Jared and Richard. You sum it up so well, this could be a buffoon of a character but excellent casting and fabulous acting make all the difference.
Ah, yes. The Trickster. I’ve gotten several friends to start watching SPN, and each of them has said how awesome they think the Trickster was when they saw him in Tall Tales (and they haven’t even seen Mystery Spot yet!) He is most definitely a “baddie” that stands out amongst the others. However, I don’t think he is quite as nefarious as our demons or dark angels; he’s just a demi-god who wants to give people their “just desserts” and happens to love doling out said punishments in ironic and amusing ways (that is, ways that are amusing to him). And he loves chocolate. How can anyone hate a “baddie” that loves chocolate.
I do find it interesting that he chose to go after Sam in Mystery Spot. I mean, sure, Sam was ripe for the picking (what better way is there to mess with a Winchester than to send another Winchester, ahead of schedule, to do the “hell-fire rumba” downstairs?), but I found it intriguing that the Trickster chose to mess with Sam when it was Dean who actually “killed” the Trickster in Tall Tales.
I guess my take on it was that by messing with Sam, the Trickster was indirectly also messing with Dean since Sam is Dean’s weakness (that and pie… bad things always seem to happen when that boy tries to get pie)…but I digress…
Back to the point, the Trickster is Awesome (with a capital ‘A’) and makes Mystery Spot my all-time (so far) favorite episode. There are a couple of “baddies” that I would rank above him, but I’m extremely curious as to who fills the last 4 spots on your list, Alice!!
I’ve got the drum roll going for the last 4 baddies!