Brothers Sam and Dean Winchester encountered many a foe during their journey on Supernatural. However, rarely have they encountered a foe as capable and clever as Ruby. For Sam, his relationship and interactions with Ruby are probably memories that he doesn’t want to revisit since they made him less sympathetic of a hero.
She seemed to want to help them, and over time, Sam trusted her. Even Dean trusted her a little, although he remained more wary. Throughout her time on the show, how was Ruby overrated and underrated as a character?
Overrated: Her Humanity
Ruby tells the brothers that she’s different than most demons because she actually remembers what it means to be human. She also lets Dean in on a big secret–all demons were once human. She tells him that after he’s in hell, he will also turn into a demon. In a sense, she’s being humane to tell him this because it lets him prepare. Even Anna, an angel, can sense that Ruby is different that other demons, that she’s more human.
It could be that this was all an act. However, based on Anna’s observations, it does seem that Ruby had more of her humanity. She just had enough though to cloak her demon-self. It became a mask she wore to get close to the brothers.
Underrated: Her Fighting Ability
Even without the demon-killing knife, Ruby is a great fighter. She saves Sam and Dean multiple times. It doesn’t matter which meat-suit she possesses, Ruby has skills. By being extremely strong and fearless, she can take on most enemies. Added to this, her resilience make her a formidable foe.
Ruby seems to read the room well, innovate in her fighting-approach, and win battles that are stacked against her. Some demons leave her alone, purely due to her fighting ability.
Overrated: Her Gesture of Giving Them The Demon-Knife
Ruby brings a special knife to the Winchesters, a demon-killing knife. Early in their interactions with her, this gesture stands out because she’s giving them a weapon that could kill her. The Winchesters use the knife often, and it helps save them. It’s recognized as truly unique, even Bobby had never heard of a knife that could kill demons.
However, now that the brothers are at the bunker with all the weapons and resources from the Men of Letters, Ruby’s knife doesn’t seem so impressive.
Underrated: Her Witch Background and Knowledge
When Ruby was human, she was a witch. Although she’s a demon now, she still seems to hold onto some of her witch powers, even once stopping the Impala with her mind. She encounters the demon that made her, and the demon actually seems to begrudgingly respect Ruby.
Added to this, she knows witch lore and hex bags. She teaches the Winchesters how to find hex bags and how to make them. This skill helps the brothers many a time in future seasons.
Overrated: Her Demon Ranking
Ruby is a powerful and clever demon. She still retains some of her witch powers. However, all that said, Ruby is actually a young demon of a very low rank. Honestly, both Meg (as the daughter of the yellow-eyed demon) and Crowley (as the King of Hell) have much higher ranking than Ruby. The Winchesters count on Ruby for information and seem to trust her rank without question.
More than likely, had Ruby lived once Lucifer rose, he would have killed her as someone not fitting to be in his presence.
Underrated: Her Resourceful Nature
With many demons against her, Ruby was still able to hold her own. She found the demon-killing knife that would both save her and endear her to the Winchesters. In addition, she found ways to make herself invaluable like helping Bobby fix the Colt.
This resourceful nature even extends into the most recent season. Ruby has been gone since the end of Season 4, yet Castiel has to call on her in the Empty in order to find where she hid the Occultum (an ancient artifact that transports one to Eden). She uses the Occultum for leverage and makes Castiel promise to try to resurrect her. This demon has been gone for seasons, but she’s just been waiting until she can use her final card in order to get back in the game. That’s extremely smart and resourceful.
Overrated: Her Manipulation of Dean
Although Ruby does find a way to endear herself to Dean, he’s always wary of her. She saved him from a spell, told him the truth about what would happen to him in hell, and expressed her concern for Sam’s well-being after Dean’s death. Appealing to Dean’s big-brother persona, she tells Dean that Sam isn’t as strong or tough as he is, and that she’s there to help Sam become that way so that he survives after Dean dies.
Yet, in the back of Dean’s mind, he still doesn’t trust her. Once he’s resurrected, he tells Sam that for all they know–Ruby could be working for Lilith and wanting Sam to turn into her Antichrist Superstar. Both of which were absolutely correct.
Underrated: Her Manipulation of Sam
Ruby gained control over Sam. She became someone that he trusted, that he stood up for, and that he started a sexual relationship with. When she told him that he needed more demon blood to defeat Lilith, he listened. He even once drained a nurse (possessed by a demon) under her tutelage.
She didn’t just feed him demon blood; she also fed his ego. Only he could defeat Lilith, she said. Ruby talked about his greater purpose, how he wasn’t a freak, and how he was more special and stronger than Dean.
Overrated: Her Role as An Ally
For Season 3, Ruby was an ally to the Winchesters and Bobby. She became someone whom they counted on. Although Dean was always a little wary, doubting her more in Season 4, Sam stayed steadfast in his belief in her. This is where she twisted the knife. By becoming an ally, she was able to become closer to Sam. By letting all the other demons not know about her grand plan, she was able to play an ally convincingly.
In the future, other demons did actually turn into allies for the Winchesters like Meg and Crowley, but Ruby was always looking after herself. She didn’t develop the same affection for the Winchesters that the others did. Both Meg and Crowley died for the Winchesters. Ruby would never have done that.
Underrated: Her Devotion to a Mission
In this case, her mission was freeing Lucifer from his cage. To do so, she had to fool both the Winchesters, Bobby, and demons. She had to suffer torture at the hands of other demons. The only demon who knew the truth was Lilith. Ruby ran a long con, and she ran it successfully. One may call her many things, but stupid isn’t one of them. Ruby is one clever demon.
