Asmodeus (Supernatural)

"Long ago. Eager to please, I freed the shedim... Hell's most savage. Things so dark and base, God himself would not allow them into the light. But I, in my pride, believed that I could train them. Use them. But Lucifer feared them, as well he should. So he forbade it, locked them up again. He was... 'disappointed' in me. The pain, the uh... the total humiliation... it forged an eternal bond between us. I am his to command, as you are mine."

- Asmodeus

Asmodeus is the secondary antagonist in season 13 of the horror TV series Supernatural. He is one of the four princes of Hell along with with Azazel, Ramiel, and Dagon, demons created by Lucifer himself. They were among the first and most powerful demons to exist. After the death of the King of Hell, Crowley, Asmodeus takes over the position.

He is portrayed by Jeffrey Vincent Parise.

Biography
Asmodeus is the last remaining of the four Princes of Hell. At some point during his eons of servitude to Lucifer, Asmodeus attempted to free the shedim and use them in service of Lucifer. However, due to the dark and base nature of the shedim, Lucifer feared them and locked them away. For the disappointment Asmodeus caused Lucifer, he permanently scarred his face, and through that pain and humiliation, an eternal bond was forged. Asmodeus became Lucifer's to command. At some point in time, Asmodeus, along with his siblings Ramiel and Dagon, left the machinations of Hell behind to live quiet lives on Earth, later revealing to Dean Winchester that he left because he was unable to get Lucifer's approval.

Season 13
Asmodeus resurfaces to reclaim control of Hell in Lucifer's absence. Enforcing some new changes, Asmodeus tells the demons in his presence that the old bureaucracy of Crowley's Hell is over, and he is returning things to the old ways of fire and brimstone. He calls forward three demons, Drexel, Harrington, and Sierra and then kills the remaining demons in the throne room with a gesture, proclaiming that there's a "new sheriff in town."

Drexel reports to Asmodeus that he has had demons scouring all of Hell, even the Cage, but they are unable to locate Lucifer. Asmodeus decides to direct their attention towards finding Jack Kline, whom he plans to train to rule, with Asmodeus as his "humble adviser." As Drexel tells him about his experience with Lucifer's short fuse, Asmodeus, angry that Drexel would compare his meager acquaintance with Lucifer to his, shows off the scars which Lucifer gave him for freeing the shedim. He took the experience and used the humiliation and pain to grow and form an eternal bond with Lucifer, becoming his humble servant.

When a demon spots the Winchesters and Jack in Wyoming, Asmodeus kills and takes the form of a bartender at a bar near their motel where he questions Dean, and tells him of his own issues with his father. Later, he disguises himself as Donatello Redfield and speaks with Sam to try and learn more about Jack. When he discovers that Jack will become even more powerful than Lucifer, Asmodeus decides to use him to release the shedim. Taking Jack to Jasper, Wyoming, he tells him a story about a troop of God's greatest soldiers that have been trapped in a distant cavern in Hell. Telling Jack God wants him to set them free, he asks Jack to focus his powers on a patch of earth and to call forth the soldiers to rescue them. As Jack begins opening the Hell Gate and the shedim begin crawling their way out, an ecstatic Asmodeus is suddenly confronted by the Winchesters and the real Donatello. Dean quickly takes a shot, hitting Asmodeus which breaks his illusion and reverts him back to his normal self. Uninjured by the bullet, he begins choking the three with a gesture while telling Jack he can give him the world. Jack, angry that Asmodeus is hurting his friends, causes the shedim to be sucked back to Hell and the gate to re-close before turning his attention to Asmodeus, who teleports away.

Sitting in meditation on his throne, calling out to Jack, Asmodeus is interrupted by a demon minion with news of "The Jack". The news is that there is no news and they have exhausted their resources. Asmodeus incredulously wonders how it is possible for a being of immense power such as Jack to be undetectable by such a powerful being as himself. He states that the Winchesters must have cloaked him masterfully, but the demon corrects Asmodeus, telling him that a hunter they have on the payroll has revealed that Winchesters have lost him as well. Asmodeus wonders who, then, is protecting Jack.

While torturing a motel clerk from Dodge City, Asmodeus asks him what miracles he was witness to when the Winchesters and Jack stayed at his motel, and where they were going next. The clerks tells him only that the people staying in room 26 were FBI and paid in cash. Dismayed by the lack of information, Asmodeus has a demon kill the clerk before ordering the rest to clean up the mess. As he turns to walk away, he suddenly begins sensing a power, but not that of the Nephilim.

Asmodeus tracks down Lucifer to a dive bar. As the doors swing open, Asmodeus casually walks through the bar, disintegrating the bartender as he goes. Lucifer begins mocking Asmodeus, calling him a "stooge" and "dimmest bulb on the string" and telling him he can stand down from running Hell now that he is back. Asmodeus tells Lucifer he is satisfied with his position and how Hell is being run. He says he was hoping to have a meeting with Lucifer, and won't take no for an answer. Lucifer, in his weakened state, attempts to intimidate Asmodeus, who is able to see past his bravado and send both Lucifer and Castiel flying back into the bar with a simple gesture.

Answering Castiel's cell phone, Asmodeus disguises his voice to sound like Cas and tells Dean that he is looking into a very interesting lead and will contact him when he knows more. After hanging up, Asmodeus informs Arthur Ketch of his current plans for Lucifer and Castiel and that he will be needing Jack even more now that a new version of Michael plans on coming to their world.