‘Evil Dead’: This is One “Groovy” Ash Williams Explainer
Ash Williams has been defending the world from deadites and making questionable prosthetics for minimum wage since the 80s.
The Evil Dead franchise has been one of the biggest and most recognizable titles in the horror comedy genre since 1981. And this is thanks in no small part to Bruce Campbell’s iconic character, Ash Williams.
Who is Ash Williams?
Ashley Joanna “Ash” Williams is the main protagonist of the cult classic Evil Dead franchise. Created by Sam Raimi and portrayed by Bruce Campbell, Ash is the only character to consistently appear in every piece of the Evil Dead story.
Throughout the series, Ash is portrayed as a person who is at first incapable of dealing with what’s happening around him, but then overcoming his (very understandable) fear of the undead and fighting off all of the possessed, and zombies around him. But this is the Evil Dead we’re talking about, not a more serious horror-adjacent series. So Ash attacks the dangers around him with a certain air of comedy and over-the-top campiness.
“My name is Ash Williams. I’m a hero from the future. I’m here to save the wrold from evil. Again.”
– Ash Williams
Ash doesn’t have any superpowers but has had some supernatural, spooky, or larger-than-life abilities over the years. Most notable is his famous chainsaw arm. He’s also known to use his “boomstick” twelve-gauge shotgun, and the ancient Kandarian Dagger. He’s also a little more durable and agile than your average person—though this could be the thick plot armor—with skills as a marksman, a hand-to-hand fighter, and an engineer. Finally, Ash has encountered many Deadites over the years and has learned to see through their deceptive tactics.
The Evil Dead (1981)
The Evil Dead is the first movie in the series and the first time we are introduced to Ash Williams. Ash and some friends find an ancient Sumerian book of the dead called the Naturom Demonto—later called the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis—and accidentally awaken the Kandarian Demon. One by one everyone is possessed and killed until Ash throws the book into the fireplace.
Despite an initial X rating due to its violent nature, The Evil Dead did surprisingly well both in the box office and with critics. And as time progressed, its low-budget scrappiness only made the film more and more of a horror cult classic and one of the most popular movies of the genre.
Evil Dead II (1987)
Evil Dead II picks up at the end of the first movie. Ash is carried off and possessed by a demonic force. This is the movie where Ash’s right hand becomes possessed independent of the rest of him, and he is forced to cut it off with a chainsaw before giving himself a makeshift chainsaw arm prosthetic.
At the end of the movie Ash and the daughter of the cabin’s owner, Annie, use the Necronomicon to open a vortex to banish the Kandarian Demon. Which is successful, but also pulls Ash into the vortex, where he is transported to 1300 AD Europe.
Army of Darkness (1992)
Now in medieval Europe, Ash must retrieve the Necronomicon so he can use it to return home. He uses his knowledge of modern technology circa 1992 to build himself a prosthetic hand out of a gauntlet and leads the medieval soldiers to victory against an army of the dead led by his “Bad Ash” doppelganger. In the end, Ash is given a potion that will allow him to sleep until his own time again.
Evil Dead (2013)
Ash only briefly makes an appearance in this movie’s post-credit scene to say his catchphrase, “groovy.”
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
Bruce Campbell appears in this movie in a cameo as a priest translating the Necronomicon onto a vinyl in 1923. Director Lee Cronin verified that this was Ash, but didn’t elaborate on how or why he was a priest in 1923.
Ash vs. Evil Dead (2015-2018)
The 2015 comedy horror TV series, Ash vs the Evil Dead featured an older Ash roughly 30 years after the events of the first three Evil Dead films. He hasn’t done much supernatural-related work since Army of Darkness and works as a stock clerk. But when the “evil dead” return he has to become a hero once more. Coworkers Pablo and Kelly join him in the fight.
Ash vs The Evil Dead ran for three seasons before being canceled in 2018 due to lower ratings and viewership. Fans created petitions to call for a fourth season, but even Campbell acknowledged that it had run its course, tweeting that he was “retired as Ash.” Later he went on to say that they knew a cancelation was imminent and knew they had to have an ending to wrap the series up with its third and final season.
Ash in Other Media
Ash had made appearances in other media over the years in addition to movies and TV. Bruce Campbell voiced Ash in three video games, Hail to the King (2000), A Fistful of Boomstick (2003), and Evil Dead: Regeneration (2005). He also appears in Poker Night 2 where players join a poker tournament against a number of fictional characters including Ash. Other Ash appearances (official and unofficial) include Broforce, Dead by Daylight, Evil Dead: The Game, and both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0.
There have been multiple Evil Dead comics since 1992 published by Dark Horse, Dynamite Entertainment, and then Space Goat Publishing. And, there was even Evil Dead: The Musical.
What Kind of Car Does Ash Drive?
Throughout the Evil Dead franchise, Ash drives a 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88.
This car was originally bought new by director Sam Raimi’s father in 1973. Since then, it has become a trademark of Raimi’s, appearing in almost every one of his films.
Stay groovy, Adventurers!
