Day 2: Angels, Part 1

There are many angels that appear as characters on Supernatural¸ some that come from the Bible, some from Jewish mythology, and some that the show created as characters. In the Supernatural universe God created four archangels: Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel. All four of these angels come from the Catholic Bible, but there characters have been expanded and changed to fit the show. This post will focus on Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel; Lucifer will get his own day.

Michael

Saint Michael the Archangel is a well-known and beloved Catholic figure. He is considered a strong warrior, as shown by the prayer to him:

“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -by the Divine Power of God - cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits, who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”

In Supernatural, the creators took Michael’s role in this prayer literally. In the show, Michael’s mission and goal is to defeat Satan in a battle that will end the world. He is seen as a leader among the other angels, their general in the battle against Lucifer and his evil forces.

In Catholicism Michael is seen as a defender of humans, but in Supernatural he plans on fighting Lucifer and destroying the earth and all of the humans on it. He is as much of an antagonist as Lucifer to the brothers who are trying to save the world and prevent the apocalypse, while Michael and the other angels actively try to end the world.

Raphael

The archangel Raphael is sent by God to heal Tobit and Sarah in the book of Tobit, a book of the Old Testament of the Catholic Bible. He is not mentioned except in Tobit where he is primarily a healer. Raphael also appears in the Book of Enoch where he is sent to bind the demon Azâzêl. Azâzêl, in Supernatural, is the demon who killed Mary Winchester, but Azâzêl and Raphael never appear in the same episode.

The character Raphael in Supernatural is loosely based on the archangel from the books of Tobit and Enoch, but they have little in common. They are both archangels named Raphael, but the rest of Raphael’s character was created by the writers and producers.

Raphael is strict and usually angry. He is first introduced as a protector of Chuck, a prophet, but he does not heal anyone like his Catholic version likes to do. He never fights Azâzêl in the show, breaking away from the Jewish mythology as well. Raphael follows Michael’s orders through season five, but does not disappear after the Winchesters prevent the apocalypse, defeating the angels’ plan. He becomes a main antagonist to the brothers in season six, following no orders from anyone and only following what he believes is right.

Raphael’s character shares almost nothing in common with the theological character. He remains obedient, but to Michael and not to God. His character was transformed to fit a role the show needed, not based on the actual theological character. 

Gabriel

Gabriel appears many times in both Catholic and Jewish writings. In Judaism, he is thought to be the angel in the Books of Daniel and Ezekiel. In Jewish mythology he is responsible for picking souls out of the Tree of Souls (from the Garden of Eden) and placing them on Earth as an embryo.

In Catholicism, Gabriel is the angel who announces the births of both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. He is both well-known and well-loved by many Christians. St. Raphael shares his feast day with St. Michael, an interesting connection considering their relationship in Supernatural.

The first identity of Gabriel in Supernatural was disguised until the fifth season. He first appeared as a trickster, a pagan god that is often thought to be Loki from Norse mythology. Many pagan gods exist in the Supernatural universe. They are less powerful than “God,” presumably the monotheistic God of Judaism and Catholicism. Gabriel is accepted as the trickster until he reveals his identity to prove a point. He is often comic relief for the show during particularly dark plotlines, but becomes another piece of the puzzle when it is revealed he is actually Gabriel in the fifth season. He urges the Winchesters to play their part in the apocalypse and listen to his brothers, the other angels. Gabriel is killed by his brother, Lucifer, after Lucifer kills many of the pagan gods who Gabriel considers friends.

Gabriel has very little in common with his theological basis. I believe the name Gabriel was chosen for this character because Gabriel is one of the most well-known angels. The character in the show becomes significant in his attempt to force the Winchester brothers to play their parts in the apocalypse, specifically for Dean to become the vessel for Michael. Gabriel no longer serves as a messenger from God, in fact he says he ran away from heaven years ago because he could not listen to the fighting. He is a messenger for himself and his own will.