Day 8: Apocalypse and the Book of Revelation

"Apocalypse" means "Revelation," hence why the Book of Revelation is sometimes called the Book of the Apocalypse. When the Winchesters fail to prevent the Apocalypse they encounter many of the Biblical symbols and figures that are taken out of the Book of Revelation and adapted to modern times, and to fit the show as necessary.

The Four Horsemen

                                                                         War

  Famine                                                                                                                                                                                     Death

“Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” ²I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.

^“3When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, “Come!” ⁴And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword. ⁵When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, ⁶and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay, and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!” ⁷When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, “Come!” ⁸I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.”

                                                                                      -Revelation 6:1-8, NRSV

The brothers encounter each of the four horsemen of the apocalypse: War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death. Besides Death, the riders of the colored horses in Revelation are not explicitly stated, but have been interpreted as these other three. When the brothers meet each rider they do not ride actual horses, instead they drive Mustangs in the color they are said to ride in the Book of Revelation.

In Supernatural the brothers are trying to steal the rings that the four horsemen wear because when the rings are combined they open the door to Lucifer’s cage. They defeat War, Pestilence, and Famine, but Death cannot be defeated. He hands the ring over to Dean because Death does not want to answer to Lucifer. Death is more than just a horseman, he is actually Death. He says he will reap everyone one day, even God.

The Whore of Babylon

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who is seated on many waters, ²with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication the inhabitants of the earth have become drunk." ³So he carried me away in the spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her fornication; ⁵and on her forehead was written a name, a mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of whores and of earth's abominations."

                                                          Revelation 17:1-5, NRSV

The Winchesters and Castiel encounter the Whore of Babylon, who has killed and taken the appearance of a girl named Leah. The Whore’s purpose is to lead people to sin so they go to Hell, and that is what the main characters find her doing in episode 17 of season 5. 

The Whore does not appear riding the beast described in Revelation, and ironically “Leah” is chaste, she does not fornicate with anyone. This is the opposite of the Biblical Whore “with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication” (Rev. 17:2).

Since the Book of Revelation was written in code, there are many interpretations of who the Whore of Babylon is. In Dante’s Inferno the Whore of Babylon is corruption and simony, not a literal creature. During the Protestant Reformation some reformers claimed that the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon, leading souls to hell. There are even some within the Catholic Church that claim the Church since Vatican II is the Whore of Babylon, a fake Church that leads souls astray. The counterfeit-Church leads true Catholics away.

Many Biblical scholars believe the Whore of Babylon is code for the Roman Empire that was persecuting Christians at the time. As often happens with Supernatural, creatures are based on Biblical ideas and twisted to make them fit with the show or to make them more exciting for the audience.

Symbolic v. Literal 

Supernatural uses many of the characters from the Book of Revelation literally. The show never takes into account that the Book of Revelation was written in code and symbols to avoid persecutions. Although the Book of Revelation is hard to interpret, very few Christian sects take every word literally.

The biggest difference between the apocalypse of Supernatural and the Catholic apocalypse is the cause. In Supernatural the world will end because of a battle to the death between Michael and Lucifer. Supposedly, if Michael wins there will be Heaven on Earth, and if Lucifer wins there will be Hell on earth. The Catholic apocalypse is the Second Coming of Christ, where each person will be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their righteousness. Since Supernatural never mentions the existence of Jesus Christ (except for swearing), it would be hard to tie in this cause of the apocalypse.