THE SEVEN ARCHANGELS: “HEAVEN’S BADASSES”
Different religious traditions have their own unique set of names for the seven archangels of Heaven. However, nearly all of them agree on at least four of them: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. When it comes to the names of the other three archangels, things get a bit more complicated. Zachariel is also commonly listed among them (but not always). Pinning down the exact names of the final two archangels, however, is the most problematic, since they tend to change from one facet of the Judeo-Christian tradition to the next.
The book of Enoch, which would seem to be the primary text used by the creators to construct Supernatural’s portrayal of angels, lists the seven archangels as follows: Michael, Uriel, Gabriel, Saraqael (one of many alternative spellings of Zachariel), Raphael, Raguel, and Remiel.
Regarding the archangels, chapter 20 of the book of Enoch lists the following:
Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and Tartarus; Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men; Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries; Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos; Saraqael, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit; Gabriel, one of the holy 8 angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim; Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.
Only five potential archangels have made appearances thus far in Supernatural: Uriel, Michael, Zachariah/Saraqael, Raphael, and Gabriel. This is likely due to the fact that clearly identifying details regarding the remaining two can be somewhat problematic. Either way, let’s take a look at the archangels of Supernatural.
MICHAEL: HEAVEN’S OFFICIAL “LUCIFER BUTT KICKER”
That’s Michael; toughest sonuvabitch they got... During the last big dust up upstairs, he’s the one who booted Lucifer’s ass to the basement.
—BOBBY SINGER, “SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL” (5-1)
Fans know the archangel Michael best as an extremely powerful archangel, who would like nothing better than to wear Dean to the prom. When it comes to archangels, and the various religious traditions that discuss them, the opinion on Michael is pretty much the same across the board: he’s the biggest, toughest angel on the block. Just about all angelic lore, regardless of the tradition or denomination that wrote it, portrays Michael as the most powerful archangel in all of creation.
There are two main ways in which the archangel Michael’s name can be interpreted. The most common interpretation is “He who is as/like God (El).” In the Talmudic tradition of Judaism, his name is sometimes interpreted as the rhetorical question of “Who is as/like God (El)?”
Michael is commonly thought of as the “general” of the angels. This stems from the fact that during the war in heaven, Michael is said to have been the archangel who stepped up and led the angelic ranks into combat against the usurping angel Lucifer and his fellow rebel angels. Michael was created to lead, and his authority extends across just about every plane of existence.
As usually happens with soldiers, Michael has a lot of medals and ribbons on his chest. The archangel Michael is the chief of the Order of Virtues, as well as the Prince of the Presence (meaning God’s presence). He is the patron angel of various positive attributes, such as righteousness, mercy, justice, repentance, and sanctification. On the flip side, he is also the natural enemy of evil and injustice. His most prestigious titles, however, were granted to him as a result of his loyalty and devoted service during the war in Heaven, for which God appointed Michael the angelic Prince of Israel and the holy ruler of the Fourth Level of Heaven.
Despite all these angelic titles, Michael is better known for only one: conqueror of Satan. This is because ever since the last war in Heaven, it has been Michael’s angelic duty to do battle with the “great adversary” of God, namely Lucifer. In art, the archangel Michael is most commonly portrayed in this role.
For over a millennium, various artists have created visual works depicting the final moment of Michael’s victory over Lucifer in battle. While these works sometimes differ in minor details, their themes are generally the same. Lucifer is usually shown on his back or stomach, and often disarmed, with his weapon lying nearby or falling out of his hand, while the archangel Michael stands over him victoriously, sometimes even pinning his rebellious brother down beneath his foot. In these depictions, Michael is often portrayed as wearing shining armor (which usually closely resembles the armor styles of the specific periods in which the works were created), pointing the tip of either a sword or spear at Lucifer’s throat or chest. This scene is considered by many to be a powerful symbol of good’s ultimate triumph over evil.
If ever there were a patron “angel of warriors,” it would almost certainly have to be Michael. His role as an archangel has long been associated with battle, and he is almost always depicted as holding a sword or spear. While Michael is benevolent in nature, his role as a warrior often requires him to be wrathful as well. In Judaic lore, he is credited with the destruction of the ancient city of Babylon (acting under God’s orders, of course).
In the book of Enoch, Michael is one of the archangels who interceded on behalf of humankind when they were suffering owing to the actions of certain rogue angels as well as their terrible human-angel offspring, the Nephilim (as discussed in chapter 3).
As is written in chapter 9 of the book of Enoch:
And then Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked down from heaven and saw much blood being shed upon the earth, and all the lawlessness being wrought upon it. And they said to each other: “The earth made without inhabitant cries with a voice of crying up to the gates of heaven. And now to you, the Holy Ones of Heaven, the souls of men make appeal, saying, ‘Bring our cause before the Most High.’” And they said to the Lord of Ages: ‘Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings, and Lord of Ages, the Throne of Thy glory stands unto all the generations of the ages, and Thy name holy and glorious and blessed unto all the ages! Thou who hast made all things, and hath power over all things: and all things are naked and open to Thy sight, and Thou sees all things, and nothing can hide from Thee.’
According to the Dead Sea Scrolls, which bear striking similarities to the book of Enoch, the terrible war in Heaven is referred to as a war between the “Sons of Light” and the “Sons of Darkness.” This tale refers to a Prince of Light, generally thought to be Michael, who leads the angelic ranks into battle. However, in this version of the war in Heaven, it is not Lucifer but Belial who leads the angelic rebellion. While a number of elements from this story resemble those from the Enochian and Judeo-Christian war in Heaven, they are not the same. Some see the Dead Sea Scrolls version of the “War between the Sons” as an entirely separate event. After all, there is nothing to support the idea that Lucifer was the first (or last) angel to try his hand at overthrowing the order of Heaven.
In the Christian biblical tradition, Michael is one of two angels identified by name (the other being Gabriel). What follows are a number of biblical passages that mention the archangel Michael.
From the book of Daniel:
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of Thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time Thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
—DANIEL 12:1
In the book of Joshua, Joshua encounters an angel who is generally believed to be the archangel Michael:
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord I now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, “What message does
my Lord have for his servant?” And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, “Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place thou stands is holy.” And Joshua did so.
—JOSHUA 5:13–15
And, of course, there is a mention of Michael going toe-to-toe with Lucifer in Revelation (for more on Saint John’s Revelation, see chapter 11):
And there was war in Heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought alongside his own angels, and prevailed not; neither was a place for them found any longer in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil, the Great Adversary, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now comes salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of God, and the power of Christ: for the accuser of our brethren has been cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore, rejoice ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea! For the devil has come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.”
—REVELATION 12: 1–12
Appropriately enough, the Catholic Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel is considered one of the most powerful prayers of protection against demonic forces. There are a number of alternative versions of this prayer. The longest version is also the original, which was issued by order of the Roman Catholic Church’s 257th leader, Pope Leo XIII, and meant for use as a protective prayer against demonic forces during exorcism rites.
There are three primary versions that are most commonly used by modern exorcists, mediums, and paranormal investigators. The shortest version has become the most frequently used, since it is easier to memorize. The short version of the prayer is as follows:
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, Oh Prince of the Heavenly Host, by God’s power, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.
URIEL: HEAVENLY HIT MAN
Don’t worry. I’ll kill her gentle.
—URIEL, “HEAVEN AND HELL” (4-10)
In Supernatural, the archangel Uriel is portrayed as a kind of angelic hit man. Certainly, he is among the tougher of the archangels, almost on par with the likes of Michael. Uriel’s name (sometimes spelled Oriel) means “light/fire of God” or “My light/fire is God.” Ur/Or is a Hebrew word that can mean either “fire” or “light,” while El is the proper Hebrew noun for referring to God.
While Uriel is one of the more commonly named archangels, his name does not appear in the Christian Bible. It does appear, however, in the book of Enoch. And the Uriel of the book of Enoch is a very high-ranking angel indeed, referred to as “leader of the All [the angels].” Some have interpreted this to mean that, at least at some point, Uriel might have outranked Michael in the angelic hierarchy. Maybe this is why he’s so grumpy.
Though it is not directly stated in the television show, one could propose that the Uriel of Supernatural might have been demoted as a result of his blatant dislike for humans. After all, in Supernatural at least, Uriel does not seem to hold a much higher opinion of human beings than Lucifer does. In the episode “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester” (4-7), Uriel speaks negatively in reference to humans on more than one occasion, calling them “mud monkeys,” “savages,” and “just plumbing on two legs.” Castiel even scolds Uriel for using such derogatory language for humans, warning his fellow angel, “You’re close to blasphemy.”
In the book of Enoch, the archangel Uriel reveals to the scribe Enoch the secret workings of the planets and celestial bodies. Uriel’s job is to keep the mysteries of existence, both deep within the depths of the Earth and beyond the known universe. At times this means protecting humankind from itself, by keeping humans from uncovering those things that might bring them harm—which would certainly include keeping them from opening old Lucifer’s cage.
Of all the seven “Throne Angels,” those angels who are allowed before the throne of God, Uriel is said to assume the closest position to it. As his name suggests, Uriel is closely associated with the sun. In ancient times, he was said to be the guardian of the “Great Light” (the sun) as it passed into the depths of darkness, which was then believed to exist below the visible Earth. Ancient cosmological traditions often believed that the evening sun descended into a dark underworld and thus required protection from the evil and violent entities that inhabited it. Uriel was likely seen as the angel tasked with defending the sun from harm until it completed its cycle and returned light to the world each dawn.
The idea that the sun descended into an evil realm of darkness most likely has its origins from the time of the ancient prophet Zoroaster, sometime between 1700 BCE and 1200 BCE, who portrayed the benevolent god Ahura Mazda as the protector of the sun during its nightly journey into the evil underworld of his rival, the malevolent god Angra Mainyu (for more on the Zoroastrian concept of Apocalypse, see chapter 9). In relation to Uriel’s association with the solar cycle, he is said to be at his most powerful during the daylight (which must suck, considering that lore claims he spends every night fighting against demons in a dark underworld). Uriel supposedly exercises his greatest influence during the second hour of daylight.
ZACHARIAH: HEAVEN’S “DOUCHE-NOZZLE”
The end is nigh. The Apocalypse is coming, kiddo . . . to a theater near you.
—ZACHARIAH, “LUCIFER RISING” (4-22)
The angel Zachariah from Supernatural has many names, the choicest of which are usually given to him by Dean Winchester—“Chuckles,” “Ass-hat,” and the “Ghost of Christmas Screw You,” to name just a few. However, like Castiel, there is not an angel in the Judeo-Christian tradition by the name of Zachariah. So, once again, discovering the mythological roots of the character requires a little detective work.
The answer to the root of the name Zachariah may be found in something called theophory, which refers to the linguistic differentiation in Hebrew between two nouns that are used to refer to God: El and Yah/Jah. Both words technically mean “God.” However, the use of El is believed to originate from a more ancient Semitic tradition than does the use of Yah/Jah. There is an angel in the Judaic tradition named Zachariel (sometimes spelled Zechariel or Zacharael). The translation of this name has a number of possible interpretations, such as “El/God remembers” or “El/God has remembered” or “My memory is El/God.” The meaning of the name can also be interpreted inversely: “remember(ing) El/God” or “My remembrance is of El/God.”
If one were to exchange the El in the name Zachariel for Yah, the name becomes Zachariah. Interestingly enough, the switch from El to Yah does not change the meaning of the name whatsoever. Yah is simply a different noun with the same meaning, so Zachariah is “Yah/God remembers” instead of “El/God remembers.”
There is the possibility that the name of the angel Zachariel evolved from an older name of one of the seven archangels named in the book of Enoch, Saraqael. It is possible that there were once two separate angels named Saraqael and Zachariel and that confusion arose owing to the phonetic similarities between their names. This may have eventually led the two angels to become integrated or mistakenly seen as one and the same entity. When researching either of these angels, one is likely to find that they are said to share a majority of attributes.
The meaning of the name Saraqael in the book of Enoch, however, is entirely different from that of Zachariel. Saraqael can be interpreted as meaning something like “God commands” or “God has commanded” or “My command is from God.”
When it comes to the character Zachariah, however, it is more than likely that the creators of Supernatural we
re looking at the angel Zachariel (not Saraqael) when they created him. Zachariel is the patron angel of surrender. Traditionally, it is Zachariel’s job to influence humans so that they will surrender to the will of God (whatever that may be). Of course, the Zachariah of Supernatural went rogue in the end and was no longer following God’s will but instead claiming it as his own. Considering how diligently and vehemently Zachariah has worked at trying to convince Dean to accept his role as the human vessel of the archangel Michael, and how violently frustrated Zachariah becomes at Dean’s constant refusals to say yes, it sort of makes sense. When you compare the two in this way, Zachariel begins to sound a lot like Zachariah. Both of them are all about getting humans to do what Heaven wants of them.
GABRIEL: IN ANGEL WITNESS PROTECTION
Okay, okay. So I got wings . . . like Kotex.
—GABRIEL, “HAMMER OF THE GODS” (5-19)
The archangel Gabriel first came onto the scene during season 2 of Supernatural, in the episode “Tall Tales.” Of course, no one knew his real identity at that point. When Gabriel first showed up, he was living incognito as a pagan trickster god named Loki (for more on Loki, see chapter 9). Apparently Gabriel had abandoned his post as an archangel and taken up the identity of a trickster in his own personal version of angelic “witness protection.”
The Mythology of Supernatural Page 8