Alpha Shapeshifter
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| Name | Alpha Shapeshifter |
| Actor | Mitch Pileggi Jared Padalecki Jensen Ackles Mark Sheppard |
| Dates | ???? – 2010 (killed by Crowley) |
| Location | Purgatory |
| Occupation | Alpha Shapeshifter |
| Episode(s) | 6.02 Two and a Half Men 6.10 Caged Heat |
The King Shapeshifter. First one who spawned all the others.
History
The Alpha Shapeshifter was the very first shapeshifter and one of the Alphas conceived by Eve.
Characteristics
Born 10,000 years ago, the Alpha Shapeshifter is an extremely powerful entity; the progenitor and leader of all shapeshifters on Earth. According to common lore, this Alpha has a psychic connection with its offspring which allows it to locate them.
Powers and abilities
- Regeneration – The Alpha was able to heal itself from all wounds, including being stabbed in the heart with pure silver.
- Shapeshifting – The Alpha Shapshifter could morph its body to match any human appearance down to their clothing in a matter of seconds, rather than shedding or peeling its own skin off while altering its shape.
- Super strength and durability – The Alpha's strength greatly exceeded the strength of normal shapeshifters. Its durability and threshold for pain were extremely high. The Alpha showed great resistance to silver, and the only known material that could actually hurt it was iridium.
- Telepathy – Like the Alpha Vampire, the Alpha Shapeshifter had a telepathic connection to all his children, allowing it to locate any shapeshifter in the world.
Weaknesses
- Animals sensing the paranormal – Dogs have been shown to react aggressively in the presence of shapeshifters.
- The Colt – The Alpha Vampire's death confirmed that Alphas are vulnerable to the Colt.[1]
- Decapitation – Crowley was able to kill the Alpha Shapeshifter through decapitation.[2]
- Elephant Tranquilizer - Despite a quick recovery, a few darts loaded with elephant tranquilizer were capable of incapacitating the Alpha for a time.
- Iridium – The rare metal burned the Alpha Shapeshifter, similar to the effects of silver on regular shapeshifters, and caused excruciating pain.
Episodes
6.02 Two and a Half Men
A shapeshifter starts gathering a following of its "offspring", reproducing with married women by morphing into their husbands when they were absent, after spending weeks casing their houses as a security guard installing surveillance. When Sam and Dean rescue one of its children, this shapeshifter makes his way to their hotel room, stating that a child should be with its father. When Dean jokes about the lack of family resemblance, he states that also includes "their" father, alluding to the Alpha briefly before being killed by Sam.
Later at night, the Alpha Shapeshifter storms the Campbell Compound in the form of Samuel and kills Mark Campbell, overcoming several gunshot wounds and tranquilizer darts, as well as a silver knife to the heart. It takes Sam's form and breaks into the panic room before transforming into a copy of Dean before his eyes, then reclaims the baby and leaves while letting everyone else in the compound live. In the aftermath, Samuel tells Sam and Dean that it was an Alpha, the first shapeshifter that spawned all the others. Outside, Dean wonders whether Sam knew the Alpha was following them, using the baby as bait after hearing of them from the shapeshifter he killed, though an unconvincing Sam denies it on the spot.
 The Alpha Shapeshifter disguised as Samuel Campbell. |
6.10 Caged Heat
Crowley interrogates the Alpha Shapeshifter on Purgatory's location, and while he denies any knowledge despite extensive torture, the King of Hell states that his sources are unimpeachable. Crowley then reveals that iridium, although expensive and rare, is capable of harming and killing the Alpha, having learned this after tinkering with several lesser shifters. He threatens to chop him to pieces, but the Alpha continues to be difficult, even spitting blood in Crowley's face after getting stabbed in the shoulder for his troubles. Crowley goes so far as to threaten the shapeshifter's offspring, having captured all the infants his shifters spent months gathering and keeping them locked up in the building's nursery. As Crowley counts down, the Alpha Shapeshifter smugly invites Crowley to kill them all, stating they can always produce more. Arriving at an impasse, a frustrated Crowley beheads the Alpha.
 Crowley interrogates the Alpha Shapeshifter. |
 The Alpha Shapeshifter gets decapitated by Crowley for refusing to give up the location of Purgatory. |
