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Lucifer began arguing with his brothersAccording to [[Metatron]], primarily Michaelthe archangels, who loyally followed in their Father's word as lawdespair decided to take over the universe themselves after God left Heaven. Lucifer led an unsuccessful rebellion in Metatron realized that he and the [[HeavenTablets|Word of God]]were needed to do so, which caused him so he fled to be cast out Earth seeking refuge for the tablets and himself. The archangels were unable to [[Fallen Angels|fall locate Metatron due to his extreme isolation from grace]]Heaven, and their plans were delayed. He Metatron was subsequently imprisoned in [[Luciferalso cut off from Heaven making him unaware of the archangels's Cage|a Cage]] by Michael. Gabriel was in turn disgusted fates until contact with his brother's behavior. He refrained from choosing sides by retreating to Earth and masquerading as the [[Trickster]], [[Loki]]Winchester brothers.<ref name="five08eight21">[[58.08 Changing Channels21 The Great Escapist]]</ref> In God's absencethe demon tablet, Michael took over the entire Metatron was falsely identified as an archangel.<ref name="eight07">[[The Host of Heaven|Host 8.07 A Little Slice of HeavenKevin]] while Raphael continued his responsibilities as an archangel.</ref>
According to [[Metatron]]At some point in the past, the archangels, in their despair decided were believed to take over the universe themselves after God left Heaven. Metatron realized that he and have killed all of the [[Tablets|Word Knights of GodHell]] were needed to do so, so he fled to Earth seeking refuge for the tablets and himself. The archangels were unable to locate Metatron due to his extreme isolation from Heaven, and their plans were delayed. Metatron was also cut off from Heaven making him unaware of the archangels' fates until contact with the Winchester brothers.<ref name="eight21">[[8.21 The Great Escapistthe First Blade]]</ref> In the demon tablet. However, Metatron it is falsely identified as an archangelrevealed that this task was actually undertaken by Cain.<ref name="eight07nine11">[[89.07 A Little Slice of Kevin11 First Born]]</ref>
At some point in As the pastplan to release Lucifer and the [[Apocalypse]] started to come to fruition, the archangels were believed to have killed all once more begin playing a role on Earth with Raphael taking on the role of a protector of the [[Knights prophet]] [[Chuck Shurley]]<ref name="four18" /> and later smiting a group of [[demons]] at a gas station after the release of HellLucifer.<ref name="five03">[[5.03 Free to Be You and Me]]</ref> Once Lucifer was freed, Michael began working through his proxy [[Zachariah]] to force Dean to consent to possession so he could have his destined battle with his brother.<ref name="five01">[[5.01 Sympathy for the First BladeDevil]]</ref><ref name="five04">[[5. However, it is revealed that this task was actually undertaken by 04 The End]]</ref><ref name="five16">[[Cain5.16 Dark Side of the Moon]].</ref><ref name="nine11five18">[[95.11 First Born18 Point of No Return]]</ref>
As the plan to release Lucifer and the [[Apocalypse]] starts to come to fruition, the archangels once more begin playing a role on Earth with Raphael taking on the role of a protector of the prophet [[Chuck Shurley]]<ref name="four18" /> and later smiting a group of [[demons]] at a gas station after the release of Lucifer.<ref name="five03">[[5.03 Free to Be You and Me]]</ref> Once Lucifer is free, Michael begins working through his proxy [[Zachariah]] to force Dean to consent to possession so he can have his destined battle with Lucifer.<ref name="five01">[[5.01 Sympathy for the Devil]]</ref><ref name="five04">[[5.04 The End]]</ref><ref name="five16">[[5.16 Dark Side of the Moon]]</ref><ref name="five18">[[5.18 Point of No Return]]</ref> Gabriel, as the Trickster, attempts to convince the Winchesters to "play their roles" as well.<ref name="five08" /> During the Apocalypse, Gabriel is presumably killed by Lucifer while helping the Winchesters and [[Kali]] escape, but not before giving them a way to lock Lucifer away once more. During the final confrontation between Michael and Lucifer at [[Stull Cemetery]], Sam Winchester is was able to overpower Lucifer's control of his body and throw himself, Lucifer, Michael and [[Adam Milligan]] into Lucifer's Cage, leaving Raphael as the only active archangel.<ref name="five22">[[5.22 Swan Song]]</ref> Following the imprisonment of Michael, Raphael took command of Heaven with the intention to release Michael and Lucifer and once again begin the Apocalypse. This caused a divide in Heaven with Raphael and his loyalists against [[Castiel]] and angels loyal to him.<ref name="six03" />
Following With the imprisonment release of Michaelthe Darkness, Raphael takes command of Heaven with the intention Sam Winchester began receiving visions he believed were from God telling him to go to release Michael and Lucifer and once again begin the Apocalypse. This causes a divide in Heaven with Raphael and his loyalists against [[Castiel]] and angels loyal to him's Cage.<ref name="six03eleven02" /><ref name="eleven04" /> In order to defeat Raphael, Castiel forms a deal Using the ''[[Book of the Damned]]'' with the help of [[CrowleyRowena]] , Sam was able to gain access to all the souls of summon Lucifer into a smaller warded cage in [[PurgatoryHell|Limbo]] where Lucifer revealed to gain Sam that he can defeat the power Darkness if he needsis released once more upon the world in a vessel.<ref name="six20eleven09" /> After betraying CrowleyWhile holding Sam captive in the cage, Lucifer tells him that he is the only archangel left capable of giving any sort of help as Raphael and Gabriel are dead and Michael has been driven insane by life in the Cage and is of no use to anyone. Though Sam refused, Lucifer was able to secretly escape by taking Castiel as a vessel<ref name="eleven10" /> and takes all control of the Purgatory souls for himself Hell and uses their power to obliterate Raphaelbriefly Heaven.<ref name="eleven18" />
With the release of the Darkness, Sam begins getting visions he believes are from God telling him to go to Lucifer's Cage.<ref name="eleven02" /><ref name="eleven04" /> Using the ''[[Book of the Damned]]'' with the help of [[Rowena]], Sam is able to summon Lucifer into a smaller warded cage in Limbo where Lucifer tells Sam that he can defeat the Darkness if he is released once more upon the world in a vessel.<ref name="eleven09" /> While holding Sam captive in the cage, Lucifer tells him that he is the only archangel left capable of giving any sort of help as Raphael and Gabriel are dead and Michael has been driven insane by life in the Cage and is of no use to anyone. Though Sam refuses, Lucifer is able to secretly escape by taking Castiel as a vessel<ref name="eleven10" /> and takes control of Hell and briefly Heaven.<ref name="eleven18" /> The Winchesters are eventually able to get Lucifer and God to reconcile, but God is unable to resurrect Raphael and Gabriel in a timely manner to help against the Darkness or call upon Michael for help in his state. With only one archangel to help them, witches, demons and angels are all called upon to substitute for the missing power to defeat the Darkness. Though the Darkness is defeated, she recovers and mortally wounds God, expelling Lucifer from Castiel in the process.<ref name="eleven22" />
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==History==
Archangels are the stuff of primordial creation ([[Michael]], [[Lucifer]], [[Raphael]] and [[Gabriel]]) they are the first four powerful, angelic beings created by [[God]] before other [[angels]]. They possess possessed immense power far surpassing that of [[demons]], lesser angels, and most other supernatural beings. [[Castiel]] describes described them as "fierce and absolute."<ref name="four18">[[4.18 The Monster at the End of This Book]]</ref>
In the beginning, God and His archangels battled [[the Darkness]], where the . The Darkness was eventually defeated and trapped to maintain [[the Cosmic Balance]]. To , to serve as lock and key to the Darkness' cage, God created a [[Mark of Cain|Mark]]. It was given to Lucifer, His most trusted archangel. The Mark eventually began assert a will of its own, corrupting Lucifer, and becoming the first [[curse]]. The Mark enhanced Lucifer's anger and jealousy when God commanded the angels to bow before humanity.<ref name="ten23" />Lucifer began arguing with his brothers, primarily Michael, who loyally followed their Father's word as law. Lucifer led an unsuccessful rebellion in [[Heaven]], which caused him to be cast out and to [[Fallen Angels|fall from grace]]. He was subsequently imprisoned in [[Lucifer's Cage|a Cage]] by Michael, sometime after passing the Mark on to [[Cain]]. Gabriel was in turn disgusted with his brother's behavior, he refrained from choosing sides by retreating to Earth and masquerading as the [[Trickster]], [[Loki]].<ref name="five08">[[5.08 Changing Channels]]</ref> In God's absence, Michael took over the entire [[The Host of Heaven|Host of Heaven]] while Raphael continued his responsibilities as an archangel.
After God departs the Earth, Lucifer believes he has once more been abandoned by his Father and that God was just using him, causing Lucifer to decide to "break God's toys."<ref name="twelve07" /> Lucifer, possessing the President of the United States, conceives a [[Nephilim]] child with a presidential aide, [[Kelly Kline]]. The act of conception draws an immense amount of cosmic energy, which alerts Heaven and all angels. After [[Sam Winchester]] is able to eject Lucifer from [[President Jefferson Rooney]],<ref name="twelve08" /> due to Crowley's machinations, he is sent to his former vessel, [[Nick]], whose body had been repaired, upgraded and warded to act as a permanent prison for Lucifer, allowing Crowley to gain a measure of revenge.<ref name="twelve13" /> Lucifer eventually breaks free of Crowley's control,<ref name="twelve21" /> and upon seeking out his soon-to-be-born son, Lucifer is locked away in a [[Apocalypse World|post-apocalyptic alternate universe]] by the Winchesters, Castiel, and Crowley, costing the lives of Castiel and Crowley and trapping [[Mary Winchester]] with Lucifer.<ref name="twelve23" />
Archangels view themselves as the highest authority over all of creation since [[God]]'s departure from Heaven. As leaders in Heaven, Michael and Raphael commanded the Host of Heaven, issuing orders to the "Senior Management" who were responsible for deploying angels to Earth. They did not share all their plans, especially their intention to allow Lucifer to be freed, to avoid rebellion in the lower ranks.<ref name="four22" /> Most of them show little respect while interacting with humans, although Gabriel eventually confesses his appreciation of humanity.
The relationships between archangels and their vessels can be complex. Holding an archangel is damaging to a human; Raphael's vessel, [[Donnie Finnerman]], was left catatonic after his possession.<ref name="five03" /> Lucifer's continued presence in [[Nick]], an alternate vessel, causes the human's body to break down, as evidenced by burn-like marks on his skin. Lucifer's vessels can be strengthened with demon blood to better survive the ordeal. Despite his contempt for humanity as a whole, Lucifer showed some sympathy toward Nick, and toward Sam, his true vessel. However, as it was later revealed, Lucifer's sympathy towards Nick was simply an act of manipulation as he had orchestrated the murder of Nick's family to get him to say "yes."<ref name="fourteen11" /> Michael, though condescendingly, was willing to explain his position to Dean while occupying his father, and promised not to leave Dean a "drooling mess" like Donnie Finnerman after his service.<ref name="five13">[[5.13 The Song Remains the Same]]</ref> Lucifer also displayed the ability to use [[Castiel]], a lesser angel as his vessel without causing visible damage to the body. However, Castiel is noted by Sam to have a particularly strong vessel<ref name="eleven18">[[11.18 Hell's Angel]]</ref> and Castiel later states that being Lucifer's vessel is in fact slowly burning both it and him out.<ref name="eleven22">[[11.22 We Happy Few]]</ref> In contrast, while housing the [[Apocalypse World]] [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] who is far stronger than the Michael from the Winchesters world, Dean was not only able to remain conscious without any apparent ill effects, he was able to retain control of himself and even use some of Michael's powers as per a deal with the archangel. It was only when Michael betrayed their deal that Dean lost control of his body.<ref name="thirteen23" /> The Michael of the Winchesters' world, after escaping from Lucifer's Cage, shares control with his vessel, [[Adam Milligan]]. The two are able to openly converse with each other, with Michael appearing as a duplicate of Adam in the waking world, though only Adam can see him. Adam later explains that he and Michael reached an understanding when they were trapped for all of those years together in Lucifer's Cage during which time they were all each other had. Michael appears to be protective towards Adam, particularly angry with Dean over abandoning Adam in the Cage while he was willing to let Lucifer roam free and the archangel and his vessel even appear to be friends with each other.<ref name="fifteen08" /> After Adam dies with the rest of humanity, Michael is visibly saddened when he informs the Winchesters of this, showing genuine grief over Adam's loss.<ref name="fifteen19" />
===Powers and abilities===
==Trivia==
* At present, only four archangels are known to have existed ([[Michael]], [[Lucifer]], [[Raphael]], [[Gabriel]]) and only one is currently known to be alive: Michael who is currently walking the Earth in the [[vessel]] of [[Adam Milligan]]. Lucifer was killed by Dean Winchester who granted his consent to AW Michael to defeat him with an [[archangel blade]], but he reneged on their deal and took full control of Dean's vessel. Lucifer was later killed a second time by Michael. Gabriel was killed by AW Michael with his archangel blade in Apocalypse World. Raphael was ripped apart on a subatomic level by Castiel when he absorbed the [[Leviathans]] and the countless other [[souls]] from [[Purgatory]] and AW Michael was exorcised from [[Rowena MacLeod]] and burned up by [[Jack]] using the power of his [[soul]]. In addition, the AW Lucifer was "ripped apart in the skies over Abilene" by AW Michael. The ultimate fates of AW Gabriel and Raphael are unknownbut they would've died in any case when God destroyed all of the alternate universes. Michael was ultimately killed by God Himself for his earlier betrayal.
* In an "personal note" of the [[demon tablet]], it is said that [[Metatron]] is an archangel. Though he was never asked, he pretty much denied the statement, as he says that he was from Heaven's secretarial office before being chosen to become the Scribe of God. In addition, Michael, Lucifer, Raphael and Gabriel are consistently called the only archangels aside from that one reference to Metatron being one.
* While at first it was unknown if an [[angel banishing sigil]] would work on an archangel, Sam managed to banish [[Lucifer]] with one in [[11.14 The Vessel]], proving the sigil does in fact work against archangels. The banishment of Lucifer was also the first successful use of the sigil since [[9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here]].
* Of [[Team Free Will]]'s official members, both the original team and 2.0, only Sam has not killed an archangel.
* Raphael is the only archangel who didn't end up an ally of the Winchesters for at least a short period of time.
* Raphael is the only archangel not to appear in some form in the series penultimate episode [[15.19 Inherit the Earth]]: Michael and Lucifer both appear in person while Gabriel appears in the flashback sequence at the end.
==Archangels in Lore==