#redirect [[File:Delegation of Gods.jpg|thumb|right|500px|A delegation of gods meet to discuss the coming Judeo-Christian [[Apocalypse]].]]{{Quotation|title=|text= '''Sam:''' The thing is, with the old gods, once upon a time they were – they were just short of invincible. But they got a lot of their mojo from worshipers, from people feeding them.'''Jody Mills:''' These days, not so much.'''Sam:''' Right, they're not what they used to be. But they make up for lack of power with being twice as pissed and a lot more hands-on.|author= [[Sam]] and [[Jody Mills]]|source= [[7.12 Time After Time]]}} ==History==Deities or gods are powerful supernatural beings representing the dominant authority of a religion. The major deity featured in ''Supernatural'' is that of the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), who is referred to as [[God]]. Kali shows disgust for Westerners and their belief that they have the right to leadership in their own [[God]]'s name, accusing them of butchery. She also states that she and the other gods' religions were practiced before his.<ref name="five19">[[5.19 Hammer Of The Gods]]</ref> ===List of Deities===Throughout the ''Supernatural'' series, there have been many deities encountered including:<br>'''Judeo-Christian / Islam:'''* [[God]] * [[Castiel]] (aka [[Godstiel]]):After taking in all the souls from [[Purgatory]], Castiel declares himself the new God. '''Egyptian:'''* Isis* [[Osiris]] '''Greek:'''* [[Artemis]]* [[Atropos]]:One of the three Fates, along with her two sisters.* [[Chronos]]* [[Amazons|Harmonia]]* [[Oliver]] (Demigod):The son of the Greek titan, [[Prometheus]] and a human mother, [[Hayley]].<ref name="eight16">[[8.16 Remember the Titans]]</ref>* [[Plutus]]* [[Prometheus]] (Titan)* [[Zeus]] '''Hindu:'''* [[Ganesh]]* [[Kali]] '''Norse:'''* [[Baldur]]* [[The Maw of Fenris|Fenris]]* [[Loki]]* [[Odin]]* [[The Vanir]]* [[Mr. Vili]] '''Roman:'''* [[Mercury]]* [[Veritas]]* [[Vesta]] '''Other:'''* [[Anansi]] (West African)* [[Baron Samedi]] (Haitian Voodoo)* [[Cacao]] (Mayan)* [[Eve]] (the Mother of All Monsters)* [[Madge and Edward Carrigan]] (Teutonic) * [[Leshii]] (Slavic)* [[Tiamat Talisman|Tiamat]] (Babylonian)* [[Trickster]] (from many cultures)* [[Zao Shen]] (Chinese)* Two unnamed gods from [[5.19 Hammer of the Gods]]. ===Death of Deities===In some traditions, particularly monotheistic religions, deities and gods are thought of as being immortal and all powerful. However, in ''Supernatural'' the deities can be killed by humans, other deities, and [[angels]]. [[Death]] claims that [[God]] will one day die.<ref name="five21"/> * With the help of [[Sam]] and [[Dean]], [[Emily (Scarecrow)|Emily]] burns the first tree which disenfranchises [[the Vanir]].<ref name="one11"/>* [[Dean]] and [[Sam Winchester]] kill two Pagan gods disguised as [[Madge and Edward Carrigan]], using wooden stakes made from Evergreen trees.<ref name="three08"/>* [[Sam Winchester]] kills [[Leshii]], by decapitating it using an [[iron]] axe.<ref name="five05"/>* [[Dean Winchester]] kills [[Zao Shen]], using a wooden stake.<ref name="five19"/>* The [[archangel]] [[Lucifer]] kills [[Mercury]], [[Baldur]], [[Ganesh]], [[Odin]] and two unnamed gods.<ref name="five19"/>* [[Sam]] kills [[Veritas]], using a knife dipped in dog's blood.<ref name="six06"/>* [[Dean]] kills [[Eve]], using [[phoenix]] ash.<ref name="six19"/>* [[Sam]] stabs [[Osiris]] with a ram's horn, which will lead to him being inactive for a couple of centuries.<ref name="seven04">[[7.04 Defending Your Life]]</ref>* [[Sam]] kills [[Chronos]] with an stake made of olive wood dipped in an unknown blood.<ref name="seven12">[[7.12 Time After Time]]</ref>* [[Beau]] kills [[Plutus]] with a wooden stake.<ref name="eight02">[[8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?]]</ref>* [[Sam]] kills [[Mr. Vili]] with a blow from [[Mjölnir]].<ref name="eight02">[[8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?]]</ref>* [[Zeus]] kills [[Prometheus]] by pulling him in front of one of [[Artemis]]' arrows.<ref name="eight16">[[8.16 Remember the Titans]]</ref>* [[Prometheus]] kills [[Zeus]] by shoving one of [[Artemis]]' arrows through himself into Zeus.<ref name="eight16">[[8.16 Remember the Titans]]</ref>* [[Sheriff Jody Mills]] kills [[Vesta]] with an oak stake stained by the blood of a virgin.<ref>[[9.08 Rock and a Hard Place]]</ref> ==Attributes==Gods have true forms of their own, but often appear in human form on Earth. For instance, [[Ganesh]] can turn into an elephant (which is his symbol in lore),<ref name="five19" /> [[Veritas]] seems to have a body of a cat but takes on human form,<ref name="six06">[[6.06 You Can't Handle The Truth]]</ref> and [[Eve]], the mother of all monsters, appears hideous in her true form.<ref name="six16">[[6.16 ...And Then There Were None]]</ref> The pagan gods disguised as [[Madge and Edward Carrigan]] actually live as a suburban couple, but when Sam shines a light on them their true visage is shown to have cracking skin and heterochromia iridum affected eyes.<ref name="three08">[[3.08 A Very Supernatural Christmas]]</ref> While their powers and abilities vary greatly depending on the type of deity, they all seem to possess some abilities that may be inherent in all gods like immortality, superhuman strength, speed, agility, and senses. Gods like [[Baldur]], [[Ganesh]], [[Odin]], and [[Zao Shen]] seem to possess extraordinary strength.<ref name="five19" /> In ''Supernatural'', deities can live forever - for the deities are not subjected to aging, making them immortal but not all powerful. Despite being immortal, they all seem to be vulnerable in some way and can be killed by various weapons or by other beings. [[Trickster]]s, immortal demi-god like creatures, can be killed with a wooden stake dipped in the blood of one of it's victims.<ref name="two15">[[2.15 Tall Tales]]</ref> [[Atropos]], one of the three fates, can be killed by an [[angelic weapon]].<ref name="six17">[[6.17 My Heart Will Go On]]</ref> Eve can be killed when exposed to [[phoenix]] ashes.<ref name="six19">[[6.19 Mommy Dearest]]</ref> [[Mr. Vili]] is able to be killed by [[Mjölnir]]<ref name="eight02">[[8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?]]</ref> and the weapons of [[Artemis]] are able to kill other gods as well.<ref name="eight16">[[8.16 Remember the Titans]]</ref> The only known immortal beings that cannot be killed are the [[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]], though this has yet to be confirmed. [[Death]] states that even [[God]] will someday meet his end:<ref name="five21">[[5.21 Two Minutes to Midnight]]</ref> :'''Dean:''' Well I gotta ask: How old are you?:'''Death:''' As old as God. Maybe older. Neither of us can remember anymore. Life, death, chicken, egg – regardless, at the end, I’ll reap Him too.:'''Dean:''' God? You’ll reap God?:'''Death:''' Oh yes. God will die too, Dean. [[File:Plant.gif|450px|right|thumb|Mercury's presence positively influencing a dead plant's growth.]]Some gods possess unique powers: [[Trickster]]s can alter reality and make objects, people, and other average organisms appear out of thin air;<ref name="two15" /> [[Kali]] can produce fire and bind beings to her presence with a glare;<ref name="five19" /> [[Leshii]] can shapeshift, read human minds, and move at incredible speeds;<ref name="five05">[[5.05 Fallen Idol]]</ref> and [[Mercury]] can also move at incredible speeds.<ref name="five19" /> [[God]] can teleport people anywhere on Earth without being physically present.<ref name="five01">[[5.01 Sympathy for the Devil]]</ref> God also is well known for creating the entire Universe and everything in it, though many gods take umbrage to this as they claim to have been around and worshipped first. [[Veritas]] possesses telekinesis, the agility and speed of a cat, and can cause any human to speak only the truth. However, [[Sam Winchester]] was able to withstand this power when he didn't have his [[soul]].<ref name="six06" /> Other pagan gods are able to influence the weather and vegetation positively and negatively as well, such as [[the Vanir]],<ref name="one11">[[1.11 Scarecrow]]</ref> who could cause growth and health of the crops, or [[Madge and Edward Carrigan]], who gave mild weather.<ref name="three08" /> Both types of gods seemed to be able to perform these in exchange for human sacrifices. Without their sacrifices, the power of the gods waned or failed.<ref name="one11"/><ref name="three08"/><ref name="five05"/> [[Mercury]] can also influence the growth of vegetation positively or negatively, as demonstrated when a dead herb sprouts in his presence.<ref name="five19" /> [[Leshii]], the forest god, plants Balkan seeds inside peoples' stomachs.<ref name="five05"/><br clear="all"> ==Gods in Lore==* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paganism Wikipedia entry on Paganism.] ==References=={{reflist}} [[Category:Library]][[Category:Canon]][[Category:Deities]]
