Michael

300px
Name	Michael
Actor	Matthew Cohen
Dates
Location	Heaven, Earth
Occupation	Archangel
Episode(s)	5.13 The Song Remains The Same

Michael is the greatest of the Archangel's of Heaven and only one of the four angels that have seen God.
Michael refers to Lucifer as his younger brother.

According to Lucifer, he refused God’s command to bow before humanity, he turned to Michael for support, but he refused and on God’s command cast Lucifer into Hell. ^{5.04 The End}

I was once a son. A younger brother. And I had a brother who I loved. Idolized, in fact. And one day I asked him to stand with me. And he turned on me. Called me a Freak. And he beat me down. ^{5.10 Abandon All Hope}

Gabriel draws a clear parallel between Sam and Dean's destiny ("we knew it was all gonna end with you. Always.") and Lucifer and Michael's relationship ^{5.08 Changing Channels}

Michael, the big brother, loyal to an absent father, and Lucifer, the little brother, rebellious of Daddy's plan. You were born to this, boys. It's your destiny! It was always you! As it is in heaven, so it must be on earth. One brother has to kill the other.

Dean is Michael’s Vessel - also referred to by Zachariah as Michael’s Sword.^{5.01 Sympathy For The Devil}

Michael tells Dean this is in his bloodline – which is why he can also use John Winchester as a Vessel.

5.01 Sympathy For The Devil

Zachariah reveals that the Angel's plan is for Michael to use would use Dean as his Vessel and kill Lucifer once and for all. However, dean needs to give his consent to be the Vessel.

5.13 The Song Remains The Same

Michael first appears when Sam, Dean and Castiel have travelled back to 1978 to stop Anna from killing John and Mary in order to prevent Sam’s birth, and thus his use as Lucifer’s Vessel.

Michael takes John Winchester as his Vessel temporarily – John consents when Michael says he can stop Anna killing Mary.
Michael sends Uriel back to Heaven, and kills Anna. He then explains to Dean that:

“Lucifer defied our Father and he betrayed me, but I don’t want this anymore than you would want to kill Sam. My brother, I raised him and looked after him in ways most people couldn’t understand, but I still love him. But I am going to kill him because it is right, and because I have to…”

Michael tells Dean that everything is pre-ordained, that “Free will is an illusion Dean, that’s why you are going to say yes.”
Michael heals Sam, and returns him and Dean to the present day. He removes all memories of the events of the day from Mary and John.

Michael in Art and Lore

Michael is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition. He is most known as a leader of the armies of God against Lucifer.

File:St Michael slays Lucifer.jpg

Zachariah talks to Dean about his destiny

In 2.13 Houses of the Holy, Sam notices a painting of Michael by killing Lucifer by the renaissance painter Raphael in the Church they visit.

Father Reynolds: That's right. The archangel Michael, with the flaming sword. The fighter of demons, holy force against evil.
Sam: So they're not really the Hallmark card version that everybody thinks? They're fierce, right? Vigilant?
Father Reynolds: Well, I like to think of them as more loving than wrathful; but yes, a lot of Scripture paints angels as God's warriors. "An angel of the Lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone down upon them, and they were terrified." Luke. Two nine.

When Zachariah tells Dean his destiny is to kill Lucifer he stands in front of a painting of the Archangel Michael killing Lucifer. The painting is Saint Michel terrassant le Dragon by 15th century Flemish painter Josse Lieferinxe.