Pestilence
| 300px | |
| Name | Pestilence |
| Actor | Matt Frewer |
| Dates | Unknown-Deactivated (2010) |
| Location | Neutralized by Castiel. |
| Occupation | Green Horseman of the Apocalypse |
| Episode(s) | 5.01 Sympathy For The Devil (Hid his Visage) 5.04 The End (Hid his Visage) |
Contents
Characteristics
Pestilence, also known as the Green Horseman, is affiliated with War, Famine and Death. Pestilence is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Due to the times and technology, Pestilence travels in a green Hornet Wagon which represents his green steed. Pestilence wears a ring with a green emerald that enables him to create and manipulate infestations, plagues, diseases and other sicknesses. This power works epidemically and generally increases exponentially in its influence. Because of how his power spreads, his influence can reach people from far away.[1] Soon after the breaking of The 66 Seals and Lucifer's release from the Cage, Pestilence spreads the swine flu virus, causing great damage to humanity.[2] In Zachariah's alternate futuristic reality, Pestilence's power has reached and infected a large portion of the human population, turning them all into savage, murderous zombies.[3] Sometime later, Brady communicates with him to report his progress on the vaccine and how the company will distribute the Croatoan Virus.[4]
He states that his power is "pure". He told Dean and Sam that he wants to prove that God's wrong in thinking that humans have the capability of power and possess inner potential - Compared to Pestilence himself, humans in general are weak and pathetic to which he personally describes humans as weak and messy beings.
He told Celeste, a patient of Serenity Valley Convalescent Home, that she has a combination of the common cold, dengue fever, and a "nasty, nasty case of Japanese encephalitis." After revealing this diagnosis, her body experienced all of these exact diseases at once, and she died immediately afterwards coughing up green slime which splattered all over Pestilence's face.
His current location is unknown, when Castiel cut off his ring finger he told the Winchesters' it’s too late and he vanished.
He is a direct supporter of Lucifer's plan which involves a process which would ultimately result in the extermination of all of humanity. In spite of this, he deliberately attacked Dean and Sam knowing that he was under strict orders not to harm Sam, Lucifer's Vessel. And when a demonic nurse reminded him of this, he yelled that if Lucifer wanted the Winchesters so bad that he could resurrect them both after he killed them.
His current location is unknown - He quickly vanished after Castiel cut off his ring finger to which he responded by giving them an informative response in which he told Dean and Sam "it’s too late".
- Pestilence is the creator of the [[]]. In the plan to spread the virus, the extermination of humans would eventually result.
- Pestilence's Car is a green car with Nevada license plate which reads "SIKN TRD" ("sick and tired").
- He professes allegiance towards War and Famine.
- Pestilence wears a ring that is tied to his essential core abilities. This ring is of four rings that when conjoined, form a key to Lucifer's Cage.
Appearances
5.01 Sympathy For The Devil
Following soon after the breaking of The 66 Seals and Lucifer's release from the Cage, Pestilence is triggered by Lucifer's presence and he indirectly intervenes by spreading the Swine flu on Earth.
5.04 The End
During events in 5.04 The End, Pestilence has had a indirect influence on humanity, as he spreads the Demonic virus around the world in which about 90 percent of the Earth's population fell victim to the infection and they quickly turned into savage-zombies like creatures.
5.19 Hammer Of The Gods
Pestilence arrives at a small store, and enters, coughing and spreading snot and phlegm everywhere. He buys some flu medication and leaves. As he drives, his car fills with flies.
5.20 The Devil You Know
Pestilence does not appear in this episode, but he plays a prominent role.
Sam and Dean begin the episode on the trail of Pestilence, posing as CDC agents at a hospital hit with a swine flu outbreak. The doctor reports there have been 70 cases in a day and a half. Dean notes that the timing of the outbreak coincides with when "those statues started crying." Bobby later tells them over the phone that this is the fourth town that they know of that Pestilence has hit, but they are no closer to finding him.
Crowley offers to help Sam and Dean find Pestilence by tracking down and cutting a deal with Brady, who he calls "the Horsemen's stable boy." Brady uses the Goblet of Blood ritual to communicate with Pestilence about the progress on the vaccine. Brady eventually relents and gives up Pestilence's location to Crowley, Sam, and Dean.
5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight
Using the alias "Dr. Green" (a reference to the color of his ring and car) Pestilence is working at the Serenity Valley Convalescent Home. He tends to an old woman named Celeste, telling her she has a combination of the common cold, dengue fever, and a "nasty, nasty case of Japanese encephalitis." He then proceeds to give her chicken pox. She asks if he is going to cure her, and he tells her that she is going to die. She vomits in his face a la Linda Blair in The Exorcist before she dies.
A demon-possessed Nurse comes to warn him that the Winchesters have arrived and suggests they leave, noting that Sam and Dean have "a track record with Horsemen." Pestilence scoffs at the idea, saying he wants payback for what they did to his brothers War and Famine. The nurse reminds him they are under strict orders not to kill the vessels, to which Pestilence angrily scoffs "Well, if Satan wants them so bad, he can GLUE THEM BACK TOGETHER!"
Pestilence embraces the nurse and turns the ring on his finger, triggering an epidemic in the nursing home affecting every human inside, including Sam and Dean who are armed and hunting Pestilence. While writhing on the ground from their illnesses, Pestilence tells them they're suffering from scarlet fever, meningitis and syphilis, and gives them a condescending lecture about God, disease and humanity. Castiel, now human, enters the room and falls to the floor after beginning to feel the effects of Pestilence's epidemic. Pestilence mocks him for being a powerless occupied vessel, noting that "there's not a speck of angel in you." Castiel picks up Ruby's knife and cuts off Pestilence's finger with the ring. The nurse rushes at him but he kills her with the knife too. Sam and Dean immediately recover from their illnesses and get up from the floor. Pestilence, with his hand bleeding from where his finger used to be, tells them "It doesn't matter. It's too late," before vanishing.
Later in the episode, Sam and Dean figure out what Pestilence's plan was after a talk with Crowley. Brady was vice president of distribution at Niveus. The first part of the plan was for Pestilence to start a swine flu epidemic, which set the stage for the second step: mass nationwide distribution of the Niveus vaccine which contains the Croatoan virus. Crowley suggests Sam and Dean stock up on everything, because "this time next Thursday, we'll all be living in Zombieland."
Pestilence's Task
It was Pestilence's job to infect humanity with the Croatoan Virus. In Zachariah's futuristic vision, Pestilence indirectly infects 90 percent of the whole Earth's population. However we see something completely different in 5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight: Pestilence only manages to infect a very small portion of Earth's population.
Notes
- See Matt Frewer for more info.
