Difference between revisions of "Vessel"
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| − | + | A vessel is a human that an [[angel]] possesses in order to [[Manifestation|manifest]] on Earth. The term vessel was first used by [[Castiel]].<ref name="four01" /> Angels are in reality "multi-dimensional wavelength[s] of celestial intent"<ref name="six07">[[6.07 Family Matters]]</ref> and can be the "size of...(the) Chrysler Building."<ref name="six07" /> Vessels are the safest and most conventional way for angels to interact with humans on Earth, as their true voices and visages can kill, and in the very least severely harm.<ref name="four01">[[4.01 Lazarus Rising]]</ref> Vessels also appear necessary for an angel to use the full range of his abilities on Earth. [[Zachariah]] explains that even [[Lucifer]] needs a vessel outside [[Lucifer's Cage|the Cage]].<ref name="five01">[[5.01 Sympathy for the Devil]]</ref> | |
| − | A vessel is a human that an [[angel]] possesses in order to [[Manifestation|manifest]] on Earth. The term vessel was first used by [[Castiel]].<ref name="four01" /> Angels are in reality "multi-dimensional wavelength[s] of celestial intent"<ref>[[6.07 Family Matters]]</ref> and can be the "size of...(the) Chrysler Building."<ref | ||
A human must consent for an angel to use their body as a vessel. | A human must consent for an angel to use their body as a vessel. | ||
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| − | The suitability of a human to be a vessel is innate. [[Castiel]] makes reference to this while possessing [[Claire Novak]], saying that it is "in her blood | + | The suitability of a human to be a vessel is innate. [[Castiel]] makes reference to this while possessing [[Claire Novak]], saying that it is "in her blood" and appears that [[angel]]s are tied to certain human family lineages. [[Michael]], when he is using the young [[John Winchester]] as his vessel, tells [[Dean Winchester|Dean]]: “You’re my true vessel, but not my only one. It’s a bloodline... stretching back to [[Cain|Cain and Abel]]. It’s in your blood, your father’s blood, your family's blood,”<ref name="five13">[[5.13 The Song Remains the Same]]</ref> with this statement being reinforced by Michael's later use of [[Adam Milligan]], John's son and Dean's half-brother, when Dean refuses to consent to Michael. |
| − | Not all vessels are as suitable or durable as others. When unable to secure [[Sam Winchester]] as his vessel after his release, [[Lucifer]] is able to use a a man named [[Nick]] as a substitute, but Nick's body is clearly shown to be decaying as time goes on, requiring | + | Not all vessels are as suitable or durable as others. When unable to secure [[Sam Winchester]] as his vessel after his release, [[Lucifer]] is able to use a a man named [[Nick]] as a substitute, but Nick's body is clearly shown to be decaying as time goes on, requiring Lucifer to consume gallons of [[demon blood]] to sustain the vessel. After the angels are expelled from [[Heaven]] by [[Metatron]] and [[The Fall|fall to Earth]], some angels become so desperate for vessels that they take the first available option as hosts, some of which resulted in the host exploding upon possession.<ref name="nine03">[[9.03 I'm No Angel]]</ref> The angel [[Hael]] was so desperate to find a suitable vessel that her first host began to decay while she was still inside it, Hael later attempted to force Castiel to consent to possession after the loss of his [[grace]] and subsequent humanity made him a possible vessel.<ref name="nine01" /> |
| − | Sex appears to be irrelevant for angels as [[Castiel]], [[Hannah]] and [[Raphael]] have all used both male and female vessels. While angels do refer to each other with gendered terms such as "brother" and "sister" when interacting in vessels, it is unclear if angels have any concept of gender as humans would understand it in their natural state, and what influences their choice of vessel. | + | Sex appears to be irrelevant for angels as [[Castiel]], [[Hannah]] and [[Raphael]] have all used both male and female vessels. While angels do refer to each other with gendered terms such as "brother" and "sister" when interacting in vessels, it is unclear if angels have any concept of gender as humans would understand it in their natural state, and what influences their choice of vessel. Though the [[Apocalypse World]] [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] briefly uses an unnamed female vessel and the [[witch]] [[Rowena]], and is referred to exclusively as "he" even after the nature of his vessel is discovered.<ref name="fourteen09" /> |
==Characteristics== | ==Characteristics== | ||
| + | [[Image:Jimmy talks with Angel Castiel.jpg|thumb|left|350px|[[Castiel]] obtains consent from [[Jimmy Novak]].]] | ||
===Obtaining Consent=== | ===Obtaining Consent=== | ||
| − | While [[demons]] can [[Possession|possess]] any human against their will, in order to manifest [[angel]]s must obtain the consent of the human before they can enter him or her. This consent can be coerced as demonstrated by [[Zachariah]]'s treatment of [[Dean Winchester]], with Dean's continued refusal to act as [[Michael]]'s vessel prompts Zachariah to torture him, [[Sam Winchester|Sam]], and their half-brother [[Adam Milligan]]. However, it would appear that the consent still requires the subject to say "yes" as themselves, as Zachariah always tried to force Dean to accept rather than simply changing his memories, a feat that he has been shown to be capable of, to make Dean willing to consent (demons were more willing to attack and threaten Sam, at one point trying to trick [[Gary Frankel]], who had temporarily switched bodies with Sam, into saying "yes" in Sam's place, but they may simply be relying on more limited knowledge of angels. | + | While [[demons]] can [[Possession|possess]] any human against their will, in order to manifest [[angel]]s must obtain the consent of the human before they can enter him or her. This consent can be coerced as demonstrated by [[Zachariah]]'s treatment of [[Dean Winchester]], with Dean's continued refusal to act as [[Michael]]'s vessel prompts Zachariah to torture him, [[Sam Winchester|Sam]], and their half-brother [[Adam Milligan]]. However, it would appear that the consent still requires the subject to say "yes" as themselves, as Zachariah always tried to force Dean to accept rather than simply changing his memories, a feat that he has been shown to be capable of, to make Dean willing to consent (demons were more willing to attack and threaten Sam, at one point trying to trick [[Gary Frankel]], who had temporarily switched bodies with Sam, into saying "yes" in Sam's place, but they may simply be relying on more limited knowledge of angels. Consent, however, does not appear to need to be fully informed, as [[Gadreel]] only vaguely told / asked Sam while disguised as Dean, "But you got to let me in, man. You got to let me help." When Sam finally said "yes," Gadreel was able to enter him as a vessel. |
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| + | After consent is obtained, it appears that an angel may occupy a vessel for as long as necessary, though it can be forcibly removed. Having left a vessel, it would appear that the angel requires new consent from the vessel to resume using it as a host; [[Castiel]] had to use [[Claire Novak]] as a vessel when [[Jimmy Novak]] was not currently an option. This apparently only applies when the subject is mentally capable of doing so, as [[Raphael]] and [[Gadreel]] were able to re-use [[Donnie Finnerman]] and Sam despite neither being fully conscious.<ref name="five03" /> [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] was able to repossess Dean after having willingly left his body, revealing that he "left the door open a crack", however what that actually meant was never revealed, and is unknown if Dean did or did not have to give consent again.<ref name="fourteen09">[[14.09 The Spear]]</ref> Angels can apparently re-occupy a body that has been restored without its soul, as Castiel has confirmed that [[Jimmy Novak]] was killed and passed on to Heaven after he was killed by Michael and yet he has continued to operate in Jimmy's soulless body for several years since. [[Anna Milton]] had her human body regenerated as a soulless vessel for her to use, by calling in "old favors." These are the only examples of angels using soulless vessels. | ||
| − | + | While possessing [[Rowena]], the Apocalypse World Michael only needed a nod of consent from Rowena instead of a verbal "yes."<ref name="fourteen14" /> | |
| − | ===Vessel/Angel Interaction=== | + | ===Vessel / Angel Interaction=== |
[[File:Lucifer-Rooney.jpg|thumb|right|350px|While possessing [[President Jefferson Rooney]], [[Lucifer]] converses with him in his mind.]] | [[File:Lucifer-Rooney.jpg|thumb|right|350px|While possessing [[President Jefferson Rooney]], [[Lucifer]] converses with him in his mind.]] | ||
| − | While occupying a vessel, the original consciousness of the human is suppressed, though it can come to the surface in rare instances; [[Lucifer]] allowed [[Sam Winchester]] to experience some moments of his actions when he destroyed some of the [[demon]]s that had monitored Sam during his life in an attempt to convince Sam to submit to him, while Jimmy Novak was at least aware of enough during his time as [[Castiel]] to recognize the Winchesters when he met them after Castiel was expelled from his body | + | While occupying a vessel, the original consciousness of the human is suppressed, though it can come to the surface in rare instances; [[Lucifer]] allowed [[Sam Winchester]] to experience some moments of his actions when he destroyed some of the [[demon]]s that had monitored Sam during his life in an attempt to convince Sam to submit to him,<ref name="five22" /> while Jimmy Novak was at least aware of enough during his time as [[Castiel]] to recognize the Winchesters when he met them after Castiel was expelled from his body as well as knowing how to set up a salt barrier to protect his family from attacking demons.<ref name="four20" /> However, when Dean was acting as a vessel for the [[Apocalypse World|alternate version]] of [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]], he stated after Michael abandoned him as a vessel that it felt as though he was drowning underwater, aware of only that sensation without recalling any of Michael's explicit actions,<ref>[[14.03 The Scar]]</ref> although he was shown briefly talking to Michael through a mirror to try and force the angel out of his body.<ref name="fourteen02" /> After being reminded that Michael was possessing him, Dean experienced several flashbacks of the things that Michael had done while possessing him the first time.<ref name="fourteen10">[[14.10 Nihilism]]</ref> |
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| + | Hosts have also been able to regain control from the angel; when Sam and Castiel were acting as Lucifer's vessel, they were each able to at least temporarily regain control while Lucifer was still inside them, although he was able to regain control of Castiel after a few moments (Sam leapt into [[the Cage]] before Lucifer could retake control of his body).<ref name="five22" /><ref name="eleven14" /> Additionally, while possessing [[President Jefferson Rooney]], Lucifer was able to manifest himself in a dark room in Rooney's mind to hold a conversation with him in order to learn how to properly pose as Rooney. In the real world, Lucifer was facing a mirror and appeared to be talking to himself from an outside perspective.<ref name="twelve08">[[12.08 LOTUS]]</ref> During [[Crowley]]'s attempt to get Sam to expel [[Gadreel]] and later Castiel to expel Lucifer, Gadreel and Lucifer were able to manifest themselves in the form of their previous vessels to stop the attempts rather than appearing as their current vessels.<ref name="nine10" /><ref name="eleven18">[[11.18 Hell's Angel]]</ref> When Dean remembers the truth of being possessed by Michael, Michael manifests himself in Dean's form, but wearing the clothing that Michael prefers. During this interaction, Michael was stated to only be a mental projection and lacked any of the powers he had in the real world. As a result, the Winchesters, Castiel and Michael were on an even footing power wise though Michael retained his formidable hand-to-hand combat skills.<ref name="fourteen10" /> | ||
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| + | Conversely, angels can also suppress themselves while in vessels, as shown when Gadreel, masquerading as Ezekiel, erased Sam's knowledge of him and retreated into Sam's subconscious in order to allow them both to heal.<ref name="nine01">[[9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here]]</ref> This was also demonstrated when Michael (from the [[Apocalypse World]]) took Dean as his vessel to fight Lucifer, Michael initially allowing Dean to control their power to confront Lucifer before he took control of Dean's body himself.<ref name="thirteen23" /> | ||
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| + | After escaping from [[Lucifer's Cage]], the [[archangel]] [[Michael]] allows his vessel [[Adam Milligan]] to have control. As a result of hosting Michael, Adam no longer needs to eat even though he still enjoys [[food]] such as cheeseburgers. Due to reaching an understanding with Adam during their years in the Cage, Michael openly shares control with his vessel, at one point giving Adam control just so he wouldn't have to listen to the truth about [[God]]. While Adam is control of their body, he and Michael have been shown to easily communicate with one another with Michael manifesting to Adam in the waking world as an identical duplicate of Adam that only Adam can see. This duplicate isn't limited to one spot and is able to move around the room Adam is in, though Michael's manifestation is more of a hallucination than a physical duplicate. In this way, Adam and Michael are able to hold conversations and even arguments with each other as easily as if it were two regular people in the same situation.<ref name="fifteen08" /> | ||
| − | According to Castiel in his second conversation with | + | According to Castiel in his second conversation with Dean, [[angel]]s were "walking among" humans for the first time in 2,000 years.<ref name="four02">[[4.02 Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester]]</ref> [[Uriel]] made a comment in the 1970's that it was against orders to manifest on Earth in a vessel.<ref name="five13" /> At least two angels have been on Earth during this period: [[Anna Milton]] and [[Gabriel]]. Anna fell, cutting out her [[grace]], and was subsequently born as a human. When she regains her grace, her body is destroyed,<ref name="four10">[[4.10 Heaven and Hell]]</ref> but is later regenerated for her to occupy as a vessel.<ref name="four16" /> If [[Gabriel]] has used the same vessel since arriving on Earth after Lucifer's fall, it must have been serving him for thousands of years. Gabriel's vessel is known to have the same outward appearance as [[Loki]] who Gabriel was masquerading as, but it is unknown how this was accomplished.<ref name="thirteen20">[[13.20 Unfinished Business]]</ref> While some angels enjoy their time on Earth in vessels, others resent it. Uriel holds disdain for humans, and [[Zachariah]] in particular, whose vessel is never identified, despises the prospect, as illustrated by the following quote: |
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| − | Sam and Castiel learn that when an angel leaves a vessel, they leave behind a bit of their [[grace]] which can be extracted and used to track them. However, repeated healings of the vessel over time causes the grace to be eliminated.<ref>[[9.11 First Born]]</ref> | + | Sam and Castiel learn that when an angel leaves a vessel, they leave behind a bit of their [[grace]] which can be extracted and used to track them. However, repeated healings of the vessel over time causes the grace to be eliminated.<ref name="nine11">[[9.11 First Born]]</ref> |
===Heavenly Manifestation=== | ===Heavenly Manifestation=== | ||
| − | In [[Heaven]], [[angel]]s can appear in human form to [[soul]]s there. When [[Dean]] and [[Sam]] are captured by [[Zachariah]] in [[Heaven]], they still see Zachariah as he appears on Earth in his vessel. According to Zachariah the reason they perceive him the same way in Heaven is because they are limited. [[Joshua]] is also seen in human form in Heaven by Dean and Sam, but it is unclear if his appearance reflects a particular vessel or if it was something he chose at random. In [[5.14 My Bloody Valentine]], Castiel | + | In [[Heaven]], [[angel]]s can appear in human form to [[soul]]s there. When [[Dean]] and [[Sam]] are captured by [[Zachariah]] in [[Heaven]], they still see Zachariah as he appears on Earth in his vessel. According to Zachariah the reason they perceive him the same way in Heaven is because they are limited. [[Joshua]] is also seen in human form in Heaven by Dean and Sam, but it is unclear if his appearance reflects a particular vessel or if it was something he chose at random, particularly when he appeared on Earth in a different appearance when he finally manifested outside of Heaven. |
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| + | In [[5.14 My Bloody Valentine]], Castiel demanded that a [[cherub]] reveal itself, and it instantly appears in human form. Whether or not it needed a vessel is unknown (another cherub appeared in human form in [[9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here]], but on this occasion its vessel appeared to be a matter of convenience). | ||
When summoned into a cage in Limbo, [[Lucifer]] was able to physically manifest in the form of his old vessel [[Nick]] despite being confirmed to have no vessel at the time. | When summoned into a cage in Limbo, [[Lucifer]] was able to physically manifest in the form of his old vessel [[Nick]] despite being confirmed to have no vessel at the time. | ||
===Multiple Spirits=== | ===Multiple Spirits=== | ||
| − | At the end of season six, [[Castiel]] absorbs the [[soul]]s of [[Purgatory]] to gain their power and defeat [[Raphael]]. [[Balthazar]] worried about the instability inherent in Castiel acting "as the vessel" for the [[soul]]s. This could result in the destruction of Earth. Whether the souls are also housed in Castiel's vessel or are a part of his spirit is not known. He is still using his vessel after declaring himself the new "God"<ref name="six22">[[6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much]]</ref>, although it is quickly established that the strain of holding these souls -- as well as the [[Leviathans]] -- would have been too much for his vessel to hold them long-term, forcing Castiel to discard them or self-destruct<ref name="seven02">[[7.02 Hello, Cruel World]]</ref> | + | [[File:PurgatorySouls.jpg|thumb|left|350px|The [[souls]] of [[Purgatory]] reach out through [[Castiel]]'s vessel.]] |
| + | At the end of season six, [[Castiel]] absorbs the [[soul]]s of [[Purgatory]] to gain their power and defeat [[Raphael]]. [[Balthazar]] worried about the instability inherent in Castiel acting "as the vessel" for the [[soul]]s. This could result in the destruction of Earth. Whether the souls are also housed in Castiel's vessel or are a part of his spirit is not known. He is still using his vessel after declaring himself the new "God"<ref name="six22">[[6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much]]</ref>, although it is quickly established that the strain of holding these souls -- as well as the [[Leviathans]] -- would have been too much for his vessel to hold them long-term, forcing Castiel to discard them or self-destruct.<ref name="seven02">[[7.02 Hello, Cruel World]]</ref> | ||
| − | Despite being actively used as a vessel for the angel [[Gadreel]], Sam was simultaneously possessed by the demon [[Crowley]] so that Crowley could alert him to Gadreel's existence and allow him to expel Gadreel from his body. | + | Despite being actively used as a vessel for the angel [[Gadreel]], Sam was simultaneously possessed by the demon [[Crowley]] so that Crowley could alert him to Gadreel's existence and allow him to expel Gadreel from his body.<ref name="nine10" /> Years later, using a [[British Men of Letters]] device, both Sam and Castiel were able to enter Dean's mind to help him expel [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]]. During this interaction, all four were on an even footing due to all being only mental projections. As a result, they were able to trap Michael within Dean's mind in a manifestation of a bar cooler. Dean believed that he could contain Michael, but was later warned by [[Billie]] that all but one version of Dean's fate had Michael eventually escaping to retake control. In this case, Castiel did not require Dean's permission as he linked to Dean's mind by hitching a ride with Sam through the device and did not actually possess him.<ref name="fourteen10" /> |
Faced with a lack of options after [[the Darkness]] was released onto the world, Castiel consented to act as a vessel for Lucifer when he claimed to be the only one powerful enough to defeat their new foe in the absence of [[God]] and the other [[archangels]].<ref name="eleven10">[[11.10 The Devil in the Details]]</ref> It is unclear if Lucifer would have been able to possess another angel under normal circumstances or if this is only possible because of Castiel's unconventional circumstances, inhabiting a vessel after its original owner has passed on. In Castiel and Lucifer's case, its shown that Castiel continues to exist inside his vessel as a human soul would when an angel possesses them. Castiel even displayed the ability to overcome Lucifer's control for a short time, but lacked the strength to hold it for long or expel the archangel.<ref name="eleven14">[[11.14 The Vessel]]</ref> Lucifer could also switch control with Castiel at will like Gadreel could with Sam.<ref name="eleven22">[[11.22 We Happy Few]]</ref> | Faced with a lack of options after [[the Darkness]] was released onto the world, Castiel consented to act as a vessel for Lucifer when he claimed to be the only one powerful enough to defeat their new foe in the absence of [[God]] and the other [[archangels]].<ref name="eleven10">[[11.10 The Devil in the Details]]</ref> It is unclear if Lucifer would have been able to possess another angel under normal circumstances or if this is only possible because of Castiel's unconventional circumstances, inhabiting a vessel after its original owner has passed on. In Castiel and Lucifer's case, its shown that Castiel continues to exist inside his vessel as a human soul would when an angel possesses them. Castiel even displayed the ability to overcome Lucifer's control for a short time, but lacked the strength to hold it for long or expel the archangel.<ref name="eleven14">[[11.14 The Vessel]]</ref> Lucifer could also switch control with Castiel at will like Gadreel could with Sam.<ref name="eleven22">[[11.22 We Happy Few]]</ref> | ||
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| + | In a unique case, Dean made a deal with the [[Apocalypse World]] [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] while becoming the [[archangel]]'s vessel. As part of the deal, Dean remained in control of the shared body, but Michael powered him so that he could fight [[Lucifer]]. Dean referred to this as Dean being in the driver's seat while Michael acted as the engine. In this state, Dean had access to several of Michael's powers such as [[teleportation]], flight, invulnerability and the strength of an archangel. This also gave Dean the power to wield an [[archangel blade]] against Lucifer and kill Lucifer with it<ref name="thirteen23">[[13.23 Let the Good Times Roll]]</ref> despite the fact that usually, only an archangel can use the blade to kill another archangel.<ref name="thirteen13">[[13.13 Devil's Bargain]]</ref> | ||
===Strengths and Weaknesses=== | ===Strengths and Weaknesses=== | ||
An [[angel]] in a vessel can withstand injuries that would kill a human, and can heal the vessel of almost any wound they receive, unlike [[demon]]s who merely suppress the damage their "[[meatsuit]]s" sustain while they are in control. Even so, acting as a vessel is a trial. [[Jimmy Novak]] described his experience as a vessel as "like being chained to a comet."<ref name="four20">[[4.20 The Rapture]]</ref> Although Jimmy came through his time as [[Castiel]]'s vessel physically and mentally intact, apart from being hungry as Castiel never ate, he still recalls having been shot, stabbed, and healed while his body was being "used" by Castiel. Castiel also warns Jimmy that he will not age while occupied by an angel, however long he serves as a vessel.<ref name="four20" /> | An [[angel]] in a vessel can withstand injuries that would kill a human, and can heal the vessel of almost any wound they receive, unlike [[demon]]s who merely suppress the damage their "[[meatsuit]]s" sustain while they are in control. Even so, acting as a vessel is a trial. [[Jimmy Novak]] described his experience as a vessel as "like being chained to a comet."<ref name="four20">[[4.20 The Rapture]]</ref> Although Jimmy came through his time as [[Castiel]]'s vessel physically and mentally intact, apart from being hungry as Castiel never ate, he still recalls having been shot, stabbed, and healed while his body was being "used" by Castiel. Castiel also warns Jimmy that he will not age while occupied by an angel, however long he serves as a vessel.<ref name="four20" /> | ||
| − | In the case of [[archangel]]s, the human host takes on even greater risk, as the sheer power of an archangel can inflict permanent mental damage on a vessel (however, this does not seem to be something the archangel cannot control. [[Michael]] was able to protect [[John Winchester]] from suffering significant damage when he took John as a host for a few minutes in the 1970s). [[Donnie Finnerman]] suffered brain damage after his occupation by [[Raphael]], and [[Castiel]] tells [[Dean]], were Michael to possess him, Dean would suffer even greater damage.<ref name="five03">[[5.03 Free to Be You and Me]]</ref> [[Lucifer]]'s presence causes [[Nick]] to deteriorate slowly during his time as a vessel; saying that Nick can barely contain him,<ref name="five03" /><ref name="five19">[[5.19 Hammer of the Gods]]</ref> forcing him to consume gallons of [[demon blood]] to retain enough stability to operate in Nick until [[Sam]] will consent to him. | + | In the case of [[archangel]]s, the human host takes on even greater risk, as the sheer power of an archangel can inflict permanent mental damage on a vessel (however, this does not seem to be something the archangel cannot control. [[Michael]] was able to protect [[John Winchester]] from suffering significant damage when he took John as a host for a few minutes in the 1970s). [[Donnie Finnerman]] suffered brain damage after his occupation by [[Raphael]], and [[Castiel]] tells [[Dean]], were Michael to possess him, Dean would suffer even greater damage.<ref name="five03">[[5.03 Free to Be You and Me]]</ref> [[Lucifer]]'s presence causes [[Nick]] to deteriorate slowly during his time as a vessel; saying that Nick can barely contain him,<ref name="five03" /><ref name="five19">[[5.19 Hammer of the Gods]]</ref> forcing him to consume gallons of [[demon blood]] to retain enough stability to operate in Nick until [[Sam]] will consent to him. Some years later, Crowley was eventually able to "fix" Nick so that he could serve as a permanent vessel for Lucifer, but this required twelve different demons working together to create the necessary rituals, and this procedure was primarily intended to trap Lucifer in Nick rather than allow Lucifer to use Nick long-term to pursue his own agenda.<ref name="twelve13">[[12.13 Family Feud]]</ref> After Lucifer's death, Nick was able to remember several of the things Lucifer did while possessing him, leading to nightmares and flashbacks while awake.<ref name="fourteen01">[[14.01 Stranger in a Strange Land]]</ref> The possession also left him with psychological effects such as Lucifer-like mannerisms when angered, leading Castiel to believe that Lucifer's possession did more damage to Nick's psyche than was previously realized.<ref name="fourteen02" /> |
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| + | Even if a vessel doesn't remember it, they are aware of everything the angel is aware of and can access their memories.<ref name="nine10" /><ref name="fourteen10" /> | ||
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| + | It has been shown that an archangel has the power to obliterate the vessel of another [[angel]], and the angel himself.<ref name="five01">[[5.01 Sympathy for the Devil]]</ref> The [[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]] can harm occupied vessels, as demonstrated by [[Famine]]<ref name="five14">[[5.14 My Bloody Valentine]]</ref> and [[Pestilence]]<ref name="five21">[[5.21 Two Minutes to Midnight]]</ref> exerting their influence on [[Castiel]] (although his weakened condition at this time may have contributed to their ability to attack him -- [[Pestilence]] noting in particular that his powers affecting Castiel while in a vessel was a sign that he was "out of angel juice" -- making it unclear how the Horsemen would deal with an angel at full strength). [[Holy fire]] can destroy an angel and its vessel if the angel walks through the flames<ref name="five03">[[5.03 Free to Be You and Me]]</ref>, although archangels are at least able to recover from this attack if given enough time. Powerful artifacts of Heaven, such as [[Lot's Salt]], can permanently destroy a vessel (although Raphael was able to escape the vessel before being destroyed himself).<ref name="six03">[[6.03 The Third Man]]</ref> Another angelic weapon, the [[Staff of Moses]] can harm angels in a vessel.<ref name="six03">[[6.03 The Third Man]]</ref> As mentioned above, [[Anna]]'s human body was destroyed when she regained her grace, but was recreated as her vessel. | ||
| − | + | [[File:AngelExorcism.jpg|thumb|right|350px|[[Alastair]] attempting to eject [[Castiel]] from his vessel.]] | |
| + | An angel can be pulled from its vessel by other angels, or even powerful [[demon]]s;<ref name="four20" /> [[Alastair]] once attempted to [[exorcise]] [[Castiel]] from his vessel using a [[spell]], but he was interrupted before he could finish, leaving it unclear whether he would have been able to actually banish Castiel from Jimmy Novak.<ref name="four16">[[4.16 On the Head of a Pin]]</ref> According to Castiel, there is an open connection between an unoccupied human vessel and its angel.<ref name="five03" /> This connection can be used to summon an angel back to its vessel using the proper incantation. Conversely, a team of demons led by Crowley were able to trap Lucifer in Nick by performing complex spellwork and warding that essentially turned Nick into the new cage, although Lucifer was eventually able to overcome the warding enough to restore himself to full control of his powers while still stuck in Nick's body.<ref name="twelve17">[[12.17 The British Invasion]]</ref> | ||
| − | + | If the vessel has a great enough strength of will, they are capable of overpowering the angel controlling them for a time to varying degrees. Sam managed to overpower [[Lucifer]]'s control of him and move around without a visible struggle<ref name="five22">[[5.22 Swan Song]]</ref> while Castiel was visibly struggling with holding Lucifer back and stated it was taking all of his strength to do so to the point he couldn't expel the archangel.<ref name="eleven14" /> Dean would eventually be able to trap [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] within his own mind, essentially acting as a cage to the archangel.<ref name="fourteen10" /> Castiel later stated to Dean that he couldn't even imagine the strength of will it must take to keep Michael contained and Dean admitted that he was barely sleeping because he couldn't let his guard down at all. When Dean was knocked [[unconscious]], it gave Michael the chance to escape.<ref name="fourteen14" /> | |
| − | + | Vessels possess the ability to expel the angel using them if they are strong enough and aware of the possession. [[Gadreel]] kept Sam from knowing about his possession to prevent exactly this, especially as he was vulnerable in his weakened state, but was eventually expelled by Sam when [[Crowley]] possessed him to bring the truth to his attention.<ref name="nine10">[[9.10 Road Trip]]</ref> Castiel later regained control from Lucifer but was unable to expel him, telling Sam it was taking all of his strength just to keep Lucifer from killing Sam and he had no strength left to expel the archangel.<ref name="eleven14" /> While Dean was able to manifest himself in a mirror while possessed by [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]], his attempt to order Michael out of his body completely failed.<ref name="fourteen02">[[14.02 Gods and Monsters]]</ref> Michael later revealed that Dean fought him so hard that although he couldn't eject Michael, Michael chose to leave on his own. Michael's plan was to completely break Dean's spirit so that when he returned to Dean's body, Dean wouldn't fight him again, something he claimed to have worked.<ref name="fourteen09" /> In reality, Michael trapped Dean in a world where he was truly happy within his mind so that Dean wouldn't think to fight back and was unaware of the truth. After being reminded, Dean was able to access several of Michael's memories of his actions the first time he was possessed. Though Dean commanded Michael to shut up when he appeared, he never actively ordered him out and instead trapped Michael within his mind instead of casting him out. Being trapped in such a way cut off Michael's control over [[Michael's Monsters|his monsters]] though he continued to fight to get free. [[Billie]] was able to sense Michael banging on the door locking him in Dean's mind and warned Dean that Michael would eventually escape and retake control according to all but one version of Dean's ultimate fate.<ref name="fourteen10" /> Despite being cut off inside of Dean's mind, Michael appeared to have been aware of everything that Dean did as he was aware of the plan to use the [[Ma'lak Box]] against him and taunted Dean for not implementing it.<ref name="fourteen14" /> | |
| − | + | While sharing his body with [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] after making a deal to retain control of his body, Dean was able to use the archangel's strength, invulnerability, teleportation and flight abilities. Dean was even able to display Michael's wings in a manner similar to the way several angels have done in the past. Although Dean was able to do this through his deal with Michael, when Michael chose to seize full control for himself, Dean was powerless to stop it.<ref name="thirteen23" /> | |
| − | + | While an [[angel blade]] kills both the vessel and the possessing angel every time,<ref name="nine10" /> [[Nick]] was able to survive the death of [[Lucifer]] after being stabbed with an [[archangel blade]]. Sam speculated that the archangel blade was designed to kill the possessing archangel, while sparing the vessel (however this is only a theory as evidenced by Gabriel's death appearing to have killed him and his vessel). | |
==Vessels== | ==Vessels== | ||
The term "true vessel" is used several times to described someone preordained to host an [[angel]]. It is particularly applied to the vessels of [[Michael]] and [[Lucifer]], but any vessel with the right bloodline can host the angel tied to it. | The term "true vessel" is used several times to described someone preordained to host an [[angel]]. It is particularly applied to the vessels of [[Michael]] and [[Lucifer]], but any vessel with the right bloodline can host the angel tied to it. | ||
| − | |||
===Archangel Vessels=== | ===Archangel Vessels=== | ||
| − | * [[Dean Winchester]] was preordained to be [[Michael]]'s vessel, being described as "Michael's sword." [[Zachariah]] tells Dean that Michael needs him as a vessel, so that Michael can lead the the [[Host of Heaven]] in the final battle against [[Lucifer]]. | + | * [[Dean Winchester]] was preordained to be [[Michael]]'s vessel, being described as "Michael's sword." [[Zachariah]] tells Dean that Michael needs him as a vessel, so that Michael can lead the the [[Host of Heaven]] in the final battle against [[Lucifer]]. While Dean did not consent to the Michael of his world, he eventually agreed to act as the vessel for an [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|alternate version of Michael]] with conditions in order to battle a super-charged [[Lucifer]]. Following the death of Lucifer, Michael seized full control of Dean's body and departed.<ref name="thirteen23" /> He eventually abandoned Dean's body on his own for unknown reasons, leaving Dean alive but somewhat weak.<ref name="fourteen02" /> Michael later repossessed Dean, revealing that Dean had been fighting him so much he wanted to break Dean's spirit before reclaiming him. Michael was able to "leave the door open a crack" in Dean's mind so that he did not require permission a second time to possess Dean.<ref name="fourteen09" /> With the help of Sam and Castiel, Dean was able to seize control back, but imprisoned Michael within his mind instead of expelling him.<ref name="fourteen10" /> After Dean was knocked unconscious by the [[gorgon]] [[Noah Ophis]], Michael was able to escape Dean's mind and left his body rather than continuing to use Dean as a vessel.<ref name="fourteen14">[[14.14 Ouroboros]]</ref> |
| − | * [[Sam Winchester]] was preordained to be Lucifer's vessel. Sam was present in the Chapel not just to kill [[Lilith]], but also so that following Lucifer's release he could become his vessel. According to [[Castiel]], consuming [[demon blood]] strengthens the person's body, making it possible for him or her to host Lucifer, which is the reason [[Ruby]] fed large quantities of demon blood to Sam prior to this. | + | * [[Sam Winchester]] was preordained to be Lucifer's vessel. Sam was present in the Chapel not just to kill [[Lilith]], but also so that following Lucifer's release he could become his vessel. According to [[Castiel]], consuming [[demon blood]] strengthens the person's body, making it possible for him or her to host Lucifer, which is the reason [[Ruby]] fed large quantities of demon blood to Sam prior to this. Sam consented to Lucifer in order to return him to his Cage. Sam eventually managed to overpower Lucifer's control and sacrificed himself to throw Lucifer, [[Michael]] and [[Adam Milligan]] into the Cage.<ref name="five22" /> |
| − | * [[Donnie Finnerman]] was chosen by [[Raphael]] to be his vessel. Donnie was a mechanic in Maine prior to his consent to Raphael; by the time Raphael vacated his body, his presence within Donnie left the man badly brain-damaged. It is unclear if Donnie was Raphael's true vessel. Using [[Lot's Salt]], [[Balthazar]] killed Donnie and rendered his body unsuitable for Raphael to remain in, forcing Raphael to find another vessel. | + | * [[Donnie Finnerman]] was chosen by [[Raphael]] to be his vessel. Donnie was a mechanic in Maine prior to his consent to Raphael; by the time Raphael vacated his body, his presence within Donnie left the man badly brain-damaged.<ref name="five03" /> It is unclear if Donnie was Raphael's true vessel. Using [[Lot's Salt]], [[Balthazar]] killed Donnie and rendered his body unsuitable for Raphael to remain in, forcing Raphael to find another vessel.<ref name="six03" /> |
===Angel Vessels=== | ===Angel Vessels=== | ||
| − | * [[Jimmy Novak]] was chosen by [[Castiel]] to be his vessel. While he initially consented, Jimmy is keen to resume his life with his family after Castiel is forcibly summoned back to [[Heaven]]. He does resume his former angelic occupation as Castiel's vessel. Unlike Dean, Jimmy can hear Castiel's true voice and perceive his true visage unharmed. Since the loss of his [[grace]], Castiel has | + | * [[Jimmy Novak]] was chosen by [[Castiel]] to be his vessel. While he initially consented, Jimmy is keen to resume his life with his family after Castiel is forcibly summoned back to [[Heaven]]. He does resume his former angelic occupation as Castiel's vessel. Unlike Dean, Jimmy can hear Castiel's true voice and perceive his true visage unharmed.<ref name="four20" /> Since the loss of his [[grace]], Castiel has become a vessel as [[Hael]] attempted to force him to consent to her when her originally chosen vessel began to deteriorate<ref name="nine01" /> and he later acted as the vessel to [[Lucifer]] for several months though the effort of containing the archangel began to burn out both Castiel and Jimmy. Lucifer was later exorcised from Castiel and Jimmy's body by [[Amara]].<ref name="eleven22" /> Jimmy remains Castiel's vessel despite the fact that Jimmy himself is long-since dead.<ref name="ten09">[[10.09 The Things We Left Behind]]</ref> |
| − | * [[Claire Novak]] is Jimmy's daughter and is briefly a vessel for Castiel. After Jimmy is shot by a [[demon]] possessing his wife, Castiel possesses his daughter Claire. Jimmy, near death, begs to be allowed to take her place. Castiel agrees. | + | * [[Claire Novak]] is Jimmy's daughter and is briefly a vessel for Castiel. After Jimmy is shot by a [[demon]] possessing his wife, Castiel possesses his daughter Claire. Jimmy, near death, begs to be allowed to take her place. Castiel agrees.<ref name="four20" /> |
| − | * Alfie was a young man who worked at a fast food place called Wiener Hut. He was chosen by [[Samandriel]] to be his vessel, though he may or may not be his true vessel as Samandriel refers to him as the nearest vessel when he needed one. Samandriel was primarily known to Dean by his vessel's name. Both Alfie and Samandriel were killed by Castiel | + | * Alfie was a young man who worked at a fast food place called Wiener Hut. He was chosen by [[Samandriel]] to be his vessel, though he may or may not be his true vessel as Samandriel refers to him as the nearest vessel when he needed one.<ref name="eight02">[[8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?]]</ref> Samandriel was primarily known to Dean by his vessel's name. Both Alfie and Samandriel were killed by Castiel under the control of [[Naomi]].<ref name="eight10">[[8.10 Torn and Frayed]]</ref> |
| − | * [[Sam Winchester]] is able to act as a vessel for [[Gadreel]] so he can heal both himself and Sam. Although not Gadreel's true vessel, Sam is able to bear Gadreel for an extended period of time, possibly because he is the true vessel of the more powerful [[ | + | * [[Sam Winchester]] is able to act as a vessel for [[Gadreel]] so he can heal both himself and Sam.<ref name="nine01" /> Although not Gadreel's true vessel, Sam is able to bear Gadreel for an extended period of time, possibly because he is the true vessel of the more powerful [[archangel]] [[Lucifer]]. Sam expels Gadreel after he learns of the angel's presence.<ref name="nine10" /> |
| − | * Corey was a pop singer chosen by [[Thaddeus]] to be his vessel; Thaddeus possessed Corey because he wanted to enjoy Corey's pop star lifestyle. It is not mentioned if Corey was Thaddeus's true vessel, though Corey was evidently capable of containing [[angel]]s in general. Corey and Thaddeus were both killed by [[Gadreel]] | + | * Corey was a pop singer chosen by [[Thaddeus]] to be his vessel; Thaddeus possessed Corey because he wanted to enjoy Corey's pop star lifestyle. It is not mentioned if Corey was Thaddeus's true vessel, though Corey was evidently capable of containing [[angel]]s in general. Corey and Thaddeus were both killed by [[Gadreel]] after he was sent after Thaddeus by [[Metatron]].<ref name="nine10" /> |
| − | * Alexander Sarver was a man who was married to an unnamed woman and had a daughter named Delilah. Alexander was an unlikeable, abusive person. For this reason, [[Abner]] feels justified in using him as his vessel and supplanting his life. It is not stated one way or the other if Alexander was Abner's true vessel, but he was serviceable for [[angel]]s in general, as his body did not appear to deteriorate under Abner's [[possession]]. Alexander, along with Abner, was killed by Gadreel | + | * Alexander Sarver was a man who was married to an unnamed woman and had a daughter named Delilah. Alexander was an unlikeable, abusive person. For this reason, [[Abner]] feels justified in using him as his vessel and supplanting his life. It is not stated one way or the other if Alexander was Abner's true vessel, but he was serviceable for [[angel]]s in general, as his body did not appear to deteriorate under Abner's [[possession]]. Alexander, along with Abner, was killed by Gadreel.<ref name="nine10" /> |
| − | * A woman named Darlene Foster was chosen by [[Rebecca]] to be her vessel. Whether or not Darlene was Rebecca's true vessel is unknown. When [[Bartholomew]] killed Rebecca, he also killed Darlene. | + | * A woman named Darlene Foster was chosen by [[Rebecca]] to be her vessel. Whether or not Darlene was Rebecca's true vessel is unknown. When [[Bartholomew]] killed Rebecca, he also killed Darlene.<ref name="nine14">[[9.14 Captives]]</ref> |
| − | * [[Hannah]] used a woman named [[Caroline Johnson]] as her vessel until she returned to Heaven so that Caroline could return to her own life. | + | * [[Hannah]] used a woman named [[Caroline Johnson]] as her vessel until she returned to Heaven so that Caroline could return to her own life.<ref name="ten07">[[10.07 Girls, Girls, Girls]]</ref> |
===Alternate Vessels=== | ===Alternate Vessels=== | ||
Alternate vessels, referred to by Lucifer as "an improvisation" and "Plan B." are vessels that [[angel]]s use for short periods of time, or as a last resort. It is implied that the [[archangel]]s require their true, preordained vessels in order for them to operate at their full capacity. | Alternate vessels, referred to by Lucifer as "an improvisation" and "Plan B." are vessels that [[angel]]s use for short periods of time, or as a last resort. It is implied that the [[archangel]]s require their true, preordained vessels in order for them to operate at their full capacity. | ||
| + | [[Image:Lucifermark.jpg|350px|right|thumb|[[Lucifer]] in his deteriorating plan B vessel, [[Nick]].]] | ||
| + | * [[Nick]] assents to Lucifer near the end of [[5.01 Sympathy for the Devil]]. He serves as a vessel for Lucifer until Sam will consent to be the vessel<ref name="five22" />. Castiel says that Nick must be drinking gallons of [[demon blood]] to remain intact, and Lucifer himself notes that Nick is wearing a bit thin.<ref name="five21">[[5.21 Two Minutes to Midnight]]</ref> Some years after Lucifer was trapped in the Cage, Crowley was able to retrieve Nick and perform various rituals on him so that he would serve as both a permanent vessel for Lucifer after his apparent banishment<ref name="twelve13"/> and a means of torturing Lucifer, runes and spell-work from the Cage carved into every molecule of Nick's form to enable Crowley's torture and render Lucifer powerless and unable to vacate his vessel<ref>[[12.15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell]]</ref>. It took a team of twelve demons to perform these rituals, with Crowley killing all of them after the work was over so that none of them could help Lucifer escape<ref name="twelve17"/>, but Lucifer, with the aid of the demon [[Drexel]], was eventually able to turn the security system against Crowley, allowing him to break free of its chains.<ref>[[12.21 There's Something About Mary]]</ref> | ||
| − | + | :Lucifer is killed by [[Dean Winchester]] while possessed by [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Micahel]] from Apocalypse World but apparently the [[archangel blade]] killed the archangel and not Nick, who is nursed back to health in the Bunker.<ref name="thirteen23" /><ref name="fourteen01" /> The trauma from Nick's possession by Lucifer was also shown to have deeply damaged his psyche, causing Nick memory lapses about what happened to his family, as well violent tendencies such as when an agitated Nick snaps his fingers at Castiel, but does not recall doing so. Castiel suspected as a result that Lucifer did more damage to Nick's psyche than was previously realized.<ref name="fourteen02" /> After God resurrects Lucifer, he manifests in Nick's form, although he is apparently not actually using the man as his vessel again.<ref name="fifteen19">[[15.19 Inherit the Earth]]</ref> | |
* [[John Winchester]] assents to Michael to save his wife from [[Anna]], with Michael assuring Dean that he will protect John from experiencing too much damage during his time as Michael's vessel.<ref name="five13" /> | * [[John Winchester]] assents to Michael to save his wife from [[Anna]], with Michael assuring Dean that he will protect John from experiencing too much damage during his time as Michael's vessel.<ref name="five13" /> | ||
| − | * [[Adam Milligan]] is taken by Michael | + | * [[Adam Milligan]] is taken by Michael after Dean continues to refuse to consent.<ref name="five18">[[5.18 Point of No Return]]</ref> He serves as a plan B vessel for Michael during the confrontation at Stull Cemetery as a result.<ref name="five22" /> After escaping from [[Lucifer's Cage]], Michael retains Adam as a vessel, but shares control with him and communicates with Adam in the waking world.<ref name="fifteen08">[[15.08 Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven]]</ref> When God erased every living thing on Earth from existence, Adam dies with the rest of humanity, although Michael continues to occupy Adam's body as his vessel. God ultimately obliterates Michael for the archangel's previous betrayal, destroying Adam's body in the process. However, after becoming the new God, Jack brings back everything Chuck erased, meaning that Adam would've also been restored to life.<ref name="fifteen19" /> |
| + | |||
| + | * [[Hael]] manifested after being banished from Heaven by possessing a woman<ref name="nine01" /> later identified as Gloria Lewellen Jacobson.<ref name="nine03" /> However, Gloria's body eventually began to deteriorate as she was not strong enough to hold Hael, which forced Hael to try and take Castiel as a vessel before he killed her. It is unclear if Gloria would have been a suitable host for another angel or if she was simply a desperate gambit.<ref name="nine01" /> | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Castiel assents to allow Lucifer to use him as a vessel to fight [[the Darkness]]<ref name="eleven10"/>, but it is unclear if he would have been able to take any other angel as a vessel in this manner or if this is only possible due to Castiel being the only 'occupant' of his body after Jimmy's death. Castiel remains Lucifer's vessel until Lucifer is expelled by the Darkness.<ref name="eleven22" /> | ||
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Vince Vincente]] assents to becoming Lucifer's vessel after Lucifer appears to him as his deceased partner Jen, using Vince's grief to let him in.<ref name="twelve02">[[12.02 Mamma Mia]]</ref> After around a month of possession by Lucifer, Vince is burned out by the possession during a battle with the Winchesters, [[Castiel]] and [[Crowley]].<ref name="twelve07">[[12.07 Rock Never Dies]]</ref> |
| − | * | + | * [[President Jefferson Rooney]] is taken as a vessel by Lucifer in his attempts to take on influential vessels. Through Rooney, Lucifer fathers a [[Nephilim]] [[Jack Kline|child]] with Presidential aid [[Kelly Kline]]. Lucifer is exorcised from Rooney by the Winchesters, Castiel, Crowley and [[Rowena]] using the [[Hyperbolic Pulse Generator]] and apparently returned to the Cage. Rooney survives the possession and is left with no memory of it.<ref name="twelve08" /> |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Rowena]] is threatened into saying yes by the [[Apocalypse World]] [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] after Michael leaves [[Dean]]'s body. Michael states that Rowena is a surprisingly robust vessel, possibly because of her centuries of existence. Michael is ultimately exorcised from Rowena by [[Jack Kline]] and killed.<ref name="fourteen14" /> |
| − | [[File:Lucifer-Nun.jpg| | + | [[File:Lucifer-Nun.jpg|350px|right|thumb|[[Lucifer]]'s voice channeled through a [[The Nun|dead nun]].]] |
===Mouth Pieces=== | ===Mouth Pieces=== | ||
| Line 131: | Line 153: | ||
The following angels possess vessels with no (or yet-to-be) revealed profession, background, or history: | The following angels possess vessels with no (or yet-to-be) revealed profession, background, or history: | ||
* [[Uriel]] manifests on two separate occasions by possessing a man. | * [[Uriel]] manifests on two separate occasions by possessing a man. | ||
| − | * [[Zachariah]] manifests | + | * [[Zachariah]] manifests by possessing a man. |
| − | * [[Gabriel]] manifests | + | * [[Gabriel]] manifests by possessing a man. |
| − | * [[Balthazar]] manifests | + | * [[Balthazar]] manifests by possessing a man. |
| − | * [[Virgil]] manifests | + | * [[Virgil]] manifests by possessing a man. |
* [[Raphael]] manifests after his original vessel is destroyed by claiming another vessel, this time a female one. | * [[Raphael]] manifests after his original vessel is destroyed by claiming another vessel, this time a female one. | ||
* [[Rachel]] manifests by possessing a woman. | * [[Rachel]] manifests by possessing a woman. | ||
| Line 145: | Line 167: | ||
* [[Ephraim]] manifests by possessing a man. | * [[Ephraim]] manifests by possessing a man. | ||
* [[Lucifer]], after being ejected from Castiel, goes body hopping -- possessing various vessels that burn out on him. | * [[Lucifer]], after being ejected from Castiel, goes body hopping -- possessing various vessels that burn out on him. | ||
| + | * [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] of the [[Apocalypse World]] manifests by possessing a man. He later possesses a woman for a brief time before returning to his true vessel [[Dean Winchester]]. | ||
===Unknown=== | ===Unknown=== | ||
Revision as of 01:20, 6 August 2021
The most unique element about angels (in Supernatural) that isn't in typical lore is the notion that they have to possess. They control a human host in much the same way demons do. The only difference is that angels have to ask permission and demons don't. That provided us with all sorts of morality plays to work through because angels are nominally good, but they are putting human victims through this horrific experience just because the humans were devout enough to give their will away.
– Eric Kripke, Supernatural: The Official Companion Season 4
A vessel is a human that an angel possesses in order to manifest on Earth. The term vessel was first used by Castiel.[1] Angels are in reality "multi-dimensional wavelength[s] of celestial intent"[2] and can be the "size of...(the) Chrysler Building."[2] Vessels are the safest and most conventional way for angels to interact with humans on Earth, as their true voices and visages can kill, and in the very least severely harm.[1] Vessels also appear necessary for an angel to use the full range of his abilities on Earth. Zachariah explains that even Lucifer needs a vessel outside the Cage.[3]
A human must consent for an angel to use their body as a vessel.
Contents
Suitability of a Vessel
Castiel: That was my mistake. Certain people, special people, can perceive my true visage. I thought you would be one of them. I was wrong.
Dean: And what visage are you in now, huh? What, holy tax accountant?
Castiel: He's a devout man, he actually prayed for this.
Castiel: This? This is... a vessel.
Dean: You're possessing some poor bastard?
The suitability of a human to be a vessel is innate. Castiel makes reference to this while possessing Claire Novak, saying that it is "in her blood" and appears that angels are tied to certain human family lineages. Michael, when he is using the young John Winchester as his vessel, tells Dean: “You’re my true vessel, but not my only one. It’s a bloodline... stretching back to Cain and Abel. It’s in your blood, your father’s blood, your family's blood,”[4] with this statement being reinforced by Michael's later use of Adam Milligan, John's son and Dean's half-brother, when Dean refuses to consent to Michael.
Not all vessels are as suitable or durable as others. When unable to secure Sam Winchester as his vessel after his release, Lucifer is able to use a a man named Nick as a substitute, but Nick's body is clearly shown to be decaying as time goes on, requiring Lucifer to consume gallons of demon blood to sustain the vessel. After the angels are expelled from Heaven by Metatron and fall to Earth, some angels become so desperate for vessels that they take the first available option as hosts, some of which resulted in the host exploding upon possession.[5] The angel Hael was so desperate to find a suitable vessel that her first host began to decay while she was still inside it, Hael later attempted to force Castiel to consent to possession after the loss of his grace and subsequent humanity made him a possible vessel.[6]
Sex appears to be irrelevant for angels as Castiel, Hannah and Raphael have all used both male and female vessels. While angels do refer to each other with gendered terms such as "brother" and "sister" when interacting in vessels, it is unclear if angels have any concept of gender as humans would understand it in their natural state, and what influences their choice of vessel. Though the Apocalypse World Michael briefly uses an unnamed female vessel and the witch Rowena, and is referred to exclusively as "he" even after the nature of his vessel is discovered.[7]
Characteristics
Obtaining Consent
While demons can possess any human against their will, in order to manifest angels must obtain the consent of the human before they can enter him or her. This consent can be coerced as demonstrated by Zachariah's treatment of Dean Winchester, with Dean's continued refusal to act as Michael's vessel prompts Zachariah to torture him, Sam, and their half-brother Adam Milligan. However, it would appear that the consent still requires the subject to say "yes" as themselves, as Zachariah always tried to force Dean to accept rather than simply changing his memories, a feat that he has been shown to be capable of, to make Dean willing to consent (demons were more willing to attack and threaten Sam, at one point trying to trick Gary Frankel, who had temporarily switched bodies with Sam, into saying "yes" in Sam's place, but they may simply be relying on more limited knowledge of angels. Consent, however, does not appear to need to be fully informed, as Gadreel only vaguely told / asked Sam while disguised as Dean, "But you got to let me in, man. You got to let me help." When Sam finally said "yes," Gadreel was able to enter him as a vessel.
After consent is obtained, it appears that an angel may occupy a vessel for as long as necessary, though it can be forcibly removed. Having left a vessel, it would appear that the angel requires new consent from the vessel to resume using it as a host; Castiel had to use Claire Novak as a vessel when Jimmy Novak was not currently an option. This apparently only applies when the subject is mentally capable of doing so, as Raphael and Gadreel were able to re-use Donnie Finnerman and Sam despite neither being fully conscious.[8] Michael was able to repossess Dean after having willingly left his body, revealing that he "left the door open a crack", however what that actually meant was never revealed, and is unknown if Dean did or did not have to give consent again.[7] Angels can apparently re-occupy a body that has been restored without its soul, as Castiel has confirmed that Jimmy Novak was killed and passed on to Heaven after he was killed by Michael and yet he has continued to operate in Jimmy's soulless body for several years since. Anna Milton had her human body regenerated as a soulless vessel for her to use, by calling in "old favors." These are the only examples of angels using soulless vessels.
While possessing Rowena, the Apocalypse World Michael only needed a nod of consent from Rowena instead of a verbal "yes."[9]
Vessel / Angel Interaction
While occupying a vessel, the original consciousness of the human is suppressed, though it can come to the surface in rare instances; Lucifer allowed Sam Winchester to experience some moments of his actions when he destroyed some of the demons that had monitored Sam during his life in an attempt to convince Sam to submit to him,[10] while Jimmy Novak was at least aware of enough during his time as Castiel to recognize the Winchesters when he met them after Castiel was expelled from his body as well as knowing how to set up a salt barrier to protect his family from attacking demons.[11] However, when Dean was acting as a vessel for the alternate version of Michael, he stated after Michael abandoned him as a vessel that it felt as though he was drowning underwater, aware of only that sensation without recalling any of Michael's explicit actions,[12] although he was shown briefly talking to Michael through a mirror to try and force the angel out of his body.[13] After being reminded that Michael was possessing him, Dean experienced several flashbacks of the things that Michael had done while possessing him the first time.[14]
Hosts have also been able to regain control from the angel; when Sam and Castiel were acting as Lucifer's vessel, they were each able to at least temporarily regain control while Lucifer was still inside them, although he was able to regain control of Castiel after a few moments (Sam leapt into the Cage before Lucifer could retake control of his body).[10][15] Additionally, while possessing President Jefferson Rooney, Lucifer was able to manifest himself in a dark room in Rooney's mind to hold a conversation with him in order to learn how to properly pose as Rooney. In the real world, Lucifer was facing a mirror and appeared to be talking to himself from an outside perspective.[16] During Crowley's attempt to get Sam to expel Gadreel and later Castiel to expel Lucifer, Gadreel and Lucifer were able to manifest themselves in the form of their previous vessels to stop the attempts rather than appearing as their current vessels.[17][18] When Dean remembers the truth of being possessed by Michael, Michael manifests himself in Dean's form, but wearing the clothing that Michael prefers. During this interaction, Michael was stated to only be a mental projection and lacked any of the powers he had in the real world. As a result, the Winchesters, Castiel and Michael were on an even footing power wise though Michael retained his formidable hand-to-hand combat skills.[14]
Conversely, angels can also suppress themselves while in vessels, as shown when Gadreel, masquerading as Ezekiel, erased Sam's knowledge of him and retreated into Sam's subconscious in order to allow them both to heal.[6] This was also demonstrated when Michael (from the Apocalypse World) took Dean as his vessel to fight Lucifer, Michael initially allowing Dean to control their power to confront Lucifer before he took control of Dean's body himself.[19]
After escaping from Lucifer's Cage, the archangel Michael allows his vessel Adam Milligan to have control. As a result of hosting Michael, Adam no longer needs to eat even though he still enjoys food such as cheeseburgers. Due to reaching an understanding with Adam during their years in the Cage, Michael openly shares control with his vessel, at one point giving Adam control just so he wouldn't have to listen to the truth about God. While Adam is control of their body, he and Michael have been shown to easily communicate with one another with Michael manifesting to Adam in the waking world as an identical duplicate of Adam that only Adam can see. This duplicate isn't limited to one spot and is able to move around the room Adam is in, though Michael's manifestation is more of a hallucination than a physical duplicate. In this way, Adam and Michael are able to hold conversations and even arguments with each other as easily as if it were two regular people in the same situation.[20]
According to Castiel in his second conversation with Dean, angels were "walking among" humans for the first time in 2,000 years.[21] Uriel made a comment in the 1970's that it was against orders to manifest on Earth in a vessel.[4] At least two angels have been on Earth during this period: Anna Milton and Gabriel. Anna fell, cutting out her grace, and was subsequently born as a human. When she regains her grace, her body is destroyed,[22] but is later regenerated for her to occupy as a vessel.[23] If Gabriel has used the same vessel since arriving on Earth after Lucifer's fall, it must have been serving him for thousands of years. Gabriel's vessel is known to have the same outward appearance as Loki who Gabriel was masquerading as, but it is unknown how this was accomplished.[24] While some angels enjoy their time on Earth in vessels, others resent it. Uriel holds disdain for humans, and Zachariah in particular, whose vessel is never identified, despises the prospect, as illustrated by the following quote:
Dean: Oh, great. That's all I need is another one of you guys.
Zachariah: I'm hardly another one, Dean. I'm Castiel's superior. Believe me, I had no interest in popping down here into one of these smelly things.
Sam and Castiel learn that when an angel leaves a vessel, they leave behind a bit of their grace which can be extracted and used to track them. However, repeated healings of the vessel over time causes the grace to be eliminated.[25]
Heavenly Manifestation
In Heaven, angels can appear in human form to souls there. When Dean and Sam are captured by Zachariah in Heaven, they still see Zachariah as he appears on Earth in his vessel. According to Zachariah the reason they perceive him the same way in Heaven is because they are limited. Joshua is also seen in human form in Heaven by Dean and Sam, but it is unclear if his appearance reflects a particular vessel or if it was something he chose at random, particularly when he appeared on Earth in a different appearance when he finally manifested outside of Heaven.
In 5.14 My Bloody Valentine, Castiel demanded that a cherub reveal itself, and it instantly appears in human form. Whether or not it needed a vessel is unknown (another cherub appeared in human form in 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here, but on this occasion its vessel appeared to be a matter of convenience).
When summoned into a cage in Limbo, Lucifer was able to physically manifest in the form of his old vessel Nick despite being confirmed to have no vessel at the time.
Multiple Spirits
At the end of season six, Castiel absorbs the souls of Purgatory to gain their power and defeat Raphael. Balthazar worried about the instability inherent in Castiel acting "as the vessel" for the souls. This could result in the destruction of Earth. Whether the souls are also housed in Castiel's vessel or are a part of his spirit is not known. He is still using his vessel after declaring himself the new "God"[26], although it is quickly established that the strain of holding these souls -- as well as the Leviathans -- would have been too much for his vessel to hold them long-term, forcing Castiel to discard them or self-destruct.[27]
Despite being actively used as a vessel for the angel Gadreel, Sam was simultaneously possessed by the demon Crowley so that Crowley could alert him to Gadreel's existence and allow him to expel Gadreel from his body.[17] Years later, using a British Men of Letters device, both Sam and Castiel were able to enter Dean's mind to help him expel Michael. During this interaction, all four were on an even footing due to all being only mental projections. As a result, they were able to trap Michael within Dean's mind in a manifestation of a bar cooler. Dean believed that he could contain Michael, but was later warned by Billie that all but one version of Dean's fate had Michael eventually escaping to retake control. In this case, Castiel did not require Dean's permission as he linked to Dean's mind by hitching a ride with Sam through the device and did not actually possess him.[14]
Faced with a lack of options after the Darkness was released onto the world, Castiel consented to act as a vessel for Lucifer when he claimed to be the only one powerful enough to defeat their new foe in the absence of God and the other archangels.[28] It is unclear if Lucifer would have been able to possess another angel under normal circumstances or if this is only possible because of Castiel's unconventional circumstances, inhabiting a vessel after its original owner has passed on. In Castiel and Lucifer's case, its shown that Castiel continues to exist inside his vessel as a human soul would when an angel possesses them. Castiel even displayed the ability to overcome Lucifer's control for a short time, but lacked the strength to hold it for long or expel the archangel.[15] Lucifer could also switch control with Castiel at will like Gadreel could with Sam.[29]
In a unique case, Dean made a deal with the Apocalypse World Michael while becoming the archangel's vessel. As part of the deal, Dean remained in control of the shared body, but Michael powered him so that he could fight Lucifer. Dean referred to this as Dean being in the driver's seat while Michael acted as the engine. In this state, Dean had access to several of Michael's powers such as teleportation, flight, invulnerability and the strength of an archangel. This also gave Dean the power to wield an archangel blade against Lucifer and kill Lucifer with it[19] despite the fact that usually, only an archangel can use the blade to kill another archangel.[30]
Strengths and Weaknesses
An angel in a vessel can withstand injuries that would kill a human, and can heal the vessel of almost any wound they receive, unlike demons who merely suppress the damage their "meatsuits" sustain while they are in control. Even so, acting as a vessel is a trial. Jimmy Novak described his experience as a vessel as "like being chained to a comet."[11] Although Jimmy came through his time as Castiel's vessel physically and mentally intact, apart from being hungry as Castiel never ate, he still recalls having been shot, stabbed, and healed while his body was being "used" by Castiel. Castiel also warns Jimmy that he will not age while occupied by an angel, however long he serves as a vessel.[11]
In the case of archangels, the human host takes on even greater risk, as the sheer power of an archangel can inflict permanent mental damage on a vessel (however, this does not seem to be something the archangel cannot control. Michael was able to protect John Winchester from suffering significant damage when he took John as a host for a few minutes in the 1970s). Donnie Finnerman suffered brain damage after his occupation by Raphael, and Castiel tells Dean, were Michael to possess him, Dean would suffer even greater damage.[8] Lucifer's presence causes Nick to deteriorate slowly during his time as a vessel; saying that Nick can barely contain him,[8][31] forcing him to consume gallons of demon blood to retain enough stability to operate in Nick until Sam will consent to him. Some years later, Crowley was eventually able to "fix" Nick so that he could serve as a permanent vessel for Lucifer, but this required twelve different demons working together to create the necessary rituals, and this procedure was primarily intended to trap Lucifer in Nick rather than allow Lucifer to use Nick long-term to pursue his own agenda.[32] After Lucifer's death, Nick was able to remember several of the things Lucifer did while possessing him, leading to nightmares and flashbacks while awake.[33] The possession also left him with psychological effects such as Lucifer-like mannerisms when angered, leading Castiel to believe that Lucifer's possession did more damage to Nick's psyche than was previously realized.[13]
Even if a vessel doesn't remember it, they are aware of everything the angel is aware of and can access their memories.[17][14]
It has been shown that an archangel has the power to obliterate the vessel of another angel, and the angel himself.[3] The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse can harm occupied vessels, as demonstrated by Famine[34] and Pestilence[35] exerting their influence on Castiel (although his weakened condition at this time may have contributed to their ability to attack him -- Pestilence noting in particular that his powers affecting Castiel while in a vessel was a sign that he was "out of angel juice" -- making it unclear how the Horsemen would deal with an angel at full strength). Holy fire can destroy an angel and its vessel if the angel walks through the flames[8], although archangels are at least able to recover from this attack if given enough time. Powerful artifacts of Heaven, such as Lot's Salt, can permanently destroy a vessel (although Raphael was able to escape the vessel before being destroyed himself).[36] Another angelic weapon, the Staff of Moses can harm angels in a vessel.[36] As mentioned above, Anna's human body was destroyed when she regained her grace, but was recreated as her vessel.
An angel can be pulled from its vessel by other angels, or even powerful demons;[11] Alastair once attempted to exorcise Castiel from his vessel using a spell, but he was interrupted before he could finish, leaving it unclear whether he would have been able to actually banish Castiel from Jimmy Novak.[23] According to Castiel, there is an open connection between an unoccupied human vessel and its angel.[8] This connection can be used to summon an angel back to its vessel using the proper incantation. Conversely, a team of demons led by Crowley were able to trap Lucifer in Nick by performing complex spellwork and warding that essentially turned Nick into the new cage, although Lucifer was eventually able to overcome the warding enough to restore himself to full control of his powers while still stuck in Nick's body.[37]
If the vessel has a great enough strength of will, they are capable of overpowering the angel controlling them for a time to varying degrees. Sam managed to overpower Lucifer's control of him and move around without a visible struggle[10] while Castiel was visibly struggling with holding Lucifer back and stated it was taking all of his strength to do so to the point he couldn't expel the archangel.[15] Dean would eventually be able to trap Michael within his own mind, essentially acting as a cage to the archangel.[14] Castiel later stated to Dean that he couldn't even imagine the strength of will it must take to keep Michael contained and Dean admitted that he was barely sleeping because he couldn't let his guard down at all. When Dean was knocked unconscious, it gave Michael the chance to escape.[9]
Vessels possess the ability to expel the angel using them if they are strong enough and aware of the possession. Gadreel kept Sam from knowing about his possession to prevent exactly this, especially as he was vulnerable in his weakened state, but was eventually expelled by Sam when Crowley possessed him to bring the truth to his attention.[17] Castiel later regained control from Lucifer but was unable to expel him, telling Sam it was taking all of his strength just to keep Lucifer from killing Sam and he had no strength left to expel the archangel.[15] While Dean was able to manifest himself in a mirror while possessed by Michael, his attempt to order Michael out of his body completely failed.[13] Michael later revealed that Dean fought him so hard that although he couldn't eject Michael, Michael chose to leave on his own. Michael's plan was to completely break Dean's spirit so that when he returned to Dean's body, Dean wouldn't fight him again, something he claimed to have worked.[7] In reality, Michael trapped Dean in a world where he was truly happy within his mind so that Dean wouldn't think to fight back and was unaware of the truth. After being reminded, Dean was able to access several of Michael's memories of his actions the first time he was possessed. Though Dean commanded Michael to shut up when he appeared, he never actively ordered him out and instead trapped Michael within his mind instead of casting him out. Being trapped in such a way cut off Michael's control over his monsters though he continued to fight to get free. Billie was able to sense Michael banging on the door locking him in Dean's mind and warned Dean that Michael would eventually escape and retake control according to all but one version of Dean's ultimate fate.[14] Despite being cut off inside of Dean's mind, Michael appeared to have been aware of everything that Dean did as he was aware of the plan to use the Ma'lak Box against him and taunted Dean for not implementing it.[9]
While sharing his body with Michael after making a deal to retain control of his body, Dean was able to use the archangel's strength, invulnerability, teleportation and flight abilities. Dean was even able to display Michael's wings in a manner similar to the way several angels have done in the past. Although Dean was able to do this through his deal with Michael, when Michael chose to seize full control for himself, Dean was powerless to stop it.[19]
While an angel blade kills both the vessel and the possessing angel every time,[17] Nick was able to survive the death of Lucifer after being stabbed with an archangel blade. Sam speculated that the archangel blade was designed to kill the possessing archangel, while sparing the vessel (however this is only a theory as evidenced by Gabriel's death appearing to have killed him and his vessel).
Vessels
The term "true vessel" is used several times to described someone preordained to host an angel. It is particularly applied to the vessels of Michael and Lucifer, but any vessel with the right bloodline can host the angel tied to it.
Archangel Vessels
- Dean Winchester was preordained to be Michael's vessel, being described as "Michael's sword." Zachariah tells Dean that Michael needs him as a vessel, so that Michael can lead the the Host of Heaven in the final battle against Lucifer. While Dean did not consent to the Michael of his world, he eventually agreed to act as the vessel for an alternate version of Michael with conditions in order to battle a super-charged Lucifer. Following the death of Lucifer, Michael seized full control of Dean's body and departed.[19] He eventually abandoned Dean's body on his own for unknown reasons, leaving Dean alive but somewhat weak.[13] Michael later repossessed Dean, revealing that Dean had been fighting him so much he wanted to break Dean's spirit before reclaiming him. Michael was able to "leave the door open a crack" in Dean's mind so that he did not require permission a second time to possess Dean.[7] With the help of Sam and Castiel, Dean was able to seize control back, but imprisoned Michael within his mind instead of expelling him.[14] After Dean was knocked unconscious by the gorgon Noah Ophis, Michael was able to escape Dean's mind and left his body rather than continuing to use Dean as a vessel.[9]
- Sam Winchester was preordained to be Lucifer's vessel. Sam was present in the Chapel not just to kill Lilith, but also so that following Lucifer's release he could become his vessel. According to Castiel, consuming demon blood strengthens the person's body, making it possible for him or her to host Lucifer, which is the reason Ruby fed large quantities of demon blood to Sam prior to this. Sam consented to Lucifer in order to return him to his Cage. Sam eventually managed to overpower Lucifer's control and sacrificed himself to throw Lucifer, Michael and Adam Milligan into the Cage.[10]
- Donnie Finnerman was chosen by Raphael to be his vessel. Donnie was a mechanic in Maine prior to his consent to Raphael; by the time Raphael vacated his body, his presence within Donnie left the man badly brain-damaged.[8] It is unclear if Donnie was Raphael's true vessel. Using Lot's Salt, Balthazar killed Donnie and rendered his body unsuitable for Raphael to remain in, forcing Raphael to find another vessel.[36]
Angel Vessels
- Jimmy Novak was chosen by Castiel to be his vessel. While he initially consented, Jimmy is keen to resume his life with his family after Castiel is forcibly summoned back to Heaven. He does resume his former angelic occupation as Castiel's vessel. Unlike Dean, Jimmy can hear Castiel's true voice and perceive his true visage unharmed.[11] Since the loss of his grace, Castiel has become a vessel as Hael attempted to force him to consent to her when her originally chosen vessel began to deteriorate[6] and he later acted as the vessel to Lucifer for several months though the effort of containing the archangel began to burn out both Castiel and Jimmy. Lucifer was later exorcised from Castiel and Jimmy's body by Amara.[29] Jimmy remains Castiel's vessel despite the fact that Jimmy himself is long-since dead.[38]
- Claire Novak is Jimmy's daughter and is briefly a vessel for Castiel. After Jimmy is shot by a demon possessing his wife, Castiel possesses his daughter Claire. Jimmy, near death, begs to be allowed to take her place. Castiel agrees.[11]
- Alfie was a young man who worked at a fast food place called Wiener Hut. He was chosen by Samandriel to be his vessel, though he may or may not be his true vessel as Samandriel refers to him as the nearest vessel when he needed one.[39] Samandriel was primarily known to Dean by his vessel's name. Both Alfie and Samandriel were killed by Castiel under the control of Naomi.[40]
- Sam Winchester is able to act as a vessel for Gadreel so he can heal both himself and Sam.[6] Although not Gadreel's true vessel, Sam is able to bear Gadreel for an extended period of time, possibly because he is the true vessel of the more powerful archangel Lucifer. Sam expels Gadreel after he learns of the angel's presence.[17]
- Corey was a pop singer chosen by Thaddeus to be his vessel; Thaddeus possessed Corey because he wanted to enjoy Corey's pop star lifestyle. It is not mentioned if Corey was Thaddeus's true vessel, though Corey was evidently capable of containing angels in general. Corey and Thaddeus were both killed by Gadreel after he was sent after Thaddeus by Metatron.[17]
- Alexander Sarver was a man who was married to an unnamed woman and had a daughter named Delilah. Alexander was an unlikeable, abusive person. For this reason, Abner feels justified in using him as his vessel and supplanting his life. It is not stated one way or the other if Alexander was Abner's true vessel, but he was serviceable for angels in general, as his body did not appear to deteriorate under Abner's possession. Alexander, along with Abner, was killed by Gadreel.[17]
- A woman named Darlene Foster was chosen by Rebecca to be her vessel. Whether or not Darlene was Rebecca's true vessel is unknown. When Bartholomew killed Rebecca, he also killed Darlene.[41]
- Hannah used a woman named Caroline Johnson as her vessel until she returned to Heaven so that Caroline could return to her own life.[42]
Alternate Vessels
Alternate vessels, referred to by Lucifer as "an improvisation" and "Plan B." are vessels that angels use for short periods of time, or as a last resort. It is implied that the archangels require their true, preordained vessels in order for them to operate at their full capacity.
- Nick assents to Lucifer near the end of 5.01 Sympathy for the Devil. He serves as a vessel for Lucifer until Sam will consent to be the vessel[10]. Castiel says that Nick must be drinking gallons of demon blood to remain intact, and Lucifer himself notes that Nick is wearing a bit thin.[35] Some years after Lucifer was trapped in the Cage, Crowley was able to retrieve Nick and perform various rituals on him so that he would serve as both a permanent vessel for Lucifer after his apparent banishment[32] and a means of torturing Lucifer, runes and spell-work from the Cage carved into every molecule of Nick's form to enable Crowley's torture and render Lucifer powerless and unable to vacate his vessel[43]. It took a team of twelve demons to perform these rituals, with Crowley killing all of them after the work was over so that none of them could help Lucifer escape[37], but Lucifer, with the aid of the demon Drexel, was eventually able to turn the security system against Crowley, allowing him to break free of its chains.[44]
- Lucifer is killed by Dean Winchester while possessed by Micahel from Apocalypse World but apparently the archangel blade killed the archangel and not Nick, who is nursed back to health in the Bunker.[19][33] The trauma from Nick's possession by Lucifer was also shown to have deeply damaged his psyche, causing Nick memory lapses about what happened to his family, as well violent tendencies such as when an agitated Nick snaps his fingers at Castiel, but does not recall doing so. Castiel suspected as a result that Lucifer did more damage to Nick's psyche than was previously realized.[13] After God resurrects Lucifer, he manifests in Nick's form, although he is apparently not actually using the man as his vessel again.[45]
- John Winchester assents to Michael to save his wife from Anna, with Michael assuring Dean that he will protect John from experiencing too much damage during his time as Michael's vessel.[4]
- Adam Milligan is taken by Michael after Dean continues to refuse to consent.[46] He serves as a plan B vessel for Michael during the confrontation at Stull Cemetery as a result.[10] After escaping from Lucifer's Cage, Michael retains Adam as a vessel, but shares control with him and communicates with Adam in the waking world.[20] When God erased every living thing on Earth from existence, Adam dies with the rest of humanity, although Michael continues to occupy Adam's body as his vessel. God ultimately obliterates Michael for the archangel's previous betrayal, destroying Adam's body in the process. However, after becoming the new God, Jack brings back everything Chuck erased, meaning that Adam would've also been restored to life.[45]
- Hael manifested after being banished from Heaven by possessing a woman[6] later identified as Gloria Lewellen Jacobson.[5] However, Gloria's body eventually began to deteriorate as she was not strong enough to hold Hael, which forced Hael to try and take Castiel as a vessel before he killed her. It is unclear if Gloria would have been a suitable host for another angel or if she was simply a desperate gambit.[6]
- Castiel assents to allow Lucifer to use him as a vessel to fight the Darkness[28], but it is unclear if he would have been able to take any other angel as a vessel in this manner or if this is only possible due to Castiel being the only 'occupant' of his body after Jimmy's death. Castiel remains Lucifer's vessel until Lucifer is expelled by the Darkness.[29]
- Vince Vincente assents to becoming Lucifer's vessel after Lucifer appears to him as his deceased partner Jen, using Vince's grief to let him in.[47] After around a month of possession by Lucifer, Vince is burned out by the possession during a battle with the Winchesters, Castiel and Crowley.[48]
- President Jefferson Rooney is taken as a vessel by Lucifer in his attempts to take on influential vessels. Through Rooney, Lucifer fathers a Nephilim child with Presidential aid Kelly Kline. Lucifer is exorcised from Rooney by the Winchesters, Castiel, Crowley and Rowena using the Hyperbolic Pulse Generator and apparently returned to the Cage. Rooney survives the possession and is left with no memory of it.[16]
- Rowena is threatened into saying yes by the Apocalypse World Michael after Michael leaves Dean's body. Michael states that Rowena is a surprisingly robust vessel, possibly because of her centuries of existence. Michael is ultimately exorcised from Rowena by Jack Kline and killed.[9]
Mouth Pieces
While still confined to his Cage and restricted by the 66 Seals, Lucifer talks with Azazel via the body of a dead nun inside St. Mary's Convent, speaking through her mouth. Azazel made a blood sacrifice of at least seven nuns to enable the communication, which was only possible because the convent was positioned on top of the location where Lucifer's Cage was sealed.
Anonymous Vessels
The following angels possess vessels with no (or yet-to-be) revealed profession, background, or history:
- Uriel manifests on two separate occasions by possessing a man.
- Zachariah manifests by possessing a man.
- Gabriel manifests by possessing a man.
- Balthazar manifests by possessing a man.
- Virgil manifests by possessing a man.
- Raphael manifests after his original vessel is destroyed by claiming another vessel, this time a female one.
- Rachel manifests by possessing a woman.
- Hester manifests by possessing a woman.
- Inias manifests by possessing a man.
- Naomi manifests by possessing a woman.
- Metatron manifests by possessing a man.
- Gadreel initially manifests by possessing a man. After being expelled by Sam, he returns to this vessel.
- Bartholomew manifests by possessing a man.
- Ephraim manifests by possessing a man.
- Lucifer, after being ejected from Castiel, goes body hopping -- possessing various vessels that burn out on him.
- Michael of the Apocalypse World manifests by possessing a man. He later possesses a woman for a brief time before returning to his true vessel Dean Winchester.
Unknown
Joshua has appeared to Sam and Dean in human form when he met the Winchesters in Heaven, but it is unclear if his appearance reflected the vessel he would use to operate on Earth or if it was merely an appearance that he chose at random in order to provide something that Sam and Dean could process. Years later, Joshua would appear on Earth in another vessel, before being killed by the Prince of Hell, Dagon.
Apocrypha
In the spin-off novel Supernatural: War of the Sons, Dean and Sam travel back in time to 1954 to recover the War Scroll, a scroll that supposedly contains a plan to thwart the apocalypse. However, although they recover the scroll with the aid of a father-and-daughter team of contemporary hunters, they learn that the Scroll's only information is a list of the bloodlines of the angelic vessels; the 'battle plan' consists of wiping out all known families capable of hosting angels so that the apocalypse can never take place. Details listed on the scroll include the information that the Novaks are of the line of Ishmael, and Jimmy's father and Claire's grandfather was named Gregory.
In the spin-off novel Supernatural: Carved in Flesh, Dean and Sam face off against Hel, the Norse goddess of death, as her agent sets up a chain of events to create a suitable body for her to inhabit. Hel specifically refers to this body as her 'vessel', and her mythological ties to Loki suggest that she may have some ties to the angels, considering Loki's true identity as Gabriel.
See also
Vessels in Lore
While some religions believe angels can manifest in human form, this is not through actual possession of a person source. The closest concept is possibly that of the Ibbur in Jewish mythology, in which a righteous soul can taken possession of a human in order to perform a good deed or mitzvah. Usually the human must consent to this possession. The ibbur then departs when the task is complete. source.
Gallery
Sam Winchester as Lucifer's vessel in 5.04 The End.
Adam Milligan as Michael's vessel in 5.22 Swan Song.
Donnie Finnerman as Raphael's vessel in 6.03 The Third Man.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 4.01 Lazarus Rising
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 6.07 Family Matters
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 5.01 Sympathy for the Devil
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 5.13 The Song Remains the Same
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 9.03 I'm No Angel
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 14.09 The Spear
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 5.03 Free to Be You and Me
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 14.14 Ouroboros
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 5.22 Swan Song
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 4.20 The Rapture
- ↑ 14.03 The Scar
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 14.02 Gods and Monsters
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.10 Nihilism
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 11.14 The Vessel
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 12.08 LOTUS
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 9.10 Road Trip
- ↑ 11.18 Hell's Angel
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 13.23 Let the Good Times Roll
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 15.08 Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven
- ↑ 4.02 Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester
- ↑ 4.10 Heaven and Hell
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 4.16 On the Head of a Pin
- ↑ 13.20 Unfinished Business
- ↑ 9.11 First Born
- ↑ 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much
- ↑ 7.02 Hello, Cruel World
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 11.10 The Devil in the Details
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 11.22 We Happy Few
- ↑ 13.13 Devil's Bargain
- ↑ 5.19 Hammer of the Gods
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 12.13 Family Feud
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 14.01 Stranger in a Strange Land
- ↑ 5.14 My Bloody Valentine
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 5.21 Two Minutes to Midnight
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 6.03 The Third Man
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 12.17 The British Invasion
- ↑ 10.09 The Things We Left Behind
- ↑ 8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?
- ↑ 8.10 Torn and Frayed
- ↑ 9.14 Captives
- ↑ 10.07 Girls, Girls, Girls
- ↑ 12.15 Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell
- ↑ 12.21 There's Something About Mary
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 15.19 Inherit the Earth
- ↑ 5.18 Point of No Return
- ↑ 12.02 Mamma Mia
- ↑ 12.07 Rock Never Dies
