Changes

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"<refname="six07">[[6.07 Family Matters]]</ref> and can be the "size of...(the) Chrysler Building."<ref>[[6.07 Family Matters]]<name="six07" /ref> 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 the [[Lucifer's Cage|cagethe Cage]].<ref name="five01">[[5.01 Sympathy for the Devil]]</ref>

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." It 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 him Lucifer to consume gallons of [[demon blood ]] to sustain himthe 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.<refname="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 attempting 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.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" />

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.

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]] was and [[Gadreel]] were able to re-use [[Donnie Finnerman]] after being banished from him and Sam despite Donnie neither being virtually catatonic 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 unlikely is unknown if Dean did or did not have to give new consent to Raphael's use of his bodyagain.<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===

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. Hosts have also been able to regain control from the angel; <ref name="four20" /> However, when Sam and Castiel were Dean was acting as Lucifer's a 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 for the [[the CageApocalypse World|alternate version]] before Lucifer could retake control of his body). Conversely, angels can also suppress themselves while in vessels, as shown when [[GadreelMichael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]], masquerading he stated after Michael abandoned him as a vessel that it felt as Ezekielthough he was drowning underwater, erased Sam's knowledge aware of only that sensation without recalling any of him and retreated into SamMichael's subconscious in order explicit actions,<ref>[[14.03 The Scar]]</ref> although he was shown briefly talking to allow them both Michael through a mirror to healtry and force the angel out of his body. This <ref name="fourteen02" /> After being reminded that Michael was also demonstrated when possessing him, Dean experienced several flashbacks of the things that Michael (from had done while possessing him the first time.<ref name="fourteen10">[[Apocalypse World14.10 Nihilism]]) 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>

According 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 his second 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" /> 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" />  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 Dean, [[angel]]s are 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:

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.<refname="nine11">[[9.11 First Born]]</ref>

In [[5.14 My Bloody Valentine]], Castiel demands 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).

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. However<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 possession may have been aided 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 the fact [[Billie]] that Gadreel all but one version of Dean's fate had already been weakened by Michael eventually escaping to retake control. In this case, Castiel did not require Dean and Castiel's efforts permission as he linked to bring Dean's mind by hitching a ride with Sam to through the fore rather than being an example of standard demondevice and did not actually possess him.<ref name="fourteen10" /angel interaction in a host.>

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>

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" />

Vessels Even if a vessel doesn't remember it, they are sometimes destroyedaware of everything the angel is aware of and can access their memories. <ref name="nine10" /><ref name="fourteen10" /> 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="5.14five14">[[5.14 My Bloody Valentine]]</ref> and [[Pestilence]]<ref name="5.21five21">[[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.

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.<refname="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 rituals spellwork and warding that essentially turned Nick into the new cage, although Lucifer was eventually able to overcome these rituals 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 apparent 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.<refname="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" />

Even if While sharing his body with [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] after making a vessel doesndeal to retain control of his body, Dean was able to use the archangel't remember its strength, invulnerability, they are aware of everything 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 angel is aware of and can access their memoriespast. 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>[[9.10 Road Trip]]<name="thirteen23" /ref>

While sharing his body with an [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michaelangel blade]] after making a deal to retain control of his bodykills both the vessel and the possessing angel every time, Dean <ref name="nine10" /> [[Nick]] was able to use survive the death of [[Lucifer]] after being stabbed with an [[archangel's strength, invulnerability, teleportation and flight abilitiesblade]]. Dean Sam speculated that the archangel blade was even able designed to display Michaelkill the possessing archangel, while sparing the vessel (however this is only a theory as evidenced by Gabriel's wings in a manner similar death appearing to the way several angels have done in the past. Although Dean was able to do this through killed him and his deal with Michael, when Michael chose to seize full control for himself, Dean was powerless to stop itvessel).<ref name="thirteen23" />

* [[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 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. <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" />

* [[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.<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. <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 in 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. <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 [[angelarchangel]] [[Lucifer]]. Sam expels Gadreel when after he learns of the angel's presence in [[9.10 Road Trip]].<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]] in after he was sent after Thaddeus by [[9.10 Road TripMetatron]].<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 in [[9.10 Road Trip]].<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.<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.<ref name="ten07">[[10.07 Girls, Girls, Girls]]</ref>

* [[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>[[5.22 Swan Song]]<name="five22" /ref>. 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 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>

* [[Adam Milligan]] is taken by Michael in 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" /> * [[5Hael]] 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.22 Swan Song<ref name="nine01" /> * Castiel assents to allow Lucifer to use him as a vessel to fight [[the Darkness]] when Dean refuses <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 accept Castiel being the only 'occupant' of his body after Jimmy's death. Castiel remains Lucifer's vessel until Lucifer is expelled by the responsibility himselfDarkness.<ref name="eleven22" />

* [[HaelVince Vincente]] manifested assents to becoming Lucifer's vessel after being banished from Heaven by possessing a woman Lucifer appears to him as his deceased partner Jen, using Vince's grief to let him in .<ref name="twelve02">[[912.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here02 Mamma Mia]]</ref> After around a month of possession by Lucifer, Vince is burned out by the possession during a battle with the Winchesters, identified as Gloria Lewellen Jacobson in [[9.03 I'm No AngelCastiel]]. 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[[Crowley]]. It is unclear if Gloria would have been a suitable host for another angel or if she was simply a desperate gambit<ref name="twelve07">[[12.07 Rock Never Dies]]</ref>

* Castiel assents to allow Lucifer to use him [[President Jefferson Rooney]] is taken as a vessel by Lucifer in his attempts to fight 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 Darkness[[Hyperbolic Pulse Generator]]and apparently returned to the Cage. Rooney survives the possession and is left with no memory of it.<ref name="eleven10twelve08"/>, 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.

* [[Vince VincenteRowena]] is threatened into saying yes by the [[Apocalypse World]] [[Michael (Apocalypse World)|Michael]] after Michael leaves [[Dean]] assents to becoming Lucifer's body. Michael states that Rowena is a surprisingly robust vessel after Lucifer appears to him as his deceased partner Jen, using Vince's grief to let him inpossibly because of her centuries of existence. Michael is ultimately exorcised from Rowena by [[Jack Kline]] and killed.<ref name="fourteen14" />

* [[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]].