War

Name	War
Actor	Titus Welliver
Dates	???? – 2009 (neutralized by Sam and Dean Winchester)
Location
Occupation	Horseman of the Apocalypse
Episode(s)	5.02 Good God, Y'All

Here's a hint. I was in Germany. Then in Germany. Then in the Middle East. I was in Darfur when my beeper went off. I'm waiting to hook up with my siblings. I've got three. We're going to have so much fun together. – War, 5.02 Good God, Y'All

History

War is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, along with Famine, Pestilence and Death. He wears a pure gold ring, which is unique amongst the three rings belonging to his brothers as it lacks a gemstone. War came in existence when God and the archangels waged war against the Darkness and being war personified, he can't be killed unless war was to be ridden from the world.

His ring along with Famine, Pestilence and Death's form together as a key to Lucifer's Cage, his ring, while connected with the other three rings, is merged in the direct center of the Cage's key. When War arrived on Earth; he used his ring's power to make himself look like a man named Roger. In other words, War made Ellen, Jo, Dean and Sam perceive him as a human by altering their perception.

War is the first Horseman to appear in the series. He turns an entire town against themselves by making them think there are demons when there are none. War claims that Famine, Pestilence and Death are his siblings. He is also known as Wormwood.

Characteristics

Destruction soon followed after the arrival of War.

And there fell a great star from Heaven, burning like a torch. And it fell upon a river, and the the name of the star was Wormwood, and many men died. – Dean (5.02 Good God, Y'All), Revelation 8:10

A master manipulator, as the horsemen of War he highly intelligent and deceitful. He is shown to enjoy causing chaos and views humans as vicious and violent beings that only need 'a little push to kill one another'.

War rides in a red 1965 Mustang Fastback, which represents the red horse by which the New Testament's Book of Revelation describes him as riding. It has Colorado plates reading 971-Q4S.

Powers and abilities

• Immortality – As a force of nature, War will always exist.
• Perception altering – Through his ring, he can mentally read emotions and thoughts of people, as well as control how they see, smell, hear and feel him.
• Shapeshifting – War can change its form to appear as any human. After Lucifer's release, War kills and assumes the identity of a man named Roger.
• Telepathy – War can read the thoughts of any person, simply by looking at them.
• Teleportation – War has the ability to teleport wherever he wants, typically preferring areas of great conflict.

Weaknesses

• Ring removal – Removing his ring will render War powerless, rendering his physical form into a dried out husk.

Episodes

War posing as "Roger" using his powers on Sam.

5.02 Good God, Y'All

Upon Lucifer's arrival on Earth from the Cage opened by Sam's actions, War manifests on Earth by mimicking the physical appearance of a man named Roger. He then decimates a bridge and pollutes a river. During this situation, Rufus calls a wheelchair-bound Bobby Singer for help, stating that demons have infested a town. Unable to go himself, Bobby deploys Dean and Sam instead. Upon investigating, Dean and Sam run into Ellen, and she takes them to a safe haven in a small church, where multiple innocent bystanders lay low. Ellen informs them that Jo and Rufus have been captured and that Jo is most likely being possessed by a demon. Sam decides to accompany Ellen in searching for Jo, wherein Dean stays behind to protect the people.

Soon after leaving the church, Ellen and Sam find a nest of demons, although Sam is drawn back to find that they have a fire going because demons don't get cold. They prepare to enter but are stopped by Rufus and Jo. They fight each other and Sam gets taken, forcing Ellen to retreat.

War's ring, which is the source of his power.

Tied and gagged, Sam wakes up to find that Rufus and Jo have black-eyes and vice-versa, as so does Sam. Confused, Rufus spills holy water on Sam but nothing happens so he forces salt down his mouth but still nothing happens. Back at the church, they prepare for a fight by gathering and setting up ammo and weapons. Dean and Ellen talk about what happened.

Back at the hideout, a man in glasses approaches Sam. Sam soon learns that the man isn't human but War, the Red Horseman. They talk and War turns his ring and screams, alerting Rufus and Jo who knock Sam out. Back at the church, Dean deduces that the conflict isn't demon-orientated but that War is behind it all. Everyone leaves to go fight each other and Dean and Ellen go to the hideout. Dean fights Rufus and convinces him that War is here and he releases Sam and Jo learns the same by Ellen.

Later, Dean and Sam approach War and remove his gold ring and he runs.

5.20 The Devil You Know

Brady reveals that War and Famine aren't dead, but they have been taken out of the game, telling Dean:

Brady: "See, War and Famine, even if I could cram the rings back on their bony fingers, I doubt it would do much good. They're withered husks right now, fetal position on the floor, all thanks to you. So I don't want the rings. What I want is retribution. And I'm going to rip it right out of your ass!"

War in Lore

The second horseman rides a red horse and is generally understood as War. The red color of the horse could be a symbol of the blood and gore spilled or shed on the battlefield. The horseman carries a sword, indicating the citation or enunciation of battle, conflict and strife.

War the Second Living Creature.

See also

• Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
• Famine
• Pestilence
• Death