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The story of Michael from Supernatural.
Backstory[]
Before God created the Leviathans, the first beasts, he created Michael, the first Archangel, the eldest brother of the other Archangels: Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel. Michael looked after Lucifer and personally raised him. He also mentioned that, while living in Heaven with God and their siblings, Michael and Lucifer were living happily together.
Before life and even the Earth itself existed, Michael and the other Archangels aided their Father in His war against The Darkness and eventually won by sealing the primordial menace away.
Sometime later, God commanded all of the angels to bow before His newest creation, humans, asking them to love them more than Himself. Though Michael obediently did so, Lucifer questioned this order, insisting that humans are flawed and murderous beings.
Lucifer then sought out Michael for support, but Michael refused to listen and therefore, under his Father's orders, cast Lucifer out of Heaven. At some point, God left Heaven and Michael assumed command of the angels, running Heaven and Earth (and possibly the entire universe) for millennia.
When demons began making plans to free Lucifer and start the Apocalypse, Michael decided to allow the 66 Seals binding Lucifer to be broken. He and a group of other angels, including Raphael and Zachariah, wanted the Apocalypse to occur so that he and Lucifer could battle. Michael expected to be victorious, so as to bring about Paradise on Earth. Lesser angels, like Castiel, were not privy to the plan and were deployed to make it look as though Heaven was fighting the Devil's release; however, those angels that did learn of their plans (again, like Castiel) were either forced to cooperate with their plans or were cast out of Heaven.
Season 5[]
In the season premiere "Sympathy for the Devil", Dean Winchester, one of the show's main characters, is revealed by Zachariah to be Michael's true human vessel for the war against Lucifer and his demons. Dean was shocked and adamantly rejects his destiny and responsibility as Michael's vessel, as Zachariah tried to force Dean to do so but a resurrected Castiel stops him.
Dean spends the majority of the season fighting to avoid saying "yes" to Michael (as Michael cannot possess Dean until he gives his consent) and find a less devastating solution to stopping Lucifer than Michael and Lucifer's apocalyptic battle after learning half of Earth will be destroyed.
During "The End", an alternate future that Zachariah sends Dean to, Dean encounters another version of himself who implores Dean to say "yes" as by the time he was ready the angels and presumably Michael left Earth. Lucifer (who is possessing Dean's brother Sam Winchester), asserts his claim that he was cast down by God for loving Him more than anything, Lucifer states that God had Michael cast him (Lucifer) into Hell for his rebellion. Despite seeing the horrific future, Dean still said no and instead reunited with Sam.
In "Abandon All Hope...," Lucifer reveals to Sam that he and Michael were once very close, and that he (Lucifer) looked up to his older brother. The fallen Archangel goes on to explain that when he turned to Michael and begged him to stand by him in rebelling against their Father. Michael refused, called him a "freak" and a "monster," and beat him down, pointing out a comparison between himself (Lucifer) and Sam.
During "Changing Channels", it is revealed by Gabriel that Dean and Sam are the true vessels as their relationships mirrors that of Michael and Lucifer. Dean is Michael's vessel as he is loyal to an absent father while Sam is rebellious like Lucifer.
Michael possessing John
In "The Song Remains the Same", in the year 1978, Michael appears to Dean and Sam's father John Winchester, and persuades John to allow him to possess him in order to save John's wife Mary from Anna Milton, who has traveled back through time to kill John and Mary so that Sam won't exist and, consequently, Lucifer can't use Sam as a vessel in the present time. John consents and Michael possesses him. Michael then confronts Anna as she's about to kill Mary, she recognizes him and he kills Anna by touching his sister and reducing her body to ash.
After sending an apologetic Uriel away with a snap of his fingers, Michael knocks Mary Winchester out with a touch after assuring her John is fine. Michael then turns his attention to a stunned Dean who realizes who he is, as Michael remarks on their long needed talk as Dean demands for him to heal Sam as Michael promises too but only after they converse. Dean asked Michael how he could possess John if he was his true vessel and he explains to the hunter about the Winchester bloodline being comprised of possible vessels for Michael to use (due to being descended from Cain and Abel). He the explained how Dean can't resist what God had ordained long ago (revealing that he doesn't believe in free will, not even for himself). Michael also explains he truthfully doesn't want to kill Lucifer and still loves his little brother, but maintains that he is going to kill Lucifer because it's what God ordered and "it is right." Michael assures a sulking Dean that he won't leave him a drooling mess after being done using him. He then heals and resurrects Sam (who had earlier been mortally wounded by Anna) before sending him back to 2010. Before sending Dean back to the present, Michael promises to heal John and Mary as well as erase their memories of the event and tells him he'll see him soon.
In "Point of No Return", Michael (without taking a human vessel) appears to Zachariah in a bar on Earth, causing a massive earthquake and burning out the eyes of other patrons due to the intensity of his true angelic form. He speaks to Zachariah who prepares for death but he instead gives Zachariah (who had previously failed to get Dean's consent for Michael to inhabit his body) a second chance and gives his gleeful brother back his position.
Later, the angels resurrect Adam Milligan, Dean and Sam's half-brother who was killed by a pair of ghouls in the previous season, so Michael can use him as a vessel instead of Dean; however, this turns out to be a ruse by Zachariah to lure Dean to him.
Later on, after Dean, accompanied by Sam, comes to rescue Adam from the "green room" he's being held in, Zachariah tortures Sam and Adam until Dean finally says "yes" to Michael, at which point Zachariah summons Michael. As Michael descends from Heaven, causing the room to shake, Dean kills Zachariah and he and Sam try to escape with Adam; unfortunately, Adam gets trapped in the green room as Michael finally arrives. When Dean manages to get back inside the green room, Michael and Adam are both gone.
In "Two Minutes to Midnight," Castiel confirms to Sam that Michael has taken Adam as an alternative vessel.
In the following episode, the season finale "Swan Song," Lucifer (possessing his chosen vessel Sam) is confronted by Michael in Stull Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas. The two Archangels greet each other civilly, but when Lucifer asks Michael to walk away, Michael considers it but refuses. The two then argue, and Michael asserts that Lucifer is responsible for causing God to leave Heaven in the first place and remains adamant that he is going to obey God's orders and kill Lucifer. He also calls his little brother out on his habit of never taking responsibility for his actions and blaming everything on other people.
Michael possessing Adam
Michael and Lucifer prepare to fight, only to be interrupted by Dean riding up in the Impala. Dean apologizes to Adam, but Michael informs him "Adam isn't home right now" and angrily says Dean is no longer part of the story. Castiel then appears with Bobby, calling his older brother "assbutt," and hurls a Molotov cocktail of holy fire at Michael for his manipulations of the angels. Once hit, Michael screams in pain and is temporarily banished from the scene. Moments later, Michael returns, fully recovered, as Sam (who has regained control of his body from Lucifer) opens a portal to Lucifer's cage in Hell. Michael insists to Sam that he has to fight his brother as that is his destiny, but Sam prepares to jump into the portal and re-imprison Lucifer anyway.
Michael charges forward to try and stop Sam, and gets pulled through the portal into the cage with him. The portal closes behind them seconds later, leaving Michael, Sam, Adam, and Lucifer locked away in the cage, and the Apocalypse successfully derailed.
Castiel (who was killed by Lucifer) returns and promoted by God as Seraphim heals Dean and resurrects Bobby.
Season 6[]
As of the end of the previous season, Michael and Lucifer remain trapped in Lucifer's cage.
In "Caged Heat", Castiel, while trying to explaining the risks of restoring Sam's soul (which had been left in the cage with the two Archangels) to his body, tells Dean that Michael and Lucifer most likely have taken their anger out on Sam's soul, and that the experience of that could leave Sam a vegetable.
In "Appointment in Samarra," while talking with Sam, Balthazar mentions that Michael and Lucifer are "hate-banging" Sam's soul in the cage. However, Sam only remembered Lucifer torturing him after he was restored, suggesting Michael may not have taken his anger out on his soul after all.
Season 11[]
In the season premiere "Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire", Michael and Lucifer are mentioned by one of Crowley's demons as screaming loud enough in Lucifer's Cage for all of Hell to hear after the Darkness' release. While in Lucifer's cage, Lucifer reveals to Sam that being in the cage has caused Michael to go insane and that he would spend most of his time in a corner singing slow tunes and touching himself.
Because of this, God who returned stated Michael couldn't help the Winchesters fight the Darkness in his present state.
Season 13[]
In The Rising Son, an alternate reality version of Michael is introduced. With the Apocalypse having gone forward, Michael emerged as victor, having killed Lucifer at some point in the past over Abilene, Kansas. Having conquered the Earth, Michael has not brought paradise to the world, but continued to fight various battles and wars against humans and demons, ravaging the planet and turning it into a post-Apocalyptic wasteland. Michael then shows up in front of Lucifer and Mary Winchester from the main reality after Lucifer effortlessly kills a group of angels who try to smite him and do not believe he is Lucifer.
He correctly identifies him as Lucifer as the latter realizes who he is and is shocked by it. Michael questioned how it was possible for him to be Lucifer, before he is told that he and Mary are from another reality. Lucifer tells him he doesn't resemble his Michael who was a drooling mess when he left him and mockingly said he is just a "cheap knockoff". Unfazed, Michael returns the taunt by mocking him of his Lucifer’s fate, with the intent to do so again. Amused, Lucifer attacks Michael but he proves to be no match for Michael.
Michael decides to spare Lucifer for an unspecified purpose, saying he "needs him".
During War of Worlds, Lucifer escapes to the main reality and tells Castiel the Alternate Michael is much stronger than the original Michael. Lucifer feels this warrants them working together, despite their past differences.
In Various & Sundry Villains, Lucifer later mentions him again while telling a skeptical Castiel that the Alternate Michael is like their world's Michael. He elaborates that once his brother settles on something, he does it no matter who has to die. Castiel then asks how long they have until his counterpart arrives if Lucifer was correct, as the latter states not long enough.
During Funeraila, Castiel visits Heaven and informs the remaining angels about the alternate Michael he describes is much much worse than the main universe Michael.
Season 14[]
In Ouroboros, the apocalypse Michael is killed by Jack, leaving the main Michael to be the last known arch angle to still be alive.
In the season finale Moriah, God unleashes Hell upon earth to create a new apocalypse for the Winchester brothers defying him, which causes many demons (including foes they have defeated) to rise from Hell and create chaos. Unknown to Sam and Dean at the time, the cage was also unlocked, although Michael chose not to leave at that time for reasons unknown.
Season 15[]
In Back and to the Future, the demon Belphegor informs Dean that every door in Hell was unlocked by God, which includes the cage itself. He mentions that Michael is simply standing in the cage doing anything, but implies he may be looking for revenge for the Winchester's trapping him there all these years ago.
In the mid-season finale Our Father, Who Aren't in Heaven, it is revealed that Michael and Adam have left the cage, although still co-exist together in the same body and take turns when it comes to who is in control. Michael is shown to have grown attached to Adam, as they were the only two stuck in the cage together for many years and relied on each other for company, and with all the Archangels dead and as far as he knew God gone, he is left directionless as all the closest family he had have left him. While Michael allows Adam to enjoy a burger at a diner, they are visited by the resurrected demon Lilith, who wants Michael to meet God but Michael, holding a low opinion of Lilith, expressed incredulity and refused despite Lilith's persistence, soon glowing his eyes and killing her and wiping out the memories of others with a snap of his fingers.
After travelling all around the globe, Michael is called upon by Castiel, who pleads for him to at least meet him so they could talk about how God is now the enemy. Despite agreeing to meet, Michael is utterly unsympathetic to Castiel's plight and war with God and angry due to Castiel having insulted and then helped send him to Hell and demanded he begs for forgiveness only to be captured by the Winchesters and Castiel, which only further outrages and makes Michael more resentful, continuing to disbelief the fact that God is not a good guy, has been using them all like puppets, and is about to bring the end of the world, as he still thinks his father loves him and wants to be the Good Son, the Favorite. Not even Adam was able to convince Michael to at least hear them out and Castiel, seeing no end to Michael's blind faith, provokes Michael into attacking him by mocking Lucifer was the right one, which successfully caused Michael to snap and attack and easily overpower and restrain Castiel but this was what Castiel had been expecting and taking advantage of their close proximity, which he never would have gotten in a fair fight, places his hands on Michael's head and shows him visions of God's terrible acts; God masquerading as the prophet Chuck, the creation of many multiple realities, the existence of another Michael, and God killing Michael's nephew Jack, which is all for the sake of his own amusement and stories. The revelation completely disillusions and embitters Michael, and after ordering Castiel out with a death threat, he eventually agrees to help them, angry as he is from his father's lies and betrayals. Michael confirms that he does know what God fears: that if he is weakened, he can be trapped with the same spell used to lock up Amara. Giving them all the ingredients but as the Leviathan Blossom only grows in Purgatory, Michael snaps his fingers and opens a gateway to Purgatory, which will only stay active for 12 hours. This is as far as Michael will help out, but before he takes his leave he temporarily allows Adam to regain control, and allow Dean to apologize for allowing his brother to remain in the cage for ten years.
In the penultimate episode of the series Inherit the Earth, the Winchesters and Jack locate Michael on an otherwise empty Earth and he reveals that Adam was killed along with the rest of humanity. Michael agrees to join them in fighting against God, but is unable to open God's Death Book. Later, Michael is dismayed by the appearance of a resurrected Lucifer who eventually reveals that God brought him back and claims that he Lucifer is now God's favorite instead of Michael. After a brief fight, Michael kills Lucifer with an Archangel Blade supplied to him by Sam.
After Sam finds a spell in the Book of the Damned to kill God, Michael betrays them to his father in an effort to become God's Favorite once again. However, enraged by Michael's earlier betrayal of him, God obliterates the archangel. The Winchesters later reveal that they had anticipated Michael's betrayal and had used him to lead God into a successful trap.