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| “ | Let me tell you, whoever said Dean was the dysfunctional one has never seen you with a sharp object in your hands. | „ |
| ~ Gabriel mocking Sam. |
Gabriel, also known as the Trickster, is a recurring character appearing on the TV series Supernatural, played by Richard Speight Jr. He was thought to be a demigod by mortals and was also thought by the gods to be Loki, the god of mischief. He appears as a recurring antagonist in season 2 and 3, the antihero of season 5, and a supporting protagonist in season 13.
However, when he confronted the Winchesters and attempted to get them to say "yes" to Michael and Lucifer, this caused doubt into his identity. Following clues to his identity and the Winchesters trapping him, it is discovered that he is in fact the archangel Gabriel, having willingly left Heaven to escape the chaos of Michael and Lucifer's battles.
Gabriel later aided the Winchesters and the Pagan Gods in fighting his brother Lucifer and he was thought to have been killed. It is later revealed that he is still alive, as he faked his death but was held captive by Asmodeus and is to be used as a way to defeat both Lucifer and an alternate Michael who wants to invade and conquer the world. However, he was liberated by Arthur Ketch who brought him back to the Winchesters.
He was portrayed by Richard Speight Jr, Derek Green, and Steve Bacic.
Appearance
Gabriel's vessel is a man of average height. He has short wavy hair which goes down to his neck. He also has a goatee, which is actually somewhat hard to notice, since it's very thin. He is usually seen wearing a dark colored dress shirt and a green or grey jacket. He also tends to wear blue jeans. He also carries his archangel blade inside his jacket, just in case he needs to use it.
Personality
Acting as a demi-god, Gabriel behaves in a mischievous manner enjoying toying with his victims, humans he believes should be brought down a notch. He embraces a hedonistic lifestyle, including the "sweet tooth" for which that type of demi-god was known.
Even after revealing himself to be an Archangel, he still used misdirection to achieve his goals and to protect himself. He is often sarcastic. Gabriel's manner is the most human of any of the angels so far, perhaps because of his long sojourn on earth. He holds humans in high regard, despite their many faults, something the other Archangels did not, not even Michael.
Powers and Abilities
Despite being the youngest Archangel created by God, Gabriel has nigh-omnipotent power, and is one of the most powerful beings in existence. Despite this impressive power, Gabriel is still younger and weaker than Michael and Lucifer and possibly Raphael, but there is no evidence to support this. He has been in the same vessel for at least three years, likely thousands of years, judging by the Pagan Gods familiarity with this vessel, and has not yet begun to decay like Lucifer did, so it is assumed that he has found his one and only 'true vessel'.
- Immortality: Gabriel has an indefinitely long lifespan, and is unaffected by disease, toxins or time. He does not require food, water, oxygen, or sleep.
- Invulnerablily: Gabriel can not be killed by conventional weapons, however certain weapons such as an Archangel Blade and Death's Scythe can kill him. He can also be killed by God, Death and his brothers.
- Possession: Gabriel requires a vessel while on Earth. He needs the vessel's consent. Bloodline requirements, if any, for Gabriel's vessels are unknown.
- Superhuman Strength: Although the youngest archangel, Gabriel endows his vessel with dramatically increased superior strength and can exert tremendous amounts of physical force. He can overpower and kill anyone short of his brothers, God and Death.
- Shape-shifting: Gabriel can change his vessel's appearance at will.
- Teleportation: Gabriel can travel from one place to another, instantaneously, without occupying the space in between, he can even take others with him.
- Telepathy: Gabriel is able to read the thoughts and memories of others.
- Advanced Telekinesis: Gabriel can move object with his mind. Castiel, although being a powerful celestial, was no match for his older "bro". Gabriel slammed him into the wall, duct taped his mouth and played around with Cas like he was nothing using telekinesis. This further proved that the power of ordinary angels could not even compare with the immense powers of the four Archangels.
- Healing: As an Archangel, Gabriel has the power to heal any injury.
- Resurrection: As an Archangel, Gabriel is capable of bringing the dead back to life.
- Cosmic Awareness: Gabriel possesses an immense amount of knowledge of the universe. He even possesses knowledge on his older brother's Cage, and how to open it.
- Chronokinesis: Gabriel can travel forwards or backwards through time. He can also put others in time loops. He was able to send Sam back to the day Dean died "permanently" with just a snap of his fingers, apparently rewinding time to do so.
- Reality Warping: Gabriel is remarkably talented with this power and can accomplish just about anything with it, making him virtually omnipotent, and it is his trademark as well as his most utilized ability. He can warp reality, whether it be by making objects or living beings appear out of thin air, or by reshaping objects into something else entirely, or by creating unreal dimensions, wormholes and large time loops.
- Pyrokinesis: Gabriel was able to light two candles with just a thought.
Trivia
- His aiding the Winchesters to stop the Apocalypse is ironic, since in Norse mythology Loki is the one responsible for starting Ragnarok, the Norse Apocalypse. Loki’s role is similar to Lucifer and it results in the death of most of the major Norse gods.
- In popular culture, it is said that Gabriel shall blow the trumpet blast that initiates the end of time. (This is most likely taken from the Islamic religion as there is an archangel Israfel, who corresponds with Raphael, not Gabriel, which is said to signal judgment day). Ironically, Gabriel is the only archangel to help the Winchesters stop the Apocalypse. Perhaps he did it due to the main antagonists hastening the Apocalypse, and he felt that it wouldn't be right.
- He is one of two archangels to be featured in 4 seasons, other being Lucifer.
- He is also the first Archangel to appear, although it was not revealed until season 5.
- Gabriel is the only archangel who has only used one vessel.