Raising of Lucifer

The Raising of Lucifer was the successful effort by the first demon Lilith to free the Fallen Archangel Lucifer from his Cage and begin the Apocalypse.

Prelude
After making contact with Lucifer in 1972, the Prince of Hell Azazel is instructed to release Lilith from Hell and to find "a very special child" in order to ensure Lucifer's release from his Cage. Azazel is eventually killed by hunter Dean Winchester, but succeeds in releasing Lilith from Hell by using Jake Talley to open the Devil's Gate in Wyoming.

Shortly before Azazel's death, Dean makes a one year deal to resurrect his brother Sam who had been killed by Jake in Cold Oak, South Dakota. As a result, Dean going to Hell is the perfect way to break the first seal as he is the Righteous Man. Needing to manipulate Sam into drinking demon blood and accessing his psychic powers, Lilith sends the demon and secret Lucifer loyalist Ruby to guide and manipulate Sam under the promise of saving Dean from his deal and later revenge on Lilith. Ruby's assignment is so secret that only Lilith herself is aware of the fact that Ruby is really in fact working for her.

Following Dean going to Hell, Alastair is eventually able to break him in thirty years Hell time and get Dean to start torturing souls. This breaks the first of the 66 Seals and allows Lilith to begin breaking the rest. Dean is eventually resurrected by the angel Castiel on the orders of Heaven and works with Sam in a futile attempt to prevent the seals from breaking. The two are aided by Ruby in her continuing manipulation of Sam. Using the situation and Sam's desire for revenge on Lilith, Ruby is able to push him into drinking demon blood and using his psychic abilities.

Shortly after Dean discovers Sam's demon blood addiction, Lilith breaks the remaining seals except the last one. As planned, Ruby claims that only Lilith herself could break the last seal and that killing her would end the threat. Ruby also succeeds in destroying the relationship between the Winchester brothers, the only thing keeping Sam from giving in completely to her manipulations.

With Sam completely under her sway, Ruby has Sam kidnap the demon possessing Cindy McKellan in order to torture her for information on Lilith's location and get her blood to fuel Sam's powers. Sam is able to torture the fact that Lilith will break the final seal at St. Mary's Convent, a fact further confirmed by the story of Azazel's visit in 1972 and is further manipulated by Ruby into draining the demon's blood despite Cindy still being alive to give him the strength to kill Lilith.

At the same time, Dean is abducted by Castiel and his superior Zachariah to keep Dean from interfering and so that he will be safe to be used as Michael's vessel after Lucifer rises. A voicemail left to Sam by Dean in an attempt to make up with him is twisted by either Zachariah or Ruby to further manipulate Sam's emotions. Dean eventually convinces Castiel to rebel and Castiel warns Dean that killing Lilith will break the final seal. Castiel helps Dean escape and they learn of where Lilith will be from the Prophet Chuck Shurley. Castiel sends Dean to the convent to stop Sam and Lilith as the archangel Raphael descends on Chuck's house and kills Castiel for his interference.

Battle
As a security guard patrols the halls of St. Mary's Convent, Lilith appears behind him to the guard's surprise. The guard tells Lilith that its private property and she can't be there. With a smile, Lilith responds that she is there for Mass "and so are you." At that moment, two of Lilith's Entourage appear and rip the guard apart.

Lilith's entourage lines up on both sides of the hallway to the chapel while Lilith sets up ingredients on the altar. One of the demons nervously brings Lilith a Goblet of Blood and she reassures him that "we're going to save the world." After Lilith turns around, Sam Winchester and Ruby enter the hallway behind her and Sam psychically kills the demon entourage. As Sam heads for her, Lilith telekinetically closes the door on him.

As Castiel teleports Dean to the convent, Sam breaks into the chapel and telekinetically flings Lilith against the altar and pins her there. Seeing this from down the hallway, Dean heads for the chapel only to have Ruby telekinetically lock him out to prevent Dean from stopping them.

Confronting Lilith, Sam tells her that he has been waiting for this chance for "a very long time." Lilith taunts Sam to "give me your best shot" and Sam begins psychically smiting Lilith. However, before he can get far, Dean bangs on the door, causing Sam to turn his attention from Lilith to Dean. As Dean bangs on the door, yelling for Sam, Ruby urges Sam on to kill Lilith. As Sam continues to hesitate, Lilith starts laughing and taunts Sam about how he turned himself into a monster to kill her and now he's "not going to bite." After Lilith taunts that its "adorable", Sam turns the full focus of his power on her, causing Sam's eyes to turn a demonic black. Sam is able to psychically smite Lilith, killing her and breaking the last seal.

As Lilith's blood spreads into a pattern from her dead vessel, Sam questions Ruby on what is happening and Ruby reveals that by killing Lilith, Sam broke the last seal. To the shock of an enraged Sam, Ruby reveals her true allegiance as a deep-cover agent for Lilith that not even Alastair knew about. As Ruby gloats about her success, Sam tries to kill her with his psychic powers, but fails as he exhausted his powers killing Lilith. Ruby tells Sam that she only gave him the choices but he made them himself. Ruby goes on to explain that everything Azazel and Lilith did led him to that moment and that it always had to be Sam because he's "special." Ruby promises Sam that Lucifer will be grateful and will repay Sam in "ways you can't even imagine."

At that moment, Dean finally manages to break into the chapel and Ruby turns to face him, stating that Dean is too late. Drawing the demon-killing knife, Dean advances on Ruby, stating that he doesn't care that he's too late. Suddenly, Sam grabs Ruby from behind and restrains her. With Ruby restrained by Sam, Dean stabs her in the stomach with the demon-killing knife, twists it and yanks it out, killing Ruby. A broken and devastated Sam then apologizes to Dean for what he's done.

Moments after Ruby's death, the symbol made out of Lilith's blood completes and an opening forms in the middle of it from which a pillar of light rises. Sam realizes that Lucifer is coming and he and Dean attempt to escape the chapel. However, the doors slam shut and the light burns holes in them.

As the light and sound get unbearable and drive the Winchesters to their knees, God transports them to an airplane traveling overhead. Lucifer's release causes a pillar of light to shoot high into the sky, destroying the convent.

Aftermath
Following Lucifer's release, the Apocalypse begins with reports of disasters from all over coming in immediately. The Winchesters, aided by Bobby Singer and a resurrected Castiel then set out in an attempt to foil the plans of Heaven and Hell in bringing on the Apocalypse.

Initially, the Winchesters are unsure of who saved them from Lucifer by transporting them to the plane. Castiel comes to believe that it was God and begins a search for God in response. God later confirms that he saved the Winchesters through the angel Joshua, stating that it is one of the few times he has directly intervened to help them and according to Joshua, more than God has done in a long time.