Archangels

"Archangels are fierce, they're absolute, they're Heaven's most terrifying weapon."

- Castiel to Dean about archangels.

Archangels are beings God created. God created them before any other angel type, i.e. Seraph, cupid or other, although Leviathans predate them. They were created in this order: Michael, Lucifer, Raphael and Gabriel, with it being unknown when Metatron was created.

Lucifer was God's most beautiful angel, Michael is his mightiest, Gabriel was his greatest messenger, it is unknown what Raphael was, and Metatron was the Heavenly Scribe.

Early life
The first Archangel created was Michael, then Lucifer, to Raphael then finally, Gabriel. In Heaven, Michael personally raised his little brother, but they eventually started to bicker. When Michael and Lucifer turned on each other, Gabriel escaped to Earth to avoid taking sides. And Raphael chose to side with God and Michael. Metatron later left Heaven with God after writing all of the Tablets.

Characteristics
According to Castiel, they're known in Heaven as absolute, precise and wrathful creatures. Like all angels, their true forms are very intense, and have proven not only harmful but possibly fatal to humans. Their presence outside a vessel is often visualized as a blinding white light, and their arrival can cause minor tremors, as shown by Lucifer when the Chapel shook as he escaped the Cage, and by Raphael while intervening to protect Chuck. They may also emit a piercing sound, which has proven to be excruciating to humans. During a subsequent appearance, Raphael causes the entire Eastern Sea Board to experience a black out. Shortly before his defeat, Lucifer's presence causes the temperature to drop drastically in Detroit.

It has been stated that Michael and Raphael are tethered to prophets, and Gabriel served as God's greatest messenger. As mentioned previously, Raphael seemed to be the one who monitored and protected Prophet Chuck Shurley. Before his fall, Lucifer was God's most beloved angel; he was considered beautiful, and was well respected in Heaven.

Archangels view themselves as the highest authority over all of creation since God's departure from Heaven. As leaders in Heaven, Michael and Raphael commanded the Host of Heaven, issuing orders to the "Senior Management" who were responsible for deploying angels to Earth. They did not share all their plans, especially their intention to allow Lucifer to be freed, to avoid rebellion in the lower ranks. Most of them show little respect while interacting with humans, although Gabriel eventually confesses his appreciation of humanity.

The relationships between Archangels and their vessels can be complex. Holding an archangel is damaging to a human; Raphael's vessel Donnie was left drooling, catatonic mess after possession. Lucifer's continued presence in Nick, an alternate vessel, causes the human's body to breakdown, as evidenced by burn-like marks, scaring and tears on his skin. Lucifer's vessels can be strengthened with demon blood to better survive the ordeal. Despite his contempt for humanity as a whole, Lucifer showed some sympathy toward Nick, and toward Sam, his true vessel. Michael, though condescendingly, was willing to explain his position to Dean while occupying his father, and promised not to leave Dean a "drooling mess" after his service.

Powers and Abilities
"No one makes us [implying / indicating their power and authority] do anything"

- Gabriel

"You keep saying we're going to trap this guy, but isn't that like trying to catch a hurricane in a butterfly-net. No, harder."

- Dean and Castiel

As the highest-ranking angels, archangels possess the powers and abilities that are inherent in all angels, but at a higher level, with increased strengths and powers commensurate with their rank.

Imbued with unmeasurable and unimaginable power, they are four of the most powerful beings in all of creation. They are held in high esteem by angels, being looked upon as "fierce" and "absolute". All Archangels have tremendous power over other supernatural beings.


 * Immortality - Archangels aren't underneath time, affected by age, or get affected by diseases, and don't need to breathe, eat, or sleep to sustain themselves. they are some of the oldest things in all of Creation. Virtually, they're nearly Indestructible, however an archangel blade can kill or hurt them.
 * Angelic Possession - By God's law, even archangels require vessels to manifest physically on Earth. Unlike average angels, archangels are terribly particular about their vessel, without their 'true' vessel, their body will rapidly deteriorate.
 * Holy White Light - Being imbued with holy pure white light, they can generate this light as intense burning energy through their vessels' and hands, capable of destroying almost anything. This power can also be controlled as Raphael could choose who or what was affected by his and how much it hurt them (if he chose not to kill with it).
 * Invulnerability - Archangels cannot be hurt, damaged, or penetrated by mostly anything. However, the Colt initially hurt Lucifer, all of Heaven's Weapons together can damage Raphael and Gabriel, Archangel blades can permanently kill/vanquish them, and they can hurt each other.
 * Super-strength - Archangels are astronomically strong, being physically stronger than gods, Angels, demons, and monsters.
 * Super-stamina - Archangels need nothing to maintain strength, to strive, operate, as they are self-sufficient. That said, they don't, like any angel (with the exception of the Seraph's), get their power from Heaven, as such "falling" or being banished doesn't affect their powers at all.
 * Telekinesis - Archangels are mentally influential on beings and objects. Being refined in this power, archangels have greater power and range with this than other beings.
 * Teleportation - Archangels are masters at teleportation; be in and out of any place instantly, they have great speed. They can transverse across the entire universe.
 * Telepathy - Archangels can hear, read and feel/sense the thoughts and emotions of humans. As Cas did with a cupid in "My Bloody Valentine", Archangels can read angels' minds.
 * Precognition - Archangels can see into the future, however not always the full picture. As Michael has been "wrong", and neither Lucifer or Gabriel saw their defeat.
 * Memory Manipulation - Archangels can erase and restore memories of people.
 * Shapeshifting - Vesselless, Archangels can change form, as Lucifer did using Sarah's form. Once in a vessel, archangels can reshape/morph into anyone or anything they want.
 * Time Manipulation - Archangels can travel and send themselves, and/or others, backwards or forwards through time.
 * Resurrection - Archangels can revive the deceased (including dead Angels), at a touch, or thought, without strain.
 * Reality Warping - Archangels have a vast supply of power and being near omnipotence can create things out of thin air ex. illusions, fantasy, portals, beings etc. They can change reality.
 * Power Granting- Archangels can grant powers to other beings as shown when Rapheal made Crowley immune to castiel's angel touch.
 * Overpowering - Having great dexterity and agility, archangels can easily overpower basically anything; humans, angels, pagan gods, demons, monsters, etc. Even amongst other angels, Archangels are held in high esteem. They are so powerful, that even one of them has the power and authority to rule Heaven in God's absence. being cut of from heaven doesnt weaken them either.
 * Supernatural Perception/Senses - They can perceive beings and things naturally invisible, such as Reapers, and even Horsemen. Upon watching Death rise, while welcoming the horsemen, Lucifer stood casual, however this is likely rash on his part.
 * Weather Manipulation - Practically every Archangel changes the weather on first emergence. The sheer power of their presence can/and likely will drastically alter the Earth's weather and surroundings, capable of causing profuse, raging rainstorms and generating air-currents.
 * Pyrokinesis - Archangels can manipulate or generate fire. With it, they can incinerate almost anything. Michael incinerated Anna, burning her from the inside out.
 * Cryokinesis - Archangels can manipulate or generate ice. Lucifer just breathes on a window, and it freezes, whistle the town he was in dropped immensely in temperature.
 * Electrokinesis - Archangels can manipulate, control and generate electricity, to such an intensity of causing State blackouts.
 * Terrakinesis - Archangels, can cause full-fledged earthquakes, regardless of whether in a vessel or not.
 * Molecular Combustion - Archangels, by snapping, or clicking their fingers, can spontaneously destroy angels, and therefore monsters, and creatures alike.
 * Regeneration - If they are in some way harmed, they can near instantly heal all non fatal wounds.

Weaknesses
In spite of them being extremely powerful, archangels possess a few weaknesses.


 * Archangel Blade: A weapon of their own design, this is the only known conventional way to fully destroy a Archangel.
 * Death's Scythe: This weapon can kill regular Angels and may be able to kill an Archangel as well.
 * Holy Oil: A type of restraint, the fire traps any Archangel, and leaving the raging circle would kill there vessel. Michael can't be killed by it.
 * Lucifer's Cage: Of God's own design, this place is sturdy and powerful enough to hold any archangel.

Appearances

 * Season 2
 * Tall Tales (Gabriel, disguised as The Trickster)


 * Season 3
 * Mystery Spot (Gabriel, disguised as The Trickster)


 * Season 4
 * The Monster at the End of This Book (Raphael makes his presence known)
 * Lucifer Rising (Raphael kills Castiel and Lucifer breaks free of his cage)


 * Season 5
 * Sympathy for the Devil (Lucifer)
 * Free To Be You and Me (Raphael and Lucifer)
 * The End (Lucifer)
 * Changing Channels (Gabriel)
 * Abandon All Hope... (Lucifer)
 * The Song Remains the Same (Michael)
 * Point of No Return (Michael's true form appears)
 * Hammer of the Gods (Gabriel and Lucifer)
 * Swan Song (Michael and Lucifer)


 * Season 6
 * The Third Man (Raphael)
 * The French Mistake (Raphael)
 * The Man Who Would Be King (Raphael)
 * The Man Who Knew Too Much (Raphael)


 * Season 7
 * Meet The New Boss (Lucifer as a hallucination)
 * Hello, Cruel World (Lucifer as a hallucination)
 * Repo Man (Lucifer as a hallucination)
 * The Born-Again Identity (Lucifer as a hallucination)

Trivia

 * Even though in some religions there are 7 archangels, only 5 in the Supernatural series have been stated as archangels, they are Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Lucifer, and Metatron.
 * Despite some beliefs, Uriel is not considered an archangel in the Supernatural series.
 * Archangels are arguably the most difficult, dangerous and indestructible (as the only thing that can kill them, is an Archangel blade, respectively) villains of the entire series followed by the Leviathans.
 * The only living archangels to date in the Supernatural series are Michael, Lucifer, and Metatron as Raphael was killed by Castiel, and Gabriel was killed by Lucifer.