Jimmy Novak

"Heaven, Hell? None of that matters, the only thing that's important to me is you and Claire."

- Jimmy to Amelia.

Jimmy Novak was the true vessel of Castiel. A very devout Christian, he prayed for years to assist The Lord. He was killed by Raphael when the latter obliterated Castiel for trying to stop the Apocalypse. His body was reassembled by God to continue to serve as Castiel's vessel, but Jimmy's soul ascended into Heaven.

The vessel of Castiel
Castiel once said that aside from Jimmy's devout faith he chose him as a vessel because there is something special about Jimmy's bloodline that allows him and others in his family to comfortably have an angel presence inside of them and not suffer ill effects, such as with the archangels hollowing of their hosts, or Lucifer rotting his host. Hael indicates that Jimmy is a particularly strong vessel, telling Castiel that "your vessel is strong" and that she wants to possess him too because her own vessel is weak. Even when Castiel was promoted to Seraph and received an increase in power Jimmy didn't degrade and he was able to hold the power of all the souls of Purgatory (millions of them), along with a large number of Leviathans, for awhile before starting to degrade. However, despite his body still existing as Castiel's vessel, Jimmy himself is dead, having been killed by Raphael in Lucifer Rising and not been brought back by God like Castiel.

Early life
Jimmy Novak was your average Joe before Castiel called upon him. He would pray before they ate dinner (which he was strict about). His interactions with Castiel began one day when he fell asleep in front of the TV and it began to show static. Jimmy notices and goes to turn it off, but it does not respond. Upon hearing an ear piercing noise, he collapses on the floor.

Jimmy can now hear Castiel's voice, and Castiel asks Jimmy to prove his faith and stick his hand in a pot of boiling water. Jimmy complies and is amazed by the fact that his hand is fine. His wife, Amelia, walks in on him with his hand in the pot and panics. Jimmy tries to reassure her, by telling her Castiel told him that no harm would come, but she is not convinced.

Later on, she tries to get him to take pills due to her belief that Jimmy is hallucinating. Jimmy refuses, telling her he's not crazy. Jimmy tells her that Castiel chose him, she inquired if it was Castiel the angel. Jimmy tells her that he has talked to Castiel a number of times. He asks Amelia about her belief in God and Angels, and why it would be so hard to believe that they are talking to him. Amelia retorts by saying that he sells Ad times on AM radio, Jimmy interrupted her by telling her that Castiel says that he is special because it is in his blood. When she asks what that means, Jimmy says he doesn't know but tells her that Castiel told him that God had chosen him for a higher purpose. Jimmy pulls her to the couch and tells Amelia that this is a blessing, that this is the best thing to ever happen to him. Amelia reminds him that his family is the best thing to happen to him. Amelia ends the conversation by telling Jimmy if he doesn't get help, she is going to take Claire to her mother's house in the morning.

With no other option, Jimmy prepares to leave. On his way out he grabs his trench coat. Standing in front of his house, he calls to Castiel. He tells the angel that he wants to help and mentions his family (Only Jimmy is heard speaking). Jimmy asks Castiel to talk to him, and then Castiel likely proposes possessing him. Jimmy asks Castiel to promise to keep his family safe. He then says "Yes". Castiel then possesses Jimmy's body. Castiel, inside Jimmy, leaves.

Season 4
After a big battle, Castiel is thrown from Jimmy's body. Jimmy wakes up and see two men (Sam and Dean Winchester) in front of him calling him Cas. Jimmy responds by saying, "Not Castiel." Later on Sam and Dean get him something to eat and are fascinated to see "Castiel", or at least someone who looks like him, eat. They ask Jimmy what it was like to have an angel inside him. Jimmy answers it's like being chained to a comet. They also ask him what happened to Cas, and Jimmy tells them he has no idea. He just woke up and was himself again. Jimmy asks if he can go back to his family, but Sam tells him no.

After Sam and Dean talk, they tell Jimmy he needs to stay with them awhile; for protection. He is confused by this. They continue to tell him that demons are after him, which shocks Jimmy. Jimmy tells Sam and Dean that he doesn't know anything, but Sam responds that the demons don't care, they'll still want Jimmy. So they put Jimmy on lockdown in their motel room. But when Sam steps out (and Dean is asleep), Jimmy escapes and jumps on a bus back home.

When he arrives there, he see his family and is hit with the memory of when he was last here. He goes and rings the doorbell, and Amelia opens the door. She is shocked to see him, and tells Jimmy they stopped looking for him. Once inside his own home, he asks if he can see Claire, but Amelia refuses. To convince his wife, he lies to her telling her that he was in a mental institution the whole time getting better. She is unsure what to do, but Jimmy convinces her to try again.

They have dinner, but his family soon notices changes in Jimmy. Like how he doesn't say prayer before eating anymore. Then a demon comes (disguised as his friend), and Jimmy attacks. His wife is horrified by this. Jimmy tries to get his family to safety, but they escape. It is quickly revealed to them their friend was a demon. When the man's demon possessed wife attacks him, Amelia rushes to Jimmy's aid. Luckily, Sam and Dean show up and save them.

Now that they have escaped, Jimmy is forced to separate from his family for their safety. Jimmy asks the boys how long this will be, and Sam answers forever. Jimmy is saddened by this, but sees Sam's point. So Jimmy talks with Amelia before he leaves saying that he'll "see" them again. Amelia tells him that she is sorry for everything and she doesn't want him to go. Jimmy tells her its okay, and that this is for their own safety. He finishes it off by saying that Sam and Dean are going to get them a car, and he wants her to take Claire somewhere safe. Then he gets into the Impala and leaves with Sam and Dean.

So while Jimmy is sleeping, Sam gets a call from "Amelia" and gives it to Jimmy. Jimmy realizes that "Amelia" isn't Amelia and they head to her location. The demons want Jimmy to come alone, so the Winchester make a plan to secretly follow Jimmy in. Jimmy asks for a moment and goes off on his own. Jimmy begins to yell at Castiel for not protecting his family, and not keeping his promises. When Jimmy gets no word from Castiel, he heads into the building.

Once in the building he sees his "wife" and his daughter tied to a chair. Jimmy demands their release. The demon also reveals she knew that Jimmy would bring Sam and Dean. Two demons bring Sam and Dean out. "Amelia" pulls out a gun and shoots Jimmy. Just as Claire to about to be killed, "Claire" breaks free and destroys the demon. Castiel is possessing Claire to help save the day. Following Castiel's lead, Sam and Dean break free.

Once the battle is over, Castiel walks over to Jimmy. Jimmy is slowly dying due to the gunshot wound. Castiel reassures Jimmy about his oncoming death, and tells Jimmy he going to a better place, and that his work is done. Jimmy is concerned for his daughter Castiel is possessing. Realizing she won't have a life with Castiel possessing her, Jimmy begs Castiel to take him instead. Castiel warns him of the consequences, but Jimmy is determined to let his daughter be free. With that Castiel leaves Claire's body and goes into Jimmy's.

Season 5
When Famine hits town, Jimmy's hunger for red meat influences Castiel to go on a hamburger binge, proving that Jimmy is still alive at this point.

Season 7
Jimmy, once again is not truly seen, but during the course of the episode, Meet The New Boss Jimmy is shown to be on the edge of exploding because of being under the weight of all the souls and the Leviathans (which were released from Purgatory and absorbed by Castiel). At the end of the episode after Castiel sends all the souls back into Purgatory, the leviathans (which held on inside) take over and nearly kill Dean and Bobby, but because of Jimmy being on the edge of exploding, they instead retreat into the lake where they leave Jimmy's body and make their way into the water supply pipes. Jimmy's body implodes when the Leviathans leave him.

All that is found of Castiel and Jimmy is the trenchcoat. In Hello Cruel World, Castiel was presumed deceased; but in The Born-Again Identity it is revealed Castiel has been resurrected again presumably by God and he is restored in Jimmy's body.

Season 9
Castiel has become human, but he remains in Jimmy, using his body as his own. One angel wanted to possess Castiel himself because Jimmy was a strong vessel and hers could barely contain her, but Castiel managed to prevent this double-possession by killing the angel. Castiel later abandons Jimmy's trenchcoat, apparently for good, after it gets bloody and he can't afford to wash it. Castiel dies again in I'm No Angel but is resurrected once again. If Jimmy was still alive, he would've died with Castiel and it is unclear whether or not if he was resurrected with him yet again or not. Later, while he is apparently unable to reclaim Jimmy's trenchcoat, Castiel shows his fondness for Jimmy's piece of clothing by getting a new one to replace the one he discarded.

Season 10
After Hannah has an encounter with her vessel Caroline's husband, Castiel tells her about Jimmy, saying that Jimmy was a good man who had a family but he was forced to take Jimmy away from them twice as the mission was the most important thing, more important than their vessels and the families. However, after Hannah left Caroline and returned to Heaven so that Caroline could go home, Castiel looked up Jimmy on the Internet to find that his family was still searching for him. In The Things We Left Behind, Castiel tracks down Claire and confirms that Jimmy is dead and has been since Raphael smote them. His soul is now in Heaven. Sorry about what he did to Jimmy and his family, Castiel attempts to help Claire and even pretends to be Jimmy to try to get her out of a group home though it fails.

Appearances

 * Season 4
 * The Rapture

Jimmy Novak