Deities or Gods are the divine, supernatural, immortal beings that represent the prime authorities of a religion. They may also have helped God create the Natural Order. Deities have free will and can be either good or evil (or neutral), some even have a taste for Human flesh.
History
The most important deity in Supernatural is from the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) and is referred to as as "God". He is credited with the creation of everything. "God" seems to be the most powerful deity in existence. According to Kali, there are billions of gods (or possibly pagan religions) in the Universe. Also, according to Kali, their religions were practised long before that of God.
Lucifer shows disgust for Mercury and other pagan gods for their lack of loyalty. Calling them petty, and worse than Humans or Demons - he kills Mercury and several other pagan gods.
Throughout the Supernatural series, there have been many gods encountered, including:
- God (Judaism, Christianity, Islam)
- The Vanir (Norse)
- Trickster (from many cultures)
- Loki (Norse)
- Anansi (West African)
- Madge and Edward Carrigan (Pagan)
- Leshi (Slavic)
- Kali (Hindu)
- Ganesh (Hindu)
- Odin (Norse)
- Baldur (Norse)
- Mercury (Roman)
- Zao Shen (Chinese)
- Baron Samedi (Haitian Voodoo)
- Veritas (Roman)
- Atropos along with her Two Sisters known as The Fates (Greek)
- Eve - The Mother of all Monsters
- Castiel - After taking in all the souls from Purgatory, declares himself the new God.
- Osiris (Egyptian)
- Chronos (Greek)
- Oberon (Fairy god)
- Ares (Greek)
- Harmonia (Greek)
- Tiamat (Babylonian)
Powers & Abilities
As the exact nature and history of God is unknown, it leaves a large gap between the extent of his and the pagan gods' supernatural powers.
Unlike demons, angels, and all other supernatural species for that matter, the powers of the deities vary between each one. Normally, it depends on each type of god. While each god has unique powers, there are several that all of them have. It is certain that they are more powerful than lower species such as Demons, Monsters, Spirits, and Humans. Some gods possess powers beyond Angels. It is for this reason that Angels require special items/methods to kill some deities.
Deities rank and age. While, never officially described, in Supernatural there are stronger types of Demons, Angels, and other supernatural beings. So it stands to reason that there are stronger kinds of immortal deities or immortal higher beings. What is unique to deities than to all other Supernatural species, is that most don't share similar weaknesses. Different deities can be killed with different means of powers or weapons. However, beings of higher strength can harm or kill them. Lucifer killed several pagan gods with ease. Some of the deities killed were known as the most powerful gods in their religions.
•Minor gods: This classification of gods are the weakest deities, but are still stronger than demons, monsters, spirits and humans. They usually only have the general god powers. Mercury and Tricksters, have powerful abilities; Mercury can move so fast that humans cannot see him, and trickster demi-gods can create things out of nothing, can warp reality and make time loops. While powerful, they can be overpowered and killed by an Archangel. Tricksters and Mercury could be minor gods.
•Major gods: This classification of gods are more powerful than the average. They possess the powers inherent in all gods, which are greatly intensified, and others. Usually older than the lesser gods. While more powerful than minor gods they are still weaker than an Archangel. Kali may be one of them.
•Anicent gods: This classification of gods are far more powerful than minor or major gods. They have the general powers like immortality and higher than human abilities and senses, but are much stronger than other gods. These gods are normally very old and powerful. Eve (The Mother of All), might be one or a higher being with the same level of abilities. Another possible being of this classification is the deity Atropos one of the Fates, for she was give her position by God which showcast her age and power. Osiris may be one.
•Primordial gods: These gods are at least as old as the universe. They have so much power that their immortality, invulnerability and strength make them unable to be killed. These gods created the natural order and are impossible to be destroyed. The only known God of this level is God himself. The only way to kill one of this level is to be of the same level (or higher). God and Death are thought to be of this level (however Death is not a god and is much weaker than God).
General Powers and Abilities
- Immortality
- Invulnerability
- Super strength
- Super speed
- Super senses
- Supernatural Perception
- Divine Magical Powers
- Supreme Knowledge
Individual Powers
While each god, demi-god, and higher being have similar powers like immortality and stronger than human abilities and senses they can have seperate powers unique to themselves.
Omnipresence: To exist everywhere in the universe. To date, only God is omnipresent.
Omniscience: To have unlimited knowledge and understanding and awareness of the universe. To date, only God is omniscient. Death seems to be nigh-omniscient.
Omnipotence: To have infinite power. "God" is the most powerful being in the universe as He has this power (and every other power as a result). Castiel's powers after absorbing the millions of souls from Purgatory increased to an omnipotent-like level. For he became stronger than Raphael. However, Death seemed unafraid of him.
Immortality/Invunrabillity: Each god is immortal, they can live forever, and aren't susceptible to aging, disease or lack of nourishment. They are near invunrable, they can usually only be killed by specific weapons. Although, significantly powerful beings like archangels and higher pagan gods (Kali) can harm and kill them.
Supernatural Perception: The ability to see and hear things and beings that are invisible. Atropos could tell who Castiel was while he was inside his vessel, Jimmy.
Telekinesis: The ability to move things and others with one's mind. It can also be channeled through the hands. Many Pagan gods have this power.
Ability to Force People to Speak the Truth: The ability to compel humans to speak the truth. As shown with Veritas, this can make anyone tell the truth when asked a question. Veritas has this power. She can also curse people so they are only told the truth (by other humans).
Shapeshiffting: Veritas has this power to a limited degree. Tricksters, Leshi, Ganesh and Eve have this power.
Pyrokinesis: The ability to manipulate and generate fire by thought. Kali has this power.
Binding to Oneself: To bind someone to yourself. Kali has this power (via touching and having possession of someone's blood).
Conjuration: The power to create or to uncreate something or someone from nothing. The only god seen to use this power is Eve but with a limit. Tricksters are known to have this ability.
Reality Warping: The power to change the laws of reality and to create new laws or realities entirely. Tricksters have this power.
Time Loops: To control time (where the victim will keep repeating events over and over again). This will last until the one responsible is killed or lets them out, otherwise the time loop will not stop. Tricksters have this power.
Reconstruction, Reshape, and or Restoration: The power to reconstruct, reshape, and or restore something. Mercury has this ability as shown with the rebuilding, reshaping and reconstruction of the Elysian Field Motel, transforming it from an old, rotten, broken down building into a luxurios resort.
Influence over Vegatation: To have some influence over plants and vegitation such as returning life to dead plants. Mercury has this ability or at least his presence induces the same affect. Madge and Edward Carrigan have this ability.
Teleportation: Some of the older and more powerful gods have this power.
Time Manipulation: The power to manipulate time. Atropos is able to stop time and selectively manipulate its flow. Along with her prediction of events, she uses this to assist her in manipulating events to bring about people's deaths and fates. Chronos was able to travel through time, and bring others with him, he could also manipulate objects that measured time.
Control over Spirits: The power to have control over spirits/souls. Osiris is able to control the spirits of the dead, turning them into Vengeful Spirits.
Demigods, Higher Beings, and Divine Immortals
There are other kinds of gods or even none angelic or demonic beings that are fall into these categories.
- Tricksters: Demigod-like immortal creatures that thrive on creating mischief and mayhem. With the power to make objects materialize out of thin air and remove them just as quickly. Tricksters accomplishes their destructive or harming feats with unusual and often humorous means, its intent to humble the self-important. The Tricker's metabolism is such that it craves sugary treats and consumes calories voraciously. To kill a Trickster one must obtain a stake dipped in the blood of its victim and plunge it into the creature's heart. Famous Tricksters include Loki of Scandinavian myth and Anansi of West Africa.
- Death: While death is a Horseman of the Apocalypse, it may be assumed that he is something like a god.
Trivia
- Confirmed in the Salute to Supernatural for Season 6. Pagan deities are one of few supernatural species that don't go to Purgatory if they are killed.
- Despite being an archangel, Lucifer is called a god by some demons for being their creator.
- While gods have been made all powerful divine beings or creatures, Lucifer was able to kill several Pagan gods. Also, Dean and Sam have killed pagan gods.
- While pagan gods have fought and lost to an archangel, it has yet to show the difference in power between pagan gods and the other numerous beings in the Supernatural series. However it has been comfirmed that standard pagan deities are stronger than humans, monsters, (unknown if this includes the Leviathans) and demons. Some even have powers beyond a normal angel's.
- In Supernatural, it has been comfirmed deities' powers do not come from worship. What separates the strength of individual deities is unknown. However Sam states "The old gods got a lot of their mojo from worshippers, from people feeding them". However, gods like Osiris don't appear to take sacrifices and can go hundreds of years without anything. This could mean that certain deities need human souls for food or other things. Also Chronos states that he (not all gods) needs three sacrifices to control when and where he lands in time. It is shown that he can take sacrifices from any human to control his wandering of the time-lines.
- Many pagan dieties choose to feed on human flesh as food. However some Gods such as Osiris, Chronos, and Atropos don't seem to.