Elias Finch was a Phoenix. He was killed by Dean Winchester with the Colt and his ashes were used to kill Eve.
Background[]
Season 6[]
Finch was living outside town with his wife, who was a human and the love of his life. He made sure not to hurt anyone and tried to live a normal life. One day, when he and his wife went into town, he left his wife momentarily to go to the bank and she was almost raped by a deputy. Finch was then shot by the deputy, who also shot and killed Finch's wife. The sheriff heard the shots and then the deputy and the sheriff blamed Finch for the murder of his wife. He was arrested, tried, found guilty and sentenced to death.
Elias killed the Sheriff
After being hanged for the crime he didn't commit, he comes back for vengeance against those who hanged him. He first goes after the Judge, then the Sheriff. This in turn, makes Dean the Sheriff. Finch goes after the Deputy, who is in jail as part of Dean's plan to lure him out. Dean confronts him about all the murders and Finch reveals what really happened. He stated he enjoyed seeing the deputy fearful and behind bars, deeming he "saved the best for last".
He questions Dean on his willingness to save the Deputy. Dean is sympathetic, but has to kill Finch, as he knows what he is, and needs his ashes. Accepting this, Finch shoots the Deputy, and turns on Dean. Dean runs away, managing to dodge his shots, and manages to get the Colt from Sam.
Dean killed Elias
Dean then challenges Finch to a showdown. Accepting this as his way to die, Finch joins, and the two fire, exactly at twelve o'clock. Finch is killed by Dean and goes up in flames, leaving his ashes.[1]
Powers and Abilities[]
Phoenixes are amongst the strongest and most durable of monsters. They are quite powerful, and almost impossible to kill.
- Immortality - As a Phoenix, Elias was immortal, retaining the appearance of the same age. He was immune to death by natural causes and aging. Based on Elias' comments, it seems before the Colt, there was no known way to kill a Phoenix, although the fact that they combust upon death implies that there exists other ways to kill him.
- Invulnerability - Finch is nearly completely invulnerable; he took repeated shots in the chest and did not even react although a significant force, such as being hanged, could knock him out for a while.
- Regeneration - He can heal from wounds at an accelerated rate. He healed from being hanged and even being shot multiple times instantaneously.
- Superhuman Strength - Elias was incredibly strong. He was strong enough to break out of his coffin, which had been nailed down and buried.
- Incinerating Touch - Elias Finch could incinerate anyone with a single touch; this ability was so strong, that he reduced a whole man to ashes in seconds.
- Shapeshifting - Elias could take on a human form to conceal his true form, which is bird-like.
- Self-Resurrection - Elias can resurrect himself from death. The only permanent way to kill him is with the Colt.
Weaknesses[]
- The Colt - Since the Colt was created to kill almost anything, Finch can be killed with this gun, which Dean does in a showdown.
- Iron - Dean figures out that Finch can't touch iron, as like many creatures, it burns his flesh. He also couldn't escape iron handcuffs.
Death[]
Killed By[]
In order to get the Phoenix ash needed to kill Eve, the Winchesters went back to 1861 to get the ashes of a phoenix supposedly killed by Samuel Colt, that phoenix being Elias. After getting the Colt from Samuel, Dean challenged Elias to a duel. While Elias' shot missed Dean, Dean hit Elias in the heart with a shot from the Colt, killing him by causing him to burn to ashes.
Appearances[]
- Season 6
- Frontierland
- Mommy Dearest (ashes)
- Season 7
- Meet the New Boss (soul form)
Trivia[]
- Finch's surname is the name of a bird. This is possibly an intended pun as a Phoenix is portrayed in lore as a bird.
- According to the Season 6 Companion Guide, the Phoenix was not created intentionally by Eve but grew from her body like a cancer. It was also hated by all of Eve's other children and thus has been on the run for thousands of years.
- Until Sam killed the Alpha Vampire in The Raid, Finch was the last creature seen being killed with the Colt by the audience. Due to time travel, it is chronologically the first time a Winchester has killed with it.