| “ | It's a Ma'lak Box. Secured and warded. Once inside, nothing gets out, not even an Archangel. | ” |
A Ma'lak Box is a coffin designed to keep any creature locked inside, especially an Archangel, as stated by Dean.
Overview
A Ma'lak Box is a coffin that's warded to keep any creature trapped inside, especially archangels, as stated by Dean. Though the secrets to its creation have been long lost, Billie provides Dean with a copy in a book from her reading room that reveals that the Ma'lak Box is the only thing that can keep Michael from escaping.
Following the instructions in the book, Dean builds a Ma'lak Box in the workshop of Donna Hanscum's cabin with the plan of imprisoning himself and Michael in it for an eternity at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. After Mary Winchester finds the box and realizes what it is, Dean is forced to tell Sam, seeing no other way to stop Michael. Sam reluctantly agrees, but gets Dean to take a case before they put the box to use. After they are unexpectedly able to save Donatello Redfield, Sam is able to convince Dean to try to find another way before using the box.
After escaping his prison in Dean's mind, Michael leaves his body and takes Rowena MacLeod as his vessel instead. Michael taunts Dean about not using the box when he had the chance and Dean orders Sam to get the Supernatural Handcuffs so that they can still implement the plan. However, Michael disables the Winchesters and Castiel before they can try. Instead, Jack taps into the power of his soul and kills Michael, ending the need for the Ma'lak Box.
Physical Appearence
One of the sigils on the outside of the Ma'lak Box
The Ma'lak Box is made of sheet metal and metal bars. The edges are welded together by Dean Winchester. There are also multiple sigils welded onto the outside of the box.
Appearances
- Season 14
- Nihilism (referenced only)
- Damaged Goods
- Prophet and Loss
- Ouroboros (mentioned only)
- Jack in the Box
Trivia
- Ma'lak is variation of Mal'ak (also spelled Malak, Melek), is the Semitic word for "angel" (Arabic: ملاك, malāk; Hebrew מַלְאָךְ; Ge'ez መልዐክ, mal'āk; Aramaic מלאך). The plural of malak ("angels") is ملائكه malaa'ikah in Arabic, מַלְאָכִים malakim in Hebrew, and መላዕክት mala'ikt in Ge'ez. So, literally, it is called "Angel Box"
- Ma'lak Boxes are supposedly extremely difficult to manufacture. In Damaged Goods, Sam Winchester even stated that they're impossible to build, though Dean had already successfully built one at this point, thanks to the directions in the book Billie had given to Dean from her reading room.
- Sam also stated that nobody has ever built a Ma'lak box before. This makes Dean the first person ever to do so.
- Despite that, some lore in the Men of Letters bunker detailed some characteristics of it and how it is be used, as shown in one of the lore books Dean takes with him.