“ | The last time there was a smiting of this magnitude, Lot's wife turned to salt. | ” |
Smiting is a powerful ability where a being kills another being, generally by touching them. The ability involves delivering a blow so powerful that it instantly kills the smiting target. Angels can inherently smite most demons and monsters (except Leviathans and Eve) as well as humans. Archangels and Seraphim can smite demons effortlessly and kill them instantly. When it comes to regular angels, it takes more concentration and if they are too physically or mentally weak, it will not work and they will only be able to smite black-eyed demons but not high-tier ones, such as Alastair.
It is implied that an angel cannot smite a demon outside of a vessel, as Castiel pushed a demon back into its host while it was trying to escape, before smiting it. If a demon or human has been smote, the vessel's eyes light up with a white holy light, burning the eyes and killing the host. Apparently, angels can control how powerful their smite is, and can choose if it will kill their targets, or simply burn out their eyes, which usually happens to people who attempt to view the true form of an angel.
Variations[]
After consuming large amounts of demon blood, Sam Winchester was able to smite high-ranking demons such as Lilith and Alastair. This demonic version seems to make the demon glow with yellow light that illuminates the skeleton - similar to the Colt and the demon-killing knife - then the demon and vessel die. This version did not require physical contact with the target but instead required mental power. Similarly to Sam, the Prince of Hell, Asmodeus, also did not require touch to smite several demons, unlike angels. However, the source of this power seems to have been the grace of the archangel Gabriel, possibly explaining this.
The ritual to release Death from his coffin was able to smite several demons, causes them to flash an orange light from their eyes and mouths as they collapsed dead, which also occurred when Sam consented to Lucifer, as he had consumed more demon blood than he had ever consumed beforehand.
The Knight of Hell Cain displayed a similar power, except the light was red instead of white.
Rit Zien are able to smite their victims, whether they be humans, demons, or even lesser angels. Their smiting manifests as a bright pink glow from their hands, which caused the target to explode instantaneously at the molecular level, leaving only a pink liquid substance of the remains of the target in the vicinity. Castiel notes that this method of smithing is unique to the Rit Zien and the totality and ferocity entailing to it renders death "unfelt" by the victim as the latter is reduced literally close to nothing.
The angels of Heaven are capable of uniting their power to perform an immense beam of light in order to smite a target. The beam shoots down from the sky and causes a large crater in the ground. The angels can also control how powerful the blast is. The beam was powerful enough to damage The Darkness and in her weakened state, to knock her unconscious.
The Apocalypse World version of the archangel Michael is able to perform a smiting from across the room simply by making his eyes glow and concentrating.
With just a snap of his fingers, God was capable of smiting a being as powerful as the Nephilim Jack.
Creatures Affected By Smiting[]
- Demons - Most demons with the exception of the white-eyed demons like Alastair, can be killed by the smiting of Angels empowered by the Power of Heaven. However, Sam Winchester (empowered by gallons of demon blood) was able to kill Alastair and even Lilith.
- Monsters - Most monsters can be killed by the smiting of average angels and seraphim. The Leviathans prove to be resistant and Castiel presumed that he couldn't kill Eve.
- Humans - Humans like the Prophet Kevin Tran could be killed by smiting.
- Angels - Lesser angels could be killed by the smiting of Rit Zien and Archangels.
- Nephilim
- Jack Kline- Was affected by God's smiting.
Beings With This Ability[]
Appearances[]
- Season 4
- Lazarus Rising (off-screen)
- Heaven and Hell
- On The Head Of A Pin (mental smiting)
- The Rapture
- Lucifer Rising (mental smiting)
- Season 5
- Abandon All Hope (attempted)
- The Song Remains the Same (off-screen)
- Swan Song (mental smiting)
- Season 6
- The French Mistake (attempted)
- Mommy Dearest
- The Man Who Would Be King
- Let It Bleed
- The Man Who Knew Too Much (attempted)
- Season 7
- Meet the New Boss (attempted)
- The Born-Again Identity
- Reading Is Fundamental (attempted)
- Season 8
- Blood Brother (flashback)
- A Little Slice of Kevin
- Goodbye Stranger
- The Great Escapist (off-screen)
- Season 9
- I'm No Angel (off-screen)
- Heaven Can't Wait (Rit Zien smiting)
- Holy Terror
- First Born (demonic smiting)
- Meta Fiction (off-screen)
- Season 10
- Soul Survivor (off-screen)
- Season 11
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (normal smiting and combined smiting)
- We Happy Few (combined smiting)
- Season 12
- Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets (attempted)
- Season 13
- Season 14
- Gods and Monsters
- The Spear (flashback only)
- Nihilism (flashback only)
- Ouroboros
- Moriah
- Season 15
- Back and to the Future
- Raising Hell (off-screen)
- The Rupture