Zachariah

Name: Zachariah

Actor: Kurt Fuller

Dates: Before humanity - 2010 (killed by Dean Winchester)

Occupation: Angel

Episodes:

  • 4.17 It's a Terrible Life
  • 4.18 The Monster at the End of This Book
  • 4.22 Lucifer Rising
  • 5.01 Sympathy for the Devil
  • 5.04 The End
  • 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon
  • 5.18 Point of No Return

DESCRIPTION:

In Heaven I have six wings and four faces, one of which is a lion.

– Zachariah, 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon

Zachariah is an angel of Heaven who serves Michael and possibly Raphael. Zachariah is of high-ranking in the Host of Heaven, and holds authority over lower-class angels like Castiel and Joshua.

HISTORY:

Zachariah places Dean and Sam Winchester into an alternate universe with no memory of their true identities. Instead of being brothers who hunt together, they are strangers who lead normal lives. Zachariah poses as Dean's manager at work, but he eventually reveals that he is a direct superior of Castiel and that the ruse was designed to demonstrate to Dean that being a hunter is an essential part of who he is.

After the confrontation between Lilith and Sam and the intervention of an archangel on Chuck's behalf, Zachariah appears before Chuck Shurley and tells him to continue writing down his visions. He also warns him not to alert Sam and Dean as to their destinies, and that the angels will stop him if he tries. When Chuck despairs, Zachariah tells him that they will revive him if he commits suicide.

As Sam is preparing to kill Lilith, Zachariah holds Dean in the Green Room and finally explains that the angels actually want Lucifer freed so that Michael can kill him. After Dean pleads and begs for help, Castiel helps him by temporarily banishing Zachariah and teleporting Dean so that he can stop Sam from killing Lilith, as her death is the last seal. Sam ultimately kills Lilith and releases Lucifer, which triggers the Apocalypse.

Soon after the breaking of the 66 Seals and Lucifer's release from the Cage, Zachariah and two angel assistants approach Dean and Sam at Chuck's house in Kripke's Hollow. Zachariah demands that Dean come with them, but Dean activates an angel banishing sigil, which sends the angels away temporarily. Zachariah later uses Chuck and lures the Winchester brothers to their father's lock-up in up state New York where he reveals to Dean that he is Michael's Sword wherein he is the true vessel but Dean must first consent to possession. After denying angelic-possession by Michael, Zachariah starts torturing Dean and Sam, but Castiel mysteriously returns from the dead and orders his superior away. He inscribes angelic runes into Sam and Dean's ribs which will hide them all angels, including Lucifer and himself.

Zachariah finds Dean through fringe Christian groups and sends Dean five years into the future (2014). Zachariah appears and says that he wants Dean to see what will happen.

After Dean and Sam die and go to Heaven, Zachariah searches for them so that he can resurrect them so they can serve as the vessels of Michael and Lucifer. Zachariah tells them that he has four faces (one of which is a lion) and six wings in his true form in Heaven. He begins beating them up but is interrupted by Joshua who bears God's permission and takes the boys to the Garden of Eden and revives them, sending them back to Earth.

After the resurrections of Dean and Sam, Zachariah gets removed from the Host but is given a final chance to secure Dean for Michael. He resurrects and manipulates Adam Milligan in an attempt to draw Dean into a trap to get him to say yes to Michael. It seems to work, but Dean taunts him into getting close to him and then stabs Zachariah through the head with an angel sword, killing him. His body is last seen in the Green Room before it disappears.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Powers and Abilities

  • Inflict grave harm on humans with his powers, including giving diseases, breaking bones and removing lungs.
  • Manipulate a human's memories, either by removing them completely or by adding false ones.
  • Bend time.
  • Teleport himself and other people to any location on Earth. He can overpower humans without visible effort.
  • Move objects with his mind.
  • Implant false prophecy into a prophet's mind.
  • Revive the dead

Weaknesses

  • Angel banishing sigil
  • Angel sword

EPISODES:

4.17 It's a Terrible Life

Zachariah places Sam and Dean Winchester into jobs with Sandover Iron and Engineering, Dean as a corporate Wall Street tycoon and Sam in technical support. Without their real memories, to show Dean that being a hunter is who he is and who he was always meant to be.

I'm hardly another one, Dean. I'm Castiel's superior. Believe me, I had no interest in popping down here into one of these smelly things [Zachariah indicates his vessel]. But after the unfortunate situation with Uriel, I felt it necessary to pay a visit. Get my ducks in a row.

– Zachariah, 4.17 It's a Terrible Life

4.18 The Monster at the End of This Book

Following Sam's confrontation with Lilith and the arrival of Chuck's archangel, Zachariah appears to Chuck Shurley after he has another vision. While it is not revealed what Chuck saw, he wants to warn Sam and Dean, but Zachariah tells him not to. Chuck threatens to kill himself, but Zachariah says they will only bring him back to life. In despair, Chuck asks what he should do. Zachariah replies "Do what you always do. Write."

4.22 Lucifer Rising

Zachariah and Castiel hold Dean hostage in preparation for the Apocalypse. When Dean confronts Zachariah, he finally admits that they don't want to stop Lilith from breaking the last seal, which will free Lucifer. The upper cast of angels wants the Apocalypse to begin in order to defeat Hell and bring about paradise on Earth. Zachariah also reveals that Dean's role will be to kill Lucifer after the Apocalypse happens.

Later, Castiel tries to help Dean escape in an effort to stop Sam killing Lilith, and unknowingly breaking the final seal. Zachariah arrives to stop him, but Castiel uses a sigil drawn in his own blood to send Zachariah away. 

5.01 Sympathy for the Devil

Zachariah arrives at Chuck's house with two other angels in an attempt to force Dean to come with them. However, he and the other angels are sent away as Dean has drawn the angel banishing sigil in preparation for the angels' arrival. Zachariah and his associates then show up at John's lock-up. The angel attempts to force Dean into giving permission to the archangel Michael to use him as a vessel in the fight against Lucifer. Dean refuses, so Zachariah proceeds to torment him and Sam until Dean changes his mind. However, Castiel appears and dispatches the other angels with an angel sword. Zachariah heals Sam and Dean, then flees. 

5.04 The End

With Sam and Dean hidden by the Enochian sigils engraved on their ribs by Castiel, Zachariah employs fringe Christian groups to track down Dean. He sends him to 2014 to see the consequences of his refusal to become Michael's vessel. It is not clear whether this future is "true" or in some way altered by Zachariah in an effort to influence Dean's decision. Dean sees the devastation wrought by the Croatoan virus, the effect of the Apocalypse on himself, Castiel and others, and most importantly finds out that Sam has consented to be Lucifer's vessel. Following a disastrous encounter between Future!Dean and Lucifer, Zachariah brings Dean back to 2009. When Dean still refuses to be a vessel, Zachariah prepares to take him captive, but Castiel teleports Dean away in time. 

5.16 Dark Side of the Moon

With Sam and Dean hidden by the Enochian sigils engraved on their ribs by Castiel, Zachariah employs fringe Christian groups to track down Dean. He sends him to 2014 to see the consequences of his refusal to become Michael's vessel. It is not clear whether this future is "true" or in some way altered by Zachariah in an effort to influence Dean's decision. Dean sees the devastation wrought by the Croatoan virus, the effect of the Apocalypse on himself, Castiel and others, and most importantly finds out that Sam has consented to be Lucifer's vessel. Following a disastrous encounter between Future!Dean and Lucifer, Zachariah brings Dean back to 2009. When Dean still refuses to be a vessel, Zachariah prepares to take him captive, but Castiel teleports Dean away in time. 

5.18 Point of No Return

Zachariah is seen drinking at a bar and talking to a man named Stuart. He discusses his failure at work (consenting Sam and Dean)and his firing. Zachariah's boss, Michael, appears, burning out the eyes of Stuart and the bartender in doing so. He gives Zachariah one more chance to consent Dean; Zachariah is overjoyed to accept and leaves the bar singing "When the Saints Go Marching In." The plan involves resurrecting Sam and Dean's half-brother Adam Milligan to either act as Michael's vessel or force Dean's consent. Adam's resurrection is interrupted by Castiel, who brings Adam to the Winchesters and hides him from the angels.

Later, Zachariah appears to Adam in a dream talking about their plan and how he cannot trust the Winchesters. Adam gives up his location and disappears with Zachariah. Castiel leads Sam and Dean to the Green Room where Zachariah has hidden Adam. It is located in an abandon muffler factory in Van Nuys, California. While in the Green Room with Adam, Zachariah reveals the truth about why they brought back Adam and how they are expecting Dean to come and consent. Meanwhile, Castiel enters the factory and clears the way for Sam and Dean by killing one angel and banishing four others (along with himself). Sam and Dean enter the shed containing the Green Room and Zachariah overpowers them. Zachariah then tortures Sam and Adam until Dean says "Yes." Thrilled, Zachariah calls Michael to come down to his vessel, Dean. Dean then manipulates Zachariah, telling him that Michael cannot enter Dean's body unless he can guarantee the safety of his loved ones and until Zachariah is dead. Angry, Zachariah grabs hold of Dean, telling him "Michael's not going to kill me." However, Dean informs him that he will, pulls out a hidden angel sword and stabs Zachariah through the chin and out the top of his head, killing him in an explosive burst of light that flings Dean into a wall. Zachariah's body is last seen leaning against a wall before the Green Room disappears, his body along with it.

TRIVIA:

  • Zachariah's description of his true form to Dean and Sam Winchester fits the description of a Seraph or a Chayot.
  • Based on his manipulation of the Winchester Brothers' memory, Zachariah may be a reference to the Angel Zachriel, an angel who rules over memory. (Source of Zachriel: "Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels", ISBN-13: 978-0029070529)
  • Kurt Fuller, the actor who plays Zachariah, also appeared in the 1989 Ghostbusters II. Supernatural has made several references to the Ghostbusters movies.