Apocalypse World
Apocalypse World is a version of Earth in an alternate universe, one in which the forces of Heaven and Hell are fighting with humanity caught in the middle. It is connected to the world of the Winchesters by rifts.
A portal was opened by the birth of the Nephilim Jack. An alternative method to open a rift was discovered by the Apocalypse World version of Kevin Tran, who was able to devise a spell (of which the key ingredient is the grace of an archangel) by studying the angel tablets of that universe. Later, Donatello Redfield was able to locate a different spell in the demon tablet for opening portals, but due to his soullessness, the dark energy within the tablet caused him to go mad. Castiel was able to strip the spell from Donatello's mind, leaving him brain-dead. The spell requires four major ingredients: The grace of an archangel, fruit from the Tree of Life, the Seal of Solomon, and the blood of "a most holy man." Something that has been to the world is required to open the desired rift, which will remain open for 24 hours.
History
In this world the Apocalypse happened, and the Earth has become a barren wasteland littered with the bodies of angels, demons, and humans. Large angel blade-like spikes can be seen protruding from the ground with bodies impaled on them, while the skies crackle with red lightning. Time appears to move differently, as when Castiel first steps through to the rift during the day, he finds himself on the apocalyptic landscape at night. At some point during the various wars that have gone on, the number of humans appears to have dwindled significantly. Once Michael began his extermination of the humans, there was no thought of what would happen to the monsters with a dwindling food source. When starvation set in for the monsters they reverted to a more feral state, operating solely on pure, stupid appetite, while also seemingly going through various physical changes.
Under Michael's rule, the United States is divided into districts: The East Coast is split into "Northeastern" and "Southern Sectors," with Canada designated the "Northern Ice Fields." The Midwest from the Dakotas are designated the "Great Barren Plains," within which Michael's Fortress appears to be located somewhere in the vicinity of Kansas or Nebraska. Montana and Idaho are simply known as "The Void", and Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico make up the "Western District." The West Coast and Texas have unknown designations. There also appears to be impact/ground zero markings over Detroit and Los Angeles. There is a wall running along the U.S. / Mexico border, where Mexico is simply designated as "South of the Wall."
Some demons have a physical form on the earthly plane and no longer require vessels, as evidenced when Castiel is attacked by a horned tempter demon. Angels are fierce and brutal, militaristic warriors, as Bobby Singer told Sam and Dean that the only reason he didn't kill Castiel on sight was because "he wasn't wearing a necklace made out of baby ears."
After becoming trapped in this world, Mary Winchester and the Nephilim Jack Kline form a resistance to protect the remaining human population against Michael and the angels. From a conversation with Bobby Singer, Mary determines that the divergence point between her world and this one was a simple choice in 1973: Mary's Apocalypse World counterpart refused the deal with Azazel to resurrect her deceased lover John Winchester. As a result, Sam and Dean never existed in this world to stop the Apocalypse, which went as planned in 2010.
Characters in Apocalypse World
- Bobby Singer - Still a hunter in the post-Apocalyptic wasteland. This Bobby Singer has a self-described "passion" for hunting angels, for which he uses bullets forged from discarded angel blades, with his trusty machine gun, "Rufus." He also appears to be the leader of an encampment of a faction of the remaining humans.
- Mary Campbell - Killed ten years prior to the present by Azazel. She was a hunter that ran with Bobby Singer, was known to tell the same story about the man she loved, John Winchester, with enough pints of moonshine in her. She was indirectly responsible for creating the world by refusing a deal with Azazel to resurrect John, resulting in the Winchesters never existing to stop the Apocalypse. She is described as looking like her counterpart, only a year or two younger.
- John Winchester - Has been dead for over 40 years, due to Mary refusing to make the deal with Azazel in May 1973 to resurrect John, causing Sam and Dean to never be born.
- Azazel - After Azazel killed John, Mary refused to make the deal to bring him back. Bobby would go on to tell Sam and Dean that Azazel killed Mary ten years prior. It is unknown if he survived the Apocalypse that followed Lucifer's rise.
- Michael - Defeated his world's Lucifer, claiming to have ripped him apart over Abilene, Kansas. Michael has become a conqueror, bringing death and destruction to the planet rather than paradise.
- Lucifer - Counterpart of the main universe's Lucifer. Due to Sam and Dean Winchester not existing when he rose, the Apocalypse occurred and Lucifer was not locked away again. According to Michael, he tore this Lucifer to pieces in the skies over Abilene, Kansas.
- Kevin Tran - A prophet of the Lord like his counterpart. However, with no God to serve, Kevin believes he must serve the ranking deity of the world, Michael. Much like his deceased counterpart, Kevin spends his days translating the various tablets to help in Michael's war machine. In 2018, Kevin uses himself as a suicide bomber in an attempt to "break" Jack Kline, under Michael's orders, in order to be granted entry into Heaven to be with his mother once again.
- Zachariah - A subordinate of Michael. Like his counterpart, Zachariah preferred to use mental manipulations to achieve his ends. He is killed by Jack Kline when he attempts to kill Mary Winchester.
- Charlie Bradbury - A fighter in the war against the angels, this Charlie is a member of the human resistance's inner circle. She shares many personality traits with the main universe's Charlie Bradbury.
- Balthazar - Like all angels, this Balthazar served under Michael. In 2018 he lead his army in an attack on Jack and Bobby, but was unprepared for the resistance and was killed by Jack Kline.
- Castiel - With Sam and Dean having never been born, this version of Castiel never rebelled against the angels or stopped the Apocalypse, instead turning against humanity along with the rest of angelkind. He soon became a master torturer/interrogator for Michael's army. In 2018 he is confronted by his counterpart who kills him while Jack and the rest of the Winchesters save Ketch and Apocalypse World's Charlie.
Episodes
12.23 All Along the Watchtower
After Jack inadvertently causes a rift in space and time, Castiel crosses over to investigate. Once through he finds himself on a dark and barren landscape, and is soon attacked by a tempter demon, which is shot and killed by that universe's Bobby Singer.
When Sam and Dean learn about the rift they too, cross over with Castiel, where they meet with Bobby. Castiel and Bobby explain what happened in that universe -- Sam and Dean were never born on that world and thus never saved it from the Apocalypse. Soon after leaving, Sam, Dean, Castiel, and Crowley formulate a plan to trap Lucifer on the other side.
When Lucifer finally locates Kelly Kline's location, Sam and Dean lure him into the Apocalypse World, where Crowley has set up the ingredients for a ritual to close the rift, telling Sam he is missing only the final element: a sacrifice. As Dean attempts to keep Lucifer distracted by riddling him with angel blade bullets from Bobby's machine gun, Crowley intervenes before Lucifer can kill Dean. Lucifer tells Crowley that no matter what he tries, he will lose. Crowley turns to Sam and Dean and bids them a final "Bye, boys" before stabbing himself with an angel blade and completing the ritual. As the rift begins shrinking, Castiel comes marching through it, and with an angel blade in hand drives it into Lucifer as Sam and Dean make their escape. Castiel soon follows, but is almost immediately killed by Lucifer after stepping through. Lucifer then turns his attention to Sam and Dean. However, Mary arrives and begins beating him back with Enochian brass knuckles, until he falls backward into the rift, dragging Mary along with him. On the other side, Lucifer looks on in anger as the rift closes, trapping him along with Mary.
13.01 Lost and Found
Soon after being stranded, Mary attempts to flee from Lucifer, but doesn't make it far before he captures her. She asks if he is going to kill her, but Lucifer tells her he needs her.
13.02 The Rising Son
As Lucifer and Mary trek the desolate landscape, Mary stops telling Lucifer it doesn't matter because he will just kill her anyway. Lucifer, goes on to tell her that he needs her as a bargaining chip to get his son back from Sam and Dean. A fireball soon comes barreling towards them, crashing into the earth. In the chaos of the impact, Mary is able to slip away from Lucifer. On the run, she comes across a hunter, who realizes she isn't an angel and tests if she is a demon. When he begins invading Mary's space, she fights back and in the ensuing scuffle, the hunter is impaled by Lucifer punching a hole through his chest.
As they continue on their journey, they are soon met by a flight militaristic of angels, who "sense a creation that sinks of Hell" and demands Lucifer identify himself. When the commanding angel doesn't believe him, telling him Lucifer was killed by the archangel Michael. The angels prepare to smite Lucifer on their leader's command, as their eyes glow blue, Lucifer simply snaps his fingers and disintegrates the lot. This act garners the attention of Michael, who crashes to the earth like a comet, emerging from the crater wings spread open. Realizing the angel before him is indeed Lucifer, he questions him how he is alive, Lucifer casually mentions alternate universes. Lucifer mocks Michael telling him he is a cheap knockoff of his brother, Michael then tells Lucifer of how he ripped his brother apart over Abilene, Texas. Realizing a fight is going to happen, Lucifer sucker punches Michael, but is quickly subdued and captured by Michael.
13.07 War of the Worlds
Inside a dilapidated church, Michael tortures Lucifer. Tapping into Lucifer's temporal lobe, Michael causes him to ruminate on the nature of God, the universe, and humans, allowing Michael to gain a peek at the other Universe. Michael brings Kevin Tran to the church, who reveals that he has devised a way to open a new rift using the grace of an archangel. Refusing to give any of his, Michael takes most of Lucifer's grace. Kevin performs the spell, which causes a new tear in space and time. However, Lucifer is able to break free and jump through it, causing the rift to close behind him and leaving Michael to devise a new method of creating a portal.
13.09 The Bad Place
While meeting with dreamwalker and artist Derek Swan, Jack tells him he wishes for Derek to take him to Apocalypse World, pointing to a recently painted picture which depicts the post-Apocalyptic landscape. Performing the ritual for Jack, Derek is able to find the world but is not strong enough to sustain a connection until Jack uses his powers to see what Derek sees. Through Derek's dreamwalking, Jack is taken through the landscape to Michael's dilapidated church where he sees Mary, still alive, suspended in a hanging cage being tortured.
Under siege from angels, Kaia Nieves and Jack attempt to reach Apocalypse World and open a portal using her dreamwalking abilities. Kaia is initially only able to access the Bad Place, but with Jack's help is able to pull back into the Multiverse, where he is able to locate Apocalypse World. As Jack locates Mary again, Kaia begins losing her connection to Apocalypse World and begins popping in and out of the Bad Place. The combined powers of Jack and Kaia become too much and a surge of energy explodes from them, killing the angels while transporting Sam and Dean to the Bad Place and Jack to Apocalypse World, where he regains consciousness at Mary's feet.
13.14 Good Intentions
The Apocalypse World version of Zachariah is seen attempting to manipulate Jack's mind, which is ineffective as Jack is able to see through the illusion. Angry at his failure, Michael throws Jack in the same prison cell as Mary intending to torture them later. After finding a weak spot in their prison cell's warding, Jack and Mary make their escape and find themselves taking refuge with Bobby Singer. He takes the two to his camp located in a wooded area. When they are shocked by all the injured people, Bobby explains that the angels have done worse, revealing that two days prior a colony in San Antonio of 400 people were slaughtered by angels. Later, Mary and Bobby have a conversation about the Mary Campbell of Apocalypse World, where Bobby reveals to Mary how refusing to make the demon deal to save John's life resulted in regret and the world becoming what it is. When Bobby notices the shadow puppets Jack is making for the children of the camp, he asks Mary if Jack is a psychic or a witch. When he learns Jack is a Nephilim he tells Mary about how the angels betrayed the human race during the Apocalypse and he wants him out of the camp by morning. Mary in turn tells him she will leave with him, which Bobby does not argue with.
When morning comes, Mary approaches Jack to tell them they will have to leave the camp, but they are startled by the sounds of a warning siren and angels dive-bombing into the camp. As Mary and Jack escape into the woods they find Bobby who tells them the angels have located them due to Jack using his powers. Wanting to help, Mary is tasked with getting the children to the camp's escape tunnels, but Bobby tells Jack he's done enough. Mary tells him to hide from the angels as she goes off to help the children. While helping a young girl, Mary is beset by Zachariah, who prepares to kill her as Jack arrives, but is quickly stopped when Jack uses his powers to freeze Zachariah and disintegrate him. When more angels begin dive-bombing towards the camp, Jack once again focuses his power and causes them to explode in the skies. As Bobby thanks Jack for saving them, Jack tells him and Mary that he has realized that as long as Michael is around the war with the angels, demons, and humans will continue indefinitely, and declares his intent to kill Michael.
13.18 Bring 'em Back Alive
Upon exiting the rift, Dean and Ketch find themselves in a snowy landscape. Initially confused about their whereabouts, Ketch questions Dean, who admits that the location is different from his last time in Apocalypse World. When he tells Ketch to go "save himself somewhere else", Ketch offers to help find Jack and Mary with Dean. Dean accepts and the two begin their journey.
Ketch and Dean come across angels executing humans on a bridge; when the final human's hood is removed, Dean sees it is that universe's Charlie Bradbury. He is able to overhear that she has been in contact with Mary and Jack, before she is teleported away to a POW camp for interrogation. Realizing Charlie is his best chance for finding Mary and Jack, Dean decides to attempt to save her, despite Ketch's objections.
As they make their way through the snowy wilderness, Dean is shot and attacked by a human bounty hunter collecting humans for the angels. The fight is broken up by Ketch, who questions where he was taking Dean. When the bounty hunter refuses to answer, Dean shoots him in the leg and coerces the location of the Northern Camp where Charlie was taken, before knocking the man out. As they continue to walk, Dean is visibly weakened. eventually collapsing from his bullet wound. Ketch realizes the bullet was coated with a poison similar to one the British Men of Letters use, and he mends it with an antidote. As night falls, Dean refuses to take a break until he collapses, conceding to break for five minutes. Dean finally reveals to Ketch that his guilt over Charlie's death is also driving him to rescue her. Ketch tells him he understands the drive to make amends for past mistakes, and agrees to Dean's plan.
At the POW camp, Charlie is being interrogated by angels, but is uncooperative. The commanding angel eventually decides to execute her, and she is tied to a post outside. As the executioner prepares to swing his blade, but before he delivers the killing blow, Dean tosses a grenade into the camp, causing a chaotic distraction. This allows him and Ketch to rush the gates, killing any angels in their way, and rescue Charlie. During their escape, Dean explains the situation to Charlie, revealing he was friends with her double, and how he is looking for Jack and Mary. Charlie tells him that the last she heard the two were in what remains of Dayton, Ohio. As the trio finally reach the rift, Ketch tells Dean he will be staying behind, and to bring back as much help as possible. Charlie says she is also staying behind, saying that it's her fight and her friends need her.
