Cain
| |
| Name | Cain |
| Actor | Timothy Omundson |
| Dates | Creation - 2015 (killed by Dean Winchester) |
| Location | |
| Occupation | Knight of Hell Father of Murder Bee Keeper |
| Episode(s) | 9.11 First Born 10.14 The Executioner's Song |
Abel wasn't talking to God. He was talking to Lucifer. Lucifer was gonna make my brother into his pet, I couldn't bear to watch him be corrupted, so I offered a deal — Abel's soul in Heaven for my soul in Hell. Lucifer accepted... as long as I was the one who sent Abel to Heaven. So, I killed him. Became a soldier of Hell — a knight.
– Cain, 9.11 First Born
Contents
History
Cain was the first born son of Adam and Eve. When Lucifer tried to corrupt Cain's younger brother Abel, Cain made a deal so that Abel's soul would go to Heaven and in exchange Cain's would go to Hell. Lucifer agreed on the condition that Cain kill Abel himself. Cain did so with the jawbone of a donkey, which became the First Blade.
Lucifer marked Cain with the Mark of Cain that gave the First Blade its power, and when Cain attempted to kill himself rather than live as a killer, the Mark resurrected and made Cain into a Knight of Hell, the very first of the Knights of Hell, the first Alpha. Cain went on to create, train and lead his fellow Knights, as they wreaked havoc on Earth.[1] Cain would also go on to form some sort of intimate relationship with fellow Knight Abaddon during this period of time.
Eventually, Cain fell in love with and married a woman named Colette. She forgave him for his past atrocities, only asking that he never kill again. Cain agreed and settled down with Colette.
In an attempt to goad their former leader back into his old ways, the Knights took Colette prisoner in 1863. This back-fired when Cain killed all the other Knights, save Abaddon. She possessed Colette and damaged her body in front of Cain by repeatedly snapping her neck. In a fit of anger, Cain tried to kill Abaddon with the First Blade as well, only for Abaddon to vacate Colette's body and trick a horrified Cain into murdering his wife. With her dying breath, Colette reminded Cain of his promise not to kill anymore, not even to gain vengeance on Abaddon. As the First Blade was indestructible, Cain threw the weapon into the ocean to honor Colette's final wish.[1]
In the present, while tracking the First Blade, Dean and Crowley are sent to Missouri, where they find Cain tending bees on a farm. Cain refuses to help them at first, but after testing Dean, tells him the story of his past with Abaddon and gives him the Mark in exchange for Dean killing him after dealing with Abaddon. He then teleports Dean and Crowley to safety and returning to his old ways, taking on a legion of demons alone to protect them.[1] After Dean kills Abaddon, Cain is the only Knight left in existence.
When he is killed by Metatron, the Mark of Cain combined with the First Blade bring Dean back to life as a demon. Although Sam cures Dean, the Mark continues to assert its influence on him, causing Dean to be overtaken by periods of murderous rage. As part of their search for a cure, Castiel undertakes the duty of searching for Cain to see if he is able to remove the Mark from Dean.
Cain, however had fallen back under the Mark's influence after slaughtering Abaddon's demons, Cain decides to kill his own descendants, feeling that his bloodline is "tainted," and that if the Mark calls for blood, he will give it his own blood, as he feels it is the least he owes the world for the choices he made. After killing many of his descendants, he comes to the attention of Sam, Dean, Castiel and Crowley who are able to trap him so that Dean can confront and kill him. Cain tells Dean there is no cure for the Mark of Cain and the two fight. While Cain initially has the upper hand, Dean cuts off Cain's hand and after learning that Cain won't stop killing, he kills Cain with the First Blade.
Cain's many descendants are thought to carry with them what Cain believes to be the disease he let loose on the Earth -- murder. The Winchester bloodline is one of the many bloodlines to descend from Cain's.[2]
Characteristics
Powers and Abilities
- Invulnerable to Ruby's knife.
- Invulnerable to angelic powers.
- Superhuman strength
- Can kill demons with a touch.
- Telekinesis
- Can render someone mute.
- Ability to transport other beings.
- Can nullify demonic powers.
- Partially immune to a devil's trap.
- Electrokinesis
- Teleportation.
Weaknesses
Interests
- Bee-keeping
- Killing
Episodes
5.13 The Song Remains the Same
Cain is first mentioned by the archangel Michael, who takes John Winchester as a temporary vessel and explains to Dean that while he is Michael's true vessel, there are many potential vessels Michael has suitable to hold him because of their bloodline: "Stretching back to Cain and Abel. It's in your blood, your father's blood, your family's blood."
6.20 The Man Who Would Be King
Castiel, when reminiscing on the early beginnings of man, mentions Cain and Abel in passing.
9.11 First Born
Crowley asks for Dean's helping in finding a weapon called the First Blade, which reputedly was used by the archangels to kill the Knights of Hell, and is the only weapon which can kill Abaddon. Crowley knew of a demon who had located a protégé of Abaddon's who may have had information, but apparently that protégé was exorcised by John Winchester. Searching John's Journal, Dean finds a reference to the incident and a case stored in John's lock-up. They find a file that indicates John was working with a hunter called Tara when they captured and interrogated the demon. Dean and Crowley track down Tara, who reveals that the demon did mention the First Blade and the Knights of Hell. She searched the world for the Blade, but never found it. She has a location spell which could find it but requires essence of Kraken to complete it, which Crowley, who happens to have a warehouse full of it in Belize, is able to provide. The spell indicates the Blade is in Missouri.
In Missouri, Dean and Crowley meet Cain. Cain tells them that it was he who used the First Blade to kill the Knights of Hell, and tells them to leave. They do, but sneak back in when Cain is out. Dean discovers a portrait of a woman named Colette who is wearing a ring identical to one that Cain was wearing earlier. Dean tells Crowley that "the Father of Murder got 'hitched.'" They almost left with the picture when they heard Cain return to his house. Crowley returns Cain's picture of Colette just before some demons associated with Abaddon arrive, having interrogated and killed Tara to find the house. Cain lets three demons inside the house, and Dean has to battle them all. Cain decides that Dean is "worthy" of carrying the Mark of Cain in order to wield the blade. He reveals that their spell brought them to the source of the Blade's power; the Mark, which comes at a cost for whoever bears it. Cain transfers the Mark to Dean, where it appears on his right forearm. Cain asks Dean to promise that if he gets the Blade, Dean will kill him after dealing with Abaddon. He then teleports Dean and Crowley to safety and takes on Abaddon's demon army single-handedly. They see flashes of red light through the windows as they leave the house.
10.10 The Hunter Games
Sam tells Dean to try and look to Cain's example in learning to live with the Mark, telling him that like Cain, Dean has the ability within himself to fight off the effects.
10.13 Halt & Catch Fire
Castiel relays to Sam that he may be close to tracking down Cain, who he believes to be somewhere east of the Mississippi in Illinois.
10.14 The Executioner's Song
After falling under the influence of the Mark of Cain once more, Cain comes to the conclusion that his bloodline is tainted and begins killing it off, despite it being as Cain describes it as "one in ten of everyone." To this end, he breaks into a prison and kills serial killer Tommy Tolliver and his father Leon Tolliver nearly one week beforehand, drawing Sam and Dean's attention when Dean recognizes Cain on a security camera.
After Cas finds Cain's burial site in a forest in Illinois, Cain confronts him, revealing what he had done, but not killing him as he wants Cas to tell Dean who will bring The First Blade in order to kill him. Going after his next victim, a young boy named Austin Reynolds, Cain is tricked into a devil's trap by Sam and Crowley with an illusion spell induced by the Rune of Amaranth. Dean confronts Cain alone who tells him there is no cure to the Mark and that it is better to let it control you. Despite having most of his powers blocked by the devil's trap, Cain is still supernaturally strong and possess telekinesis, though he claims Dean is no match for him as he won't give in to the Mark. Cain gains the upper hand, getting the First Blade back, but before he can kill Dean, Dean gets Cain's knife and cuts off his hand. Dean desperately asks if Cain will give up killing again so he doesn't have to kill him, but Cain tells him he never will. With no other choice, Dean stabs Cain in the back with the First Blade, killing him.
Despite Dean's fears, he keeps his humanity after killing Cain which causes Sam to claim there is hope, even without a cure, for Dean to control the Mark and not descend into madness as Cain did. However, Sam privately tells Cas that Dean is in trouble.
Cain in Lore
Cain and his younger brother Abel are the sons of Adam and Eve; Cain was a crop farmer and Abel was a shepherd. Both make offerings to God - Cain of grain and Abel of a lamb. God accepts Abel's offering, but rejects Cain's, this angers Cain and he kills his brother. When God asks Cain where Abel is, Cain replies "Am I my brother's keeper?" When God discovers the murder he puts a mark on Cain so everyone will know he is a murderer, but so that no one will kill him. Cain is banished.
Why God rejected Cain's offering, and whether Cain killed Abel out of jealousy, are subjects of much theological discussion. In some versions of the story, it is actually a dispute over who they are to marry that causes the fatal argument.
Cain in Other Media
Cain appears as a minor character in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. In the series, Cain and his brother Abel both reside in the Dreaming, where Cain continuously murders Abel; however, Abel's death is not permanent.
See also
External links
- Cain and Abel, and interpretations of their conflict.
- Cain and Abel as told in the Qu'ran.
- Cain adn Abel in Islam
- Cain and Abel in the Torah
- Cain and Abel as told in the Book of Genesis.
- Other versions of the story from Middle Eastern lore.
