Death

Name	Death
Actor	Julian Richings
Dates	Origin of Time - Eternity
Location	No fixed address
Occupation	Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse
Episode(s)	5.10 Abandon All Hope (Hid his Visage) 5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid 5.19 Hammer Of The Gods (Unseen) 5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight 6.11 Appointment in Samarra

Death: This is one little planet in one tiny solar system in a galaxy that’s barely out of its diapers. I’m old, Dean. Very old. So I invite you to contemplate how insignificant I find you.” – Death, 5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight

Dean: Well I gotta ask: How old are you? Death: As old as God. Maybe older. Neither of us can remember anymore. Life, death, chicken, egg – regardless, at the end, I’ll reap Him too. Dean: God? You’ll reap God? Death: Oh yes. God will die too, Dean. – Death, Dean, 5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight

Characteristics

Death, also known as the Pale Horseman, is affiliated with Famine, War and Pestilence. He is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. According to him, he is the only being in existence that will persist forever. Although this statement hasn't be proven or dis-proven in Canon. Following shortly after his release^{5.10 Abandon All Hope}, his presence on Earth is heralded or signified by lighting storms^{5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid} On Lucifer's order, many resurrections occur in a small town where Death travels to^{5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid} His human appearance seems to be somewhat distinguishable, as Karen Singer describes his human form as being very slender, and almost skeleton-like. Sometime later, large rain storms and massive hurricanes, which appear to be biblical, follow Dean and Sam, eventually forcing then to take cover in a hotel managed by Mercury^{5.19 Hammer Of The Gods} Sometime after Gabriel's death at the hands of Lucifer, Death is ordered by Lucifer to destroy Chicago and its inhabitants by creating a massive storm, effectively killing about three-million people^{5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight} While conversing with Dean, Death decides not to take action, as he "likes their pizza".

Death mainly concentrates on keeping the natural balance (natural order) stable and manageable^{6.11 Appointment in Samarra} Therefore, in compliance with the natural order, he doesn't resurrect people permanently, although in spite of this regulation, he retrieves Sam's soul from the Cage and returns it to him^{6.11 Appointment in Samarra} Death possesses many destructive qualities like Weather manipulation, Life and Death manipulation, and he like God, seems to possesses a wide knowledge of the entire Universe, heavily suggesting that he may be omniscient^{5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight} This is also supported as being true when Death claims that he knew where Dean had hidden his ring^{6.11 Appointment in Samarra} He just as of recently traveled to Lucifer's Cage entering through the mouth of the Cage or through another passageway and retrieved Sam's soul and returned to Earth, returning Sam's soul to him^{6.11 Appointment in Samarra}

According to Death neither him nor God can remember how old they are - Death assumes that he is as old or older than God. Death also believes at the end of time, God himself will die, and he will then reap him, as it complies with the natural order^{5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight}

• According to Bobby Singer, Death is "this is the angel of death. Big daddy reaper. They keep this guy chained in a box six hundred feet under. Last time they hauled him up, Noah was building a boat."
• Bobby also explains that Death can only be released via a summoning ritual which must be preformed and occur on a site of major destruction and catastrophe. Lucifer performed this ritual in Carthage, Missouri as part of his Apocalyptic preparations. The Archangel sacrificed the town's women, children, and demon-possessed men, saying it was required to complete the ritual.
• Death tells Dean that he may be older than God. Death says eventually he will reap God.
• Death drives a white 1959 Cadillac with California license plate BUH*BYE. See Death's Cadillac for more information.
• Death wears a ring with a white stone. See Horsemen's Rings for more information.
• Death seems to have a fondness for junk food such as bacon dogs, and pizza.
• Death also seems to be one of the few forces that truly intimidates Dean.
• His powers and qualities greatly exceed that of angels, gods, demons and humans. Although his powers in comparison to archangels remains undefined.

While Reapers in Supernatural are portrayed as being part of the natural order, Death is seen as being catastrophic.

Death is first referenced indirectly in 4.15 Death Takes A Holiday by Alastair. Death does not make his first appearance until he is raised in 5.10 Abandon All Hope, though his visage is kept hidden. His shadow falls over Lucifer as he stands in awe and greets the Horseman, saying, "Oh, hello, Death."

The fact that Death is always eating when he is making a deal can be a reference to the death drive, from Freudian psychoanalytic theory about the two conflicting central desires which guide humans. While eating, although there is the life drive since the point of feeding is to keep alive, there is also the death drive, because it is necessary to destroy the food before ingesting, an agressive element.

The song O Death by Jen Titus was used to hearald Death's arrival in 5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight

Death's Accessories

Death's Ring

Death and Dean converse at some Pizza diner located in Chicago, discussing matters pertaining to Lucifer's Cage and the keys needed to manage the Cage effectively. Death then willingly gives Dean his ring so that once merged with the other three, Sam while still hosting Lucifer, will fall into the Cage^{5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight}

Unlike his younger siblings, his ring isn't imbued with his true potential powers nor does it channel his essential power. However, his ring can be effective when worn by a human being, granting the wearer the power of killing human beings with a touch. While wearing the ring, Dean brought newly deceased souls to a stationary realm where Reapers take these souls and escort them to Heaven or Hell^{6.11 Appointment in Samarra}

Death's Scythe

Death owns a scythe capable of reaping any being, widely including angels, demons and reapers^{4.15 Death Takes A Holiday} and ^{5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight}

Death's Brief-Case

After successfully retrieving Sam's Soul from Lucifer's Cage, while returning to Earth from Hell, he secures it within a black leather brief case. Once on Earth, he removes it and places back into Sam^{6.11 Appointment in Samarra}

Death's Cane

Death also owns a black-thin cane which he sometimes uses while traveling, though he doesn't need it^{5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight} and ^{6.11 Appointment in Samarra}

4.15 Death Takes A Holiday

Alastair claims his reaper killing weapon was given to him by an "old buddy from downstairs. Now, between you and me, he doesn't ride a pale horse, but he does have 3 amigos." See Death's Scythe for more information.

Death and and Dean Wincherster make a Deal

5.10 Abandon All Hope

Lucifer undertakes a ritual to release Death. He chooses the town of Carthage, which was the site of a terrible battle during the Civil War known as the Battle of Hellhole. The land where it took place is on William Jasper's farm. The ritual involves killing all the women and children in the town and burying them in a mass grave. Lucifer then performs an invocation, and commands the demon possessed men from the town to sacrifice themselves. They do so and Death rises, casting a shadow across Lucifer.

5.15 Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

In "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", Death arrives in Bobby's hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and proceeds to revive some of the dead in the local cemetery, including Bobby's wife Karen. While unseen in this episode, his presence is heralded by fierce lighting storms. Those who are revived by Death appear normal at first, but after five days, the revived devolve into stereotypical zombies, developing a craving for human flesh after a high fever.

Before dying a second time, Karen says that Death told her that the entire incident was organized to attack Bobby, as he is one of the few remaining elements keeping Sam from saying "yes" to be Lucifer's vessel. Karen describes Death as "so thin - like a skeleton."

5.19 Hammer Of The Gods

While unseen in this episode, his presence creates massive storms that appear to be biblical, effectively following Dean and Sam to a hotel managed by Mercury.

5.20 The Devil You Know

Death does not appear in this episode, but plays a key role because Sam, Dean and Bobby are hunting the remaining two Horsemen.

Bobby is talking on the phone with Rufus Turner discussing possible omens for locating Death when Crowley appears in his home. Crowley tells Bobby he can help them find Death, but he needs to make a deal for Bobby's soul to pull it off. Bobby is resistant to the idea, but Crowley assures him that it will be temporary and that he will give Bobby back his soul after it's done.

5.21 Two Minutes To Midnight

Daeth The Pale Horseman

Death arrives in Chicago to start a large storm chain that will trigger massive weather events globally, and will result in at least 3 million deaths.

Death stops in a pizzeria for lunch, killing everyone inside (possibly unintentionally; most likely a result of being in close proximity to him) and is found by Dean, who attempts to sneak up on him with Death's Scythe. However, the scythe begins to burn hot in proximity to Death, forcing Dean to drop it and alerting the Horseman to his presence. Rather than act hostile toward Dean like the other Horsemen, Death thanks him for returning the Scythe to him (although unintentionally) before asking Dean to join him at the table. Death then reveals that he has been waiting for a long time to talk with Dean.

When Dean asks him how old he is, Death admits he can't really remember anymore and guesses he is as old or older than God himself, but neither can remember anymore. He surmises that he has been alive since life itself began and someday he will even reap God. Death states that God is a living being like any other and someday he too will die; its just the way things work.

Death explains that Lucifer, whom he describes as "a bratty child", has him bound by a spell and is using him in creating Apocalyptic chaos.

Death offers his ring to Dean, on the condition that Dean must do everything in his power to assure that Lucifer is put back in his cage. Dean reluctantly agrees, and Death warns him to hold true to his word by saying he can't cheat Death. He then gives Dean instructions on how to operate the rings that combine to form a key like device.

Later, Dean and Bobby discuss the plan and while Dean is skeptical, Bobby says that Death probably has a larger view of things than they do and they should have more faith in Sam.

6.11 Appointment in Samarra

Dean locates a doctor who knew John, and currently operates unauthorized. He and his medical assistant Eve, kills Dean injecting a thin tube into his arm which uses fluids that stops the heart. After his soul departs from his body, he summons Tessa requesting her to call Death. She profusely denies this request. Death appears anyways kindly greeting Dean. They converse, and Death tells Dean that he will raise Sam's soul if Dean portrays him using his ring for twenty-four hours. Dean accepts, but eventually fails. Death reappears to Dean, and they converse. Death tells Dean to continue his research on Purgatory and souls. He disappears, and collects Sam's soul and returns it to Sam while inserting a mental barrier in his mind, securing and withholding the constant torture which his soul endured.

File:Death's Brief Case.jpg

Sam's Soul as seen contained in Death's Brief-Case.

Notes

• See also Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse for more detail on the Horsemen and their Rings.
• And for more Info concerning the invocation which released him see William Jasper's Farm.