Sister Jo
| |
| Name | Sister Jo Anael |
| Actor | Danneel Ackles |
| Dates | Before humanity |
| Location | Earth |
| Occupation | Angel |
| Episode(s) | 13.13 Devil's Bargain 13.18 Bring 'em Back Alive 14.01 Stranger in a Strange Land 14.17 Game Night 15.13 Destiny's Child |
We’re not in Heaven. We’re on Earth. You may have noticed, around here, the good life ain’t cheap. After the Fall, all the angels were a mess. Desperate for housing, any vessel would do. And they had no long game. I, on the other hand, took some care. I listened. A woman was praying for her dying husband, so we made a trade. His life for her vessel. She was grateful. I realized humans are so desperate for life they’d do almost anything, pay almost anything. So... ka-ching. I was a so-so angel but it turns out I am an excellent businesswoman.
– Sister Jo, 13.13 Devil's Bargain
History
Sister Jo is an angel who was formerly known as Anael in Heaven, where she worked as Joshua's right-hand angel. She spurned Joshua's offer of more responsibilities after visiting Earth and seeing the pain and suffering of humans and questioning why God does nothing. As a result, she was demoted to a low-level functionary, counting souls as they enter Heaven. At some point afterwards, a disillusioned Anael left Heaven and struck a deal with a woman praying for her dying husband -- in exchange for saving her husband, Anael would get her as a vessel. Anael saw the potential of desperate humans and became a faith healer known as "Sister Jo" who traveled the country healing people for payment.
Anael says that she helps people for herself rather then the money, claiming she doesn't need Heaven or God to be happy.
Episodes
13.13 Devil's Bargain
After learning of Sister Jo from a homeless man, Lucifer arrives to a hall where he witnesses Jo lay hands on an old lady with a walker who then stands up straight and throws her walker away, and a man with burn scars on his face which are instantly healed. As Jo is closing up shop, Lucifer approaches her and reveals he knows she is the angel Anael. Jo in turn reveals she knows that he is Lucifer. She explains to Lucifer who her vessel was and how she found it after the Fall. Lucifer attempts to siphon her grace, but Jo is able to convinces him to only take small sips from her, and allow her to recharge, preventing the need to seek out other angels. She admits it is a preferable arrangement for herself as well, as it would keep Lucifer from killing her.
After taking Jo's grace, Lucifer reveals how he had killed a cherub two nights ago, prompting Jo to ask if anyone knew he was coming to see her. Realizing they may be sought after, Jo and Lucifer take refuge in a motel where Lucifer continues consuming Jo's grace. Falling onto the bed together, Jo and Lucifer begin talking about their new experiences feeling "human", with Jo telling him she can almost envy humans for their capabilities to do anything, whereas as an angel she pushed a button and was of no consequence in Heaven.
The next morning Jo is ambushed by Sam, Dean, and Castiel. She feigns being held prisoner by Lucifer, telling the trio he is weak, and agrees to take them to him. In the motel room, she tells Lucifer that they forced her to tell them how weak he is. As Dean prepares to restrain Lucifer, Jo attacks Sam, allowing Lucifer to get Cas and then Dean. As he begins to slowly kill the three, he is interrupted by Arthur Ketch who throws a demon bomb, forcing Lucifer to teleport himself and Jo away.
Unsure what to do next, Jo takes Lucifer to meet with Dumah at the Playground, where Lucifer convinces the angels to make him the ruler in exchange for creating more angels and giving them their wings back. In Heaven, Jo stands beside Lucifer as he takes his place upon Heaven's Throne and the angels bow before him.
13.18 Bring 'em Back Alive
Jo enters Heaven's Throne Room to find Lucifer sitting on the floor playing solitaire. When Lucifer asks where she has been and says that she should be more appreciative and stay by his side, Jo asks Lucifer why he isn't doing anything to lead the angels or inspire mankind. She tells him they came to Heaven to help the angels and make Heaven better. When Dumah enters with news regarding not being able to locate Jack, Lucifer gripes to Jo about the lack of respect and how God would be unquestioned in His orders to the angels. Jo simply tells Lucifer that God created and he inherited, and that if he wants to be treated like God, he should try acting like Him, before leaving the room.
After his attempts at being God end in disaster, Lucifer complains to Jo about the weakness of the angels and humanity and how he plans on refocusing to find his son, Jack, so that together they can recreate the world in his image. Jo admonishes Lucifer; frustrated that he lied about being able to make more angels, she tells him it's not the angels or humans or God that are killing him, it's that he's afraid that his son will have nothing but contempt for him. She tells him he can't replace his father or create, so he might as well be back in the Cage. Lucifer reaches out from his seat and grabs Jo by the throat. His eyes blaze red in anger as he squeezes harder, staring at Jo, who is struggling for breath. Then he lets go and Jo backs away towards the door, leaving Lucifer alone, telling him he no longer has her either as she leaves.
14.01 Stranger in a Strange Land
After a service spent healing the sick, Jo is walking down a dark alley counting her money when she is confronted by Michael. He asks her what she wants, and Jo gives him a materialistic answer, which Michael sees right through. He goes on to tell Jo that she just wants love, a family, and to belong. Finding her human-like desires disappointing, he tells her that if the other angels are as sad and fallen as she is, they may not be worth saving.
Later, Jo places a call to Sam, telling him they have a problem.
14.02 Gods and Monsters
It's revealed that Jo told Sam about seeing Michael in Duluth, Minnesota. Bobby questions whether or not they should trust Jo as he believes that angels aren't the most reliable source of info, but Sam confirms her story when he finds a local news page about a pile of corpses who, according to the article, appear to have died as a result of angel smitings.
14.17 Game Night
Castiel meets Sister Jo at a diner. He hands her a box with a pair of earrings. They are lightly cursed, he tells her, but nothing an angel couldn't handle. They're not a gift, though -- he needs her help to contact God, a prospect that elicits a laugh from Jo. Castiel reminds her that she was Joshua's right hand and saw how God and Joshua communicated, and that he needs God's help to restore Jack's soul, but Jo refuses to help. Castiel moves to take back the earrings, which causes Jo to reveal that Joshua did speak to God after the Fall, and that she can take Castiel to someone that may be able to help.
Cas and Sister Jo arrive at Orlando's Emporium and find a man, Methuselah, seated at a desk. They tell him they were friends of Joshua and that they know he saw Joshua try to contact God. Methuselah refuses to help them, leading Castiel to threaten to burn him and his place to the ground. Initially Methuselah dares him to do so, but relents and tells them whatever Joshua used to try and make contact with God is in his store, and they should know it when they see it.
Cas and Jo continue to look for the object, turning the conversation to her demotion as they search. Jo reveals that she believed in Heaven's mission, but when she visited Earth she saw how it was no paradise and filled with so much despair. She asked Joshua why God does not help people, only for Joshua to tell her God does not meddle. Castiel tells her that God does meddle, as He resurrected him. But Jo quickly points out Castiel is one angel God chose to help while millions suffer.
Cas and Sister Jo continue to search fruitlessly for the object. At last Jo loses her patience and tells Castiel they should give up. She says that she knows he is doing this so he doesn't have to tell Sam and Dean the truth -- that Jack's soul is gone. Wishing to leave, Jo grabs her handbag, which draws Castiel's attention to an amulet similar to Dean's amulet that glows in the presence of God. Methuselah tells them that Joshua forged it after his fall. Cas holds it in his hand and calls on God for help, but receives no answer. Methuselah tells him it didn't work for Joshua either.
As Cas and Jo leave the store, he gives the earrings to her and offers her a ride but she declines.
15.13 Destiny's Child
After learning from Sergei that the Occultum was traded to a beautiful faith healer whose hands glowed, the Winchesters pay a visit to Jo and approach her about the Occultum, telling her they need the object to kill God. Jo refuses to join Sam and Dean's cause, telling them she does not want to make God her enemy, because He's God. When they threaten her with angel blades, Jo reveals she no longer has the Occultum, telling Sam she gave it to an old friend of his, Ruby, whom she had a working relationship with. She tells the Winchesters Ruby approached her with a buyer lined up for the Occultum who would pay millions, and hid the object in Hell for Jo, but she was killed by Sam and Dean before she could finish the transaction.
After traveling to Hell to look for the Occultum, Sam and Dean are ambushed by demons who tell them that Jo promised to bust them out of Hell if they killed Sam and Dean for her. Back at the Kiwanis Hall, a man with an injured leg approaches Jo for help, but is rebuffed by Jo, who tells him Sister Jo retired to Florida. She offers the man free advice: not to make friends, because they always ask too much of you.
In the Empty, Castiel is able to make contact with Ruby, who discloses to him that prior to Lucifer's release, Jo made contact with Ruby about using the Occultum to ride out the Apocalypse, so that when the dust settled in the new world order the two could make it work for themselves. However, Ruby never told Jo where to find it, knowing she couldn't be trusted. Ruby gives Castiel the location in exchange for his promise to try to help her get out of the Empty. Upon his return, he explains that as the Occultum is the safest place there is, Jo is unwilling to give that up and so betrayed them.
Anael in Lore
Anael, also known as Haniel, is an archangel from Jewish lore. The name probably derives from Hebrew word for joy - hana'ah.
Trivia
- Danneel Ackles is the wife of Jensen Ackles.
- Julie McNiven suggested that Anael was the real angelic name of Anna Milton from Seasons 4-5.
