Hello and welcome to “I overthink Supernatual so you don’t have to.” Today’s topic: Gabriel. Or more the fact that Gabriel, out of all the arch angels, is the most like his Dad.
Which is a wild concept at first glance, because Gabriel is presented to us as the “black sheep” of the family. He’s the one who is different than Michael, Lucifer and Raphael. But once we learn Chuck is God that entire arguement falls apart. Because while Gabriel THINKS he’s nothing like his Dad, they actually turn out to have the most in common.
-they both ran away from their problems and took on an entire new identity to get away with it. Gabriel went for Loki’s job and Chuck went for a human role.
-Despite running away, they can’t help but interfere with their past lives: Chuck turns himself into a prophet of a story he wrote, Gabriel messes with his Father’s favorite mortals.
-They love and hate their siblings, something that causes them great frustration. The loathing and love makes them conflicted.
-Storytelling is what they do: Chuck is obvious but Gabriel enjoys narratives himself, stealing from the tabloids, using television shows and constructing elaborate sets. While Gabriel is never coded as a writer like Chuck is, he is a creator in his own right but in a temporary basis. We don’t see Lucifer, Michael or Raphael ever make anything like Gabriel does.
-They have a cruel sense of humor: see Chuck and Miracle and Mystery Spot.
-And they’re sense of Pride hides a lot of insecurity and regret. They doubt themselves and hide that behind bravado (for Gabriel) and a sense of showmanship (Chuck in the last season)
I find this so interesting because the show never mentions it. Dropped themes are par for the course for Supernatural, but one they actually do touch on a lot is toxic cycles in families (Dean echoing John’s closed off emotional repression, Sam coping with John’s one minded focus for revenge, Lucifer and Michael stuck in the familial roles they were cast as for all eternity). But while Gabriel’s relationship with his brother’s is talked about, we never get into Chuck. Which is wild in season 13; when he could have learned that not only was his father around and watching this mess, but he did so in a persona that is so like Gabriel’s.
And that’s a shame, because Gabriel’s arc in season 13 is about breaking that cycle of running away. It could have landed so much stronger if the show confronted Gabriel with the fact his “odd one out” routine was bullshit, that in reality, he was acting EXACTLY like his dear old Dad. I think it would have made his change of heart land a bit more, and more importantly, set up Chuck to return as a villian later on. Because Gabriel changes but Chuck? He keeps running.
It also would solidify Gabriel as what he claims to be: the archangel who was different. In the end, Michael, Lucifer and Raphael all stick to their own patterns regardless of their own self interests. It is only Gabriel who looks at the story written for him and says “no.”
