As I stated in the last blog, the list of seven archangels varies by source, but there are four Archangels that are considered the core four of mythology according to most lists: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel. Many angel stories in lore make them interchangeable. For example, some say Michael did something, others will say Gabriel did the same thing.
In this blog, I’m going go through each in turn, explaining their function in lore, and how I interpreted what I learned into their characters in the “Archangel” book series.
Michael:
The main character in the “Archangel” book series. Michael is the warrior angel, often depicted in art clad in sword and armor and stepping on a serpent, representing his defeating Satan. He is one of only two Archangels mentioned by name in the Bible. He is the leader of Heaven’s armies in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament and mentioned three times in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. To some sects of Judaism, he is the go-between between God and His chosen people.
So, he’s a pretty big deal. When you talk about Archangels, this guy is the role model, so he’s the natural main character for “Archangel.” Like in lore, he is leader of Heaven’s armies, but in my books he is cold, emotionless and thinks that angel-kind is firmly superior to humans. In many ways, he is a lot like the rebels he’s fighting. The big difference between him and them is his supreme confidence in the Almighty. He trusts that God knew what He was doing when He made humankind.
When he comes into direct contact with humans in “Intervention,” he finds himself rethinking everything he thought he knew.
Gabriel:
Gabriel is known as the messenger angel, as it was she was the one who appeared to Mary to inform her she was chosen by God to bare His child, making her the second named directly in the Bible.
But the really unique thing about Gabriel is that she seems to be a she. In my research I found that more than one source has referred to her as female (I honestly forget which ones, it was a long time ago). This is as opposed to almost every other angel, who is either male or androgynous.
I thought this would be a great basis for a strong female character so, in the second book of the “Archangel” Book series, “Justice,” this aspect is explored, in terms of how she’s treated because of this and what the effects this has on angelic society. Though of course there’s more to her than being female.
In the “Archangel” book series, Gabri-El is Micha-El’s second-in-command and almost as skilled a warrior as he is. She has an affinity for Earth’s wildlife, often spending long stretches of time on the Earthen Plane. She tries to stay out of the politics of Heaven’s different factions, but her status and skills give her a responsibility she can’t ignore.
Raphael:
Raphael seems to be the least warrior-like of the big four. He is known as an angel of healing, a function I seized on in my characterization of him. Though he is not named specifically, he is assumed to be referenced in the Bible, the Torah and the Quran, which to me is pretty impressive.
In the apocryphal (holy books not officially part of the Bible) Book of Tobit, Raphael is named as assisting Tobit’s son against a demon. Hmm, that gives me an idea, let me write that down, brb.
I felt like he would be the most empathetic to the emerging humans, and he functions as the go-between between God and the young species in the “Archangel” book series. Earlier, during the First War, he is the founder of a unit of healers and focuses his time on that instead of fighting. He is also the most level-headed among Heaven’s chief angels, often acting as a mediator between Micha-El and Uri-El.
Uriel:
Uriel, arguably the least well-known of my main four and the one most often changed out for others, is an interesting character. Depending on the source, he can be extremely powerful, close in level with Michael, but he can also be very shady. He appears in apocryphal books with a wide variety of functions, including gate-keeper of hell and the angel who checked the doors of Egyptians for lamb’s blood during the plagues.
In the “Archangel” Book series, his level of power and function makes him a perfect antagonist for Michael in Heavenly politics. He’s an extremist in that he thinks they should all be wiped out to the last angel, while Michael wants to end the war with the least loss of life possible by cutting off the head of the rebel movement.
The bigger issue is, as the war goes on, his definition of what a rebel is begins to extend beyond just those fighting against them. In the second book, “Justice,” Gabri-El comes into his line of fire, just for being female.
So what drives him? Why does he hate what’s different?
The plan right now is for the backstory of book three of the “Archangel” book series to focus more on him and his motivations.
Archangel Book Series 