Meme Result - Gabriel Meta

[icarus_chained]

For dorianmalkavian, who wanted meta on my fic Mistake, particularly how I came to that interpretation of Gabriel. Turned into more a Gabriel character manifesto than anything, I'm afraid. *sheepish* But howandever ...

Gabriel as a Tragic Figure.

Okay. This fic was a prompt fic, from someone who wanted my theory on where Gabriel sent Cas in 5x08, and why Cas came back bloodied. In fact, I'd had any number of theories. Heh. This is just the one that appeared on demand. And where it came from, why I wanted that one for Gabriel ...

I wanted to echo the theme of betrayal between Cas and Gabe. Which is why it's Uriel. And I wanted Cas to know something Gabriel didn't, and for it to knock Gabriel sideways, so that by the time of 5x19, he's that little bit more willing to listen. It also had to be Uriel, because I wanted a chance to propose an explanation for him not being an archangel now, and having been one in the past. But it makes sense in context, too, because Uriel was the first time Cas properly understood that his brothers were falling out of faith around him, turning on each other, and seeing that ... Gabriel realises exactly how far Heaven has fallen in his absence. Which, for the course of this episode, only eggs him on, because if they're so far gone, better to end it, no? Then Dean at the end, Castiel's unmatched disappointed look, that shot of guilt/hope, and we're starting towards 5x19.

But this fic, this section of the episode, why Gabriel is the way he is ...

Looking at the first three Gabriel episodes. Looking at his behaviour in them, looking at what he says, what he does. What is he? He's an archangel-turned-trickster. Not just any trickster, though. We'll ignore Loki for a second, because that's an episode on, and also doesn't actually fit very well (Gabriel-as-trickster doesn't actually act much like mythological-Loki, I think). Just taking it as all Gabriel for the minute.

He's bitter. Cynical. Cruel. And, perhaps most importantly, he is blackly enamoured with absurdity (News of the World, Changing Channels, for example). He's a comedian. And a very deadly one.

For the way that influenced my interpretation of him, you have to understand that I grew up with a certain British radio show called The Goon Show. High absurdist comedy, written by a comedian (Spike Milligan) who suffered from manic-depression, as it was known at the time. A refined knowledge of absurdity that seemed to come primarily from a place of pain. Which ... makes an almost frightening amount of logical sense, particularly for Gabriel. The world is absurd. There is no plan. There is no point. There is only ... Spike Milligan came from the second world war. Gabriel came through the First of all wars. And I think both of them came out of it wondering what the fuck was the point.

And if there is no point, no rationale, no rhyme or reason to the endless waltz of pain ... why not join in? Why not be absurd, be cruel, be pained? Gabriel in Christian myth is associated with Justice and judging. Look at how he twists that, as a Trickster. His tricks teach lessons. But they do so in increasingly absurd ways, and he doesn't really seem to care, until pushed, whether or not the victim survives the lesson.

And look, too, at the lessons he tries to teach, to the main cast. Those he does for a whim, like in Tall Tales, are more random, more absurdist, and don't seem to have much point (unless you're factoring in Loki, in which case they're very suggestive). But those he tries in relation to the Winchesters? In Tall Tales, he wants them to realise that brothers will betray you, and cannot be depended on (tries to set them against each other). In Mystery Spot, he tries to show them (or Sam), that brothers die on you, over and over again, and no power in all the world can stop it, or bring them back. And in Changing Channels, he tries to get them to accept that they are the ones who will have to kill what they love above all.

Freudian, much? That's not what he's trying to teach them. That's what he's trying to get himself to accept. Through the avatars of the first of his brothers to fall on each other. As Dean so rightly points out, in this very ep, this isn't about some prize fight between his brothers. This is about him. This is about Gabriel, and what he's trying to make himself do.

From the fic: Not that he cared, of course. Castiel wasn't his concern, much as he'd love to speak to a brother again. Any brother, even this misguided little twerp. But ... things to do, Winchesters to bully, apocalypses to hurry along to their natural conclusions ... he just didn't have time to wallow in old memories, ask how the family was doing, see what the chances were of Dad actually showing up for once ... No. No time. Why would he make time for that, when he had brothers to hurry to the slaughter?

Something bitter twisted in his stomach, something aching in his chest, but hey! He was Gabriel, an archangel. He was good at ignoring shit like that, good at ignoring the things he might actually want, in favour of the things he had to do.

Practice makes perfect, right?

In the fic, Castiel is the one he tries it on. Castiel, his brother, is the one he tries to make himself attack. Sending him somewhere to be hurt. With any number of justifications put across it, of course, and an element of ... experimentation. And with the Wincesters, too, an element of absurdity. Of black, black humour.

Then Castiel, narrow-eyed and clever, and sneaky as hell, was gone, and all Gabriel could do was ignore the sudden sickness in his gut, the sudden doubt, and flee after him before he could do too much damage. All he could do was coil the pain away behind a grin, and do what he had to do.

Again.

God is gone. And part of the reason I think Gabriel lashed out at Cas, in particular, was Cas' faith that he could find God and bring him back. Because ... how long has Gabriel been on Earth, on the run? What do you think the chances were that he didn't try the same himself? But anyway. The whole world, the whole war, all that pain, all that betrayal, that's just hit him all over again in this fic with the knowledge about Uriel's betrayal, all that endless cycle of war ... It's pointless, it's reasonless, it's absurd. Like all the 'lessons' he doles out, in the closest thing to Justice he understands anymore. And like those lessons, there's no defence against it. Nothing to do, except laugh at it, slap on a grin, and try to hurry it towards the end.

Whether the absurdity is the defense against the pain, or the pain is the fundamental response to the absurdity, the two concepts have always been linked in my head. And Gabriel exemplifies that. Gabriel, as the Trickster, is practically their avatar. An absurd and blackly humorous justice, in a world twisted endlessly into pain.

And part of what makes Gabriel in particular so tragic, is that he hasn't quite given up, despite that. He isn't totally resigned and apathetic, or he wouldn't have to convince himself through the Winchesters. He wouldn't have to coil the pain away. He still hopes. Which is why he listened to Sam in Mystery Spot, listened to Dean in Changing Channels, why he damn well stood up in Hammer of the Gods. He still hopes, despite it all.

*smiles lopsidedly* And that kinda just makes it worse, doesn't it? Heh.

So. Why did Gabriel always strike me as tragic? Why was there always that darker edge to him, for me, despite the humour?

Because humour and pain are linked. And Gabriel never did all that much to disguise it. Heh. Quite the opposite, really. An avatar of black absurdity, twisted justice, in a world rapidly going down the toilet. That's my archangel.

*smiles, shakes head* Well, I never promised it was for sane reasons, did I?