Archangel Gabriel (大天使ガブリエル,Daitenshi Gaburieru?) is an archangel that appears in the Toaru Majutsu no Index main storyline. Being a divine entity and classed as an archangel, makes Gabriel one of the most powerful non-human characters in the story.
In fact, Gabriel is called The Power of God (神の力,Kami no Chikara?) and according to Kaori, Gabriel rules over the symbol of water which is its attribute, and is the guardian of the moon, the governor of blue, and the protector of the rear side.[1]
When Gabriel was summoned by Fiamma of the Right, Gabriel featured an androgynous appearance, and is classified as being depicted as both male and female; despite this, Gabriel features breasts, and has feminine features as well, though shows no obvious genitalia.[2]
Gabriel has pure white skin, which has golden lines adorned all over its body in an intricate pattern mostly concentrated on its upper torso, forearms, upper legs, and lower ankles. Interestingly, the golden lines meet in the middle of Gabriel's breasts into a kite-like shape, bearing the symbol of the cross (this can also be seen on Index'sWalking Church). These golden lines are also present on peculiar flaps that are on Gabriel's wings. These flaps can be seen attached on Gabriel's head – which seems to simulate hair, forearms, legs and waist – which seems to simulate coattails. On top of Gabriel's head is a blue halo, inside the ring is an inner circle where three arrow-shaped lines jut out, slightly beyond the outer ring in differing directions.[2]
Like most of its body, Gabriel's eyes are white and seem to sport no visible iris and pupil.[2]
Though not normally depicted with wings, Gabriel sports wings made of crystallized water through the use of its powers. [1]
Personality
Gabriel is an angel of God, neither good nor evil, and incapable of having any sort of emotion or desire that is not of God's will.[3] However, as it falls to Earth, as if from necessity, Gabriel somehow manages to gain a personality and desire of its own. Desiring to return to Heaven, it does not heed Kaori's warning that destroying humanity would go against God's plans.[4] It gains a personal preference, such as liking sweets since they remind it of the grace of God,[5] lamenting the conclusion of its investigation into the true culprit of Angel Fall,[6] as well as carrying on Sasha's speech pattern.
It is also incredibly ruthless, as show in its encounter with Hino Jinsaku, breaking his left wrist and forcibly taking out his teeth, destroying one of it in front of his eyes.[7]
Background
Before the start of the series, a distortion of the four elements allowed Gabriel to bypass God's naming restrictions to its angels, most notably because of this its alignment to water becomes switch.[8]
Gabriel is referred to as the one who destroyed Gomorrah in the Old Testament, and was the messenger of the birth of the Son of God to the Blessed Virgin in the New Testament.[9]
Archangel Gabriel as Misha Kreutzev during his first appearance.
A weakened Gabriel appears in the the Angel Fall Arc, here, it takes the form of Sasha Kreutzev and names itsself Misha Kreutzev (ミーシャ＝クロイツェフ,Misha Kuroitsefu?). During the arc, Misha tries to attack Touma believing him to be the cause of its fall, though later after proving that he was not the culprit, it helps him, Tsuchimikado Motoharu and Kaori find the real culprit. They later find out that Touma's father, Kamijou Touya was the one who caused the Angel Fall and it tries to attack him thusly so it can get back to heaven. Kanzaki Kaori later curbs Misha while Touma and Motoharu try to find a way to stop Angel Fall before Misha uses The Sweep, though Kaori is obviously out-classed by the angel even with Misha depowered.[1]
Fiamma of the Right summons the actual body of Gabriel during the World War III. Here, it still calls itself Misha Kreutzev which indicates that there is still a distortion in its alignment to the elements which still weakens it. Howerer, even a weakened Gabriel's displays power well above several characters, and completely overwhelms both the English and French forces being led by Carissa and the Maiden of Versailles respectively. Misha uses its powers to turn day into night – just as it did during the Angel Fall Arc – in order to enable Fiamma's flying-fortress, the Star of Bethlehem to return the balance between the elements to its proper order, as well as to protect the fortress from damage, as seen when Carrisa ordered missiles to attack the fortress.[2]
Even with Kazakiri Hyouka and Accelerator teaming up against Misha, it was only defeated after Touma destroyed Fiamma's control over Misha, as well as Acqua of the Back's absorption of some of it's telesma as he is aligned with Gabriel. [2]
After Fiamma’s successful realignment of the elements and subsequent defeat at the hands of Touma; the true name of the angel is retaken. Archangel Gabriel materializes itself into the world, however its presence threatens a world-wide calamity, as it begins to melt ice around the Arctic Ocean to restore its power that was lost during its stint as Misha. Touma uses the collapsing Star of Bethlehem to steer him towards Gabriel, at which point he clashes with it and tries to defeat it with his Imagine Breaker. The results of the clash were inconclusive, as both Touma and Gabriel are not seen afterwards, though Touma was successful enough to stop Gabriel from melting the ice. It supposedly returned to Heaven.[10]
Abilities
As an angel, Gabriel lets out incredible magical energy, possibly telesma, in its vicinity. If left alone, it distorts reality itself.[3] Gabriel in the form of Misha has somehow been able to control it, however, and made Motoharu and Kaori unable to detect its presence.
Ruling over the symbol of water, Gabriel can manipulate water in various forms and can use it as a means of attack.[11] It can even create a blade of ice out of nowhere, probably using the water presents in the atmosphere.[12]
Spells
Water Snake Misha chants an incantation and forms several serpentine columns water taken from a source to strike an enemy like a a sword. The incantation uses Hebrew Numerals, a number corresponds to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Specifically, it uses the numbers 40, 9, 30 and 7, then adding them, then their corresponding letter's names: Mem (מ), Tet (ט), Lamed (ל), Zayin (ז), respectively. It is first seen being used against Touma, to determine if he was telling the truth regarding his Imagine Breaker.[7] The chant: "Values: 40, 9, 30, 7. Total is 86." "Respond. Mem, tet, lamed, zayin." "Oh water, form as a Holy snake, and strike through like a sword."
Water Wing (水翼,Suiyoku?) Gabriel can make several 50 to 70 meter length crystalline wings made out of water that radiates from its back like a peacock, and one of them is capable of destroying a mountain with a single swing. They can even be used as projectile like weapons.[4] If destroyed, the archangel can recreate its wings using water. To form the water needed for this purpose, it can melt ice and snow.
Divine Judgment If Gabriel infuse telesma on the water wings from end to end, each wing can gain enough power to flatten a mountain and destroy a city, similar to how God shaped the Earth.[13]
Astro In Hand (天体制御 (アストロインハンド),Tentai Seigyo (Asutoro in Hando)?, lit. "Heavenly Body Control") Manipulates the movement of celestial bodies, and can be used to turn day into night.[1] It can destroy the Earth by stopping its natural rotation.[9] This will halt aquatic movement in oceans and funnels most of the water towards the North and South poles.
The Sweep above the sky.
With little to no water in the equator and surrounding longitudes, the 'sea level' becomes non-existent and deprives natural land heights of oxygen, as well as removing precious ozone higher up. Without a barrier from solar radiation in the area, the equator becomes inhospitably hot and dry. North and South poles become a bulge of slowly-evaporating water while incredible heats in the equator shift deep rifts and cause sporadic and powerful earthquakes.
God's Purge (神戮,Shinriku?) or Sweep (一掃,Issō?) After moving the celestial bodies in the sky, Gabriel uses the lights of the moved stars as a magic array, and turns each star in the sky like arrows of fire that rains down upon the Earth.[4] It is capable of turning half of the earth into ashes upon finishing the activation. It is said to have been a spell that destroyed an entire civilization.[1]
Other abilities
Archangel Gabriel is also capable of flying at high speeds, demonstrated by its ability to fly from France to Russia to defend the Star of Bethlehem from Carissa's missile lauch attack on the fortress. In addition, being a messenger angel, it has the ability to obscuring to sixth senses of premonition and intuition of others, so any attack aimed to it have to be performed using the normal five senses.[14]
Character Art Designs
Design evolution
Currently appearing in a single arc, Archangel Gabriel's design remains static. Haimura wanted it to have a more creepy look than a divine look, and as such gave it a leafy vein motif on its body. Furthermore, due to Gabriel's color scheme, Haimura added similarities between it and Index, such as the badge on its chest.
Gallery
Character art design of Gabriel for the 21st Index Light Novel, by Haimura.
