... will bring you back to me.

March 2, 2007 2:21 AM

Looking for furious angels.

It's an image that appeals to me for some reason, so I would like you to give me some popular (or not-so-popular) culture references to (arch-)angels becoming really pissed off at somone or something, whether it's a human or satan or their own boss.

I know about the Rob Dougan album. I'm more looking for books or movies. The kind of thing I have in my head is like in The Fellowship of the Ring where Galadriel talks to Frodo and becomes all dark and scary - obviously she is not an angel, but still, that's the kind of thing I would like my angels to do.

Sorry for being so specifically vague. I'll do better in my next question, promise. ;)

posted by Skyanth to Society & Culture (21 answers total)

Unfortunately I can't pinpoint a particular image, but there are plenty of moments with angry/pissed off angels in DC Comic's Lucifer series.
posted by Elmore at 2:39 AM on March 2, 2007

Start with Michael. Gabriel isn't always a happy camper. In fact, any of the 7 archangels can be found in a mood, if you look through enough 15th and 16th century European art.
posted by paulsc at 2:43 AM on March 2, 2007

In Paradise Lost, starting on line 171 of book 6, Abdiel gives Satan a talking-to, then kicks his ass.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 2:48 AM on March 2, 2007

In Angels in America, the Angel yells at Prior Walter a lot. I vaguely recall that at least once it was a pissed off kind of yelling. Well worth seeing to check out whether it was scary - I can't remember. It might have been funny instead.
posted by brain cloud at 3:11 AM on March 2, 2007

If a comic book will do, you should check out Light Brigade. It has lots of angry angels, both good and evil. (Fair warning: high body count and lots of graphic violence.)
posted by The Tensor at 3:38 AM on March 2, 2007

Music wise there's Lift to Experience's "The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads" which is a concept album where the final battle of the Apocalypse is fought in Texas with sword bearing Angels and winchester rifle bearing cowpokes fighting the Devils hordes side by side. Stunning.
posted by oh pollo! at 3:48 AM on March 2, 2007

As for movies, check out:

Constantine - Gabriel gets pretty riled at the end

Dogma - shooting up a church and hacking off your wings might not be what you're after, but he's certainly a furious Angel!
posted by csg77 at 4:16 AM on March 2, 2007

Dogma also - Alan Rickman's first scene as the Metatron.
posted by Leon at 5:03 AM on March 2, 2007

Pillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, particularly in the last of the books, deals with this topic somewhat at least insofar as it portrays a very different "approach" to the Metatron, and wars among archangels and similar ideas. And if you haven't read these books, they're awesome.

In Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, by Christopher Moore, a homie of Jesus is brought back to life and escorted around the world by a pissy angel who mouths off and hates everyone throughought the book.

In Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, good and evil angels (who hide from their "bosses" the fact that they're secretly buddies) try to manipulate events on each side of the young would-be-antichrist and help/hurt the four horsemen of the aplocalypse reinvented in modern terms.

Since these are big slow ole books, none dramatically popularly recognizable (at least in a Harry Potter sort of becomes-a-cultural-icon sort of manner) they may not be totally responsive to your question, but they are five of my absolute favorite books, dealing with good, evil and interesting approaches to personality in angels, and are very descriptive with some fun, interestng or scary imagery.
posted by bunnycup at 5:35 AM on March 2, 2007

Another comic... Preacher has quite a few very pissed off angels.
posted by Kellydamnit at 6:07 AM on March 2, 2007

Sharon Shinn's Archangel has at least one mad, crazy angel.
posted by sugarfish at 6:07 AM on March 2, 2007

Movie: The Prophecy, with a modern-day Gabriel and Lucifer played by Christopher Walken and Viggo Mortensen.
posted by pineapple at 6:21 AM on March 2, 2007

I second Angels in America. The scenes between Prior and the Angel grow more and more intense, leading up to a dramatic wrestling match. Some of it is played for laughs, but in the context of the movie the scene is thrilling and scary.
posted by hermitosis at 6:37 AM on March 2, 2007

Vellum by Hal Duncan (it's quite a slog though)
posted by zeoslap at 6:38 AM on March 2, 2007

second The Prophecy - though now it has become a franchise, so there are several movies with angry angels out there :o)
posted by crepeMyrtle at 8:06 AM on March 2, 2007

Many Waters by Madeline L'Engle has some angry angels, as I recall. Plus it's a YA book, so it'd be a quick read for you.
posted by slenderloris at 9:33 AM on March 2, 2007

Buddhism has an astounding array of wrathful deities. Their purpose is to "mercilessly destroy the manifold illusions of the inflated human ego." Depictions of these deities, dripping with symbolism, abound; the practicing Buddhist, as I understand it, is encouraged to view these pictures at length and reflect on their meaning.
posted by ikkyu2 at 10:25 AM on March 2, 2007

The film Constantine features an occassionally pissed off androgynous Gabriel. Pretty good flick too, despite the fact that it had no right to be. I imagine the comic book does too.
posted by Durhey at 10:48 AM on March 2, 2007

Agreeing with Angels in America, though they turn from being angry to mean to, well, sort of tired and bureaucratic in a scene near the end.
posted by Robert Angelo at 2:08 PM on March 2, 2007

Third the Prophecy, which is worth the price of admission (rental?) just for the bit with Gabriel, the kid, and his horn. I was, unbelievably, the only one laughing in the theater when I saw it.
posted by phearlez at 7:18 PM on March 2, 2007

Tanya Huff's The Second Summoning has two teenage angels, one good, one fallen. And it's very funny.
posted by paduasoy at 11:37 PM on March 2, 2007