Changes: Powers That Be

Latest revision as of 21:47, 29 November 2023

“In the beginning, before the time of man, great beings walked the Earth. Untold power emanated from all quarters — the seeds of what would come to be known as good and evil. But the shadows stretched and became darkness, and the malevolent among us grew stronger. The Earth became a demon realm. Those of us who had the will to resist left this place, but we remained ever-watchful.”

―Jasmine^[src]

The Powers That Be (or PTB) referred to the first beings to exist in the Earth after the schism that created them and the Old Ones. After leaving this dimension, these higher beings watched over humankind and guided the forces of good.^[1]

History

The Powers That Be were beings with extreme power. Jasmine, a fallen PTB, claimed she had been "forged in the inferno of creation." She demonstrated having incredible powers even after having lost a portion of them for stepping down as a Power That Be.^[2] Despite their might, the Powers were forced to leave Earth and watch from afar instead, due to the growing power of the Old Ones.^[1]

Having left Earth, the Powers had the tendency to recruit significant people in the grand design to be their champion. For example, in 1996, the agent of the Powers That Be Whistler to set the ensouled vampire Angel on the path of active redemption.^[3] Later on, the Powers gave the gift of visions to the half-demon Doyle, who was sent to be Angel's guide in helping the helpless.^[4]

After defeating Jasmine, Angel and his team seemingly gave up on the Powers and their wishes until Cordelia woke from her coma due to a powerful vision from the PTB. Cordelia claimed that the Powers "owed her one."^[5] Angel stated that after Cordelia's goodbye kiss, he received one final vision from the Powers concerning the Circle of the Black Thorn, the leading enforcers of the Senior Partners' will on Earth. The vision gave Angel the information he needed to take the organization down.^[6]

After her death, Cordelia became a higher being in the service of the Powers. However, she did not have the power to go up against the Senior Partners or to physically help Angel during the Fall of Los Angeles.^[7]

With to the destruction of the Seed of Wonder and the consequential end of magic, Whistler was unable to make contact with the Powers.^[8]

Known powers

Opinions about the Powers

The Powers that Be were also referred to by Fred as "The Powers that Screw You"^[9] and by Gunn as "The Powers that Sit on Their Behinds,"^[10] due to their apparent inaction during many times of crisis that Angel Investigations faced.

Angel and Jasmine also complained about their lack of interest in important events. Doyle, Cordelia, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, and Lorne appeared much more concerned with doing their will.^{[citation needed]}

Powers and abilities

Extreme Power: The Powers That Be were an extremely powerful group that were forged in the "inferno of creation." They were said to be the counterparts of the Old Ones and possess similarly extreme levels of power. Even Jasmine, a rogue member of their race who had lost much of her power, was still able to easily match Willow Rosenberg, one of the powerful witches on Earth.
Immortality: The Powers That Be were eternal entities.^{[citation needed]}
Evolution Inducement: The High Priest zealot stated that his race's evolutionary process was altered in some manner or form by Jasmine, a member of the Powers-That-Be.^[2]

Communication

Though Angel never made contact with the Powers themselves, he did communicate with them in a number of ways.

Visions: The visions were first given to Doyle, then passed to Cordelia, and finally made their way to Angel. The visions tended to have double meanings, with a micro-purpose and macro-purpose to each vision. For instance, a vision told Doyle: "we have a common enemy"; on a micro scale, the Powers meant the Scourge; on the macro scale, they meant the Senior Partners or evil itself. While helping people, the visions tended to make Angel meet the right people who were useful to plans and prophecies later.^{[citation needed]}

The Oracles: Angel visited the Oracles on four occasions: to find if he really was human, to turn back time after becoming human,^[11] after the death of Doyle,^[12] and finally after Vocah murdered them. The Oracles, a pair of Greek-deity-like entities, one male and one female, gave Angel prophecy-like advice. After they were murdered, the female Oracle manifested in spiritual form to speak to Angel one last time.^[13]

Trials: Through the Trials, Angel asked the Powers to give Darla a second chance.^[14] Angel later referred to the Trials when talking about the Powers' inaction.^[1]

Conduit: After learning the deadly effects of the visions on Cordelia, Angel sought to communicate with the Powers That Be, which he accomplished via the Conduit. He entered an empty cave with a bonfire in the middle and spoke with an entity which appeared to be the disembodied voices of a man and a woman speaking almost in synchronicity.^[15]

Projections: The Powers sent a vision of Darla to Connor to convince him not to kill an innocent girl; he did not listen and Jasmine was born.^[16] The Powers granted Cordelia a favor before dying and sent a corporeal astral projection of Cordelia to Angel, where she helped reorient him and passed the visions to him.^[5] Later, when Angel was fatally injured, Cordelia appeared to him to help ease his transition into death,^[17] but she ultimately urged him to go back to his son.^[18]

References

[SHP-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "Shiny Happy People"

[:0-2] 2.0 ^2.1 "Peace Out"

[3] The Hero of His Own Story

[4] "City Of"

[YW-5] 5.0 ^5.1 "You're Welcome"

[6] "Power Play"

[7] After the Fall, Part Nine

[8] Live Through This, Part One

[9] "Deep Down"

[10] "Salvage"

[11] "I Will Remember You"

[12] "Parting Gifts"

[13] "To Shanshu in L.A."

[14] "The Trial"

[15] "Birthday"

[16] "Inside Out"

[17] After the Fall, Part Twelve

[18] After the Fall, Part Thirteen

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

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[11]

[12]

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[14]

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[18]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Species
-|Image             = Jasmine2.jpg
+|Image             = PowersThatBe.png
-|First             = "[[City Of]]" Om
+|Name              = Powers That Be
+|Alternative Names = PTB
-|Name              = The Powers That Be
+|Native            = [[Earth]]
-|Alternative Names = <br>
+|Type              = [[Higher being]]
-*The Powers that Screw You
+|Powers            = Extreme Power<br>Extreme Knowledge<br>Power granting<br>[[Immortality]]
-*The Powers that Sit on Their Be-hinds
-|Native            = Higher realms
-|Status            = Extant
-|Type              = [[Higher being]]s
-|Affiliation       = [[Champion of the Powers That Be]]
-|Powers            = Power Granting
 }}
-{{Quote|In the beginning, before the time of man, great beings walked the earth. Untold power emanated from all quarters — the seeds of what would come to be known as good and evil. But the shadows stretched and became darkness, and the malevolent among us grew stronger. The Earth became a [[Hell dimension|demon realm]]. Those of us who had the will to resist left this place, but we remained ever-watchful.|"Jasmine"|Shiny Happy People}}
+{{Quote|In the beginning, before the time of man, great beings walked the Earth. Untold power emanated from all quarters — the seeds of what would come to be known as good and evil. But the shadows stretched and became darkness, and the malevolent among us grew stronger. The Earth became a demon realm. Those of us who had the will to resist left this place, but we remained ever-watchful.|[[Jasmine]]|Shiny Happy People}}
-'''The Powers That Be''' was a term that referred to the first beings to exist in [[Earth|this dimension]] after the schism that created them and the [[Old Ones]]. After leaving this dimension, these beings watched over mankind and guided the forces of good.
+The '''Powers That Be''' (or '''PTB''') referred to the first beings to exist in the [[Earth]] after the schism that created them and the [[Old One]]s. After leaving this [[dimension]], these [[higher being]]s watched over [[human]]kind and guided the forces of good.<ref name="SHP">"[[Shiny Happy People]]"</ref>
+==History==
-The Powers That Be (sometimes shortened to "the Powers" or "the PTB") had the tendency to recruit significant people in the grand design to be their "champion." For example, in 1996, possibly knowing that Angel, the vampire with a soul, would eventually play a crucial part in the apocalypse, the Powers sent him a guide in the form of the benevolent demon, [[Whistler]] to set him on the path of active redemption. Later on, the Powers gave the gift of seeing visions to a half-demon named [[Doyle]] who was sent to be Angel's guide in helping the helpless.
+The Powers That Be were beings with extreme power. Jasmine, a fallen PTB, claimed she had been "forged in the inferno of creation." She demonstrated having incredible powers even after having lost a portion of them for stepping down as a Power That Be.<ref name=":0">"[[Peace Out]]"</ref> Despite their might, the Powers were forced to leave Earth and watch from afar instead, due to the growing power of the Old Ones.<ref name="SHP"/>
+Having left Earth, the Powers had the tendency to recruit significant people in the grand design to be [[Champion of the Powers That Be|their champion]]. For example, in 1996, the agent of the Powers That Be  [[Whistler]] to set the [[soul|ensouled]] [[vampire]] [[Angel]] on the path of active redemption.<ref>''[[The Hero of His Own Story]]''</ref> Later on, the Powers gave the gift of [[visions]] to the [[half-demon]] [[Allen Francis Doyle|Doyle]], who was sent to be Angel's guide in helping the helpless.<ref>"[[City Of]]"</ref>
-Due to the destruction of the [[Seed of Wonder]], everything supernatural was cut off from the Earth. Because of this, it was unclear how the Powers would be able to influence this world. [[Whistler]], who appeared to be connected with the Powers was unable to make contact with them, which he blames Angel for.<ref>[[Live Through This, Part One]]</ref> It is still unclear how the formation of a new Seed of Wonder will affect this.
+After defeating Jasmine, Angel and [[Angel Investigations|his team]] seemingly gave up on the Powers and their wishes until Cordelia woke from her coma due to a powerful vision from the PTB. Cordelia claimed that the Powers "owed her one."<ref name="YW">"[[You're Welcome]]"</ref> Angel stated that after Cordelia's goodbye kiss, he received one final vision from the Powers concerning the [[Circle of the Black Thorn]], the leading enforcers of the [[Senior Partners]]' will on Earth. The vision gave Angel the information he needed to take the organization down.<ref>"[[Power Play]]"</ref>
-== Methods of Communication ==
-Though Angel never made contact with the Powers themselves, with the exception of [[Jasmine]], he did communicate with them in a number of ways.
+After her death, Cordelia became a higher being in the service of the Powers. However, she did not have the power to go up against the Senior Partners or to physically help Angel during the [[Fall of Los Angeles]].<ref>''[[After the Fall, Part Nine]]''</ref>
-*'''The [[Visions]]'''. The visions were first given to Doyle, then passed to [[Cordelia Chase]] and finally made their way to Angel. The visions tended to have double meanings, with a micro-purpose and macro-purpose to each vision. For instance, a vision told Doyle that "we have a common enemy." On a micro scale, the Powers mean [[the Scourge]]. On the macro scale, they mean the [[Senior Partners]] or evil itself. While helping people, the visions tended to make Angel meet the right people who were useful to plans and prophecies later. Angel's other ally, [[Whistler]], was, much like Doyle, a half-demon granted the gift of precognition by the Powers, but it is unknown to what extent these visions resembled those of Doyle.
+With to the destruction of the [[Seed of Wonder]] and the consequential [[end of magic]], Whistler was unable to make contact with the Powers.<ref>''[[Live Through This, Part One]]''</ref>
-*'''[[The Oracles]]'''. Angel visited the Oracles on four occasions (once to find if he really was human, once to turn back time after becoming human, once after the death of Doyle, and once after their murder by [[Vocah]]). The Oracles, a pair of Greek-god-like entities, one male and one female, gave Angel prophecy-like advice. They were murdered by Vocah, but the female Oracle was able to manifest in spiritual form to speak to Angel one last time.<ref>"[[To Shanshu in L.A.]]"</ref>
+==Known powers==
-*'''[[Lorne]]'''. Through Lorne, Angel and the gang found their destiny by singing. Though he was not an actual servant of the Powers, Lorne's link to the Powers was strong enough for him to differentiate between actual visions from the Powers as opposed to visions from [[Wolfram & Hart]].<ref>"[[That Vision Thing]]"</ref> Lorne's knowledge also allowed Angel to speak to the Powers through the Trials and the Conduit.
+*[[Jasmine]] <small>(Rogue)</small>
+*[[Cordelia Chase]]
+*[[Whistler's father]]
+==Opinions about the Powers==
-*'''[[The Valet|The Trials]]'''. Through the Trials, Angel asked the Powers to give Darla a second chance. The Trials were referred to as the Powers later by Angel and Wes when speaking about their inaction.
+The Powers that Be were also referred to by [[Winifred Burkle|Fred]] as "The Powers that Screw You"<ref>"[[Deep Down]]"</ref> and by [[Charles Gunn|Gunn]] as "The Powers that Sit on Their Behinds,"<ref>"[[Salvage]]"</ref> due to their apparent inaction during many times of crisis that Angel Investigations faced.
+Angel and Jasmine also complained about their lack of interest in important events. Doyle, Cordelia, [[Wesley Wyndam-Pryce]], and Lorne appeared much more concerned with doing their will.{{Cite}}
-*'''[[The Conduit to The Powers That Be|The Conduit]]'''. Cordelia had a vision which knocked her into a coma and while unconscious, was visited by [[Skip]] who revealed that humans were not strong enough to bear the visions.<ref>"[[Birthday]]"</ref> After learning the deadly effects of the visions, Angel sought to communicate with the Powers That Be, which he accomplished via ''The Conduit'' (which shouldn't be confused with [[Wolfram & Hart]]'s Conduit of the White Room). Angel entered an empty cave with a bonfire in the middle and spoke with an entity or entities which sounded like the disembodied voices of a man and a woman speaking almost in synchronicity.
+==Powers and abilities==
-*'''[[Ghost]]s'''. The Powers sent ghosts to speak to people. The Powers sent a vision of Darla to Connor to convince him not to kill an innocent girl. He did not listen and Jasmine was born. The Powers granted Cordelia a favor before dying and sent a corporeal [[Astral Projection|astral projection]] of Cordelia to Angel, where she helped reorient him and passed the visions to him.
+*'''Extreme Power:''' The Powers That Be were an extremely powerful group that were forged in the "inferno of creation." They were said to be the counterparts of the [[Old One]]s and possess similarly extreme levels of power. Even Jasmine, a rogue member of their race who had lost much of her power, was still able to easily match [[Willow Rosenberg]], one of the powerful [[witch]]es on [[Earth]].
+*'''[[Immortality]]:''' The Powers That Be were eternal entities.{{Cite}}
+*'''Evolution Inducement:''' The High Priest zealot stated that his race's evolutionary process was altered in some manner or form by Jasmine, a member of the Powers-That-Be.<ref name=":0" />
+===Communication===
-== Opinions about the Powers ==
+Though Angel never made contact with the Powers themselves, he did communicate with them in a number of ways.
-The Powers that Be were also referred to by [[Winifred Burkle|Fred]] as "The Powers that Screw You" and by [[Charles Gunn|Gunn]] as "The Powers that Sit on Their Be-hinds", due to their apparent inaction during many times of crisis that [[Angel Investigations]] faced. Angel and Jasmine also complained about their lack of interest in important events. Doyle, Cordelia, [[Wesley Wyndam-Pryce]], and Lorne appeared much more concerned with doing their will.
+*'''[[Visions]]:''' The visions were first given to Doyle, then passed to Cordelia, and finally made their way to Angel. The visions tended to have double meanings, with a micro-purpose and macro-purpose to each vision. For instance, a vision told Doyle: "we have a common enemy"; on a micro scale, the Powers meant the [[Scourge]]; on the macro scale, they meant the Senior Partners or evil itself. While helping people, the visions tended to make Angel meet the right people who were useful to plans and prophecies later.{{Cite}}
-== The Fall of Los Angeles ==
-After the defeat of Jasmine, Angel and his team seem to have given up on the Powers and their wishes until Cordelia wakes from her coma thanks to an incredibly powerful vision from the Powers. Cordelia claimed that the Powers "owed her one."<ref>"[[You're Welcome]]"</ref>
+*'''[[The Oracles]]:''' Angel visited the Oracles on four occasions: to find if he really was human, to turn back time after becoming human,<ref>"[[I Will Remember You]]"</ref> after the death of Doyle,<ref>"[[Parting Gifts]]"</ref> and finally after [[Vocah]] murdered them. The Oracles, a pair of Greek-deity-like entities, one male and one female, gave Angel prophecy-like advice. After they were murdered, the female Oracle manifested in [[spirit]]ual form to speak to Angel one last time.<ref>"[[To Shanshu in L.A.]]"</ref>
-Angel stated that after a kiss good-bye with Cordelia shortly before her death, he received one final vision from The Powers concerning the [[Circle of the Black Thorn]], the leading enforcers of the Senior Partners’ will on Earth. The vision gave Angel the information he needed to take the Black Thorns down.<ref>"[[Power Play]]"</ref>
+*'''[[Trials]]:''' Through the Trials, Angel asked the Powers to give [[Darla]] a second chance.<ref>"[[The Trial]]"</ref> Angel later referred to the Trials when talking about the Powers' inaction.<ref name="SHP"/>
-After her death, Cordelia has become a genuine Higher Being in the service of the Powers, though she does not have the power to go up against the Senior Partners or to help Angel and the others, who are trapped in Hell/Los Angeles.<ref>''[[Angel: After the Fall]]''</ref>
+*'''[[Conduit to the Powers That Be|Conduit]]:''' After learning the deadly effects of the visions on Cordelia, Angel sought to communicate with the Powers That Be, which he accomplished via the Conduit. He entered an empty cave with a bonfire in the middle and spoke with an entity which appeared to be the disembodied voices of a man and a woman speaking almost in synchronicity.<ref>"[[Birthday]]"</ref>
-== Behind the Scenes ==
-*Some fans believe that the Powers are responsible for bringing Angel back from Hell in "[[Faith, Hope & Trick]]", even though the [[First Evil]] takes credit for this. Some also believe that the Powers That Be are the force that caused a miraculous snowstorm in 1999 on Christmas morning, in Sunnydale, California, preventing Angel from committing suicide by sunlight, in "[[Amends]]"
+*'''Projections:''' The Powers sent a vision of Darla to Connor to convince him not to kill an innocent girl; he did not listen and Jasmine was born.<ref>"[[Inside Out]]"</ref> The Powers granted Cordelia a favor before dying and sent a corporeal [[astral projection]] of Cordelia to Angel, where she helped reorient him and passed the visions to him.<ref name="YW"/> Later, when Angel was fatally injured, Cordelia appeared to him to help ease his transition into death,<ref>''[[After the Fall, Part Twelve]]''</ref> but she ultimately urged him to go back to his son.<ref>''[[After the Fall, Part Thirteen]]''</ref>
-*The Powers send roughly 30 visions over the course of the series.
-== See Also ==
+==References==
+{{References|scroll=1}}
-[[:Category:Servants of the Powers That Be|Servants of the Powers That Be]]
+[[fr:Puissances Supérieures]]
-== References ==
-<small><references/></small>
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers That Be, The}}
-[[Category:Higher Beings and Deities]]
 [[Category:Terminology]]
-[[Category:Major powers]]
 [[Category:Angel Investigations and Team Angel allies]]
-[[Category:Interdimensional beings]]