Hey everyone!
Thank you all so much for the questions you submitted. We have quite a few to get through, so I’ll jump right in.
You’ve mentioned that the angels reincarnate, how do they come back?
Good question. Ultimately, only the Archangels reincarnate as humans, due to the fact that they were the only angels given a mission that required it. All other angels are immortal and take slightly different appearances.
Every time one of the Archangels dies, they come back in a new human body, either born as an infant to a human family or as a young adult. Depending on this, they will regain their memories and abilities gradually, instantly, or from birth.
What happened the last time Az and Iris died?
Azrael and Iris died of old age a few decades after the fall of the Iron Curtain, an event that they may or may not have had something to do with, and may be elaborated on in the future.
WHEN DO WE GET TO MEET THE OTHER TWO ARCHANGELS?
Soon, but be patient. The season resumes with Brothers in Arms in just a few short weeks, and I promise Raphael and Uriel are worth the wait.
What do all the characters’ names mean?
Excellent question. I have such an appreciation for the meaning behind names, and I love working with angels because their names are always so significant.
Each of their names come from the ancient angelic language, one of the first spoken languages. In this language, the letters I or A signify allegiance, and the name El was the first name given to God, so every name ending in –ael or –iel is significant of a servitude of God.
Azrael means “Whom God helps”.
Iris is a Greek name meaning Rainbow, signifying God’s promise of life.
Raziel means “Secrets of God”.
Gabriel means “God is my strength”.
Michael means “Who is like God?”
Raphael means “God Heals”.
Uriel means “God is my light”.
Carolynn means “Song of Joy”.
Roxanna means “Dawn”.
Gloria means “Glory”.
Will Gabriel ever get a bigger role?
Yes and no. Ultimately, the long-term plot will focus on Azrael and the development of his character, exploring his mysterious past and struggle and what it means for him as an Archangel.
That said, we haven’t seen anywhere near the last of Gabriel. As the series continues, Gabriel will continue to grow alongside the Archangels, and before long, we’ll learn that there’s more to Gabriel than meets the eye.
What do the girls do while mom and dad are out?
I’m glad you asked. The Valentine girls are Azrael’s pride and joy, and while they spend most days at school, each of them has a unique set of talents and hobbies that fulfill them personally.
Carolynn is the most technologically inclined of the Valentines, and being the only one who currently has knowledge of Azrael’s costumed escapades, often helps him develop and test new technology for fighting crime. Outside of the time she spends tinkering, Carolynn enjoys sci-fi movies and video games.
The beautiful Roxanna is more of a technical thinker, and enjoys the complexities of psychology and mystery. Her sociable nature leads her to spend a lot of her time with friends, but in her personal moments she enjoys reading, and has even tried her hand at writing like her father and her younger sister.
Gloria, the youngest of the Valentine girls, follows after her mother in artistic pursuits, and has gained proficiency in a number of various instruments and crafts. Her spare time is spent painting, writing and playing music, and writing with Azrael and Roxy.
If you’re interested in the other characters, you can read about them in the all-new Character Index.
Where do the Valentines get their money?
Good question.
Azrael and Iris actually work from home together in marriage and family counseling, and Azrael’s written a few books, but both are mostly labors of love that keep the bills paid. The majority of their wealth comes from previous planning, like money and valuable items they’ve saved from previous lifetimes, and a significant amount of money Azrael came into when he was younger.
How old are the girls? What about Az and Iris?
Generally I don’t prefer to specify age, but currently, each of the girls are right around high school, with Carolynn at eighteen, Roxanna at seventeen, and Gloria at fifteen. Az is about forty-two, and Iris is about forty-one.
How old is Gabriel? Does he have a girlfriend? Can I be his girlfriend?
Gabriel’s about nineteen, and entirely available. I’ll shoot you his number so you can give him a call sometime.
What are the Archangels’ favorite songs?
That is a great question.
Az and Iris actually share a few, the biggest being Aquaman by Walk the Moon because they listened to it when they were falling in love. Azrael also appreciates Soul Wars by Awolnation, and Iris likes You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban and Georgia by Michael Buble (especially when Azrael plays them). Iris’s personal favorite is Organs by Of Monsters and Men.
Raziel appreciates softer, more ethereal stuff, like Diary by Angels and Airwaves.
Gabriel shares a pop appreciation with the Valentines, his personal jam being Work This Body by Walk the Moon.
Uriel prefers the stylish classics, like Stan Bush’s The Touch and Redbone’s Come and Get Your Love.
Raphael share an amount of taste with his brother, although he prefers smoother sounds like Of Monsters and Men’s Empire. He also has an appreciation for the aggressive classical of film and television.
Michael doesn’t think today’s music’s got the same soul as Bob Seger’s classic Old Time Rock and Roll.
Tell us about some of the most famous things the Archangels have done.
I’m so glad you asked this.The Archangels have done so many incredible things throughout history.
I’m sure you already know about Gabriel’s defining moment, when he had to tell a frightened young girl about a baby she’d soon deliver.
Meanwhile, there’s some pretty cool stuff the rest of them have done.
In the book of Exodus, Raphael and Uriel laid waste to Egypt when God cursed it with plagues lest the Pharaoh release the Jewish people, and in the tenth plague, Azrael took the life of every firstborn son in Egypt.
A long time later, Azrael carried Christ’s soul to Hell after His death, and Michael and his illustrious guard led the charge in one of the fiercest battles in history.
Those are just a few examples of things they did in ancient history, but there are countless more stories of their behind-the-scenes involvement in history, and their active efforts in wars and events that defined human history.
At some point in the future, I plan to tell a story or two about their involvements in the Cold War and the fight against the KGB, as well as an involvement I’ve already mentioned they had in World War II.
What are Azrael’s mission and motivation?
When humanity fell, the Creator appointed seven of His most trusted servants to foster and inspire the young civilization to help protect them from the evils of the earth and lead them to prosperity. These angels were elevated as Archangels, and were bound to human forms to live among the people of the earth to complete their mission.
In his most recent lifetime, Azrael has come to realize that the world is a vastly different place than it once was, and his methods of yesteryear working behind the scenes wouldn’t be enough to show humanity the way. He had to become a legend that evil everywhere would learn to fear, leading him to newer, more open methods.
Thank you all for your questions! I’m glad we had this opportunity.
I’m happy to say that the production process is going pretty well, and the final six episodes of the season are shaping up to be great. I’m planning to begin Azrael: Brothers in Arms by the 22nd of January, but I can’t set out a definitive schedule for certain until I get a little more preliminary work done. For now, I can only ask you to be patient and thank you for my ability to trust you’ll all follow Azrael to the very end.
Death comes for all, and he will come back with a vengeance.
– Josiah
Azrael 