Hey, came to this post, somehow, can't remember how but sooo glad i did! Just so much to think about and process. With it all coming from a point of view I don't have, and loving to read about in this post and all the comments.
First I'll do a small courtesy of answering your question of which conjunction we'd take for Gabriel. Personally I see him as "I am an angel, AND I am a trickster." This is because he is an angel, he may have chosen to leave Heaven and all that may or may not entail for him but it is still a fact that he is an angel. Along with that it will forever set a foundation for how he does, thinks etc everything, no matter where he chooses to go from that foundation so even with that life set behind him by his choices it still has a current role for him. Now to justify why that goes with 'and' being the Trickster. Since whenever he decided to take on that title, his identity both the one shown outside and the one inside that helps you define who you are has been incorporating this. Thus he is both as they play an active part in his identity. That was way longer than I thought it would be, ah well nevermind. :D
I have to say I somewhat disagree about not wanting Cas to get a reset to being a 'proper angel' (I say it like that cause he's always been an angel, just diminished and more human), because even with a restoration of power and all the rest of it, it can never be a reset. He's changed forever for his experiences and the same would be said for Heaven changed due to a lack of Michael amongst other things. With regards to the idea of forever looking forward and back, I can't say I come to the idea understanding from an immigrant PoV (please teach? :) ), but to me it seems Castiel more looks forward and handles the idea that home is not a memory but what you make it. While Gabriel only looks back, forsaking the idea of having Heaven as a home because it isn't what it was once. Think I should point out now that's all my opinion from canon not from the rec'd fic (which I will read at some point, but had to comment first). Also I completely agree with your last paragraph and peace and loss really aren't exclusive, what a person sees as home can change and can lose elements from it as can you, yet it can still offer that same peace or comfort it always has.
From the comments, with the talk about how Lucifer just wiped the floor with the gods from Hammer of the Gods. As far as my interpretation of canon goes, I always took it that they weren't necessarily the actual Gods but instead rather powerful creatures that had taken on the identity of Gods possibly so long ago that they no longer see the distinction between the two while the fact remains they aren't who they say they are. I don't know how others like that idea but however I try to look at the problem it does leave a slight bitter tang in my mouth with it basically boiling down to a judeo-christian superiority thing.
To end my overlong comment, I loved reading your thoughts on this subject! And in my eyes you win uber points for mentioning Janus :DD
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First I'll do a small courtesy of answering your question of which conjunction we'd take for Gabriel. Personally I see him as "I am an angel, AND I am a trickster." This is because he is an angel, he may have chosen to leave Heaven and all that may or may not entail for him but it is still a fact that he is an angel. Along with that it will forever set a foundation for how he does, thinks etc everything, no matter where he chooses to go from that foundation so even with that life set behind him by his choices it still has a current role for him. Now to justify why that goes with 'and' being the Trickster. Since whenever he decided to take on that title, his identity both the one shown outside and the one inside that helps you define who you are has been incorporating this. Thus he is both as they play an active part in his identity. That was way longer than I thought it would be, ah well nevermind. :D
I have to say I somewhat disagree about not wanting Cas to get a reset to being a 'proper angel' (I say it like that cause he's always been an angel, just diminished and more human), because even with a restoration of power and all the rest of it, it can never be a reset. He's changed forever for his experiences and the same would be said for Heaven changed due to a lack of Michael amongst other things. With regards to the idea of forever looking forward and back, I can't say I come to the idea understanding from an immigrant PoV (please teach? :) ), but to me it seems Castiel more looks forward and handles the idea that home is not a memory but what you make it. While Gabriel only looks back, forsaking the idea of having Heaven as a home because it isn't what it was once. Think I should point out now that's all my opinion from canon not from the rec'd fic (which I will read at some point, but had to comment first). Also I completely agree with your last paragraph and peace and loss really aren't exclusive, what a person sees as home can change and can lose elements from it as can you, yet it can still offer that same peace or comfort it always has.
From the comments, with the talk about how Lucifer just wiped the floor with the gods from Hammer of the Gods. As far as my interpretation of canon goes, I always took it that they weren't necessarily the actual Gods but instead rather powerful creatures that had taken on the identity of Gods possibly so long ago that they no longer see the distinction between the two while the fact remains they aren't who they say they are. I don't know how others like that idea but however I try to look at the problem it does leave a slight bitter tang in my mouth with it basically boiling down to a judeo-christian superiority thing.
To end my overlong comment, I loved reading your thoughts on this subject! And in my eyes you win uber points for mentioning Janus :DD