Samael

Samael (サマエル, Samaeru) is a recurring demon in the series.

Appearances

 * Shin Megami Tensei: Fallen
 * Shin Megami Tensei: if...: Fallen
 * Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: Vile
 * Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey: Vile
 * Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis: Fallen
 * Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner: Dragon
 * Persona 3: Death Arcana
 * Persona 3: FES: Death Arcana
 * Persona 4: Death Arcana

History
Samael is an archangel in Talmudic lore. He has been known as the seducer, destroyer, accuser and has been regarded as both good and evil in various texts. In rabbinic lore he was revealed as the chief of Satan's armies and as the Angel of Death. His name means "poison of God" suggesting he is either the vengeful hand of God or the enemy of God, and it has even been suggested that Samael was the angelic name of Satan himself.

In some early Jewish lore, Samael is the Angel of Death and chief ruler of the Fifth Heaven with two million angels at his command, residing himself within the Seventh Heaven. He was also said to be the guardian angel of Esau (or Jacob, who was renamed Israel). In the Sayings of Rabbi Eliezer, Samael is charged with being the one who seduced Eve and impregnated her with Cain. Other scholars however suggest it was Azazel who seduced Eve and it was Samael who tempted Eve in the guise of the Serpent.

In The Holy Kabbalah, Samael is named as the fifth archangel in the world of Briah, and took Lilith as his bride when she left Adam. He was also said to have mated with several of the angels of prostitution.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Samael is the demon summoned at the top of the Diet Building by Hikawa to slay the protagonist if he attempts to stop him from offering Yuko Takao as a sacrifice. However, if the Demi-fiend is aligned with Shijima, Samael will later appear after the encounter with Ahriman in the Tower of Kagutsuchi, introducing himself and explaining that Hikawa instructed him to assist the protagonist, as he represents the champion of Shijima. Should the Demi-fiend accept his offer, Samael will join him, or if there is already one in the player's party or if he refuses, Samael hopes his services would be called upon later.

Trivia

 * Samael's HP throughout the series is more than often 616, or sometimes, 666. As with Satan's HP, 616 is believed by some to have been the original Number of the Beast in the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible.
 * The Porewit's appearance in Majin Tensei is directly based on Samael's original artwork, and even has the same color scheme. Samael is otherwise not featured in the game.
 * Samael's appearance in Majin Tensei II is a sprite edit of Aniel.
 * The snake around the demon Lilith's body is a reference to Samael, the form some say he took in the myth of Adam and Eve.
 * Samael's original appearance bears a resembalance to the Salamander's sprite from Kyuyaku Megami Tensei.