Celestials are essentially gods. This covers the beings known as Archangels, The Powers That Be, The Senior Partners, Devils, Planar Keepers, True Demons (as opposed to demonic races like the Kaoshian - I am talking True Demons like Mayor Wilkins and Illyria) and their ilk.
The biggest difference between a really, really powerful being and a Celestial is that the Celestial transcends the planes. They exist simultaneously in many planes at once. So the Senior Partners can do something in our plane AND Pangea at the same time.
Celestials are, by definition, NPCs. They are above the concerns of mortals and their ways and fates. They treat mortals like playthings and use them to suit their purposes.
The lesser beings that serve them are generally considered to be part of the "Court of the Celestials" and this would include powerful mages, lesser beings like angels and demons, high preists, Directors of Wolfram and Hart offices, and other highly placed beings.
Basically any being who reports directly to the higher power but isn't created by it. Celestials sometimes avoid using creatures with free-will and opt for Avatars instead.
An Avatar is a manifestation of the Celestial in a single plane. These Avatars smetimes have a small element of free-will but lack souls (or spirits or life-energy) and are animated by the will of the Celestial instead. Cups and Pentacles (as well as Eve and Hamilton from Season Five Angel) are examples of Avatars of the Senior Partners.
The amount of power that these avatars have is limited only by the commitment of the Celestial, although there may be limits to what a given form can withstand (i.e. Illyria was more powerful than the form of Fred could withstand and so she had to be 'drained' slightly so that she didn't destroy herself.)
A Celestial that commits to complete manifestation becomes an insanely powerful being on a single plane and can effectively not be stopped without means that would ordinarily destroy that plane utterly. Such events are very rare.
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Celestials
Season Five of LABN introduces several Celestials and Avatars. here is a quick run-down of who is what:
Mr. Cups, Miss Pentacles,Mr. Swords (and Ms. Wands?) - Avatars of the Senior partners - The Wolf, Ram and Hart (Wolfram and Hart).
Zayn Jae'vex - Celestial reduced to Avatar. Spoilers follow
[hide]She was forcibly reduced to a complete manifestation by her previous court. (The Powers that Be? The Oracle?) They drained much of her power (presumably for themselves). The Avatar she wears was created by Wolfram and Hart.[/hide]
The Senior Partners (The Wolf, Ram and Hart) - Celestials
Bloody Mary - Avatar.
The Blue Lady - Celestial
Morgen Wahl (Director of W&H Los Angeles) - Court of Celestials (W&H)