Kat – DmC’s Resident Medium

Kat – DmC’s Resident Medium

While white-haired, trash-talking, unflappable demon hunter Dante (of the Devil May Cry videogames) is a natural loner, he’s not alone in his fight against the demon hordes. Usually he shares the spotlight with a few unique women who just happen to be knockouts both in body and the battlefield. And though Dante is hinted to be a womanizer due to his charisma and confidence so key to his laidback personality, very few of those relationships are romantic. Chief amongst those precious few is Kat, Dante’s comrade in the DmC reboot. Does Dante even have a shot with her? Read on.

Dante and Kat work well together because of their similar pasts. Dante’s childhood was one trip from orphanage and juvenile detention center after another, each worse than the last. Every day of his life Dante had to fight for his life against the demons within the institutes, abusing Dante because of his demon father Sparda’s betrayal (marrying the angel Eva and fathering Nephilim, the only beings capable of destroying the tyrannical Demon King Mundas). So it’s safe to say Dante has trust issues.

Kat’s trauma is described by hints and implication. As a psychic medium Kat has access to Limbo, the demons’ hellish home dimension. Growing up, Kat escaped the horrors of everyday life by dwelling in Limbo. And Limbo is about as unbecoming a sanctuary as walking in a bad neighborhood at the dead of night. Think about it. If Limbo is Kat’s haven, then her normal life must be all kinds of bad.

They’re diametrically opposites: Dante takes the fight to the demons; Kat gets him out when the shit hits the fan. They’ve literally put their lives in each other’s hands. The bond they develop, to be vulnerable without reproach, having a kindred spirit to lean on . . . it’s what keeps them going in the face of abject failure.

That’s not to say that Kat’s incapable of romance. Her relationship with Dante’s twin brother Vergil is far more than platonic. Vergil saved Kat from Limbo demons, offered her a position within the Order (the resistance against Mundas). Vergil gave Kat a purpose when she had none. Because of that her loyalty is unquestioned. She endured immense torture when captured by Mundas’ demons, yet she never divulged Vergil’s Nephilim existence. She’d do anything for him.

Unfortunately, all that changes at the game’s end. After all that talk of freedom, Vergil reveals his true agenda to rule over mankind. When Dante points out that Kat – a human, one of the mindless sheep – had just a great a role in their victory over Mundas – Vergil responds with “[She] was useful.” Vergil never really cared about Kat; just her potential and her role in his scheme.

And even after that, Vergil still means something to Kat. In a twist of irony, she talks Dante out of killing Vergil. And when Dante questions his own existence, it’s Kat that reassures him that he’s the same Dante that he always was. After everything they’ve been through, it’s not hard to imagine them as lovers.

Dante is a loner. But he’s never really alone. In each game he has allies – coincidentally often beautiful women – to rely on. Though Dante has plenty of chances, the romantic possibilities are merely heresy. Kat may be the only one to go beyond the platonic relationship. It’ll be interesting to see that develop if ever a sequel is made.

After all, stranger things have happened.

Nero

Nero

2001 was a good year for the Devil May Cry (henceforth shortened to DMC) videogames. DMC III came out and completely saved the franchise from the train-wreck that was its predecessor. The high-octane, intense action-adventure combat was back in business. A sequel was actually green-lit, and all was right in the world.

Except there was one problem. The DMC IV developers felt that making main protagonist Dante start from scratch in terms of abilities and weapons would be unrealistic. So to fix that flaw, the development team created a brand new protagonist. His name? Nero.

Did I mention he’s related to Sparda (Dante’s father who defeated the Devil Himself)?

At first glance Nero seems a capable successor to Dante. He’s got the skill, the flippant attitude, the big mouth, everything DMC fans expect and love from their badass protagonists.

Did I mention Nero’s related to Sparda?

Nero may sound like a Dante clone, but the game’s developers decided to add one tiny wrinkle: Nero’s right arm is possessed. Just by wishing it, Nero can manifest a demonic projection of his right hand. The Devil Bringer – as it’s called – can grab and pull enemies closer, as well as perform some awesome finishers depending on the enemy. Dante never had that.

Did I mention Nero’s related to Sparda?

But there’s more to Nero than the Devil Bringer. Unlike Dante, Nero has a tendency to lose his cool. Several times we see Nero getting emotional in the face of abject failure (usually when he’s being manipulated or when love interest Kyrie’s used as bait). This development may go against the badass attitude fans expect from DMC, but in truth it’s a classic tactic in character development. Both character and player start from scratch; as the game progresses, the player shares the character’s development. Nero’s anger is the player’s anger; Nero’s love is the player’s love. In that light, Nero’s outbursts (and his coming to terms with his emotional state) serve a valuable purpose.

Did I mention Nero’s related to Sparda? Good. Because the game doesn’t.

Nero’s obviously related to Sparda. The white hair, the Devil Trigger – an uber-powerful form exclusive to those with demon blood – isn’t a coincidence. The game implies that Nero is Sparda’s descendant; unfortunately implication is all we get. It’s never explained where Nero stands in the Sparda bloodline (son, grandson, cousin, etc). The closest thing we have is the word of an anonymous Capcom employee who wasn’t even on the DMC IV development team.

One fan theory states that Nero’s actually the son of Dante’s twin brother Vergil. However, that doesn’t make much sense, as Dante and Nero appear to have the same, age-appropriate build. So unless Dante’s about thirty or so years older in DMC IV, the whole uncle/nephew concept falls a little flat.

Another theory is that Eva (Dante’s mother) wasn’t the only woman Sparda slept with in the two millennia of his lifetime. Nero could be the descendant of the union with the unknown woman, which would make Dante and Nero distant cousins. But again, these are fan theories. Capcom has yet to officially comment on the matter.

Most videogame characters mature throughout their respective games so as to create a bond between player and character, solidifying the game experience. Since Dante’s been through that three times before, the development team thought it would be unbelievable to subject Dante to that process again. Thus Nero was born. Despite his obscure origins, his deliberately unfulfilled history, Nero’s still a worthy successor to the Devil May Cry name. Have fun.

DmC Vergil

DmC Vergil

In 2001, videogame company Capcom introduced Devil May Cry, an action-adventure game whose main protagonist, the white-haired demon hunter Dante, took fans by storm with his effortless style, his constant quips, and the dangerous habit to rubbing demons the wrong way. But by the end, Capcom feared his attitude was undermined by the emotional maturity Dante achieves throughout the games. So they rebooted the series with the DmC videogame. Since the DMC mythology revolved heavily around Dante’s twin brother Vergil, he too found a place within the new DmC universe.

Split up for their own protection in the wake of their mother Eva’s murder, Vergil was adopted by a rich family. Unlike Dante, Vergil discovered his half-angel, half-demon heritage (mother Eva and his father Sparda were angel and demon respectively) and focused his talents towards one single goal: the destruction of the Demon King Mundas, the secret ruler of the Human World. To that end he constructed the rebel band the Order to dethrone Mundas But none among his comrades knew how much how personal it is for Vergil.

In the beginning, Vergil is a mentor to his younger brother Dante, guiding him through the events of their forgotten childhood, helping him to discover the power his heritage gives him, and most of all gives Dante a purpose beside the hedonistic lifestyle he’d been living.

But throughout the game Vergil’s inner darkness peeps out. When the Order is infiltrated by the enemy, Vergil’s first thought is to leave loyal comrade Kat behind. A little heartless, but understandable; the cause must be bigger than the individuals that champion it. It’s Dante – who’s always looking out for number one – that suggests Kat’s rescue. Vergil, knowing Dante is too essential for his plans, agrees.

However, he could not pass up an opportunity to hit Mundas where it hurts. Kat is barely out of harm’s way when Vergil snipes the demoness Lilith, Mundas’ concubine and mother to his unborn child. What started as a rescue operation became a disaster that risked everyone’s lives. His excuse was to keep Mundas enraged and distracted so as to easier plot his death, but I watched him do it. He enjoyed murdering Lilith.

It’s only at the game’s end where his true agenda is revealed: humanity are sheep. They’re stupid, baseless beings with no sense of their insignificance, and are little better than animals when left to their own devices. They need to be ruled, and Vergil fancies himself the right one to do it.

Vergil’s contempt for humanity goes further. To Kat, who’s been with him since the beginning, his first recruit and confidante, he says “[She] was useful.” Like a tool that served its purpose and tossed away, never to be seen again. That was Vergil’s plan: to trade one servitude for another. I find it ironic that it’s Kat who convinces Dante not to kill him. Vergil was saved by one of the sheep he believed needed ruling.

The original Vergil always wanted power. He wasn’t subtle about it either: he took what he wanted by force. DmC Vergil is changed. He’s articulate, cultured, intelligent; by all accounts a model gentleman. But no matter how much you cover it up, a person’s darkness still resonates. Such a shame. He was going to save the world . . . just not the way everyone thought. And he still didn’t see his mistake. He didn’t see that he became the very monster he sought to destroy. Tragic.

DmC Dante – Chip Off The Old Block

DmC Dante – Chip Off The Old Block

With the phenomenal success of videogame Devil May Cry 4, the white-haired demon hunter Dante was in more demand than ever. However, parent company Capcom and Ninja Theory felt the original Dante’s trademark attitude had grown stale. So they went back to the drawing board and came up with an even more extreme game: DmC: Devil May Cry. Does DmC Dante live up to the game’s hype? Read on.

The original Dante was known for his trademark cockiness, his love of dangerous stunts, and the unflappable attitude that led him to mouth off to any monster no matter how large (and they can get really, really large). DmC Dante traded his counterpart’s white hair for a side-shaved, black mohawk, but he’s no less awesome. Everything the classic Dante was, DmC Dante cranks those traits to eleven and doesn’t let go.

DmC Dante’s extremist attitude is directly related his horrible childhood. After his mother Eva was murdered, his father Sparda wiped his memory and placed Dante in an orphanage. What Sparda didn’t realize was the orphanage (and the resulting chain of places Dante was kicked out of) was run by the very demons Sparda tried to shield his son from. From that day forth, DmC Dante’s life was a constant struggle to survive.

In fact, the constant abuse is a major influence of DmC Dante’s personality. Since he’s had demons breathing on his neck his entire life, Dante came to the conclusion that each day might be his last. It’s the typical scenario for terminal patients: if you knew today was your last day on the planet, what would you do? Dante’s answer: If it’s his last day, then there’s no consequences. If there’s no consequences, then nothing is off-limits. Hence the drinking and the fornicating and the suicidal fights.

This “last day” mindset also shapes his relationship with the demons who secretly rule the world. With his supernatural powers (thanks to demon father Sparda and angel mother Eva) he could easily bring down Demon King Mundas’ empire. But Dante’s not a hero. He doesn’t have the time to think in the long-term. Dante’s there for the shock value. Anything he can do to mess with the demons’ heads, Dante will do it. He’s the man versus the mountain, and he gives the mountain the finger while he’s at it.

So clearly DmC Dante isn’t the first choice for being a hero. Yet little by little he changes (in large part because of Kat, his partner/love interest). The grand Order he’s recruited into (led by his long-lost twin brother Vergil) starts to mean something to him. By the end of the game he’s changed enough to realize that Vergil’s plan to rule the human populace is no different than Mundas’ empire. In the face of that final hypocrisy, he actually states that “the world is under my protection now.” At the game’s start, Dante wouldn’t even give a second thought for humanity’s safety. And yet . . . here we are.

Dante’s unflappable attitude and constant trash-talking is the core of who he is. But after four games, Capcom feared those traits were being neglected. So they took everything that made the classic Dante a badass and took it to an even higher extreme. The result is a Dante with no boundaries. If each day could be his last, then Dante’s determined to live it in the most debauchery way. It’s just who he is.

Vergil – A Tragedy

Vergil

A mother is killed. For one son, it inspires a hedonistic lifestyle and a career of demon-slaying. The other son is so traumatized that he covets power so he can never be hurt again. In the Devil May Cry videogames (henceforth shortened to DMC), the hedonist is Dante. The power-monger is his twin brother Vergil. This article’s focus is on Vergil.

Cold when Dante brags, serious when Dante cracks wise, Vergil is diametrically opposite of his brother in almost every single way. In fact, while Dante favors his half-human side (courtesy of his human mother Eva), Vergil embraces his half-demon side (courtesy of his demon father the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda). Vergil sweeps his hair back to more closely resemble his father, disregards guns as being beneath a true warrior, and will not hesitate to destroy anyone who stands between him and what he wants. Even his weapon is a personal statement. Dante employs the broadsword Rebellion with a style devoted to stopping power. Vergil, on the other hand, uses his Yamato katana, preferring accuracy and precision over hacking and slashing.

Furthermore, Vergil’s fighting style is grounded in the real-world Iaido discipline. Iaido is a style where the practitioners uses both sword and sheath to attack; specifically using the drawing of the sword as a slash. Additionally, Iaido practitioners generally sheath the sword in-between attacks, which Vergil does. And, as a final homage to Japanese anime, the enemies Vergil destroys don’t collapse or break-down until the Yamato is fully sheathed, adding a little bit of drama to Vergil’s personal sense of style.

Vergil’s main strength is his ruthlessness. Unfortunately it’s also his greatest weakness. During DMC III, Vergil is allied with black magic expert Arkham, the only one capable of unsealing the great Tem-ni-gru tower (in truth a portal to the demon world where Sparda’s power is held). Vergil, having no more use for Arkham once the way was clear, casually murders his ally. However, Vergil is so intent on obtaining his father’s power that he’s blinded to Arkham’s true plan. The unsealing did require the amulets both Dante and Vergil keep (which Vergil took), as also some of Sparda’s blood (which Vergil provided). But Arkham neglected to reveal the existence of a third key: the blood of a holy priestess (which, as it turned out, was provided by Arkham’s daughter Lady). Vergil’s desire for power was used against him.

Speaking of power, Vergil is generally considered more powerful than Dante due to his dark side. However, Vergil fails to understand that Sparda was able to defeat the Satan-like Mundas because he fell in love with humans. Later games will have antagonists claiming Sparda’s signature sword, but ultimately fail to draw the immense power contained within, because of their lacking a heart. It’s by embracing love, embracing humanity, that Sparda and his heirs gained the power that made them into legends.

A mother’s death inspires one son to fight against the evil that murdered her. The other son is so emotionally traumatized that he obsessively seeks power in order to insure that such a grievous wound will never happen again. Vergil devoted his whole adult life towards that goal. But he never really understood how Sparda was able to do all the things he did, never understood that love, not hate, was the true path to strength. It’s what makes him such a good villain . . . and such a great tragedy.

Dante – Son of Sparda

Dante (DMC 1)                                             Dante (DMC 2)

Dante (DMC 3)                                                        Dante (DMC 4)

The Devil May Cry games (henceforth shortened to DMC) are about a lot of things. It’s about intense, stylish combat. It’s about hare-trigger reflexes and trash-talking massive, badass monsters. But none of these things would be possible without one person bringing it all together. That person? Dante, son of Sparda.

We all know someone like Dante. Someone who actively seeks out fights against monstrous opponents. Someone who won’t get out of bed if it’s not dangerously suicidal. Someone who is so graceful and cool it’s like he’s not really trying. Someone who’s a bit of a show-off, always ready for a demonstration of how cool he is, whatever or not people asked for it. Now multiply all that by a million, add a really big sword and pistols, and voila! – You get Dante.

Don’t believe me? Okay. Try this on for size. In DMC III Dante leaps off a twenty-story tall tower, runs down the wall, intentionally lets a giant flying serpent swallow him whole and kills it from within. All to advance to the game’s next “stage.” He could have taken the stairs or even the elevator like a normal person. But no. “Normal” is boring. “Dangerous” is so much more fun.

Unfortunately, the hedonistic behavior didn’t just appear out of nowhere. It came from a tragedy. Born from the union between the uber-powerful demon lord Sparda (who defeated the Satanic-like Mundas and saved the human world) and the very human Eva, Dante enjoyed a happy childhood with his twin brother Vergil. But Sparda’s betrayal of his demon kin eventually caught up with them. At eight years of age, Dante watched his mother get torn limb by limb by a pack of feral demons. So the quipping, the taunting, the badass, hedonistic attitude, it’s all a smoke-screen to cover up the fact that he was unable to save his mother. Dante’s in the demon-killing business as revenge for his mother’s death and Vergil’s turn to the dark side.

It also turns out that Dante is a bit of a softie. Dante’s rivalry with his twin brother Vergil is a major theme in DMC III. The entire game is essentially killing wave after wave of demons just to get to Vergil (who is willing to unleash the Apocalypse on mankind so he can obtain more power). Yet Dante sheds tears over the fact that he couldn’t save him.

Speaking of Vergil, while the latter rejects his human heritage, Dante embraces it. Dante’s partner in DMC 1 is Trish (who conveniently looks exactly like his mother Eva). Of course she’s a traitor and conspires to kill Dante, yet the son of Sparda sees through her demonic lineage and eventually turns her from her master Mundas. As long as there’s a speck of goodness somewhere, Dante will fight for it. He will complain the whole time – and I mean the whole time – but there’s no one you’d rather have at your side.

Dante was something that the video game world never seen before. He was cool but snarky, a joker and a warrior, someone that just oozed coolness, always ready to trash-talk to gigantic monsters and have the skill to get away with it (He’s just that good). Yet deep under all that bravado, there’s someone who’s willing to fight for the good in people, even if their blood is heavy in the dark side.

Pretty cool, huh?