Discussion TheRival / VideoGames

Big huge block of text! I didn't want to delete it because it's a good bit of analysis, but surely it can be condensed to be easier to read?

(Fair Warning: unless you really like or care to learn more about Vergil, Dante's evil twin brother from Devil May Cry 3 Dantes Awakening, you might wanna skip this one, as you were just given all the description required to basically get the idea. T'is why it's at the bottom of the page.)

• What more can one say about Vergil that DMC fanboys haven't already said? In terms of appearance, personality and even his playstyle, he is a true rival to his younger brother in every way: strikingly similar, but still totally different. Throughout the game, Vergil clashes with Dante (morally and physically) more than anyone else in spite of their near identicality, which only makes their conflict even more intense (especially since they're brothers, and Sibling Rivalry arguably runs the deepest). He has the exact same face and body as Dante, but with his clothes, hair and personality, still manages to present himself in a completely different way. Dante uses a wide array of weapons and flashly maneuvers to show off his skills, but Vergil only uses a few, and relies purely on speed and effectiveness to quickly eviscerate his foes. As half-demons, they're both highly powerful, even compared to the full-demons they face, and while Dante is relatively content with his current status (although not unwilling to pick up whatever weapons bosses leave behind), Vergil lusts and actively seeks even more power, as he believes that, in his own words, might controls everything. And last but not least, they're both quite stylish (given the game's ranking system they'd have to be), but whereas Dante thrives on cracking jokes, mocking his opponents and going overboard in an overt attempt to be cool, Vergil only ever says what he needs to, sometimes hardly acknowledging his opponents, cutting them down in a matter of seconds, in a way meant to assert intimidation and dominance, which is debatably even cooler. This pattern can be stretched to occasionally include a single, harsh insult, and is similar to the dismissive dominance an older brother may have over his younger sibling. However, the sole exception to this treatment is, oddly, Dante himself, who Vergil knows could actually be a threat to his plan given their equal Power Level, with whom he instead indulges in some pre-battle small talk, a reflection on their equally warped perspectives on "brotherly love" and the "heartwarming family reunion" taking place. In terms of fighting him as a boss, the story progresses very naturally over the 3 fights you have with him, and could also be seen as another metaphor about the relationship between an older and younger brother: the first battle has the older brother win unanimously, the second ends in a stalemate, and the third features both being much stronger than before, but the younger brother ultimately emerges victorious. He also serves as an interesting contrast to the typical "giant evil demon" boss archetype one usually sees in a character-action game like this, by being the exact same size as your character while remaining equally as imposing, if not moreso. Needless to say, Vergil is the ice to Dante's fire.
  • Special thanks to Nelo Angelo in Devil May Cry 1 for prepping the world for Vergil.

Edited by LentilSandEater Do what the clock does, keep going. Hide / Show Replies