History Characters / Bayonetta

* PoweredArmor: She wields the Umbran Armor in Chapter 12 of the second game. [[spoiler:It becomes her Umbran Climax when playable.]]

* DoubleWeapon: His weapon of choice is a golden double-bladed halberd. It can be [[BifurcatedWeapon split apart]] to form [[DualWielding two swords]].

* FireIceLightning: When playable in Tag Climax, his kick button is replaced with a variety of elemental spells, mostly fire and lightning. His boss fights take it further.

-->'''Masked Lumen''': Bayonetta! Shall we illustrate?

* NoNonsenseNemesis: Compared to the previous bosses in the series and [[LargeHam their tendency to devour the scenery with relish]], the Masked Lumen seems to find little use for TrashTalk. The first time he is fought he does not utter a single word before engaging Bayonetta in combat.

* SummonBiggerFish: Just as our heroine can call forth demons, the Masked Lumen can call forth angels. [[spoiler:In his case, he brings out the Cardinal Virtues from the previous game.]]
* ThePowerOfTheSun: His weapon, clothing, and mask all have sun motifs and he has sun magic. Fitting, as he is a Lumen Sage.
* TimeStandsStill: Using his Light Speed, the Lumen Sage can easily keep up with Bayonetta's Witch Time ability. Best seen during the first boss fight, where he casually grabs a handful of bullets shot at him from almost point-blank range and drops them to the ground. Also, one of his attacks is to fire a set of clock-shaped magical blasts that will slow Bayonetta down if it connects.

* ChainedByFashion: Wears a thick collar and shackles connected by chains, placed there by her clan after she broke their code and was imprisoned by them. She uses them as an ImprovisedWeapon in ''2''.

* EvilWeapon: Her revolvers, Unforgiven, were sealed away and sapped of most of their magic after they were used in the betrayal and injury of an Umbran Witch. Rosa is forced to use them during the Witch Hunts.
* GlassCannon: In ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta 2}}'' she can dish out huge damage, but can't take much in return. When compared to [[OneHitPointWonder Little Zero]], Rosa still takes more hits than him.
* HorribleJudgeOfCharacter: [[spoiler:She fell in love with a monster who eventually killed her and who went on to instigate the witch hunt that led to the near-complete eradication of the Umbra Witches.]] However, the second game reveals that [[spoiler:she and Balder genuinely loved one another and the latter was once heroic and not evil when they knew each other. It was through sealing Loptr away inside of him that he became the villain you see in the first game. Furthermore, Loptr killed her, and [[StartofDarkness Balder was horrified by this]]]].
* PoweredArmor: She wields the Umbran Armor in Chapter 12 of the second game. [[spoiler: It becomes her Umbran Climax when playable.]]

* StrongFamilyResemblance: She is basically [[spoiler: Bayonetta]] in all but name and personality. They have the same height, same build, and use the same demon contracts. They have the same voice actress. This resemblance extends into gameplay as Unforgiven uses the same moveset as Scarborough Fair. Hell, their official artwork poses are [[http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/bayonetta/images/8/86/Rosa.png/revision/latest?cb=20141007214203 virtually]] [[http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/bayonetta/images/d/d4/Bayo_key_visual.png/revision/latest?cb=20090902142514 identical]] to one another.

Introduced in ''Bayonetta 2'', Medusa takes on the appearance of a severed head with a snake-like body and seven smaller snake-like heads coming out of the main body like hair.

* {{Irony}}: All of them display traits that are a stark contrast to the virtue they embody. Fortitudio repeatedly tries to discourage Bayonetta from confronting him, Temperantia has some rather suggestive dialogue with her, etc. They may behave in opposition to their virtues in order to inspire the corresponding virtue in humanity. Or they're just a bunch of hypocrites.

* DarkIsNotEvil: He has the power of black and blue darkness in contrast to Loptre's blue light.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see her appearance in Bayonetta 2]][[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bayonetta_2.png]][[/labelnote]]]]

-> Voiced by: Hellena Taylor (EN), Creator/AtsukoTanaka (JP)

[[CharacterTitle The main character of the series.]] Bayonetta is one of the Umbra Witches, a magical European clan that existed hundreds of years ago to protect the world's sacred darkness. However, she was born at the center of conflict – her parents were an Umbra Witch, Rosa, and a Lumen Sage named Balder, and their union led to the destruction of both of their clans. In the midst of the Witch Hunts that put her life in danger, Bayonetta was sealed away without her memories for five hundred years. Her awakening and resultant desire to remember her identity starts the events of ''Bayonetta''.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see her appearance in Bayonetta 2]][[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jeanne_bayonetta_2_render.png]][[/labelnote]]]]

-> Voiced by: Creator/GreyDeLisle (EN), Creator/MieSonozaki (JP)

Jeanne is a major antagonist in ''Bayonetta'' and a major protagonist in ''Bayonetta 2''. An Umbra Witch of prodigious skill, Jeanne was Bayonetta's childhood friend and her frequent sparring partner, despite Bayonetta's stigma as an impure outsider and Jeanne's status as heir to the clan. When the Witch Hunts threatened the safety of her clan, Jeanne sealed Bayonetta away and spent the next five hundred years fighting the forces of Paradiso as the last of her kind.

->Voiced by: Creator/YuriLowenthal (EN), Creator/DaisukeNamikawa (JP, anime)

Luka is a significant supporting character in the series, being an antagonist of sorts in ''Bayonetta'' while being firmly on Bayonetta's side in the sequel. Like his father Antonio, Luka is an intrepid journalist dedicated to uncovering the truth, and also puts his talents to use in uncovering the mysteries of Vigrid's Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches. His interest in the subject began when his father – who was also investigating the clans – suffered a strange death; Luka's subsequent investigations eventually led to him encountering Bayonetta twenty years later.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/image_6620.jpg]]

-> Voiced by: Creator/DaveFennoy (EN), Creator/TesshoGenda (JP, anime)

Rodin is Bayonetta's armorer, and the bartender and owner of the Gates of Hell in his spare time. Menacing and dangerous, his weapons are powered by the souls of demons he personally beats into submission, but he prefers to watch Bayonetta put his "works of art" to use instead of getting directly involved in the games' storylines. Despite his bloody place in the cast, Rodin's shown a softer, more affable side on occasion, and cheerfully greets the player with cheesy jokes and pop-culture references whenever they visit his shop.

->Voiced by: Chick Vennera (EN. ''Bayonetta''), John Kassir (EN, ''Bayonetta 2''), Creator/WataruTakagi (JP)

A mobster who operates in the city Bayonetta calls home. Like Luka, Enzo's primary role in the series is to provide Bayonetta with information. However, Enzo's information usually springs from underworld connections and takes the form of tips that put Bayonetta in the right place to track down what she's looking for. Enzo's "business" doesn't put him in a position to help out during the main storyline, so his appearances in the ''Bayonetta'' series are at the beginning and end of the game.

* CanonWelding: It's been suggested he's the same Enzo from ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry''.

->Voiced by: Joy Jillian (EN), Creator/MiyukiSawashiro (JP, anime)

->Voiced by: Mark Daugherty (EN), Creator/JunkoMinagawa (JP)

->Voiced by: Hellena Taylor (EN), Creator/AtsukoTanaka (JP)

->Voiced by: Jenny O'Hara (EN), Reiko Suzuki (JP)

->Voiced by: George Ball (EN), Yasushi Miyabayashi (''Bloody Fate'')

Luka's father and a renowned journalist and investigator. Twenty years before the events of ''Bayonetta'', Antonio investigated the city of Vigrid and the Ithavoll group in search of the truth behind their holy façades, meticulously documenting everything he uncovered in a battered notebook. Antonio is never interacted with in ''Bayonetta'''s present-day storyline, but the actions he took in the past would eventually shape much of Bayonetta's journey to remember her identity.

--> - Repeated line

->Voiced by: George Ball
The first of the Audito, representing the viture of Courage and Fortitude, as well as the element of Fire. A massive, two-headed, dragon-like creature, he played a large role in the Witch Hunts, and therefore is a key part of Bayonetta's lost memories. She encounters him the most during her journey.

->Voiced by: Creator/YuriLowenthal
The second of the Audito, Temperantia embodies the Cardinal Virtue of Temperance as well as the element of Air. He is a massive, castle-like giant with giant arms that look like gun turrets. He uses his power over wind to antagonize Bayonetta throughout her trek through Vigrid until he is defeated.

->Voiced by: Grant Albrecht
The third of the Audito, Iustitia represents the Cardinal Virtue of Justice and the Element of Earth. It appears as an indecipherable mass of vaguely plant-like, demonic-looking tentacles, which serve to hinder Bayonetta's progress until she finally confronts their source.

->Voiced by: Creator/DaveFennoy
The last of the Audito, Sapientia represents the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence and the element of Water. He appears with Jeanne during her second confrontation with Bayonetta and challenges the Umbra Witch almost immediately afterwards. He acts as the [[BigBad main villain's]] second in command, and displays a none-too-subtle contempt for humanity. His appearance somewhat resembles a cross between an alligator and a panther.

->Voiced by: Grant Albrecht, Creator/CrispinFreeman as the Masked Lumen (EN), Creator/NorioWakamoto, Creator/TakehitoKoyasu as the Masked Lumen(JP)

->Voiced by: Creator/TaraPlatt

->Voiced by: Creator/CrispinFreeman (EN), Creator/TakehitoKoyasu (JP)

-> Voiced by: Creator/FredTatasciore

An enormous manta-ray like Infernal Demon that serves as the first boss of Chapter VII in Bayonetta 2, attacking Bayonetta and Loki when they use the Ark to travel to Inferno through Fimbulventr's underground water caverns. Though they apparently defeat it, they are quickly swallowed alive, and the rest of the chapter's action takes place inside it.

->Voiced by: TJ Ramini (EN), Creator/TakumiYamazaki (JP)

->Voiced by: Creator/TaraPlatt

--> - Aesir

A mechanical demon that serves as a miniboss in Bayonetta 2. Has a stronger, fiery version of it called Pride that is fought during Chapters VIII and X.

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Madama Butterfly
A demon taking the form of a woman who left this world under unfortunate circumstances, only to be reincarnated in hell. Unlike her beautiful, swallowtail butterfly-like appearance, this demon is particularly brutal, and her reputation is well known among the denizens of Inferno.

--> - Jeanne, summoning Madama Styx

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Gomorrah

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Malphas

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Hekatoncheir

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Scolopendra

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Phantasmaraneae

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Queen Sheba

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Labolas
A new demon introduced in Bayonetta 2, Labolas seems to be Bayonetta's new go-to demon for generic toothy power after Gomorrah turned renegade and attempted to kill her.

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Mictlantecuhtli
A four-winged demonic bat introduced in Bayonetta 2 that attacks by pressing foes against the ground while drilling into them, Mictlantecuhtli is one of the only Infernal Demons to not be summoned as a Climax attack on its own.

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Baal
A giant crowned toad demon with a spiky tongue introduced in Bayonetta 2.

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Hydra
Introduced in Bayonetta 2, Medusa takes on the appearance of a severed head with a snake-like body and seven smaller snake-like heads coming out of the main body like hair.

--> - Bayonetta, summoning Diomedes
A new demon introduced in Bayonetta 2, it takes the form of a demonic unicorn with a very huge, sharp horn that serves as a sword.

--> - Balder's half of Omne's incantation

* RasputinianDeath: [[spoiler:She has her powers [[CurbStompBattle beaten out of her several times]], [[SummonBiggerFish a Great Demon is summoned to punch her out]], [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill her soul fries in the Sun]], and Bayonetta and Jeanne [[NeverFoundTheBody destroy the statue that formed her body]] until there's not enough of it to punch through the atmosphere.]]

* HiddenDepths: He might be foul-mouthed and temperamental, but Bayonetta notes in ''2'' that he's quite the family man. In ''1'', he may be VitriolicBestBuds with Bayo, but he really does care about her.

* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: The enemy profile for Balder in the first ''Bayonetta'' paints him as a remorseless, evil man driven purely by self-interest who started the Witch Hunts to further his plans, to the point of saying that the only reason he and Rosa had Bayonetta was as a ruse to gain the Left Eye of Darkness. ''Bayonetta 2'' reveals that [[GoodAllAlong this is only]] [[TragicVillain vaguely true]]: Balder was duped by the Cardinal Virtues into starting the Witch Hunts and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone he was properly mortified when he realized it]], he loved Rosa and his daughter dearly, and his plan in the first game was to [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans recreate the world so he could bring Rosa back]], which had been twisted and distorted by [[spoiler: Loptr, who was possessing and corrupting him from within, driving him to his evil actions.]]

-> ''"As long as there's music, I'll keep dancing!"''

* PistolWhipping: Her most basic fighting style: with Love Is Blue equipped, her punches and kicks have her smack angels and demons around with the four pistols. Far more evident in cutscenes, where the audience gets a number of close-ups of her slapping the taste out of angels with them.

-> ''"You didn't think I'd miss a good fight, did you?"''

** Doubling as a FunnyMoment, [[spoiler:Luka swinging in to rescue Loki after he's drained him of his Sovereign Power]] causes Loptr to [[OutOfCharacterMoment react with genuine surprise and briefly drop his calm demeanor]]. Bayonetta doesn't miss a beat in [[LampshadeHanging Lampshading]] it.

[[quoteright:240:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1909222_2859.jpg]]

->Voiced by: Richard Epcar (EN), Yasushi Miyabayashi (''Bloody Fate'')

* GracefulLoser: If you manage to beat him.

-> Voiced by: Music/GreyDeLisle (EN), Creator/MieSonozaki (JP)

* ClimaxBoss: He's the last of the four Cardinal Virtues to be fought.