Video, from 5:17-8:33. Warning for mild blood and guts.
SUMMARY: Nero is finishing a battle with a big ugly devil named Goliath, who has a giant gaping maw in its belly that can also spit fire. He's been at it for a while, so it's gotten pretty weak. Even in its weakened state, however, it declares it will take over the underworld--that's when one of V's familiars, Griffon (bird), comes flying in and distracts it.
V casually walks onto the scene, swinging his cane as he recites from his book: "I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe, that made my love so high and me so low." He extends his cane and from the tattoos on his arms bursts forth Shadow (cat), another of V's familiars. Shadow leaps towards Goliath and morphs into a spinning blade that slices through Goliath, bringing it to the ground.
Dying, Goliath asks V why. One assumes someone who has pacts with demonic familiars has nothing against devils. But V just walks up to the beast, and with another Blake quote--"Little wanderer, hie thee home!"--he thrusts the pointed edge of his cane into Goliath's head, killing it for good. Nero approaches.
Nero: Thought I was gonna have to pick you out of his... tummy teeth. V: Pardon my delay, I was catching up on some reading. [he holds his book aloft, for emphasis] Nero: [sarcastically] Yeah... looks like a real page-turner.
With Goliath dead, a section of the massive hell tree vine... thing collapses into dust, paving the way for V and Nero to head further in.
Nero: So... you think Dante's still in there? V: If U█████ defeated him, then I expect he's not much more than Qliphoth pollen by now. Nero: A what? V: Qliphoth. It's a tree that grows in the underworld. It thrives on human blood, and those whose blood it sucks, well... let's just say they don't turn out too well.
V gestures to some petrified, blood-drained human statues nearby.
Nero: Well, in any case... we need to find out. If Dante's alive, we'll save him. If not, we don't.
V stops Nero by hooking his cane on Nero's shoulder, informing him that they need to exterminate some Qliphoth roots first. Nero doesn't object, but he does pause as V's familiars, Griffon and Shadow, return. He gives V a funny look while Griffon perches on his arm.
Nero: █... what the hell are you?
V just smiles. A moment later, a van pulls up behind them, being driven by a young woman with a lot of tattoos and a funny accent. V knows this woman is Nero's mechanic for his arm, Nico. She's heard of him, although before they can exchange greetings, she points out a severed limb from Goliath on the ground by his feet, which she identifies as potential material she can use to build something in her workshop. V kicks it to her and she looks delighted.
Nico: Wooowee, I'm gonna make something amaaazing outta this! Nero: [disgusted] Did you just sniff that? Do you have any idea where that's been? Nico: Up your butt? Nero: [huffs] Focus on the mission.
The memory ends.
MEMORY TWO - "If only you never existed... then I...!"
SUMMARY: V is traversing the ruins of Redgrave City, in a section that seems to be a massive mausoleum. Griffon scouts ahead and comes back to inform V that he found some demons that looked like they were dancing for some reason. V assumes this means the thing they're looking for--the Devil Sword Sparda--must be nearby. They go looking for it, traversing the crypts and tombs of the ruined city. This exchange occurs, which is not in the video linked:
Griffon: You're awfully quiet, █. Thinking about mommy dearest? V: I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. But the past is... a bitter place for me.
It takes some time but V eventually finds the sword embedded in a wall and exterminates the Qliphoth root so he can retrieve it. It's a massive thing, and V struggles to lift it for more than a few seconds.
V: It seems this sword is still too strong for me... Griffon: So close, though, so close. You got a lot of heart, kid, you really do, but you're a bit of a sissy in the strength department. Hey, hey, no offense, uh, you know. V: That kid, Nero... he has the strength.
Just then, Shadow alerts them to another find: Dante. Somehow, despite all odds, Dante's body is whole and alive, laying in the gnarled limbs of a bloody tree like some kind of demonic pietà. V sees him and smiles; maybe they're not so screwed after all. But there's only one problem--Dante won't wake up.
Griffon: I don't even have the words. I--he's alive, he's alive! V: The devil sword Sparda was concealing Dante's presence. Griffon: How does one friggin' guy have so much luck, huh!?
Something comes over V. Between seeing Dante alive and being unable to handle the sword, a rush comes over him. He starts to drag the devil sword Sparda towards Dante, while Griffon panics and tells him to get ahold of himself.
V: If only you could defeat U█████... if only... no. Griffon: █? No no no... V: If only you never existed... then I...! Griffon: Don't do it, █! No no NO!
In a surge of strength, V lifts the sword above Dante's head like he's about to bring it down and end him once and for all... and instead he slams it into the ground, inches from Dante's face. That seems to be the thing that wakes Dante out of his coma, as his eyes abruptly open and he sits up.
Dante: For a second there I thought you were gonna shish kabob me. V: I know how stubborn you can be. I thought it might be the only way to wake you.
V informs Dante that a full month has passed since their last encounter with the demon king. Griffon tells Dante to hurry up and get moving, before Nero (who is currently on his way to the demon king) beats them to it. Dante punts Griffon.
Dante: Hey, this is my gig. Leave Nero out of this. V: If you could defeat U█████... then I never would have dreamed of using that child. But U█████... is much stronger than we ever could have imagined.
The memory ends there.
Edited 2020-03-19 06:24 (UTC)
MEMORY THREE - Visions of V Ch. 5-6, Contracting with Shadow and confronting Phantom
(Note: At the beginning of Ch. 5, V has a flashback to being tortured by Mundus in the Underworld. This has been removed and will be part of another memory later. The memory will start right as V shakes himself out of it.)
SUMMARY: V, shortly after contracting with Griffon, is looking for other demons to contract with. Griffon mention that there should be at least three nearby that are like him, which implies that these familiars are demonic in origin but there's something special about them. It's emphasized that V really desperately needs power, and that he's extremely weak in this state.
They eventually run into Shadow, a shape-shifting panther(jaguar?) demon who steals V's cane and runs away. Griffon explains that the cane has a little bit of demonic energy in it, and that V himself is similar. They give chase and end up running into Phantom, a giant spider demon that could be very useful to them... but it obviously has zero intention of contracting with V. V's weakened state offends it, and it refuses to even consider the possibility. It also calls V its "host".
V basically tells Phantom to go fuck itself and it gets angry. Faced with no other choice, V tells Shadow that if it's going to keep fighting for its life, that they need each other. Shadow seems to understand, and uses its shape-shifting powers to trick and then kill Phantom.
Afterwards, it jumps onto V and licks his face. Shadow's a good kitty.
SUMMARY: V and co. are making their way through Redgrave, before the mausoleum, just after a demolished outdoor market. Careful not to be seen, V and Griffon come across two powerful demons making plans. One of them is Malphas, a three-headed chicken lady, who is ordering an Elder Geryon Knight to search out the Devil Sword Sparda. V smacks Griffon to shut up and listens in. It seems certain upper-echelon demons like Malphas are looking for the Devil Sword Sparda in order to destroy it, in the fear that a blood descendant could use it to take down the demon king.
Once Malphas teleports away, V approaches the Elder Geryon Knight.
V: I see. I know what you are. Don't worry... I'll be gentle.
The battle ensues. During this fight, V summons Nightmare, which incidentally reveals his natural hair color (white).
EGK: Weak, powerless creatures. Griffon: So? You got a comeback for that? V: "One thought fills immensity..." Griffon: This is not the time for poetry! Wait, what does that even mean? V: Where there's a will, there's a way... now let's go!
It turns out that the horse can control time, which is really annoying.
V: The power to control time... that's quite a horse. Griffon: But that would mean it's Geryon! I thought Dante killed it already! V: A rare species, but apparently not quite extinct. Until today, that is. Griffon: Be careful, V! He's got horsepower! V: I'll take that momentum... and send it right back.
The battle ends, and V stabs the horse with his cane, finishing it off with the line, "The hours of folly are measured by the clock, but of wisdom: no clock can measure." He thinks he's being clever. The knight riding atop the now-dead steed is wounded but still alive, and he flees. V tries to give chase, but that battle took a lot out of him, and he's exhausted. He and Griffon discuss what to do.
V: If the Devil Sword Sparda still exists, it may very well be our only hope. Griffon: V, uhhh, think about this for a minute now. What will you do if you find it? You gotta be strong in mind and body to wield the Sparda, and you, sir, are neither. Hate to break it to you, but the Sparda will just be too much for ya. V: For me, yes. But what of the boy... Nero?
Griffon seems unconvinced. V finds a remnant of the demon for Nico to use, and picks it up, heading back to the van. His last comment before the memory ends is that once they're near the Sparda, even he should be able to sense it.
SUMMARY: Nero and V are traveling together through Redgrave, when they're stopped by a quintet of demons--all Angelos, a type of humanoid-shaped demon that are basically mindless killing automatons known to serve the king of the Underworld. They're imposing, to say the least, but nothing these two can't take care of. Nero taunts them, but V feels something burning inside him and his face contorts into an expression of fury. He wants to kill these Angelos so bad for some reason.
Nero: Nice, getting the band back together, huh? V: What evil lurks... I must destroy. Nero: I thought that was the plan all along.
The battle ensues. It's a tough fight, but Nero and V work well together, and soon they triumph. (Go to 29:44 to skip the battle) Afterwards, they ride the moving platform to a part of Redgrave that V... knows. They're in the ruins of what looks like a playground. V reminesces.
V: I've just remembered something... this town was attacked once before. Nero: Is that so? V: I was here... I can still see it. In fact, I was playing right here. That was the house.
He points to a partially-demolished house in the distance. This won't show from an audience perspective, but V will have a few flashes of what the park, playground, and house looked like from long ago, when he was a child. V decides to change the subject.
V: This is where we part ways. You go ahead. Nero: You're gonna miss all the fun. V: No, I must seek out the devil sword Sparda. Nero: What? Yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea, trust me. V: [patting Nero on the shoulder] You're not the only one who thinks so. But to win this fight, we're going to need all the help we can get.
NOTE: This memory will feel different from V's other memories, because this one technically belongs to Vergil.
SUMMARY: The memory itself is pretty straightforward: a weakened Vergil, dressed in rags, finds Nico and Nero's garage. He can sense the presence of the Yamato, which is stored in Nero's right arm. He waits until Nico leaves, approaching Nero alone. Nero is a little weirded out, but assumes Vergil is just another vagrant, and offers him some of the food that Kyrie is cooking.
Vergil pays no attention to this. He's here for one thing, and one thing only. As he approaches, the Yamato reacts, and Nero notices. On guard, he asks Vergil if he's a demon. Kyrie calls for him and Nero yells for her to get back inside, and as he does Vergil grabs Nero's arm and throws him against the wall--ripping the arm clean off in the process.
Nero, lying on the ground, blood spurting from where his right arm once was, howls in pain. It means nothing to Vergil, who simply rasps, "I'm taking this back." Nero's severed arm transforms back into the Yamato, a katana. Even with it back in his hands, Vergil can feel his death looming close. Coughing, weakened, he mutters, "I'm running out of time."
Vergil uses the Yamato to cut time and space into a portal, and staggers through it, as Nero gasps for him to wait--and disappears.
Edited 2020-04-28 02:54 (UTC)
MEMORY SEVEN - "Happy birthday". Visions of V Ch. 12
SUMMARY: V and Griphon are discussing how they're going to approach Dante. V has fewer qualms than Griphon: he'll just find him and ask him. Griphon says he needs a pseudonym, which is how V comes up with "V". Griphon rightly criticizes his lack of creativity.
Unfortunately, V is getting weak, and he's especially hungry. The two discuss what to do, and come to the conclusion that they should just steal whatever money they need. Great idea, guys! As they walk into a nearby alley, they come across a woman being mugged by several thugs. Griphon warns V away, as one of the guys is carrying a gun, and they're low on power right now. V suddenly gets distracted by one of the items the woman is carrying: an amulet. The muggers demand she hand it over, but she begs them for mercy, saying it's a memento of her mother's.
V suddenly has a flashback of being a child. He remembers himself (Vergil) and Dante as kids, receiving a pair of matching pendants from their mother for their birthday. He can almost hear his mother's voice right next to him, saying "Happy birthday".
Suddenly, V trips and knocks a bunch of trash cans over, causing a ruckus that alerts the muggers and the woman. V's stomach growls and Griphon yells at him.
SUMMARY: Raven is in a helicopter as it travels towards the massive Qliphoth tree, listening to the news report. The town of Redgrave has been almost completely taken over by demons and there's a lot of panic. The helicopter lands, and everyone gets out--V, Dante, Lady, and Trish. Morrison stays behind. Lady asks what the target's name is, to which Dante defers to V, and V tells them it's Urizen.
They make their way to the Qliphoth interior, which has grown so much it looks like the gaping maw of the underworld. It smells terrible. The others make comments to the effect, but V is just so, so bothered by Trish for some reason. Griphon bugs him about it, but V is evasive. They confirm their plan: make their way to Urizen, and deal the finishing blow.
Abruptly, a powerful sensation comes over V. Urizen's current power is much, much more than he anticipated. It's so overwhelming that for a moment he sees the ground come up to swallow him, like withered souls reaching out to him from the river Styx. You can tell I really like this scene because I'm getting fancy with my summary. Anyway. UNDERSTANDABLY, THIS MAKES V FREAK OUT. He knows immediately that they're fucked, that even the three most powerful devil hunters in the world don't stand a chance.
He announces that this has gotten far worse than he thought, and Dante tauntingly suggests he head back if it's too much. Despite his moment of inner screaming, he actually agrees, and turns around while the other three head inward.
Griphon exasperatedly questions what V even plans to do, if Urizen is just going to take them all out anyway. V suggests Nero might be of use--moreso than himself, anyway. It's a long shot, but it's the only plan they have.
V approaches Morrison and tells him to take him to Fortuna.
MEMORY NINE - "That's my line". Visions of V Ch. 12 part 2
SUMMARY: Immediately takes place after this memory. The muggers, having noticed V, approach him. The main guy kicks V's cane away and demands he give up his wallet. V says he doesn't have any money, and the guy puts a gun to V's head to emphasize how much he's not fucking around. V's very nonchalant about having his life threatened, which ends up irritating the dude, and he clocks V in the head with the gun.
That triggers Shadow to retaliate, who emerges in blob form and grumpily stabs the guy with spikes. V smears away blood from his nose, which is very sexy. I'm really not doing this scene justice, it's very good how the muggers all scream in terror and get pinned to the wall by kitty spikes and V takes all their money. Afterwards, as V and Griffon discuss what to do now, V notices the necklace that the woman dropped on the ground. She's been sitting in the corner this whole time, traumatized and terrified out of her mind of what horrors she's seen V and co. unleash.
He leaves the necklace behind, saying it's not worth taking.
MEMORY TEN - (Vergil 2) "Heavy chain that does freeze my bones around!" Visions of V, Ch. 1
Link here. This first chapter is some really gorgeous and evocative art, I recommend reading it instead of my dumb summary.
SUMMARY: The first half of this memory is Vergil's, and the second half of it is V's.
Weakened, close to death, Vergil wanders the streets of Redgrave city until he finds the burnt, hollowed-out ruins of his childhood home. In his hand, he clutches the Yamato, freshly-stolen from Nero. As he stands before the family portrait, the only faces not burnt away his and Dante's as children, he unsheathes the sword. Vergil vows in his heart not to lose to Dante--it is not death he fears, but losing. With a sudden thrust, he stabs his midsection with the Yamato.
A sword like Yamato is made to cut anything in existence--it can even cut apart a man from his demon. Vergil, gritting his teeth, howling with rage and pain, cuts away his memories of torment and slavery, of loss, of everything he's suffered. Everything that has made him weak. Not just memories, but his humanity, as well. The human half of his heart must be discarded if he is to gain power. Ironically, it's a William Blake quote that Vergil cries out as he tears away his human half: "Heavy chain that does freeze my bones around!"
V's body, made of little more than paper, falls to the ground behind him. He's barely conscious, barely alive. He lifts his head, and as he does, he sees something horrifying: Vergil's body twisting and warping into a hulking, demonic mass. Terrified and desperate, V tries to summon magical energy to protect himself, realizing he's nothing more than discarded trash, and he'd be far too weak to defend himself. As Vergil becomes Urizen, the massively powerful demon king, V feels overcome with anguish and shame for how powerless he is.
As he crawls, naked and paralyzed on the floor, his hand bumps into a book--the one Vergil kept as a child, filled with Blake's poems and writings. He had written his initial on the cover--V. Memories of childhood, of the simple joy of reading a book, of Dante, fill his head, and he feels even weaker than before.
His last, desperate thought as he clings to the book, is: "I don't want to die."
MEMORY ELEVEN - "Let's make a contract." Visions of V, Ch. 1-2
Link here. The sequence of events is slightly out of order.
SUMMARY: This memory takes place immediately after this one. As V is lying on the floor, Griphon bursts into the room and yanks him out, throwing V into a nearby alley. He lands in some garbage bags, and Griphon sarcastically apologizes for not finding a bed of feathers to lay him down on. He quickly asserts his purpose for saving V: they need to form a contract.
Griphon explains that he's a demon formed of Vergil's discarded memories--in addition to V, Vergil cut away all the nightmares that plagued him, and for a moment V gets a flashback to Nelo Angelo, and shudders. Without a host, a "dream" like Griphon is fated to disappear, which is why he needs a host. He emphasizes that V has no room to refuse, as his body is extremely weak and the odds of Urizen accepting him back are none. The only way they can rejoin is by defeating him, which is impossible in his current state. He needs a familiar to obtain any kind of power at all.
V, still reeling from his birth and being thrown out a window, tells Griphon to find him some clothes. In a nearby alley, they find a punk about the same size and build as V, who is in the process of mugging someone. Griphon gets the drop on him, and V takes his clothes. They're pretty threadbare and revealing, which V complains about. Griphon gets annoyed. V's not totally sold on the contract yet, unwilling to fully accept that he needs to rely on someone else in order to move forward. As they argue, an Empusa demon forms behind them, and V tells Griphon to kill it as a test of strength.
Griphon zaps it with lightning. As it sizzles, he asks V, "So, still don't need me?"
MEMORY TWELVE - "I need an even stronger nightmare." Visions of V, Ch. 7
SUMMARY: Takes place after this memory. V accepts the contract with Shadow, whose essence seeps into him like a kind of gooey inky... mess. As V absorbs Shadow, he has a brief mental sequence where Shadow's massive maw rears towards him, and instead licks his face. It forms into multiple inky claws that tear painlessly at his skin, forming the tattoos on his arms. As the contract is complete, the nightmare that makes up Shadow replays in V's mind--the memories of being Nelo Angelo, of raging against his own body, and dying at Dante's hand.
It makes him panic, sweat forming over his skin. He hates this feeling, hates having to relive traumatic experiences from Vergil's past. And also he nEEDS MOAR POWER. He tells Griphon he needs to seek out an even stronger nightmare in order to defeat Urizen. Gripon chastises him for killing Phantom (the big spider) but what's done is done. He's reluctant to show V where the strongest nightmare is, because it's "bad news", but V wants to go anyway.
They return to the Sparda manor. Inside, there's a truly massive demon; the biggest and most powerful Nightmare that Vergil discarded. Even looking at it has V shaking, a cold sweat forming on his brow. Griphon tells him they need to leave before it's too late, but V's got a powerboner and isn't leaving without a new contract.
Edited 2020-08-14 22:03 (UTC)
MEMORY THIRTEEN - "This is my last request." "The truth is..."
SUMMARY: V, his body slowly crumbling to ash, is making his way through the qliphoth tree towards Urizen, and comes across Malphas (the three-headed chicken lady), who is plotting to seize power from Urizen. V realizes he can't take her on with the little power he has left, and is quickly trying to think of a way to avoid her when he accidentally lets some rocks fall and alerts her to his presence. Terrified and panicking, V backs up as she starts stalking in his direction. He's just about to be found, half-dead and hiding like a weakling, when Nero shows up and shoots Malphas to distract her. It doesn't show in the video but as Nero and Malphas fight, V throws Nero extra devil bringer arms. It's cute.
Once Nero is victorious, he calls out for V to come out. V and Griphon barely have enough power for Griphon to fly V over to Nero. V tries to play it casual as he tells Nero, "I guess I owe you one," but he takes two steps and nearly collapses. Nero tries to convince V to turn back before his body collapses, to get some rest, but V refuses. He has to see his through, has to find Urizen and confront him. Nero still thinks it's a bad idea, but eventually resigns when V implores him, saying, "This is my last request."
They head further in, with V having to lean on both Nero and his cane for support. His body is disintegrating more and more--but he still has a faint sliver of hope that he'll make it.
V: The truth is... I wanted to be protected and loved. But I was alone. My only choice was to survive. Nero: V, you gotta rest. V: Nero, I will tell you... everything. There is no demon named Urizen. Only a man who threw away his humanity, in an endless pursuit of power. He is Dante's older brother. Nero: Dante's brother? V: Yes. And his real name is... Vergil. Nero: They're brothers? Why are they fighting each other? V: To see one's justice through, a man must fight for it. Even if the one who stands before him is his kin. Nero: That's ridiculous. V: The brothers of blood disagree on the very reason of their existence. They must fight.
MEMORY FOURTEEN - (Vergil 3) "The heart is a tumor of weakness. So let me rid you of it."
SUMMARY: This is a pretty straightforward memory, and yet a vague one as well. Basically this memory is the ?years? that Vergil was captured and tortured by Mundus, the former king of the Underworld. Vergil is around 19-20 years old. He goes through a lot, enough pain and brainwashing that he loses his sense of self. He fights it for a remarkably long time, holding out through sheer stubbornness, but with Yamato broken and lost, and his strength gone, he eventually succumbs.
The end result is Vergil being turned into a mindless fighting drone called Nero Angelo. His will, identity, and memories still exist--but they are basically trapped inside a walking suit of armor.
MEMORY FIFTEEN - "I have no name; I am but two days old." Visions of V, Ch. 14-15
SUMMARY: V and Griphon are waiting outside of Devil May Cry, while Morrison tells Dante about the job. V is a bit nervous about going in, as it's been a long time since Dante and Vergil had spoken face to face. Griphon suggests doing something "unVergil-like" to clear any suspicions, such as cracking a joke. V enters the building silently, pondering. When Dante asks him for his name, V quotes Blake--"I have no name; I am but two days old. Just kidding... you can call me V." Griphon telepathically tells him that was a pretty lame joke.
V explains his reason for hiring Dante: a powerful demon is about to resurrect. Dante laughs and says he's heard that line often, but V catches his attention.
V: This demon is your "reason". Your reason for fighting, Dante. Dante: This demon got a name? V: Vergil.
[silence]
Dante: People who come asking for demon extermination... most of them tend to either lie or exaggerate. I'm not that petty to get mad about it every single time. Lie if you want to. I'll kill that demon regardless. But... you've got to pick better names for stories you come up with, you know?
Immediately the air in the room changes. Dante's emitting wave after wave of demonic power, and for a normal human it would be enough to bring them to their knees, or at least send them running in fear. However, V only feels thrilled. (And a little horny) Seeing Dante get so visibly angry at the mention of Vergil's name is reassuring, somehow, even though Griphon is panicking. V says the demon, Urizen, will resurrect in Red Grave, which catches Dante's attention. He suggests watching the news for signs of a demon outbreak in the area in the coming days, to confirm his claim.
Before V leaves, he catches sight of the framed picture of Eva, Dante and Vergil's mother, on Dante's desk. He feels his heart twist, and quickly looks away.
Edited 2020-11-24 04:15 (UTC)
MEMORY SIXTEEN - "I also wanted to say all of those things." Visions of V, Ch. 23
SUMMARY: In Red Grave, V and Griphon are searching for food and come across a ransacked grocery store. Griphon flies in and finds some rotten pizza and gobbles it up. The place has been picked clean of everything edible, just about. The reason for that becomes apparent quickly; it's a demon's nest. They find a corpse and a small child, still alive, crying over his mother's body that's trapped under some debris. Demons come out and V sends Shadow out to kill them, and V dispassionately tells the boy to run. He refuses, however--his mom is still alive, she's just trapped and he can't get her out. V finds the boy's stubborn refusal to run to be a nuisance, and he speaks cruelly to the boy even as he begs V and Griphon to help him.
V: How do you plan on protecting her when you lack power? The only thing you can do right now is to run away. Take shelter somewhere and pray. Say things like, "Oh God, I beg of you, please save my mommy." If you're implying that you want to die together, then I won't stop you. ... well, I wouldn't care if I saw from the corner of my eye how the demons will slice your throat with their claws. The boy: ...! V: Haha... are you scared? The boy: N-no! I'm not scared! V: Don't act tough. Look around! No one would blame you. Whether you run or stay behind, it will be the same result. That's because you are weak.
It's clear V's projecting hard on this poor little kid, and even Griphon tells him to knock it off, especially since he can sense a lot more demons in the building that are about to come crawling out. They're about to leave when the boy entreats them again to help him and his mother, which V scoffs at once more. He tells the boy his begging is shameful, and the boy retaliates by asking him if it's wrong to ask for help. V has a flashback to a moment when he, as Vergil, was a child--the night demons killed his mother and attacked him. He sees the house in flames, remembers crawling on the ground, wounded and surrounded by demons. His response to the boy's question is no, it's not shameful, because he also wanted to say the same things as the boy. He snaps his fingers and summons Nightmare, which absolutely obliterates the nest of demons.
The blast clears the debris enough for the boy's mother to get out. Tearfully, the boy thanks V for saving his and his mother's life, and V is deeply compromised by that. Griphon makes fun of him for it. But the root of their problem is still unsolved: they need food. V points to the nearby demon corpses as a source of meat, which even Griphon thinks is pretty gross. V tears into the flesh of the demon and devours it, blood and viscera splattering everywhere. Griphon asks him how it tastes, to which V responds: "Disgusting."
SUMMARY: V is chasing after Dante, but Dante's taken off and left him with a very naked and unconscious Trish. V finds a blanket to cover her with while he waits for her to recover, as he needs to recover some of his strength, as well. He's starting to fall apart, small flakes of his skin drifting away. Trish wakes up, and asks him about Dante and Urizen. V confesses he's not sure Dante can win against Urizen, and Trish demands to know what he knows about Urizen--he can't be a demon like she's a demon, he's something else entirely.
V tells her the truth: that Vergil, dying, split himself in two using Yamato, and that V is the human half, while Urizen is the demon half. Urizen, no longer held back by his humanity, grew rapidly and massively in power, leading to the demonic takeover of Red Grave. V confesses to Trish that he can tell he's out of time, that his body is approaching its limit. He understands the value of what he (Vergil) threw away, and the terrible gravity of what he's done.
Trish: Is that why you went to find Dante? V: Yes. Foolish. I thought maybe he could change my... maybe fix... maybe right my wrong. Tell me... was this fool before you right? Trish: I'm not your mommy, V. You're a big boy. And you need to see this through.
Trish rises and heads onward. V follows.
MEMORY EIGHTEEN - "It's his fault!" (Vergil 4) Visions of V, Ch. 25.1
SUMMARY: This is a flashback memory from when Dante and Vergil were children, roughly 8 years old iirc. They're at the Sparda mansion, with Vergil trying to run away from Dante because Dante is nagging him about playing today. Vergil doesn't want to, and he manages to lose Dante after kicking him. He runs away to a nearby library, where he goes when he wants to be alone. The librarian knows him well, and lets him in.
The old man asks Vergil if he really doesn't like playing with his younger brother. Vergil admits that's not the case, it's just that he really wanted to read today instead. He picks out a collection of William Blake poems, which the old man comments on. He tells Vergil he can keep the book if he likes, and Vergil is surprised but pleased. He asks to borrow a pen, so he can mark the cover with the letter "V".
Vergil: My little brother always tries to take my things. That's why I need to have my name written properly on what's mine. This belongs only to me.
Of course, as soon as he comes home, Dante tries to take the book from him as a way to goad Vergil into playing/fighting with him. They end up getting into a bloody scuffle, and Dante throws one of their wooden play swords at Vergil, challenging him to a real fight. Vergil finally agrees, saying he'll read his book after he makes Dante cry--to which Dante says he won't be reading his book today. Just as they start, they're interrupted by Eva, their mother. She chastises them both, as they had just promised her recently they'd stop fighting until they're bloody. The boys point at each other, claiming the other one is at fault, but Eva's having none of it. If they won't listen to her, then they're going to be weeding the garden today instead of playing.
Vergil's so frustrated by all of this that he yells at his mother, "I don't want to! I wanted to read today!" and takes off, running away from the house. However, he leaves his book behind. He ends up at a nearby park, sitting uselessly and grumbling about how annoying Dante is, and how he never promised to play with him in the first place.
He doesn't see the shadows creeping up behind him.
MEMORY NINETEEN - "Begone. You don't exist." Visions of V, Ch. 8-9
SUMMARY: Takes place after this memory. V and co. have tracked down Nightmare, and it becomes clear very quickly that they have severely underestimated just how powerful this thing is. It's legendary in the Underworld for being unstable and dangerous, and it takes out Shadow in one hit. V ends up being swallowed by Nightmare's gaping maw and sees visions of his (Vergil's) past that have taken root in the core of Nightmare. He lands in front of a massive statue of Mundus and Nelo Angelo appears. Even though V tries to banish it, it effortlessly grabs him and starts to strangle him. He's unexpectedly saved, however, by a vision of a younger Dante, circa DMC 1. Even that is a painful memory, however, and V demands to know why he's being shown these visions. He knows why, though--it's his insecurity over being weaker than Dante. Vergil's emotions are very prevalent here.
V isn't going to give up, though. He struggles and manages to grab Nightmare's core, though it's clear his strength is giving out and his body's endurance won't hold out for much longer. As he finally emerges from inside Nightmare, he triumphantly holds the core as Nightmare's essence bleeds off of him.
MEMORY TWENTY - "It was all pointless. Everything." Visions of V, Ch. 11
SUMMARY: V is dreaming after successfully contracting with Nightmare. He dreams of being in the Sparda manor, but quickly realizes it's not real. Even though Nightmare is a powerful demon, it's not going to be enough to take on Urizen--and the effort he's put into besting him has been pointless from the start, because there's no way he has enough power on his own. He laughs, in equal parts despair and hysteria. The vision of the room deteriorates, as his mother's body appears on the floor. It disappears into nothing, leaving V in an abyss with the book of William Blake poems. He wonders why he took it with him, since it wouldn't have proven useful--and realizes it's because he's sentimentally attached to it. Visions of Yamato and Rebellion appear before him, along with an image of a younger Dante, mirroring his movements. He asks the phantom Dante why he (Vergil) always lost to Dante, and why he would ever be weaker, if they were supposed to be exactly the same, as twins. There's no satisfying answer to be had, which V knows.
The dream ends, and he wakes up to Griphon panicking at the thought that V had died. V assumes he just passed out from using up too much power, and that he can't keep Nightmare out for very long. Griphon seems anxious at the thought of how they're going to face Urizen like this, but V knows--he has to find Dante.
MEMORY TWENTY-ONE - "I'll just do what I'm capable of." Visions of V, Ch. 22
SUMMARY: After the Qliphoth has risen and started taking over Red Grave, V is observing the roots expanding and killing nearby humans (while drinking what I can only assume is an energy drink). The sight is pretty gruesome: any unfortunate humans stabbed by a root have their entire essences drained and absorbed by the tree, leaving nothing but empty husks behind. Griphon comments that maybe they should have warned people about the dangers, but V dismisses the idea because he doubts anyone would have believed him. Griphon agrees since V does look kind of suspicious. Thanks, Griphon. Griphon also doubts that Nero will return to help them with exterminating the Qliphoth and defeating Urizen, but V thinks he definitely will. He knew Nero was determined by the look in his eyes, and Griphon teases him with, "Who does he resemble, I wonder~?" But they're interrupted by an approaching demon.
V summons Shadow to slice its head off, which showers him in demon ichor. As he stabs the remains, he ponders what the difference is between Dante and Vergil, as well as the difference between himself-as-V and Dante. How could there be such a difference in power? There must be some crucial difference that he can't identify. As V hears humans screaming in terror nearby, it clicks: it's humanity. He jumps from the bridge down below to save the humans from the demons and the Qliphoth, even though (as Griphon points out) it feels pointless. V doesn't seem to care: he wants to do it anyway. Even though his power is meager compared to Dante and Vergil, he'll do what he can.
MEMORY TWENTY-TWO - "There's... no one to seek help from." (Vergil 5) Visions of V, Ch. 25.2
SUMMARY: An unfortunately straight-forward memory. Vergil, having run to the playground after his fight with Dante, is abruptly attacked by demons. He manages to dodge their first attack, but when he sees his home going up in flames in the distance, it stuns him--and gives the demons ample time to strike. They eviscerate him, stabbing him over and over as he screams in pain. He pleads and prays for someone to come, but no one does. Despite the demons' attacks, he doesn't die--just lays there in a pool of his own blood, slowly healing.
Vergil realizes that no one is coming to save him, or Dante, or his mother, and that if he wants to survive he's going to have to do it on his own. His cry for power summons Yamato, his father's sword, to his side. He kills the demons, resolved to make it through on his own. As he watches his childhood home burn, he cries for the loss of his family, not knowing that Dante's still alive. The tears sizzle into nothing after a moment, though--because "devils never cry".
MEMORY TWENTY-THREE - "We were having a moment there! Don't butt in, asshole!" Visions of V, Ch. 13
Link here, this is the only place I can find this particular chapter while mangadex is down. Takes place after this memory.
SUMMARY: I can't believe I never gave V the memory of him failing to eat a burger
I'm so ashamed
ANYWAY THAT'S ONLY HALF OF WHY THIS MEMORY IS IMPORTANT. Griphon and V discuss their plans (after murdering some muggers and stealing their bag of burgers) on how to reach Dante. They've had no luck so far on locating Morrison, the middleman, and Griphon suggests they just go to Dante directly, but V points out that they're concealing their identities--so they have to act like people who don't know Dante personally.
Griphon: Say, what if... this is just a what-if scenario... but what if it doesn't work out with Dante? V: ..... I hadn't thought of that. Griphon: If that bastard can't defeat him... then we really are done for, aren't we? V: Likely. Griphon: What do you mean, "likely"?! V: That was Vergil's wish from the start. He discarded me so that he could defeat Dante. But for me, who was discarded... that's no longer the case. Dying is a lot more scary to me than being a pathetic loser right now.
They're interrupted by another mugger, whom Griphon quickly dispatches. As V enters the bar where Morrison is, he wonders about an alternative plan to defeating Urizen, and recalls Nero, lying on the ground of the garage after having his arm taken. He dismisses the thought, and enters the bar.
MEMORY TWENTY-FOUR - "I finally came to understand what my purpose is." Visions of V, Ch. 24
SUMMARY: After starting a small fire to cook the demon meat, V, Griphon, and Shadow eat the remains. V complains about how awful it tastes, and chides Griphon and Shadow for making noise. Griphon grabs V's coat, prompting V to lose his balance and fall back into the fountain. Griphon laughs at him, and tells him to take a bath since he smells from being covered in demon ichor. V sullenly agrees, and strips his clothes off. While Griphon and Shadow try to wring the water out, V submerges himself and gets introspective.
During his existence as V, he's focused so much on how he's "weak", and the things he's had to do because of it. But while he's struggled to understand why he lost (as Vergil, to Dante) he admits to himself that the solution hasn't been to just "obtain more power". It lies elsewhere, and V thinks he's figured it out; and it took him losing all of his power to understand. The truth was always there, he just needed to face it.
Griphon interrupts V's inner monologue by pulling him out of the water, squawking at him for almost drowning. He gets out of the fountain and dresses in his soggy clothing, and he sits by the fire with Shadow curled up behind him to dry off. Griphon suggests he take the opportunity to sleep; V responds with a poem--"The Fly", by William Blake, and asks Griphon and Shadow if they'll continue to fight beside him. Griphon admits that despite everything, they like V, and they agree. And then he makes V go to sleep by sitting on his face, which is very funny.
V dreams. He stands before Urizen, and declares that he finally understands what his purpose is. The feelings he's been saddled with, namely fear, are what Urizen lacks--and thus, is Urizen's weakness.
V: I will not run away from my nightmares. I'll fear them honestly and then I will look at them directly in the eye. I'm shamefully scared. However, make no mistake. You need me.
MEMORY TWENTY-FIVE - "While thy branches mix with mine, and our roots together join."
SUMMARY: Nero and V, who is crumbling badly by this point, arrive at the base of the Qliphoth moments after Dante's just defeated Urizen. Nero's still incredulous that Urizen is actually part of Vergil--though he still doesn't know he's just "part of". V hobbles forward on his cane, relishing in Urizen's defeat even as he's on his last legs. Dante warns him to stay back, but V insists. With great effort, he climbs atop Urizen and stands over him.
V: Do not struggle. For if you can't even defeat me, then you've already lost. Urizen: I will not lose... not to Dante. I need power... more power! V: I know. We are one and the same, you and I. But you've lost me, and I've lost you. Yet we are connected by that one feeling. "While thy branches mix with mine, and our roots together join."
With his last burst of strength, V lifts his cane and brings it down as hard as he can, stabbing Urizen through the heart. Dante realizes what's about to happen, and charges forward, but it's too late. There's a massive burst of blue light, and then V and Urizen are gone.
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selfpreservationist) wrote2020-03-01 07:12 pm
MEMORY ONE - "Little wanderer, hie thee home."
no subject
SUMMARY: Nero is finishing a battle with a big ugly devil named Goliath, who has a giant gaping maw in its belly that can also spit fire. He's been at it for a while, so it's gotten pretty weak. Even in its weakened state, however, it declares it will take over the underworld--that's when one of V's familiars, Griffon (bird), comes flying in and distracts it.
V casually walks onto the scene, swinging his cane as he recites from his book: "I curse my stars in bitter grief and woe, that made my love so high and me so low." He extends his cane and from the tattoos on his arms bursts forth Shadow (cat), another of V's familiars. Shadow leaps towards Goliath and morphs into a spinning blade that slices through Goliath, bringing it to the ground.
Dying, Goliath asks V why. One assumes someone who has pacts with demonic familiars has nothing against devils. But V just walks up to the beast, and with another Blake quote--"Little wanderer, hie thee home!"--he thrusts the pointed edge of his cane into Goliath's head, killing it for good. Nero approaches.
Nero: Thought I was gonna have to pick you out of his... tummy teeth.
V: Pardon my delay, I was catching up on some reading. [he holds his book aloft, for emphasis]
Nero: [sarcastically] Yeah... looks like a real page-turner.
With Goliath dead, a section of the massive hell tree vine... thing collapses into dust, paving the way for V and Nero to head further in.
Nero: So... you think Dante's still in there?
V: If U█████ defeated him, then I expect he's not much more than Qliphoth pollen by now.
Nero: A what?
V: Qliphoth. It's a tree that grows in the underworld. It thrives on human blood, and those whose blood it sucks, well... let's just say they don't turn out too well.
V gestures to some petrified, blood-drained human statues nearby.
Nero: Well, in any case... we need to find out. If Dante's alive, we'll save him. If not, we don't.
V stops Nero by hooking his cane on Nero's shoulder, informing him that they need to exterminate some Qliphoth roots first. Nero doesn't object, but he does pause as V's familiars, Griffon and Shadow, return. He gives V a funny look while Griffon perches on his arm.
Nero: █... what the hell are you?
V just smiles. A moment later, a van pulls up behind them, being driven by a young woman with a lot of tattoos and a funny accent. V knows this woman is Nero's mechanic for his arm, Nico. She's heard of him, although before they can exchange greetings, she points out a severed limb from Goliath on the ground by his feet, which she identifies as potential material she can use to build something in her workshop. V kicks it to her and she looks delighted.
Nico: Wooowee, I'm gonna make something amaaazing outta this!
Nero: [disgusted] Did you just sniff that? Do you have any idea where that's been?
Nico: Up your butt?
Nero: [huffs] Focus on the mission.
The memory ends.
MEMORY TWO - "If only you never existed... then I...!"
no subject
SUMMARY: V is traversing the ruins of Redgrave City, in a section that seems to be a massive mausoleum. Griffon scouts ahead and comes back to inform V that he found some demons that looked like they were dancing for some reason. V assumes this means the thing they're looking for--the Devil Sword Sparda--must be nearby. They go looking for it, traversing the crypts and tombs of the ruined city. This exchange occurs, which is not in the video linked:
Griffon: You're awfully quiet, █. Thinking about mommy dearest?
V: I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. But the past is... a bitter place for me.
It takes some time but V eventually finds the sword embedded in a wall and exterminates the Qliphoth root so he can retrieve it. It's a massive thing, and V struggles to lift it for more than a few seconds.
V: It seems this sword is still too strong for me...
Griffon: So close, though, so close. You got a lot of heart, kid, you really do, but you're a bit of a sissy in the strength department. Hey, hey, no offense, uh, you know.
V: That kid, Nero... he has the strength.
Just then, Shadow alerts them to another find: Dante. Somehow, despite all odds, Dante's body is whole and alive, laying in the gnarled limbs of a bloody tree like some kind of demonic pietà. V sees him and smiles; maybe they're not so screwed after all. But there's only one problem--Dante won't wake up.
Griffon: I don't even have the words. I--he's alive, he's alive!
V: The devil sword Sparda was concealing Dante's presence.
Griffon: How does one friggin' guy have so much luck, huh!?
Something comes over V. Between seeing Dante alive and being unable to handle the sword, a rush comes over him. He starts to drag the devil sword Sparda towards Dante, while Griffon panics and tells him to get ahold of himself.
V: If only you could defeat U█████... if only... no.
Griffon: █? No no no...
V: If only you never existed... then I...!
Griffon: Don't do it, █! No no NO!
In a surge of strength, V lifts the sword above Dante's head like he's about to bring it down and end him once and for all... and instead he slams it into the ground, inches from Dante's face. That seems to be the thing that wakes Dante out of his coma, as his eyes abruptly open and he sits up.
Dante: For a second there I thought you were gonna shish kabob me.
V: I know how stubborn you can be. I thought it might be the only way to wake you.
V informs Dante that a full month has passed since their last encounter with the demon king. Griffon tells Dante to hurry up and get moving, before Nero (who is currently on his way to the demon king) beats them to it. Dante punts Griffon.
Dante: Hey, this is my gig. Leave Nero out of this.
V: If you could defeat U█████... then I never would have dreamed of using that child. But U█████... is much stronger than we ever could have imagined.
The memory ends there.
MEMORY THREE - Visions of V Ch. 5-6, Contracting with Shadow and confronting Phantom
no subject
(Note: At the beginning of Ch. 5, V has a flashback to being tortured by Mundus in the Underworld. This has been removed and will be part of another memory later. The memory will start right as V shakes himself out of it.)
SUMMARY: V, shortly after contracting with Griffon, is looking for other demons to contract with. Griffon mention that there should be at least three nearby that are like him, which implies that these familiars are demonic in origin but there's something special about them. It's emphasized that V really desperately needs power, and that he's extremely weak in this state.
They eventually run into Shadow, a shape-shifting panther(jaguar?) demon who steals V's cane and runs away. Griffon explains that the cane has a little bit of demonic energy in it, and that V himself is similar. They give chase and end up running into Phantom, a giant spider demon that could be very useful to them... but it obviously has zero intention of contracting with V. V's weakened state offends it, and it refuses to even consider the possibility. It also calls V its "host".
V basically tells Phantom to go fuck itself and it gets angry. Faced with no other choice, V tells Shadow that if it's going to keep fighting for its life, that they need each other. Shadow seems to understand, and uses its shape-shifting powers to trick and then kill Phantom.
Afterwards, it jumps onto V and licks his face. Shadow's a good kitty.
MEMORY FOUR - "Don't worry, I'll be gentle."
no subject
SUMMARY: V and co. are making their way through Redgrave, before the mausoleum, just after a demolished outdoor market. Careful not to be seen, V and Griffon come across two powerful demons making plans. One of them is Malphas, a three-headed chicken lady, who is ordering an Elder Geryon Knight to search out the Devil Sword Sparda. V smacks Griffon to shut up and listens in. It seems certain upper-echelon demons like Malphas are looking for the Devil Sword Sparda in order to destroy it, in the fear that a blood descendant could use it to take down the demon king.
Once Malphas teleports away, V approaches the Elder Geryon Knight.
V: I see. I know what you are. Don't worry... I'll be gentle.
The battle ensues. During this fight, V summons Nightmare, which incidentally reveals his natural hair color (white).
EGK: Weak, powerless creatures.
Griffon: So? You got a comeback for that?
V: "One thought fills immensity..."
Griffon: This is not the time for poetry! Wait, what does that even mean?
V: Where there's a will, there's a way... now let's go!
It turns out that the horse can control time, which is really annoying.
V: The power to control time... that's quite a horse.
Griffon: But that would mean it's Geryon! I thought Dante killed it already!
V: A rare species, but apparently not quite extinct. Until today, that is.
Griffon: Be careful, V! He's got horsepower!
V: I'll take that momentum... and send it right back.
The battle ends, and V stabs the horse with his cane, finishing it off with the line, "The hours of folly are measured by the clock, but of wisdom: no clock can measure." He thinks he's being clever. The knight riding atop the now-dead steed is wounded but still alive, and he flees. V tries to give chase, but that battle took a lot out of him, and he's exhausted. He and Griffon discuss what to do.
V: If the Devil Sword Sparda still exists, it may very well be our only hope.
Griffon: V, uhhh, think about this for a minute now. What will you do if you find it? You gotta be strong in mind and body to wield the Sparda, and you, sir, are neither. Hate to break it to you, but the Sparda will just be too much for ya.
V: For me, yes. But what of the boy... Nero?
Griffon seems unconvinced. V finds a remnant of the demon for Nico to use, and picks it up, heading back to the van. His last comment before the memory ends is that once they're near the Sparda, even he should be able to sense it.
MEMORY FIVE - "What evil lurks, I must destroy."
no subject
SUMMARY: Nero and V are traveling together through Redgrave, when they're stopped by a quintet of demons--all Angelos, a type of humanoid-shaped demon that are basically mindless killing automatons known to serve the king of the Underworld. They're imposing, to say the least, but nothing these two can't take care of. Nero taunts them, but V feels something burning inside him and his face contorts into an expression of fury. He wants to kill these Angelos so bad for some reason.
Nero: Nice, getting the band back together, huh?
V: What evil lurks... I must destroy.
Nero: I thought that was the plan all along.
The battle ensues. It's a tough fight, but Nero and V work well together, and soon they triumph. (Go to 29:44 to skip the battle) Afterwards, they ride the moving platform to a part of Redgrave that V... knows. They're in the ruins of what looks like a playground. V reminesces.
V: I've just remembered something... this town was attacked once before.
Nero: Is that so?
V: I was here... I can still see it. In fact, I was playing right here. That was the house.
He points to a partially-demolished house in the distance. This won't show from an audience perspective, but V will have a few flashes of what the park, playground, and house looked like from long ago, when he was a child. V decides to change the subject.
V: This is where we part ways. You go ahead.
Nero: You're gonna miss all the fun.
V: No, I must seek out the devil sword Sparda.
Nero: What? Yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea, trust me.
V: [patting Nero on the shoulder] You're not the only one who thinks so. But to win this fight, we're going to need all the help we can get.
V walks away, leaving Nero confused.
MEMORY SIX - (Vergil 1) "I'm taking this back."
no subject
NOTE: This memory will feel different from V's other memories, because this one technically belongs to Vergil.
SUMMARY: The memory itself is pretty straightforward: a weakened Vergil, dressed in rags, finds Nico and Nero's garage. He can sense the presence of the Yamato, which is stored in Nero's right arm. He waits until Nico leaves, approaching Nero alone. Nero is a little weirded out, but assumes Vergil is just another vagrant, and offers him some of the food that Kyrie is cooking.
Vergil pays no attention to this. He's here for one thing, and one thing only. As he approaches, the Yamato reacts, and Nero notices. On guard, he asks Vergil if he's a demon. Kyrie calls for him and Nero yells for her to get back inside, and as he does Vergil grabs Nero's arm and throws him against the wall--ripping the arm clean off in the process.
Nero, lying on the ground, blood spurting from where his right arm once was, howls in pain. It means nothing to Vergil, who simply rasps, "I'm taking this back." Nero's severed arm transforms back into the Yamato, a katana. Even with it back in his hands, Vergil can feel his death looming close. Coughing, weakened, he mutters, "I'm running out of time."
Vergil uses the Yamato to cut time and space into a portal, and staggers through it, as Nero gasps for him to wait--and disappears.
MEMORY SEVEN - "Happy birthday". Visions of V Ch. 12
no subject
SUMMARY: V and Griphon are discussing how they're going to approach Dante. V has fewer qualms than Griphon: he'll just find him and ask him. Griphon says he needs a pseudonym, which is how V comes up with "V". Griphon rightly criticizes his lack of creativity.
Unfortunately, V is getting weak, and he's especially hungry. The two discuss what to do, and come to the conclusion that they should just steal whatever money they need. Great idea, guys! As they walk into a nearby alley, they come across a woman being mugged by several thugs. Griphon warns V away, as one of the guys is carrying a gun, and they're low on power right now. V suddenly gets distracted by one of the items the woman is carrying: an amulet. The muggers demand she hand it over, but she begs them for mercy, saying it's a memento of her mother's.
V suddenly has a flashback of being a child. He remembers himself (Vergil) and Dante as kids, receiving a pair of matching pendants from their mother for their birthday. He can almost hear his mother's voice right next to him, saying "Happy birthday".
Suddenly, V trips and knocks a bunch of trash cans over, causing a ruckus that alerts the muggers and the woman. V's stomach growls and Griphon yells at him.
MEMORY EIGHT - "This won't work". Visions of V, Ch. 15
no subject
SUMMARY: Raven is in a helicopter as it travels towards the massive Qliphoth tree, listening to the news report. The town of Redgrave has been almost completely taken over by demons and there's a lot of panic. The helicopter lands, and everyone gets out--V, Dante, Lady, and Trish. Morrison stays behind. Lady asks what the target's name is, to which Dante defers to V, and V tells them it's Urizen.
They make their way to the Qliphoth interior, which has grown so much it looks like the gaping maw of the underworld. It smells terrible. The others make comments to the effect, but V is just so, so bothered by Trish for some reason. Griphon bugs him about it, but V is evasive. They confirm their plan: make their way to Urizen, and deal the finishing blow.
Abruptly, a powerful sensation comes over V. Urizen's current power is much, much more than he anticipated. It's so overwhelming that for a moment he sees the ground come up to swallow him, like withered souls reaching out to him from the river Styx. You can tell I really like this scene because I'm getting fancy with my summary. Anyway. UNDERSTANDABLY, THIS MAKES V FREAK OUT. He knows immediately that they're fucked, that even the three most powerful devil hunters in the world don't stand a chance.
He announces that this has gotten far worse than he thought, and Dante tauntingly suggests he head back if it's too much. Despite his moment of inner screaming, he actually agrees, and turns around while the other three head inward.
Griphon exasperatedly questions what V even plans to do, if Urizen is just going to take them all out anyway. V suggests Nero might be of use--moreso than himself, anyway. It's a long shot, but it's the only plan they have.
V approaches Morrison and tells him to take him to Fortuna.
MEMORY NINE - "That's my line". Visions of V Ch. 12 part 2
no subject
SUMMARY: Immediately takes place after this memory. The muggers, having noticed V, approach him. The main guy kicks V's cane away and demands he give up his wallet. V says he doesn't have any money, and the guy puts a gun to V's head to emphasize how much he's not fucking around. V's very nonchalant about having his life threatened, which ends up irritating the dude, and he clocks V in the head with the gun.
That triggers Shadow to retaliate, who emerges in blob form and grumpily stabs the guy with spikes. V smears away blood from his nose, which is very sexy. I'm really not doing this scene justice, it's very good how the muggers all scream in terror and get pinned to the wall by kitty spikes and V takes all their money. Afterwards, as V and Griffon discuss what to do now, V notices the necklace that the woman dropped on the ground. She's been sitting in the corner this whole time, traumatized and terrified out of her mind of what horrors she's seen V and co. unleash.
He leaves the necklace behind, saying it's not worth taking.
MEMORY TEN - (Vergil 2) "Heavy chain that does freeze my bones around!" Visions of V, Ch. 1
no subject
SUMMARY: The first half of this memory is Vergil's, and the second half of it is V's.
Weakened, close to death, Vergil wanders the streets of Redgrave city until he finds the burnt, hollowed-out ruins of his childhood home. In his hand, he clutches the Yamato, freshly-stolen from Nero. As he stands before the family portrait, the only faces not burnt away his and Dante's as children, he unsheathes the sword. Vergil vows in his heart not to lose to Dante--it is not death he fears, but losing. With a sudden thrust, he stabs his midsection with the Yamato.
A sword like Yamato is made to cut anything in existence--it can even cut apart a man from his demon. Vergil, gritting his teeth, howling with rage and pain, cuts away his memories of torment and slavery, of loss, of everything he's suffered. Everything that has made him weak. Not just memories, but his humanity, as well. The human half of his heart must be discarded if he is to gain power. Ironically, it's a William Blake quote that Vergil cries out as he tears away his human half: "Heavy chain that does freeze my bones around!"
V's body, made of little more than paper, falls to the ground behind him. He's barely conscious, barely alive. He lifts his head, and as he does, he sees something horrifying: Vergil's body twisting and warping into a hulking, demonic mass. Terrified and desperate, V tries to summon magical energy to protect himself, realizing he's nothing more than discarded trash, and he'd be far too weak to defend himself. As Vergil becomes Urizen, the massively powerful demon king, V feels overcome with anguish and shame for how powerless he is.
As he crawls, naked and paralyzed on the floor, his hand bumps into a book--the one Vergil kept as a child, filled with Blake's poems and writings. He had written his initial on the cover--V. Memories of childhood, of the simple joy of reading a book, of Dante, fill his head, and he feels even weaker than before.
His last, desperate thought as he clings to the book, is: "I don't want to die."
MEMORY ELEVEN - "Let's make a contract." Visions of V, Ch. 1-2
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SUMMARY: This memory takes place immediately after this one. As V is lying on the floor, Griphon bursts into the room and yanks him out, throwing V into a nearby alley. He lands in some garbage bags, and Griphon sarcastically apologizes for not finding a bed of feathers to lay him down on. He quickly asserts his purpose for saving V: they need to form a contract.
Griphon explains that he's a demon formed of Vergil's discarded memories--in addition to V, Vergil cut away all the nightmares that plagued him, and for a moment V gets a flashback to Nelo Angelo, and shudders. Without a host, a "dream" like Griphon is fated to disappear, which is why he needs a host. He emphasizes that V has no room to refuse, as his body is extremely weak and the odds of Urizen accepting him back are none. The only way they can rejoin is by defeating him, which is impossible in his current state. He needs a familiar to obtain any kind of power at all.
V, still reeling from his birth and being thrown out a window, tells Griphon to find him some clothes. In a nearby alley, they find a punk about the same size and build as V, who is in the process of mugging someone. Griphon gets the drop on him, and V takes his clothes. They're pretty threadbare and revealing, which V complains about. Griphon gets annoyed. V's not totally sold on the contract yet, unwilling to fully accept that he needs to rely on someone else in order to move forward. As they argue, an Empusa demon forms behind them, and V tells Griphon to kill it as a test of strength.
Griphon zaps it with lightning. As it sizzles, he asks V, "So, still don't need me?"
MEMORY TWELVE - "I need an even stronger nightmare." Visions of V, Ch. 7
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SUMMARY: Takes place after this memory. V accepts the contract with Shadow, whose essence seeps into him like a kind of gooey inky... mess. As V absorbs Shadow, he has a brief mental sequence where Shadow's massive maw rears towards him, and instead licks his face. It forms into multiple inky claws that tear painlessly at his skin, forming the tattoos on his arms. As the contract is complete, the nightmare that makes up Shadow replays in V's mind--the memories of being Nelo Angelo, of raging against his own body, and dying at Dante's hand.
It makes him panic, sweat forming over his skin. He hates this feeling, hates having to relive traumatic experiences from Vergil's past. And also he nEEDS MOAR POWER. He tells Griphon he needs to seek out an even stronger nightmare in order to defeat Urizen. Gripon chastises him for killing Phantom (the big spider) but what's done is done. He's reluctant to show V where the strongest nightmare is, because it's "bad news", but V wants to go anyway.
They return to the Sparda manor. Inside, there's a truly massive demon; the biggest and most powerful Nightmare that Vergil discarded. Even looking at it has V shaking, a cold sweat forming on his brow. Griphon tells him they need to leave before it's too late, but V's got a powerboner and isn't leaving without a new contract.
MEMORY THIRTEEN - "This is my last request." "The truth is..."
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SUMMARY: V, his body slowly crumbling to ash, is making his way through the qliphoth tree towards Urizen, and comes across Malphas (the three-headed chicken lady), who is plotting to seize power from Urizen. V realizes he can't take her on with the little power he has left, and is quickly trying to think of a way to avoid her when he accidentally lets some rocks fall and alerts her to his presence. Terrified and panicking, V backs up as she starts stalking in his direction. He's just about to be found, half-dead and hiding like a weakling, when Nero shows up and shoots Malphas to distract her. It doesn't show in the video but as Nero and Malphas fight, V throws Nero extra devil bringer arms. It's cute.
Once Nero is victorious, he calls out for V to come out. V and Griphon barely have enough power for Griphon to fly V over to Nero. V tries to play it casual as he tells Nero, "I guess I owe you one," but he takes two steps and nearly collapses. Nero tries to convince V to turn back before his body collapses, to get some rest, but V refuses. He has to see his through, has to find Urizen and confront him. Nero still thinks it's a bad idea, but eventually resigns when V implores him, saying, "This is my last request."
They head further in, with V having to lean on both Nero and his cane for support. His body is disintegrating more and more--but he still has a faint sliver of hope that he'll make it.
V: The truth is... I wanted to be protected and loved. But I was alone. My only choice was to survive.
Nero: V, you gotta rest.
V: Nero, I will tell you... everything. There is no demon named Urizen. Only a man who threw away his humanity, in an endless pursuit of power. He is Dante's older brother.
Nero: Dante's brother?
V: Yes. And his real name is... Vergil.
Nero: They're brothers? Why are they fighting each other?
V: To see one's justice through, a man must fight for it. Even if the one who stands before him is his kin.
Nero: That's ridiculous.
V: The brothers of blood disagree on the very reason of their existence. They must fight.
MEMORY FOURTEEN - (Vergil 3) "The heart is a tumor of weakness. So let me rid you of it."
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SUMMARY: This is a pretty straightforward memory, and yet a vague one as well. Basically this memory is the ?years? that Vergil was captured and tortured by Mundus, the former king of the Underworld. Vergil is around 19-20 years old. He goes through a lot, enough pain and brainwashing that he loses his sense of self. He fights it for a remarkably long time, holding out through sheer stubbornness, but with Yamato broken and lost, and his strength gone, he eventually succumbs.
The end result is Vergil being turned into a mindless fighting drone called Nero Angelo. His will, identity, and memories still exist--but they are basically trapped inside a walking suit of armor.
MEMORY FIFTEEN - "I have no name; I am but two days old." Visions of V, Ch. 14-15
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SUMMARY: V and Griphon are waiting outside of Devil May Cry, while Morrison tells Dante about the job. V is a bit nervous about going in, as it's been a long time since Dante and Vergil had spoken face to face. Griphon suggests doing something "unVergil-like" to clear any suspicions, such as cracking a joke. V enters the building silently, pondering. When Dante asks him for his name, V quotes Blake--"I have no name; I am but two days old. Just kidding... you can call me V." Griphon telepathically tells him that was a pretty lame joke.
V explains his reason for hiring Dante: a powerful demon is about to resurrect. Dante laughs and says he's heard that line often, but V catches his attention.
V: This demon is your "reason". Your reason for fighting, Dante.
Dante: This demon got a name?
V: Vergil.
[silence]
Dante: People who come asking for demon extermination... most of them tend to either lie or exaggerate. I'm not that petty to get mad about it every single time. Lie if you want to. I'll kill that demon regardless. But... you've got to pick better names for stories you come up with, you know?
Immediately the air in the room changes. Dante's emitting wave after wave of demonic power, and for a normal human it would be enough to bring them to their knees, or at least send them running in fear. However, V only feels thrilled. (And a little horny) Seeing Dante get so visibly angry at the mention of Vergil's name is reassuring, somehow, even though Griphon is panicking. V says the demon, Urizen, will resurrect in Red Grave, which catches Dante's attention. He suggests watching the news for signs of a demon outbreak in the area in the coming days, to confirm his claim.
Before V leaves, he catches sight of the framed picture of Eva, Dante and Vergil's mother, on Dante's desk. He feels his heart twist, and quickly looks away.
MEMORY SIXTEEN - "I also wanted to say all of those things." Visions of V, Ch. 23
cw cannibalism... kind of? demon cannibalism.
SUMMARY: In Red Grave, V and Griphon are searching for food and come across a ransacked grocery store. Griphon flies in and finds some rotten pizza and gobbles it up. The place has been picked clean of everything edible, just about. The reason for that becomes apparent quickly; it's a demon's nest. They find a corpse and a small child, still alive, crying over his mother's body that's trapped under some debris. Demons come out and V sends Shadow out to kill them, and V dispassionately tells the boy to run. He refuses, however--his mom is still alive, she's just trapped and he can't get her out. V finds the boy's stubborn refusal to run to be a nuisance, and he speaks cruelly to the boy even as he begs V and Griphon to help him.
V: How do you plan on protecting her when you lack power? The only thing you can do right now is to run away. Take shelter somewhere and pray. Say things like, "Oh God, I beg of you, please save my mommy." If you're implying that you want to die together, then I won't stop you. ... well, I wouldn't care if I saw from the corner of my eye how the demons will slice your throat with their claws.
The boy: ...!
V: Haha... are you scared?
The boy: N-no! I'm not scared!
V: Don't act tough. Look around! No one would blame you. Whether you run or stay behind, it will be the same result. That's because you are weak.
It's clear V's projecting hard on this poor little kid, and even Griphon tells him to knock it off, especially since he can sense a lot more demons in the building that are about to come crawling out. They're about to leave when the boy entreats them again to help him and his mother, which V scoffs at once more. He tells the boy his begging is shameful, and the boy retaliates by asking him if it's wrong to ask for help. V has a flashback to a moment when he, as Vergil, was a child--the night demons killed his mother and attacked him. He sees the house in flames, remembers crawling on the ground, wounded and surrounded by demons. His response to the boy's question is no, it's not shameful, because he also wanted to say the same things as the boy. He snaps his fingers and summons Nightmare, which absolutely obliterates the nest of demons.
The blast clears the debris enough for the boy's mother to get out. Tearfully, the boy thanks V for saving his and his mother's life, and V is deeply compromised by that. Griphon makes fun of him for it. But the root of their problem is still unsolved: they need food. V points to the nearby demon corpses as a source of meat, which even Griphon thinks is pretty gross. V tears into the flesh of the demon and devours it, blood and viscera splattering everywhere. Griphon asks him how it tastes, to which V responds: "Disgusting."
MEMORY SEVENTEEN - "I'm not your mommy, V."
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SUMMARY: V is chasing after Dante, but Dante's taken off and left him with a very naked and unconscious Trish. V finds a blanket to cover her with while he waits for her to recover, as he needs to recover some of his strength, as well. He's starting to fall apart, small flakes of his skin drifting away. Trish wakes up, and asks him about Dante and Urizen. V confesses he's not sure Dante can win against Urizen, and Trish demands to know what he knows about Urizen--he can't be a demon like she's a demon, he's something else entirely.
V tells her the truth: that Vergil, dying, split himself in two using Yamato, and that V is the human half, while Urizen is the demon half. Urizen, no longer held back by his humanity, grew rapidly and massively in power, leading to the demonic takeover of Red Grave. V confesses to Trish that he can tell he's out of time, that his body is approaching its limit. He understands the value of what he (Vergil) threw away, and the terrible gravity of what he's done.
Trish: Is that why you went to find Dante?
V: Yes. Foolish. I thought maybe he could change my... maybe fix... maybe right my wrong. Tell me... was this fool before you right?
Trish: I'm not your mommy, V. You're a big boy. And you need to see this through.
Trish rises and heads onward. V follows.
MEMORY EIGHTEEN - "It's his fault!" (Vergil 4) Visions of V, Ch. 25.1
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SUMMARY: This is a flashback memory from when Dante and Vergil were children, roughly 8 years old iirc. They're at the Sparda mansion, with Vergil trying to run away from Dante because Dante is nagging him about playing today. Vergil doesn't want to, and he manages to lose Dante after kicking him. He runs away to a nearby library, where he goes when he wants to be alone. The librarian knows him well, and lets him in.
The old man asks Vergil if he really doesn't like playing with his younger brother. Vergil admits that's not the case, it's just that he really wanted to read today instead. He picks out a collection of William Blake poems, which the old man comments on. He tells Vergil he can keep the book if he likes, and Vergil is surprised but pleased. He asks to borrow a pen, so he can mark the cover with the letter "V".
Vergil: My little brother always tries to take my things. That's why I need to have my name written properly on what's mine. This belongs only to me.
Of course, as soon as he comes home, Dante tries to take the book from him as a way to goad Vergil into playing/fighting with him. They end up getting into a bloody scuffle, and Dante throws one of their wooden play swords at Vergil, challenging him to a real fight. Vergil finally agrees, saying he'll read his book after he makes Dante cry--to which Dante says he won't be reading his book today. Just as they start, they're interrupted by Eva, their mother. She chastises them both, as they had just promised her recently they'd stop fighting until they're bloody. The boys point at each other, claiming the other one is at fault, but Eva's having none of it. If they won't listen to her, then they're going to be weeding the garden today instead of playing.
Vergil's so frustrated by all of this that he yells at his mother, "I don't want to! I wanted to read today!" and takes off, running away from the house. However, he leaves his book behind. He ends up at a nearby park, sitting uselessly and grumbling about how annoying Dante is, and how he never promised to play with him in the first place.
He doesn't see the shadows creeping up behind him.
MEMORY NINETEEN - "Begone. You don't exist." Visions of V, Ch. 8-9
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SUMMARY: Takes place after this memory. V and co. have tracked down Nightmare, and it becomes clear very quickly that they have severely underestimated just how powerful this thing is. It's legendary in the Underworld for being unstable and dangerous, and it takes out Shadow in one hit. V ends up being swallowed by Nightmare's gaping maw and sees visions of his (Vergil's) past that have taken root in the core of Nightmare. He lands in front of a massive statue of Mundus and Nelo Angelo appears. Even though V tries to banish it, it effortlessly grabs him and starts to strangle him. He's unexpectedly saved, however, by a vision of a younger Dante, circa DMC 1. Even that is a painful memory, however, and V demands to know why he's being shown these visions. He knows why, though--it's his insecurity over being weaker than Dante. Vergil's emotions are very prevalent here.
V isn't going to give up, though. He struggles and manages to grab Nightmare's core, though it's clear his strength is giving out and his body's endurance won't hold out for much longer. As he finally emerges from inside Nightmare, he triumphantly holds the core as Nightmare's essence bleeds off of him.
MEMORY TWENTY - "It was all pointless. Everything." Visions of V, Ch. 11
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SUMMARY: V is dreaming after successfully contracting with Nightmare. He dreams of being in the Sparda manor, but quickly realizes it's not real. Even though Nightmare is a powerful demon, it's not going to be enough to take on Urizen--and the effort he's put into besting him has been pointless from the start, because there's no way he has enough power on his own. He laughs, in equal parts despair and hysteria. The vision of the room deteriorates, as his mother's body appears on the floor. It disappears into nothing, leaving V in an abyss with the book of William Blake poems. He wonders why he took it with him, since it wouldn't have proven useful--and realizes it's because he's sentimentally attached to it. Visions of Yamato and Rebellion appear before him, along with an image of a younger Dante, mirroring his movements. He asks the phantom Dante why he (Vergil) always lost to Dante, and why he would ever be weaker, if they were supposed to be exactly the same, as twins. There's no satisfying answer to be had, which V knows.
The dream ends, and he wakes up to Griphon panicking at the thought that V had died. V assumes he just passed out from using up too much power, and that he can't keep Nightmare out for very long. Griphon seems anxious at the thought of how they're going to face Urizen like this, but V knows--he has to find Dante.
MEMORY TWENTY-ONE - "I'll just do what I'm capable of." Visions of V, Ch. 22
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SUMMARY: After the Qliphoth has risen and started taking over Red Grave, V is observing the roots expanding and killing nearby humans (while drinking what I can only assume is an energy drink). The sight is pretty gruesome: any unfortunate humans stabbed by a root have their entire essences drained and absorbed by the tree, leaving nothing but empty husks behind. Griphon comments that maybe they should have warned people about the dangers, but V dismisses the idea because he doubts anyone would have believed him. Griphon agrees since V does look kind of suspicious. Thanks, Griphon. Griphon also doubts that Nero will return to help them with exterminating the Qliphoth and defeating Urizen, but V thinks he definitely will. He knew Nero was determined by the look in his eyes, and Griphon teases him with, "Who does he resemble, I wonder~?" But they're interrupted by an approaching demon.
V summons Shadow to slice its head off, which showers him in demon ichor. As he stabs the remains, he ponders what the difference is between Dante and Vergil, as well as the difference between himself-as-V and Dante. How could there be such a difference in power? There must be some crucial difference that he can't identify. As V hears humans screaming in terror nearby, it clicks: it's humanity. He jumps from the bridge down below to save the humans from the demons and the Qliphoth, even though (as Griphon points out) it feels pointless. V doesn't seem to care: he wants to do it anyway. Even though his power is meager compared to Dante and Vergil, he'll do what he can.
MEMORY TWENTY-TWO - "There's... no one to seek help from." (Vergil 5) Visions of V, Ch. 25.2
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SUMMARY: An unfortunately straight-forward memory. Vergil, having run to the playground after his fight with Dante, is abruptly attacked by demons. He manages to dodge their first attack, but when he sees his home going up in flames in the distance, it stuns him--and gives the demons ample time to strike. They eviscerate him, stabbing him over and over as he screams in pain. He pleads and prays for someone to come, but no one does. Despite the demons' attacks, he doesn't die--just lays there in a pool of his own blood, slowly healing.
Vergil realizes that no one is coming to save him, or Dante, or his mother, and that if he wants to survive he's going to have to do it on his own. His cry for power summons Yamato, his father's sword, to his side. He kills the demons, resolved to make it through on his own. As he watches his childhood home burn, he cries for the loss of his family, not knowing that Dante's still alive. The tears sizzle into nothing after a moment, though--because "devils never cry".
MEMORY TWENTY-THREE - "We were having a moment there! Don't butt in, asshole!" Visions of V, Ch. 13
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SUMMARY: I can't believe I never gave V the memory of him failing to eat a burger
I'm so ashamed
ANYWAY THAT'S ONLY HALF OF WHY THIS MEMORY IS IMPORTANT. Griphon and V discuss their plans (after murdering some muggers and stealing their bag of burgers) on how to reach Dante. They've had no luck so far on locating Morrison, the middleman, and Griphon suggests they just go to Dante directly, but V points out that they're concealing their identities--so they have to act like people who don't know Dante personally.
Griphon: Say, what if... this is just a what-if scenario... but what if it doesn't work out with Dante?
V: ..... I hadn't thought of that.
Griphon: If that bastard can't defeat him... then we really are done for, aren't we?
V: Likely.
Griphon: What do you mean, "likely"?!
V: That was Vergil's wish from the start. He discarded me so that he could defeat Dante. But for me, who was discarded... that's no longer the case. Dying is a lot more scary to me than being a pathetic loser right now.
They're interrupted by another mugger, whom Griphon quickly dispatches. As V enters the bar where Morrison is, he wonders about an alternative plan to defeating Urizen, and recalls Nero, lying on the ground of the garage after having his arm taken. He dismisses the thought, and enters the bar.
MEMORY TWENTY-FOUR - "I finally came to understand what my purpose is." Visions of V, Ch. 24
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SUMMARY: After starting a small fire to cook the demon meat, V, Griphon, and Shadow eat the remains. V complains about how awful it tastes, and chides Griphon and Shadow for making noise. Griphon grabs V's coat, prompting V to lose his balance and fall back into the fountain. Griphon laughs at him, and tells him to take a bath since he smells from being covered in demon ichor. V sullenly agrees, and strips his clothes off. While Griphon and Shadow try to wring the water out, V submerges himself and gets introspective.
During his existence as V, he's focused so much on how he's "weak", and the things he's had to do because of it. But while he's struggled to understand why he lost (as Vergil, to Dante) he admits to himself that the solution hasn't been to just "obtain more power". It lies elsewhere, and V thinks he's figured it out; and it took him losing all of his power to understand. The truth was always there, he just needed to face it.
Griphon interrupts V's inner monologue by pulling him out of the water, squawking at him for almost drowning. He gets out of the fountain and dresses in his soggy clothing, and he sits by the fire with Shadow curled up behind him to dry off. Griphon suggests he take the opportunity to sleep; V responds with a poem--"The Fly", by William Blake, and asks Griphon and Shadow if they'll continue to fight beside him. Griphon admits that despite everything, they like V, and they agree. And then he makes V go to sleep by sitting on his face, which is very funny.
V dreams. He stands before Urizen, and declares that he finally understands what his purpose is. The feelings he's been saddled with, namely fear, are what Urizen lacks--and thus, is Urizen's weakness.
V: I will not run away from my nightmares. I'll fear them honestly and then I will look at them directly in the eye. I'm shamefully scared. However, make no mistake. You need me.
MEMORY TWENTY-FIVE - "While thy branches mix with mine, and our roots together join."
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SUMMARY: Nero and V, who is crumbling badly by this point, arrive at the base of the Qliphoth moments after Dante's just defeated Urizen. Nero's still incredulous that Urizen is actually part of Vergil--though he still doesn't know he's just "part of". V hobbles forward on his cane, relishing in Urizen's defeat even as he's on his last legs. Dante warns him to stay back, but V insists. With great effort, he climbs atop Urizen and stands over him.
V: Do not struggle. For if you can't even defeat me, then you've already lost.
Urizen: I will not lose... not to Dante. I need power... more power!
V: I know. We are one and the same, you and I. But you've lost me, and I've lost you. Yet we are connected by that one feeling. "While thy branches mix with mine, and our roots together join."
With his last burst of strength, V lifts his cane and brings it down as hard as he can, stabbing Urizen through the heart. Dante realizes what's about to happen, and charges forward, but it's too late. There's a massive burst of blue light, and then V and Urizen are gone.
There's only Vergil.