Cereza

A young witch who tamed a demon to save her mother, long before she became the legendary Bayonetta.

Cereza is a young Umbra Witch and the central protagonist of the 2023 action-adventure game Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. Living six hundred years before the events of the first Bayonetta title, she was exiled due to being the product of a forbidden union between Lumen Sage Balder and Umbra Witch Rosa. Under the strict care of her teacher Morgana, Cereza felt unappreciated in her attempts to master her powers. Her journey begins when she ventures into the forbidden Avalon Forest following guidance from a mysterious boy in her dreams. There she summons a demon to fend off fairies and accidentally binds it to her stuffed cat; the demon reluctantly joins her, and she names him Cheshire.

Quick Facts

Role: Young Umbra Witch in training
First appearance: Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Time period: Six hundred years prior to Bayonetta

Lore & Background

Six hundred years prior to the main series, Cereza lived under the care of Morgana after being exiled for her lineage as the daughter of Balder and Rosa. Her father was banished and her mother imprisoned, leaving Cereza feeling undervalued despite her efforts. Seeking power to save her mother, she entered the Avalon Forest where a mysterious boy guided her. After being attacked by faeries, she summoned a demon that bound itself to her stuffed cat, creating Cheshire.

This entity could not harm its summoner and survived outside Inferno only through this bond. The lore details their journey destroying four Elemental Cores hidden in the thicket to strengthen Cheshire's abilities. Cereza's father, Balder, is noted as a Lumen Sage whose banishment was a direct result of his union with Rosa, establishing the tragic backstory that defines her early life before she eventually left home to begin her next journey.

Reader's Guide

Players control both Cereza and Cheshire simultaneously using a twin-stick scheme. In combat, Cereza binds enemies with spells while Cheshire attacks; players must toggle between Cheshire's 'Unleashed mode' for large-scale attacks and 'Hug mode' where he shrinks to plush form. If Cheshire runs out of magic, the player must pick him up in his plush form to restore it before he can fight again. Elemental Cores found throughout the world are destroyed to upgrade Cheshire's abilities, unlocking new areas. The gameplay focuses on asymmetrical puzzles requiring both characters' talents, described by critics as similar to Hazelight Studios titles.

Did You Know?

The mysterious boy guiding Cereza in her dreams is revealed to be Lukaon, a half-blood cursed for being born of a faerie and a witch.
Cereza unlocks the Witch Time ability only after being encouraged by Cheshire during her battle against Morgana.

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