Vergil (Devil May Cry)

Creation and concept

Vergil gets his name from the poet Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. His alternate identity, Nelo Angelo, came from a mistake: it was meant to be "Nero Angelo," which means "Black Angel" in Italian, but the error stuck and has been kept across the games and novels because fans liked it. In the first Devil May Cry, the story says Vergil was killed by demons when he was young, and his soul ended up under Mundus's control. Writer Bingo Morihashi wanted to try a different version where Vergil survived, so Hideki Kamiya let him change the backstory, turning Vergil into a living teenager for Devil May Cry 3.

Daigo Ikeno designed Vergil for that game, while Kazuma Kaneko created his Devil Trigger form. Since the only existing design was for Nelo Angelo, Morihashi handled Vergil's look himself. The idea of Vergil using a Japanese sword called Yamato came from an earlier concept. Unlike his brother Dante, Vergil doesn't use guns.

Morihashi said writing Vergil was tough because, as the older twin, he was supposed to come across as more likeable than Dante. In the fifth game, there are enemy types called Angelo, based on Nelo Angelo: Scudo Angelo (a shielded infantry demon), Proto Angelo (a great-sword wielder), and Cavaliere Angelo (meant to be a full upgrade of Nelo Angelo). All three look similar to Nelo Angelo. Because Vergil hates Nelo Angelo, his human side, V, also seems to despise these enemies.

Characteristics

Vergil is the older twin brother of Dante, born to the demon Sparda and the human Eva. His half-demon heritage grants him superhuman abilities, and he approaches training with far more discipline than Dante. Unlike Dante’s arrogant and thrill-seeking personality, Vergil is cold, calm, and introverted. Both brothers enjoy combat, but Vergil specifically seeks the power inherited from Sparda, believing it essential to protect anything. His signature weapon is the katana Yamato, a legacy from his father. When transformed into Nelo Angelo, he dons black armor and a cape, wielding a broad blue sword. Even as a slave to Mundus, he maintains his sense of honor.

Appearances

In the first Devil May Cry, Vergil was taken from his family by the demon king Mundus. He later appears as Nelo Angelo, a dark knight serving Mundus, and fights Dante three times. During their third battle, his true identity is revealed. At the end of the game, Nelo Angelo seems to explode, leaving behind his half of an amulet their mother gave to both brothers as children.

Vergil has a larger role in Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, a prequel where he pursues the power of his father Sparda. He teams up with a man named Arkham and tries to get Dante's amulet so he can combine it with his own to open a gateway to the demon world. When Dante refuses to help, Vergil defeats him and takes the amulet, but Arkham betrays him by using the brothers' rivalry and Lady's grudge to seize Sparda's power for himself. This forces the brothers to put aside their differences temporarily and stop Arkham.

After they defeat Arkham, Vergil loses a final duel to Dante and stays in the Demon World. Soon after, he fights Mundus and is turned into Nelo Angelo. In Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, Vergil becomes a playable character, going through the same missions as Dante. When playing as Vergil in missions where he is the boss, the player fights a version of Vergil dressed in red.

In Devil May Cry 4, the Order of the Sword uses Nelo Angelo's remains to create Alto and Bianco Angelos, artificial demons powered by a human or demon soul. Vergil's sword Yamato ends up with Nero, who is his son. Vergil is also a playable character in Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition, with his story set before the third game. It includes a scene where he walks through Fortuna Island, looking into the traces left by his father Sparda while fighting invading demons and uncovering the Order of the Sword's real plans.

Reception

Vergil has received significant praise from video game critics, particularly for his boss fights, which are often considered the best in the entire series. His first appearance as Nelo Angelo was highlighted by GamesRadar+ as one of the top bosses in Devil May Cry. The same outlet noted that the rivalry between Vergil and his brother Dante is among the finest brotherly conflicts in gaming, driven by their contrasting personalities. In 2008, IGN's Jesse Schedeen drew a comparison between Vergil and Gray Fox from Metal Gear, calling them two powerful warriors from video games who met tragic ends. Engadget credited Devil May Cry 3 with adding emotional depth to Nelo Angelo by revealing Dante's history with Vergil. The half-demon nature of both brothers has also been explored through a religious lens.

When Vergil became a playable character in the updated version of Devil May Cry 3, it sparked discussion. PALGN appreciated that his moveset was distinct from Dante's, offering a fresh experience. Critics noted that Vergil was more powerful than Dante, which could be seen as either a positive or a negative, since it lowered the game's difficulty. IGN's Jeremy Dunhan liked Vergil's unique attacks but criticized the balance for making boss fights—a strong point of the game—less challenging. GameSpot found playing as Vergil less engaging than playing as Dante because Vergil started with many abilities, leaving little room for progression. GameSpot also lamented that Vergil faced the same bosses as Dante and lacked his own storyline. GamesRadar+ ranked him among the best unlockable characters in gaming, citing his earnable abilities, especially his unlimited devil form.

In a GameSpy interview about a possible appearance in Devil May Cry 4, producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi's translator informed him that the interviewer was a fan of Vergil. Gameplanet's Syed Mahir Hussain praised Vergil's inclusion in Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition as a major strength, thanks to his unique fighting style. GamesRadar+'s Tom Senior enjoyed how Vergil moves casually through combat. Destructoid noted that elements from the reboot's version of Vergil were successfully integrated into the original character. Hideaki Itsuno stated that fans had come to expect Vergil's inclusion in any Special Edition release.