A Complete Breakdown of the Devil May Cry Series
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
Speaking of the past, Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening is a prequel set before Dante went into the demon hunting business in earnest and covers some crucial lore related to Dante’s brother Vergil.
More inclined to his demonic side than Dante, Vergil revels in his demonic abilities. Armed with a blade from his father called the Yamato, he seeks to use the powers passed down to him to rule both the human and demon worlds.
It’s to this end that he teams up with Arkham, a man intent on becoming a demon through any means necessary. Together, they plot to undo a seal separating the two worlds by raising an ancient tower that houses the Force Edge.
To awaken the Force Edge’s true form though, they need Dante, and to that end they draw him out with a surprise attack that leaves his would-be shop in ruins.
Properly motivated, Dante then sets out to stop Vergil and ensure the human world stays safe.
Devil Trigger
Though initially only armed with Ebony and Ivory as well as a long sword from his father known as Rebellion, Dante’s arsenal and demonic abilities grow the further up the tower he progresses.
Key among them is the Devil Trigger, which allows him to fully awaken his demonic powers for a short time.
Achieved after he is nearly killed by Vergil in their first confrontation, it allows him to tap into his demonic side to pull off inhuman feats of strength and agility he doesn’t have access to while in his human form.
It also allows him to use abilities and weapons of different demons he comes across, eventually able to pull off such feats as stopping time and creating doppelgangers.
However, Vergil shows the same aptitude, wielding weapons forged from the souls of demons he kills to deadly effect while enhancing his own demonic abilities the more he clashes with Dante.
Lady the Devil Hunter
As Dante progresses through the castle, he also encounters Lady, a devil hunter and Arkham’s daughter.
Though only human, she is capable of taking on all manner of demons with the use of a wide array of firearms and a multi-purpose rocket launcher.
Intent on stopping Arkham and killing any demon she comes across, she clashes with Dante several times before finally reaching the top of the tower through her own means.
However, this is revealed to have been Arkham’s plan all along. A descendant of a woman sacrificed to create the tower’s seal in the first place, he required Lady’s blood alongside Dante and Virgil’s to undo the seal to the demon world.
Swooping in after a battle between Dante and Vergil leaves both exhausted, he takes and uses all of their blood to undo the seal, acquiring the Force Edge and incorporating its demonic power to make himself a true devil.
All three are thrown from the top of the tower, with Vergil disappearing for a brief time after passing out from his injuries.
After climbing back up the tower, Dante and Lady meet once more. After coming to blows, Dante convinces her he’s trying to save the human world and the two decide to work together.
Dante sets out to take on Arkham with Lady’s blessing, wielding her rocket launcher as a show of good faith.
Vergil’s Fate
Dante confronts Arkham, but is unable to defeat him in his new demonic form. Just as all seems lost, Vergil appears and the two work together to put down Arkham before his ambitions can be fully realized.
Once defeated, Dante and Vergil fall into a space between the human and demon world for one final battle over who will claim the Force Edge. This leaves Lady to kill Arkham once and for all.
Though Dante comes out victorious, he is unable to kill Vergil and tries to bring him to his senses. However, unable to fully change his ways, Virgil falls into the demon world, taking his amulet which would awaken the Sparda blade’s true form with him.
Dante escapes the space in-between worlds and meets up with Lady. He sheds a tear for the loss of his brother, leading Lady to point out that some things may be so sad that even a devil may cry.
The two go their separate ways, but remain allies and associates in the demon hunting business.
Meanwhile, Virgil awakens in the demon world with Mundus looming overhead. Determined to prove himself just as strong as his father, he charges into battle against the devil.
