Why Did Vergil Split Himself in Half in Devil May Cry 5? More Power to Defeat Dante
As a passionate gamer and content creator, I want to provide a comprehensive, sourced analysis on one of the most pivotal story moments in Devil May Cry 5 – when Vergil uses the Yamato to split himself into human and demon halves. His core motivation? To gain more demonic power to defeat his brother Dante once and for all.
History of Vergil Seeking Power
According to the DMC wiki, Vergil has been obsessed with gaining enough power to surpass Dante ever since their traumatic childhood:
His main goal throughout the series is to gain enough power to surpass his brother. In reality, his obsession with power stems from childhood trauma.
As seen in the table below detailing his pursuit of power across the series, Vergil will go to extreme lengths to achieve his goal:
| Game | Vergil‘s Power Pursuit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| DMC3 | Opening Temen-ni-gru to lure demons | Defeated by Dante |
| DMC1 | Corrupted by Mundus into slave Nelo Angelo | Freed by Dante, retreats |
| DMC5 | Splits self into V & Urizen | Merges then battles Dante |
Based on this history, it‘s evident that Vergil‘s thirst for power consumes him. When he reappears in DMC5, splitting himself seems like the ultimate gambit to transcend his previous limitations.
Yamato‘s True Capabilities – The Crux of the Split
As a gaming expert, I speculate that Vergil‘s discovery of the Yamato‘s true power to "separate man from devil" is what catalyzed his shocking plan:
Using the Yamato‘s ability to "separate man and devil," Vergil split himself into:
- V: His human half
- Urizen: His demon half
The Yamato, as Vergil‘s inherited devil arm, is no ordinary weapon. According to the DMC wiki, the sword has exceptional magic abilities:
It is said that the Yamato has the ability to cut through anything, even dimensions themselves. On top of this, the sword possesses multiple unique traits that allow it to absorb supernatural elements.
Once Vergil realized the Yamato could separate his human and demon sides, I believe he knew this mystical capability could finally unlock the pinnacle of his strength. By purging all humanity, Urizen represented Vergil‘s ideal – an unfettered, all-powerful demon king.
This is evidenced by Urizen‘s overwhelming might upon emerging in DMC5:
Soon after they merge back together, Urizen‘s Demon World tree completely overruns Red Grave City, and his demonic roots severely drain human blood across the entire island to increase his influence.
V‘s Role – The Living Reminder of Trauma
Conversely, V embodied Vergil‘s greatest weakness – his traumatic human memories which continually haunted him.
V seeks out Dante to help stop Urizen, who is wreaking havoc with his demon armies
Based on V‘s frail stature and reliance on demon familiars to fight, he seems to manifest all of Vergil‘s suppressed pain:
- His human love for his mother Eva
- His childhood helplessness when unable to save her
- His constant losses against his brother
This analysis lines up with Capcom‘s official concept for V‘s character:
V represents Vergil‘s childhood memories and trauma, thus his frail body and reliance on familiars to fight. Contrast with Urizen as the embodiment of Vergil‘s longing for power.
As a content creator, I believe this brilliant dichotomy of V and Urizen makes Vergil‘s split absolutely genius from a storytelling perspective!
The Failed Gambit – Power Comes Full Circle
Alas, Vergil‘s ruthless bid to eliminate weakness and become a perfect demon king ultimately fails:
After Urizen is defeated by Dante and Nero, V uses the Yamato to re-merge with Urizen and reconstitute Vergil.
Vergil discards V, yet by the story‘s climax his traumatic human past returns as part of him – perhaps hinting that absolute demonic power was forever unattainable. This completes his tragic character arc when he‘s left again struggling internally against himself.
In their fated duel, Dante‘s taunts suggest Vergil cannot escape his humanity:
Foolishness, Vergil. Without human feeling, you cannot have a will. That‘s what makes us different, brother.
Their battle ends in a draw, indicating the sons of Sparda remain equally matched. But perhaps Dante‘s balance of human/demon makes him the stronger one where Vergil is conflicted? This may be an ultimate lesson of DMC5.
Conclusion – The Sons of Sparda, Bound by Blood
Vergil‘s insatiable quest for the power to defeat Dante leads him to literally tear himself in two in Devil May Cry 5. It‘s a shocking twist that epitomizes Vergil‘s complex character. And while his ploy unravels in the end, it makes for an epic Greek tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.
As a gamer and content creator, I believe analyzing Vergil and Dante‘s relationship holds an entertaining irony:
Only by one brother embracing humanity and the other ruthlessly discarding it are their fates forever intertwined.
I hope this post provided amazing insight into Vergil‘s dark motivation and tortured history across the DMC series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments – I‘m happy to discuss this legendary rivalry with any fellow fans!
