Inferno (Soul Calibur)

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Inferno

Game series	Soul series
First game	Soul Edge
In-Universe Information
Age	Existed since ancient times
Blood type	None
Weapon	Himself (Soul Edge) Imitative Power (later games)
Weapon name	Soul Edge (Soul Edge) All weapons (later games)
Fighting style	Memories of Soul Edge
Family	No Family

Inferno (インフェルノ, Inferuno^?) is a fictional character designed for the Soul Series of fighting games. Inferno made his first appearance in Soul Edge as the boss named SoulEdge, and then returned as the boss in Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur II. In Soul Calibur III he's hinted to be the new Nightmare.

1 Biography
2 Weapons
3 Stages
4 Character Analysis
5 Trivia
6 Series' Appearances

[edit] Biography

Although no one knows when or where it first appeared exactly, "it" definitely exists...Through many years of bloodshed and absorbing souls, Soul Edge eventually gained its own immortal soul, Inferno. It is the physical embodiment of Soul Edge, and memories of the warriors it has defeated have been permanently crystallized in it. Those who hold it are unable to escape from the curse of its evil powers.

It continues to devour in darkness the souls of those who are led astray by fate. While it burns fiercely with the anguish and regret of those lost souls, its blade shines with an icy gleam.

Siegfried found Soul Edge after the dreaded Cervantes was killed during his battle against the divine warrior Sophitia and the demon hunter Taki. Soul Edge, at the fear of tearing itself after the loss of its companion blade, took the body of Cervantes and used it to make a physical manifestation of its will. Burning Cervantes' corpse to ashes, Inferno stood in front of Siegfried to try to restore itself. After a fierce battle, Siegfried's Zweihander Faust cut through Inferno and defeated it.

After Siegfried took the sword, Soul Edge made a deal with him: he would take souls to help in its restoration and Soul Edge would revive his father Frederick. Siegfried agreed and eventually turned into the Azure Knight, Nightmare.

With its ability to access more souls returned, Inferno was strong enough to recreate its own world: the Chaos. A place beyond time and space where Inferno sets its own rules to ensure its victory, and which seems to be created at the awakening of Soul Edge's true power. Being defeated by Xianghua, who was the wielder of Soul Calibur, Inferno was sucked into the void along with Soul Calibur and Nightmare. Despite Siegfried's sanity returned, it was able to reclaim him once again, turning him into Nightmare for the following 4 years.

After Siegfried reclaimed his body from Soul Edge's influence, Inferno (as the sword's invisible soul) moved from the sword and entered the discarded azure armor the instant before Siegfried sealed both weapons in the Embrace of Souls. Unable to move, the spirit awaited until Zasalamel appeared. After a wordless conversation, he linked the soul with the armor, giving it a new shell to move. The new Nightmare then set out on a new bloodied quest for souls, seeking his body (Soul Edge) and a new host for it.

[edit] Weapons

- Soul Edge

SoulEdge uses the wicked sword, its own body, as its weapon to protect itself. Being in the form of 2 long swords, most of its moves are reminiscent of Cervantes.

- All Weapons

Inferno is more or less the soul of Soul Edge, and since being wielded by many people, the memories of the warriors it defeated were crystallized within it. Inferno used the warriors' memories and incorporated them into its own style of fighting. Inferno was even able to create weapons from memory and form them from its body. The anguish of defeated warriors fueled the brilliance of Inferno's disturbing crimson flames. When Inferno's weapon becomes enveloped with that flame, the world would know the meaning of true fear and despair.

[edit] Stages

-- Valencia Port - Chaos (SB)

A place where time and space doesn't exist. One can see rests of ships and ruined houses floating in the background. Only red embraces the skies.

-- Chaos (SC)

Chaos is a desolate land created by Inferno and filled with hellfire. According to legend, this land is made in the image of the place where the demonic blade Soul Edge shows its true self. This place is the physical manifestation of the pain and suffering caused by Soul Edge as it consumes the souls of its victims. However, those who gaze upon these lands may only recognize this as the mesmerizing, beautiful colored lights that shift and dance in the air. This is the final destination for those who pursue Soul Edge.
(Note: Known as Gap of the World in the arcade version).

-- Tartaros (SC2)

Inferno's long years within this land gives him a great advantage because of the hellfire that surrounds him. While being banned in Tartaros, Hades keeps a very close watch on Inferno which only gives him a few chances to escape and fight other souls in other lands. What people don't know about Tartaros is that its gateway is located within the Ostrheinsburg Chapel and when Inferno fights in the desolate place, He never loses, and no one has ever been able to escape... alive...

[edit] Character Analysis

In Soul Edge/Blade, Inferno has Cervantes' style with some extra moves, obviously taking top-tier status. He possess Cervantes' strengths (strong horizontals, quick and simple combos, excellent throws) and adds extra strength, speed and moves (most of which are really useful). Some of its extra moves were added to Cervantes' movelist in Soul Calibur.

In Soul Calibur, choosing Inferno is very similar to choosing Edgemaster. He will randomly select a weapon for each indidivual fight. He, like Edgemaster, gains a twelve-percent attack increase for the characters Astaroth, Nightmare, Rock and Siegfried; and six-percent attack increase for everyone else, except Cervantes. He also has some moves unique to him which he can do while using any style, called Roy D'Angolmois (King of the Mongols) and Roy D'Effrayeur (King of Fear). In fact, Roy D'Effrayeur has 4 different versions: Zeta, Delta, Xi, and Psi.

[edit] Trivia

Although it's often thought Inferno is the same as Soul Edge in Soul Edge/Blade, they differ. Inferno is the pure essence of Soul Edge, while Soul Edge is merely a shadow of Cervantes' memories on the sword.
Inferno is the final opponent in Soul Edge/Blade, Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur II. He's only playable in Soul Edge/Blade and Soul Calibur. In Soul Calibur II, he is accessible using Action Replay Max, but only in Time Attack mode.
Inferno's appearance has always changed: In Soul Edge/Blade he was a skull-faced fire entity with Cervantes' jacket, gloves and boots (This form was defeated by Siegfried). In Soul Calibur it was just a head, arms and legs connected by fire; but when a player choose it Inferno looked like a transparent man with fire inside it (This form was defeated by Xianghua). In Soul Calibur II it seemed to have an organic body and head, and showed Soul Calibur sealed inside it (This form didn't appear storyline wise, although it could just be a better version of the past one).
Inferno in Soul Calibur II has only 1 round, and it changes styles after losing one-third of its lifebar. Also each hit it receives releases some flames out of its body.
Inferno appears in Soul Calibur III: Arcade Edition as the sub-boss in the Arcade Mode. He uses a style reminiscent of Cervantes, returning it to its origins as SoulEdge, but with his original moves from past incarnations. Inferno also wields a weapon a lot similar to the twin-sword form of Soul Edge used by Cervantes and itself in the original Soul Edge. Its stage is Abyss' former level, Lost Cathedral - Ruins.
In Soul Calibur II it cannot use Assassin, Berserker, Lizardman, Necrid or the guest characters' styles.
The moves exclusive of Inferno are marked in its movelist with an orange ghost, an homage to Pac-Man.
In Soul Calibur III, upon choosing Will'o the Wisp using a cheating device, it was found it has Inferno's unique moves from both Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur II.
Inferno's Weapon Exhibition in Soul Calibur II, if you use an Action Replay to play as him, is the same as Charade's, but set on the Ostrheinsburg Chapel stage and it never finishes, unless you exit.
In Soul Calibur III it is believed that Inferno, or a part of it, is the new Nightmare. He is also believed to only be a temporary host (Tira is looking for a new one).
Inferno's nickname in Soul Edge is "The Ultimate Wicked Sword" and in Soul Calibur is "The Hellfire of Despair".
Inferno's Destined Battle in Soul Calibur is Nightmare. In Soul Calibur II, if you use an Action Replay to play as him, it shows Nightmare's name as his opponent in the loading screen, but the game freezes from lack of a cutscene.
Inferno's most preferred weapon in Soul Calibur and Soul Calibur II is the Zweihänder.