It's been eight years since Bayonetta 2 first released, and fans are desperate for the next entry in Platinum Games' frantic, gothic fantasy hack-and-slash series. Announced all the way back in 2017 during the Game Awards, Bayonetta 3 is still without an official release date, but Nintendo has repeatedly suggested that the new Bayonetta game will hit store shelves at some point this year. So before its eventual release date, fans may want to know a little more about Bayonetta's world.
Despite the first two Bayonetta games being linear single-player action games, with numerous cutscenes sprinkled in between levels, it's not immediately obvious who anyone is, or why they're all fighting each other. It's actually pretty easy to play through the entire series so far and not actually have understood more than a handful of story details. Though it's pretty bizarre from the outset, the lore of Bayonetta's world is pretty intriguing, and is certainly worth finding out about.
The Lore of Bayonetta's World
Bayonetta's lore dates back to around 500 years ago. At this time, Europe was home to two large clans, the Umbra Witches and the Lumen Sages. While the Umbra Witches spent their time in the shadows, the Lumen Sages had a penchant for all things light. Despite their fundamental opposition, the two clans actually had deep respect for one another, understanding that they were both required to bring balance to the world.
Each of the clans held a powerful artifact known as an Eye of the World. The Umbra Witches possessed the Left Eye, which monitored the Moon, Inferno, and darkness, while the Lumen Sages held the Right Eye, which watched over the Sun, Paradiso, and the light. These Eyes would be passed on to the heirs of their respective clans, but would forever be kept apart, as the meeting of the two Eyes is said to bring about the return of Jubileus the Creator.
While each clan had their own distinct set of laws, there was one pivotal law that was shared between the factions, that being that a child hailing from both clans was strictly forbidden. Eventually, this sacred law would be broken when the Lumen Sage Balder and Umbra Witch Rosa had a child together. For their transgressions Balder was exiled from the Sages, while Rosa was convicted by her people. The child, Cereza, was raised by the Witches, but was constantly reminded that she was an outsider.
Growing up, Cereza made just one friend, Jeanne, who was in line to inherit the Umbran crown. To prove her worthiness to rule, Jeanne chose to fight Cereza, so that she could claim the Left Eye. Jeanne lost the fight, but was ordered to lock Cereza away, with the other Witches believing that her impure blood may lead to the summoning of Jublieus.
After killing Cereza's mother, Jeanne plunged a dagger into Cereza's heart, locking her away for 500 years. As Cereza was laid to rest at the bottom of a lake, a war broke out between the Umbra Witches and the Lumen Sages. The war came to a brutal and bloody end years later, leaving just one Lumen Sage alive, Cereza's father Balder. Seeing no other alternative, Balder began to manipulate the human population, spreading fear over the existence of Witches, eventually leading to mass Witch hunts across the globe.
By the time Cereza wakes up, both clans have been wiped out to near extinction, with just a handful of scattered members each. Cereza has practically no memories of her past life, so adopts a new name, Bayonetta. With a red gem around her neck being the only clue, Bayonetta sets off to find the Eyes of the World, not quite knowing why. All of these events have led up to Bayonetta 3, although it remains to be seen where Bayonetta's journey takes her next.
Bayonetta 3 is in development for Nintendo Switch.