Following the announcement ofBayonetta 3’srelease date with additional gameplay footage and story details, fans of the series are abuzz over the mysterious new playable character Viola. After originally being teased in early trailers forBayonetta 3, audiences finally know a bit more about this enigmatic character and how she might impact the upcoming story. But where there is a mystery then speculation is sure to follow, and fans have already been hard at work trying to decipher the identity behind Viola and where she factors into the larger canon ofBayonetta.
From what’s been shown so far, Viola will enter the game seemingly already aware of events as they unfold, finally giving a name to the enemies seen in previous trailers as “homunculi” and directing theBayonettateam to finding a doctor who may be a new antagonist inthe human world ofBayonetta.But further trailer and gameplay footage suggests that Viola also has a connection to characters such as Bayonetta herself and Luka, though what sort of relationship this is will likely be revealed closer toBayonetta 3’slaunch or through the game itself.
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What’s Known So Far About Viola
From what players have seen so far fromBayonetta 3’s trailers, Platinum Games has been doing its best to indicate that Viola would play a very significant role inBayonetta 3, leading many to suspect that her connections to other characters are more than just perfunctory. For example, one of the smoking guns behind Viola’s connection to Luka comes not just from the release date trailer hinting at their relationship, but from the fact that she has control of a giant demon cat named “Cheshire.” Many have already pointed out the obvious parallel between this name and the pet name Bayonetta gives Luka in the previous two games being one and the same.
Moreover, the fact that Viola appears to have a demon summon and bears an umbra witch’s powers has led to even more questions regarding her identity, as canonically the witches are practically extinct save for Bayonetta and Jeanne. Where Viola came from then and how she has developed her abilities poses even more of a mystery, especially since the last time players sawa character who shouldn’t exist was inBayonetta 2with a young Lumen Sage, Balder. In light of this, due to Viola’s more modern dress sense and foreknowledge about the events of the game, many believe there’s more to her than players currently know.
The Theories Behind Viola
With time travel in mind, one of the emerging theories behind Viola’s identity is that while before players have met a character from the past, Viola will be the first from the future. Her unique awareness of the threat of the homunculi and who to find or where to go to stop them paired with her burgeoning umbra witch abilities seem to indicate that she comes from a time after the events ofBayonetta 3.With rumors having long since surroundedBayonetta 3and its relationship to timeand the potential of branching timelines, Viola may finally be the end result of all this speculation.
An extension of this theory goes one step further, as it picks up on the unusual similarities and parallels between Viola, Luka, and Bayonetta. Linking back to the odd connections between the characters, such as the shared Cheshire names and Viola joining teams with Bayonetta and Jeanne, some are speculating that Viola isn’t just simply a new character with no past, but that she is actually a direct descendent and maybe even the eventual daughter of Luka and Bayonetta. Though far more outlandish, it’s not without its merit, as it would help explain why Luka andthe demon catshare the same name and why Viola has traveled back in time to help her parents.
With a release date finally confirmed forBayonetta 3, however, fans are hoping that more is confirmed leading up to the official launch that could help clarify these theories. The latest trailer has given players the best insight into the game so far, with a greater focus on the game’s story than other trailers to date, so many anticipate that fans will be dissecting it over the next few months for every last detail. While previously fans had been pouring over earlier details likeBayonetta’s changed appearance, now they could have a new fixation as they attempt to discern who exactly Viola is and what this will mean forBayonetta 3.
Bayonetta 3is set to release on October 28 for Nintendo Switch.
