Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Netflix’s Devil May Cry.The newDevil May Cryanimated series on Netflix reachesits first season finalewith “A River of Blood and Fire.” The unyielding White Rabbit (Hoon Lee) enacts the final step of his plan to release the barrier separating the Human World and Makai (aka Hell or the Demon Underworld). It all leads toa final, action-packed, and epic confrontationwith the Demon Hunter, Dante (Johnny Yong Bosch), and Mary Arkham, aka Lady (Scout Taylor-Compton). However,Devil May Crystill has a few surprises left up its sleeves,ending in a jaw-dropping cliffhanger.
White Rabbit Unleashes His Final Attack
White Rabbit induces an artificial demonic transformation by consuming his minion, Blood-Strike. While naturally born as a human, the demon blood that gets pumped into his body creates an artificial demonic transformation. Plus, White Rabbit possesses the Sword of Sparda, making him nearly invincible. He then attacks Lady, Dante, and the religiously fanatical Vice President William Baines (Kevin Conroy) and his forces. None of their more conventional weapons are powerful enough to stop the transformed White Rabbit, butLady and Dante valiantly fight against him. Even the sniveling, conniving Enzo Ferino (Chris Coppola) attempts to help Dante, but he gets fatally impaled for his troubles. Lady correctly deduces that the key to stopping the White Rabbit is destroying the blood valve implanted in his chest that is inducing his transformation.
While fighting Dante, the White Rabbit takes possession of the perfect amulet. He impales Dante, ashe needs the hunter’s blood to complete the ritual. Dante points out that the process requires the blood of both Dante and his brother Vergil (Robbie Daymond), who is deceased. The gloating White Rabbit reveals to Dante that his long-lost brother is still alive, which shocks Dante to his core. Next, White Rabbit takes a stored vial of Vergil’s blood and pours it on the amulet. The barrier Sparda created separating Makai and Earth is released, literally bringing Hell to Earth, as powerful Makaians infest New York City, threatening the lives of innocent civilians. All appears lost as it looks like White Rabbit has accomplished his plan.
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Lady Manages to Saves the Day
Thankfully, Lady is not out of the fight yet. Before White Rabbit can finish off a wounded Dante, she still has one remaining Anti-Demon bullet in her damaged pistol and lands a trick shot, damaging the valve in White Rabbit’s blood device. The move critically wounds White Rabbit,giving Dante the opening he needs to retaliate. Dante unleashes a full Devil Trigger mode, using Sparda’s sword to land a killing blow. White Rabbit attempts to explain that as a half-demon, Dante will be rejected by both races. The knowledge of Vergil’s survival empowers Dante, as he professes that his purpose is to live on and find his brother, and he ends White Rabbit for good. Dante restores the barrier between Earth and Makai, andthe monsters attacking civilians disappear. However, the action is not over yet.
After the fight, Dante offers Lady to come with him while he searches for his brother. In one of the most rage-inducing moments of the season, Lady sneaks up on Dante with his back turned and injects him with a knockout compound, believing Dante is too dangerous to be free. Lady has learned nothing about Dante and Makai, her employers, even after fighting with Dante against White Rabbit. Not to mention, she arrests the guy who just saved New York City and millions of lives. It’s a far cry from the Lady ofDevil May Cry 3, who becomes Dante’s ally and finds newfound respect for the Demon Hunter after they save the world from her evil father, Arkham. Lady’s betrayal of Dante in the final episode is both maddening and frustrating,especially after everything they endured this season.
The U.S. Military Invades Makai
Shortly after Lady and Dante defeat White Rabbit, the overly zealous Vice President Baines uses one of White Rabbit’s rift devices to open a portal to Makai. He mobilizes aircraft to invade the realm, who immediately attack, committinga massive genocidal event, attacking innocent Makaian families and children. A montage set toGreen Day’s"American Idiot" plays, showcasing the aftermath of White Rabbit’s cataclysmic incident. The United States President Hopper (Jon Gries) delivers an address to the public,revealing that Demons and Hell are real. However, the reality is far more stunning.
The United States military advances into Makai,colonizing and industrializing the dimension. The montage reveals the nefarious Uroboros Corporation, led by the sinister Arius (the villain from theDevil May Cry 2video game). Dante was taken prisoner bythe Darkcom organization, who put him into frozen cryostasis. In Makai, the low-level Makaians are horrendously treated, subjugated, and taken prisoner by the United States forces. It’s a shockingly bleak and upsetting turn of events appropriately set to the classic rock track.
The Makaians Gain an Unlikely Champion
In the final scene of the season, one of the American prison camps for the Makaians is attacked in a shocking reveal. It’s Nelo Angelo, akaDante’s brother Vergil. Nelo Angelo frees the low-level, innocent Makaians from captivity, spreading the word of his master, Mundus. Mundus is the Dark Lord and Prince of Makai, who has been operating off-screen in the shadows. Mundus wasthe main villaininthe firstDevil May Cryvideo gameandthe individual responsible for Vergil’s transformation into Nelo Angelo.
However,the Netflix animated seriestakes things in a different direction, as Vergil appears to voluntarily serve Mundus,revealing that Mundus was the one who previously freed his bonds. Vergil releases his Nelo Angelo form, disclosing his natural visage and subservience to Mundus. He ends the first season with a grave message: “The sapiens and their armies, unaware of the storm they ride into. I am that storm.” Now that the U.S. and Darkcom ticked off Vergil,it looks like they can expect quite a fight if the show returns for Season 2.
Where Will Dante Stand in the Earth Versus Makai Conflict?
Devil May Cryconcludes ona shocking, uncertain note. Lady betrays Dante, arresting him and taking him prisoner for the United States and Darkcom. Vice President Baines and the United States come off looking just as bad as, if not worse than, White Rabbit by invading Makai and committing genocide against the innocent, low-level Makaians,a clear allegory to the Iraq War and the War on Terror.
Where Dante stands in this conflict remains to be seen. Currently, he is being held prisoner by Darkcom in an unknown location. Dante will likely not take either side, and sooner or later,he will have to confront his brother. Although Vergil is defending the innocent Makaians, he appears subservient to Mundus, andMundus' motives cannot be fully trusted either. Throughoutthe entire animated series, Dante also comes off as surprisingly weak and nerfed in comparison tohis video game counterpart. Hopefully, that will change in a potential second season, whichshould feature a much stronger Dante who reaches his peak.
