Article |
Power without a purpose is meaningless and worthless. A purpose that is firm can change the impossible to the possible. That is the power of our cause. | ||
— Deus to Yasha |
Deus (デウス, Deusu), also called Lord Deus by the other Deities, is a Demigod and the Leader of the Seven Deities, and the current de-facto ruler of Shinkoku. His Mantra Affinity is Pride. He was the Commander of the former Eight Guardian Generals and former Guardian General of Pride, who served the Emperor of Shinkoku Trastrium and led the Demigod Army to fight against the Gohma.
He is the main antagonist of Asura's Wrath, having orchestrated Asura's downfall at the start of the story. Deus thought that only a firm hand could have rid the world of the Gohma. Seeking to claim control over Shinkoku Trastrium, despite not having real desire to rule, Deus staged the murder of Emperor Strada and framed Asura for the crime.
Believing in the righteousness of his cause, regardless of the means, Deus oppressed mankind for thousands of years and used them to gather the power he needed to destroy Gohma Vlitra. His dominion eventually came to a turning point when Asura and Yasha confronted him to establish who will determine the fate of the world.
Appearance
Deus is shown as a tall dark-skinned demigod with older features. Due to his status as the leader of the Seven Deities, Deus is depicted as older than the other demigods (with the exception of Kalrow and Augus). His age of appearance is stated to be 36. His hair is white and in a slicked style and he has a white beard with a golden placated goatee, and like the other demigods, Deus bears tattoos across his face and body, which are golden in color. He wears a bindi on his forehead, white shoulder protectors along with a cape, and underneath, he wears a white tuxedo-like uniform adorned with golden marks all over, along with an intricately decorated golden armour, golden gauntlets and claws for each finger, as well as golden shoes.
Personality
Deus is a prideful, arrogant and stern demigod commander who was also ruthless and hungry for power and control. He is an extremist who believed that a good end justified the means, no matter how terrible the means were. He also harboured a severe god complex and messiah complex. To this end, he desired to stop the eternal conflict between the Demigods and the Gohma and fight against fate, as he stated: "That is the duty of a god".
Deus planned to create a new world and shape an ideal utopia in his own image and had the Emperor of Shinkoku Trastium murdered, not only to enact this goal, but also because the Emperor was complacent with the fate of the demigods and temporary peace, even when Deus tried to get him to listen to him. He also has a great sense of honour and righteousness. As seen during one of the interludes, it was suggested by Olga that Deus should become the new Emperor, but Deus refused, stating he would prefer to remain a warrior and not to sit on a throne and rule. Ironically, he was seen sitting on a throne during both of his meetings with Yasha and seemingly always had the other Deities carry out his cause for him, which could be considered an act of hypocrisy and corruption on his part.
He despised the Gohma and was willing to sacrifice countless innocent lives in order to eradicate them permanently. However, for all his willingness to use innocent souls for power, Deus was not completely devoid of remorse for his actions, as he did show anger towards Yasha for suggesting he solely wished to slaughter countless lives for power. He indeed valued the Mantra gained from human sacrifices, agreeing with Yasha that it is more important than taking out Asura and berating and punishing Olga for her attempt to use the Brahmastra to defeat Asura. Due to his warrior mindset, Deus and Yasha had the closest relationship, with Deus having trained Yasha and constantly comforting him over his guilt and doubt of having to do what must be done. Even after Yasha betrayed him, it was indicated that Deus did not want to kill him, as he offered Yasha a chance to remember the cause and join him once more.
Deus, in short, was an honourable and determined demigod who truly wished to save the world, but his delusional and blind pride and extremist views made him drunk with power, corrupting his judgment and leading him to orchestrate heinous actions. Deus also had a belief that aspects such as power and words without purpose were meaningless, and with a purpose, they could make the impossible into the possible. It is strongly implied that Deus is the God of Pride.
Story
Early Life
Deus was once the Commander of the Eight Guardian Generals and led the Shinkoku army in battles against the Gohma. He and the other Guardian Generals protected the Emperor of Shinkoku and Gaea from the Gohma threat for eons.
At some point in his past, Deus approached the rogue demigod warrior Augus who lived in the mountainous areas defeating large Gohma and various warriors in his pursuit to find a worthy fighter. Augus assumed Deus of coming to avenge a Guardian General the former had murdered in a fight in the past, but Deus described it as not his intention and instead asked Augus to join him and become one of the Eight Guardian Generals. Not interested due to his belief he was too strong to be a General, Augus derided Deus, saying he didn't want to be in the same ranks as weaklings, which caused Deus to attempt to use force to make Augus join him. After an arduous fight, with each marveling at each other's skill, Augus let the match settle as a draw and promised to join as long as the fights were as interesting as the one with Deus. Deus promised battles aplently and described his dedication to the purification of the Gohma, something that (according to Augus) no one in the history of Shinkoku has attempted. Excited, Augus eagerly join Deus' ranks as a General.
At some point later in time, he warned the Emperor of the power of the Gohma and their eventual return and that preemptive measures must be put in place, but the Emperor saw peace for his people the only option and opted to eventually leave the planet to avoid the endless war for his people. After they once again defeated the Gohma and emerged temporarily victorious over Gohma Vlitra, Deus murdered Emperor Strada and let it appear like Asura killed him. After this, Asura was branded a traitor, his wife Durga was killed, and his daughter Mithra was kidnapped to trigger Deus' master plan: "The Great Rebirth". Enraged at the murder of his beloved wife and the betrayal of his comrades, Asura faced Deus, but he was no match for the commander of the Guardian Generals. Deus promptly killed and banished Asura to Gaea to keep him from interfering with his plans to create a new world.
12,500 Years later
Deus was close to his goal, but after Yasha betrayed him and most of his fellow deities were killed by Asura, his plans were foiled. Yasha tried to convince Deus that there were other ways of bringing salvation to Gaea instead of needless bloodshed of countless mortal lives, but his words fell on deaf ears. Deus requested Yasha to show him this other way of saving the planet by fighting him alone, but it proved to be impossible. However, Asura aided him, and together they fought Deus, though barely making him fight seriously against them. Deus decides to merge his power with the Karma Fortress, to where Asura and Yasha make their way to finish the battle. Wounded but not beaten, Asura and Yasha collected their strength and harduously battled Deus once more, however, Deus' power subdues both of them. Asura refused to give up, and the battle came down to a clash between the two demigods. Asura ultimately defeated Deus. Dying, Deus mocked Asura with the fact that despite defeating him, he had allowed the Gohma to destroy Gaea without any hindrances. Asura and Yasha freed Mithra and went out to fight Gohma Vlitra, as Deus' body disappeared, with him still believing only he could beat Vlitra.
870 Million Years later
In a post credits bonus scene, 870 million years later, the world resembles modern day Earth, with Deus reincarnated into a high-ranking corporate executive who risks being late for an important meeting in order to help a struggling old person cross the street. Deus works alongside the reincarnated Olga, with her serving as his secretary.
Powers and Abilities
As the leader of the Seven Deities and former Commander of the Eight Guardian Generals, Deus is an extremely powerful demigod and easily the most skilled and powerful out of all of them, acknowledged by even Augus, who despite having drawn his sword, Wailing Dark, against him still could not defeat him. A formidable demigod warrior, he is strong enough to dispatch both Asura and Yasha in their battles with ease, striking down the former during his coup d'état and overpowering the latter in a one-on-one bout while holding himself back. Even by joining forces, Asura and Yasha had great difficulty defeating Deus.
Being a demigod, Deus had the ability to harness and manipulate Mantra. As one of the Eight Guardian Generals and the Seven Deities, Deus is in possession of one of the eight Mantra affinities; the Mantra Affinity of Pride.
Physical Abilities
Superhuman Strength: As one of the most powerful beings in the universe and the strongest of the Seven Deities, Deus possesses incredible godly strength. He was strong enough to challenge and easily overpower Asura in both his base and Six-Armed Vajra Asura form and even effortlessly rip himself free from his chokehold, send Asura flying through a wall with a simple kick and punch Yasha a great distance away. Deus was also capable of fending off Asura's overwhelming levels of physical strength and Yasha's strong kicks with little effort, at one point stopping both demigods' attacks simultaneously with a single hand and pushing them back far away. During his initial fight with Yasha, he produced gusts of wind simply by waving his nunchucks, and his clashes with Yasha damaged the area around them, cracking pillars and reducing the floor to rubble.
Superhuman Speed, Agility & Reflexes: Deus had immense superhuman speed and agility. He evenly matched and even surpassed Yasha and Asura's speed in combat, clashing with Yasha continuously and catching both of them off guard repeatedly, and being fast and agile enough as well as having stupendously sharp reflexes to easily react to, dodge and outmaneuver their attacks and subsequently strike them. He was even able to block Yasha's attacks multiple times despite the demigod's incredible agility and speed, including blocking a kick from him while simultaneously reacting to and blocking Six-Armed Vajra Asura's fists in an instant, fending off both demigods without being struck.
Superhuman Durability & Endurance: Deus possessed an extreme amount of superhuman durability and physical resilience. He was able to take multiple blows from Yasha and Asura in his Six-Armed Vajra form while only sustaining minimal damage from either of them and remain unimpressed. In his bout with Yasha, he nonchalantly brushed off Yasha's attack at full power, which ravaged the entire throne room around them, remaining completely unfazed and unharmed by the attack. Even after being hit with a massively powerful Mantra burst from Asura, which ultimately killed him, Deus managed to remain alive and conscious for a significant amount of time, before finally dying. With his vast level of durability and endurance, Deus was possibly the most physically resilient among all the demigods.
Superhuman Stamina: As a demigod, Deus likely had near-limitless stamina. He was able to fight both Asura in his Six-Armed Vajra form and Yasha in a long clash without ever showing to tire out.
Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: As the leader and strongest of the Seven Deities, Deus is an extremely adept combatant, having been the commander of the Eight Guardian Generals and therefore considered the most skilled and powerful Demigod of the time. He has proven to be amazingly skilled in hand-to-hand combat and martial arts, as well as acrobatics, capable of easily matching on equal grounds and overpowering both Asura in his Six-Armed Vajra form and Yasha. In addition, Deus was Yasha's mentor, which further emphasizes his exceptional combat prowess.
Nunchaku Mastery: Deus has shown extreme skill in using his nunchaku, known as "Sakra". He was able to wield it masterfully to fight Augus wielding his own sword, Wailing Dark, to a draw, and gain the upper hand on both Six-Armed Vajra Asura and Yasha during their fights. He is also capable of using it in conjunction with his lightning abilities as well as to deflect projectiles.
Intellectual Genius: In addition to his formidable fighting prowess and powers, Deus was also very intelligent and cunning. He was an exceptional leader and strategist, having been the leader of the entire Shinkoku Force as the Commander of the Eight Guardian Generals, and he achieved notable successes in leading the armies into battle against the Gohma. Over the centuries, he was able to defend Gaea from the Gohma, leading the Seven Deities and the army as a whole and inspiring complete loyalty in them. He also orchestrated a very sophisticated conspiracy to murder the Emperor and seize control of the throne while expertly pinning the blame on Asura and convincing many demigods that it was the truth.
Immortality: As a demigod, Deus possessed immortality and was unable to age. He is 36 in body and mind, but would not age and his lifespan was eternal thanks to Mantra and his demigod physiology. He also could not be killed by conventional methods and only extremely powerful beings like other deities and the Gohma could kill him.
Vacuum Adaptation: As a demigod, Deus is able to survive in outer space unaided and without any form of discomfort. He is not affected by the lack of atmosphere and increased level of cosmic radiation.
Mantra
Mantra of Pride: Deus' Mantra Affinity is Pride. Like the other demigods, Deus can harness the power of the Mantra to increase his physical attributes and destructive power. He is also able to manifest his halo to achieve greater power.
- Lightning Manipulation/Electrokinesis: Deus possesses the ability to generate and control lightning and electricity of white colour, having unrivaled mastery over the element and being capable of manipulating it as he pleases to command lightning through sheer will alone. Deus is able to discharge lightning and electricity in the form of lightning streams, electric blasts, thunderous shockwaves, electrocute his foes through touch and telekinesis, summon lightning strikes from the heavens to strike down his opponent, tremendous bursts of lightning, bring forth extremely powerful barrages of thunderbolts and torrents of lightning to overwhelm opponents on multiple sides, and generate an enormous lightning field around himself to repel opponents and attacks--which was powerful enough to momentarily repel both Six-Armed Vajra Asura and Yasha. Deus was powerful enough to easily incapacitate and decimate enemies with his electrokinetic powers, including extremely powerful foes like Asura and Yasha, critically wounding and knocking out Asura during the betrayal of the Seven Deities, and later on overwhelming both him and Yasha during their decisive clash. Deus can also channel lightning through his nunchaku, Sakra, which are held together by a chain of electricity, for greatly increased striking power and range, as well as to shoot electric blasts from its tip.
- Teleportation: Deus could use his skill over lightning to teleport from one place to another instantaneously like a lightning flash.
- Telekinesis: Deus possesses the ability of telekinesis, and could telekinetically repel, lift and bind individuals while electrocuting them simultaneously.
- Flight: Deus possesses the ability to levitate and fly at incredibly high speeds by releasing Mantra from his body.
- Soul Reap: Like the other demigods, it is presumed that Deus had the ability to "reap" the souls of mortals.
- Halo: As all demigods, especially the more powerful ones, Deus is able to activate his halo to unleash his full power. This was shown in his last clash with Asura.
Miscellaneous Abilities
Leadership: Deus held the position of Commander of the Eight Guardian Generals and was the second highest authority of Shinkoku Tastrium, only gaining even greater authority when he became the de-facto ruler of Shinkoku after the Emperor's assassination. Furthermore, he also became the leader of the Seven Deities, inspiring complete loyalty in them after the coup d'état. He was an exceptional leader and led the Shinkoku forces and the Seven Deities to notable successes against the Gohma for millennia.
Equipment
Sakra: Deus' main weapon is a pair of nunchucks attached together with a chain of electricity, known as "Sakra". Additionally, Deus could also channel lightning through his nunchaku for greatly increased striking power and range, as well as to shoot electric blasts from its tip.
Transformations
Sakra Devanam Indra Deus - Karma Fortress Form
After merging with the Karma Fortress, Deus reaches the form known as Sakra Devanam Indra Deus (Japanese: 帝釈天 デウスエクス; Sanskrit: Śakra Devānām Indra Deus; lit. "Powerful Lord of the Devas, Deus"). Even more gigantic than Wyzen's Gongen form, it is Deus' last resort.
This final form gave him complete control over the Karma Fortress (operating it as a second body with great precison), including allowing him to manipulate the Brahmastra itself, and all the Mantra stored inside of the fortress. Not only he had access to more than a trillion souls that the Deities had gathered over the years, but he could also use the imprisoned Mithra and her power to greatly amplify Mantra to enhance his power to insurmountable levels and heal his vitality. According to Olga, Sakra Devanam Indra Deus was the most powerful being in existence.
- The Brahmastra: With full control over the Karma Fortress in this final form, Deus could manipulate the Brahmastra with greater control and concentrate its blast with great precision.
- Messatsu: While merged with the Karma Fortress, Deus makes the fortress clap. Because of its colossal size, the energy produced by this is massive.
Sakra Devanam Indra Deus Demigod Form - Vajra Deus
As Sakra Devanam Indra Deus in demigod form, or Vajra Deus (金剛 デウス, Kongō Deusu), Deus was able to form a mask of light over his face with his tattoos, enhancing his durability, endurance and overall defence exponentially. Nonetheless, he still faced defeat against Asura's overwhelming power and rage.
Quotes
- "Battles such as this that bring temporary peace are meaningless and a waste of time."--To Himself about the War with the Gohma
- "Our cause is genuine. We are in the right."--To Yasha
- "Power without a purpose is meaningless and worthless. A purpose that is firm can change the impossible to the possible. That is the power of our cause."--To Yasha
- "Purpose without power is meaningless. We must succeed, no matter what the sacrifice. We must obtain power greater than the will of the planet."--To Yasha
- "Another way...? Did you think that I had not considered that? Did you think that I had not considered other possibilities!?"--To Yasha
- "Yasha. Words without power are worthless. If you think you can save the world with your own fists, then show me! Show me this newfound power of yours!"--To Yasha
- "I will show you the true meaning of power!"--To Yasha
- "How pathetic. Insects. You have no idea how much preparation and power is required to save the world. I will show you how useless that puny little power of yours really is!"--To Asura and Yasha
- "Hell is it? This planet considers the mortals its enemy and is trying to devour all their souls. This planet denies our very birthright. Yes, this world is Hell. That's why sacrifices must be made in order to save it. No matter how many mortal souls it cost!"--To Asura and Yasha
- "I see... Perhaps I have underestimated the power of your wrath. However, it is not enough. You will not be able to defeat it with that!"--To Asura
- "To fight the will of the entire planet, you must attain power greater than that of a god. Behold, this is that very power! (Pause) Destiny has a master, and it is me."--To Asura and Yasha
- "Insolent fools. Why do you not understand that the true enemy is the will of the planet?"--To Asura and Yasha
- "I am the god that carries the fate of civilization on his shoulders. All who oppose are guilty of blasphemy! You are a danger to my world. Consider your lives forfeit!"--To Asura and Yasha
- "Time to send you back to Naraka!"--To Asura
- "This is the only path to salvation!"--To Yasha
- "There is no salvation without gods!"--To Yasha
- "My destruction would mean the end of civilization. That is why I am invincible! Indestructible!"--To Asura
- "My cause is just! Die!"--To Asura
- "Only absolute power can bring redemption!"--To Asura
- "It is my destiny to purge this planet of the Impure. And if I must be the one to guide our people in doing do, then so be it. But I will always be a warrior. Once we have accomplished our goal, I shall resign my post. My purpose has always been for the cause. I have no desire to sit on a throne for all eternity!"--To Olga
- "So naive... It is too powerful... You will never defeat Vlitra... Only I can..."--To Asura (Last Words)
Trivia
- Deus was Asura's main target before Chakravartin was revealed as the true antagonist of the story.
- Deus translates to "God" in Latin, and is also a cognate of the Sanskrit word देव (deva) which also means "god" or "deity", and in Buddhism, refers to a class of non-human god-like beings that comprise the highest of Samsara's six realms. The character is likely based after Dyeus, the Vedic God of the sky. In Classic Latin, it was a general noun referring to any divine figure. In Late Latin, it came to be used mostly in reference to the Christian God. It is ultimately derived from Dyēus Phter, the Proto-Indo-European sky deity that is the prototype for lightning-wielding celestial king gods, from Indra to Odin to Zeus. The Greek word for God is θεός (theos), which became Deus in Latin.
- Deus, being the God-King of the Seven Deities and having vast control of over Thunder and Lightning, is inspired by the Vedic God Dyeus. In keeping with the Hindu-Buddhist themes of Asura's Wrath, Deus' abilities and transformations are also based on the Hindu deity, Indra, who is both King of the Gods and the God of thunder and lightning. Deus' appearance can also be clearly inspired by Indra, due to his dark complexion, forehead piece, and pattern of marks on his body. Furthermore, Deus can be effectively alluded to Indra in the context of the game, particularly in his desire to kill Vlitra, itself named and based after the dragon that the mythological Indra did in fact slay.
- Deus' Sakra Devanam Indra form derives its name from one of Indra's titles, Śakra Devānām Indra, which means "Powerful Lord of the Devas", fitting Deus' status as the supreme leader and most powerful member of the Seven Deities.
- Deus' Vajra transformation is based on Indra's weapon, the vajra. Vajra is a ritual weapon symbolizing the properties of a diamond (indestructibility) and a thunderbolt (irresistible force) and is the Sanskrit word having both meanings. According to Hindu mythology, vajra is considered one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. Whereas in Buddhist mythology, vajra weapons are wielded by fierce deities (such as the Wisdom Kings, Dharmapalas, and the Four Heavenly Kings), which befits their status as protectors of all sentient beings. The tips of Deus' nunchaku are also based on the vajra.
- Deus bears a striking resemblance to Ganondorf from The Legend of Zelda franchise, specifically his appearance from Ocarina of Time.
- Deus is very similar to Zeus from the God of War franchise, as each are the god of lightning and king of the gods, who betrays and kills his series-respective protagonist (Asura/Kratos), who then seeks revenge on and eventually kills him.
- When counterattacking Deus during the final battle against him, it goes into first person view with Asura pummeling Deus. This is very similar to Kratos killing Zeus at the end of God of War 3.
- Both the two episodes of fighting Deus is similiar to the final battle in Kingdom Hearts 2. First you get to the boss by fighting through enemies, then you fight him with help of another character. After that, you get onto a hovercraft and fly to the boss, then you fight him again with both characters, and then switch to the second character to fight him and switches again to the first.
- Deus is one of few characters of Capcom that wear formal businessmen clothing, one of the others being Fortinbras from the Onimusha series.
Demigods & Gods | ||
---|---|---|
Main | Asura • Yasha • Deus • Augus • Wyzen • Sergei • Olga • Kalrow • Mithra • Durga • Chakravartin | |
Others | Emperor Strada • Kanazuki Spring Attendants | |
Shinkoku Army | Doji • Rasho • Taison • Kagebosh |
The Eight Guardian Generals | ||
---|---|---|
Commander | Deus | |
Guardian Generals | Asura • Yasha • Augus • Wyzen • Sergei • Olga • Kalrow |
The Seven Deities | ||
---|---|---|
Head Deity | Deus | |
Deities | Yasha • Augus • Wyzen • Sergei • Olga • Kalrow |