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Bayonetta: a journey of love
🕑 Added 2023-07-13 17:53:36 +0000 UTC <figure>
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This franchise has a lot of heart.
Bayonetta is so absurd and over the top that I feel some people fail to address the nuances of the characters and games. True, the plots are intentionally convoluted, but there is some genuine character growth and depth to the plot.
In this particular essay (if you can call it that), I feel like exploring the theme of love in the games. Spoilers unfiltered, so play or do something else to get to speed if you haven't already
Bayonetta 1: loving yourself
As the lyrics of Mysterious Destiny put it, Bayonetta's bravado hides a deep sorrow, likely caused by her own loss of memory. In this game she meets a child, who is in truth a younger version of herself. Playing the game with this in mind is quite interesting, as she goes from being grossed out by the kid to loving her like it was her own. As this happens, she recovers her memories, and whatever sadness hides behind her smile dissipates. She accomplishes the first step: loving herself, warts and all.
Through this, Cereza's relationship with Jeanne is also explored. Starting as antagonistic, it is then revealed how deep their bond is as Jeanne, having her own mind unscrambled (she was under Balder's spell for most of the game) goes to freaking space to save Bayonetta. However, both express bravado in front of each other, playing off whatever affection they have.
Bayonetta 2: loving your father
In this game Cereza does what Jeanne did before and goes to the rescue of her friend, this time to Inferno itself. Again, however, they both display a bravado, as if they have to play off every moment of intimacy. Considering they both stress strength as an Umbran virtue, maybe it's toxic witchery?
The real emotional core is Bayonetta dealing with her father, a younger version of which having travelled forward to her time due to the main villain's machinations. Initially Bayonetta is understandably reserved, since she only knew her father as a genocidal monster, but in spite of this they quickly get along once they start working together. Then he sacrifices himself for the sake of humanity, and it's for the first time that we see Cereza in a vulnerable light, having finally understood that her father was worth loving all along and realising she wasted her only chance. She does him a favor and calls him "daddy", and she notably doesn't transition immediately to bravado.
She started that journey trying to prevent the loss of a loved one, only to have another lost.
Bayonetta 3: loving heteronormativity
Okay, I'm playing to the fact that nobody likes Luka/Cereza. But regardless, Bayonetta starts the game somber once more, now that her demonic contract is about to expire. She doesn't find much comfort in Jeanne, keeping her bravado still. In fact, neither of them have their relationship explored much, which is a shame since this game departs both characters.
Instead, its with Luka she finds an avenue to express vulenrability. She's more open with him than ever before, and in her last moments, when she is at her most vulnerable, she has him to protect her. She no longer displays her bravado, and exits to hell with her man in her arms.
Across the game, she also learns to love another person: Viola. Initially distrusting of her, she gradually shows affection towards her, even before it's ultimately revealed that she's her daughter. While unable to properly say goodbye to her due to her soul being sent to Inferno, a dark manifestation of her offers closure to the grieving new Bayonetta, testing her strength and then departing properly.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I find this theme of love a nicely subtle character development, allowing Cereza to express her softer side. The cynic may point out that this falls wthin Japan's misoginy (see: Sora from Digimon), but at no point does she fully lose her strength or confidence, so it's easier to swallow than similar examples.
Overall, even queens need to lay down and relax, and that's what Bayonetta does.
