Previously On Bayonetta... - The Story So Far

Here we'll catch you up (or simply remind you if it's been a while!) on the main narrative beats across the first two games in the Bayonetta series. We start at a very good place to start: the beginning...

Bayonetta Story Recap

The first Bayonetta kicks off in the "present day" with our titular heroine gaining key insight from her informant Enzo on the Eyes of the World — a powerful treasure split between the Umbra Witches and the Lumen Sages, Left and Right Eye respectively — and how this fits into her past, having been rendered with no memory of who she is after awakening from a 500-year slumber. After gaining her signature guns from Rodin at the Gates of Hell, Bayonetta heads to Vigrid, an urban location in Europe.

Bayo 01
Image: Nintendo

During her journey, Bayonetta encounters Jeanne, an Umbra Witch under the influence of our main antagonist, Balder, along with Luka, a journalist who believes Bayonetta to be the reason behind his father's death. She also hears a mysterious voice in the air, guiding her forwards; we later learn that this is the voice of Balder himself. As Bayonetta progresses further, she learns more information regarding her past and the war between the Umbra Witches and Lumen Sages.

Eventually, Bayonetta encounters a young girl called Cereza (cherry in Spanish), who mistakes Bayonetta for her mother. Although Bayonetta comes to accept that Cereza may be her own daughter, we later learn that Cereza is in fact a younger version of Bayonetta herself, brought to the present after 500 years alongside her father, Balder. Bayonetta faces off against Jeanne, who breaks free of Balder's manipulations and informs Bayonetta of her true past, confirming the two to be close friends. After a missile strike, Jeanne is presumed dead.

Bayo 02
Image: Nintendo

When Bayonetta faces off against Balder, he informs Bayonetta that the Eyes of the World are not gemstones, but people, with Bayonetta herself being the Left and Balder the Right. After seemingly defeating Balder, Bayonetta's true self is awakened, thus activating the Left Eye and reawakening Jubileous the Creator, the ruler of the Angels of Paradiso, from its slumber, ultimately fulfilling Balder's plan.

Jeanne returns to Bayonetta and the two face off against Jubileous, with Balder perishing in the process. After a lengthy battle, Jubileous is defeated and Bayonetta is assumed to have died in the aftermath. However, in a final scene, it's revealed that Bayonetta and Jeanne now fight side-by-side against the Angels of Paradiso.

Bayo 03
Image: Nintendo

Bayonetta 2 Story Recap

Bayonetta 2 opens during Christmas, with Bayonetta and Jeanne doing some much-needed shopping in the company of Enzo. After the Angels of Paradiso attack, the two embark on what they think is a routine fight. However, after Bayonetta summons one of the demons of Inferno to assist, it breaks free of her grasp, apparently due to an imbalance in the world after the prior death of Balder. Jeanne's soul is dragged into Inferno, leaving her lifeless body in the real world.

Bayo 2 01
Image: Nintendo

After being informed by Rodin that Jeanne's soul could potentially be saved, Bayonetta heads to Fimbulventr, where an apparent portal to Inferno resides. On her journey, she meets a mysterious boy called Loki and a deadly masked Lumen Sage — later revealed to be a young version of Balder sent from the past — with the latter seemingly determined to kill the former. Bayonetta and Loki team up to locate Inferno and save Jeanne's soul.

As Bayonetta and Loki progress, it's revealed that Loki allegedly played a key part in instigating the Witch Hunts by killing Bayonetta's mother, Rosa. After saving Jeanne's soul from Inferno, however, Bayonetta instead learns that Loki is one half of an elder being's personality, with the other half, Loptr, being the evil version. It was Loptr that killed Bayonetta's mother, and the entity is now hell-bent on fusing with Loki's power to reform Aesir, the God of Chaos.

Bayo 2 02
Image: Nintendo

After Loki is captured by Loptr, Bayonetta and Balder form an uneasy alliance to take the entity down, with Balder realising that Loki is not to blame for the death of his wife. The two fail in their efforts, with the Left and Right Eyes removed from their respective bodies, allowing Aesir to return to full strength. Loki, however, manages to utilise his power to destroy the two Eyes, weakening Aesir and allowing Bayonetta and Balder to defeat him.

Aesir's soul subsequently attempts to escape, but is then absorbed by Balder in an effort to restrain it. Loki warns Balder that doing so may corrupt him, but Balder returns to the past regardless. Bayonetta comes to realise that the Balder she encountered during the first game was never evil, but simply corrupted by the presence of Aesir's soul. Loki then leaves, accepting that the world is now in balance, stating to Bayonetta that he may return in the future.

Bayo 2 04
Image: Nintendo

And now you're bang up to date on the basic details, ready to dive into Bayonetta 3. Let us know if you have any questions and we'll do our best to answer them.

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Bayonetta 3 Trinity Masquerade Edition
Bayonetta 3 Trinity Masquerade Edition
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 [Download Code - UK/EU]
Bayonetta 3 [Download Code - UK/EU]