Stylish Nero
We Dem Boys!!
Okay I've seen recently people here argue about DMC Dante's stand on demons and humans and this subject is all over the place.
However, I recently noticed something and a light bulb went over my head and I realized WHY DIDN'T I REALIZE THIS BEFORE!!! or WHY DIDN'T ANYONE REALIZE THIS BEFORE EITHER!!!
Dante isn't a demon hunter HE IS A DEVIL HUNTER!!!!
Dante's job isn't to hunt demons. Its to hunt devils. He even said it multiple times.
What is the difference....a demon is a dark being or spirit (usually from hell) or genetically of a dark nature. A devil is a being of zero remorse for its actions, zero emotions, zero sympathy, evil, lawless, soulless, and etc. A devil may not technically be demons alone since you can technically call anyone a devil. I mean Lucifer is referred to as the Devil (granted technically he isn't a demon well based off of Christian lore anyways).
Why is this significant?
Dante isn't a nazi...he doesn't just hunt down demons because they're demons he hunts down evil demons or devils who are causing trouble and this insinuate he may even hunt down evil humans (Arius being an example).
In DMC1, Dante referred to Trish as a devil because she used cheap, dirty, underhanded tricks to deceive and betray him. However, he respects Griffon and Nelo Angelo, to the point he considers Nelo as honorable and he didn't say he was too honorable to be a demon no he said he was too honorable to be working for Mundus. As for Griffon, he sensed Griffon's strong sense of loyalty and even worried about his opponent's health and even offered to not finish him off since it wouldn't be fair and got mad when Mundus killed him off like nothing. You don't see him comparing to Griffon to a human since he showed loyalty (a virtue). Shocking for a guy driven by revenge he can still show mercy, concern, and even respect for the minions of the person who killed his mother.
In DMC2, Dante said he only hunts Devils a couple times.....although I don't remember most of them. However, the one moment was when Lucia wanted Dante to kill her because she was a demon but Dante refused on the basis he only hunt Devils, claiming to Lucia she is wrong to think that being a demon will change who she is, and that Devils Never Cry to claim that Lucia being able to shed tears about the fact she may one day be a threats to humans to signify she is not like or will be like the demons that Dante hunts.
In DMC3, Lady states even humans can be as bad (if not worst than demons) but she said there are demons who can show emotions and be kind so when you think about that some humans can be as bad if not worst than a species that has shown to be able to show emotions and be nice so its like who is really evil humans and demons or there is no difference based on race both can be good or evil (although demons tend to be most common evil). I know Bayonetta isn't canon but since Kamiya made it with DMC in mind let me say this. In Bayonetta, Bayonetta and ENZO (a character pretty prominent in DMC even if not in games) do apparently hunt down and kills humans as reference to the beginning as they took some guy to the graveyard named Eggman (I think they may have killed him too it sounded like they killed him) and they described Eggman as a guy no one will miss and belongs in hell (so he was a pretty vile and evil man apparently) and since this plays into Dante killing humans in the DMC1 novel (Kamiya wrote that)...well Dante is a bounty hunter and I remember in his bio Dante (in the DMC3 manga) also specializes in burial work or something drastically similar to what Enzo and Bayonetta did in the beginning with Eggman. So its strongly implied that if Dante does hunt humans as a bounty hunter and graveyard work he most likely hunts criminals or people with huge bounties on their heads so the humans he does take down are as bad as serial killers, terrorists (Osama), and devils...basically as Jack Cayman would say "They deserved it". Since the DMC1 manga takes place before DMC3 (despite the inconsistencies and well the DMC3 manga) it would seem after building his shop in DMC3, Dante may have stucked to hunting demons/devils or may still dabble in dealing with human criminals as well.
In DMC4, Dante here seems to value humanity as a main source of power and he never told Agnus or anyone (especially the viewers) what humans have that demons lack so its a huge mystery (like 75% of DMC4's plot). Now this isn't similar to what I've been saying before however in DMC4 Dante didn't express much on the demons vs devils thing in fact NERO expressed a lot on this subject (by saying even a demon can love a human and that Sanctus was wrong about power and emotions) to the point it seems that Capcom didn't forget the theme or established idea but chose not to exemplify it with Dante but Nero instead (since he was the main character at the time).
Now moving on I think this also plays to Vergil as in DMC3 Vergil referred to himself as a devil by saying "Don't underestimate this DEVIL's power". Vergil isn't technically a demon but a cambion but he is one thing for sure a devil, not a demon but a devil since he tossed aside his emotions for more power. Arkham even referred to him as a devil.
Now lastly I think Dante fights for justice not just humans or humanity like his father once did "He took up his sword for justice." Sparda didn't betray his demon brethren because he sided with the humans but took pity on them and for some reason chose to save them but did it out of justice and even then the fact he was the ruler of a island where there was a Hell gate in which he can deactivate and activate at anytime seems he may have missed his demon home. Dante is doing the same fighting for justice and what is right not just for humans but for the innocent, weak, and some money (but considered how he puts himself in debt, sells some of his stuff, and was even said in some outside game sources to cut people who uses his service but can't afford it fully some slack and even does some jobs for free) I guess the money is just to support himself not make living off of it but Dante doesn't only hunt devils (the anime shows him be a bodyguard, helping people with their gambling problems, and etc) and I remember DMC3 Dante would consider stuff like that boring and wouldn't do it.
However, I recently noticed something and a light bulb went over my head and I realized WHY DIDN'T I REALIZE THIS BEFORE!!! or WHY DIDN'T ANYONE REALIZE THIS BEFORE EITHER!!!
Dante isn't a demon hunter HE IS A DEVIL HUNTER!!!!
Dante's job isn't to hunt demons. Its to hunt devils. He even said it multiple times.
What is the difference....a demon is a dark being or spirit (usually from hell) or genetically of a dark nature. A devil is a being of zero remorse for its actions, zero emotions, zero sympathy, evil, lawless, soulless, and etc. A devil may not technically be demons alone since you can technically call anyone a devil. I mean Lucifer is referred to as the Devil (granted technically he isn't a demon well based off of Christian lore anyways).
Why is this significant?
Dante isn't a nazi...he doesn't just hunt down demons because they're demons he hunts down evil demons or devils who are causing trouble and this insinuate he may even hunt down evil humans (Arius being an example).
In DMC1, Dante referred to Trish as a devil because she used cheap, dirty, underhanded tricks to deceive and betray him. However, he respects Griffon and Nelo Angelo, to the point he considers Nelo as honorable and he didn't say he was too honorable to be a demon no he said he was too honorable to be working for Mundus. As for Griffon, he sensed Griffon's strong sense of loyalty and even worried about his opponent's health and even offered to not finish him off since it wouldn't be fair and got mad when Mundus killed him off like nothing. You don't see him comparing to Griffon to a human since he showed loyalty (a virtue). Shocking for a guy driven by revenge he can still show mercy, concern, and even respect for the minions of the person who killed his mother.
In DMC2, Dante said he only hunts Devils a couple times.....although I don't remember most of them. However, the one moment was when Lucia wanted Dante to kill her because she was a demon but Dante refused on the basis he only hunt Devils, claiming to Lucia she is wrong to think that being a demon will change who she is, and that Devils Never Cry to claim that Lucia being able to shed tears about the fact she may one day be a threats to humans to signify she is not like or will be like the demons that Dante hunts.
In DMC3, Lady states even humans can be as bad (if not worst than demons) but she said there are demons who can show emotions and be kind so when you think about that some humans can be as bad if not worst than a species that has shown to be able to show emotions and be nice so its like who is really evil humans and demons or there is no difference based on race both can be good or evil (although demons tend to be most common evil). I know Bayonetta isn't canon but since Kamiya made it with DMC in mind let me say this. In Bayonetta, Bayonetta and ENZO (a character pretty prominent in DMC even if not in games) do apparently hunt down and kills humans as reference to the beginning as they took some guy to the graveyard named Eggman (I think they may have killed him too it sounded like they killed him) and they described Eggman as a guy no one will miss and belongs in hell (so he was a pretty vile and evil man apparently) and since this plays into Dante killing humans in the DMC1 novel (Kamiya wrote that)...well Dante is a bounty hunter and I remember in his bio Dante (in the DMC3 manga) also specializes in burial work or something drastically similar to what Enzo and Bayonetta did in the beginning with Eggman. So its strongly implied that if Dante does hunt humans as a bounty hunter and graveyard work he most likely hunts criminals or people with huge bounties on their heads so the humans he does take down are as bad as serial killers, terrorists (Osama), and devils...basically as Jack Cayman would say "They deserved it". Since the DMC1 manga takes place before DMC3 (despite the inconsistencies and well the DMC3 manga) it would seem after building his shop in DMC3, Dante may have stucked to hunting demons/devils or may still dabble in dealing with human criminals as well.
In DMC4, Dante here seems to value humanity as a main source of power and he never told Agnus or anyone (especially the viewers) what humans have that demons lack so its a huge mystery (like 75% of DMC4's plot). Now this isn't similar to what I've been saying before however in DMC4 Dante didn't express much on the demons vs devils thing in fact NERO expressed a lot on this subject (by saying even a demon can love a human and that Sanctus was wrong about power and emotions) to the point it seems that Capcom didn't forget the theme or established idea but chose not to exemplify it with Dante but Nero instead (since he was the main character at the time).
Now moving on I think this also plays to Vergil as in DMC3 Vergil referred to himself as a devil by saying "Don't underestimate this DEVIL's power". Vergil isn't technically a demon but a cambion but he is one thing for sure a devil, not a demon but a devil since he tossed aside his emotions for more power. Arkham even referred to him as a devil.
Now lastly I think Dante fights for justice not just humans or humanity like his father once did "He took up his sword for justice." Sparda didn't betray his demon brethren because he sided with the humans but took pity on them and for some reason chose to save them but did it out of justice and even then the fact he was the ruler of a island where there was a Hell gate in which he can deactivate and activate at anytime seems he may have missed his demon home. Dante is doing the same fighting for justice and what is right not just for humans but for the innocent, weak, and some money (but considered how he puts himself in debt, sells some of his stuff, and was even said in some outside game sources to cut people who uses his service but can't afford it fully some slack and even does some jobs for free) I guess the money is just to support himself not make living off of it but Dante doesn't only hunt devils (the anime shows him be a bodyguard, helping people with their gambling problems, and etc) and I remember DMC3 Dante would consider stuff like that boring and wouldn't do it.
