The Bayonetta 3 ending can be rather divisive. Players aren’t satisfied due to some confusion regarding what happens in the final moments of the game. In this article, we’ll attempt to explain everything that happens in the ending of Bayonetta 3.
Beware of major spoilers ahead!
What Happens in the Bayonetta 3 Ending?
In the ending of Bayonetta 3, Cereza is killed after losing control of Gomorrah after she defeated Singularity. Her spirit is literally ripped apart from her body as she is dragged off to Inferno along with Luka. There is a silver lining in the bittersweet ending in that both Cereza and Luka vow to remain by each other’s side even in the afterlife and finally kiss.
The reason why this ending could be divisive to many is the implication that this is Cereza’s last appearance as Bayonetta. After her and Luka are dragged into the afterlife as Cereza’s price to pay for her contract with demons, Viola reveals that she is the daughter of both of them. Shortly after the credits, Viola fights Dark Bayonetta in the epilogue of the game. Defeating her reveals that it was some form of fragment from the Bayonetta we know, telling Viola that she needs a new name.
It’s after the fight with Dark Bayonetta that we’re revealed that Viola is now taking jobs for Rodin. He even calls her Bayonetta now, which implies that Viola will be the protagonist of the Bayonetta franchise moving forward.
This is reminiscent of another ending from another franchise Hideki Kamiya started known as Devil May Cry. Although how lovable Viola is as Bayonetta is subjective as the witch-in-training only has one game to her name which she shares screen time with her mother, compared to Nero who has two games almost dedicated to him which give enough time for fans to grow accustomed to new devil hunter.
Another reason that fans are rather divisive on this ending is Bayonetta’s choice in the romance department. Many were hoping for an LGBTQ+ pair between the original Bayonetta and Jeanne who had quite a bit of ship tease in Bayonetta 2. However it was revealed that Cereza had loved Luka all along despite his unimpressive attempts to win her over.
Whether that’s a heated point for you or not, isn’t really our place to say. Although there is disappointment expressed by fans online that their preferred ship isn’t actually cannon.
Will Bayonetta Come Back in Bayonetta 4?
If there is a Bayonetta 4 over at the horizon, it is very likely that the original Bayonetta will make an appearance. While Cereza did die in the ending, there are multiple times that a character died in the franchise and came back like nothing happened. Just ask Jeanne.
Viola did encounter Dark Bayonetta even in the epilogue before she’s given the title of the Bayonetta. This version of Bayonetta seems to have some consciousness of Cereza given as she takes a more mentor role for the witch-in-training after the fight is over. So we can at least say that the original Bayonetta is stuck in Inferno for the moment.
That and it can be quite a bold move for developer PlatinumGames to permanently kill their iconic protagonist. Especially considering it’s been nearly a decade since we last saw her. Although the Bayonetta 3 ending may be an attempt to ease players into the new protagonist, Viola.
That’s our explanation of the Bayonetta 3 ending. We hope this article was informative. For more on Bayonetta 3, we have more content for you to check out.
- Bayonetta 3 Singularity (Explained)
- All Outfits in Bayonetta 3
- Bayonetta 3 Weapons and Abilities
- Bayonetta 3 Voice Actors List – English and Japanese
Check out this Youtube video from Shirrako who shows the final boss fight and the Bayonetta 3 ending.