Deathevan (2024)

Deathevan (デスエバン Desueban), also known as Deathevn, is the main antagonist of Breath of Fire II. The spawn of the mad Goddess Myria, the central antagonist of the first game of the series, Deathevan is a powerful demon of death who is responsible for creating the false religion of Lord Eva that is dedicated to empowering Deathevan through the faithful's prayers under a facade of a peaceful and well-intentioned religion.

History[]

Deathevan is the leader of demons descended from the mad Goddess Myria, who was defeated in Breath of Fire. Sealed with his minions in the Abyss Tower (also known as Infinity) by a large dragon who sacrificed its life to stop the incursion of demons, Deathevan is hellbent on avenging Myria, and unleashing his legions upon the world, destroying and condemning all life to endless torment in the process.

To gain power necessary to break the dragon's seal Deathevan sends one of his agents, Habalk, to the world of the mortals to found the religion of Lord Eva. While the Church of Lord Eva appears to be well-intentioned and preaching a doctrine of peace, it acts aggressively, nearly driving all other religions in the world into extinction. The Church is ruthlessly obsessed with proselytizing and gaining more followers, as secretly the prayers of the followers of Lord Eva are converted into power for Deathevan, not feeling above mind control, threats and violence to gain new worshipers. Throughout most of the game, Deathevan is not mentioned at all, but his benevolent monotheistic alter ego, Eva, or as he is also called later on, Evanth, is constantly referenced throughout the game.

The game's protagonists discover the truth behind Lord Eva when they join a rebellion against the Church and travel to their Cathedral stronghold to investigate. It is revealed that the religion is a front for the demon lord who uses the prayers of the people to empower itself, and that the main protagonist Ryu's father Ganer is being held prisoner inside and is being used to power the machine that converts prayer into energy. Ryu and his friends escape the church as they destroy it, and return to the town of Gate, where the game began and the dragon seal is located, to enter the Abyss Tower and find the root of all evil. They are accosted by Habalk, who tries to open the seal himself. After defeating Habalk, who finally reveals himself as a demon, and lifting the seal, the party ventures into the Abyss Tower.

The party encounters Deathevan in the very end of the Abyss Tower. Deathevan appears as an elderly humanoid and taunts them, thanking the party for opening the gates for him, revealing his plan to "bless the world with destruction" and exterminate all life in creation, before imprisoning the party in crystals that effectively end their lives and condemn them to an eternity of suffering. However, Ryu is able to break free from Deathevan's spell, only to see Deathevan eradicate his friends one by one as the protagonist watches helplessly, paralyzed by Deathevan's powers. Deathevan then leaves stunned Ryu to die, but Ryu is able to break free from that curse too, and, snapping in anger, gives chase after Deathevan. Deathevan taunts and bombards Ryu with magical blasts but Ryu manages to catch up with him and bisects his face with a blow of his sword. Deathevan loses his composure as he, a god, is wounded mortally by a mortal, and throws himself into the depths of the Abyss Tower only to emerge again in his demonic form, and attempt to crush Ryu, refusing to lose to him.

Deathevan assaults Ryu with magical blasts again, but Ryu uses the ultimate dragon power, Infinity, to bring his friends back to life and weaken Deathevan with the power of hope. Ryu and friends then face the maddened true form of Deathevn who proclaims his intent to kill and torture all life for eternity and uses the full extent of his demonic and godly powers such as draining the party's health and magical points to restore his own, dispelling all beneficial spells or firing the deadly Soulless Laser. However, he is eventually defeated. Deathevan then questions the mortals' will to stave off their demise, which is ultimately inevitable, as he fades away. He is implied to not be fully destroyed, though, merely sleeping until his next chance to wreak havoc upon the world, as he claims to go away "to dream of destruction".

An alternate "bad" ending where Ryu refuses to enter the Abyss Tower has Deathevan freely unleash his demonic legions upon the surface and have his plans of destruction come to fruition, ending the fate of the world.