Nightmare (ナイトメア, Naitomea) is the main antagonist of the Soul series.
The second character to act as the Azure Knight, was Soul Edge's will itself: Inferno, who animated the armor after Siegfried broke free from Soul Edge's control.
What lies in his soul is Damnation and Destruction.
History[]
Soulcalibur Legends[]
Nightmare appears when Siegfried attempts to seal Soul Edge. He emerges from the blade and fights Siegfried, only to be defeated.
Soulcalibur III[]
Before the events of Soulcalibur III, Nightmare met with Raphael Sorel in the Ostrheinsburg Chapel and defeated him. As he stepped forward to kill the man and harvest his soul, Siegfried's mind started to struggle with Soul Edge for freedom. Raphael, watching as Nightmare stood motionless as a result of the mind struggle, released an attack and pierced Soul Edge's eye. This allowed Siegfried to reclaim his body and also released the holy blade Soul Calibur from within Soul Edge. In a state of temporary sanity, Siegfried then drove the holy sword into the cursed Soul Edge and sealed both together, nullifying both powers. However, the will of Soul Edge, Inferno, escaped the sword and entered the dark blue armour that Siegfried quickly discarded after reclaiming his body. Eventually, the mysterious immortal Zasalamel found the armor and created a new body for the immobile Inferno out of the countless evil souls haunting Ostrheinsburg. This new Nightmare restarted his reign of terror in search of Siegfried and the rest of Soul Edge, as well as a new host to escape into, as the new body was heavily unstable.
Soulcalibur IV[]
Nightmare appears once again in Soulcalibur IV. By this time, Nightmare's entire body had been twisted by the power of Soul Edge completely and utterly.
As the storyline of this game begins, Nightmare and Siegfried found each other once more at the Lost Cathedral. Soul Edge was freed from the Soul Embrace because of the secret art performed by Zasalamel. Nightmare took the evil sword as Siegfried became the new wielder of Soul Calibur. Then the two fought, the clashing of their swords gradually destroyed the cathedral, ripping both Nightmare and Siegfried apart only to be repaired by their swords after falling into a warp created by their duel.
Conveniently, both Nightmare and Soul Edge landed in Ostrheinsburg. Waves caused by the clash of the two swords awakened the fragments of Soul Edge that were scattered all over the world. The fragments were pulled into Soul Edge and all were consumed, restoring the blade to its whole form. As Nightmare seeded roots into the land, Ostrheinsburg soon became a cursed city that Nightmare would utilize to devour souls. The Azure Knight then prepared for his final battle against the wielder of Soul Calibur.
The storylines involving Algol feature Algol, the ancient king, whose will was strong enough to totally resist Soul Edge's power and who also created Soul Calibur in case Soul Edge ever needed to be destroyed, builds himself imitations of both soul swords wielding them simultaneously as he plots his resurrection and returns to his post as king.
Profile[]
Soulcalibur III[]
In the instant that the spirit sword pierced the cursed sword, no one noticed the will of Soul Edge escape from the sword. It escaped into the remains of the armor worn by Nightmare, armor which had struck fear into countless men.
Lacking Soul Edge, however, it could not even move this bodiless, empty shell of a host.
After a time, a man with a scythe came to visit the place. He seemed to understand everything that had happened, and exchanged a wordless conversation with the cursed sword. After a few moments, the man agreed to help.
The man with the scythe performed a ritual of ancient arts. The energy of the cursed sword and the swirling spirits of this place were woven together and bound into the remains of the armor. The soul of the cursed sword regained its body, and a tremendous, bizarre sword appeared in its hand.
The memory etched into the armor had taken on physical form.
Having acquired a new body, Soul Edge unleashed its hunger upon the land, devouring all in its path. The souls of those who fell before it would find peace not even in death.
"More...more!" In order to maintain its body, and in order to increase its evil energy, the Azure Knight sought stronger, richer souls.
In the end, the twisted compass directing its path would surely point towards freeing Soul Edge itself.
Rumors of a merciless butcher and the terror of the azure nightmare spread throughout Europe once again.
To the Light a season was set; but everlasting and boundless is the dominion of the Night.
-"Hymnen an die Nacht," Novalis
In the instant that the evil sword was pierced by the holy sword, no one noticed the evil flame dwelling within Soul Edge flowing out. Throughout its long history of slaughter, the sword had obtained its own immortal soul. This invisible entity--the will of the cursed sword--chose to cling onto the remains of some armor strewn on the ground. That armor belonged to the azure knight, Nightmare, who had unleashed his reign of terror across Europe.
The evil soul flowed into the fragmented armor, but trying to manipulate a bodiless host was no easy task. It could not even move, much less hunt souls. With the loss of its own physical body, it lacked the strength to accomplish anything--all it could do was resign itself to its current fate. Calming the burning flame of its will, the will of the evil sword waited for an opportunity.
Some time later, a man bearing a large scythe visited the location in which Nightmare's strewn armor remained. The man could read what had happened by studying the armor and the evil energy hanging in the air.
A thick, unbroken fog blanketed the sky, blocking off the sun's blessing light. In this heavy, humid air portending rain, the spirit of the evil sword and the man with the scythe carried on an unspoken conversation. Perhaps each sought to outwit the other, or perhaps they shared a strange connection that could only be understood by those with an ancient bond...After a few moments, the man agreed to aid the sword.
The man with the scythe performed an ancient ritual, using words of power to distort the laws of nature. The unsteady energy of the cursed sword and the spirits that circled this land were woven together and bound into the remains of the terrible armor. The resentful howling of ghosts roared out over the sound of thunder. An unsteadily wavering silhouette took shape, and the soul of the evil weapon had regained the shell of its former host. This revived being was clad in blue armor that shone with an evil light. Not a trace of damage remained. Out of its hand oozed a tremendous, unusually-shaped sword that resembled the cursed sword. From the memories etched into the armor, an entity that was supposedly gone from this world had found a new incarnation.
Sometime during this event, the tears of heaven had begun to fall. They struck his body futilely, as if trying to wash away the evil karma with which he was stained.
"Go and wreak havoc until you drive all life into the abyss of despair..." Murmuring these words, the man with the scythe left, his face expressionless.
Soul Edge had started a new existence as an individual being. This may have been the first opportunity the cursed sword had had to interact with the world as its own self. The azure knight soon made its presence known as a disciple of fear, death, and devastation as he devoured countless souls.
Starved for souls, he attacked and consumed all whom he encountered. Motivated by a pure impulse to destroy, and an unending hunger, Nightmare went on a mad rampage. The hearts of those he assailed were clutched by inescapable terror until the very last moment of their lives. Not even death would bring peace to their souls, for they were trapped in a fiery hell, their pain and anguish offered as sacrifice.
"More...more!!" In order to preserve his body and increase his evil energy, the azure knight sought stronger souls. Ultimately, the azure knight decided to try to free Soul Edge itself.
Soulcalibur IV[]
The secret art had freed Soul Edge from the Embrace of Souls in the Lost Cathedral, Nightmare took the cursed sword in hand, while the blade's former puppet took up the spirit sword and stood in challenge. The swords clashed. The ensuing storm sent a wave of destruction rushing outward from the epicenter of the battle. The temporary vessel that was Nightmare could not withstand the maelstrom; he and Soul Edge fell into a dimensional warp. But the cursed sword followed the lingering hatred and tormented ghosts that gave Nightmare shape, and managed to return to Ostrheinsburg.
The azure armor lay slumped on the throne. Soul Edge stretched its evil roots into the scarred, broken metal. The waves of destruction created when the swords clashed spread across the entire world, awakening the scattered shards of the cursed sword, Metal fragments both large and small gathered like particles of light and fell in a dazzling rain upon Ostrheinsburg. Years earlier, these pieces of Soul Edge had been scattered as the Evil Seed, but now it was calling them home. The cursed sword drank them all in.
Soul Edge sank roots deep into the land that was so intimately tied to its fate. Ostrheinsburg became a cursed city, a vessel that would consume souls to further strengthen the evil sword. The blade sat on the throne at the center of the cataclysm, and waited for the time when, once again, it would clash with the spirit sword, Soul Calibur.
"Who are you? Who calls me?"
Reverberating with echoes that seemed to weave themselves into human speech, the entity searched its own consciousness. It could see nothing. It sought the voice that it heard. It peered into an abyss where thousands, nay tens of thousands of souls lay. Nothing, only silence. But then something spoke from within. Sensing fragments of an ancient memory, it was on the verge of remembering when its consciousness was suddenly pulled back, its dream shattered!
The evil had been silent within the Embrace of Souls it shared with the spirit sword Soul Calibur, until the spell forced it awake in the Lost Cathedral. The sorcerer who cast that spell misread the dreadful power of the two swords, and that power swept him up and hurled him beyond time and space. The entity settled into the hand of its vessel, the Azure Knight. In the same way, the entity's former puppet took up the spirit sword and stood in challenge. The two swordsmen clashed in a battle for their very souls.
Soul Edge and Soul Calibur had grown strong over the ages. When they were swung against each other, the power that was unleashed shook the Lost Cathedral to its foundations and sent a wave of destruction rushing outward from the epicenter of the battle, altering the landscape. Neither the temporary vessel that was Nightmare nor the living human, Siegfried, could withstand the maelstrom the swords unleashed.
Soul Edge fell, together with a disintergrating Nightmare, into a warped dimension. Even wounded as it was, Soul Edge sought to regain power. Nightmare had been given shape by the hatred and spirit of evil that permeated the soil of Ostrheinsburg, and so the cursed swords returned to that tainted place, and came to ground in the ruins of the castle.
The azure armor lay slumped on the throne. Soul Edge stretched its evil roots into the scarred, broken metal. The echoes of the wave of destruction created when the swords clashed spread across the entire world, awakening the scattered shards of the evil sword. Now the entity began to call out to them, summoning them. Metal fragments both large and small gathered like particles of light and fell in a dazzling rain onto Ostrheinsburg. Amongst them were some that had been half turned into living creatures, as well as Soul Edge's other half, which had been destroyed. Years earlier, these pieces of Soul Edge had been scattered as the Evil Seed, but now it was calling them home. The cursed blade drank it all in and after decades, Soul Edge was whole again.
But it was not satisfied yet. The cursed sword's roots stretched further into its lifeless host, continuing to strengthen the bond between Soul Edge and the revived Nightmare. Nightmare's body, originally formed form the lingering hatred and tormented ghosts, was transformed into the spirit of Soul Edge itself.
Finally, drawn to the pulsing beacon of evil, Soul Edge's servants gathered in Ostrheinsburg. The azure armor was no longer enough to contain its consciousness, and Soul Edge sank roots deep into the land that was so intimately tied to its fate. Ostrheinsburg became a cursed city, a vessel that would consume souls to further strengthen the evil swords.
The evil sword sat on the throne of Ostrheinsburg, the center of cataclysm, and waited for the time when once again it would clash with the spirit sword, Soul Calibur.[2]Endings[]
Soulcalibur III[]
Soul Calibur 3 - Nightmare - Ending A
Soulcalibur III Nightmare's Ending A
"It's nearby! Don't leave your post!" a general says to one of his soldiers. Nightmare can be seen on the very top of the castle, watching over everything.
No Input Ending: Nightmare jumps down and kills all of the guards with little effort.
Soul Calibur 3 - Nightmare - Ending B
Soulcalibur III Nightmare's Ending B
Input Ending: Nightmare leaps into the air and comes crashing down. As he falls, he transforms into Night Terror. Night Terror destroys a statue and then flies away, sparing the terrified guards' lives.
Soulcalibur IV[]
Soul Calibur IV - Nightmare Ending
Nightmare's ending
Nightmare defeats Siegfried, who drops Soul Calibur and falls to his knees. Nightmare declares himself a now unstoppable force and unleashes a sea of hellfire, roaring as the flames engulf him, Siegfried, and the area around him.
The text-only epilogue reveals this: The flames of the cursed sword furiously burn. The fires of hell will soon engulf the world in despair.
Critical Finish[]
Evil Seed: Nightmare exclaims "Watch this!" and punches the opponent with his claw, knocking his foe backwards. He uppercuts him/her into the air, then slams his sword point first into the ground and a ball of energy erupts around his opponent as they scream. Apparently, this move drains their soul into Soul Edge.
Critical Edge[]
Dark Reconquista: Nightmare holds his sword up, calls for it, saying "Soul Edge", and does one heavy vertical slash to knock his opponent to the ground while saying "Burn!".
The actual slash is delayed while Nightmare holds up his sword for about 1 second. Attacking him while he holds up the sword will cause a Guard Impact and trigger the slash, which deals about a 3rd life bar of damage. If he's not attacked in the meantime, the slash causes more than half life bar damage, however, it can be easily dodged moving horizontally or stepping back and like most critical edges, can be blocked. Also, due to the delay, it can be canceled by grappling the opponent.
Stages[]
- Lost Cathedral (SC3)
- Tower of Remembrance - Encounter (SC4)
- Tower of Remembrance - Omen (SCBD)
- Denevér Castle: Assault (SC5) (Legendary Souls)
Theme Music[]
Soul Calibur IV OST Destiny Will Tell
Soulcalibur III
- "Forsaken Sanctuary"
Soulcalibur IV and Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny
- "Destiny Will Tell"
Soulcalibur V
- "Pavor Nocturnus" (Legendary Souls)
Gameplay[]
Soulcalibur IV[]
Tower of Lost Souls[]
Nightmare appears in Tower of Lost Souls' Ascend mode as a difficult boss under the floor "Envoy Of Destruction."
- TOLS Ascend Mode Boss Floor: Envoy Of Destruction (Floor 59)
- Partners:
- Tira
- Astaroth
- Skills On Envoy Of Destruction
- Shave Damage S
- Soul Gauge Damage S
- Soul Gauge Boost S
- Nullify Ringout S
- Default Skills
- Soul Gauge Vamp
- Auto Unblockable Attack A
- Shave Damage C
Quotes[]
- Give me... your darkness!
- You shall become my nourishment!
- It doesn't matter... how much you struggle!
- I want to see your madness!
- This place... shall be... your grave!
- I shall share with you... my darkness!
- I want to hear... your anguish!
- I shall show you... the end of days!
- Devastation... for the weak!
- I grant death... for the weak!
- Receive the punishment... of darkness!
- Have a taste of my darkness!
- Let fear sink into your soul!
- You shall have a taste... of my cursed sword.
- Offer your soul!
- Souls, give me strength!
- Time for a bloodbath!
- I thirst... for souls!
- You shall taste fear!
- Now... give me... give me your soul!
- Drown in the cesspool... of darkness.
- Death! I want to taste more deaths!
- Gather before me, darkness of the abyss!
- Become... a part of this nightmare.
- Offer your soul to darkness!
- There is no end to this nightmare!
- None of you... have any reason to live!
- What sweet sounds... of death.
- More... my thirst continues.
- Only devastation remains in the future.
- I shall cover the entire world... in darkness.
- Offer yourself... to the unending darkness!
- Let darkness take you!
- He he... Yes, I can see your darkness.
- None of you... can defeat this nightmare!
- I shall show you... the greatest... nightmare!
- Blood, darkness... come unto me!
- Souls, come unto me!
- More, I need more souls!
- Uuu...Ugaaaagh!
- Grrr...
- Where... where's the next soul?!
- Giiii...
- My resurrection... draws near.
- Do not delude yourself, wretched human! - Destined Battle with Raphael, intro quote
- You deserve nothing less...than the destruction of your soul! - Destined Battle with Raphael, win quote
- What is the meaning of this, wretched servant! - Encounter with Tira, intro quote
- Know your place! There will be no next time. - Encounter with Tira, win quote
- Do you really think you can stop me? - "A Trap" quick-time event success
- This will only serve to anger me. - "A Trap" quick-time event failure
- Fool! Do you really want to die that badly?
- I shall kill you with my own hands.
- Who do you think you are speaking to?!
- Humph...a pathetic trick.
- Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haah!
- You are my first sacrifice! - Tales of Souls sub-boss, generic
- The time is ripe. You shall become part of me. - Tales of Souls sub-boss, intro
- This time, I shall take my body back! - Tales of Souls sub-boss, vs. Siegfried
- You cannot run away from me!
- Ha ha ha ha ha! You exist only to become my sustenance!
- That's the best you can do?...How weak. - "Netherworld" quick-time event success
- Ohhhhh. - "Netherworld" quick-time event failure
- Heheh...Ha ha ha ha! Power flows through me!
- Ha ha ha ha ha!
- Gaaaaah!
- Sieg...fried. - Siegfried's ending
- Damn you...Damn...you! - Siegfried's ending, unused
- You will pay...for what you've done! - Siegfried's ending
- You will never run away from your sin! You have no right to live! It is a sin for you to be alive! - Siegfried's ending
- Remember the life you once led. Remember the souls you took! - Siegfried's ending, unused
- Gu ha ha ha ha! Huh? - Siegfried's ending, unused
- Outta the way!
- It's over!
- Die!
- Time to die!
- Bow before me!
- Nowhere to run!
- Take this!
- Struggle, fool!
- Worship me!
- Cower in fear!
- I'll burn you alive!
- Darkness.. take you!
- This is... the end!
- Disappear, you cur!
- Damn... this is ridiculous.
Relationships[]
- Tira's master in Soulcalibur III and Soulcalibur IV.
- Former alter-ego, and current nemesis of Siegfried. Was defeated and destroyed by him in the end of Soulcalibur IV.
- Revived by Zasalamel at the beginning of Soulcalibur III, allowing him to roam the earth without a host.
- Alter-ego of Night Terror.
- Master of Sophitia (unwilling) and Voldo (misunderstanding) in Soulcalibur IV.
- Taki witnessed his battle against Siegfried in the closing events of Soulcalibur III. She sought to stop him from colliding his sword Soul Edge with Siegfried's Soul Calibur again in Soulcalibur IV.
- Mitsurugi sought him out in Soulcalibur III and Soulcalibur IV.
Nightmare's servants[]
Former servants:[]
- Astaroth (during Soulcalibur IV).
- Tira (during Soulcalibur III and Soulcalibur IV only)
- Voldo
- Sophitia (she reluctantly served Nighmare during the events of Soulcalibur IV only to protect her daughter)
Series' Appearances[]
- Soulcalibur III
- Soulcalibur Legends (unplayable boss)
- Soulcalibur IV
- Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny
- Soulcalibur V (Legendary Souls)
References[]
- ^ "SOULCALIBUR III". Soul Archive. NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. Archived from the original on March 20, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ Deats, Adam; Epstein, Joe (July 17, 2008). SOULCALIBUR IV Signature Series Fighter's Guide. BradyGames. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-7440-1006-0.
| Original Timeline Main Characters |
|---|
| Aeon (Lizardman) • Algol • Amy • Astaroth (Mass Produced) • Cassandra • Cervantes • Charade • Edge Master • Hilde • Hwang • Ivy • Kilik • Leixia • Li Long • Maxi • Mitsurugi • Natsu • Olcadan • Patroklos (α Patroklos) • Pyrrha (Pyrrha Ω) • Raphael • Rock • Seong Mi-na • Setsuka • Siegfried • Sophitia • Soul Calibur (Elysium) • Soul Edge (Inferno, Nightmare, Night Terror) • Taki • Talim • Tira • Viola • Voldo • Xianghua • Xiba • Yoshimitsu • Yun-seong • Zasalamel (Abyss) • Z.W.E.I. |