Mephisto
| NPC | Enemy | "The Singer" | Trivia |
Mephisto is an NPC in Arknights. He is one of the antagonists in both the Act initium and Act I of the Main Theme.
Background
| “ | I think... I don't belong in that home. I overheard that my mom... My mom isn't even in the house. The way they look at me, they're all terrifying, and I don't want to go back. I don't want to go back... | ” |
| —Eno describing his condition |
Mephisto was originally known as Eno, a timid Ursine Liberi who was constantly abused by his own family, particularly his father, with his mother having left him for unknown reasons, and bullied by other children throughout his childhood. At some point Eno met Sasha, a homeless Pythia boy living in the sewers and befriended him. To cope with his mistreatment, Eno liked to read and sing; he would share some of the books he had finished reading with Sasha, sing for him on occasion, and often share food. In return, Sasha would often stand up to protect Eno from his bullies and often patched up his injuries.[1]
As time passed, Eno's already hard life only became worse, with Sasha encouraging him to remain optimistic and face the hardships of his life with a laugh. One day, Eno came to Sasha with his back severely injured. Outraged by the constant abuse Eno was enduring, Sasha vowed to destroy all who had mistreated him no matter what it takes, but was stopped by Eno.[1] Ironically, this was the turning point that would change their lives forever.
| “ | ...Sasha... I... I want to... Sing... | ” |
| —What Eno really wants |
Sometime afterwards the two went their separate ways and when Eno met with Sasha again, he had greatly changed: at some point earlier a fat woman had forced a shard of Originium down Eno's throat, permanently damaging his vocal cords and depriving him of his ability to sing, as well as causing Eno to contract Oripathy. However, his Oripathy gave Eno the ability to use powerful healing Arts which he uses to carry out Sasha's "wish" by forcefully bringing his Infected bullies under his control and murdered his family by setting fire to his own house with them inside. Eno appears to regret this, as he tells Sasha afterwards that the only thing he wanted is to sing.[1]
Horrified to see what Eno had become and feeling guilty for turning his one and only friend into a murderer, Sasha deliberately infected himself so he could become an Infected like Eno, and promised to live and die together with him. Eno and Sasha spent some time wandering around the Ursus wilderness until they came across the Reunion Movement and its leader, Talulah, while visiting a mine to scavenge any valuables. Despite the two's initial hostility, Talulah calmed Eno and Sasha down and welcomed them into Reunion with open arms.[2] After being convinced by Talulah that they should adopt new identities from then on,[1] Eno took the name of "Mephisto" because he liked it.[1]
Mephisto seemingly realized the sudden change in Talulah's behavior at some point before Arknights' Main Story takes place, but in the end he was manipulated to remain faithful and devoted to her cause, even after Sasha – now known as Faust – tried to convince him that the current Talulah is different from what they used to know.[1]
His past trauma[3] combined with Talulah's manipulation turned Mephisto into a sadistic individual who takes pleasure in terrorizing and killing his enemies, and shows no regard for the lives of others. This even includes his Reunion subordinates, calling them his comrades yet treating them no differently than chess pieces and commanding them as such. Many of Reunion's high-ranking members, notably Crownslayer, dislike Mephisto for his callous attitude; even Patriot stated that he would already have Mephisto executed for his crimes if not for his important role in the battlefield and maintaining the unity of Infected, while many of his soldiers follow Mephisto out of fear. However, Faust believes Mephisto's current behavior stems from his inability to think for himself, blindly following the few he can trust without any regard for the consequences and feelings of others. Due to the loss of his singing ability,[1] Mephisto lacks direction in life, and seeks validation from Faust and Talulah to give himself a sense of accomplishment and meaning.[4]
As a member of Reunion (and later one of its field commanders), Mephisto's Originium Arts manifest in the form of a white powder that only affects the Infected, manipulating and catalyzing Originium growth within the Infected (typically wounded targets) to reanimate them as mindless Possessed controlled by Mephisto; these zombie-like beings are blessed with superhuman durability and regenerative abilities that can be further improved by Mephisto's healing Arts. His powers are also able to further accelerate the infection of the Possessed, greatly amplifying their strength and aggressiveness at the cost of burning away their life force and consequently driving them into a berserk fury where they are unable to distinguish from friend and foe, attacking everything (except Mephisto and his close allies) and forcibly converting victims into more Possessed for the herd.
Story
Children of Ursus
During the Chernobog uprising prior to encountering Rhodes Island, it is revealed that Mephisto intends on "dealing with" the students in Chernobog by rounding them up, commoners and nobles alike, and isolates them inside Peterheim Middle School.[5]
At some point during the Chernobog uprising, Mephisto met an Ursus student named Rosalind who demanded a solution over the Peterheim students' food shortage. Mephisto replied to Leto's demands with vague words before allowing her to leave and telling her to "enjoy your life" and that "your suffering had only just began". The next day, Mephisto and the Reunion soldiers besieging Peterheim withdrew, but true to his words, things take a worse turn for the students of Peterheim as they become further locked in infighting.[6]
These events made Mephisto indirectly responsible for much of the traumatic experiences faced by the members of the Ursus Student Self-Governing Group.
Prologue
Mephisto is seen commanding the Reunion forces involved in the uprising in Chernobog. After crushing the Ursus resistance in the Southern Fortress, he reinforces the Reunion troops engaging R.I. and assumes command over them from Crownslayer, much to her annoyance.[7][8] He then introduces himself to R.I. and invites them to play a game with him, but Dobermann interrupts Mephisto by sending a signal, angering him.[8]
Amiya tries to persuade Mephisto not to fight them due to the impending Catastrophe, but he rebuffs her offer, claiming that the Catastrophe is a moment of celebration. Mephisto then notices the Doctor, whose presence was previously reported by Crownslayer, and tries to persuade the present R.I. operators into surrendering him but is quickly rejected.[8] As Mephisto and his soldiers corner the R.I. team, Nearl intervenes and saves them.[9] The two exchanged words until Mephisto ordered Faust to shoot her, which Nearl blocks with her shield. After Ace manages to block another shot from Faust and R.I. personnel return fire at him, Mephisto was enraged for their actions which threatened Faust.[10]
Ultimately the R.I. team is able to escape from Mephisto and the Reunion forces and in the aftermath Mephisto forgives Faust for his earlier failure, claiming that it was his mistake too. He then orders Faust to track the R.I. operators while he reports the situation to Talulah.[11]
As he leaves, Mephisto proclaims to his Reunion comrades that a new era is about to begin.[11]
Episode 01
After returning to Talulah's side, Mephisto reports his encounter with R.I. and informs her that they were trapped in downtown Chernobog, though noting that they might use the chaos from the impending Catastrophe to escape and get in Reunion's way. He suggests to Talulah that they should be eliminated as soon as possible.[12]
Mephisto is later seen alongside Faust, Talulah, and other high-ranking Reunion members as they witnesses the Catastrophe that strikes Chernobog laying waste to much of the mobile city.[12] Later he and FrostNova come to Talulah's side after her confrontation with Amiya. Mephisto is shocked by the destruction caused by the fight between the two and wonders what makes R.I. so determined.[13]
Episode 04
Sometime after Skullshatterer's death, Mephisto welcomes W who had just returned from the deserts of Ursus-Lungmen border. The two exchange bitter words until W points out that they have a bigger fish to fry; Mephisto then taunts the squad of R.I. operatives hiding nearby, prompting them to reveal themselves and attack Mephisto and his troops.[14]
| “ | Without using some terror tactics, how else were we supposed to minimize the losses? Make an example out of these ten percent... and the other ninety percent fall into line. This, you see, can be considered the best way of saving lives. | ” |
| —Mephisto justifying his actions |
Mephisto pursues R.I. through the ruins of Chernobog,[15] threatening to torture them if they refuse to surrender.[16] After failing to convince them, Mephisto states that Reunion had planned to take over Chernobog from the beginning as a stepping stone for their revenge against Ursus who had persecuted the Infected for a long time. He also reveals that the citizens of Chernobog who had tried to escape amidst the chaos had been captured by Reunion sleeper cells all over the mobile city.[17] The R.I. operatives can only watch helplessly as Mephisto orders the Reunion forces to take their vengeance on the captured citizens by burning them alive, and Amiya confronts Mephisto over Reunion's atrocity who explains that acts of terror are necessary to further their goal.[17]
After a brief firefight, Frostleaf attempts to strike Mephisto down, but is stopped by the newly arrived FrostNova and her Yeti Squadron. Mephisto introduces FrostNova and her squadron, though like Crownslayer, FrostNova is none too pleased with him. As FrostNova turns her attention to R.I., Mephisto quietly leaves.[18]
Mephisto returns to Talulah and reports that R.I. and the Lungmen Guard Department have taken the bait, allowing Reunion to attack Lungmen unhindered.[19]
Episode 05
Commanding the Reunion attack on Lungmen alongside Faust, Mephisto and his forces succeed in capturing the L.G.D. headquarters until Ch'en and her squad fight their way through the building and confront Mephisto on the rooftop.[20] During the confrontation, the L.G.D. eliminates Mephisto's standing forces, but Mephisto uses his necromantic Arts to bring them back as Possessed ones while Faust and his Phantom Crossbowmen provide sniper support, boasting that his "herd" are immortal and feel no pain.[21]
Mephisto's herd almost pushes the L.G.D. back as Faust pins down Ch'en. Mephisto notices that the powdered healing dust from his Arts sticks to Ch'en and correctly concludes that Ch'en is an Infected.[21] Mephisto warns Ch'en, who is still struggling against his herd and Faust's sniper fire, that Lungmen is only using her and offers her a place with Reunion, only for Ch'en to angrily refuse. Mephisto and Faust continue to overwhelm Ch'en, even after Faust intentionally passes up a chance to kill her. Mephisto pushes Ch'en to the point she considers using her Chi Xiao to take Mephisto along with her.[22]
Before Ch'en makes a decision, however, a team of R.I. operatives led by Amiya and Blaze arrive, with the former using her powers to pacify Mephisto's herd and the latter cutting open the rooftop to disrupt the Reunion battle formation. Angered, Mephisto cries out that FrostNova was supposed to take care of them in Chernobog and dares Amiya to kill him. Amiya refuses and calls out his war crimes, leading to an intense firefight on the L.G.D. HQ's rooftops.[22]
Defeated, Mephisto is shocked and in disbelief that the reinforcements he called never came. Refusing Faust's pleas to retreat, Mephisto unleashes the remainder of his herd on Ch'en and the others, only to be wiped out by her Chi Xiao. Just before Ch'en can deliver the killing blow, Faust intercepts her by detonating an explosive-tipped crossbow bolt at point-blank range, injuring himself in the process but giving him an opening to escape with Mephisto.[23]
On their way out, Mephisto remains adamant that Reunion reinforcements are on the way, but Faust convinces him otherwise – the attack has failed and they must leave Lungmen. Mephisto angrily rebukes Faust, saying that everything went according to his plan and Talulah never made a mistake – but shortly after realizes that she intended for them to lose. At first he desperately refuses to accept that Talulah had set them up, but he eventually relents.[23]
Episode 06
As Lungmen is placed under an emergency lockdown, Mephisto, Faust, and what's left of the Reunion forces try to escape through the slums. Mephisto still mulls over the fact that his plan had miserably failed, blaming Reunion for not keeping up with it.[24]
In a desperate attempt to force a way out and destroy Lungmen, Mephisto turns more of his soldiers into Possessed ones and some new, stronger derivatives. Faust tries to convince Mephisto that FrostNova is coming to relieve them, but he dismisses her for apparently betraying them and unleashes the newly created Possessed to clear their path. The Possessed indiscriminately attack anyone in sight, whether they are L.G.D. officers, Reunion soldiers or civilians. As Mephisto enjoys the carnage, Faust abandons him much to his shock.[25]
Later, some of Faust's Phantom Crossbowmen report to Mephisto that his herd is being slaughtered by warriors in black raincoats – Wei Yenwu's Shadow Guards. As he lashes out in disbelief, Faust returns to Mephisto's side with more troops. Mephisto tries to create more Possessed to turn the tide, but Faust orders his Phantom Crossbowmen to restrain Mephisto.[26]
In anger, Mephisto asks Faust why he would go this far; Faust replies that he is doing what needs to be done, and orders the Phantom Crossbowmen to take Mephisto somewhere safe, but not Chernobog. Mephisto desperately tries to convince Faust otherwise, reminding him of their promise, but Faust gives his farewell to Mephisto before he heads out to face the R.I.-L.G.D. forces for one last time.[27]
Losing the one and only friend he ever had in his life, Mephisto suffers a crippling mental breakdown as FrostNova and her Yeti Squadron arrive to relieve the trapped Reunion forces,[28] who manage to escape from Lungmen and return to Chernobog (despite Faust's order) with Mephisto in tow.[29]
Episode 07
By the time of the impending Chernobog-Lungmen collision and Patriot's fall, Mephisto had recovered from his breakdown, although he remains depressed by his loneliness and hopelessness following Faust's death.
Mephisto saved the remnants of Faust's Phantom Crossbowmen who had been captured by Sarkaz mercenaries under Talulah's orders by convincing them to release the Crossbowmen in return for giving the mercenaries "bodies that know no pain", telling the mercenaries that he wants to go to a place where R.I. had extracted someone of importance from Chernobog during the uprising months ago.[30]
Surprised to see Mephisto saving them despite of what he had done in the past, the Phantom Crossbowmen can only accept as Mephisto offers to sing for them,[30] though his damaged vocal cords stops him from completing the song in its entirety, much to his anger.[31]
| “ | Where will you lead me to? Will you mend all my imperfections and wounds? Can you turn me into that person who forgets everything? If it is to forget everything... Do I want to forget everything? | ” |
| —Mephisto before entering the sarcophagus |
Mephisto later reaches his destination – the Sarcophagus where the Doctor was being kept within before their rescue at the Chernobog uprising. As he enters the Sarcophagus, Mephisto wonders whether it will be able to "fill the holes" and "mend the scars" he had, and allows him to forget all the misery he had suffered up until now, unaware that Kal'tsit and the Doctor are also on their way there.[31]
Episode 08
| “ | That is an Infected no longer. It's something else. | ” |
| —The Doctor's reaction upon seeing the transformed Mephisto |
Alas, instead of becoming his salvation, the Sarcophagus would become Mephisto's undoing; he ended up transformed into an avian creature with pale white feathers and skin, shards of Originium crystals all over his body, and a dark "halo" floating above his head. By the time the Doctor and Kal'tsit reached the Sarcophagus, Mephisto had lost almost all of his personality – only his desire to sing as he could in the past keeping his consciousness from being fully consumed by his transformation, which can be seen in Mephisto trying to "sing" by emitting voices that sounds as if he was a songbird.
To make things problematic enough, the transformed Mephisto, either passively or subconsciously, disperses Originium particles capable of causing Originium mutations to any organism, Infected or not, that comes in contact with them, which explains the heavy presence of Possessed beings throughout the Sarcophagus complex that also includes unfortunate Sarkaz mercenaries following Mephisto prior to his transformation.
Noticing Mephisto in such state, Kal'tsit states that he is now no longer an Infected, but a miserable monster. With what little consciousness he has, Mephisto remembers the time he spent with the late Faust in the past, and noticed R.I.'s arrival. Mephisto apparently recognizes the Doctor, seen from his movements and the sounds he is emitting, who also realizes that the creature is possibly Mephisto.[32]
With Kal'tsit imploring the Doctor to kill Mephisto (or what's left of him) to halt the further spread of Originium particles he dispersed, the Doctor decides to put the poor Liberi out of his misery once and for all. As R.I. struck him down after a tough fight, Mephisto resigned himself to his fate, knowing that the harsh situation he faced in the past is what made him into the despicable being he was prior to Faust's death – he doesn't want to hurt others, but doesn't want to be be hurt by others either. Before his consciousness fades away, Mephisto bids farewell to everything he had in his life, including the late Faust.[33]
However, it is later revealed that Mephisto has survived, albeit in a comatose state, and is being analyzed by Kal'tsit, who noted that his transformation is the result of his mindset. Kal'tsit proposes to carry out a surgery which would revert Mephisto to his original state, but even with it, Mephisto will eventually succumb to his Oripathy that worsened due to his transformation. Regardless, Kal'tsit leaves the final decision to the Doctor's verdict.[34]
| “ | Your understanding should be deeper than mine. Do what you should do. This is to be your own verdict, and not mine. | ” |