Arkham



Arkham is one of the main antagonists of Devil May Cry 3, alongside Vergil. He is a human that became a demon after sacrificing his wife and later had a desire to obtain the power of the Legendary Dark Knight, Sparda.

Personality
Arkham is mysterious and shady and a master manipulator that knows exactly how to play others into his hands. To Vergil, he acts as a sychophant, aiding him, but secretly plotting to use him for his own gain. For Lady, Arkham constantly taunts and enrages her, so as to keep up her pursuit of him, only to later convince her that his acts of evil was caused by Vergil's manipulations. In Dante's case, he appears as a supposed resident of the tower named Jester, who mocks Dante, but also advising and challenging him. Arkham seems to enjoy lying to people, then revealing his true intentions, as seen when he told Lady that Vergil had controlled him, then when he showed his true colors, taunted her with something he had said early.

Life before Devil May Cry 3
Like many Devil May Cry characters, very little is known about Arkham's past. It is known that he began reasearching into demonic magic and eventually sacrificed his own wife so he could gain demonic power. However Arkham eventually decided that he wanted the powers of Sparda and began reasearching the Temen-ni-gru. He eventually met one of the two sons of Sparda, Vergil, and told him about the seven seals that were on the tower. While Vergil waited in his mansion, Arkham went looking for the names of the seals, whcih was needed to unlock them.

Claiming the Dark Knight's power
After Arkham found the names of the seals, he and Vergil found their way to the base of the Temen-ni-gru. While Vergil cleared the path, Arkham went to Dante's office in order to entice him into coming to the tower. He then joined Vergil at the top of the Temen-ni-gru, where the two waited for Dante to arrive. At one point, Arkham left in order to take care of his daughter, Lady, and after taunting her, he threw her off the tower. (She survived, thanks to Dante catching her) At other times, he appeared to Dante as a supposed resident of the Temen-ni-gru, Jester. As Jester, he taunted Dante, though his taunts were mixed with advice that helped Dante get through the Temen-ni-gru. An example is when they first met, Dante couldn't open the door to the room he was in. Jester appeared and taunted the half-demon into attacking him with his sword, Rebellion. He doged the blade easily and it struck the panel needed to open the door, opening the way out.

Eventually Dante found his way to the top of the tower and after Vergil defeated him, Arkham told him that since they had the half of the amulet they needed, they should be on their way. The two found their way to the final door, which Arkham unlocked. However Vergil revealed that he knew that Arkham was planning to betray him and cut him down. He was found by Dante and Lady and after Dante left, pretended to be dying and claimed that all he had done was caused by Vergil controlling him. After Dante, Vergil, and Lady began fighting in the Sacrifical chamber, Arkham appeared before all of them as Jester and began revealing his manipulations, while switching between Arkham and Jester. He told Vergil the reason his ritual had not worked, was because it was incomplete and that the blood of a mortal priestess, who Sparda had sacrificed to seal the Temen-ni-gru, was required, blood which now flowed in Lady's veins. Arkham completed the ritual, but Vergil, Dante, and Lady seemingly managed to corner him. However since the tower had been unsealed, a column in the tower began to rise and, using the trio's surprise to his advantage, knocked them off. Arkham reached the top of the tower and, after giving them their names again, ascended into the demon world. He found Sparda's ancient sword, the Force Edge, and claimed his power, transforming into the dark knight's likeness.

A god's fall from grace
After claiming the Dark Knight's power, Arkham confronted Dante after the half-demon followed him. His newfound power proved to much for him and he mutated into an enormous, mishappen blob creature. They began battling each other and eventually, Vergil joined the fight. Together the two brothers defeated Arkham and took away his newfound powers, sendign him back to the human world. He landed, wounded and weak, on the top of the Temen-ni-gru, were Lady confronted her father. Arkham tried to plea for mercy by stating that he had done nothing wrong by attempting to become a god and that by sacrificng one human (his wife), he had done nothing wrong. However this fails and Lady shoots him dead.