This article contains plot and/or ending details for Pandora Hearts.
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| “ | Give me... your head! Your head! Your head! I want it... Give me that head of yooours! | ” |
—Retrace XCV: Vincent | ||
Demios the Executioner (
Demios is what had become of Miranda Barma, when she had been dragged into the Abyss alive during the Tragedy of Sablier. Miranda had helped Jack Vessalius instigate the disaster, and thus incarnation of Glen Baskerville Oswald who fought to stop them had no desire to grant her salvation by the Hundred Cycles. He deliberately attacked her so as to not kill her, knowing her existence would be distorted beyond recognition as a consequence. And so it did, transforming her into Demios. Though the exact means are unclear, Chains born from humans are inherently drawn to those who had known them in life, and so Demios had managed to find her way to Vincent. A Contract was formed, and Miranda who had manipulated and deeply traumatized Vincent as a child continued to influence his mind well into adulthood.
Appearance[]
Demios appears as a large skeletal goat-like Chain with large horns, she also appears shrouded in a tattered red robe, which casts a shadow in the shape of a woman. This is where she got the nickname "Queen of Hearts" from. She has large skeletal wings that are as sharp as knives, and this is what Demios uses to decapitate her victims with.
Personality[]
Although Demios' personality has not yet been explored in depth, she seems to retain her personality as a human in a generalized sense, complete with her obsession with decapitation. As well, Demios often recites a nursery rhyme about the Queen of Hearts in a rather psychotic manner, mirroring Miranda's own psychological imbalance.
History[]
During the Tragedy of Sablier, Miranda Barma was presented with the opportunity she'd been waiting for, to take Oswald's head as her own. Jack had apparently rendered Oswald immobile with B-Rabbit's powers, and so Miranda picked up a nearby battleaxe and made her move against Oswald. Unfortunately for Miranda, Oswald managed to muster up enough strength to grab his sword and cut through her body, leaving her alive, but in a near-death state.
Soon, the majority of Sablier fell into the Abyss and since Miranda was still alive, her body was overcome with mass amounts of Abyssal energy, mutating her into a Chain and presenting her with the new identity of Demios the Executioner. This had been Oswald's intent, as he knew Miranda's soul was dark and by becoming a Chain rather than dying, she wouldn't ever be welcomed into the Rule of 100 Cycles by the Abyss and would cease to exist after dying as a Chain.
Around 85 years later, a young Vincent forms an Illegal Contract with Demios, knowing that he won't be penalized for it because of his existence as a Baskerville. However, whether the Contract was formed before he's spat out of the Abyss through the Nightrays' Door to the Abyss or after his adoption is unknown. Through his time with the Nightray Dukedom, Vincent made sure to keep Demios' existence a secret for roughly the next five years. During this time, Vincent's adoptive parents, Bernard and Bernice Nightray adopted Gilbert (Vincent's long-lost brother), thanks to urging from Vincent. Unfortunately for Vincent and Gilbert, the true Nightray siblings were not impressed with the new family additions.
Fred's assassination
Over the next ten years, Fred, Claude, Ernest and the Nightray Uncle abused Gil and Vincent savagely, though Vincent hated the way his brother was being treated, it was nothing compared to the danger brought on when Gil successfully managed to form a Legal Contract with Raven - something that hadn't been done for over 100 years. With the true Nightrays in an uproar over the new complication of Gil's Contract, Vincent knew that it was only a matter of time before they began to attack Gil out of jealousy. As such, Vincent trailed Fred into Reveille one night, summoning Demios when Fred was finally alone and having her decapitate him in order to protect Gil. Unfortunately for Vincent, there was a woman nearby who witnessed the assassination, though she only saw Demios from behind, describing her as the Queen of Hearts to authorities. Not long afterwards, Vincent had Demios decapitate Vincent's adoptive uncle as well, however confusion spread when someone else attempted to assassinate Gil under the guise of the Head Hunter using poison. Before Vincent could kill Claude and Ernest, someone else took care of it for him, not only decapitating Claude and Ernest but also slaughtering the guests in the Nightray mansion during a fire that burned the mansion to the ground.
The Nightrays were in an uproar, someone related to the Nightrays was assassinating them. Bernice lost her sense of right and wrong and began to lose her sanity when a foreigner named Isla Yura took his hold on Bernice in order to get to Bernard. Although the Head Hunter conspiracy had seemingly retired, the effect remained as four Nightrays were now dead, and so the investigation on the events carried on, though an answer was never found as to who the assassin was.
Plot[]
The Feast Arc[]
After the Stone Seals that the Baskervilles had been trying to locate since the incident in Cheshire Cat's Lair had been brought to the attention of Duke Rufus Barma after he found the journal of Arthur Barma, who had lived 100 years ago, and had chronicled the events of the Tragedy of Sablier in his journal. Rufus had not yet informed the other three Dukes yet about the Sealing Stones, intending on keeping the information as his "trump card" over the other Dukedoms, although he did tell Duchess Sheryl Rainsworth about the Sealing Stones not long after.
Rufus tells Oz Vessalius, Alice, Gilbert and Sharon Rainsworth that the earthquake that had been felt in Sablier was likely from the Baskervilles destroying the first Sealing Stone, the price for this information was that Oz had to go and retrieve the Sealing Stone, since he was the descendant of Jack Vessalius, Rufus believed that obtaining the Sealing Stone would be easier for Oz.
The group travels to the village of Toll to meet Gruner, one of Rufus' subordinates, so he can lead the way. Grüner leads the group through a forest in Carillon where they eventually found the mansion where the mage who had the Sealing Stone resides.
Demios kills the mage protecting the second Sealing Stone
Vincent, being aligned with the Baskervilles, had followed the group to the mansion, where he waited until Oz, Gilbert, Alice and Sharon had left. Vincent summons Demios immediately and before Grüner can close the door, Marie, the mage's valet, watched her master, Rytas, get decapitated. Marie weeps over the loss of her master whilst Grüner tries to understand what had happened. Soon they see a shadow, Demios' shadow. Grüner recognizes Demios as the Head Hunter and mere seconds later, Demios decapitates Marie and Grüner as well. Now that there was nothing to stop him, Vincent and Demios proceed down to the basement of the mansion, where they find the Sealing Stone. Vincent destroys the Sealing Stone and leaves with Demios before Oz, Alice, Gil and Sharon could return after feeling the tremors that were caused by the destruction of the Sealing Stone.
Vincent attended Oz's second Coming-of-Age Ceremony at Isla Yura's mansion, and spent the beginning portion searching lower levels of the mansion with Demios for the Sealing Stone Yura was rumored to have. When Vincent returned to the ballroom, chaos soon ensues as Isla Yura's Cult begins a massacre of the party goers.
After having tortured one of the members of the cult, Vincent learns of Humpty Dumpty. Vincent makes his way back towards the ballroom where he finds Xerxes Break restraining Elliot, asking Gilbert to look for the Incuse of an Illegal Contractor on Elliot's chest, as Vincent's adoptive sister, Vanessa, had just been assassinated by Humpty Dumpty. Humpty Dumpty was whom Break was told was likely the Head Hunter by Rufus, and while this was partially true, Vincent was the original Head Hunter.
Vincent has Demios create chaos to distract Break
Vincent was one level above Break, Gil and Elliot, and he wanted to risk angering Break. Vincent saw two nearby guests and approaches them, he has Demios decapitate one of them while Vincent allows the other guest to run to the staircase and beg for help from Break, Gil and Elliot. Demios then decapitates this guest as well and runs off towards Fang and Lily, who had attacked Reim Lunettes. Vincent hoped that Fang and Lily would succeed in killing Break, but in the end they failed and Fang lost his life instead. The mansion burned down and Vincent escapes through Equus along with Oz, Gilbert, Leo, Alice, Echo, Break, Sharon, Phillipe West and a few of the other surviving orphans from the House of Fianna.
Jack's Intention Arc[]
Demios assassinates Bernard Nightray
After the event at Isla Yura's estate, Vincent and Echo disappear, as does Bernard. Vincent met up with Bernard in Reveil where Bernard demands that Vincent has the Baskervilles protect him and for Vincent to retrieve Leo from Pandora because Leo was the vessel of Glen Baskerville's soul. Vincent asks Bernard why he had put trying to regain the Nightray's dignity after it had been ruined when Duke Raymond Nightray was rumored to be a traitor 100 years ago during the Tragedy of Sablier, over his own family. Bernard tries to justify what he had done, but Vincent finds it pointless and so Vincent summons Demios and has her decapitate the two valets with Bernard. Vincent then reveals that he was the original Head Hunter to Bernard, and it was he who had killed Fred and Bernard's brother-in-law. Vincent also reveals that he was the one who broke the second Sealing Stone. Bernard tried to reason with Vincent, but Vincent is only angered by Bernard's selfishness that he seems to be blind to. Vincent was especially angered when Bernard claimed that Elliot wanted the honor of the Nightrays to be restored as well and that he would have been proud to represent the family with Humpty Dumpty, as it was what Bernard thought Elliot wanted. Vincent loses control and has Demios finally decapitate Bernard.
Vincent did what Bernard said and retrieves Elliot, coming into the interrogation room at Pandora Headquarters and slitting the throat of the Pandora member in the room with Leo. Numerous Pandora members arrive and hold Vincent at gunpoint as he speaks with Leo. Vincent simply summons Demios and has her decapitate all but one of the Pandora members, leaving the remaining Pandora member as a witness on purpose.
Vincent summons Demios to take over Leo's fight with Gilbert and Raven
After Vincent had brought Leo to the Baskervilles' Door to the Abyss where he was officially instated as the new Glen Baskerville. Vincent, Echo and Leo attacked Oz, Alice and Gilbert in Reveil. Leo summons Jabberwock and attempts to cast Oz into the Abyss again. Gil saves Oz from the Chains of Condemnation, but Leo tries to have Jabberwock obliterate the Pandora members now interfering with the matter. Gil has Raven attack Jabberwock and while Raven fights Jabberwock, Leo wavers because of the burden of his new contract with Jabberwock. Vincent catches Leo and tells him that he would take over the fight with Raven and Gil. Jabberwock fades back into Leo's body and Demios destroys the bridge that Oz is on to separate him and Gil. Vincent points his gun at Gil and says that they should have a good brotherly fight once in a while. Raven and Demios proceed to fight while Gil asks Vincent why he was aligned with the Baskervilles, though when Vincent says that it was all for Gil's sake, Gil angrily pins Vincent to the ground and yells at him, telling him to get his own life straight and not to worry about whether Gil's happy. Oz comes back riding on Equus. Gil leaves with Oz and Alice and Raven and Demios fade back into their contractors' bodies.
Later, Vincent goes to visit Break in his holding cell in Pandora's prison, however his path is obstructed by the bars. Vincent summons Demios and has her slice through the bars preventing him from getting to Break so that Vincent is able to strike Break in retaliation for all that has happened concerning himself and Gil.
Swan Song Arc[]
After Oswald, Vincent and Rufus make their way into Sablier in order to change the past, Oswald reveals that he knows Rufus has been working as a triple agent, though Rufus manages to jump off a cliff before Oswald can kill him. Carrying on, Oswald and Vincent are transported to a Courtroom Dimension by Jury so she can convene with the Jurors of other worlds in order to decide whether or not Oswald's attempt at changing the past should be allowed. Oswald, having known not to trust Jury, uses Vincent's power as a Child of Ill Omen in order to attack Jury (as his own powers are weakened and Jury is suceptable to Children of Ill Omen). While Oswald sends Jabberwock to deal with the Jurors, Break attempts to intervene (having used his own powers as a Child of Ill Omen to reach the Courtroom Dimension). Though Break tries to justify his attempts to stop Oswald from changing the past whilst sparring with him, Vincent's anger only roils within him as he claims that changing the past would save more lives than it would destroy. This only angers Break, who knows that Vincent is only saying things like that because he needs an excuse, asking what Vincent is actually after.
Vincent clenches his jaw and summons Demios to silence Break. In retaliation, Break uses Mad Hatter to defend himself, explaining that Noise took Ada and Xai as her captives as she traveled to Sablier to come and reunite with Vincent. Break can't help but wonder how all that turned out, asking if Vincent didn't actually know about Noise's rash actions. Vincent grinds his teeth and looks away, asking Break why he should know anything about that, as he has nothing to do with them. The setting changes though, as the Jurors push past Jabberwock and attack Break and Vincent. Vincent sends Demios to fend off the Jurors, while Break uses his sword, though neither seem to have any affect against the Jurors in their gaseous form.
(To Be Concluded!)
Powers and Abilities[]
- Decapitation
- Human Speech
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.
Trivia[]
- Demios appears to be referenced to numerous characters from Alice in Wonderland:
- Her appearance is a possible reference to The Goat, whom Alice met on the train in Through The Looking Glass and what Alice found there, who's beard melted off.
- Demios is holds the title of The Executioner because Demios' method of murder also matches The Executioner, a character mentioned only once in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Also, Demios is a Greek word for "executioner", written as "δήμιος."
- Demios is a reference to the Queen of Hearts because that is the name many know her as based on a description from someone who witnessed Fred Nightray's murder (as she appeared as a tall woman in a tattered cloak seemingly obsessed with decapitation), as well as the poem she often recites: "The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts, all on a summers day; The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts, and the angry Queen shouted: OFF WITH HIS HEAD! OFF WITH HIS HEAD! OFF WITH HIS HEAD!"