Morgana | Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

Developed by PlatinumGames, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon released worldwide on the Nintendo Switch on March 17, 2023. Unlike other Bayonetta games, Cereza and the Lost Demon is a spin-off title that thrusts a much younger version of Bayonetta into the spotlight, before she grows up into the kick arse, sassy Umbra witch we all know her to be.

With numerous characters, some who are well-known and others who are new additions to the world of Bayonetta, we felt it was high-time to showcase a few of them and now is the turn of the exiled Umbran Witch, Morgana:

Morgana: (Cereza’s Strict Teacher)

A solitary Umbra Witch, living an unimposing life near the edge of Avalon Forest, displaced far from the rest of her clan.

A master of the Umbran Arts, her skills in magic greatly exceed those of other witches, but she cut ties with her clan and moved to her secluded home ages ago, her reasons for doing so an unspoken mystery.

Though usually avoiding all contact with the outside world, she invited the practically orphaned Cereza to come live with her, and has since made Cereza her pupil, training her rigorously.

Typically thought of as extremely strict and largely unpleasant, just her gaze is enough to send chills down the spine of its receiver. Yet she saw potential in Cereza, and her stern training has been effective in producing exemplary results from Cereza in remarkable time. Cereza has in turn learned to trust Morgana despite her seemingly cold ways.

Not one to ever lose herself to emotion, everything she does appears perfectly calculated. This extends to the minions she summons from Inferno as well; she excels at their use, but they are tools to do her bidding, nothing more.

She reprimands Cereza thoroughly for disobeying her and entering Avalon Forest, but she promises to find a way to help, and uses her magic to watch over and communicate with communicate with Cereza.

Her true identity is the mother of the faerie prince Lukaon. Even Cereza, who had lived with Morgana for some time, was unaware of Morgana’s past.

Long ago, during a dispute for the faerie kingdom, Morgana was forced to use her magic to transfer Lukaon’s spirit to a wolf in order to hide him from the usurping faeries. Despite her efforts, the faeries were able to get away with Lukaon’s physical body.

In the confusion, Morgana herself was able to escape to the outside of the forest, where the faerie’s powers are unable to reach. But to protect the body the faeries stole, she was required to continuously cast a spell that would prevent her from either moving further away from the forest, or going back inside it.

Unable to do any more by herself, Morgana began to train Umbra Witches still young and pure in heart, so she may eventually trick them to go into the forest. There, she planned to have them find Lukaon, so they may sacrifice their demon to save him.

Her desperate wish to save her son gradually disfigured her soul into doing the unforgivable. Looking at her actions, it may be hard to tell if any humanity remained inside her at all. Yet as she collapses to the ground, defeated by Cereza and Cheshire, in her arms lay the gift of violets Cereza had given her.