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Serph

From Megami Tensei Wiki: a Demonic Compendium of your True Self

Serph
Japanese Name: サーフ
Romaji: Sa-fu / Sa-hu
First Appearance: Digital Devil Saga Avatar Tuner
Firearm Type: Pistol
Japanese VA: Kenji Nojima (野岛 健児)
English VA: Yuri Lowenthal

Serph is the leader of the Embryon and the primary protagonist of Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner. Following the tradition of Megami Tensei series, he is a silent protagonist, where his personality is based upon players actions. Due to this, very little information is given about Serph apart being praised for his level-headed thinking and leadership ability, and is a well-respected leader in his tribe, the Embryon.

Contents

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Biography

Note: Significant plot details follow.

[edit] Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner

  • Tribe: Embryon
  • Atma Avatar: Varuna
  • Atma Brand: Water Crown
  • Brand Location:Left Cheek

Serph, along with many of Embryon's key members, were first seen present at Ground Zero, where they encounter a large seed-like pod in their territory. Confounded, Gale transmits a message, demanding that the Vanguards move their object away from Embryon territory; however, the leader of the Vanguards, Harley, are fairly confused, and transmit a message demanding that the Embryon remove the stasis object away from their territory or it will be taken as an act of war.

The plot opens with streaks of light shooting everyone present in the battlefield, leaving tattoo-esque markings on their bodies and slowly transforming Serph and the others into demons. The members of the Embryon go berserk upon their transformations, lashing out and devouring any demon in their sight. Serph, in his demonic form, is seen eating demon flesh before the screen briefly shows a clear blue sky.

Shortly after the realization of their insatiable hunger, Serph becomes accessible to players. His Atma Avatar, Varuna, excels over Ice-based spells while weak towards Fire-based attacks. He comes with Bufu and the starting node of Hunt skills. Upon the meeting between the Tribes in Sahasrara, the leaders found out that the Karma Temple was overrun by a mystical being: Angel. The Karma Temple issues a new law: "Devour the other Tribes and bring the black-haired girl to Nirvana." deepening the hostility between tribes.

Upon Serph's questioning Angel, the program becomes berserk and outraged, emmiting raspy voices and vague hints regarding the black-haired girl, not before addressing Serph with his full name (his last name blurred by Angel's speech.)

Returning to Muladhara, Cielo devises a plan to forge an alliance with the Maribel to assault the Solids, and subsequently the Brutes and betraying everyone later. The plan backfired, however, under the intervenes of Bat. As a result, Jinana, the leader of the Maribel, was killed and Sera was abducted. The Solids launched a heavy assault on the Embryon, and left Cielo alive to taunt them, luring them to the coordinate 136.

Upon venturing into the area, Serph encounters a princess' portrait (strangely resembling Sera.) It is not until venturing to the highest level of the area where Mick, leader of the Solids holds Sera captive, alongside with Bat. Bat taunts Heat, offering him to joins forces by killing Serph, eventually allowing him to have Sera alone by himself and reach the Nirvana. Depending on the player's actions, before engaging Heat to a battle, Heat can be recruited later in Digital Devil Saga 2. Heat assaults Serph, but later reveals that he has been putting up an act all along.

Their plan successes, and Sera was rescued. Knowing the Solid's defeat, Mick escapes, but end up surrounded by the Embryon, and was subsequently killed. Returning to Muladhara, they realized that since Bat was left alive, Sera's presence has been founded. Knowing Bat sided with the Brutes, Gale proposes a plan, where they decides to trap the member of Brutes inside a deserted ship while blowing the ship altogether with explosives. Their plan was a success, however, Serph and co. leave was intervened by Bat. Transforming into his Atma form, Bat engages the party to a battle. However, Bat loses, and dies alongside with the explosion. A devastated Argilla later asks Serph their reasons for fighting and devouring others, as they are no different from their enemies.

Upon returning, a member of the Embryon tells Serph that the leader of the Wolves tribe, Luppa, requests alliance with the Embryon. Gale was reluctance to agree, but suggests that they should pay them a visit. Meeting Luppa, Gale questions his motives for working under the Embryon. Luppa exclaims that the Wolves tribe, are in fact, destroyed by the Brutes, with a large faction of his men now working under the Brutes. Luppa tells the Embryon that only a small faction of the Brutes are killed in the explosion, with their leader, Varon Omega still alive. Luppa requests the Embryon to go to the homebase of the Brutes via Samsara Waterway, whereas he will open a path for them.

Throughout their venture in the Waterway, Serph and co. discovers that Luppa did not kill, or devour any of his men. However, as they venture deeper, they witness more and more of the soldiers are brutally killed and devoured. Eventually reaching to the exit, they discovers Luppa has already succumbs to his hunger. Argilla urges Sera to stop his hunger, but Luppa's virus overtook him and engages the party to a battle.

Serph eventually reaches to the base of Brutes, however, not only Serph, but also Heat, Argilla, Gale and Cielo felt something familiar with their surroundings. After defeating the guards, Serph and co. are ambushed a Varon Omega. He insists to be called Colonel Beck, and angrily stammers at Serph. While the others attempts to attack him, he fends them off one by one, while angrily questioning why they did not remember being killed by Serph, confusing the party. As Heat tries to attack, Varon laments that how many times must Heat die for Sera, and activate Heat's Atma virus, igniting his hunger. Under the treatment of Sera, Heat was recovered. Enraged, Varon engages the party to a battle. After his defeat, Varon reveals that everyone in the Junkyard has been to the aforementioned Nirvana, but due to their death, they have been reincarnated to the Junkyard. He exclaims that Sera is the witch who will destroy the world, and promptly dies.

After the death of Varon, Sera became missing. Noticing, the others began to worry, it is here that Sera's memories are finally restored. Entering a room, Serph sees a illusion of Sera, who promptly disappears. Serph picked up a photo Sera was holding earlier, and finally realized the reason behind their familiarity: The mansion is where Sera once lived. Realizing this, the others began to worry what Varon said was true. Depending on the player's choices, Serph can either assures them that Sera is their comrade, or believe in what Varon said. Choosing the first option results in Heat reassures them, telling that they are comrades, and they should find and rescue Sera. As the Embryon is the last tribe standing, Sahashara finally descends, allowing the Embryon to reach Nirvana. Knowing this where Sera went, Serph and co. decides to go there to find Sera.

Throughout their search for Sera, however, are stopped by fiends and guards under the orders of Sera, prohibiting them from advancing. Eventually Serph would find Sera in the highest plane of Sahashara, alongside with Jenna Angel. Sera pleads them to stop, and binds Serph and co. from advancing. Unwilling to give up, however, Serph and Heat tried to move, Serph even turned into his Atma form, and strikes Jenna Angel. Amused by their strength, Jenna Angel cancels their binds, and engages them to a battle. Eventually it is revealed that Jenna Angel was the one responsible of implanting the viruses onto the citizens of the Junkyard, turning them into fiends.

Eventually Jenna Angel was defeated, Serph, in his atma form, tried to strike Jenna. However, Serph's attack backfired; destroying Jenna Angel's relic, the Junkyard began to fall apart, Gale urges the others to reach to the central tower, however, Serph doesn't have enough time to escape, and he was separated from the others. Before disappearing, Sera told Serph the she will "find him", and cries. Serph is last seen after the credits, where he looked upon a ruined city, and the Black Sun.

[edit] Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner 2

Following the events of Digital Devil Saga, Serph returns as the primary protagonist whom the player controls. Serph in first seen in the opening credits, where he wonders around a ruined city, looking for Sera. He encounters a number of human-like statues, with one of them holding a handgun, attempting to kill himself via swallowing the gun. Upon going near to inspect, Serph in surrounded by guards that isn't seen or known in the Junkyard. Sensing hostility, Serph picks up the handgun, and engages the guards to a battle.

Serph is eventually regrouped with two members of the Embryon Tribe, Gale and Argilla. Argilla introduces Serph to Fred, a young child she met earlier. Gale then asks Roland where could they seek help, as they're being hunted by the guards. Fred explains that the guards the trio met earlier is the soldiers of the Karma Society, with all of them capable of transforming into demons, in other words, accessible to Atma Avatars. Fred suggests them to meet up with Roland, the leader of a resistance group named Lokapala. Throughout their venture, Serph and co. has been identified as "Tuners", Fred would later request Serph of free the captives the Karma Society has held in the Occupied Sector.

Eventually meeting up with Lokapala, Serph reluctantly agrees the tribe's leader, Roland to retrieve Sera, who is currently situated in the Karma City. Upon reaching to medical room, where Sera is held captive, Serph and co. encounters a hologram of the Karma Society's leader, Margot Cuvier. In there, she reveals her plan of turning everyone into Tuners to survive the Cuvier Syndrome, and plans to use Sera to suppress their hunger. Depending on the players choices, Serph can either choose to agree reluctantly with Margot or flat-out disagree with her plans. Choosing the latter, allows Serph to inherit Angel's special skill later on.

Regardless, Margot isn't please with Serph and others' answers, and calls the security. Among the security, Serph, with the others was shocked to see Heat is with the Guards, and working under Margot. Argilla pleads Heat to stop, asking whether is this another act to save Sera or not. Heat promptly declines, and tells Serph that this time, this isn't a game, and that he will kill Serph. Heat was eventually defeated and was forced to retreat.

Eventually Sera was found inside an Egg-esque pod. Calling her name, Sera awakened and is relieved to see Serph. They're happiness, however, did not last long. From the other side of the door comes Heat. Enraged, Heat transforms his right arm into his demonic claw, and lunges forward to strike Serph. Serph did not avoid the attack, and was pierced head-on. Surprised by Serph's action, Heat questions why didn't Serph evade his strike, even if he had the opportunity. Depending on the players' choices, Serph can either comfort Heat, telling him that they are comrades, or tells Heat that he will not let him have Sera. Choosing the former however, allows Heat to be recruitable later on. Regardless, Serph uses this opportunity to grab Heat, throwing himself and Heat together down into the Egg pod, apparently killing himself and Heat.

Shocked by the incident, Sera's memories recall what happened a few years ago, and man looking similar to Serph was smiling while another resembling Heat was lying on the ground, unconscious. Grief stricken, Sera bellows a loud shriek, causing the machines to overload, and summons the Sun to absorb everything in the world into data, destroying everything. After Serph's disappearance, Gale was controlled by the players instead.

Serph is not seen again until Sera revisits the EGG facility. Deep inside the facility, it is revealed that Heat absorbed the data of the EGG, transforming himself into a gigantic monster named Vritra. However, since Serph was inside the EGG as well, he was absorbed by Heat's atma form. Inside, it is revealed that Serph survives due to the liquid inside the EGG, which sustains Sera's life during her slumber inside. Serph is then being visited by a black cat, who introduces himself as Schröedinger. The cat tells Serph various information regarding the Sun, the nature of Data, and above all, the Data that Serph himself wishes to know the most — the incident 5 years ago. It is finally revealed that Serph was a figment of Sera's creation based on Serph in the real world, Serph Sheffield.

Sera, due to her abilities to converse with God, is placed on various painful experiments. To cope up with her stress, Sera created AIs from her imagination, each of them based on Sera's view on the people and hospital staff she met. The first AI Serph belonged to a paradise of Sera's imagination, where he, along with the Embryon members are enjoying a beach volleyball. Sera eventually fell in love with the real Serph, Serph Sheffield. However, during a painful experiment, she discovers that Serph Sheffield, the kind and gentle doctor whom she loved, was a cruel man who had been manipulating her feelings. Upon seeing the death of Heat O'Brien- a doctor who truly did care for her- her sadness causes a massive surge of data to God, who retaliates by turning the sun black and contaminating the Earth with data, turning many- including Serph- into demons.

Awakening, the Heat residing in the real world, Heat O' Brien appears in front of Serph as a data. Telling Serph that after the incident, Sera shut her heart away, and her paradise became hell. As a result, the Junkyard was created, along with the Tribes, including the Serph controlled by the player. Heat tells Serph that Sera dreamed to see the kind, gentle Serph for a long time, and tells Serph that he may be based on Sera's perception of them, however, Serph is now different, manifesting as an original, standalone persona of himself.

As Serph begins to understand, two beings manifests within the EGG fluid, Serph Sheffield, and another AI Serph from the beach. Serph Sheffield angrily questions where is he, while the other AI kept asking where is Sera. Heat then tells Serph that it is time to defeat these phantoms and break free from the past, and requests Serph to release the AI Heat as well. Enraged, Serph Sheffield and the AI transform into two distinct Varunas, engaging Serph and Heat to a battle. Eventually Serph was victorious, triumphing over Serph Sheffield and the other AI.

After the defeat the Solar Datas, Serph, in his Varuna form, slices open the abdomen of Vritra, forcefully breaking free from Heat. Heat, knowing that Serph has finally learned the truth, asks whether does he understand where he stands. Heavily wounded, Heat then teleports himself to the control room, prompting Serph to go there to finish their business once and for all. Upon reaching Heat, Heat chastises Serph for being too slow. Noticing Heat was bleeding heavily from Serph's previous strike, Serph hurried over to help, but was stopped by Heat. Heat then tells Serph that now he's gone, Serph will have to protect Sera, and dies.

Sera later informs the others that there is another facility, namely HAARP that she could use to reach to God, passable via the abandoned Airport. However, their plans are acknowledged by Jenna Angel, who has already sent her Karma Soldiers, ready to attack Serph and co. With the sacrifices of the comrades, Serph was eventually successful in taking him and Sera to the HAARP Facility.

Inside the facility, Sera attempts to contact with God via the remaining machines, with Serph holding her hand to encourage her. However, the massive surge to data sent causes the machines to overload, breaking apart and explodes. Serph finally dies in the explosions of the HAARP, alongside with Sera. Their data ascends to the Sun, where they merges into a unique being: Seraph. Depending on the players actions earlier, Seraph may be able to inherit Hari-Hara's "Reincarnation" skill.

[edit] Gallery

Serph's Water Crown Atma Brand

Serph's in-game model in Digital Devil Saga

Serph's berserk form in Digital Devil Saga 2


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