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“ | Well then, let us dance! | „ |
| ~ Raphael Sorel |
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Raphael Sorel
From The Codex
|
“ | Welcome. I shall grant you death. | „ |
| ~ Raphael Sorel |
| “ | Perhaps I shall make you Amy's pet! | „ |
| ~ Raphael Sorel |
| “ | Do not delude yourself, thou wretched fool! | „ |
| ~ Raphael Sorel |
| “ | Such a repugnant being. But today, I shall finish you off. | „ |
| ~ Graf Dumas |
| “ | Your madness! How it shines like a beacon! | „ |
| ~ Nightmare |
| “ | With my blade, I shall forge a new world! | „ |
| ~ Raphael Sorel |
Background
Raphael Sorel is a central character of the Soulcalibur series, initially starting as a minor protagonist, but transitioning into a major antagonist. As a French nobleman of the esteemed Sorel family, Raphael's life is flipped on its head when he is betrayed by his own kin and rescued by a young orphan named Amy.
Raphael went through several years of manipulating his way through life, all the while seeking out the legendary Soul Edge blade to carve a new future for Amy. He was eventually cursed by Soul Edge, which twisted his mind and transformed him into a Malfested vampire, who was driven mad by his quest for Amy's salvation.
With his quest bringing him to a terrible end, Raphael's body was later reanimated by Soul Edge and transformed into a politically conniving Count known as Graf Dumas, who secretly doubled as the horrifying Azure Knight, Nightmare. Raphael's character is defined by his unwavering willpower, even in the face of possession and insanity.
| This dropdown contains the synopsis of Raphael’s story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise! |
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Raphael Sorel grew up as the young heir to the highly-esteemed French family of Sorel nobility. As a child, Raphael only had his rapier and medicine to be his playmates, and thus grew up fairly lonely. As a result of his loneliness, Raphael developed a fairly unemotional demeanor, which awarded him many enemies, though his quick-thinking and decision-making was able to solidify the Sorel family as a house of nobles. His life, though not exciting, was one of promise. However, on the day that the young Siegfried Schtauffen picked up the evil Soul Edge blade, a terrible catastrophe struck known as the Evil Seed. Dark and evil power reigned down on the world, turning several people into rampaging demons known as the Malfested. During this, a noble that had long served the Sorel family became one of the Malfested, and Raphael was forced to kill him in self-defense. Not knowing the reason for Raphael's actions, the Sorel family was enraged and cast him out. Almost immediately, Raphael had been fed to the dogs, and was being chased by dozens of angry pursuers. After countless fights and days of hiding from those who wished him dead, a weakened Raphael bumped into a young homeless girl named Amy, who hid Raphael from his pursuers and thus saved his life. For Amy, hiding Raphael was a very small deed motivated purely out of spite for the nobles, but for Raphael, this action marked the first time that he felt he owed somebody his life. Amy became irreplaceable to Raphael. Out of his gratitude, Raphael decided to take Amy and help her finally leave the poverty-stricken town. However, no matter where Raphael and Amy fled to, he was unable to let Amy open up her heart to the world. Finally settling in an abandoned mansion acquired under dark pretenses, Raphael began hatching a plan to force the world into becoming something that would accept Amy. After researching into the Evil Seed that started all of this nonsense, Raphael finally traced it back to the legendary Soul Edge, which was still currently in the hands of Siegfried, now known as the Azure Nightmare. This sword had the power to change the world, and Raphael needed to retrieve it for Amy above all else. Making haste, with rapier in-hand, Raphael bid farewell to Amy and headed to confront Siegfried in Ostrheinsburg. The battle between Raphael and Nightmare was legendary, as Raphael's incredibly strong ambition pulled him through despite Nightmare's overwhelming power. Eventually, however, Soul Edge became too much. Raphael was dealt terrible wounds, and lay prone to whatever strike Nightmare chose to be the finisher. However, unbeknownst to Raphael, Siegfried fought against Nightmare for just a moment within his mind, and prevented the killing blow. Raphael saw the small opening as Nightmare faltered, and unleashed one desperate strike of his rapier. As luck would have it, Raphael's blade hit true, and pierced Soul Edge directly in its eye. As Nightmare writhed in pain from the attack, Raphael succumbed to his wounds and fainted. Many hours later, when Raphael awoke, he was astonished that Nightmare had disappeared without finishing him off. Raphael dragged his grievously wounded body back to Amy, who immediately put him under extensive care. As Raphael was being treated, however, he did not notice the peculiarity of the wounds he suffered. The evil energy radiating off of Soul Edge, which struck Raphael's body countless times, was getting into his wounds and infecting him with Malfestation. Amy, who had been closely treating Raphael, found herself infected as well. With the two of them becoming Malfested vampires, Raphael took Amy and fled with her to an abandoned castle in Wallachia. Amy had now become a creature who could not interact with anyone of the normal world, and this infuriated Raphael. He sought beyond anything to create a world for her in which she could live a normal life, and so his plans had now changed. If everyone became Malfested, as they had, then Amy would finally be able to fit in. To reach this goal, Raphael began slowly infecting entire towns. The plan was working, until suddenly all of Raphael's efforts had been undone. Every town he had infected, was suddenly being cured by a mysterious Holy Stone. This Holy Stone, directly connected to the spirit sword, Soul caliber, became Raphael's new focus. If he could destroy it, or better yet, if he could obtain it, then the power to create a world suitable for he and Amy would be his. Eventually, enraged soldiers heard of Raphael's wickedness and discovered that he'd been hiding out in the abandoned castle. They stormed the castle, and impeded on Raphael's journey. He said a wistful goodbye to Amy, promising he would return in one way or the other, and confronted the soldiers at the base of the castle. It is unknown how Raphael fared against these soldiers, or how far into the quest for Soul caliber he got. It is known, however, that Amy and Raphael never saw each other again. Raphael was killed on his journey, and his body had been seized by the minions of Soul Edge. Due to his strong determination and incredible skill while he was still alive, Raphael's corpse was seen as a suitable puppet for Soul Edge. Soul Edge revived Raphael, but found that his willpower was so incredibly unwavering that it could not take hold of him the way it desired. In a desperate attempt to retain the exact same Nightmare form it had taken while possessing Siegfried, Soul Edge rewrote some of Raphael's memories, and turned him into a wielder of a great-sword instead of a rapier. Furthermore, Soul Edge transformed Raphael into a man known as Dumas. With no memories of his past or his previous ambitions to create a new world for Amy, Raphael was a shell of his former self. Still, his willpower was so strong that even altering his memories could not completely destroy who he was, and so his ambition to change the world overwrote Soul Edge's ambition to destroy the world. The terrifying creature known as Nightmare had changed from a destructive force of nature, into a war-mongering manipulator. As Dumas, Raphael made his way to the Holy Roman Empire, where his knack for manipulation quickly brought him into the inner circle of Emperor Rudolf II. He was able to convince the Emperor that the Holy Roman Empire should reclaim the territories it had lost to the Ottoman Empire, and sparked up a large-scale war as a result. Dumas was given position as Count in Hungary, granting him the title of Graf Dumas. While leading Hungary, Graf Dumas came across a young boy by the name of Patroklos Alexander, who showcased unmatched swordsmanship and was easily manipulated. In order to reach his own goals, Graf Dumas claimed that he would assist Patroklos in finding his long-lost sister Pyrrha, who had been taken by the Malfested. Dumas was thus able to manipulate Patroklos into killing innocent civilians, who he claimed were Malfested. After Patroklos learned the truth of Dumas's manipulation, however, he left his service and went out to search for Pyrrha on his own. But once Pyrrha was found, Graf Dumas reappeared to him, and revealed himself as the new Azure Knight, Nightmare. Although temporarily stopped by the Malfested Pyrrha, Nightmare is still able to wreak havoc, as he leads an army into war on Central Europe. Eventually, Graf Dumas makes his way to Castle Denevér, where he is intercepted by a young werewolf named Z.W.E.I., who sought revenge on him. After an intense and bloody battle between Nightmare and the werewolf, Z.W.E.I. manages to come out on top. Nightmare is seemingly killed, his body vanishing and leaving Soul Edge behind. Freed from the grasp of Soul Edge, however, the old persona of Raphael awakens from behind the mask of Graf Dumas. Raphael, dazed and confused, awakens in a dark dungeon cell. He discards the Azure Knight's armor, finally leaving the prison with rapier in hand. Now an amnesiac, Raphael had no idea what was going on or how he ended up where he was. The singular memory that remained was of Amy, his foster-daughter who he had not seen since he left her in their castle. With one singular goal in mind, to get back to Amy, the confused Raphael set out of the prison and continued on with his journey to make the world into what he thought was a better place. A force of madness was loose upon the world, a man who would stop at nothing to find his beloved.Raphael, the cold, cruel head of the Sorel family, is known for his fencing prowess and deep knowledge of medical science. Though still young, he has survived numerous plots and venomous political strife to establish his family as part of the ruling elite. However, when the Evil Seed occurred, a noble that he had backed went violently insane, and attempted to kill the king. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to strike, Raphael's political enemies blamed him for the incident, and attacked his Paris home. Betrayed one by one by those around him, Raphael fled to his birthplace, Rouen, in order to mount a counterattack. Though he arrived safely after shaking off his pursuers, he did not get the welcome he had hoped for... A young girl from the slums had saved Raphael's life. For Raphael, who had never relied on anyone but himself, having someone come to his aid was no small matter—even if his salvation was born purely of a child's whim. Amy's actions were enough to rouse emotions Raphael had long forgotten. With the aristocracy continuing to fight their petty battles, ordinary people had all but surrendered their spirit and given up on life. Like animated corpses, their lives were drained of all meaning and joy... Instead, Raphael decided it best to seek refuge with Amy in the land where the sun never sets: Spain. As they wandered through Spain like nomads, Raphael sharpened his blade skills while also teaching Amy some techniques. However, with his enemies a constant threat, he felt his and Amy's nomadic lifestyle would do her more harm than good, and so took the risk of crossing the border back into France... After crossing the mountains, Raphael and Amy arrived at a citadel in the south of France. To ensure her safety, it occurred to Raphael that she would need a decent home and financial security. So, disguising his real name, he became a servant to the wealthy Lord Dumas. After a long time serving as a servant, Raphael became Lord Dumas's protégé, though he was told he could only inherit Dumas's estate under one condition. "That girl. Amy, is it? She is not your daughter, correct? If you are to become my son, you should send her away... to an orphanage perhaps." Lord Dumas proclaimed. Although Raphael appeared happy by the offer on the surface, deep down he knew that abandoning Amy would be as though he forfeited his own life. In a quiet rage, Raphael accepted the conditions, but invited Lord Dumas to tea. "I shall toast to the death of those who come between Amy and I!" Raphael became Lord Dumas's adopted son, declaring that his relatives had "gone on a long journey." His previous efforts to gain everybody's trust had paid off, as not one soul doubted him. The mansion of Lord Dumas was now his, and Amy remained at his side. In the mansion's library, Raphael soon came across the enlightened writings of someone who called themselves a "Scholar of the Future." Deeply intrigued, he pored over the words, a great plan forming in his mind... The day has long come to an end as Raphael leaves the reading room in the outbuilding and heads for his main house. Every step he took as he hurried toward his dear Amy, his legs became heavier. The familiar walk felt longer than usual, as though it was leading to somewhere different. The so-called Scholar of the Future stood before him. Raphael explained his plan, pausing to ask questions about the cursed sword from time to time. But he was aware that at any moment, a fight to the death might erupt. Before Raphael knew it, the strange man was gone... and he was following the spiral staircase up to Amy's room. Though the medicine vial was new to him... it felt as though he had carried it all his life. So began the grand yet perverse plan, devised by one for the sake of another. When a twisted soul seeks the cursed sword, the cogs of history once again begin to turn... |
Codex Statistics
Tier: 9-B | 9-B | At least 9-B, at least High 8-C with Soul Edge
Name: Raphael Sorel | Raphael Sorel | Graf Dumas, Nightmare
Origin: Soulcalibur
Sex: Male
Age: 32 years old | 32 - 49 years old (Physically 32) | 49 years old (Physically 32)
Classification: French Nobleman | Dark Lord, Lord of the Night | The Azure Knight, The Symbol of Destruction
Species: Human | Malfested Human, pseudo-Vampire | Malfested Human, pseudo-Vampire
Occupation: N/A | N/A | Graf of Hungary
Status: Alive | Alive | Undead
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (Although not entirely evil, Raphael is also not a good man. He only shows any love and care for Amy, and finds himself unable to trust or care for the lives of others. His quest to claim Soul Edge was entirely selfish and disregarded any self of morality, good or evil alike) | Chaotic Evil (After becoming a Malfested, Raphael's emotions had been amplified and his desire to create a perfect world for Amy has become an obsession. No longer can his goals be seen as noble, as Raphael now commits very evil acts, such as infecting entire villages with evil power, and turning others into his servants. He does everything for his selfish goals, even though he commits evil acts in order to accomplish them) | Neutral Evil (As Graf Dumas/Nightmare, Raphael's selfish ambitions have been completely erased, as he's forgotten Amy entirely. Completely unlike the previous Nightmare, who sought only reckless chaos and havoc for the sake of gathering souls, Raphael's influence on Nightmare has turned the Azure Knight into a much more passive evil force. He now seeks domination through manipulation, over mindless destruction, and is willing to rule an world submerged in evil rather than selfishly destroy it)
Dimensionality: 3-D
Attack Potency: Wall level (Can face off against Siegfried Schtauffen, who can dropkick people with this much strength, and reduce a sanctuary of stone pillars to rubble. Can contend with Heishiro Mitsurugi, who doesn't consider rifles to be a threat) | Wall level | At least Wall level (Should be superior to Raphael, as becoming Nightmare takes one beyond their usual limits. Seasoned knights and armies equipped with firearms stood no chance against him. Those who become Nightmare are able to wipe out heavily armored soldiers with ease. Can instantly destroy hoards of armored soldiers in a single attack), at least Large Building level with Soul Edge (The Soul caliber's clash with Soul Edge was enough to completely annihilate the Lost Cathedral and destroy Siegfried's body. The clash sent waves of destruction across the world. Could completely obliterate a temple)
Durability: Wall level | Wall level | At least Wall level
Striking Strength: Wall Class | Wall Class | At least Wall Class, at least Large Building Class with Soul Edge
Lifting Strength: Athletic Human | At least Athletic Human | Peak Human (Wields a gigantic sword in one hand without issue)
Travel Speed: Athletic Human | Athletic Human | Athletic Human
Attack Speed: Supersonic | Supersonic | Supersonic
Reaction Speed: Supersonic (Can keep up with Heishiro Mitsurugi, who can casually deflect musket fire, which travels between 450 and 540 meters per second. Can also contend with Ivy Valentine, who casually deflects bullets point-blank) | Supersonic | Supersonic
Stamina: Very High (Raphael is capable of fighting for extremely long periods of time, best-seen during his escape from the Sorel household, as he was on the run for an extensive period of time while experiencing battle after battle. His fight with Nightmare was said to be highly intensive, and despite the horribly mortal wounds he suffered, Raphael could still muster the strength enough to strike a finishing blow and then escape back home) | At least Superhuman (After becoming a Malfested, Raphael's stamina has skyrocketed, as he has essentially evolved into a vampire with no real need for rest) | At least Superhuman (Is majorly controlled by Soul Edge and as such can continue fighting well beyond the limits of a human. Even at times when Raphael's body would succumb to fatigue, the Soul Edge can force Nightmare into battle regardless)
Range: Standard Melee, Extended Melee with swords
Intelligence: Gifted in combat (Has sophisticated sword techniques that don't dull even when suffering from amnesia. He is extremely gifted in sword fighting and can duel on-par with even the greatest swordsmen the world has to offer. Raphael's techniques are said to be complex and always executed to perfection) | Gifted in combat | Gifted in combat
Name: Raphael Sorel
Origin: Soulcalibur VI
Sex: Male
Age: 25 - 32 years old
Classification: French Nobleman, Prelude to Madness
Species: Human
Occupation: N/A
Status: Alive
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Dimensionality: 3-D
Attack Potency: Wall level (Comparable to his Original Timeline self)
Durability: Wall level
Striking Strength: Wall Class
Lifting Strength: Athletic Human
Travel Speed: Athletic Human
Attack Speed: Supersonic
Reaction Speed: Supersonic (Comparable to his Original Timeline self)
Stamina: Very High
Range: Standard Melee, Extended Melee with swords
Intelligence: Gifted in combatPowers and Techniques
All previous abilities, Immortality (Type 1; Malfestation stopped Raphael from aging), Corruption (Could spread corruption to other people in the form of Malfestation, via biting their neck), Hell Manipulation (Utilizes evil energy), Extrasensory Perception (Can sense the energy of others and how powerful it is), Enhanced Senses (Can sense the emotions of others), Teleportation (Can teleport with Strigoii Envelopment), Life Absorption (Will absorb a foe's life through grabbing their body), Air Manipulation (Royal Vexation has Raphael use wind to blow the enemy away)
All previous abilities, Social Influencing & Pseudo-Fear Manipulation (Nightmare strikes fear into every corner of Europe), Transformation (Can freely transform from Graf Dumas into Nightmare)
Equipment
- Flambert: After losing in battle and being pursued even by his former friends and family, Raphael managed to take this sword with him from the Sorel family home. The Flambert is an amazingly sharp sword rapier. Raphael continued to wield this blade as his main weapon during his quest for Soul Edge.
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Flambert
- Flambert: After losing in battle and being pursued even by his former friends and family, Raphael managed to take this sword with him from the Sorel family home. The Flambert is an amazingly sharp sword rapier. Raphael continued to wield this blade as his main weapon during his quest for Soul Edge.
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Flambert
- Soul Edge: An evil blade with a reputation for devouring souls. This weapon is also known to be a shape-shifter—which form it takes depends on its current owner. The forms it has taken are legendary, as are the souls of the renowned warriors it has consumed. It's currently taking the form of a Zweihänder as it had previously when in the hands of Siegfried, instead of morphing into a rapier to suit Raphael, as the Soul Edge has grown a strong appreciation for its iconic form.
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Soul Edge
Optional Equipment
- Epee: A type of rapier with a thin blade. It was used by European nobles and knights for duels of honor, but it was uncommon for it to be used on the battlefield. Its light weight makes it difficult to knock enemies aside with.
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Epee
- Stiletto: A sword designed to deal with the advancement of plate armor. It was designed solely for the sake of piercing and was feared on the battlefield by knights in armor. Its blade pierces through an opponent's armor and promises deep wounds.
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Stiletto
- Reiterpallasch: A long sword used by knights in Western Europe, it excels at both cutting and piercing. Its best feature is the hilt design which protects the wielder's hand. It has a sharp edge and can easily break an opponent's defense.
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Reiterpallasch
- Wo Dao: A sword from the country of Wo. In other words, it is the Ming Dynasty era Chinese name for a Japanese Sword. Most of them were used only for display, but among them were some that were actually used in battle.
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Wo Dao
- Schweizer: A sword used by the Roman Empire with a point modified for piercing. It is considered to be a type of bastard sword, but it actually more closely resembles a saber. This sword is the work of master craftsmanship.
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Schweizer
- Holy Antler: A blessed sword that is said to banish evil and protect its wielder. It was carried primarily by holy warriors for the purpose of destroying demonic monsters. It is a piercing weapon and is not suited for blocking attacks.
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Holy Antler
- Estoc: A sword designed to pierce through an armored opponent. Resembling a giant needle, it has no problem shearing chain mail and can even penetrate plate armor is properly aimed. But because it lacks a wide blade, it is not good for defense.
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Estoc
- Soul Edge (Complete): An evil blade with a reputation for devouring souls. This weapon is also known to be a shape-shifter—which form it takes depends on its current owner. The forms it has taken are legendary, as are the souls of the renowned warriors it has consumed.
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Soul Edge (Complete)
- Queen's Guard: A legendary defensive weapon passed down through the royal family. Even now, royal guards protecting the Queen use swords with the same name, but they are the same in name only.
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Queen's Guard
- Cane: A favorite of gentlemen everywhere. It can even be used as a weapon in a pinch, assuming the wielder has sufficient training as a swordsman.
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Cane
- Epee: A type of rapier with a thin blade. It was used by European nobles and knights for duels of honor, but it was uncommon for it to be used on the battlefield. Its light weight makes it difficult to knock enemies aside with.
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Epee
- Holy Antler: A blessed sword that is said to banish evil and protect its wielder. It was carried primarily by holy warriors for the purpose of destroying demonic monsters. It is a piercing weapon and is not suited for blocking attacks.
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Holy Antler
- Estoc: A sword designed to pierce through an armored opponent. Resembling a giant needle, it has no problem shearing chain mail and can even penetrate plate armor is properly aimed. But because it lacks a wide blade, it is not good for defense.
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Estoc
- Queen's Guard: A legendary defensive weapon passed down through the royal family. Even now, royal guards protecting the Queen use swords with the same name, but they are the same in name only.
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Queen's Guard
- Cane: A favorite of gentlemen everywhere. It can even be used as a weapon in a pinch, assuming the wielder has sufficient training as a swordsman.
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Cane
- Amy: Raphael's most powerful weapon, fittingly named after the most important person in his life, Amy Sorel. Its design is incredibly similar to that of Amy's Albion sword.
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Amy
- My Beloved: One of Raphael's joke weapon, designed to be a comically oversized rose. Much like the Cane, as one of Raphael's joke weapons, it is not very powerful or useful in combat.
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My Beloved
- Balmung: A large sword based on the blade of dragon-slayer Siegfried in the German epic poem "Nibelungenlied". Fittingly wielded by Nightmare, this blade causes extreme devastation to dragons and non-dragons alike.
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Balmung
- Steel Paddle: A giant iron paddle. It has no blade and thus has no cutting ability, but it can cause plenty of destruction with its size and weight alone. As one would expect, it is very useful for defense as well.
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Steel Paddle
- Chrome Blade: A sword of chrome with an upwards-angled crossguard.
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Chrome Blade
- Giant Squid: Nightmare's joke weapon, which acts as a large blunt weapon in the shape of a gigantic squid.
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Giant Squid
Other
Weaknesses: Raphael is incredibly overconfident and blinded by his love for his foster daughter, Amy. He has a lack of any loyalty to anyone who isn't Amy, and can turn on people on a whim if it means that Amy's future would be brighter. After Soulcalibur V, Raphael suffers from amnesia. As Graf Dumas, a puppet for Soul Edge, Raphael is completely under the sword's whim, and is also considered to be the weakest of the Nightmares. Soul Edge can be destroyed fairly easily if struck in the correct spots, and can let out maelstroms of power too immense for Raphael's body to withstand.
Battle Records
None.
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