Chapter XVI: Sovereign Power

The final stage, the final boss, and the final large-scale video game reference, are all rolled up into one. It’s a fitting end to Bayonetta 2, the game that does it all! You’ll need all the skills you’ve acquired thus far to emerge victorious.

Verse 1 (featuring Bosses Glamor and Valor)

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax

Verse 1 is dedicated to angels attempting to shoot our intrepid trio out of the sky! Maneuver the plane and use Bayonetta and Balder’s attacks to repel them.

When enough fodder angels have been shot, Glamor returns, persistent as ever!

Glamor brings to the table his full arsenal. Dodge his claw swipes, tail swipes, angelic darts, and ice darts, then retaliate with shots and slices depending on his range.

Once Glamor explodes, another wave of fodder angels approach. Fire away just like last time.

Verse 1 ends with the return of Valor for a rematch! Looks like he got “a new one of those” after all!

There’s little difference to how Valor fought then and now—you just happen to be in an awesome plane this time around. He has devastating horizontal and vertical sword swings, as well as a move where he extends his sword from long range, and the ability to launch an array of explosive charges! Again, dodge everything and retaliate. Use your plane’s maneuverability to give yourself an advantage.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Don’t get hit, and shoot down as many enemies in a single combo as you can. Time score will mainly come down to how quickly you defeat the bosses. Make good use of Umbran Climax!

Verse 2 (featuring Boss Insidious)

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/ ∞ Climax

It’s the demons’ turn now! Fire at them just as you did the angels. Many of them will come into long range, making them excellent targets for Balder.

After you’ve taken down enough demons, Insidious joins the fight! Just like last time, you have to worry about the tentacles that come from his eyes, as well as the lasers that both his eyes and tentacles can fire. Concentrate your fire on both of his eyes to send him packing...

...a least for a few seconds! Insidious comes up behind you, firing a large spread of demonic magic! Counter with all of the firepower Bayonetta can muster to finally win.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Don’t get hit, and shoot down as many enemies in a single combo as you can. Time score will mainly come down to how quickly you defeat the bosses. Make good use of Umbran Climax!

Bayonetta and Balder land on The Sacred Mountain Fimbulventr at last, which means it’s time to grab the final collectibles in Story mode! Are you ready?

First, once you land, go to the left to grab a chest with the final Broken Witch Heart (40/40). Then go back to where you started, pick up the Journal’s Echo An Audience With... then go right of the entrance this time to enter the last Muspelheim.

Verse 3

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax

Muspelheim Objective: Defeat all enemies without taking a single hit.

Enemy: Allegiance x1

A single Allegiance can be tough to destroy without taking a single hit, but it could be worse. Dodge all of his sword swings, keeping in mind that his sword is extendable. Staying at range isn’t necessarily safe. Approach from the front and sides—if you to try to come up from behind, he’ll use his spinning sword swing, which is his fastest and hardest-to-avoid attack!

∞ Climax

Muspelheim Objective: Defeat all enemies without taking a single hit.

Enemy: ∞ Climax: Acceptance (Harp) x2, Accolade (Twin Blades) x1, Accolade (Shield) x1, Accolade (Hammer) x1, Allegiance x1

Prepare for a gauntlet of enemies, featuring the three hardest types of Accolades, and an Allegiance! They’re all enemies you’ve met before, so put all of your known skills to the test. Engage the twin-bladed Accolade while using the arrows from the Acceptances to fuel Witch Time, bait the hammer and shield Accolades into attacking, and don’t give the Allegiance an inch lest he retaliate with his sword. Pulley’s Butterfly and the Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa can provide some extra protection.

Go for Pure Platinum!

Suggested Weapons: Salamandra (Arms)

The time limit for Pure Platinum in this Verse is pretty strict—you need to make sure your dodges are flawless so that you can slice away in Witch Time every single time an attack comes toward you! Otherwise, using the Salamandra with the above strategies will bring the victory.

Once done there, follow Balder inside. Keep running up the steps while keeping an eye out for the final Umbran Crow (20/20) on the top left, sitting atop a wide column.

At the top of the steps is your final chance to enter The Gates of Hell, as well as a few breakables containing some items. Stock up now, because once you enter the doors, there’s no turning back.

Beating this Verse nabs you the final Broken Moon Pearl (16/16)

Verse 4

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Suggested Pure Platinum Weapon: Rakshasa (Arms)

Enemies: Prophet, Aesir (3 Phases)

Vs. Prophet

Before gaining the right to face the final boss, you must face the Prophet in a final showdown. The attacks on display here are the same as old encounters with the Prophet, as well as Loptr. Ethereal fists fly toward you or push you away. Lightning rains down from the sky in short triple-bursts. Energy is projected at you from the ground and if it hits, can trap you in a bubble.

Prophet can launch a torrential column of energy at you, or project that energy into blades that travel along the ground, or even form a large laser. He can rain ice from the sky that stays on the ground, making navigation tough! As the battle wears on, his attacks are replaced with more intense versions of the same.

When Prophet is on his last legs, he rains meteors from the sky, which can be dodged. He’ll also form whirlpools on the ground that attempt to suck Bayonetta in. Run away from these with Panther Within!

Every attack can be dodged, and as a bonus, comes out slowly enough to give Bayonetta a second to prepare. The only exception is the ground-based ice. Hold your ground, dodge around the field or go airborne for the few seconds the ice lingers.

As far as offense goes, the Masked Lumen strategy will work here (as well as for the rest of the battle, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves). Dodge into Witch Time, rush in and attempt to get up to four P slashes with Rakshasa. Retreat (dodging if necessary) while firing your gun and waiting for another dodge opportunity. Do your best to keep your combo alive.

Vs. Aesir (Phase 1)

For Phase 1 you’re fighting cooperatively with Balder, meaning that, as usual in co-op fights, you have a helping hand to whittle down vitality, but you also need to be extra-aggressive to keep your combo score up. However, don’t be so aggressive that you miss a dodge opportunity, or worse, run straight into an attack.

The same offensive strategy used in the last Verse works against Aesir as well. With that out of the way, let’s look at what you’re up against.

Phase 1 of Aesir is pretty much the Prophet on steroids. He can fire twin energy balls from above, let loose with a flurry of punches and kicks, and he’s got the same energy hands and fists as Prophet and Loptr. He also brings back the projected ground energy, and the large laser blast.

As you whittle down his vitality, he gains more attacks. The first is a slow motion spell cast over the entire battlefield (turning it red). You can—and should—interrupt this because otherwise the dodging timing on it is extremely strict. If you do get caught in the field, wiggle the Left Analog Stick to get out.

Aesir also fires multiple energy balls from the sky that home in and fly at you, reminiscent of Balder’s mass feathers attack. Finally, he launches himself in a fast flight across the battlefield, much like an Applaud.

Further into the fight, Aesir opens a timewarp to call in divebombing planes! Indicators on the ground show where the bombs will hit. Don’t be in any of these places!

Finally, when his vitality is low enough, he opens another timewarp to send in a satellite, blowing Balder away. It’s now up to a flying Bayonetta to thwart Aesir’s ambitions alone.

Vs. Aesir (Phase 2)

The second phase of Aesir adds even more attacks to watch out for, such as a large missile shower. The missiles are slow and easily dodged; there are just a lot of them. You’ve also got energy shots, energy waves, large laser blasts from both Aesir and his satellite, and lightning from below!

A little way into the fight, Aesir calls forth the entire satellite. Twirl the Left Analog Stick when it approaches to repel it Bayonetta-style.

Keep fighting until you exhaust all of Aesir’s vitality, whereupon Loki plays his “trump card” and knocks Aesir out of his godlike state.

Vs. Aesir (Phase 3)

This is actually less of a phase and more of a supreme beatdown. With Aesir weakened, tag-team with Balder and get in your last few combo points!

Two last climactic Quick Time Events are activated to finish Aesir off, and they are doozies! For the first, press the prompted buttons as quickly as possible.

For the second, guide Aesir’s flight path into the mouth of Jeanne’s summoned demon using either the Left Analog Stick or (for an easier time) the stylus on the touch screen of the Wii U GamePad!

Then press buttons to give him the crunch treatment. That’s game, everybody!

Or not! The credits roll, but the Chapter isn’t over yet! Prepare to face a series of time-limited miniature battles that absolutely do count toward your end-of-Chapter score! Let’s dance, boys!

Verse 5

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Enemies: Acceptance (Spear) x2, Acceptance (Harp) x1, Accolade (Spear) x1, Compassion x5

In this Verse you have Loki with you but he won’t be much help damage-wise. Do all of the damage you can against the Acceptances and Compassions as quickly as possible. You only have Love Is Blue, so fire shots along with your melee attacks and cover as much ground as possible.

Verse 6

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Enemies: Masked Lumen

You’re fighting the Masked Lumen here, but fortunately the game was nice enough to give you Rakshasa! If you’re playing on any of the first three difficulties, go on the aggressive while dodging his attacks. On ∞ Climax this Verse is a lot harder, because you pretty much have to dodge every attack perfectly in order to go into Witch Time and be able to retaliate at all. Fail to get in enough attacks, and you’ll run out of time!

Verse 7

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Enemies: Affinity (Staff) x3, Affinity (Horn) x1, Affinity (Mace) x1, Applaud (Staff) x1, Decorations x3

You have Rosa with you as you relive Chapter XIII. Just like back then, try to tag more enemies than she does to build up your combo score. The most important objective, however, is to clear out all the enemies, period, before time runs out.

You actually have Bayonetta’s classic Scarborough Fair guns this time around, so use them to hit enemies from afar!

Verse 8

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Enemy: Beloved x6

Thankfully, the final two Verses of the game are freebies. Use the awesome power of the Umbran Armor to lay waste to Beloveds! Use the PPP combo, holding P on the last part of the combo.

Verse 9

1st Climax/2nd Climax/3rd Climax/∞ Climax (Go for Pure Platinum!)

Enemies: Acceptance (Spear) x7

In this final Verse, it’s you and Jeanne against a slew of Acceptances. Do your best to herd the Acceptances directly in front of you so you can take them out all at once—preferably with Umbran Climax.

post-chapter spoils 1 Verse Card (Aesir)

Congratulations on having beaten Bayonetta 2’s main Story mode!

Sit back, enjoy the dance, check out the pretty pictures...but don’t rest too long! You haven’t seen everything there is to offer. Once you beat Story mode for the first time, the Lost Chapter opens up, boasting all-new challenges for the seasoned player—which, if you’re reading this, includes you! Pick up that controller and dive headfirst into the challenge.