Legion

Legion
Granfaloon as it appears in Symphony of the Night.
Japanese name(s)	レギオン Region
Alternate name(s)	Granfaloon
Abilities	Levitation Spawns zombie-like creatures Shoots laser-like beams
Type(s)	Demon
Origins	The Bible
Appearances	Symphony of the Night Circle of the Moon Harmony of Dissonance Aria of Sorrow Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku (novel) Curse of Darkness Portrait of Ruin Encore of the Night Harmony of Despair Grimoire of Souls

Legion is a recurring boss in the Castlevania series. He is referred to as "the one who is many".

Origins

The Gerasene Demoniac
(Sebastian Bourdon, 1653)

The origin of Legion's design comes from a biblical account about a demon –or several demons– who possessed a man. The New Testament outlines an encounter where Jesus healed a man from Gadara possessed by demons while traveling, in an event that came to be known as "the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac". The story has many variations; according to the Gospel of Mark, a man "possessed by a demon" comes from the caves to meet Jesus. Jesus approaches and calls the demon to come out of the man and asks him his name, to which the demon replies: "My name is Legion, for we are many." Thus, from the concept of being composed of "many" came the design of the shell composed of a large number of human bodies.

In most accounts of the story, however, it is a large number of demons who possessed the man. Listening to their pleadings not to send them away, but instead to send them into a herd of swine on a nearby hillside, Jesus consents, causing the swine to run down a hill into a lake and drown (other variants of the story have the demons allowed to run free and they enter the herd of swine on their own resolution).

The English localized name used for this entity in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, "Granfaloon", has its origin on a concept found in Kurt Vonnegut's 1963 science fiction novel Cat's Cradle. In the novel, a "granfalloon" is defined as a "false karass"; that is, it is a group of people who affect a shared identity or purpose, but whose mutual association is meaningless. It is a satirical reference to a group of high-minded people who share a similar belief. The group is described by Vonnegut as "a proud and meaningless association of human beings". The Granfaloon in Castlevania would be a literal representation of this idea.

General description

In almost all of its appearances, Legion is depicted as a floating sphere that is protected by an outer shell composed of a massive gathering of innumerable humanoid bodies. This enormous lump of flesh conceals an inner core whose identity can vary depending on the game it is encountered in. In most cases, the shell must be broken apart piece by piece by striking it repeatedly before parts of the core can be exposed, and only by damaging it can the boss be defeated. In most portrayals of this enemy, when the shell is hit, pieces of it will crumble to the floor, these usually being either the bodies that conform its structure and which sometimes will aimlessly shamble across the floor in a zombie-like manner, or small and infectious maggots, or even harmless spurts of bodily fluids.

In most incarnations, the grotesque entity will move from side to side in an almost imperceptible motion, although never getting too far from its initial place at the center of the room. Its movements are so deceptive that they may take the player by surprise while they're focused in only inflicting damage, potentially resulting in them getting bumped with the massive weight of the monster and receiving a considerable amount of damage.

Appearances

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Legion is found as the boss of the Catacombs. The shell has nine parts (arranged like spaces on a tic-tac-toe board), although just by destroying the center section is sufficient to expose the core. The shell "attacks" by dropping bodies which fall to the ground and then walk aimlessly like zombies. If Alucard is closest to a non-destroyed portion of the shell, Legion will occasionally let out a growl and then a scream, followed by a shower of bodies raining upon him. If the portion of the shell Alucard is closest to is destroyed, then the newly exposed core tentacle (out of eight) will start firing off powerful laser beams instead.

Legion can be defeated without first destroying all nine shell parts (eight (inter)cardinal directions and one directly covering the core), but if all shell parts are destroyed, then inbetween single laser shots, Legion's tentacles will also fire off sets of homing laser shots that are very difficult to avoid.

(Shell/Core/Bodies) No. Name JPN Level HP 98 Granfaloon Legion 28 400 Strong Immune Weak Absorb EXP Dark - Holy - 3,000 Location Drop Guard Catacombs Life Vessel, Mormegil Description "Nightmarish creature. Composed of many."

Legion's appearance in Symphony of the Night.

Bodies raining.

Legion's laser attack (left).

Legion's laser attack (bottom right).

Legion's homing laser attack.

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon

The Legion found in Circle of the Moon is very different from the rest of his other incarnations. For starters, it is a lesser enemy, not a boss. Instead of being a composed of many full corpses, it is smaller and is only composed of an amalgamation of heads. It's still relatively large, however, has a rather deceptive high mobility, and will inflict Curse status on contact.

Nathan fights many of these in the Observation Tower.

Name JPN HP EXP Legion レギオン Region 420/540 1,590/2,900 ATK DEF Location 610/760 375/480 Chapel Tower, Observation Tower, Battle Arena Common Drop Rare Drop Cure Curse (5%) Potion High (0,5%) Resistance Darkness

Note: Second stat listed is when encountered in the Battle Arena.

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

In Harmony of Dissonance, there are two Legions:

Legion (saint)

Legion (saint) is found in the Sky Walkway in Castle B. It is similar to the Symphony of the Night Legion, although this time it only has four parts and destroying any of them will expose the core. It hovers in midair via six angelic wings (or probably twelve, each arranged in a pair). Unlike the Symphony Legion, Legion (saint) does not drop any bodies and will instead occasionally produce smaller versions of itself which will then fly toward the player for physical damage, as well as inflict Curse status on contact. Destroying the shell will reveal a small core with three tentacles which can periodically shoot dashed laser beams.

(Shell/Core) No. Name JPN Lv. HP 68 Legion (saint) レギオン・セイント Region Seinto 35 1,920 Tolerance Weakness Common Drop Rare Drop EXP - - - - 2,230 Location (Castle A) Location (Castle B) - Sky Walkway

Legion (corpse)

Legion (corpse) is found in the Skeleton Cave (a catacombs-like area) in Castle A. Instead of a shell of bodies, this Legion is protected by a shell of bones, mostly human skulls - a shell that is actually indestructible. However, hitting this shell sufficiently causes it to open and reveal a bobbing-head skeleton at the bottom of it (along with a graphical touch of flies escaping), and this skeleton is its actual weakness. The skeleton must be hit repeatedly quickly enough or the creature will attempt to close itself again. If the shell is to any degree open, it will also drop strange-looking maggots that crawl slowly along the ground toward the player. Also, notably, even well into its death animation, Legion will still stay onscreen, damaging the player if it touches it during this time (contact confers Curse status, as well as damage to Juste and Maxim; Simon Belmont cannot be cursed).

No. Name JPN Lv. HP 85 Legion (corpse) レギオン・ムクロ Region Mukuro 43 4,620 Tolerance Weakness Common Drop Rare Drop EXP - - Guards: Cipher's Charm - 3,388 Location (Castle A) Location (Castle B) Skeleton Cave -

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Similar to its depiction in Symphony of the Night, Legion is an amalgamation of featureless bodies, this time arranged to resemble a fetus during a sonogram, surrounding a tentacled golden cage containing a demonic fetus.

It can be found at the end of the Underground Cemetery, after Soma tracks its shambling husks through the level to a large, square room. Once Soma enters the room, the last of the bodies are sucked into the sphere and Legion awakens.

Legion slowly chases Soma around the rectangular circuit of the room, occasionally shedding husks. It consists of four shells parts and a core. Each of the shells has 5,000 HP, 55 ATK and 0 DEF. While the core can be damaged without destroying any of the shell parts, the boss's soul, Legion Laser, will not drop unless all the shells have been completely destroyed before the boss perishes. As the shells are removed, the tentacled core will begin firing lasers at Soma, and if the shell is entirely removed, the core will gain the ability to infrequently retract the tentacles and rapidly bounce around the circuit.

Once slain, Legion's central cage will shatter and release the demonic fetus, which will either immediately die in a burst of flames if defeated while still having one or multiple shells attached, or float up, open it's eyes, and vanish in a small circle of light if defeated after destroying all the shell parts, yielding its soul.

(Shell/Core/Bodies) No. Name JPN HP MP EXP 109 Legion 5,000 9,999 12,000 Attack Defense Tolerance Weakness Time Stop 55 25 Darkness Holy Unaffected Location Common Drop Rare Drop Soul Underground Cemetery - - Legion Laser Description "He is many, he is one."

Akumajō Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku

Legion was brought back along with the Puppet Master by the remnants of Graham's cult during a partial eclipse. He created an imitation of the castle from Graham Jones' time by using bodies of humans, as well as other monsters, and which was disguised by Count Olrox. Everyone killed in the castle was assimilated by it.

This version of Legion had limbs at the center of the castle. Part of it was destroyed by Michelle Danasty and it was finished off by Julius Belmont.

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

See also: Nuculais

Legion is fought in a tall room, seemingly composed of flesh, under Garibaldi Temple. The mass hovers in the middle of the room and is reached by climbing a spiraling walkway protruding from the wall. Legion itself does not attack in any way, but featureless zombies will infinitely rise from the floor and explode if they come into contact with the player (for around 200 damage at Level 50).

When Legion is defeated, it releases a giant translucent white humanoid with an exposed heart known as Nuculais. Nuculais is one of the hardest bosses in the game and has many attacks, including turning into a mobile pool of lava, throwing the aforementioned zombies at the player (which explode on contact), and a powerful charge attack by turning its hands into blades.

No. Name JPN HP 148 Legion Lv.52 6,900 Tolerance Weakness Light Dark Location Drop Steal EXP Garibaldi Temple Pizza 0 Description "A seething lump of flesh made from innumerable human sacrifices. Crushes foes with its massive weight."

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

Graphically ported from Symphony of the Night, in Portrait of Ruin Legion appears as the boss of the Nation of Fools. Like his counterparts from previous games, he is protected by a core made with the bodies of innumerable men which fall and pace on the ground when the core is attacked. Legion himself is a grotesque flying being with bearing nine tentacle-like limbs.

He cannot be defeated without destroying his outer shell first. Even if the player concentrates their attacks on the core, all sections will eventually fall anyway, revealing the monster himself. In this form, Legion will not only fire the blue lasers seen in other games, but it will also spin slowly and launch fire under pressure from the tentacles.

(Shell/Core/Bodies) No. Name JPN HP 143 Legion 2,000 Tolerance Weakness Dark Slash, Fire, Holy Location Common Drop Rare Drop EXP SP Nation of Fools Guards: Cog 4,000 50 Description "The one who is many."

Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night

Name Title HP EXP Legion 3,600 +1 level Drop Steal Location Twilight Cloak ~2 gold, 70 silver Marble Gallery List of Spells Skill Cost Effect Corpse Toss Turns (unknown formula) of the player's blocks inactive.

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair

Legion reappears as the boss of Chapter 8: The One Who Is Many. Once gain, he retains his appearance of Symphony of the Night but resumes his attacks from Portrait of Ruin. His theme is Poetic Death.

This time, his spinning-launching fire is a bit more difficult to avoid, due to the somewhat unpredictable rotation of the tentacles.

(Shell/Core/Bodies) No. Name JPN HP MP 57 Legion ??? ??? Tolerance Weakness Darkness Strike, Lightning, Holy Chapter Drop Bind Soul Chapter 8 - The One Who Is Many Globus (Normal and Hard - Shanoa only) - Legion Laser (Bullet Soul - 0.50%) Description "The one who is many."

Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls

Legion reappears as a Vital Soul boss. It was left significantly stronger thanks largely to Hermina's meddling by rewriting the text, resulting in the 1797 version of Maria Renard being left in grave danger. After its defeat, Alucard, upon gaining its Vital Soul, ended up encountering Soma Cruz, who apparently succumbed to his true nature as Dracula before Hermina revealed herself.

Enemy Data: Grimoire of Souls
Image	Name - Game Description	Statistics	Items	Location	Notes
	116. Legion  - Grimoire of Souls				[ edit ]
	Many become one. An accursed being shrouded in a countless number of corpses. It will dispose of those who discover its true identity and add them to its collection.			That Witch Writhes: 4-1	Abil: Burn
	104. Legion Saint  - Grimoire of Souls				[ edit ]
	'			Unreleased

Other appearances

Castlevania (animated series)

Main article: Castlevania (animated series) Easter eggs: Legion

Legion appears in Season 3 of the animated series as a giant mass of humans controlled by the Magician. It is destroyed by Isaac when he kills the Magician.

Item Data

Item Data: Legion
Image	Name - Game Description	Type / Users	Attributes / Consume	Statistics / Sell	Found	Notes
	Life Vessel [alt] - Symphony of the Night					[edit]
	Increases the player's maximum HP (life) capacity.	Item (standard) any		Maximum HP + 5	Find: Found throughout the Castle, often in containers. Drop: Most bosses.	Effect: Restore all life and increases Max HP
	Mormegil (Holy Buster) - Symphony of the Night					[edit]
	Black sword - strong vs. holy	Sword Alucard	Attrib: Cut, Dark	ATT +25	Find: Catacombs (after defeating Granfaloon)
	Cure Curse (jpn) - Circle of the Moon					[edit]
	Remove curse status.	Recovery Item (Cure) Nathan			Drop: Marionette, Legion
	Potion High (Hi-Potion) - Circle of the Moon					[edit]
	Recover 250 HP.	Recovery Item (Health Potion) Nathan		HP +250	Drop: Wind Armor, Devil, Devil Armor, White Armor, Legion
	Cipher's Charm (Sypha's Crystal) - Harmony of Dissonance					[edit]
	Speeds up the rate at which MP are restored.	Goods Juste Belmont			Find: Skeleton Cave (Castle A)	Effect: Increased MP regeneration.
	Legion - Legion Laser - Aria of Sorrow					[edit]
	Fires an array of lasers.	Bullet Soul Soma	Attrib: Darkness Consume: 66 MP	320 ATK	Rarity: Always get the soul if all shells are destroyed. Drop: Legion
	Pizza - Curse of Darkness					[edit]
	A simple-is-best thin crust with cheese topping.	Food Hector		HP +90 Sell: $1	Steal: Legion Lv.52
	Cog (jpn) [alt] - Portrait of Ruin					[edit]
	A cog from the clock tower.(...)	Item Jonathan, Charlotte		Sell: (cannot be sold)	Find: Nation of Fools	Effect: Used to open a path in the Tower of Death.
	Globus - Harmony of Despair					[edit]
	Unleash an energy sphere.	Hunter Skill Glyph Shanoa	Attrib: Strike Consume: 12 MP	ATK +8	Rarity: *** Find: Purple chests (Chapter 8 Hard) Drop: Legion First Obtained: Chapter 8
	Legion - Harmony of Despair					[edit]
	Fire a beam at enemies.	Bullet Soul Soma	Attrib: Holy Consume: 20 MP	ATK +13	Rarity: *** Steal: Legion (0.5%) First Obtained: Chapter 8

Gallery

Legion (saint)'s enemy list entry from Harmony of Dissonance.

Legion (corpse) from Harmony of Dissonance.

Legion (corpse)'s enemy list entry from Harmony of Dissonance.

Legion's enemy list entry from Aria of Sorrow.

Legion from Curse of Darkness.

Unused portraits of Legion Zombie from Curse of Darkness.

Granfaloon's enemy list entry from The Dracula X Chronicles version of Symphony of the Night.

A mass of bodies formed by the Magician in the Castlevania animated series that strongly resembles Legion.

Legion's storyboard from the Castlevania animated series.

Trivia

• Legion (corpse) from Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance resembles a grotesque depiction of the act of giving birth. It is unknown if this resemblance was intentional, though.
• Legion (saint)'s core form from Harmony of Dissonance and Legion's core from Aria of Sorrow are apparently based on the Tentacle, a recurrent enemy from the Gradius series, being that they're both floating spherical cores with three tentacles that end in claws from which they shoot lasers at the player.
  • Likewise, its soul in Aria of Sorrow, Legion Laser, allows Soma to grow three tentacles on his back, similar to those from the aforementioned creature, and shoot lasers straightforward.
• Legion's core in Aria of Sorrow somewhat resembles depictions of the ophanim, a type of angel that is said to hold up God's throne, and among the highest ranked in the angelic hierarchy. They are described as several wheels spinning and rotating within each other, similarly to a gyroscope with rims covered in eyes.
• The Legion that appears in Castlevania: Curse of Darkness is one of the reasons the game got an M rating.
• In the Castlevania animated series, a green magical energy can be seen surrounding the Magician victims' heads which resembles the crown of thorns that sat on Jesus's head.
  • This could also be a reference to a biblical account where Jesus healed a man possessed by demons; these introduce themselves by the name of "Legion" (read above).
• An entity that strikingly resembles Legion appears in the manga/anime Soul Eater. However, it's unknown if this is a direct reference to the Castlevania enemy character, as Legion first appeared in 1997 in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and the Soul Eater manga came out much later, in 2003, and its anime adaptation in 2008.
• In Final Fantasy XIV, after being slain, the character 2P morphs into an entity called the Compound, which strikingly resembles Legion. Unlike Legion, however, the bodies composing the Compound are androids rather than corpses.

Soul Eater (Bones Inc., 2008).

The Compound from Final Fantasy XIV.

External links

• IGN's Big Boss of the Day: Castlevania's Legion