Louis Cyphre

Louis Cyphre is an enigmatic non-player character who often appears in the Megami Tensei franchise.
==History==
The name 'Louis Cyphre' is likely a reference to the 1987 film (and by extension, the book it was based on, William Hjortsberg's ), which features a character of the same name played by , who was the devil in disguise.
==Appearances==
*Shin Megami Tensei
*Shin Megami Tensei II
*Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne / Maniax / Maniax Chronicle / HD Remaster, as Blond child and Old gentleman in a wheelchair
*Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
*Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, as Louisa Ferre
**Shin Megami Tensei DSJ Another Report
*Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Mokushiroku
*Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, as Blonde Young Man
*Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Lone Marebito
==Personality==
Louis Cyphre presents the demeanor of a streetwise and charismatic gentleman, but in reality is an avatar of Lucifer, with characteristic mismatched red and blue eyes. He is a reliable source for inside information typically found among other nondescript characters in equally nondescript locales. While reliable, he does not give the information freely, as he shows a penchant for riddles.
== Profile==
===Shin Megami Tensei===
Louis Cyphre is a mysterious man who appears after the nuclear missiles hit Japan. He appears in a violet business suit with a yellow tie and blond hair and possesses a greater knowledge of what is going on, and he befriends demons easily. In the event the protagonist follows the Chaos alignment path, Louis reveals that he is, in fact, Lucifer, and he congratulates the protagonist for resurrecting the old gods. He then warns that the "true enemy" still exists. Should the protagonist refer to the Black Moon in the A-Mode DDS Visionary, it is revealed that Louis set up Yuriko to make her become the Chaos Hero's partner.
===Shin Megami Tensei II===
Louis Cyphre appears as a recurring figure in Shin Megami Tensei II. He is first seen in the bar of Holytown, informing Aleph that Abaddon isn't in the Underworld. He would later appear in numerous places, while often tempting Aleph, to give him hints of demons. At one point Cyphre gives Aleph an invitation, who appears to be pleased to see Aleph accepting it. However, he appears to be rather surprised to see that Aleph was brought to him without consent. Cyphre then tells Aleph that any of his invitations cannot be ignored, then proceeds to transform into his true form - Lucifer.
In the form of Lucifer, he offers Aleph an alliance to protect his demon world from Satan's judgment. Regardless, Lucifer gives Aleph some time for consideration, then tells him the time of their next meeting would be of Aleph's own will. Later, depending on Aleph's decisions, Cyphre plays different roles: as an enemy or as an ally.
Cyphre would later reappear in the Briatic Passage: he bids farewell to Aleph, for he decides to take Aleph's life away. It is later revealed that it was only Astaroth‎ using Louis' appearance to trick Aleph. Should Aleph choose the Neutral Alignment, Lucifer is later seen to be furious by Astaroth's impersonation. Knowing of Astaroth's defeat, Lucifer again offers Aleph an alliance. Should Aleph choose 'no,' Lucifer would lament that they aren't destined to walk the same path. However, Lucifer himself doesn't want Aleph to be his enemy, and calmly sends him away.
Should Aleph answer 'yes' to forging an alliance with Lucifer, the Alignment rears towards the 'Chaos' path, where Lucifer awaits Aleph in Castle Kether. Louis is last seen observing Seth's awakening, but not before transforming back into his true angelic form.
===Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne===
Despite not being named, Lucifer assumes two different forms: an aged man and a young boy. The old and young Lucifer are seen accompanied, respectively, by a young woman and an old nurse in black mourning garb. The child is first seen in Shinjuku Hospital, where he stares at the protagonist, and whispers something to the nurse accompanying him. However, when the protagonist tries to approach him, he turns away to disappear from the protagonist's sight.
After the Conception, the boy appears to be intrigued by the protagonist. However, in order to allow the protagonist to survive in a now demon-ridden world, he drops a Magatama into his eye, allowing the parasite to merge with him. Subsequently, the Demi-fiend transforms into a demon.
As the story progresses, Lucifer often drops hints regarding the nature of the Conception and the world. In the Freedom ending, he warns the protagonist to keep his demonic powers, as his decision to defy the Conception has made God furious. In consequence, the Demi-fiend will suffer the same fate as Lucifer, which means the "true enemy" will go after him in the future.
In the True Demon ending, after defeating Kagutsuchi, Lucifer thanks the protagonist for breaking the cycle of Conception. Notwithstanding, he also states that God would curse him for eternity. However then proceeds to tell the protagonist that even if God would curse him, he, the great demon Lucifer, would bless him. Then, recognizing the protagonist's growing potential, he exclaims he would like to test the player's limits in a fight. The old and young aspects merge in order to transform into his true demonic form, and the battle ensues.
===Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE===
In Imagine, Louis appears as a blond young woman in a black suit, miniskirt, and glasses.
Louis first appears during the Side B storyline following the main acts consulting with Yamamoto the Steel-Willed and Haruaki in the Central Control Room of Shinjuku Babel. After the player defeats Seth's third form at the end of Side B, Louis will appear and introduce herself to the player and retrieve a orb of light that appears from Seth's body before teleporting away.
===Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey===
Unlike the previous titles, Louis appears as a barefoot blonde woman in a blue dress. She wears a goat's head hair clip, and introduces herself as "Louisa Ferre" but before then, she is known as Strange Girl . In the Japanese version, she still uses the name "Louis Cyphere" when introducing herself. She occasionally appears in front the protagonist and speaks cryptically about a "coming storm." At several parts where the protagonist has to choose the path to take in the gameplay, she appears and tells him that humans should do whatever they please and shouldn't simply follow the Lord's order so blindly, leading the protagonist to the Chaos Route.
When The Three Wise Men proclaim their ideal of worldly beauty to be an utterly silent world, devoid of all feelings and passion, Louisa returns to deride their vision as monstrous and foolish, decrying such a world as an empty shell with no true life prospering in it. She instead proposes a complete return to humanity's wild origins, allowing them to achieve ultimate freedom at the cost of the destruction of all worldly order and law. She appears again only if the protagonist chooses the Chaos path, to taunt the dying Mastema after his defeat at the hands of the protagonist, calling him a false angel with only empty hubris, not true freedom. Louisa claims that humans, "born of God's madness," belong to her, and though she bears no love for mankind, she will not abandon them.
Jimenez, at several points in the game, comments Louisa's viewpoints are more attractive to him than the warnings of Mastema, and that her idea of a new world is far more appealing than the world of silence The Three Wise Men propose. This leads him to side with her as the envoy of Chaos.
====Redux====
In Redux, Lucifer's child Alex travels back in time to prevent any of the three original endings from happening, as each one leads to a more traumatic outcome for her and the future remnants of humanity. Louisa seems to know of Alex's identity and praises both the protagonist and his companion (Arthur in New Neutral, Zelenin in New Law, and Jimenez in New Chaos) when they choose to see her wish to the very end. After the protagonist and his companion have chosen to help Alex avoid her tragic future, Demeter appears and steals the Fruit which Alex has taken, intending to deliver it to The Three Wise Men and assist them in their return to power. Louisa appears and guides the protagonist and his current companion to the depths of the Womb of Grief, where they find the entrance to the Empyrean Ascent for the final confrontation.
On a New Game Plus where the protagonist has chosen to help Alex change the future, Louisa appears in an alcove of the otherwise featureless lower layer of the Empyrean Ascent. If the protagonist appears and talks to her, she provides a bonus EX Mission and teleports the protagonist to an uncharted region of the floor. She invites him to challenge her four generals - Belial, Lucifuge, Nebiros, and Beelzebub, each of which gives a powerful piece of equipment as a prize for defeating them. Upon completion of this EX Mission, Louisa awards the player with a unique forma for a Sub-App, and states that she no longer has anything left to offer, unless the player wishes to challenge her generals again for sport.
===Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Mokushiroku===
Louis Cyphre leads the Kanda Underground Research Institute as the chief scientist. He sells the personal culture tank to Ayato after Ayato secures a personal room at either the Ochanomizu Shelter or the Shinagawa Hotel. A demon in the party with sufficient strength and vitality is needed to help carry the culture tank on the way. The culture tank can then be used to store Yuuka's body parts.
===Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon===
Lucifer makes an appearance in the Tamonten Shrine as a "blonde young man" who appears to serve as a "spark" for Raidou and his actions. He is also referred to as Beelzebub, according to the Mushibito race due to the fact that they see him as a fly, not as a human.
He makes several appearances throughout the game. Typically, he will help Raidou by providing vital information on how to stop the many crises throughout the game. He tells Raidou about the scriptures regarding God's word to man and explains what it has to do with the Abyss opening up above the Capital. Near the end of the game, within the final dungeon, he will make an assessment of Raidou based on Raidou's alignment.
After getting the "Chaos" ending and starting a New Game Plus+ file, Raidou can take Case Files involving the "blonde young man" and end up discovering his true identity while also battling his demonic form. Raidou can also use a Skill demon to transform into Louis after acquiring a lock of his hair. His special ability is to gain money from talking to demons in the Dark Realm.
Early on in the game he spends most of his time at the Shin-Sekai Soda Joint, but later on spends his time at the Catholic Church and Soda Joint. He mentions that he finds Churches to be quite soothing, so he enjoys spending his time in them.
==Gallery==
=== General===
LCyphre.png|Shin Megami Tensei PlayStation remake promotional art
LouisCyphrePromo.jpg|Promotional artwork of Louis Cyphre by Kazuma Kaneko
Nocturne-YoungLouis.jpg|A young boy, as assumed in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocture
Nocturne-OldLouis.jpg|An aged man, as assumed in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
ChildLCyphre.png|The blond child and his chaperone in Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne
OldLCyphre.png|The old gentleman and his nurse in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
The Old Man in the Wheelchair & Lady in Black (SMTIII HD Art).png|The old Man in the Wheelchair & The Lady in Black as they appear in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster
RKvKA-BlondMan.jpg|The Blonde Young Man appearing in Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon
Luis Cypher SMT.PNG|Louis Cyphre in Shin Megami Tensei
Smt1louisscd.png|Louis as he appears in the Sega CD version of Shin Megami Tensei
RUI.PNG|Louis Cyphre in Shin Megami Tensei II
Louis with Sid.png|Louis Cyphre with Sid Davis in the tech demo of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Imagine-Louis.jpg|Louis Cyphre's first appearance in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
Louis Introduction.jpg|Louis introducing herself in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
Louis Teleport.jpg|Louis teleporting away in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
Louisa.png|Louisa Ferre as she appears in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Louisa Ferre Sprite.png|Louisa Ferre's sprite in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
SJR Louisa Ferre.jpg|Louisa Ferre in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux
SMTSDJAR Report 1 Title Artwork.jpg| Louisa Ferre as seen on the artwork for the title of Shin Megami Tensei DSJ Another Report Report 1
Shin Megami Tensei DSJ Another Report Louisa Ferre.jpg|Louisa Ferre in Shin Megami Tensei DSJ Another Report.
Imagine-Louis.jpg|Blond young woman in a black suit, miniskirt, and glasses appearing in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
Pride Avatar.png|The Nocturne-inspired Pride Avatar in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
Ruins Avatar.jpg|The Louis Cyphre-inspired Ruins Avatar in Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE
Blonde Young Man Shin Sekai.png|Background cameo in the Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Lone Marebito manga.
File:01396 - Blonde Young Man (resized).png|Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon artwork
===TCG===
File:SMT-TCG-Lucifer1.jpg|
File:SMT-TCG-Lucifer2.jpg|
File:SMT-TCG-Lucifer8.jpg|
File:SMT-TCG-Lucifer9.jpg|
File:SMT-TCG-Lucifer10.jpg|
File:SMT-TCG-Lucifer11.jpg|Louis Cyphre on the Mudo card
== Trivia ==
*It's believed Louis Cyphre's design is based on the likeness of recording artist/performer . Louis displays , or eyes of two different colors; while David Bowie did not have natural heterochromia, he suffered from anisocoria (wherein one eye is permanently dilated) causing his dilated eye to appear redder than his other eye's natural blue.
*Most of the artwork that depicts Louis Cyphere in his normal, child-like, and old man-like disguise usually features him with long fingernails and a yellow ring with a pentagram symbol on it. These traits alludes to Angel Heart's Louis Cyphere who also has long fingernails and the pentagram ring.
*Old Louis' walking stick and Louisa's hair accessory has a goat/ram-like design. This refers on how the horns of goats and rams have usually been associated with devil-like figures in modern popular culture.
==See Also==
*Hikaru
*Lucifer
Category:American Mythology and Popular Culture
Category:Shin Megami Tensei II Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Characters
Category:Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Allies
Category:Shin Megami Tensei Allies
Category:Shin Megami Tensei II Allies
Category:Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Allies
Category:Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon Allies