Cross

:This sub-weapon is sometimes referred to as "Boomerang". For the proper sub-weapon identified by that name, see Boomerang.
:This sub-weapon is also sometimes referred to as "Crucifix". For the prayer beads that kills all enemies onscreen upon pickup, see Rosary.
The Cross, also known as Boomerang, Banshee Boomerang, Battle Star or Crucifix, is one of the traditional sub-weapons. Most Castlevania games feature a cross that is thrown forward and then returns, much like a boomerang. The cross in Haunted Castle is not thrown as a boomerang, but instead projects a series of holy crosses forward. Some games feature an actual boomerang that is not in the shape of a cross.
==Origins==
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the crucifixion of Jesus on a large wooden cross, is a renowned symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix (a cross that includes a corpus, usually a three-dimensional representation of Jesus' body) and to the more general family of cross symbols.
The Wurfkreuz, or Throwing Cross, was a medieval throwing weapon that dated as early as Kaiser Maximilian I's reign.
==General description==
==Game specific information==
===Castlevania===
The original Castlevania features a Boomerang (called this way instead of "Cross" due to religious censorship) as one of the five original sub-weapons that can be used in the game. The player can only equip a single sub-weapon at a time, each which can be obtained from hitting a particular candle or as a random drop item from an enemy. By holding ↑ while attacking, a spinning cross is thrown forward until it traverses a certain distance (about 3/4 of the screen), and then returns the way it came from. Catching it before it reaches the other edge of the screen allows the player to throw another one sooner, as normally there can only be one sub-weapon on the screen at a time. Two or three Boomerangs are allowed on the screen at a time if the player possess a Double or Triple Shot, respectively.
===Vampire Killer===
The Battle Star is a replacement for the whip in this game. It attacks similarly to the way it did in the original Castlevania. It does not consume any Hearts; however, if the player fails to catch it on its return, it will be lost and the player will have to fight with a weak Leather Whip instead. The Boomerang isn't as powerful as the Axe in this game (which attacks in a similar manner to the Cross in this game instead of tracing an arc), but it has a longer range.
===Haunted Castle===
The Cross is a unique weapon in this game, which fires a series of flashing crosses forward when used.
====Haunted Castle Revisited====
The Cross will release a full screen flash able to destroy most of the minor enemies, like what a Rosary will do, but as a sub-weapon instead of one-time pickup.
===Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse===
The Banshee Boomerang found in Dracula's Curse can reach to the edge of the screen, and it can also be powered-up with Double and Triple Shots, allowing two or three Boomerangs to be on the screen at a time, respectively. Only Trevor Belmont is able to use this weapon.
Candles that would give Trevor a Boomerang, instead give Grant an Axe, to Sypha a Holy Lightning spell, and to Alucard either a small Heart or a Bonus Bag.
The Banshee Boomerang is the only sub-weapon that appears as one of the symbols on the Password screen in this game.
===Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge===
The Cross is available in the Japanese versions of the game and the European Konami GB Collection, Vol. 4 Game Boy Color version, while the Axe sub-weapon replaces it in the American and original European versions. It is similar to the Banshee Boomerang in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, except that it cannot be enhanced with Double or Triple Shots. The only other sub-weapon in this game is the Holy Water, available in all editions.
===Super Castlevania IV===
The Boomerang in Super Castlevania IV is similar to that found in Castlevania III. It can also be powered-up with a Double or Triple Shot.
===Castlevania: Rondo of Blood/Dracula X/The Dracula X Chronicles===
The behavior of the Cross sub-weapon was slightly modified in Rondo of Blood, and since then it became the standard for future games. The Cross will only traverse a certain distance like in the original Castlevania, slowing down until it makes a brief stop in mid-air, and then return in the opposite direction it was thrown, traversing until it is either retrieved or going straight until it finally exits the screen.
In these games, instead of relying on items to throw a Double or Triple Shot, the number of Hearts in Richter's possession determines if they (or any other sub-weapon) can be thrown in rapid succession.
===Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance===
The cross in Harmony of Dissonance is the traditional Cross Boomerang. Like other subweapons in this game, it can be combined with Spell Books using Spell Fusion to perform powerful magical spells.
===Castlevania: Lament of Innocence===
In Lament of Innocence, unlike in previous installments, the Cross behaves in a very different manner; instead of using it as a boomerang, Leon Belmont invokes two swirling crosses to use as offensive protection.
Much like in Harmony of Dissonance, it can be combined with seven different colored Orbs that can be obtained by defeating bosses for more elaborated attacks. They can also be switched between the different styles of attacks without the need to access a text-based menu screen. However, these new attacks also consume Hearts, the Magic Meter is only used by Relics.
The Cross represents also a type of damage, whose effectiveness actually depends on enemies' resistances.
===Castlevania: Order of Shadows===
The Cross sub-weapon is normally obtained from a random candle in the first stage, The Mansion, and is usually the second sub-weapon found after the Axe. The Cross works for Desmond Belmont in the traditional manner; it is thrown forward and then returns, although, unlike in most other games, he won't catch it on its way back.
===Castlevania: Harmony of Despair===
The Cross is one of the sub-weapons found in Castlevania Harmony of Despair. It is obtained via random chests in Chapter 6. It operates similarly to most other Castlevania titles in that it's a blue cross that spins out for a decent distance, and if it does not strike a wall, will come back. The cost is 15 hearts and it can be leveled by repeated use. At max level of 9 it becomes larger, covering more area.
A variant of the Cross with the Chapter 10 Origins downloadable stage, is the R. Boomerang. Obtainable on Chapter 10 from the Boss/Gold Chest (Normal or Hard).
==Item Crash==
The Cross has gained four distinct Item Crashes as the Castlevania series has expanded.
===Form 1: Rising cross===
This form of the cross Item Crash appears solely in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (and subsequently, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles). As in Form 2 below, Richter Belmont leaps into the air and a large crucifix appears suspended behind him, but it does not persist like the later forms of the Crash. Instead, it deals its damage and is followed up by a series of smaller crosses rising from the bottom of the screen from left to right and damaging anything they touch.
===Form 2: Pillar of crosses===
This form of the Item Crash debuted in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and saw subsequent reuses in other games. The user jumps into the air and a pillar of light envelops them, followed by a series of crosses circling the pillar as they rise upward, dealing damage to anything they touch.
Users of this version include:
*Alucard (Symphony of the Night as the standard sub-weapon use of the Cross, and Judgment as an Item Crash).
*Richter Belmont (Symphony of the Night as a normal Item Crash, and Harmony of Despair as a Dual Crush with Jonathan or Julius).
*Nathan Graves (Circle of the Moon, as the Pluto + Black Dog DSS combination while holding a Crucifix).
*Juste Belmont (Harmony of Dissonance, when using Spell Fusion to combine the Cross with the Bolt Book).
*Leon Belmont (Lament of Innocence, when combining the Cross with the Yellow Orb).
*Jonathan Morris and Charlotte Aulin (Portrait of Ruin, as the Dual Crush "Grand Cruz").
**Jonathan on his own (Harmony of Despair, as a Dual Crush with Richter or Julius).
*Julius Belmont (Harmony of Despair, as a Dual Crush with Richter or Jonathan).
===Form 3: Suspended cross===
This form of the Cross Item Crash debuted in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow as the trump card of Julius Belmont. Rather than relying on additional cross projectiles as in the previous two forms, the user simply projects a sustained, cross-shaped, damaging field as they remain hanging in midair.
A dark variant of this Crash, called the Blood(y) Cross, appears in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair as the Dual Crush between any Vampire Killer wielder (other than Simon) and Soma Cruz or Alucard. Rather than projecting on the center of the screen, due to that game's nature, it is simply centered above where the two characters performing it are standing.
Users of this version include:
*Julius Belmont (Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow as a unique sub-weapon, and Harmony of Despair in Bloody Cross form).
*Richter Belmont (Portrait of Ruin, retaining some properties of his previous Form 2 Crash; and Harmony of Despair in Bloody Cross form).
*Alucard and Soma Cruz (Harmony of Despair, as Bloody Cross).
*Jonathan Morris (Harmony of Despair, as Bloody Cross).
*Kokoro Belmont (Otomedius Excellent, projected horizontally as her Platonic Break).
===Form 4: Multiple bouncing crosses===
This form is only seen in Castlevania: Dracula X. Richter Belmont will rise in the air and many crosses will bounce on the screen and damage anything visible.
==Other appearances==
====Castlevania (animated series)====
Referred to as the Cross Haladie, this classic Castlevania sub-weapon (like the rest of the five classic sub-weapons) makes an appearance in the animated series and is even given some lore. In the Season 4 episode, "The Great Work", after being guided by the royal guard Zamfir into an underground treasure vault where the remaining citizens of Targoviste are taking refuge, a peculiar trinket in the form of a cross with blades lying among other treasures catches Trevor Belmont's eye. He explains to Sypha Belnades that it was made by the weapon masters of the Raja-Putra clans of India for a vampire hunter. Apparently, it's in the shape of a cross because vampires' field of view close up isn't very good, and it can be used to disorient them.
Not long after this, the vampire warrior Ratko breaks into the vault and leads his troops of night creatures inside, causing numerous casualties among the hiding population and almost killing Trevor in a one-on-one fight; but thanks to the intervention of his friends, he is able to regain his balance and manages to kill Ratko with the Cross Haladie.
Having gotten more used with how the weapon works, Trevor starts to regularly employ it alongside his Morning Star whip in battle. He uses it to fend off the horde of night creatures raiding Dracula's Castle, which was being temporarily used by the people of Danesti as a refuge. While the struggle continues in the lower floors, upstairs, Saint Germain –influenced by Death– is attempting to open a portal to Hell in order to bring Dracula and Lisa's souls back and trap them inside a Rebis, so Death can continue with Dracula's genocide campaign on Humanity. However, Saint Germain finally realizes all the wrong he has done and how things would turn out even worse if he continues, and decides to go against his decision. He places the portal behind the Rebis and signals Trevor to attack, successfully splitting them back up. The explosion from the diffusion leads Trevor and Saint Germain outside. The Cross Haladie breaks, and a piece of it lands in Saint Germain's chest, killing him.
====Super Smash Bros. Ultimate====
The Cross appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, acting as Simon and Richter Belmont's side special move. The move works in the same way it does in their home series, thus making it the only boomerang-like attack in the game that doesn't follow its thrower's trajectory while returning (it is a great option if the player is in the "sudden death" round). Aside from this, the Cross's Item Crash, Grand Cross, acts as their Final Smash. In the trailer announcing their playability, Simon also uses the Crosses to finish off Death. At the ending of the trailer, the cross acts as a makeshift "x" when announcing that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the Castlevania franchise are crossing over.
==Item Data==
==Enemy Data==
==Gallery==
Category:Christian Lore
Category:Damage Types
Category:Holy Assets
Category:Skills
Category:Slash Damage
Category:Strike Damage
Category:Traditional Sub-Weapons
Category:Adventure ReBirth Items
Category:Circle of the Moon Items
Category:Curse of Darkness Items
Category:The Dracula X Chronicles Items
Category:Encore of the Night Items
Category:Harmony of Despair Items
Category:Harmony of Dissonance Items
Category:Haunted Castle Items
Category:Lament of Innocence Items
Category:Legacy of Darkness Items
Category:Legends Items
Category:Order of Shadows Items
Category:Portrait of Ruin Items
Category:Rondo of Blood Items
Category:Symphony of the Night Items