Stephen

Stephen is a non-player character, first appearing in Shin Megami Tensei.
==History==
Stephen is heavily based off of the theoretical physicist , known for theorizing about black holes.
==Appearances==
*Shin Megami Tensei: Supporting Character
*Shin Megami Tensei II: Supporting Character
*Shin Megami Tensei: if... / Hazama's Chapter: Cameo
*Shin Megami Tensei NINE: Supporting Character
*Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE: Cameo
*Shin Megami Tensei IV: Supporting Character
*Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse: Supporting Character, Meta Race, Ultimate Boss
==Profile==
Stephen is a recurring character within the series. Stephen has had contact with the Axiom and has gained immense power and knowledge from it. 
===Shin Megami Tensei===
Stephen is a brilliant computer programmer who is the main architect of the Terminal System project, a revolutionary technology which allowed instantaneous travel through computer networks. However, during one of those experiments, a terminal accidentally connected to the Expanse, causing a demon to travel through. The supernatural being tried to communicate with Stephen, but as Stephen wasn't able to comprehend its language, it eventually got hostile and attacked, resulting in the crippling of Stephen.
This event ended up motivating Stephen in developing the Demon Summoning Program, a computer file that, once downloaded in a COMP, will allow its user to translate the demon language, allowing for proper communication. It also possesses an auto-map and stores demons on its memory plate function, as Stephen hoped that someone would one day be able to use it to ally himself with demons to avert the obliteration of Tokyo by the upcoming war of the rising Messian and Gaean factions.
Thus, he sent the Demon Summoning Program through e-mail to as many people as possible, before being captured by Gotou's forces and imprisoned in the Hospital; where he would meet the protagonist for the very first time. After this, he only makes minor appearances through the game, mostly to upgrade the protagonist's computer as well as the Demon Summoning Program, allowing them to store and summon more demons at the same time.
===Shin Megami Tensei II===
Stephen is first mentioned when some drinkers at a bar informs Hawk that a "guy in a wheelchair" has been seen by numerous fighters while Virtual Battling, and that this phenomenon was not supposed to be part of the program. While training in the virtual world, Aleph himself is approached by the mysterious man who, after introducing himself, predicts that great calamities are about to befall Tokyo Millennium, saying that he has been waiting for strong warriors to appear at the various public Virtual Battlers scattered through town as to be able to give them what he calls a "Demon Summoning Program;" stating that if humanity doesn't learn how to use the power of the demons as their own, they will be destroyed by it. It is mainly through this technology, uploaded into Hawk's Arm Terminal, that he can communicate, recruit, and summon different demons.
Through the remainder of the game, Stephen can be seen on various other optional appearances, all in Virtual Battlers of different districts of both Tokyo Millennium and the Underworld. It is over these meetings that Stephen is able to grant Aleph with different improvements and upgrades to his Demon Summoning Program, giving him the ability to stock more and more minions (to the maximum capability of twelve) through the use of a compression algorithm that, according to him, reduces the size of demon data that is able to be simultaneously stored inside a computer. The Devil Analyze program and the Identification System (used to show information about specific demons and certain items, respectively) were both also engineered by Stephen.
He appears much later, this time in Yesod, one of the multiple districts of Makai. There, he activates for Aleph the Terminal technology used in Makai, so that he can save the game and teleport himself whenever he likes. In the Neutral Route, he teleports Aleph to Eden after the defeat of Kuzuryu.
===Shin Megami Tensei: if...===
Stephen is mentioned briefly in the story's introduction as the user who uploaded the Demon Summoning Program to the school's computers via a "suspicious network." After beating all routes in the game, Stephen will appear before the protagonist saying that he wants to talk to them. The scene ends right there with no closure.
=== Shin Megami Tensei NINE ===
Stephen appears after the great flood, helping Kei realize the true nature of demons and why they are appearing. He later saves the group by bringing them to a makeshift shelter he constructed.
===Shin Megami Tensei IMAGINE===
Stephen appears in silhouette during a cutscene that describes the events of Shin Megami Tensei. His Demon Summoning Program has been adopted as the main weapon of the Demon Busters, granting them the ability to summon and store demons. Snakeman and Madam Justice both mention having received help from Stephen in the past.
===Shin Megami Tensei IV===
Stephen returns to offer the prentice Samurai cryptic guidance throughout the game. He first appears to in Alraune's Domain to offer healing. With him is a young girl, who he mentions has taken an interest in Flynn. He appears in the dream Flynn has after the Lilim incapacitate him and tells him that "she wants to see him to the east", then vanishes. In Naraku, he appears at the Temporary Scaffolding floor, updates the Devil Summoning Program and disappears once more.
If Flynn remains Neutral throughout the game, Stephen reintroduces himself in Monochrome Forest, at the behest of Burroughs, and requests that Flynn defeat The White, who still have sway over the Expanse despite being rejected. Once the deed is done, he explains to Flynn his identity from the past and that he tasked Burroughs with finding Flynn's current self. He explains that the girl is, in fact, the goddess of Tokyo; by lifting the ceiling over Tokyo with the help of Masakado, he will be restored to her original form.
In the DLC Challenge Quest For the Past... For the Future, Stephen is met in the Expanse, which, he explains, is a place that transcends time. He takes Flynn to the past, to the day the ceiling formed over Tokyo to protect it from incoming missiles, and explains the events leading up to that day: When the Yamato Perpetual Reactor connected to the Expanse, it allowed demons to come into the world. This led to wars for control between the angels and demons, a world war among humanity, and the launch of the worst weapons known to man. He tells Flynn that he must help Masakado regain his senses and become the ceiling, and warns that any future Tokyo will fade into only a possibility if the city is destroyed. After Masakado's restoration and the rise of the Firmament, Stephen states that history will now continue along the path they remember, with Mikado's formation and Flynn's eventual birth, and returns Flynn to his own time, thanking him and Burroughs for saving everyone.
===Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse===
Stephen appears to the cast from time to time, with the intent of restoring the damaged body of the Goddess of Tokyo. He also lends indirect assistance to the party in their war against the Divine Powers. Most notably, he rewrites the memories of the Hunter Association's members, making them believe that in his disguise as Dr. Matsuda, he is a longtime member. He is instrumental in developing countermeasures to Shesha, most notably the Shesha Radar. However, upon the radar's destruction at the hands of Shesha-Flynn, Matsuda disappears and removes his added Hunters Association, leaving Nanashi's unchanged.
In the final chapter of the game, he appears to Nanashi to explain how humans and gods interact, and shows him the way to YHVH's Universe. There, Nanashi battles the Creator, whether to usher in true freedom for humanity or to pave the way for a new universe.
On Dagda's route, Stephen reveals a more ruthless side in his desire to see human potential. He sends the united forces of humanity intentionally to their doom to ensure Nanashi will not abandon his resolve. He also gives multiple warnings to the new Creator who still retains his humanity, warning him of Messiahs and the fates that befell Krishna, Lucifer, Merkabah, and YHVH, before leaving to chase the Goddess of Tokyo.
====Messiahs in the Diamond Realm====
Stephen is a major character in this DLC quest. He has transported the souls of the hero, Aleph, the Demi-fiend, and Flynn to the Diamond Realm, to protect against YHVH's attempt to remove the Messiashs from the cycle of reincarnation. Nanashi must reunite the Messiahs and remind them of their true forms so they can be guided back to their worlds. Once he has done so, En no Ozuno unlocks a door that allows Nanashi to meet with Stephen. As the hero's form is incomplete, Stephen instructs Nanashi to use his powers of observation to help the hero regain his form. To this end, Stephen does battle with Nanashi. 
As the hero reforms and the remaining Messiahs burst into the room, Stephen stands from his wheelchair, revealing his motivations: he has sensed that humans have the potential to exceed the Axiom, and challenges Nanashi party and the four Messiahs to prove whether it was worth saving them and defying the Axiom laws. He unleashes the full power of the Axiom as the game's ultimate boss.
In this second fight, Stephen has an estimated 100,000 HP, and initially resists everything. However, akin to the battle with YHVH, the player alternates between Nanashi's party and the Messiahs, and the hero and Aleph possess skills that can reduce Stephen's resistances and potentially open up weaknesses. Stephen also possesses very strong skills: Pair Production fully buffs himself and gives him smirk; Particle Annihilation fully debuffs the active party; Reboot Code wipes the party of buffs and effects including Charge, Smirk and Doping; Crack Code removes 3 Press Turns from the party's next turn.
His most dangerous attack is Singularity Wave, which can inflict almighty damage reaching tens of thousands of points, which will immediately kill any combatant without revival passives or items. While it can be dodged, the attack landing on Nanashi on Apocalypse difficulty can completely ruin the fight. He will only use Singularity Wave if he has not taken any damage the turn prior, so to prevent him from using it you need to hit him at least once every turn. This is what makes Crack Code so dangerous: you need to choose between healing, buffing/debuffing, and damaging Stephen over one press turn. 
All his elemental attacks pierce resistances, but his physical attacks don't, so bringing phys-immune demons to the fight can easily snatch away his turns. Refrain from fully buffing yourself or debuffing him - i.e. keep him at -2 on all stats and you on +2 on all of yours - as having excessive buffs or debuffs will cause him to use Dekunda, Reboot Code, Pair Production and Particle Annihilation more often.
Between the Messiahs, it is best to have the hero and Aleph focus on reducing Stephen's weaknesses to make it easier for both teams to do damage to him. Making Stephen weak to physical attacks will allow both teams to get a long string of free Press Turns. The Demi-fiend is the party's main damage dealer, as his Deadly Fury has a very high critical rate, allowing him to easily smirk and fire off double-power Freikugels. Flynn is largely reduced to support, being the party's only source of Mediarahan, but on odd turns he can strike any elemental weaknesses or fire off Smile Charged Antichthons.
Upon defeat, Stephen applauds the Messiahs for demonstrating their power, and leaves. A wormhole opens, allowing each Messiah to return to their universe and set right what went wrong. En no Ozuno bids Nanashi farewell.
==Stats==
===Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse===
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First Battle =
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Second Battle =
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==Gallery==
STEVEN SMT.PNG|Stephen in Shin Megami Tensei.
Smt1stephensegacd.png|Stephen in the Sega CD version of Shin Megami Tensei.
STEVEN SegaCD.png|Stephen in the Sega CD version of Shin Megami Tensei.
STEAVEN.PNG|Stephen in Shin Megami Tensei II.
Steven SMTIV.png|Stephen's key art from Shin Megami Tensei IV.
SMTIV Steven.jpg|Stephen first appears to the Samurai in Shin Megami Tensei IV
Stephen in NINE.png|Stephen as he appears in Shin Megami Tensei NINE.
Louis Stephen.jpg|Stephen as he appears in the comic anthology.
StephenCombat.png|Stephen stands from his wheelchair in Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse.
Dr Matsuda SMT4A.jpg|Dr. Matsuda concept art in Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse
==Trivia==
* Kazuyuki Yamai (producer of Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse) stated in an interview that Stephen is the same person across the series, traveling across time and space to the various universes in which each game occurs. In the process he has transcended the cycle of life and death humans undergo due to being trapped in bodies of flesh and bone. Alongside Stephen, Mido and Saint Germain have also become similar transcendent entities.
* Though not appearing in person, one of the software installations for the COMP in Soul Hackers is named "Steven," likely after him. It removes the level limit during COMP Fusion in a New Game Plus.
* In the DLC Boss Battle against him in Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse, the Hero notes that magnetite is flowing out of Stephen.
* In the Japanese version of Persona 3, in the Hermit Social Link's Innocent Sin online game, an introductory message is sent to the player from "STEVEN," likely referencing Stephen. In the English version, the name's been changed to "PHIL," likely short for Philemon.
Category:Shin Megami Tensei II Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei II Allies
Category:Shin Megami Tensei NINE Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei IV Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei IV Allies
Category:Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse Characters
Category:Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse Allies
Category:DLC Bosses in Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Category:Ultimate Boss