Nemesis

**Nemesis** is the third boss in Returnal, found at the end of the Derelict Citadel biome. Players receive the bronze trophy "Trial by Judgement" for defeating Nemesis.

Nemesis has three phases. The boss is mostly stationary, but the fight takes place in a shifting arena with moving platforms that is very different from the first two boss fights against Phrike and Ixion. Nemesis also has additional turrets and other hostiles in its arena.

## Description

Nemesis is the last surviving member of the sentient Hivemind, hidden away at the source of the broadcast signal. Upon being approached by Selene, she pulls Selene into a dreamlike world to fight her as a gargantuan burning face, described as all that remains of its mind. Upon defeating Nemesis, Selene wakes up in the tower to find Nemesis' body lying motionless on the White Shadow broadcast console.

## Attacks

* Phase 1 the hit box is the **Red Heart** in the middle of its chest
* Phase 2 the hit box is the **Red Arms** slightly lower than the **Red Heart**
* Phase 3 the hit box is the **Red Stomach** that is located lower than the **Red Arms**

### Phase 1

* Red stream of orbs that lasts for 4 seconds
* 12 purple tracking bullets
* Constant stream of **Blue Orbs** going from right to left then left to right in a three row pattern
* ^ During this attack two minions will shoot **Giant Yellow Lasers** going in a diagonal starting in the bottom and going to the opposite corner
* **Red Orb Clusters** that turn **Blue** when they are moving toward Selene
* ^ During this attack two minions will shoot **Giant Yellow Lasers** that start near the opposite corner moving outward
* **Blue Orb clusters**
* ^ During this attack one minion will shoot the ground and cause a **Red Ring** that expands out
* Constant stream of staggering bullets that are Red and Blue
* ^ During this attack two minions shoot a zigzag pattern of fire onto the platform that lingers

### Phase 2

* Upon starting of Phase 2 Nemesis breaks the platform into 3 smaller sections with four smaller platforms to get to the larger ones
* Constant stream of Red Orbs
* ^ During this attack two minions shoot a zigzag pattern of fire onto two of the further platforms that linger
* Slow moving Red Beam that starts low and moves up
* ^ During this attack one minion will shoot a yellow laser
* Constant stream of Blue Orbs going from right to left then left to right in a five row pattern with two of them slightly staggered
* ^ During this attack four minions will shoot Giant Yellow Lasers, two during each of the above attack
* Cluster of Red Orbs that turn Blue but this time its four at a time
* ^ During this attack two minions will shoot Giant Yellow Lasers that start near the opposite corner moving outward then moving inward
* 24 Purple tracking bullets
* Blue Orb Clusters like a shotgun
* ^ During this attack two minions shoot the ground and cause two **Red Rings** that expands out
* Blue Orbs starting near Nemesis moving outward in a 4 column pattern that on impact with a platform cause volleys of Red Orbs to spew out that hit the ground inches from the impact
* Dissipates and reforms itself at a different platform
* Constant stream of Blue Orbs five moving from left to right while the other five is moving right to left

### Phase 3

* Breaks the remaining platforms but they appear from the bottom of the screen and move upwards
* The platform Selene is on seems to hover in place
* Getting too close to Nemesis will cause her to push Selene back like in the beginning of Phase 3
* Shoots huge clusters of Blue Orbs
* Nemesis sends a charge of energy to a minion and they in turn shoot a Giant Yellow Laser
* Nemesis sends a charge of energy to a minion and they shoot a Giant Red Laser that destroys the platform Selene is on
* Cluster of Red Orbs
* Columns of Blue Orbs
* 18 Purple Tracking Bullets
* Huge volleys of Purple Tracking Bullets that cover the entire battlefield

## Databank Entries

### Research Level 1

[UNDEFINED TERROR] sent an encrypted signal.

............**SHADOW**.....**ANOTHER**.......**CATACLYSM**..........**REFUSAL TO**.........**SACRIFICE**....**AMBITIONS**

### Research Level 2

Signal partially decrypted.

*"Shadow inside. Add another to the pile. Shape-shifting cataclysm. Scarlet tears and inky arms."*

### Research Level 3

Signal fully decrypted.

-=#'|/few became pack became horde, each one was wailing weeping pounding keening let us out let us out let us out crying so much crying the tears were surely evaporated by her refusal to grant a single second of reprieve. This was not punishment. This was necessary sacrifice on the pyre of her ambitions. And the ambition to live meant a throng^[/=-#

(3rd level databank courtesy of reddit user dratseb)

## Greek Mythological Root

In Greek Mythology, Nemesis was Goddess of "retribution" and "indignation," punishing mortals for excessive luck or cruel acts. As a counterweight to Tyche, Goddess of providence and fortune, the Greeks saw Nemesis as an avenging or punishing Goddess, meting out punishment as justice to humble mortals who had ascended to offensive levels of happiness or good fortune.

Nemesis was generally depicted with wings.

"*Throughout all his life he must diligently observe reverence of speech towards his parents above all things, seeing that for light and winged words there is a most heavy penalty,--for over all such matters Nemesis (Rightful Indignation), messenger of Dike (Justice), is appointed to keep watch; wherefore the son must yield to his parents when they are wroth.*"

-Plato, Laws 716c (trans. Lamb) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.)