Soul Reaver 2 - Raziel finds the Reaver

Raziel finds the Blood Reaver within the Sarafan Stronghold.

[@athrun_zala88]

Now we know why Vorador attacked the circle. Revenge for Janos death

[@ryanmattox7408]

The screams as a the Circle is massacred bring new horror to Moebius’ earlier lines: ‘All great movements require a few martyrs.’

[@Darkstar263]

It makes a lot of sense why Vorador killed those members of the Circle. He was taking revenge for Janos' murder. But he ended up making the same mistake that Kain did. When Kain killed William the Just, it simply gave Moebius the justification to wipe out the vampires. Vorador's attack on the Circle would justify the Sarafan targeting vampires even further. That may be one of the reasons Moebius stopped Malek from aiding them.

[@BryonYoungblood]

Yep. And Moebius using Malek as a useful patsy by stalling him here so he could carry out his desire and his master’s wishes so perfectly, showing what a manipulative bastard he was.

[@Unknown_User174]

@@BryonYoungbloodI knew Moebius was such a rat.😠

[@Joudas]

Kain never raised Malek as a vampire. This may be because there was simply nothing left to raise.

[@JBrander]

Back before I knew why Malek too so long to get to the Circle getting slaugthered, my brother and I always assumed that Malek was on the toilet when he was getting called for help. lol

[@hunivox]

reasonable explanation lmao

[@GmodPlusWoW]

Nupraptor's insanity had poisoned the minds of the circle, including Kain. The Spirit Reaver healed him thousands of years later after treading his destined path, and this effectively made him Balance Guardian once more. Perhaps, if and when Kain returns to the time he left, the time of his empire, the Balance Pillar within the Sanctuary of the Clans would reflect his soul, as it always had, and be restored to an extent upon his return...

[@LordOfGilneas]

If you look closely, you can see the sadistic grin on moebius face, as he knowingly glances away and knows that by playing his role here he damns his fellow circle members to the wheel. *Really showcases that from the very start moebius was never loyal to the circle, only to his dark master.*

[@BryonYoungblood]

Yep, and how he also used the massacre Vorador launched to avenge Janos’ death to justify further hunting vampires besides to serve the Elder God and his gluttony.

[@masterexploder9668]

It's a great scene because it really shows how dangerous Moebius can really be and what a person he really is. Despite his sheer cunning and ruthlessness he's still fanatically loyal to the Elder, but because of his faith or some promises of power, hard to say. Also, tragic history of Malek. Not really going to judge him as a person, because no one in this series is black and white. Vampires have to hunt humans for blood so it's natural for mortals to fight back. However, vampires are needed as Circle Guardians because only them can properly held the Pillars in place. That's the sweet dilemma orchestrated by the Hylden, who were unjustly banished to Demon Realm after losing the genocidal religious war started by Ancient Vampires who got taste of their own medicine, when Humans led by Mortanius and Moebius rebelled against them. It's a long chain reaction started by Elder who is the true villain of the series.

[@kyanoang3l0_old]

@@Shendu LordOfDragons: The Elder God was the reason for the war, right? The Vamps were just the Elder's instruments. And when the Vamps themselves became a threat to him-i.e., the Scion of Balance, the only being in existence who could do the Elder harm-he resorted to another instrument to get rid of them.

[@vamperic]

@Shendu LordOfDragons Uhh because he was their "god" and unlike in the real world they could actually hear the elder god who knows how long for the EG manipulated the vampires through generation after generation so ofcoarse they are going to obey him and his manipulations The EG is the cause of all the strife through his manipulations of everyone just so he can feed

[@CamSiv996]

@@vamperic yes. Perhaps that was the reason why the Hylden rejected the doctrine of the Ancient Vampire's view of God.

[@Broken_Savior]

Meh. The Hylden had it coming.

[@imranshah1184]

Its not clear to the very end wether he is the true villain or not.....remember elder saying to raziel there ate fates worst than that means he is not choosing the terrible destiny which raziel himself felt the horrors of and in his turn scared Ariel too of her miserable fate she already had and hearing which she fled from raziel to the spectral realm......the last scene is a poison drink for both raziel and Ariel.....

[@sheemobile]

Amazing how events tie into each other. When Kain meets Vorador in BO1, Vorador talking about his assault on the Circle of 9, Malek came to the rescue too late because of Raziel.

[@WisteriaNerium]

Man I feel sorry for Malek.

[@Zephon9]

lol

[@alexanderstilianov]

He probably thought Moebius wasted his time by gloating in front of the blue demonic creature while he could have been protecting the rest of the Circle.

[@killert41]

@@alexanderstilianov and he was right xD they almost all died

[@alexanderstilianov]

@@killert41 Well that was the goal.

[@BryonYoungblood]

@@alexanderstilianovYep, just so Moebius could justify his own further hunting of the vampires, as well as following not just his own ambitions, but that of his master, the Elder God’s desires to be rid of the vampires once they were cast from the Wheel of Fate and thus couldn’t feed on their souls anymore.

[@mzytryck]

I love the way Moebius' voice changes in SR2: when he first introduces himself to Raziel he pretends to be harmless and friendly. When Raziel sees through that he acts like a clever wizard should, so Raziel thinks he doesn't have any more tricks to play. But in this scene, we see that Moebius was still pretending to be less dangerous than he was, and now it's revealed just how in command Moebius is; no "helpful old man" voice, just cunning ruthlessness.

[@prideofasia99]

He's such a smug-ass snake when you first meet him in Soul Reaver 2, pretending he didn't give a speech to Raziel's future self some centuries ago about how his destiny was "fun while it lasted".

[@xen3588]

good voice acting for sure

[@followingtheroe1952]

Moebius' range is so great, I love his character design. He is the Machivallean/dark fantasy equivalent of "call an ambulance! but not for me"

[@alexanderstilianov]

Moebius waited for Raziel to take the physical Reaver (the real reason why he disabled the Wraith blade with his staff right then, not to disarm him) and left immediately when he did. I like how easy it is to miss and assume Moebius and Malek left because Vorador was slaughtering the Circle Guardians.

[@prideofasia99]

Moebius didn't give a rat's ass about his fellow guardians. He knew exactly what he was doing.

[@DumahsAssassin]

"Wrong again, raziel". He practically tells him that grabbing the reaver was another underestimation haha. Great writing

[@papapapa16]

how was malek not confused when moebius called raziel by the name? To malek, raziel is supposed to be one of his sarafan friends.

[@mabyto6309]

hmm

[@rimanahthecommander3834]

maybe this happens in a different timeline

[@alexanderstilianov]

Moebius probably told Malek that much. Malek was a fellow Circle guardian even if he served "lord" Morbius.

[@TommyCurrell]

Great point and I figure the writer/s didn't think of it. There is a ways to explain it away though. Raziel could be a common name in Nosgoth like John in. Or perhaps Mobius didn't care what Malak thought at that moment because he knew what both his fate and reaction would be.

[@victorymansions]

That's a good point actually

[@swollenapocrypha]

The funny part is that Raziel is still shockingly deadly with his hands. It was, as Raziel said, the terrible compulsion that caused him to grab the Reaver, and thus _almost_ seal his fate.

[@Rafesco]

Yeah, not only that but he can slow time when he enters the spectral realm so, in that moment when the door was open he can shift to the spectral plane and leave. Making Malek completly useless to stop him.

[@DumahsAssassin]

@@Rafesco that's actually a great point, I wonder why they didn't address that. They used the spectral shift in a cutscene for Ariel, so its not like they forgot it as just a game mechanic. Perhaps moebius' staff also stops him from shifting? Hard to say

[@lightsonitzekioro3918]

@@DumahsAssassin Keep in mind Raziel was enraged over what happened to Janos Audron and coupled with Raziel admitted despite being compelled to seize it, he also felt terrified of the reaver. Raziel's acting on pure emotional outrage at this point and Moebius took FULL advantage of that.

[@DumahsAssassin]

1:10 do not let raziel leave he is a danger Next room MALEK HELP we are geting our flesh srtiped of our bones. raziel is a threat look at him just standing there so dangerous next room *dead*

[@LegacyofRei]

Lol

[@VaeVictis7]

You win the internet lmfao

[@mardukjadugarr1737]

Raziel used the Reaver to kill the Sarafan elite, those men who had also been his vampire brethren in Soul Reaver. He revelled in his newly-discovered role in their destinies. It was he who put them in the Tomb of the Sarafan, where Kain would find them and resurrect them a thousand years later.

[@yoshi9538]

"The irony of Kains blasphemous act rushed in on me with the crushing force of revelation. Were my hands not as bloody as these?" Omfg I understand now

[@wareforcoin5780]

Imagine being so mad at someone that you kill them twice.

[@capone6sic6]

it is so crazy how they tied everything together. like in Blood Omen Ariel calls for malak but he was not there only to be known later that he was really dealing with the future Raziiel..... DUN DUN DUNNNNNN

[@TommyCurrell]

Ariel did not die here. She was being born to replace the death of whoever was balance guardian

[@juliangrinblat955]

I think this is my favorite scene in the whole franchise. Moebius' words cut far and deep

[@dr_rune]

How easy it was for Moebius to lure Raziel into this trap. Yet I wonder... Moebius was completely ignorant of the Unsponken, for he was rather unsettled when the Hylden walked into Nosgoth after the destruction of the pillars. Was Moebius aware of the full set of consequences of letting Raziel take the Reaver? I think not... that is why he eventually fell, enraptured as he was with his fanatic devotion to the Elder God, whom he only saw in the most horrible way just before Raziel consumed him

[@swollenapocrypha]

I believe he couldn't see the consequences as Raziel is a blind spot. Moebius saw raziel get consumed by the blade and that was that.

[@imranshah1184]

The reaver was part of the plan of mobius which he had kept for raziel there an easy approach.....and he had conspired things his own way....

[@Joudas]

@yurikatos However, in BO1, in the intro when we see Mortaneus punishing Malek for failing to protect them from Vorador, we see his body literally crumble to dust in an instant - that's not exactly 'decomposed' - that's a significant amount more extreme.

[@Proletarius87]

It was only ethereal realm. Originally Malek's body didn't "decompose" in the process of ripping his soul from flesh, as in Sarafan stronghold we find his body. Same for resurrection of Kain. It wasn't only removal of sword from his chest. It was rather metaphorical, cause Mortanius must put Janos heart in Kain, therefore sword couldn't be there, be it before or after Kain transformation.

[@dannyb9209]

"Poor deluded raziel....Di you somehow imagine that you had the guile to change history ....on me?...... I'm the time streamer....I knew your every intention before you did ...you imbecile" I never ever forgot the quote...perfect delivery...mobius dropping his facade of bumbling fool he'd shown raziel throughout the game .. just 👌

[@burningxnecro]

I just love the growl-esque noise the Reaver makes when Raziel swings it at 2:15.

[@Suklavo]

Well, Raziel and the other Sarafan were dead for a millenium when Kain raised them, so unless they were very well preserved, they were healed as Kain resurrected them as vampires. When Raziel died as a vampire and became a wraith, he remembered his vampire life. Kain also remembered his human life when he became a vampire, so I'm sure he knew that if he raised Malek, Malek would remember fighting Kain and continue to do so.

[@Proletarius87]

I don't think so. First of all: Kain's method of raising a vampire was different from originally passing Dark Gift. Kain never had a chance to learn how to create his offspring, so he turned himself on necromancy. He used parts of his own soul, to find and bind souls of long dead Sarafan knights. As for Malek, I think that because of his failure, his body wasn't properly buried, and after these years turned into dust.

[@StygianWolf]

@@Proletarius87 Kain would NEVER have raised Malek. When Raziel first steals into the Crypt of the Sarafan; Malek's name has a claw mark over it, whom Raziel assumes was Kain's doing. Malek was the only guardian Kain could not destroy personally and had to rely on Vorador for that honor. I think his inability still angered him even a thousand years after.

[@wareforcoin5780]

@@StygianWolf It is heartening after all this time to see a comment not left 9 years ago

[@papapapa16]

You guys got confused here, this is the day ariel was born, and the other bold balance guardian died.500 years later ariel is murdered and is the first part of sr2.

[@Vindican]

@SandrachenGaara Not mistake at all. In fact in BO1 and Defiance we see that Vorador have "the bone sword" and this blade looks just like the soul reaver but it was not the same blade. Dont forget that in BO1 Kain reclaim the "bone armor" and the bone sword it was supposed to be the sword from this armor. But finally the bone sword was not included in the final game. And Vorador forged the Reaver for Janos and the Ancients, perhaps he make his own sword in resemblance with the Reaver.

[@Srparisher]

@Joudas I think it also may be the fact That malek's soul and body were separated. Kain's way of raising vampires is giving them a part of his soul, this may take parts of both souls to do. and as such Malek could not reunite his soul and body therefore he couldn't raise Malek as a vampire

[@Suklavo]

@Joudas It could also be that Kain didn't want to raise the body of someone who gave him so much trouble.

[@Joudas]

It wasn't the moment Kain was resurrected - the moment Ariel was killed is the moment he was born. Nupraptor discovered her dead and his anguish corrupted the minds of the circle and, in turn, Kain, as he became the new balance guardian at the moment of his birth. He wasn't resurrected until much later (after he died, of course).

[@papapapa16]

@Bojistak Actually, this is the day Ariel was born.

[@Vindican]

@SandrachenGaara Vorador never claimed that he killed the Circle with the Reaver. He only claim "After slaughtering six of the sheep I defeated their pathetic little shepherd, Malek". And according with what he says to Raziel: Vorador dont even know what sorcery the Ancients laid upon the Reaver after he created. So he only made the blade and then the Ancients keep the Reaver safe from anyone else, what it means that Vorador never wield the sword but only when he was working in forged the Reaver

[@FallenxMalo]

While Malek was just as fanatically blinded as the other Serafan commander he was a tragic victim and a pawn like most people. The punishment he had to endure from Mortanius afterwards was worse than death.

[@Soulreaver191]

@yurikatos They did die young yes, but they laid in their tombs for at least 500 years before they are even mentioned again in Defiance. Raziel revives Janos in Defiance and tells him that 500 years passed, that his murderers are long dead.

[@Suklavo]

I know you'll probably argue that Raziel and the others would be in the same situation with remembering that they used to kill vampires, so I'll counter that with Malek was a Pillar Guardian, and had special powers and privelages because of it.

[@Joudas]

The reaver guardian as in he guards the Reaver, but not a formal guardian like the others.

[@SparklePawAnimation]

@VeldrinX Malek has no body, It was taken in Blood Omen, and raised as a Skeleton Armor =D

[@SuperEddyfreak]

malek's body was destroyed 1000 years before he raised them....the statue probably was for his feats against the vampire race.....he didn't die old....he was transformed into a ghost by mobeius and mortanius....so in blood omen 1 when they screaming for malek and he came and was defeated.....it was because mobeius didn't alowed him to leave....and they still punished him for his failure....PS. the action in sr1 happens after the ones in sr 2....and in sr 2 it happens before bo1 kain's birth.

[@Proletarius87]

Body of Malek wasn't destroyed. It rather turn to dust due to passing time. It was his body that sits in the Sarafan Stronghold.

[@SuperEddyfreak]

Watch first blood omen game cinematics and u'll see

[@victorymansions]

Always loved how Kain killed Mobius, no hesitation, hacked him down like a boss

[@wareforcoin5780]

It must be a huge weight off your shoulders to know whatever you do is the "right" thing. Put that with Kain's personality, and bingo you have a sociopath who's never spared a person that's wrong him yet.

[@paulvarus859]

1:35 blood omen intro 😍

[@DynastyHeroes]

Malek wouldn't have been able to stop Vorador anyway unless Moebius got involved.

[@brassmonkey84]

just asking, this happened when vorador first attacked the circle of nine right? that's why malek failed his duty and was cursed. all this time travelling confuses me

[@jumnei5159]

Yes

[@brockbruss256]

God damn you Mobius

[@Joudas]

Janos wasn't a guardian; he wasn't even alive at the moment the pillars became corrupted - his heart had already been torn from his chest some 500 years prior.

[@Smutnomir]

here is when Blood Omen 1 starts

[@Joudas]

@Suklavo Knowing Kain as much as we do, I think that's exactly what he'd do - he'd love that too much to let it pass.

[@Srparisher]

Well that and that kain is the Oldest version there is, so he would have all of his abilities

[@Unknown_User174]

Moebius was the one who delayed Malek’s arrival all along leaving the six guardians to die and Malek was punished for it and it wasn’t his fault all along. Moebius you rat!😠

[@Yarghvid]

Malek is the leader of the Sarafan and Raziel was one of their Generals so it still seems like he should know him.

[@XJ0461C]

To this day, I still do not understand why Moebius looks pleased to hear Vorador murdering the others...

[@LandBark]

+The Scarecrow, because he is the time streamer. He knew this had to happen, also he was less ignorant about his role as guardian of pillars. Moebius was sadist and man who used people as tools. I am guessing because he was so close to elder god he felt he is somewhat superior to others.

[@XJ0461C]

+Landbark Good point! Makes sense. A simple reason, but accurate in outlining his character. And it makes his performance at the start of the game even more chilling.

[@celebrei]

I'm thinking Moebius wanted the other guardians dead so he can have primacy or full control of the Sarafan against the vampires

[@XJ0461C]

Mortimer Duke That also makes sense. What a megalomaniac bastard!

[@celebrei]

+Kylo Ren Yep and remember at the beginning SR2 where murals of the guardians slain by Vorador were depicted in the Sarafan Stronghold, Moebius also wanted to martyrize them so as to intensify the hatred of the humans toward the vampires.

[@SepikRoque]

i think maybe is because raziel was alive to that moments... so there's no reason to think that about the raziel in front of him...

[@Joudas]

Because that would have created more story inconsistencies and paradoxical changes then the developers wanted to handle, is my guess.

[@Dimbo]

@Joudas I think it's more like what Raziel says when confronting his brothers as Sarafan. Kain's private joke, is that Raziel is the one who killed them, and himself, in the first place. Raziel didn't kill Malek. Mortaneus killed his body, and then Vorador killed his spirit. Where's the fun in making him a Lieutenant?

[@MasterEdwardHydeEvil]

*"Alucard,"* _Raziel, the forerunner of the Belmont family._

[@LegacyofRei]

Lol

[@MasterEdwardHydeEvil]

@@LegacyofRei //Story Belmont clan he started in a different way, but unofficially Vladimir Cane was responsible for all.

[@beautygoddess13]

IF the circle was slain and then led to be ariel and the others on BO, why was it the hyldan never appeared after the circle got owne by vorador,and who were the ancestors of the guardians...and where is the 10th pillar wich is janos?.... OR the hyldan didnt come bcz janos wasnt dead?....

[@Kaecyus]

Ohhh. So /that's/ what stops him from reaching the Circle in time, and why Mortanius binds him to his armour instead of to his body.

[@basher22234]

What you hear in the background is from LOK Blood Omen

[@breasthound]

one of the most underated series of all time. shame really such great voice acting beautifully written storyline and a huge gothic atmosphere.

[@Gojiro7]

how many times does Raziel get the exact same power up XD

[@yurikatos]

@Joudas malek was recognized as a great hero... in defiance, you will se his statue..i don't remember where, but, search for it =)...I believe he just lived long enough, so he was to old "in corpse" to rise again...because, obviously when kain raises raziel and his brothers they were "decomposed" but they die young =)

[@POLE7645]

Moebius disabled the reaver with his staff.

[@masteroflicks]

Ahhh sorry LoK can get very confusing at times, but im sure Janos said that he was the Reaver Guardian

[@WilltehGreat]

Caps lock is not cruise control for cool.

[@meandogassbite]

"this is a truely epic series and possibly the greatest game plot ever created as it all ties in almost with out flaw." I totally agree!!!

[@Jodie842]

No there were two 'sarafan' cults - the original one and the one re-created by the Hylden Lord many years later in BO2 following the time-changing events of SR2. The Sarafan in this game have NOTHING to do with the Hylden!!!

[@warriorpoet525]

lol nice

[@Joudas]

I think you're getting your games mixed up - Moebius isn't in SR1 until the last few seconds of the ending movie - he's long dead when SR1 takes place, as has been stated. You've got your time lines very, very confused.

[@SandrachenGaara]

@DUMAH11523 : are you sure of that? Because I´m pretty sure that vorador said, he killed the circle with the soul reaver oO ... but it makes sence what you say - so i believe you ;D

[@Searibox]

moebuis and raziel will not meat untill the end of Defiance right :)

[@sonicguyver7445]

Kind of a dick move by Moebius. Malek was forced to become living armor with no body all because Moebius detained him here. I haven't played too much of Blood Omen, did that change have much of a change on the game?

[@Joudas]

It was presented as Malek's backstory in Blood Omen; you saw the other side of this scene - the Circle calling for Malek while they were being slaughtered, and Malek running in too late to help, but not why he was absent, or where he was coming from. This scene serves to call back to that and reference that cutscene; it also kind of vindicates Malek, whom the player was inclined to think was guilty, when in fact it was Moebius' fault, not his.

[@SandrachenGaara]

There´s a mistake in the act: Vorador kills the circle WITH THE SOUL REAVER and at the same time Raziel has the reaver in front of himself... How could this be??! oO

[@TommyCurrell]

Apparently the blade Vorador uses is a replication of the design. I think Vorador forged the original too so it kind of makes sense.

[@papapapa16]

moebius: bolt the door malek! Oh, and by the way, conflictguardianwollbusedanddamnedtobeinafaggyarmorsayswhat? malek: what? moebius:nothing, lets go.

[@RazielusRedeemer]

Yes, thats right...BO intro

[@taz0k2]

Pure pwnage by Mobius. Too bad he died in Defienace he was the best villain IMO.

[@XJ0461C]

taz0k2 That's a very unpopular opinion, I'd imagine... xD

[@masteroflicks]

Hold on, Why wasn't Janos corrupted? He was the tenth guardian wasn't he?

[@combatmaster]

Namesake. 9 pillars=9 guardians. The Reaver was the weapon of salvation Janos was in charge of keeping safe, so he was an honorary guardian.

[@XJ0461C]

Turel looks more dangerous than Malek in this game, like bigger, heavier armor, etc. Doesn't fit since Malek is leader of the Sarafan. Shame you did not get to fight him but this scene really makes me want to, followed by attacking the shit out of Moebius.

[@Rahab111222]

Maybe Malek was more humble about his station like the warrior priest he is. Also he has supernatural spells other sarafan warriors don't have considering he's the conflict guardian, so he probably didn't feel the need to compensate with big or ornamental armor.

[@wareforcoin5780]

Malek's voice acting is the literal worst thing about the entire franchise.

[@Brett-uq4tz]

I don't think it's his original VA from the first game.

[@meandogassbite]

In any case, Raziel doesn't even recognize himself later (vampire Raziel vs. Sarafan Raziel scene), so maybe Raziel is changed more than it actually seems...

[@breasthound]

@Joudas it's also worth mentioning that malek was killed by vorador in blood omen 1. it would have been pretty cool though kain raasing a vampire hunter as a vampire. blasthemous joke.

[@meandogassbite]

Malek is't his brother, I think you've mistaken him with Melchiah.

[@BigKevSexyMan]

THAT'S MALEK'S VOICE?!

[@Brett-uq4tz]

Well in this game at least, I don't think it's the same VA from the original LOKBO.

[@Unknown_User174]

@@Brett-uq4tzHe’s voiced by an anonymous voice actor in Soul Reaver 2.