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This article is about the character Vincent Nightray.
You may be looking for Pandora Hearts Chapter 95 "Vincent".
Nii-san, to me... you are the most precious person in the whole world. I like you. I love you!

—Retrace LXV: Collapse

Introduction

Vincent Nightray (ヴィンセント=ナイトレイ, Vinsento Naitorei), often called Vince (ヴィンス, Vinsu) by his family, is a recurring antagonist of Jun Mochizuki's Pandora Hearts. Adopted into the Nightray Dukedom at about eight years old, Vincent claims to be the the younger brother by blood to Oz Vessalius's best friend, Gilbert Nightray.[1] Though Gilbert has no memory of Vincent, his adoption was finalized soon after Oz's disappearance into the Abyss.

Vincent and Gilbert were trained as assassins before eventually joining Pandora, a government organization that researches the Abyss. Gilbert's Contract with Raven allowed additional Legal Contracts through the Nightray Door, and Vincent contracted Dormouse soon after.[2] While Vincent claims to be an amnesiac, having lost all memory except that of his supposed blood brother, he is long suspected of hiding information from Pandora,[3] and in fact serves as a spy for the Baskervilles to unclear ends.[4]

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SPOILER WARNING!
This article contains plot and/or ending details for Pandora Hearts.
Read at your own risk.
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Born a Child of Ill Omen about ten years prior to the Tragedy of Sablier, Vincent and his elder brother Gilbert were sold off by their biological parents at a very early age.[5] His red eye made Vincent the target of substantial prosecution, forcing Gilbert to protect him by any means available.[6] They spent the next several years of homeless or being kept as a noble "pets." On the day Lacie Baskerville's execution, Gilbert and Vincent encountered the Droplets of Golden Light and became Baskervilles.[7] Unusually, Vincent had an intense fear of Sablier, but nonetheless journeyed there upon his brother's insistence.[7] Jack Vessalius, the human best friend of the then Glen Baskerville, would find them there.[8] Oswald, the then incarnation of Glen, would find Gilbert to be his next incarnation, damning Vincent to be executed by Gilbert in adulthood. The two were raised by Glen along with his biological nieces, Lacie's daughters, Alice and the Intention of the Abyss.

Distrustful of Glen, Vincent grew deeply attached to Jack, whom he viewed as his savior. This created an antagonistic relationship between himself and the Intention of the Abyss, who viewed each other as a potential thief of Jack's affections. The Intention would mock Vincent for his eye, inciting Gilbert's anger and causing Vincent to attack her in turn.[9] Manipulated along by Jack,[8] their feud escalated until the Intention misleadingly informed Vincent that Glen intended to kill Gilbert. Desperate for a way to save his brother, Vincent followed the instructions of Miranda Barma, a co-conspirator of Jack Vessalius. He then opened the Door to the Abyss, facilitating the Tragedy of Sablier.[8] Knocked briefly unconscious after opening the Door, Vincent awakened at the height of the Tragedy and remained conscious for its duration.[9] He witnessed Alice's suicide after finding Glen's corpse,[10] and assumed Jack had died after seeing his grievous wounds.[11] Just before Sablier was fully dragged into the Abyss, he picked up Gilbert's unconscious body.[10] The two of them would be the first Baskervilles to escape the Abyss after the Tragedy, Vincent appearing at the Nightray Door a century later.

Appearance

Vincent Nightray Pic

Vincent's anime design

Vincent is a slender, androgynous man of average height who looks to be in his early twenties. He has almond shaped eyes with thin eye lashes, his left eye golden and his right eye wine red. In the anime, his golden eye is given more of a green tint. His chin and jaw are relatively small, and he is usually drawn with a thinner neck than his brother. His hair is straight and blond, and in most of his appearances, long enough to reach about halfway down his back. Though this trait is inconsistent in some earlier chapters, he is usually drawn such that his hair falls at an angle at either side of his head, somewhat resembling cat ears. Long, irregular bangs fall onto the center of his face but do not cover his eyes. Jun Mochizuki remarks that, while his expressions reflect a more sleepy demeanor than his brother, the two bear a facial resemblance on the occasions he shows strong emotion.[12]

In most of his appearances, he wears a black and gold robe over a long white dress, secured around the waist with a golden tie. This dress has long sleeves which widened around the wrist, suggesting a flounce sleeve, though this is drawn somewhat inconsistently. Over this he usually wears a black and gold capelet, a brooch of the Nightray Crest pinned to its left side. He wears tall, short-heeled boots with gold toes. In addition, he wears two red teardrop earrings, having admired them on Jack Vessalius,[12] and a pair of white gloves he almost never takes off.

As a child, his hair was shorter, remaining completely above his shoulders until he was about fifteen. Most of his childhood appearances depict him wearing some form of white dress, though its exact design would vary across scenes. Prior to being rescued by Jack Vessalius, Vincent had long bangs so as to cover his right eye.[9] Many scenes as a child or teenager depict him bandaged.

Following the hundred year timeskip, Vincent had not visibly aged. He cut his hair short again and wore a modern black suit. His red earrings had been replaced with green ones and he no longer wore gloves.[13]

Personality

Vincent is initially depicted as cruel, cold, and sadistic. Intelligent and manipulative, Vincent's first appearance implied he deliberately orchestrated a prisoner's escape and subsequent death to prevent him from revealing information.[14] As such, multiple characters remark that he is extremely difficult to read.[15] While regarded as gentle and caring among society, members of Pandora understand him as perverse and a liar.[16] He exhibits a number of unsettling tics, including the habitual cutting of dolls, inopportune laughing, and a general lack of regard for others' personal space.

When questioned, Vincent invariably claims he did everything for his elder brother by blood, Gilbert. Though his care for him does seem to come from genuine fondness, he exhibits an obsession with him considered disturbing and inappropriate between family members. This often manifests violently, including implications of serial femicide toward women who approached his brother romantically,[17] as Vincent specifically regards women as repulsive and dangerous. He regards women as particularly sexually vulnerable, alluding to have slept with multiple women for political gain, though it is stated he held them all in contempt.[5] His servant Echo is shown to have been beaten[18] and assaulted by him,[3] fueling her deep hatred towards him. Vincent repeatedly states that he did not care for anyone aside from his brother.

He shows traits of masochism, telling Lottie he "liked the sound of that" after she described tearing his fingernails off.[18] A few[3] scenes[19] depict Gilbert striking Vincent or pushing him over, though Vincent showed no aggression, to which Vincent never resisted. Despite his popularity within society and his frequent excursions with women, Vincent avoids the public eye,[17] and specifically refuses to attend even small gatherings.[20] He describes being tired most days,[12] and lacks interest in any physical activities or hobbies. It is stated he refuses to clean up after himself, his room getting so messy he frequently causes himself physical injury.[3]

Despite his apparent lack of care for others, Vincent repeatedly shows a high regard for those he considers to be of moral character, and is generally good at judging the nature of others. He holds an earnest respect for Xerxes Break, which he attributes to his being "such a good person."[21] Upon Elliot's death, he was the only person who remained to hear his last words, claiming a deep love for him on account of his nobility and kindness. Conversely, he hates his adoptive father for his prioritization of his political position over the lives of his family members.[22] He frames others' deaths around what was deserved or what was the "right thing to do."[14]

As a child, Vincent experienced severe abuse as a consequence of his being born an Ill Omen. This forced Gilbert to protect him, something Vincent understood his elder brother hated him for.[9] Vincent thus developed a severe complex surrounding his brother, attempting to take on the role of his protector and savior. These attempts resulted in further tragedy, traumatizing his brother and himself. Vincent became convinced that his existence was a threat to the world and his elder brother in particular, and thus sought a way to carry out his own miscarriage.[22] He stated that he thought of nothing else and that this goal "was the only reason [he] was able to do anything."[23] He holds in contempt any acts of kindness towards himself, being described by Jun Mochizuki as "fine with approaching others, but [hating] being approached," having a desire to be hated.[24] Acts of compassion inspire confusion and aggression in him, and he expressed deep anguish when asked for forgiveness by Gilbert, claiming he "denied everything [he'd] been up to that point."[23]

However, Vincent was unable to fully close his heart. The confusion Break's act of compassion had instilled in him caused him to turn against Oswald, although he soon began to once again ask for his death.[25] He feels earnest empathy and care for Leo,[26] whom he identifies as his sole true master,[12] and whom he genuinely wants to make happy.[25] It was Ada Vessalius who led him to abandon his attempts at suicide, offering him unconditional forgiveness, which he had been afraid of admitting he desires.[27] Vincent would continue to struggle with showing concern for himself for the rest of his life, though after several years of not having contacted his brother he was eventually able to declare that he was happy to have been alive.[13]

Powers and Abilities

  • Torture - Vincent is shown to be a skilled torturer.
  • Markmanship - Vincent's sharpshooting exceeds that of even Gilbert, apparently having a natural skill with guns, to his brother's dismay and pride.
  • Limited Immortality - As a Baskerville, Vincent's body is more similar in construction to that of a Chain than a human, and thus can not be killed by mortal weapons, though he can be harmed or disabled. Only weapons charged by Chain Killers or exceptionally powerful Chains are capable of causing fatal wounds to Baskervilles.
  • Longevity - Vincent did not appear to have aged over the course of a century; however, his youth was only superficial, and he did eventually die of old age.
  • Reality Warping - Due to being born a Child of Ill Omen, Vincent possesses passive abilities to warp reality, specifically because he can not be perceived by the Lurking Eyes. The Lurking Eyes, as the creators and controllers of reality, cannot be defied, except through the power of a Child of Ill Omen.
    • All denizens of Abyss, Baskervilles included, have the passive ability to slightly warp reality for humans. However, this is not considered advantageous, as it generally encourages humans to act in a violent manner, and makes Baskervilles far more likely to be subjected to abuse.
  • Extraplanar Vision - As a Child of Ill Omen, Vincent can see dimensions beyond the one he normally occupies, including that occupied by the Lurking Eyes. He is also able to see time travelers, and while he can not touch nor be touched by them, he can still hear and speak to them.
  • Immunity to Abyss - Children of Ill Omen are the only individuals capable of freely interacting with Abyss, and the only ones capable of friendship and communication with the Core of Abyss, due to being beyond the perception of the Lurking Eyes. Similarly, they are not susceptible to the negative effects of at least some Chains, one of the older Echoes of Noise drawing a direct connection between his red eye and her complete inability to use her Chain on him.
    • This may also have given him resistance or immunity to the natural Baskerville compulsion to obey Glen without question, as he specified that his loyalty lies only with Leo and not Glen in general.
    • All Baskervilles have an increased resistance to the negative effects of Abyss, due to being denizens of Abyss themselves. They are able to maintain "illegal" contracts indefinitely, and do not suffer the same madness induced in humans who interact with Abyss.
  • Abyssal Conduit - Due to being Ill Omened, Vincent's body can be used as a conduit between Abyss and the physical world. This is what allows him to open the Gate of Abyss during the Raven ceremony, facilitating the Tragedy of Sablier

Chain

Vincent is the only character known to possess both a legal and illegal Chain simultaneously, and one of only two characters to possess more than one Chain at any given time, the other being Glen Baskerville. He refers to himself as a "double contractor."

See More: Dormouse

Dormouse (眠り鼠 (ヤマネ), Nemuri-Nezumi "Yamane," lit. The Sleeping Mouse, Dormouse) is his legally contracted Chain, contracted during his time in Pandora. It takes the form of a large stuffed mouse with its eyes sewn permanently shut, and gives its contractor the ability to put others to sleep if they are able to touch their heads for a few seconds. Due to its weak power and difficult conditions necessary to activate it, Vincent generally regards this Chain as useless. In addition to this, it apparently induces narcolepsy in its contractor, causing Vincent to collapse and fall asleep at times inconvenient to those around him. Though it is considered bad form, Vincent seems to take no issue with allowing his Chain to be visible while he is not using it.

See More: Demios the Executioner

Demios (死刑執行人 (ディミオス), Shikeishikkounin "'Dimiosu", lit. The Executioner, Demios) is Vincent's illegally contracted Chain, contracted at an unknown point prior to the Headhunter Incident. She takes the form of a large, goat-like skeleton, with two bladed limbs extending like wings from her back. She uses these limbs to decapitate her victims, apparently able to do this near-instantly. This gives Vincent a significant advantage against unprepared or unarmed enemies, and he uses her as a deterrent against those who approach him. However, he has difficulty in controlling Demios, particularly as his mental state degrades. This allowed Demios to begin to attack others without his explicit command.

Quotes

  • "That's okay. It's okay. You don't need to remember."
  • "Nii-san, you'd better forget that woman."
  • "I've always lived my life in such a way... that nothing of me would remain."
  • "What's your pick, Elliot...? Me or Oz-kun. By whose hand do you want to die?"
  • "I wouldn't have minded shouldering that burden for you..."
  • "I... was fond of you, you know... You were different from the other siblings. You alone were different..."
  • "I can't stand the sight of you! You always, always-! Throw me off!!"
  • "I... want to give Gil a world and a past where I do not exist."
  • "That wish... is the only thing left in me. I have always lived my life... so nothing of me will remain."
  • "I... am... not... afraid... of dying. I have... never... wanted to stay... a... live. So..."
  • "You let your own child die... for something trivial like family honor. All of your family members have died, yet you only care about protecting your interests. You scum...!"
  • "The sky, the earth... and me! We're all dyed red!"
  • "Everything will be fine, Gil. I won't let anyone take you away. Don't worry. I won't let anyone destroy what we have."
  • "I feel I'm watching myself, and it makes me sick."

Appearances

Manga Appearances
Anime Appearances
Light Novel Appearances
Omake Appearances

(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.

Trivia

  • "Vincent" as a name derives from the Roman name "Vincentius" which itself derives from the Latin word "vincere" which translates to "to conquer."[28]
  • Vincent's outward demeanor, characterized by a constant lethargy, particularly reflected by his Contract with the Chain Dormouse, is based off of the Dormouse[29] from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.[30]
  • However, Vincent's true more sinister nature as reflected by his Contract with Demios the Executioner is based off of the Queen of Hearts,[31] the main antagonist of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
PH 24 plus 1 Vincent profile 1

Vincent's profile in 24 + 1: Last Dance

  • His likes are, in order, Gilbert, Jack, sleeping, scissors, and dolls. His dislikes are, in order, Break and carrots.
  • His skills include making a mess of his bedroom, mangling dolls, and bothering Gilbert. He is weak when it comes to sunlight and chatty women.
  • Mochizuki's comment on him is that he is likely the character whose fan opinions have changed the most from when the story began to when it ended. She wished she could have drawn more flirty scenes between him and Ada.
  • According to Pandora Hearts 18.5: Evidence, Vincent is a Virgo, though he is born on the day of the Virgo/Libra cusp.
  • He is the only character in Pandora Hearts to be left handed.
  • He bears a strong resemblance in personality and mannerisms to the main antagonist of the Pandora Hearts pilot, the unnamed contractor of the King of Hearts. Given that Vincent was conceived as a villain quite early in Pandora Hearts's development and the extremely similar name of his canonical Chain, it is likely this character was an earlier version of him.
  • Vincent's age is listed as "self described" (自称, jishou), having only declared his age in order to be legally identified as a year younger than his brother. Given that Vincent and Gilbert were most likely born into poverty and were certainly trafficked over a century prior to the events of the story, it is likely that no legal record of their birth exists and the two simply do not know how old they are.
  • Following the announcement of Madoka Magica: Walpurgis no Kaiten, Jun Mochizuki said that major character Homura Akemi reminded her of "her inner Vincent."[32]
  • Vincent ranked second in the last official popularity poll, after Xerxes Break (and just above Gilbert).[33]

References

  1. Retrace XIII: A Lost Raven
  2. Retrace XLV: Queen of Hurts
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Retrace XXXIII: Echo of Noise
  4. Retrace XXII: His name is...
  5. 5.0 5.1 Retrace XLVI: Persona
  6. Retrace XXXVIII: Scapegoat
  7. 7.0 7.1 Retrace LXVIII: Glen
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Retrace LXXIII: A note
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Retrace XXXIX: Gate of Blackness
  10. 10.0 10.1 Retrace LXXVIII: Decision
  11. Retrace XXXI: Countervalue of Loss
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Pandora Hearts 18.5: Evidence
  13. 13.0 13.1 Retrace CIV: Will
  14. 14.0 14.1 Retrace XII: Where am I?
  15. Retrace XVII: Odds and Ends
  16. Retrace XLIX: Night in gale
  17. 17.0 17.1 Caucus Race 1 — Story 2: Black Widow
  18. 18.0 18.1 Retrace XXXIV: Noise of Echo
  19. Retrace LXV: Collapse
  20. Retrace XLVII: Unbirthday
  21. Retrace XXIII: Conflict
  22. 22.0 22.1 Retrace LXI: Demios
  23. 23.0 23.1 Retrace XCVI: Disagree
  24. Caucus Race 2 — Story 3: Lucky Day
  25. 25.0 25.1 Retrace XCIV: Blaze
  26. Retrace LXXXVII: Starting Point
  27. Retrace XCVII: I am
  28. Wikipedia: Vincent
  29. Wikipedia: Dormouse (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland character)
  30. Wikipedia: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
  31. Wikipedia: Queen of Hearts (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
  32. Jun Mochizuki's Twitter account
  33. Pandora Hearts 24 + 1: Last Dance

Navigation

v - e - t Pandora Hearts
Characters

Main: AliceGilbert NightrayOz Vessalius
Vessalius: Ada VessaliusAda's CatsJack VessaliusMrs. KateOscar VessaliusRachel CecileSara VessaliusXai Vessalius
Nightray: Bernard NightrayBernice NightrayClaude NightrayEchoElliot NightrayErnest NightrayFred NightrayHansLeoMrs. FinnRaymond NightrayVanessa NightrayVincent Nightray
Rainsworth: EmilySharon RainsworthShelly RainsworthSheryl RainsworthXerxes Break
Barma: Arthur BarmaCalum LunettesGrunerMiranda BarmaReim LunettesRufus Barma
Baskervilles: CeliaDugFangGlen BaskervilleGlen Baskerville (♀)JuryLacieLeviLilyLottieNoiseOswald
Abyss: The Core of the AbyssThe Intention of the Abyss
Other: Flower GirlThe GeneralHarris WatsonHeadhunterIsla YuraJyantaMariePhillipe WestRytasTurnerWilliam West
Chains: AlbusB-RabbitBandersnatchCardsCheshireThe CookDemiosDodoDormouseDuldeeDuldumEquusFawnFlower Girl's ChainGrimGryphonHedgehog ChainsHumpty DumptyThe Intention's DollsJabberwockLacie's ChainLarsLeonMad BabyMad HatterMarch HareOwlRavenRocking-Horse-FlySnap-Dragon-FlyTove
Caucus Race: Dahlia GarlandGarland ButlerGeraldGreat MotherJosephineMarcelMia

Nobility Barma DukedomBaskerville ClanNightray DukedomRainsworth DukedomSinclair FamilyVessalius DukedomWest Family
Terminology Species & Factions: Black Winged ChainsChainsContractorsIsla Yura's CultPandora

Objects: Arthur Barma's Memoirs"Chains"Doors to the AbyssJack Vessalius' Pocket WatchKeys to the DoorsSilent Clock TowerStone Seals
Events: Coming-of-Age CeremonySuccession CeremoniesTragedy of Sablier
Miscellaneous: AngelsChildren of Ill OmenLacie (Song)Holy KnightStatice

Locations AbyssBarma HomelandCarillonDimensional PlaneÉbaucheHouse of FiannaLacie's TombLuca's GateLutwidge AcademyReveilSablierTower
Volumes IIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIIIIXXXIXIIXIIIXIVXVXVIXVIIXVIIIXIXXXXXIXXIIXXIIIXXIV
Omake Maidora HeartsBumbling Sleuth BreakMagical Girl Ill-Omened❤LaciePandora Academy
Episodes 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425Special Episodes
DVDs IIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIIIIXBonus Story
Guidebooks & Artbooks 8.518.524 + 1Official Animation Guide〜Odds and Ends〜「There is.」
Light Novels 123
Drama CDs Pandora Hearts Drama CDNightmare of Vessalius Academy!Alice's Tea PartyAnimedia Radio SpecialRadio Special 1Radio Special 2Radio Special 3Retrace 42.5Another Story of A Promise Lost
Soundtrack OST 1OST 2Parallel HeartsMazeWatashi wo MitsuketeEverytime you kissed me
Character Songs Swear to...Kinjirareta AsobiTruth
Calendars 20102011201220132014
Extra Pandora HearchuMochizuki's MusingsTimelineReal-World References
Author Jun Mochizuki
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