A fallen angel conjures up imagery heavily steeped in biblical mythology, of Satan falling from their pedestal as a faithful servant of a God and morals he had previously held in high esteem. This is a trope that has been used many times in many forms across countless mediums - that of a previously good and well-intentioned character slipping into evil and misguided actions.
This trope can and has been used to great effect to create particularly bitter-sweet, shocking, and sad story beats for many characters across many video game franchises, from the popular Warcraft Universe to the legendary Metal Gear franchise. Each of the following examples exemplifies the best elements of this trope, in many different ways.
Please be aware this list contains major spoilers for each character listed.
8 Prince Arthas - The Player Character Falls
Few characters in gaming have as tragic a fall from grace as Prince Arthas from the Warcraft series. Throughout the events of Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, he slowly descends into madness and undeath, eventually combining himself with the essence of the dreaded Lich King during the harrowing plot of Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne.
What makes this fallen angel story so compelling is that in Warcraft 3, it is the player who physically takes control of Arthas as he falls from grace and into evil. They not only see this transformation but actively help to make it happen, making them feel somewhat complicit in the horrible actions that Arthas takes.
7 Artorias - A Legend Disappoints
The Soulsborne series is extremely familiar with the Fallen Angel trope, with countless characters from the series becoming akin to the monsters they fight against. The most striking example of this is perhaps Artorias, from the DLC of the first Dark Souls game. The reason that this works so well is that Artorias is subtly built up through the base game. There are many references to the Knights of Gwyn, and Artorias in particular. All these knights are said to have worked tirelessly to uphold Gwyn’s reign and age of fire, even as the world falls apart around them.
However, when players finally get a chance to meet Artorias, he is but a shell of his former self, taken over by the mysterious and menacing Abyss: the very thing he had fought so long against. It is then up to the player, to put down this once great hero, who is now a menace to all.
6 Big Boss - Perpetual Warfare
No list on fallen angels would be complete without mentioning Big Boss from the Metal Gear Franchise. In his very first appearance in the franchise, the early Metal Gear games released almost exclusively in Japan only, he is presented as a very cut and dry villain, albeit one who betrays the player.
It wouldn’t be until much later on in the franchise that Big Boss would be viewed as a Fallen Angel though. Once the Metal Gear Solid games reintroduced him in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, players began to see his slow fall from grace. He starts as a well-intentioned idealist who wanted to create a world where those who served in combat were treated with respect, before gradually becoming a dark figure who wanted to create a world of perpetual war, that served only those who live to fight.
5 Captain Walker - Crossing The Line
Spec Ops: The Line is widely regarded as being one of the best shooters of the 7th generation of video games. The main reason for this is because of its subversive plot about the horrors of warfare, and how it makes monsters out of even the most well-intentioned characters.
One such character is Captain Walker, the protagonist, and, as it also turns out in the game's big twist, also the antagonist. Walker’s original goal in the game is to help save Dubai, which has seemingly been taken over by rogue soldiers. In his attempt to do this, Walker begins taking increasingly destructive and needlessly violent actions, resulting in him both falling from grace and losing his mind.
4 Dracula - A Villain Gets A Tragic Backstory
A good use of the fallen angel trope that is surprisingly common in video games is when a previously well-established villain is given a tragic backstory that retroactively turns them into a fallen angel. Dracula from the Castlevania franchise is a fine example of this trope, with a man turning his back on God and becoming a true monster as a result.
The man who would become Dracula was originally a human called Mathias Cronqvist, an apparently fully committed servant of Christianity, who went on crusades to prove his loyalty and commitment to his God. Throughout the plot of the PS2 entry Castlevania: Lament of Innocence, players see that he would ultimately turn his back on his previous beliefs after he blames God for the death of his beloved wife. As revenge, he turns himself into an immortal vampire as a way of spiting his former beliefs.
3 Edelgard - A Friend Betrays
Few things hurt more in this world than being betrayed by a dear friend. In these instances, someone previously held in high regard can become one's very own personal fallen angel. This exact thing can happen to players in Fire Emblem: Three Houses if they pick the Black Eagles path but choose NOT to side with Edelgard.
Players make their way through the first half of the game, slowly getting to know Edelgard. They learn all about her ambitions, and her fears, and watch her grow into a promising young warrior, only to watch her give in to her dark desire to destroy the Church of Serios and rule over all of the mystical land of Fodlan.
2 Kreia - Pure Balance
Kreia from Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords is an interesting case of a fallen angel. Originally a Jedi, she set out to help bring peace to the galaxy with Lord Revan. Like him though, she ended up falling to the dark side of the force, becoming one of the most powerful of the original Sith Lords.
What makes Kreia so interesting, however, is that she would then climb back up from this position after being betrayed, but not to a position of high morality. Instead, she would settle herself into a new position of absolute and total gray morality: a position she would attempt to get the player character to fall into as well, something she would ultimately fail at.
1 Sephiroth - An Iconic Fallen Angel
Perhaps the most iconic example of a fallen angel in gaming, Sephiroth, the primary antagonist of Final Fantasy 7, is often considered to be one of the greatest video game villains of all time. Originally starting out as the greatest soldier in the Shinra army, his reputation was so great that even those who opposed Shinra deeply respected him. However, deep down, he did not know what he was really fighting for. This was until he fought the leader of the ecological resistance group Elfe, who ended up sending Sephiroth into an existential crisis that would lead to him discovering his true “purpose.”
After this encounter, Sephiroth determined that his purpose was to join Avalanche, and he would help save the world. As it turns out, though, Sephiroth would let his own sense of superiority and his apparent emotional instability lead him onto a dark path that would almost end up destroying the entire world.