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Bayonetta 3 has released several years after the second game, with many fans having become fond of the franchise after Cereza/Bayonetta's appearances in the Super Smash Bros. crossover games. Unfortunately, the hype for this third entry was marred by the growing cloud of controversy surrounding it, only made worse by the game's ending.
The conclusion of Bayonetta 3 has the titular heroine locking lips with a male character from the previous games, and some see this as diluting the nature of the character. This is among other issues with the climax, which could irrevocably change the franchise going forward. Here's why some fans aren't too happy with how the third Bayonetta game ends.
Fans Are Upset That Bayonetta Ends Up With Luka
The finale of Bayonetta 3 involves different versions of Cereza from throughout the franchise's multiverse, revealing that the first and second games were actually in different timelines. Losing control of her powers, Cereza's very soul is snatched from her body, but the chaos that ensues from this is stopped only when Luka embraces her. In the previous games, Luka had a begrudging "alliance" with Cereza, despite his blaming her for his father's death. Even with their negative history, the two kiss as they're taken into the demonic Inferno.
The issue with this ending was brought up in Maddy Myers' review for the game on Polygon. Some fans have accused this ending of queerbaiting, with many seeing Cereza as a lesbian beforehand. Supposedly backing this up is her close relationship with fellow Umbral witch Jeanne. Likewise, her relationship with Luka was, as mentioned, antagonistic heretofore. Her getting together with him at the end feels rushed and incredibly random, though such developments aren't exactly uncommon in the Bayonetta series. According to many fans, another issue is that Cereza's status as a strong female character becomes impaired by her being with Luka, especially since it seems that he saved her when her powers went haywire.
Despite some fans shipping her with Jeanne, Cereza actually had little sexual inclination in the previous games. Sure, her entire character design and mannerisms exuded sensuality, but she had no actual love interest. Thus, this pairing her off with someone is what's driving some fans irate. Sadly, these aren't the only problems with the game's ending.
Bayonetta 3 Doesn't Give Cereza a Satisfying Ending
Bayonetta 3 concludes with Cereza out of the picture, with Viola becoming the new Bayonetta. Despite how grandiose and important this may sound, the game doesn't give the concept its due. Sure, there's a multiversal plot involving multiple Bayonettas from different timelines, but the game is ultimately far from the epic send-off that Cereza deserved. In fact, her "death" feels more haphazard and random than anything, a trait that it shares with her kissing Luka.
Bayonetta games are known for having plots and character interactions straight out of low-budget B movies, and their narratives show it well. Their stories are far from masterpieces, and many events happen simply to seem "cool" or cinematic. That's likely the case with Luka kissing Cereza, which is a scene that makes more sense as a visual affair than a point of character progression.
Thus, those upset that ending up with (or at least kissing) Luka ruins Cereza's character should also be upset with the game as a whole, given that it tosses aside the franchise heroine without any real build-up. If anything, her kissing Luka when he had such strong beef with her in the past actually does showcase the character's theme of self-pleasure, with Cereza essentially taking advantage of the situation for some fun passion. Sadly, this degree of irreverent fun is also applied to her importance, resulting in a game that casually ditches one of the industry's coolest female characters.