Serph Sheffield

Serph Sheffield is a major character in Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner 2. A young, charismatic man, h e is largely responsible for the disaster revolving the Junkyard, and among others, Sera's arrival to the Junkyard.

Appearances

 * Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner 2: Major Character

Biography
A young man graduated from Davenport College with a degree in Psychology, Serph Sheffield eventually joined the Karma Society's God Project. A project consists of selecting children with outstanding spiritual talents and experimenting them so they could converse with God. Serph Sheffield was eventually placed on the 19th child of the experiment, Sera's mental stability. His work immediately gained recognition from the Karma Society, and was eventually placed as the Chief of the Project.

Throughout his experimental organize, another scientist, Heat O'Brien expresses an apparent oppose towards Serph's ways of taking the experiment. Serph Sheffield calmly brushes them off, telling Heat that science is never a humane subject, and only through mental and physical manipulation can one attain a leap in science. However, the cruel side of Serph Sheffield was never seen by Sera, instead, Serph would often encourage Sera, acting as a gentle and loving figure towards her. Sera eventually harbors romantic feelings towards Serph Sheffield. It is also revealed that Serph Sheffield was the one who promised Sera to take her on a ship should she managed to speak to God for ten minutes.

Later, to cope up with her painful experiments, Sera created a virtual paradise consisting of AIs based on her perception of the real world. AIs of Serph, Heat, Argilla, and others are created, serving as her only way to release her tire and stress. Eventually her virtual paradise was discovered and the Karma Society. Serph, knowing Sera's paradise, expresses a strong disgust towards it. A member of the Karma Society, Colonel Beck, however, was overjoyed to know Sera's virtual paradise, and proposes to change it into a training simulation, hoping to create the strongest AIs.

Upon hearing Colonel Beck's exclamation, Heat O'Brien immediately opposes Colonel Beck's plans, telling him that Sera's mental condition is at her limits. However, Serph, being in charge of Sera's mental stability calmly lies and denies Heat's claims, telling the Colonel it is possible to make his proposal a reality. Shocked, Heat was left speechless.

Serph Sheffield's true motives was eventually revealed during a painful experiment, in reality, he is a cruel and manipulative young man who used everyone around him in his quest to attain the power of God for himself. To him, Sera was only an expendable tool in the pursuit of science and the power of God. He even brainwashed Argilla into becoming his spy to keep tabs on his rival, Heat O'Brien.

As Sera was suffering greatly from the experiment, Heat urges Serph to cancel the experiment, but Serph simply ignores Heat, telling Sera to continue. Unable to bear seeing Sera's sufferings under the hands of Serph, Heat pulled a gun on Serph and a technician accidentally patched the security camera link throughout the entire building, including to the EGG where Sera was. Serph calmly tells Heat not to be a hypocrite, and exclaims that in truth, Heat himself wanted to know the potential of God. Heat angrily stammers back, telling Serph that he has no rights in manipulating others.

Serph then proceeds to answer Heat that a human's mind is no different than a machine, when one of the subjects failed, they could simply be replaced by others, referring to Sera. Heat, shocked to hear what Serph said, tried to fire his gun, but was shot in the back by Argilla instead. Serph then proceeds to a dying Heat, openly mocks him, before realizing that Sera was watching the whole time. With her heart broken, Sera retaliates by sending a massive surge of data towards the Sun, causing Serph to transform into Real Varuna, a black demon- the reflection of his own heart. He consumed Argilla and Colonel Beck, then went on a killing spree before finally being killed himself.

Sera's backlash eventually turned her paradise into hell, creating the Junkyard, and another AI of Serph: the leader of the Embryon Tribe. Serph Sheffield would later reappear in the EGG facility as a Solar Data along with Heat O'Brien, after realizing the past, the AI Serph was comforted by Heat O'Brien inside the EGG fluid. Serph Sheffield angrily questions Heat where is he, and expresses a extremely disgust on the AI Serph, calling his a fake. Another Serph, the AI created from Sera's paradise was later manifested, questioning where Sera is. Proudly exclaims that he achieved the power of God, Serph Sheffield and the another AI Serph based on Sera's paradise transforms into two distinct Varuna, challenging Serph and Heat to a fight.

As Sera's perception of the real Serph was a fabrication, the AI Serph bears little resemblance to Serph Sheffield in terms of morality. They are only alike in their logical and precise decision-making, and their leadership qualities. At the beginning of Digital Devil Saga he has no dominant character traits, reflecting Sera's lack of understanding of who Serph really was. This is made even more evident when he is confronted by Real Varna- the true, malicious Serph Sheffield- and Fake Varna, the kind fabrication that the young Sera believed in for so long.