Witch Cult and Archbishops of Zero’s Sin? The series’ mysterious villains explained

Warning: SPOILERS for Re:Zero aheadThe main antagonists Re: Zero comes from the dangerous and mysterious Witch Cultwhose members can appear seemingly out of nowhere. Its members are elusive, often attack in groups, and are dangerous enough that knights are ordered to kill them on sight. The Witch Cult is made up of smaller members known simply as Witch Cultists and, at the top of the hierarchy, the Archbishops of Sin– all with powerful abilities and represent one of the seven deadly sins.

The Witch Cult is shrouded in secrecy and it is still unclear what its ultimate goal and motivations are. It has been speculated that the cult worships Satella, however, this notion has been disputed, making the Witch Cult even more mysterious. Even so, the fact remains that all Sin Archbishops derive their power from Witch Factors who are linked to the original Witches, creating a hierarchy within the cult’s ranks and granting them powerful abilities.

The Purpose and Creation of the Witch Cult

The witch cult has a long history and members act in accordance with their gospels

Although the origin of the Witch Cult is still unclear, it is known that it has existed for over four hundred years. His purpose and creation revolve around his reverence for the Witches of Sin or possibly just the Witch of Envy, Satella, in particular. It has been speculated that the cult’s goal is to free Satella from her seal; however, nothing has been confirmed yet. THE The Witch Cult’s goal remains unspecified in the seriesbut Witch Cultists dedicate themselves completely, even going so far as to throw their lives away.

The Archbishop of the Sin of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanée-Conti, was one of the co-founders of the Witch Cult and led a moderate side of the cult. However, it was later swallowed up by the radical side led by the Archbishop of Sin’s Greed, Regulus Corneas, following the events in Elior Forest shown in Emilia’s Season 2 flashback. When Subaru Natsuki encountered Petelgeuse, he had already gone mad and defected to the radical faction of the cult and acted solely in accordance with their Gospel.

The Gospel is a book owned by members of the Witch Cult and is a replica of the Tome of Wisdom of the Witch of Greed, Echidna. While the original book allows Echidna to predict exact details of the future, the Gospels do not grant the same power. Being replicas of the original book, the The Gospel is subject to change and depends on interpretation. It has been said that Witch Cultists only join after mysteriously receiving a Gospel of their own.

The power of wizarding factors and authorities

Authorities grant impressive power, but also present imposing disadvantages

The Sin Archbishops’ power comes from their possession of Witch Factors left behind by the original witches. To be able to use a Witch Factor, one must be compatible, otherwise absorbing the Witch Factor could lead to dire consequences. The Witch Factors are said to be the opposite of Od Lagna, a reserve of mana considered the earth of the world, and counteract Divine Protections, powers given by Od Lagna to people at birth. It is the Witch Factors that grant power to the Archbishops of Sin, giving them abilities known as Authorities.

It is these Authorities who create the hierarchy within the Witch Cult, placing the Archbishops of Sin above all others with their destructive power. However, despite the abilities that Sin Archbishops receive from their Authority, can bring major disadvantages if they are incompatible with the Witch Factor, causing split personalities or insanity. The Authority each Archbishop of Sin receives is a direct inheritance from the original Witches and acts as a reflection of the nature of their sin.

For example, Petelgeuse’s Authority allows him to use a power known as Invisible Hands to attack and manipulate people or objects from a distance. This ability allows Petelgeuse to exert control with minimal physical effort, reflecting the sin of Sloth. Likewise, Regulus’ Authority grants him near-invincibility, allowing him to stop time from affecting himself and everything near him, which he uses to nullify any potential damage. This reflects his position as Archbishop of the Sin of Greed, allowing him to protect the things he considers his.

The Archbishops of Sin’s Connection to the Witch Cult and Their Respective Sins

Each of the Archbishops of Sin has different goals and desires that lead to branching within the cult.

Each of the Archbishops of Sin has a connection to one of the seven deadly sins: Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, and Pride. However, there is no sin, Archbishop of Envy, due to the fact that Satella was not killedbut sealed and still has its Witch Factor. Additionally, the Authorities of Melancholy and Vanity were once considered part of the Witches, but were eventually eliminated. Even so, Pandora, the Witch of Vanity, survived Satella’s rampage and remains active in the Witch Cult.

The Archbishops of Sin may all be part of the same cult, however, they don’t get along particularly well with each other. Each of the Archbishops of Sin acts in accordance with their Gospel, leading to friction within the ranks of the Witch Cult as they all strive to serve their agendas. This division creates a complicated dynamic within the Witch Cult, as the Archbishops of Sin’s loyalties are conflicting and self-centered, and they have been shown to actively fight each other. Ultimately this is due to the nature of the sin they represent, manifesting itself in a selfish way.

For example, Sirius Romanée-Conti, the Archbishop of Sin’s Wrath, has an Authority that allows him to use Soul Wash, an ability that transmits emotions and kills large numbers of people at once. This reflects the violent and horrible nature of his sin. Likewise, the Archbishops of Sin’s Gluttony have the ability to devour a name and erase all traces of it from the world, as they did with Rem. Both abilities are powerful, but they conflict when brought together as one seeks to erase and the other seeks to cause harm.

This can be reflected in each of the Archbishops of Sin. In recent episodes of the anime adaptation, viewers have witnessed how Regulus and Sirius clashed over Emilia’s safety. While Sirius wanted to kill her, Regulus interfered due to his desire to make her his 79th wife, exemplifying the division within the ranks of the Witch Cult. Despite being at the top of the hierarchy in the Witch Cult, the Archbishops of Sin in Re: Zero are not aligned with each other and will act only following your desires.