Nelgel, known by his full title of the Netherfiend, is the final boss of the first version of Dragon Quest X.
Nelgel has gone on to become a recruitable monster in the 3DS and SP versions of Dragon Quest Monsters 2 and Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3, as well as a boss in various spinoff games.
Appearance and personality[edit | edit source]
Nelgel dresses in a long-sleeved ruffled white shirt with lime-green pants, pink boots with green vine designs, and a long green coat with slashed rounded shoulders and the skull of a monster serving as a cuirass that tapers into a lime green cape with lavender lining. Nelgel's skin is a light shade of purple and he has spiky, slicked back white hair; two large, curving horns emerge from the center of his skull and extend back to his shoulders. He wears gold hoop earrings on his long pointed ears and he has sharp black fingernails. A large scythe, the Netherscythe, is his main weapon in his humanoid form.
Once transformed, Nelgel resembles a stygian simian with a bulky upper body, bat wings, bird legs, and a thin tail. His skin is green and covered in purple markings.
Nelgel appears as the main antagonist of Dragon Quest X's version 1 story. In the beginning of the game, he attacks and destroys the Hero's home village Tenton, even getting him killed in the process with his army of monsters. Once the Hero collects at least six Key Emblems, the hero can finally confront Nelgel after a series of events involving time travel.
Both of Nelgel's forms appear as S-rank members of the ??? family as part of the limited Dragon Quest X event. His Netherlord form can be challenged in Chapter 2 Episode 4, while his Netherfiend form can be faced in Chapter 2 Episode 5 of the event quests respectively. Both forms can also be faced against in Battle of All Ages. Nelgel the Netherlord appears on his own banner alongside Lunatick queen.
- Nelgel's name is a reference to Nergal, the Mesopotamian god of the underworld and lord of the dead. His Japanese title, Meiō (冥王), means "dark king" and "king of the Underworld" and is used to refer to the gods Hades/Pluto from ancient Greco-Roman mythology or Yama, a deity of death and the underworld who features prominently in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. In Japan, Yama is known by the name Enma.
- Nelgel's humanoid appearance is similar to Orgodemir's, as well as other characters designed by Akira Toriyama, like Magus from Chrono Trigger and Whis from Dragon Ball.
- Nelgel's outfit is similar to clothing worn by nobility and royalty in western medieval Europe, particularly his rounded shoulders with slashes. The Grim Reaper, who is the personification of Death, has been depicted since the Middle Ages as wielding a scythe, much like Nelgel.
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First forme artwork from
X.
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Second forme artwork from
X.
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Second form encounter in
X.
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Second forme's icon in
Monsters 2: 3D.
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Itadaki Street render.
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Netherfiend form official art in
Tact.
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Storyline bosses (ver. 1.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 2.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 3.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 4.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 5.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 6.0)
Storyline bosses (ver. 7.0)
Nelgel the Netherlord (冥王ネルゲル Meiō Nerugeru)
First forme artwork from X.
Second forme artwork from X.
Art by Akira Toriyama.
Encounter in X.
Transforming in X.
Second form encounter in X.
Icon in Monsters 2: 3D.
Second forme's icon in Monsters 2: 3D.
Anlucia and Nelgel in Itadaki Street.
Itadaki Street: 30th Anniversary official art.
Itadaki Street render.
Rivals artwork.
Lunatick queen and Nelgel in Tact.
Netherfiend form official art in Tact.
Nelgel in Walk.
