Spoilers: this guide covers The Fallen’s identity and the events that follow the first Death battle in the Catacombs.
Quick answer: The Fallen is Leon Belmont, Rose’s ancestor and the Belmont who started the family’s hunt against the night four centuries earlier. The game reveals this right after the first fight with Death in the Catacombs of Paris.
Who The Fallen is
Rose first encounters The Fallen as a boss in the Paris Streets (how to beat The Fallen), where his health bar displays THE FALLEN. Defeating him adds him to her tarot-card deck as an Arcana.
From then on, he talks to Rose as a companion voice. He joins the other spirits she collects, such as Joan and Medusa, and his name tag in dialogue reads “The Fallen”.
Following Rose’s first encounter with Death, The Fallen identifies himself as Leon Belmont, her ancestor. From then on, conversations display his name as “Leon”.
When the game reveals it
The identity reveal comes in the scene following the first battle with Death in the Catacombs—a fight Rose cannot win. She later awakens in a ruined Catacombs room and speaks with her spirits. What happens to her father in that scene is covered in does Trevor Belmont die.
Rose is grieving, and she says, “I cannot be the last Belmont.” The Fallen answers her directly: “Rose. You are not the last Belmont.” He then adds, “He still lives who pledged the Belmonts to hunt the night, who created the whip your father yielded against Death.”
Rose asks, “What… what are you saying? Who are you?” He replies, “I am the one who plunged our family into this cycle of violence.”
Then the name tag flips to LEON, and he says it outright: “I am your ancestor, Leon Belmont. And you are not alone.”
What Leon says about himself
Rose doesn’t accept it right away. “Leon… but… You died four centuries ago.”
Leon explains, “I should have. But Dracula used my desire for justice and revenge and cursed me with extended life.” He follows with, “Only by your hand and your mother’s cards is my mind now free.”
Put simply, Dracula kept Leon alive and under his control. Rose beating him and sealing him into her mother’s tarot card is what freed his mind.
How Rose and the others react
Rose’s first fear is about herself. “No, that can’t be… If Dracula could control Leon then… he can control me.” She adds, “I… I cannot believe this. No, it’s impossible.”
The other spirits split on whether to trust him. Medusa calls it a lie: “This “monster” tried to kill you, Rose! It is another trick!” Joan takes the opposite side: “I feel he speaks true, Rose. While the flame of truth burns in times of grief, it is better to light the dark than hide in its shadow.”
Rose cuts off the debate with, “It doesn’t matter.” She promises to find a way to destroy Dracula permanently, triggering the objective REACH DRACULA’S CASTLE.
Leon on the Notre-Dame Bridge
The question of whether he’s really Leon comes back later, on the Notre-Dame Bridge on the way into Dracula’s castle. Rose tests him with the family legend, and Leon answers with a detail about the woman in it: “But does the family legend say who she was? She was my beloved. The woman I was to marry.” Then, “Her name was Sara Trantoul.”
That convinces Rose of at least one thing: “…only Leon or a Belmont would know that.” She then asks, “But why didn’t you say anything before? After I captured you?”
Leon starts to explain: “When you first said “Belmont”, I remembered who I was. But I was overtaken by shame. Shame that I—” Medusa cuts him off: “—gave into Dracula’s domination! Neither Belmont nor martyr can escape Him! Leon is the proof! You are next, Rose!” Rose’s answer is blunt: “Then the only thing I can do is kill Dracula before the curse kills me!”
After the bridge fight with Isaac’s illusion, the bridge gives way, and Leon calls out, “Rose, watch out!” Rose asks him one more time, “…are you truly Leon Belmont?” He replies, “I swear on every Belmont who has lived and died and all those yet to come. I am.”
Rose finally gives him some ground: “Part of me still cannot believe it. But… thank you. Leon.”
