The Nine Bishops

Lore & Background

The Nine Bishops are named after the nine circles of hell in Dante's Inferno, each representing a different type of torment. Their names—Keons, Reisdro, Sacarver, Nills, Lisden, Listo, Kroh, Vetomo, and Andre—are derived from rearranged letters of these circles, as if the bishops themselves are twisted echoes of damnation. They govern Dema through a combination of propaganda, surveillance, and psychological manipulation, using the city's walls and the Banditos' rebellion as a constant backdrop to their control. Each bishop has a distinct personality and role, though their exact functions are often left ambiguous in the lore—intentionally so, because fear doesn't need a name to be real. Keons, for example, is associated with the first circle and is seen as a leader figure, a kind of warden of the mind's front door. Others like Sacarver or Nills are linked to deeper circles of hell, perhaps representing the more insidious, buried fears. They are depicted as cloaked figures with glowing eyes, often appearing in music videos and live performances as symbols of oppression—not just villains, but projections of the very real doubts that keep us from crossing into the Trench. The Bishops' ultimate goal is to maintain the status quo in Dema, preventing citizens from reaching the 'Trench'—a metaphorical and literal place of escape and self-discovery. They are the reason for the protagonist's struggle, representing the voices of doubt and fear that keep people trapped in their own minds. But here's the twist: they aren't invincible. The lore suggests that recognizing them—naming them—is the first step to breaking their hold.

In Their Own Story

The nine figures stood in a circle atop the tower, their cloaks billowing in the cold wind. Below, the city of Dema lay silent, its neon lights flickering like dying stars. Keons raised a hand, and the others followed, their eyes glowing with an eerie amber light. 'Another one tried to run,' he said, his voice a low hum. 'They always do.' The bishops turned in unison, their gaze fixed on the distant glow of the Trench. 'But we are the walls,' Reisdro whispered, 'and we do not break.'

Reader's Guide

The Nine Bishops are the central antagonists in the Twenty One Pilots lore, introduced during the Trench era. They rule Dema, a city that symbolizes mental and emotional imprisonment, and are named after the nine circles of hell from Dante's Inferno. Each bishop represents a specific form of control or fear, such as doubt, despair, or conformity, and they work together to prevent citizens from escaping to the Trench—a place of freedom and self-acceptance. The bishops are often depicted as cloaked figures with glowing eyes, appearing in music videos like 'Jumpsuit' and 'Nico and the Niners.' Their names are anagrams of the circles of hell: Keons (First Circle), Reisdro (Second), Sacarver (Third), Nills (Fourth), Lisden (Fifth), Listo (Sixth), Kroh (Seventh), Vetomo (Eighth), and Andre (Ninth). While their individual roles are not fully detailed, they collectively represent the internal and external forces that trap people in cycles of negativity. The lore surrounding the bishops is rich with symbolism. For example, the fact that their names are anagrams of the circles of hell suggests that each bishop isn't just a ruler—they're a manifestation of a specific layer of torment. Fans have theorized that Keons (limbo) represents the paralysis of indecision, while Andre (treachery) embodies self-betrayal. The bishops' presence in the 'Jumpsuit' video—watching from a tower as the protagonist struggles below—mirrors the feeling of being judged by your own worst thoughts. And in 'Nico and the Niners,' the line 'they know, they know' hints at the bishops' omniscience, but also at the protagonist's growing awareness: the first step to escaping Dema is realizing you're inside it.

Did You Know?

• The Nine Bishops are named after the nine circles of hell in Dante's Inferno, with their names being anagrams of the Italian terms for those circles—a clever nod that turns damnation into a bureaucracy.
• The bishops first appeared in the 'Jumpsuit' music video, where they are seen watching the protagonist from a tower—a visual metaphor for the feeling of being watched by your own insecurities.
• Each bishop is associated with a specific color, which appears in the official merchandise and visual art for the Trench era. Fans have used these colors to map the bishops to their corresponding circles, adding another
• The bishops' role in the lore is often compared to the 'Nico and the Niners' song, which directly references their control over Dema. The song's title itself is a clue: 'Nico' is an anagram of 'Nico' (short for Nicodemus