The mystery around Ghost’s latest evolution has finally cracked open. The band has confirmed the fate of Papa Emeritus IV in a new video, Arrival of a Secret Agent.
Fans last saw Papa IV “retire” onstage at the end of the Impera tour in 2023, leaving a vacuum in Ghost’s ever-shifting mythology. Now, we’ve got answers, well, sort of. According to the band’s latest chapter, Papa IV has re-emerged under a new identity: Frater Imperator. And the twist is he’s not stoked about it.
The video reveals Frater Imperator is grieving the recent death of his mother. To make matters weirder, the new frontman of Ghost—Papa V Perpetua—is his fraternal twin. This family drama isn’t just internal canon. It’s part of the slow build toward a new era of the band, both in sound and story.
Ghost frontman Tobias Forge, who plays every incarnation of Papa, has always leaned hard into character evolution, using each “retirement” and rebirth to push the band’s concept further. From anti-pope theatrics to full-blown ecclesiastical soap opera, each new Papa adds another layer to the band’s warped universe.
Papa V’s debut will arrive with impact. He’s locked in to perform at Black Sabbath’s final show in Birmingham on July 5, alongside Metallica, Slayer, Gojira, and more. A teaser posted by Ghost earlier this year featured a swirling purple-and-black background stamped with the Roman numeral “V”, and the caption: “We wish to inform you V is coming… To Birmingham on July 5th.”
What we haven’t seen yet is what Papa V looks like. Ghost are keeping visuals under wraps, but the lore is clearly in motion. And with the upcoming release of Rite Here Rite Now, the band’s hybrid concert film directed by Alex Ross Perry, this new chapter looks set to unfold across multiple formats.
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