Beamos

Beamos are recurring enemies in the. They are impregnable statues with rotating heads and a single, glaring eye. They fire energy beams at anything that comes within close proximity.

Characteristics
The Beamos is one of the most technologically advanced enemies in the Zelda universe. This foe is not only made of solid metal, as in, , and in , or stone like in , but wields and uses a finely-tuned laser to attack territorial threats, situated at its "forehead." Despite the modern look and attributes, these foes cannot move, and must rely on their laser solely to keep intruders at bay. For this reason, Beamos are often situated inside dungeon rooms, or placed strategically on a staircase or entrance to impede progress, using swiveling movements to check all of their bounds. This laser of theirs, in every incarnation, has a specified range that can be bested whenever Link steps out of range, hides behind an object, or in, the Oracle series, and Phantom Hourglass, simply when the Beamos is off the screen.

The laser of the Beamos cannot be avoided once it has been shot, however, in Link's Awakening, Link can use the Mirror Shield or any Shield to reflect the laser away. For the majority of Zelda titles, the laser itself is a continuous long beam, except in and Link's Awakening, where it is a single short beam.

Variations
Beamos across the Zelda series often only come in one variety, however, in games like The Wind Waker, which denotes Beamos by color, and Ocarina of Time, that distinguishes these foes by size, there is quite the variation. In The Wind Waker, they come in two variations: red ones, which act like normal Beamos, and blue ones, which have fixed beam paths, blocking Link's path entirely until they are destroyed.

In Twilight Princess, they come in two variations: a larger brown type found in the Goron Mines and minor caves that are able to shoot fire beams, and a thinner white type in the Temple of Time, which carries the ability to shoot pink beams of energy. These white variants cannot be moved and can be destroyed by the statue Link controls with the Dominion Rod.

Beamos in Skyward Sword appear as multi-layered, totem pole-like enemies comprised of electrified sections. The head of the Beamos turns in a rigid, mechanical way as opposed to moving fluently.

Weaknesses
Beamos have a collective weak spot centralized at the eye from which its laser is produced. The Beamos variety seen in A Link to the Past and several subsequent titles cannot be destroyed, only avoided. Using the Mirror Shield in the Game Boy titles can reflect its beam, but this will not affect the statue. Straying from the norm, the Beamos from Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and The Wind Waker can all be destroyed with the use of Bombs, exploding on contact. They can be destroyed with a Bombchu in Phantom Hourglass.

In The Wind Waker,, and Twilight Princess, they can be defeated with an Arrow to the eye, or by using the Dominion Rod to control a statue to smash them in the Temple of Time in Twilight Princess. If Link is out of Arrows, he can also destroy them with a strike from the Ball and Chain.

Beamos in Skyward Sword can be destroyed by slicing apart different sections of their body and stabbing the eye, but using the Bow is also effective later in the game. Beamos in this game are shown to crumble into a pile of stone after many years, but will be returned to life like other enemies when under the effects of a Timeshift Stone. Like all other incarnations, the Beamos will shoot out a laser beam from its eye, but this attack can now be deflected back using the Shield to stun it. As the game treats the laser as electricity, this will not work if Link uses the Iron Shield or its upgrades, which will conduct it. Using the Gust Bellows on the wing like structures on the sides of its head will also cause it to become dizzy and stunned for a small time.

Hyrule Warriors
Beamos appear in inside of keeps in various maps in the game, as well as in the hallways of Temple of Souls. This incarnation shoots magic beams into the floor before having the beam explode in a line. Like in some of the previous games, the only way to destroy it is to throw Bombs at it.

Trivia

 * In Ocarina of Time, when targeting a Beamos, Navi says that it does not like smoke. This quote is similar to the Old Man's hint in the Moon Labyrinth in, where he says that "Dodongo Dislikes Smoke."
 * The Beamos, Dexivines, Vines, and Warships in are the only enemies in the game that cannot be made into a Nintendo Gallery Figurine. Giving a picture of one to Carlov will result in him making an Armos Figurine.