Bellum

The Evil Phantom, Bellum is the primary antagonist of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. He is a squid-like creature with a single eye in his mouth, along with many more eyes on his tentacles. Until the conclusion of the fourth dungeon, Link and Linebeck are unaware of his existence. However, once a petrified Tetra is found, Oshus, revealed to be the Ocean King himself, appears to tell the two about what happened to her. Many years ago, Bellum appeared and began to consume the Force, an energy which everything in the world possesses. Bellum attacked Oshus, who naturally fought back. However, his attacks were useless, as Bellum could absorb the Force used by him. Oshus was locked away, and Bellum began consuming all of his Force. Bellum then used the Sands of Hours, a crystallized version of the Force, to create monsters to seal away the Fairies of Power, Wisdom, and Courage. He also created the Ghost Ship, spreading rumors of a great treasure within it to lure people there. The Phantoms, found within the Temple of the Ocean, are his alter-egos, powerful and nigh-invincible like him. He was attracted to Tetra because of the great amount of Force within her.

Oshus reveals that the only way to slay Bellum is with the legendary Phantom Sword, a sword which only the blacksmith Zauz knows how to forge. After many struggles, Link obtains the Crimsonine Steel, the Azurine Steel, and the Aquanine Steel needed to forge the Phantom Sword. He then finally penetrates the inner sanctums of the Temple of the Ocean, where Bellum dwells, and uses the power of both the Phantom Sword and the Phantom Hourglass to temporarily defeat it. However, Bellum soon takes a revived Tetra and takes control of the Phantom Ship, attempting to escape with her. With the combined efforts of both Link and Linebeck, however, the Ghost Ship is destroyed. Bellum, still relentless, makes a large piece of the Ghost Ship drop onto the boat. Oshus, who was still on it, is seemingly killed, and Bellum uses this as an opportunity to grab Link. Linebeck, however, manages to free him using the Phantom Blade, but is soon taken by Bellum instead.



In a last-ditch effort to defeat Link, Bellum takes control of Linebeck, transforming him into an immense knight named "Bellumbeck". He then attacks Link, whose attacks against it are initially useless, even with the Phantom Hourglass. Ciela, however, hovers behind Bellumbeck, allowing Link to know when Bellumbeck's weak point, his eye, is open. Bellumbeck uses one of his tentacles to trap Ciela, though, and continues fighting Link. Link manages to loosen Bellumbeck's grip on Ciela several times throughout the battle, giving him Phantom Spheres to freeze time once Bellumbeck's eye is open. After a long and difficult battle, Linebeck is freed from Bellum's clutches, and the beast turns to the last of the Sands of Hours. Link absorbs it with the Phantom Sword, and Bellum is defeated.

Trivia

 * The relationship between Bellum and the Ocean King is a reference to the natural enmity between squids and sperm whales. Bellum's design is obviously a squid whereas the Ocean King is a whale.


 * "Bellum" is the Latin word for war.


 * Bellum's eyes have a strong resemblance to those of Majora's Mask.