Zobek


Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
 Zobek assists Gabriel in the slaying of the Ice Titan and then offers sporadic "guidance" in following

Zobek was one of three founders of the Brotherhood of Light and one of its longest-serving warriors. Armed with his simple long sword, he amassed a list of heroic deeds as impressive as his vast knowledge of the art of war. In the eternal battle between good and evil, it was Zobek and his fellow founders who were able to tip the equilibrium in God's favor. Their studies in holy enlightenment led them to three sacred places where the power of God converged with such intensity that it forged a bridge between the spiritual and the real; together they abandoned human form and transformed into spiritual beings whose power was second only to God's. Though, they unknowingly left behind their "dark sides," the conduit through which new types of beings called the Lords of Shadow emerged. Zobek's "dark side" was one from their rank; it became the Lord of the Necromancers and the Lord of the Dead.

The Lords over time, in his opinion, became impotent, always bickering and never realizing their combined potential. Zobek saw this as an opportunity to gain mastery over his brethren. His method sinister, Zobek probed the very depths of Hell to find the knowledge on how to acquire ultimate power while fighting hordes of demons to remain strong. Only then did Satan, whom he interpreted only as a "dark force," enter into him, expanding his knowledge of the dark arts to unimagined heights. Satan planted in his mind the seeds for a complicated plot that would surely, Zobek believed, lead to the dominance that he sought. First he cast a spell that separated Earth from Heaven, creating an era of chaos; he knew that it would lead to the other Lords contacting the Brotherhood, urging it to create a "prophecy" as a ray of hope in the darkness. The prophecy stated that a pure-hearted warrior would claim the power of the Lords of Shadow and use it to overcome evil, becoming God's vassal and supremely powerful. In reality, he was hoping for them to select some dupe, a "shining knight," whom he could then manipulate to collect the shattered pieces of the God mask, which when completed would indeed afford its wearer supreme power but would instead be used as part of his own nefarious scheme.

Zobek chose his target: Gabriel Belmont, who had achieved an unprecedented mastery of the fighting arts. Using the influence of the Devil mask, he induced Gabriel into a trance wherein he murdered his own wife, Marie, without leaving him any memory of the event. He then finessed the Brotherhood into assigning the oblivious Gabriel the task of investigating the cause of the Earth-Heaven separation, which was their cover for their selecting him as the executor of the "prophecy." It was from this position that Zobek preyed on his ignorance, earning his trust by appearing in human form and helping him destroy the Ice Titan. Zobek introduced himself to Gabriel as "a member of the Brotherhood of Light," wearing an old-fashioned uniform that he claimed had been inherited from one of his ancestors--one of the Brotherhood's founding fathers. Zobek trailed Gabriel, generally guiding him and coming to his aid while fiendishly manipulating him in other ways. That is, he used the influence of the God mask pieces, as they were being collected, to coax him into murdering his new friend Claudia, who in Zobek's estimation knew too much about what was really going on.

When Gabriel arrived on the doorstep of Hell with the reformed God mask, Zobek finally abandoned his guise and revealed himself as the Lord of the Necromancers. He then explained everything: His true origin, his ongoing plot, and how he manipulated Gabriel into murdering both Marie and Claudia, which was necessary to emotionally anchor the warrior and prevent him from becoming too powerful. Zobek taunted him with this knowledge, proud that he had led Gabriel down a path of disgrace. He then apparently killed Gabriel by magically lifting him high into the air and slamming him to the ground with thunderous impact, thereafter obtaining the completed God mask. As Gabriel lay lifeless, Zobek began laughing uproariously in victory. His celebration was cut short by Satan, who from the shadows slithered, "Hail, mighty Zobek," putting him in a state of unease. Satan confirmed that it was he who planted into Zobek's "tiny mind" the entire grand scheme, which was all conceived to serve a higher purpose. Before he could even consider the weight of Satan's words, Zobek watched, in horror, as the unholy one used his unmatched power to burn him to death, abruptly ending his campaign.

Sometime during the proceeding 53-year period, Zobek was resurrected and reclaimed his crown as the Lord of the Necromancers. Having taken interest in the Combat Cross, he promised a lesser Necromancer that he would return its soul if it were to track down Trevor Belmont's son, Simon, and seize from him the inherited weapon. It failed in that mission.

Centuries later, when Satan's return was imminent, Zobek tracked down the cursed Gabriel, who now wanted to be known as only "Dracul," looking to form an allegiance and thwart the Dark Lord's revival. Though the two were in the past enemies, Zobek realized that both would be the target of the vengeful Satan and his minions, forced to be their favorite pets for all eternity. Uninterested in his games, Dracul teleported behind him, grabbing hold of his frame and attempting to sink his teeth into Zobek's neck. Zobek slipped free and caught him off guard with a force power, which knocked Dracul back through the stained-glass window and outside, down to the streets below. As he started to recover from his fall, Zobek again tried to reason with him, claiming he knew what Dracul yearned. He offered to free the pained Dracul of his immortality if he could assist him in some undisclosed way. Still unimpressed, Dracul teleported away without even uttering a word. "Soon, old friend," Zobek said in closing. "Soon it will all be over." He then walked off, blending into the crowd as the sirens blared and the downpour continued.

 
 
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