Belphomet Ardelyte

Belphomet Ardelyte is the tyrannical ruler of Aiolon, the creator/"father" of Mono, Tetra and Aenea, and the main antagonist of Gears of Rebellion, Gears of Rebellion: Uprising and Invasion of the Worldreaver, as well as an antagonist in Whispers of Purgation: Last Words.

Belphomet is a leader of the Portalcraft class. His leader skin is obtained by obtaining his leader card in Renascent Chronicles.

In Shadowverse: Evolve, Belphomet is a leader of the Runecraft class. His leader card can be obtained in GFB01: Guide to Glory.

Personality[]

Belphomet Ardelyte is extremely cruel, sadistic, controlling, and above all, arrogant. He is described as being childish in temper and actions, letting his whims guide his actions and ignoring any potential threats when they simply are too much of a bother to deal with.

His cruelty extends to even his own creations. He treats Mono and her sisters with torture and abuse when they fail to meet his expectations and he shows sadism towards the other awakened robots.

Belphomet's defining trait is his arrogance and pride. He admits that he believes everything is supposed to revolve around him and anything that doesn't meet his standards or whims is worthless to him. This arrogance causes him to become irritated at the idea there is something he doesn't have knowledge of. His despise for the unknown is so great that when Nerva offered to save him by letting him become her vessel, he commits suicide to spite her because she is the ultimate unknown to him.

Story[]

History[]

Belphomet was the son of Doctor Ardelyte, Aiolon's leading scientist, born shortly after his father died. However, his mother always disowned him, apparently favoring a pair of robots named Adan and Evi that she had created as her "children" after many failed attempts to get pregnant. Belphomet did his best to win his mother's love, growing up to be a scientist like her. His mother, however, became obsessed with turning Adan and Evi into humans, and ending up dying in an explosion resulting from one of her failed attempts. Although Belphomet tried to stop her, she ran to save the robots and was consumed by the explosion.

Despite being able to save the backups of Adan and Evi in new bodies, Belphomet destroyed them, rejecting her mother's entire legacy, keeping in her mind her only phrase that marked him, that only the chosen ones have the gift of creating life and the others can only follow them. He then decided to become the sole and absolute creator, and subject everyone else to his will.

After assuming his mother's position as director, Belphometh developed Aiolon technology to new heights, including the mass production of androids. At some point, he came into contact with Keeper Nerva. Belphomet would eventually decide to take full control of Aiolon by force, murdering the king and sending his enforcers to subdue everyone. Belphomet would carry out experiments on the former royal guards turning them into cyborgs, but they would all end up perishing except for one subject in particular, Nicola Adel. Belphomet then decided to give Nicola one last use as a test subject for the interdimensional travel device he had created with what he learned from Nerva. He would later build nine advanced sentient androids but treated them cruelly. He eventually destroyed six of them and rebuilt them into his furies while Mono, Tetra, and Aenea escaped his clutches and started a resistance against him.

Gears of Rebellion[]

After destroying the robots, Isabelle is quickly interrupted by a man who Isabelle determines is Belphomet. Belphomet orders more robot guards to attack Isabelle, but she is rescued by Tetra. Belphomet scoffs at Tetra's attempt to bring otherworlders to stop him and leaves.

When Yuwan Gilfrei begins destroying the enforcers, he is attacked by Belphomet. Belphomet recognizes Ayeoh's relationship with Jaytu and taunts that he had rebuilt her in an attempt to remove her sentience. Jaytu attacks Belphomet in anger, but Belphomet injuries him. When Yuwan prepares to flee with Jaytu, Belphomet destroys Ayeoh in another attempt to spite them. Belphomet's protective barrier guards him from Yuwan's attacks and he recognizes his power is that of Nerva. Bored with Yuwan, Belphomet leaves and sends his robot guards to deal with Yuwan.

Belphomet decides to upload an unknown recording to taunt the resistance, but destroys one of his machines when it proposes to load the recording in rage at one of his machines taking action without his consent. Urias Formonde finds Belphomet and notices he does not sense any real power from the latter and Belphomet tries to have his robots attack Urias for his attitude and breaking his rules, but Urias swiftly destroys them. Urias determines Belphomet is not the all powerful being he is imagines, but Belphomet denies this. Urias points out an example of Belphomet's weakness is that he gets riled up at the idea of the unknown and Belphomet declares that he despises the unknown and that any power he did not create in his empire doesn't deserve to exist. Belphomet creates a protective barrier around himself with his technology, but Urias still believes that Belphomet as no true power of his own. Fed up with Urias, Belphomet leaves after sending more robot guards to destroy Urias, but Urias merely gets excited for the thrill of the hunt.

Gears of Rebellion: Uprising[]

Belphomet is warned of an attack on the central tower by the resistance. Surprise by Tetra's act of bravery, Belphomet orders an increase in the production and deployment of his robot forces as well as the activation of The Furies, a new series of robots under production. After his orders are carried out, Belphomet vows to destroy every trace of the resistance.

After Belphomet is pushed to the brink of defeat by the group from another world reunited by Tetra, the group attempts to question him about the Keepers. However, an infuriated and desperate Belphomet calls out to Nerva. Nerva's voice rings through the room as she gives Belphomet the power to fuse with his machines. As his body is transformed, Belphomet raves how he despised his human body and sought to make the world in his image to ease that hatred.

Invasion of the Worldreaver[]

Belphomet enters Nerva's realm and she orders him to travel to Naterra and destroy Viridia Magna in exchange for unlimited knowledge. Belphomet arrive and is disgusted by it's lush environment. He then locates Viridia Magna's location and makes an announcement across the forest that Naterra is his and unleashes mechanical vines that attack .

Belphomet grows annoyed from the defiance he is facing and sends a new wave of mechanical vines. Still angry, he orders Nerva to send him the Furies and uses his new power to raise an army of robot soldiers that were made by Naterra's previous civilization. With his forces continuing to be held back, Belphomet decides to empower the Furies by connection them to the defense systems from the previous civilization.

When the otherworlders find Belphomet, he reveals he has absorbed Viridia Magna and her power. Erika and Arisa realize they can save Viridia Magna if they can free her power from Belphomet and the group rallies to fight him. Despite the group's efforts, Belphomet creates an impregnable energy barrier to shield himself. Urias taunts Belphomet with the fact he was previously defeated and Belphomet claims he has rid himself of emotions to make himself invincible, but Urias counters that emotions have power not even he fathoms. Further angered, Belphomet revives the Furies. Just as the Furies are about to attack, they suddenly regain their sentience and turn on Belphomet, destroying his barrier at the cost of their lives.

The group pushes Belphomet to the brink of defeat, but Nerva appears and offers Belphomet to become her vessel in exchange for power. At first Belphomet seems to take Nerva's offer, but rejects her. He realizes that Nerva sent him to Naterra in order for him to be defeated again so he would take her offer of vesselship. He expresses his hatred for the unknown and Nerva, the embodiment of the unknown in his eyes, makes him sick. Belphomet takes his own life in one last act of defiance

Whispers of Purgation: Last Words[]

Belphomet is revived by Nerva along with Nexus, Taketsumi and Maisha to become servants of the Keeper of Purgation. Belphomet is given the power of Joy and sent to destroy Isunia. Belphomet realizes that despite being unable to resist Nerva's orders, the fact they were revived with their sense of self intact implies there is more than she is letting on, but the other servants of Nerva don't care.

Belphomet prepares to annihilate Isunia, but discovers a signature from one of his creations that is already present in Isunia and plans to take it and the device Nerva sent him to find. He summons the Furies, revived and empowered by Nerva, to wreak havoc.

Nicola Adel and Belphomet meet each other again for the first time in years and the latter believes it will be impossible for Nicola, one of his creations, to surpass its creator and unveils the Aegis he stole. Belphomet reveals that Nerva ordered him to destroy the Aegis, but he kept it for himself to use it against Nerva and discover her real goal. Nicola plows through the machine and vows to defeat Belphomet, not for revenge, but to protect his new home. He eats every mana crystal Eschamali saved and removes his body's limiter to unleash his full might against Belphomet. However, Belphomet reveals the new power Nerva gave him, the power of "joy" which neutralizes all attacks that threatens the user and their joy. Unable to harm Belphoment, Nicola is overpowered and Belphomet finishes completing the Aegis, but Nerva's hold on him prevents him from using it. Belphomet's power of Joy fails to endure Nicola's assault and Nicola tells Belphomet he doesn't trust anything but himself because his afraid to; afraid of the unknown. The two have one last clash that ends with both of them mortally wounded. Conceding defeat, Belphomet leaves behind the Aegis he completed before he dies.

Card Appearances[]

Trivia[]

Belphomet was the 2nd place winner of the 4th Anniversary Card Popularity Poll for the Portalcraft class, with 51,817 votes, receiving the most votes of any male character across all classes that year.
Belphomet's "Lord of Aiolon" form was designed by the illustrator Kouta Nagamori, while his "Worldreaver" or "Ultimate Creator" form was designed by the illustrator Hagi0s.
In an interview for Cygames Magazine and the game's 4th anniversary, as well as a Q&A for the game's 5th anniversary, scenario team lead/writer Rintaro Isozaki said that Belphomet was his favorite character from the Story Mode.^[1]