Phantoms

This article is about a group of villains in Kamen Rider Wizard.

Phantoms

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Phantoms (ファントム, Fantomu) are the main antagonists of Kamen Rider Wizard. Born from within the bodies of despairing Gates, an infant Phantom (known also as an Inner Phantom) proceeds to destroy the Gate's Underworld before bursting from the host and gaining a physical humanoid body appearance and receiving the ability to disguise as the Gate which had given birth to them. Unlike the humanoid Phantoms that emerge from a Gate, the inner Phantoms are more monstrous in form. When a Gate keeps a Phantom inside of them from tearing loose by clinging onto hope, that Inner Phantom would henceforth be known as a Enslaved Phantom (使役ファントム, Shieki Fantomu), and that Gate can now use magic and become a Magician.

Overview[]

Each Phantom has a form based on a monster from various Western mythologies.

The Phantoms of the modern day that were created on the day of a solar eclipse follow the orders of a mysterious figure called the Wiseman who gives them the task to find more Gates and place them in despair so that more of their kind can be created. However, Kamen Rider Wizard stands in their way of sacrificing more humans. But when it's too late to stop a Gate from falling into despair, Wizard must use an Engage Wizard Ring to enter the wearer's Underworld and destroy the manifested inner Phantom, in turn turning the Gate into a normal human.

Kamen Rider Beast also stands in the Phantoms' way, but differ from Wizard. Kamen Rider Beast's top priority is to replenish his mana supply by absorbing Phantoms' mana, rather than saving the Gates like Wizard. However, Kamen Rider Beast can also use his own Engage Ring to trip the Gates's Underworld to destroy their Underworld Phantom and revert the Gates to a normal human. In Movie War Ultimatum, Kamen Rider Fourze can use the Fourze Engage Ring to enter the Underworld by using the Cosmic Switch as the catalyst. The Phantoms also use familiars called Ghouls, which are created from magic stones and serve as the Phantoms' foot soldiers.

Like humans, Phantoms have different personalities and not all are interested in their supposed cause. So far several of the phantoms such as Caitsìth and Lizardman have shown little personal interest in creating more Gates, preferring to fulfill their own desires until forced to take action by the commanders.

Judging from the lives of Phoenix and Medusa's Gates, Yugo and Misa, it seems that Phantoms are manifestations of the Gates' darker side. As such, while retaining their abilities as Gates, Phantoms' personalities are the exact opposite of their former selves. However Gates such as Sora who already embrace their dark side appear to be able to dominate their inner Phantom and gain their powers and form without dying.

Also, because they are beings of mana, some Phantoms can change into a magician. For example, Fueki and Orma, who can change into White Wizard and Sorcerer, are Wiseman (an artificial Phantom originally named Carbuncle) and the Phantom Drake.

History[]

Ancient times[]

It is known that Phantoms existed long ago before Sou Fueki performed the Sabbath ritual in modern times. Indeed, as they share the names and appearances of creatures in human mythology and legend, the Phantoms could well have been the source of those stories. The Phantom Ogre was shown to have evidently consumed incarnations of Phantoms that were fought by Wizard and Beast in modern times. However, the only Phantom known definitely to have existed in ancient times was Beast Chimera, a cannibalistic Phantom who was mysteriously imprisoned within the Beast Driver until he was discovered by Kosuke Nito.

The Sabbath[]

The Phantom resurgence in modern times was brought about by Sou Fueki, as a side-effect of his attempt to revive his daughter, Koyomi. Originally a physicist at Kirimine University, Fueki fell into deep despair after Koyomi died of an illness. Though not a Gate himself, Fueki researched on how to bring her back, leading him to create an artificial Phantom, Carbuncle, which he implanted into himself. Not only did this allow him to take control of and transform into the Phantom Carbuncle, it also granted him magical powers. Now a magician, Fueki created a Driver belt which was designed to use the Wizard Rings created by Shigeru Wajima, allowing Fueki to transform into a mage Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider Wiseman, also known as 'White Wizard'.

Having acquired the Philosopher's Stone through unknown means, Fueki implanted it into the deceased Koyomi in order for her resurrection in the Sabbath ritual which he would orchestrate. As Wiseman, Fueki had discovered how to create the Ghoul familiars, which he would use as the four pillars to perform the Sabbath, as well as having numerous Gates kidnapped and taken to a remote location where they were forced into despair. However, this Sabbath was not successful due to the familiars not being fit for the role of pillars. Nearly all the Gates gave in to their despair, giving birth to their respective Phantoms and resulting in their deaths. Only one Gate, Haruto Soma, was able to survive by holding onto and restraining his inner Phantom, Dragon.

Aftermath of the Sabbath[]

Seeing that the boy now had the potential to become a magician, Fueki, realizing that such mages would be more suitable to act as the pillars of the Sabbath, started preparations for a second Sabbath ritual. As White Wizard, Fueki appeared before Haruto in the aftermath of the Sabbath, saving him from the newborn Lizardman. Telling him to fight the Phantoms, Fueki gave him the specially-created Wizardriver and the Flame Wizard Ring, as well as entrusting him with Koyomi who, as a result of her failed resurrection, was rendered a blank "doll" with no memory of her life as well as requiring a regular infusion of mana to keep her alive which would be provided by Haruto as he took care of her, Fueki being unable to do as he needed to save all his mana up for the second Sabbath. As Carbuncle, he took command of the newly born Phantoms, who only knew him as 'Wiseman', sending them on a crusade to force more Gates into despair. Though they knew that Wiseman's goal was to perform the Sabbath, the Phantoms were led to believe that he wanted to create more of their kind, not realizing that his true intentions were to find three more Gates strong enough to control their Phantoms and become mages like Haruto. Meanwhile, Haruto, with Koyomi at his side, sought Shigeru Wajima who took the two into his Antique Shop Omokagedo where he would build Wizard Rings for Haruto to fight the Phantoms as Kamen Rider Wizard.

The mindset of the newborn Phantoms varied, some were bored and had no interest in forcing despair, some just wanted to inflict pain and death upon humans. To keep the Phantoms in line, giving them orders to target Gates on Wiseman's behalf were two Chief Phantoms, consisting of Medusa, who was fiercely loyal to Wiseman, and Phoenix, an increasingly impatient Phantom who would prove to be trouble later. At least one Phantom, Legion, who wished to wreak destruction in human Underworlds, was deemed totally incompatible with Wiseman's agenda and thus was bound in chains.

Forcing Despair[]

The Second Sabbath[]

Later history[]

Bujin Gaim[]

Six Phantoms, Minotauros, Hydra, Bogy, Argus, Sphinx, and Khepri, were part of the monster army of Kamen Rider Bujin Gaim in the Sengoku Period world of the Bujin Riders. During the final battle, when Bujin Gaim had entered his Rengeza form, he had created an army of Kaijins in order to outnumber and overpower his enemies with the Minotauros Phantom, the Hydra Phantom, the Bogy Phantom, the Argus Phantom, the Sphinx Phantom and the Khepri Phantom being part of the aforementioned army. In the end, however, the Khepri Phantom was destroyed by Kamen Rider Ryugen W Arms, the Sphinx Phantom was destroyed by Kamen Rider Baron OOO Arms whereas the Minotauros Phantom, the Hydra Phantom, the Bogy Phantom and the Argus Phantom were destroyed by Kamen Rider Zangetsu Fourze Arms. ^{[Kamen Rider Gaim: Sengoku Battle Royale]}

Underground Empire Badan[]

Arachne and Gremlin were among the revived monsters of the Underground Empire Badan which was defeated by the 15 Heisei Riders and 15 Showa Riders. ^{[Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai]}

Super Hero Taisen GP[]

In an alternate timeline created by Shocker's History Modifying Machine enacting an assassination of the Double Riders by Kamen Rider 3 in 1973, at least one Phantom, Phoenix, was among the many monsters that served the evil organization which ruled the world in this timeline. During the final battle against the Kamen Riders, Phoenix was destroyed by the unbrainwashed former Shocker Rider, Wizard. ^{[Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3]}

Riders' Souls![]

Sou Fueki was brought back by Frey as an opponent in order for the current Kamen Riders to unlock Kamen Rider Wizard's Ghost Eyecon, a feat which was achieved by Kamen Rider Ghost who used it to assume Wizard Damashii and destroy Kamen Rider Wiseman again. ^{[Kamen Rider Ghost: Legendary! Riders' Souls!]}

Zi-O[]

In an alteration to history brought about by Time Jacker Heure transforming Hayase into Another Wizard on December 25, 2012, the Phantoms were erased from history while Haruto Soma lost his identity as Kamen Rider Wizard. ^{[Beauty & Beast 2012]}

List of Phantoms[]

Behind The Scenes[]

Design[]

The Phantoms are designed by artist Hiroshi Maruyama (丸山浩, Maruyama Hiroshi), who previously designed many of the creatures in the Ultra Series.

Notes[]

The Phantoms are the only Heisei Era Phase 2 monster race not to originate from the collectibles of their respective series, the Wizard Rings in their case, as the Dopants of Kamen Rider W are humans who transform using Gaia Memories, the Greeed/Yummies from Kamen Rider OOO were created from the Core Medals/Cell Medals, and the Zodiarts of Kamen Rider Fourze like the Dopants are humans who transform using Zodiarts Switches.
- The succeeding series' monsters vary slightly in their relation to the collectible: Inves of Kamen Rider Gaim are created from the Fruit of Helheim, which become Lockseeds for Riders, the Roidmudes in Kamen Rider Drive are powered by the Core Driviars that power the Shift Cars and Signal Bikes, Gamma from Kamen Rider Ghost use the same system as the Rider collectibles to take form, the majority of Bugsters from Kamen Rider Ex-Aid are the bosses of the games programmed into the Gashats, the Smash from Kamen Rider Build are formed from the power source of the collectibles, and Another Riders in Kamen Rider Zi-O are people transformed by a darker form of the collectible.
Phantoms are similar to the Orphnochs of Kamen Rider 555, because, in order to make more of their kind, they must kill a human first. Also, when they are about to transform into their monster form, a silhouette of their monster form's face will appear over their human face.
- Orphnochs that are created by other Ophnochs (known as "Sired Orphnochs") are more mentally unstable and feral-minded, however, not to mention attempts to make Sired Orphnochs more often than not kill the infected human. Those who had died in an accident create stronger, more desirable Orphnochs known as "Natural Orphnochs".
Phantoms are also similar to the Worms of Kamen Rider Kabuto, who kill humans and take over their identities.
- Worms, though, take over their target's identities by first mimicking their target's image, then kill the original.
The sword used by some of the Phantoms has a similar design to the Dinosaur Sword God Horn the main weapon of the Giant Robo of the 16th Super Sentai Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger Shinka Gattai Daizyuzin.