Imagining Tiny Nose, Hooty, And Lilith Hanging Out. Tiny Nose Talking About Their Conspiracy Theories,

Imagining Tiny Nose, Hooty, and Lilith hanging out. Tiny nose talking about their conspiracy theories, Lilith providing her historical and political expertise to them and Hooty interjecting at random intervals with even wilder theories or just,, knowledge about creepily specific topics relevant to the convo. 

Mantua, c. 1727-1736

from The Victoria and Albert Museum

Okay, okay.

I don't think Belos is Philip. I just don't think the twist may be THAT obvious; Dana is a very in-depth writer. Perhaps I'll be wrong in the end, and if I am I will be lightly disappointed, but here we go!

I believe Belos is Philip's son if anything. Or perhaps even his nephew to draw a parallel between Belos and Hunter. Philip is a hateful, spiteful man towards witches (and everyone in general) and we don't see much of that in Belos, in all honesty. He's much more...calculating and meticulous of a person/villain. He hates so-called "wild magic" and tells Hunter his family was wiped out 16 years ago because of it. Him telling Hunter this so nonchalantly honestly made me think it was just a straight deceptive lie at first, like most things Belos says/does are, but at the same time Belos' voice actor describes him as, "misunderstood rather than evil." A very strong, specific set of words! I now believe there may be a bit of truth in that statement that Belos told Hunter. I believe, if anything, Philip started a fight with witches over his hatred and ended up losing to them and being killed. Perhaps Philip could have indeed killed his brother but pinned it on wild magic. And perhaps Belos was the one being lied to. Perhaps in Belos being lied to about his family being killed by "wild magic," he's now passing the lie onto Hunter (and thus carrying out even more damage). He's hellbent on destroying wild magic and witches that wield it because he truly may believe it's dangerous due to his father/uncle's lies. Philip wouldn't be above manipulating others to believe the witches are out to get him for "no reason," after all. He literally manipulated Luz and Lilith immediately upon meeting them. This could also tie into Belos apparently having visited the human realm at one point. And Philip being related to Belos could explain why Lilith felt a sense of Deja Vu from the way Philip complimented/talked to her and Luz.

Perhaps it could also stand as a parallel between Belos and Hunter to Belos and Philip. Lies and deception in a cycle. And yes, that would still mean Belos is a human! Or at least...partially. Perhaps Belos still has to use artificial magic because he is not completely a witch. Plus, he's only been Emperor for 50 years, right? Then that timeline would make perfect sense if Philip's curse somehow involved immortality (remember: immortal does not equal invincible), but perhaps Belos' doesn't for some reason? Also I just don't believe someone who's been alive for, what, 500 years or so would ONLY be Emperor for 50 years! That just seem like a long time to be building up such a rank.

I also believe Belos is afflicted with the same curse his father/uncle, Philip, was inflicted with from unknown means. Likely by "wild magic" like they say Belos' was caused by. Or at least that's what Belos was told. They both need to consume Palismans to keep it at bay. Though it is also noted it has became worse in the past few years with Palisman wood becoming scarce. The Collector may be related to this affliction carrying on to Belos, perhaps, as well. The Collector is obviously involved in Eda's curse, so why not Philip's, and also by extension Belos'? Obviously a lot is still left to debate like with Hunter being a Grimwalker, the sacrifices, and Philip's dead brother, but as of now I'd like to safely set my cards down that Belos isn't Philip, rather, afflicted with the damage Philip caused and is thus spreading it further and carrying out his father/uncle's goals and views in a way. Perhaps he got the Grimwalker stuff from Philip since we see blueprints that look like a more simplified version of the current Grimwalker blueprints that Belos owns.

If anything, I believe this little creature below is Belos. If the mask alone isn't a dead give away, then surely the hair is. The bangs droop downwards rather than point up like Philip's. And, honestly, Philip's hair doesn't look like Belos' at all. Their eyes aren't the same colors (or shapes), and their noses aren't the same shapes even after Lilith punches him and after he absorbs a Palisman. I just think the twist of Belos being Philip is TOO obvious for Dana's liking. I can DEFINITELY see them being related, however!

That's just my two cents, though. I can't add many images on mobile of comparisons of stuff and perhaps I forgot a few things, but oh well! It has also been a hot moment since I've watched the show so I may be forgetting things shown in there. It just seems...boring if a deceptive, megalomaniac Emperor against "wild magic" due to it killing his family be a weird...rude, crybaby of a 1600's British human and his dead brother. That just doesn't feel right in a fantastical setting </3.

Unpopular Theory: Belos is not Philip Wittebane

know that everyone, seeing the last episode, sincerely believes that Philip is Belos and that he very possibly killed his brother, but I don't think so. I know that to say that they look quite alike is not enough

But if they are really related in another way, how about father and son? If his resemblance is due to that, Belos is the son of Philip either with a witch or a human, I know that many will say no with the first option because Philip hates witches but many conquerors who saw the indigenous as inferior would still they slept with indigenous women. Philip was able to conceive him as a test subject, drawing the same seals on his body and forcing him to consume palismanians before doing it himself, he would continue like this until his eldest son, the fruit of a relationship with a human on Earth, would manage to reach the Boiling Islands. in search of his father. When he got there he would find him and just by seeing Belos he would realize that he is his younger brother. They would go together with Blue Tooth to the eclipse lake, Philip would sacrifice Blue Tooth and consume his palisman, his eldest son would witness and realize his father's experiments in Belos, horrified by his father's actions, he flees with his brother to the human world. taking the portal. Philip would be stranded in the demon realm still, angered by the tradition of his sons refusing to speak of them.

There I have 2 ideas:

1) Unfortunately both brothers could not get used to life in the 18th century, Belos being half witch with a fondness for magitek and his older brother with a red cardinal palisman named Flapjack would miss The Boiling Isles, the two decide to return even if the former liked the natural environment of Earth.

2) The brothers manage to adapt, Belos uses illusions to hide his ears and lives in peace until the arrival of a witch who tells them about his father and convinces them to return

In both options they would never return to Earth

If Belos were the son of a human woman, he would be the son who fell into the demon realm with his father who would force him to carve seals on his body and consume palismans until he was saved by his brother.

Why do I believe that?

Belos looks almost identical to Philip but his face is thinner and his hair is a lighter color.

These are small but important details.

Without forgetting how manipulative Belos is

Hunter: *would literally rather commit suicide than let down the family who treats him like shit*

The writing: *both tells and shows us, explicitly, that Hunter doesn’t care for being the Golden Guard, but he desperately clings to the role anyway because it’s the only way he can be close to Belos, and it directly and explicitly parallels his desperation not to be replaced with Amity’s desperation not to be dumped*

Some of the devils in this Fandom, for some reason: “Hunter refuses to betray his guardian, who has adopted him and raised him and given him a disability aid, for the sake of a bunch of strangers who kidnapped him and nearly got him killed twice but then were nice to him for a couple of minutes. HE IS SO SELFISH!!!”

It would be very creepy but in keeping with Philip's character. It reminds me of a short story about grave robbers.

Dunno if anyone has already noticed but there‘s also a rotting hand/arm in Philip‘s cave on the far left, it almost looks like a rock…I wonder if it belongs to his deceased brother

this thing? what stands out to me is the tag on it. the corpse on the table has one too. maybe it's a price tag, or something used to mark the bodies before burial. i doubt either is his brother, but instead corpses he either bought or stole to experiment on. possibly to test the grimwalker spell on (which he is probably already working in based on the pictures in the background) or maybe some other reason. he seems like a fucked up little science man to me.