Editing Beldam

{{character infobox
|image=[[File:PMTTYDNS Beldam Artwork.png|200px]]<br>Artwork from ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)
|first_appearance= ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'' ([[List of games by date#2004|2004]])
|latest_appearance=''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch)|Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'' ([[Nintendo Switch]]) ([[List of games by date#2024|2024]])
}}
{{quote|Mmmmmmwee hee hee hee! I have no quarrel with [[Mario|you]]...but I simply can't allow you to hunt for the [[Crystal Stars]].|Beldam|Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door}}

'''Beldam''' is a major antagonist of ''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]'' and its [[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch)|Nintendo Switch remake]]. She is the leader of the [[Three Shadows]], which consists of herself and her sisters, [[Marilyn]] and [[Vivian]] (who is later replaced with [[Doopliss]]). She is more than 1,000 years old and is the oldest of the three sisters. She and the Three Shadows work with the [[X-Nauts (organization)|X-Nauts]] to find the [[Crystal Stars]] and open [[The Thousand-Year Door]]. Beldam and her sisters are reoccurring enemies that appear many times throughout [[Mario]]'s adventure in ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'', making numerous attempts to halt his progress. She and her Shadows always appear during even-numbered chapters and are fought a total of two times. In the end, Beldam is revealed to have been the one who arranged for the events of the story, using even the [[X-Naut]]s as pawns in her scheme.

Beldam's name comes from the word "beldam" (or "beldame"), which is used to describe a sorceress or a hideous woman. It also comes from the word "bedlam" (with the "l" and "d" letters switched), meaning chaos or disorder.

==History==
===Background===
{{quote|Let's go, my lovelies! [[Marilyn]]! [[Vivian]]! Come! We've got a job to do!|Beldam|Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door}}
[[File:BeldamDisguised.png|thumb|left|200px|Beldam disguised as a merchant while selling the treasure chest to [[Princess Peach]].]]

A thousand years prior to the events in ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'', Beldam was a servant of the [[Shadow Queen]]. After she was defeated and sealed by the [[List of implied characters#Four heroes|four heroes]], Beldam created a plan to revive her so she could serve her once more. She soon began to spread rumors of an ancient treasure that had been sealed behind [[the Thousand-Year Door]] and could only be opened with the seven [[Crystal Stars]], hoping to lure the unsuspecting into gathering them and breaking the seal, reawakening the [[Shadow Queen]].

At some point, Beldam found out about the [[X-Nauts (organization)|X-Nauts]], manipulating their leader [[Grodus]] into helping her by lying to him that he would have full control over the Shadow Queen if he awakens her. Beldam also informed Grodus of the [[treasure chest]] she had, which contained the [[Magical Map]]. The four heroes had placed a charm on the chest so that it could only be opened by someone who is pure of heart. In order to gain access to the Magical Map pointing to the locations of the Crystal Star, as well as to find a pure maiden for the Shadow Queen to use as her vessel, Beldam disguised herself as a merchant selling the treasure chest in [[Rogueport]]. 

[[Princess Peach]] went on to open the chest, but Beldam failed to capture her due to being in public view of Rogueport's residents and an encounter with [[Toadsworth|a strange old man]]. As a result, Princess Peach mailed the map to Mario, inviting him to go on a treasure hunt with her, though she was later kidnapped by the X-Nauts.

===''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door''===
Following the defeat of [[Hooktail]] by Mario and his partners, Grodus interrogates Princess Peach over the location of the Magical Map. After learning that Mario has the map, Grodus summons the Three Shadows. Frustrated at Beldam for not kidnapping Peach right away, Grodus orders the Three Shadows to get the map back from Mario.

[[File:ShadowSisterBogglyWoods-PMTTYD.png|thumb|200px|Beldam, Marilyn, and Vivian in the Boggly Woods.]]

When Mario first encounters the Three Shadows in the [[Boggly Woods]], they do not recognize him at first as their sketch is missing. Beldam eventually finds the sketch and recognizes Mario as soon as he comes back. Later, the Three Shadows engage Mario and company in battle and are defeated. As a result, the Shadows retreat and return to the [[X-Naut Fortress]], leaving Flurrie's necklace behind.

[[File:Beldam and Marilyn TTYD screenshot.png|thumb|left|200px|Beldam blaming Vivian for losing the [[Superbombomb]], leaving her to search for it.]]

Later on, Beldam informs Grodus of the [[Superbombomb]], which will defeat Mario. Grodus reluctantly sends Beldam and her crew on another mission due to his frustration. This time, they are sent to [[Twilight Town]], but Beldam somehow misplaces the Superbombomb. Then, Beldam decides to leave Vivian outside to search for the Superbombomb. After Beldam and Marilyn are finished with their nap, they find out that Vivian is no longer there, and recruit [[Doopliss]] to take her place.

[[File:StarTheft.png|thumb|200px|Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss stealing the fake Garnet Star from [[Poshley Sanctum]].]]

Beldam is seen again during the events of [[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door#Chapter 6: 3 Days of Excess|Chapter 6]], where she attempts to obtain the Garnet Star before Mario. During Mario and company's ride on the [[Excess Express]], Beldam makes it her sole mission to stop them from reaching Poshley Heights at all costs.

Beldam has Doopliss board the train disguised as the famous actor, [[Zip Toad]], so that nobody will suspect anything. By the time Mario, the group, and Pennington arrive at [[Poshley Sanctum]], they uncover Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss stealing the Garnet Star. As soon as they leave, Pennington reveals to Mario and company that "Garnet Star" they stole is a red herring, and tells them that the real one is hidden within the sanctum somewhere.

[[File:Rematch.png|thumb|left|200px|Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss prepare to face Mario and his partners once more.]]

During the events of [[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door#Chapter 7: Mario Shoots the Moon|Chapter 7]] and [[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door#Chapter 8: The Thousand-Year Door|8]], Grodus and the Three Shadows devise a plan to successfully open the Thousand-Year Door. He leaves Lord Crump in charge of guarding the base, as well as the Crystal Star that they find in Rogueport prior to the beginning of the game. Beldam has Doopliss disguise himself as the professor to trick Mario and company into opening the door. "Professor Frankly" informs the heroes that Grodus found a way to open the door without the Crystal Stars, and ends up entering the [[Palace of Shadow]] with Princess Peach. Beldam and the Three Shadows wait for Mario and company in the "outside" area of the Palace of Shadow, and reveal to them that "Professor Frankly" is actually Doopliss, and engage Mario in combat once again.

[[File:Witness.png|thumb|200px|Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss witnessing Mario and his partners' battle against the Shadow Queen.]]

Later on, after Mario and company defeat Bowser and [[Kammy Koopa]], Grodus takes Princess Peach and manages to escape to the Shadow Queen's resting place. Declaring himself the new ruler of the world, Grodus unleashes her, which blanketed the world in eternal darkness by her presence. He then presents Princess Peach to the Shadow Queen as a vessel for her spirit. After she possesses Princess Peach, Grodus commands her to destroy Mario and company, but fails in his attempt. After the second strike to Grodus' head, Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss appear. She then explains to the Shadow Queen that she orchestrated all the events that occurred throughout the game. The Shadow Queen congratulates Beldam and the Three Shadows for their hard work and offers Mario and company a chance to join her. They refuse, and engage the Shadow Queen in combat, eventually defeating her with lots of support from the team. Princess Peach morphs back into her normal state and Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss retreat.

At the end of the game, it is revealed that Beldam renounces her villainous ways now that the Shadow Queen has been defeated. She apologizes to Vivian, promising to never mistreat her again. Vivian accepts Beldam's apology, and now lives peacefully with Beldam and Marilyn in Twilight Town.

===''Super Paper Mario''===
While Beldam does not physically or visually make an appearance in ''[[Super Paper Mario]]'', she and Marilyn are still mentioned in Vivian's [[Catch Card]] description.

===''Super Mario-kun''===
[[File:SMKun 34 Beldam and Marilyn.png|thumb|Beldam and Marilyn's appearances in the ''Super Mario-kun'']]
Beldam appears during ''[[Super Mario-kun]]'''s ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' arc, though she plays a smaller role than in the game. She and Marilyn are first seen in volume 34 attempting to steal the Garnet Star in Poshley Sanctum.

==General information==
===Personality===
[[File:PMTTYD Beldam Silence You Ditz.png|thumb|left|200px|Beldam scolds Vivian.]]

[[Goombella]] states in her [[Tattle]] information that Beldam has a "very unpleasant disposition", treating all group members except for Marilyn as scurrilously as possible. She tends to blame her own mistakes on Vivian, such as convincing Vivian into believing they were her doing. Beldam constantly berates and insults her, referring to her as "ugly" and "useless" and forcefully "punishing" her teammates. Presumably because of this disrespect, she also seems to withhold disclosing to Vivian about her true plans about using Grodus. Her disrespect also is not limited to Vivian; after Vivian leaves the group and is replaced by Doopliss, she refers to him as "freak-in-a-sheet" or "freak-sheet", as well as telling him to "shut up" in Chapter 8.

As leader of the Three Shadows, Beldam is the "brains" of the group and she is the one who usually comes up with their plans. Despite Beldam's constant forgetfulness and displays of incompetence, she is highly manipulative; she causes the entire game's plot by tricking Grodus into releasing the Shadow Queen by making him think that she would serve him when released, despite her knowing that the Shadow Queen would never serve anyone else. It is implied that Beldam even keeps this plan hidden from the other members of the Three Shadows. Her aforementioned constant attempts at {{wp|gaslighting}} Vivian into believing she is at fault for Beldam's own mistakes also show this manipulative side.

===Powers and abilities===
[[File:PMTTYD Ice Powers Single Member.png|thumb|left|Beldam utilizing her ice abilities on Mario.]]
[[File:PMTTYD Ice Powers All Members.png|thumb|Beldam utilizing her ice abilities on Mario.]]
Although Beldam is physically weaker than the other members of her team, she makes up for it by using powerful magic abilities. Beldam possesses cryokinetic abilities, which she uses to freeze Mario and his partners, causing them to be immobilized for at least two turns. Beldam has various other abilities as well, such as increasing the size and attack power of her teammates, as well as giving them more attack turns. Beldam also has the ability to do the exact opposite to Mario and his teammates. Her other magical abilities are slowing Mario and his partners down, giving her teammates "fast" status, and the ability to poison her opponents. As with her sisters, Beldam also has the ability to use the [[Veil]] technique, where she can sink through the shadows and eavesdrop on other peoples' conversations (as she demonstrates in Chapter 6, where she hears from Mario and his partners that the next Crystal Star was at Poshley Heights). However, she has never been seen utilizing that ability in combat and only uses it during the various cutscenes that take place throughout the game.
{{br}}

==Profiles and statistics==
===''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door''===
{{:Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door bestiary|transcludesection=Beldam (1)|align=horizontal|image=[[File:Beldam sprite PMTTYD.png]]}}
{{:Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door bestiary|transcludesection=Beldam (2)|align=horizontal|image=[[File:Beldam sprite PMTTYD.png]]}}

===''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)===
{{:Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) bestiary|transcludesection=Beldam (1)|align=horizontal|image=[[File:PMTTYDNS Tattle Log - Beldam 1.png|180px]]}}
{{:Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) bestiary|transcludesection=Beldam (2)|align=horizontal|image=[[File:PMTTYDNS Tattle Log - Beldam 2.png|180px]]}}

===Field tattles===
[[Goombella]]'s field [[tattle]]s on Beldam are viewable when Mario first comes across the Three Shadows in Boggly Woods and again after Mario defeats the Three Shadows and Doopliss in the Palace of Shadow.
;Boggly Woods
*"''This shady woman is certainly selfish and mean! You see how cruel she is to her own sister? What a total meanie! I wonder what went on between them...''"
;Palace of Shadow
*"''That's Beldam of the {{hover|Three Shadows|Shadow Sirens (GCN)}}. Remember? Vivian's sister? I'm totally surprised she followed us all the way out here, though. And what was that plan she was yapping about, huh?  This sounds bad...''"

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Beldam.png|''[[Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door]]''
Nintendo Magazine Summer 2024 TTYD Relationship Chart.png|Beldam on the Nintendo Magazine for summer 2024, showing a relationship chart featuring many characters from ''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door''
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jpn=マジョリン<ref>{{cite|quote=『マジョリン』よ|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo Co.|language=ja}}</ref>
|JpnR=Majorin
|JpnM=Portmanteau of「魔女」(''majo'', "witch") and Japanese feminine name ending「~リン」(''-rin''); also a pun on the feminine given name "Marjorine"
|Chi=魔裘琳<ref>{{cite|quote=这是“魔裘琳”哦。|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo (Hong Kong)|language=zh-hans}}</ref><ref>{{cite|quote=他是「魔裘琳」喔。|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo (Hong Kong)|language=zh-hant}}</ref>
|ChiR=Móqiúlín
|ChiM=Transliteration of the Japanese name
|Dut=Beldam<ref>{{cite|quote=Dat is Beldam.|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=nl}}</ref>
|Fre=Marjolène<ref>{{cite|quote=C'est Marjolène.|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=fr-ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite|quote=C'est Marjolène.|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=fr}}</ref>
|FreM=A common female name similar to the Japanese version
|Ger=Brunhilda<ref>{{cite|quote=Das ist Brunhilda.|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=de}}</ref>
|GerM=From the female name "Brunhilde", most commonly known from the ''{{wp|Nibelungenlied}}'' (English: ''The Song of the Nibelungs''), with feminine suffix ''-a''
|Ita=Nerea<ref>{{cite|quote=È Nerea!|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=it}}</ref>
|ItaM=Italian female name, but also a pun on ''nero'' ("black")
|Kor=얼죠린<ref>{{cite|quote=『얼죠린』이야|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of Korea|language=ko}}</ref>
|KorR=Eoljyorin
|KorM=Combination of "얼음" (''eoreum'', "ice") and her Japanese name
|SpaA=Brunela<ref>{{cite|quote=¡Es Brunela!|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of America|language=es-419}}</ref>
|SpaAM=A given name
|SpaE=Piruja<ref>{{cite|quote=¡Es Piruja!|title=''Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'' (Nintendo Switch)|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=es-es}}</ref>
|SpaEM=A typical name for a ''bruja'' ("witch")
}}

==Notes==
*Beldam shares some similarities with [[Dimentio]] from ''[[Super Paper Mario]]''; both are magicians initially believed to be a mere minion to the main villain, but secretly plotting behind their master's back. They are both later revealed to be the true mastermind behind their game's main events. 
**However, in Beldam's case, she does not attack Grodus after he is defeated, nor is she fought as the game's final boss (with the Shadow Queen taking these positions instead).
**Beldam is also implied to be redeemed or at least become nicer in the ending of ''The Thousand-Year Door'' due to Vivian going back to her and Marilyn (and, as stated in the remake, Vivian wanting to help them change for the better), unlike Dimentio who stays evil throughout ''Super Paper Mario'' and dies after he is defeated.

==References==
<references/>

{{PMTTYD}}
[[Category:Witches]]
[[Category:Ice creatures]]
[[Category:Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door bosses]]
[[Category:Super Mario-kun characters]]
[[de:Brunhilda]]
[[it:Nerea]]