Phantom’s background leaves a lot of mysteries. Some CN users have started to analyse, so I’m translating those analyses.
Basically Phantom has a similar background to Schwarz due to his exceptionally high stats and they’re in the same field due to the contents of Schwarz’s conversational log being in Phantom’s archives.
Schwarz would become like Phantom if not for Ceylon’s family, who became Schwarz’s light. Hopefully Rhodes Island can be the light to Phantom eventually. Or maybe Elysium, who can be the Liberi (Ceylon) to Phantom’s Feline. CN fandom have been shipping them like Flamebringer/Executor despite zero canon interactions.
Firstly, take a look at the Comprehensive Test results of Phantom (left) and Schwarz (right).
Phantom’s stats are superior to Schwarz. Suspicious since he claims to have 9 years of experience while Schwarz had 20 years of experience as a mercenary since young in a mercenary organisation.
What if Phantom gave false information? Surely Phantom must had some kind of training and worked in this field for at least as long as Schwarz to be this proficient. He couldn’t have been a mere theatre actor until the incident.
The only closest thing to an organisation in Phantom’s life was his previous theatre troupe. Therefore, the troupe wasn’t a real one. It’s just a disguised mercenary organisation and something like Schwarz’s previous organisation. Phantom’s profile also shows that the troupe was shady.
Even after employment, Phantom does not reveal too much of his past. Therefore, the archives lack lots of information and we have to guess.
Archives 3
By the way, the writer has met Operator Phantom once. This was when looking for Doctor before writing a report. Through Doctor, then Phantom himself was found.
‘I heard of some rumours, regarding that ‘Troupe’ and the thing behind.
I could tell you, what I can see from him. But maybe this is not of much use, as you may not listen.
You insist? Alright.
In short, I have only one suggestion.
–Stay away from him. That guy is not even awake. He has been caught in a nightmare.’
–Conversational log with Operator Schwarz
Basically Schwarz talking to Doctor about Phantom is a parallel to Hellagur talking about Schwarz to Doctor in Obsidian Festival story. Meaning that Phantom and his troupe has been involved in war for Schwarz to know.
Recap of Schwarz’s background: She was a mercenary sent to assassinate Herman but she got stopped and then employed to look after Ceylon.
Phantom’s case might also be that he’s sent to assassinate someone on Rhodes Island, but Schwarz might have stopped him and then Doctor employs him.
Archives 4
The location of the troupe’s performance seemed to be completely ruined. The machines in the core are unable to be recovered, but we found a broken file of information on a control panel far from the stage, as well as some recorded data.
Regarding the data to be sent, its destination was too smudged, so we could not investigate.
To verify the content, we played one of the records that was considered to be intact. When playing back, the three investigators became mentally disturbed. Therefore, we had to seal the rest of the records.
[Video document: Encrypted]
[Encryptor: Kal’stit]
[Danger level-3]
“■ ■ ■ Stage，Death■ ■ ■ ■ Behind■ ■ ■ Around，Voice■ ■ ，■ ■ ■ ■ End，It■ begin”
Creepiness aside, it is obvious that the troupe had recorded Phantom’s voice on purpose. Probably to be used as a weapon of mass destruction. Maybe they’ve been using theatre performances for Phantom to kill people. Victorian nobles, perhaps?
Another important point is the Phantom has another entity inside which controls him sometimes. Who else is like this? Ifrit and Specter, who are confirmed to be experiments. The troupe might have experimented on Phantom to turn him into a weapon. However, they lost control and he killed everyone. If they’re doing this to multiple people, the troupe is literally a terrorist organisation which creates terrorists by infecting them and causing them to use harmful Arts to kill.
Who else has their throat infected by Oripathy? Mephisto. He contracted Oripathy after being forced to swallow originium so he no longer can sing.
Poor Phantom. He has parallels with Schwarz, Ifrit, Specter, and Mephisto, who are the most suffering characters in Arknights. Let’s hope Rhodes Island can help him, even if he’s negative about it. May Doctor be the (Christine) Ceylon to Phantom’s Schwarz.
Further parallels with Schwarz
The main difference between Schwarz and Phantom is that Schwarz was brought into the light but Phantom stayed in the darkness for way longer. Nonetheless, being mercenary or assassin had left deep mental scars until they have similar lines. Schwarz may have been in the light, but the past still haunts her a little.
Schwarz high trust talk: Sinners always get what they deserve, I know that.
Phantom combat line: Sinners… must be punished.
Both of them talk about sinners and are aware of their sins of the past.
Schwarz idle: Falls asleep just like that? Can’t keep a guard up at all, just like her.
Phantom idle: Even if it is not night time, the shadow has never left your side. Be careful of your inappropriate sleepiness, Doctor.
Both are concerned that Doctor isn’t being vigilant.
Schwarz E2: Reawaken my past? Sounds good. Maybe you can absolve the evil we did in battle. Please, cleanse me.
Phantom E2: Past the point of no return, no backwards glances. What I will share with you, may not be as nice as what you have imagined…… Come here, come over. Let me lift up the curtains of this dark night.
As Doctor becomes closer, the Feline (ex-)mercenaries reveal more of their darkness and trusting Doctor to accept them for who they are.
Schwarz’s promotion record further emphasises that the more she goes into the light, the darkness will dissipate. Even if the coldness has been branded and it will never wash off. Hopefully the same will happen for Phantom.
Finally…
Promotion Record: You have chosen to take off his mask, do you really trust him?
So… will Doctor trust Phantom despite his murky background? Nonetheless, with high trust, Phantom will protect Doctor, as seen in this recent official sticker.
Also, thanks Phantom for saving my ass on my new CN account.
Ling translates sometimes 