Skeleton Soldier

The Skeleton Soldier (also known as Skeleton Knight, Skeleton Swordsman or Bone Soldier, as well as many other names and variations) is an enemy (and in some instances an enemy class) in the Castlevania series. It is the magically animated skeleton of a dead swordsman.
==Description==
Skeleton Soldiers are skeletons wielding with a single, western sword and are often depicted wearing armor. Some variants may also come equipped with a shield.
The Skull Knight is a boss version of this enemy who appears in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and later returns in Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance.
The Dead Crusader from Aria of Sorrow is a type of Skeleton Soldier who is able to block attacks with its shield.
==Appearances==
===Castlevania II: Simon's Quest===
Skeleton Soldiers in Simon's Quest are not much different from all other regular Skeletons found throughout the game, and while they can be seen carrying a sword and a shield, that is only for aesthetic purposes as they won't use their weapons or display any kind of enhanced defenses. They can only be encountered in mansions. There are some of these enemies that will constantly throw bones at the player; these are hard to hit due to their fast movement and because they'll retreat by jumping backward when approached.
====Simon's Quest (LCD watch)====
A Skeleton which has a shield and takes two hits to be destroyed. It's worth 10 points.
====Simon's Quest (LCD handheld)====
A Skeleton equipped with a shield. The shield takes four hits to destroy before the Skeleton can be defeated.
===Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse===
As usual, Skull Swordsmen can be encountered regularly throughout the game. However, two boss versions also appear in the game as well, one being the Skull Knight and the other the Skull Knight King. They come equipped with a sword and a shield and are the remains of what appears to be an anthropomorphic dragon-like creature. It must be noted, though, that this portrayal is only true for Dracula's Curse, according to diverse original artworks and media from the era. This enemy returned in Harmony of Dissonance, but in that game he is the skeleton of a huge warrior who wears a helmet fashioned from a bull's skull instead. While they move slowly, they have a considerable amount of HP, although a few flasks of Holy Water should be enough to defeat them in just a matter of seconds.
===Castlevania: Symphony of the Night===
The first two Bone Scimitars encountered in the game are set to automatically drop a Short Sword and a Red Rust, in that order.
===Castlevania: Lament of Innocence===
Among the few variants of skeleton soldiers, the Astral Fighter, Astral Knight and Astral Warrior are notable for their teleporting ability, that allows them to suddenly warp behind the player to attack.
===Castlevania: Curse of Darkness===
The Undead Lord is a high-ranked Skeleton that wields a mace and a shield. They can first be encountered in the Eneomaos Machine Tower and drop the valuable Red Steel material, which will allow Hector to upgrade most of his current weaponry at that part of the game.
===Castlevania: The Arcade===
Bone Scimitars which had attacked the village. They first appear in Stage 1 and then can be found throughout much of the rest of the game.
==Enemy Data==
==Item Data==
==Gallery==
==Trivia==
*Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about him beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory. All sources agree that he was a former gladiator and an accomplished military leader.
*The Skeleton Soldier may also draw inspiration from the sword and shield wielding skeletons seen in various movies:
**A skeletal servant appears in the 1958 film The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.The 7th Voyage of Sinbad | Full Movie at Youtube.
**Undead skeletal warriors appear in the 1963 film Jason and the Argonauts.Jason and the Argonauts (1963) | Full Movie | Creature Feature at YouTube.
==See also==
*Giant Skeleton Warrior
*Skull Knight
es:Soldado Esqueleto
==References==
Category:Skeletal Monsters
Category:Arcade Enemies
Category:Aria of Sorrow Enemies
Category:Bloodlines Enemies
Category:Chronicles Enemies
Category:Circle of the Moon Enemies
Category:Curse of Darkness Enemies
Category:The Dracula X Chronicles Enemies
Category:Dracula's Curse Enemies
Category:Grimoire of Souls Enemies
Category:Harmony of Dissonance Enemies
Category:Lament of Innocence Enemies
Category:LCD Simon's Quest Enemies
Category:Moonlight Rhapsody Enemies
Category:Order of Ecclesia Enemies
Category:Rondo of Blood Enemies
Category:Simon's Quest Enemies
Category:Simon's Quest Watch Enemies
Category:Super Castlevania IV Enemies
Category:Symphony of the Night Enemies