Belial

**Belial** is the main antagonist of *Switchback VR*. She is a demon who possesses the train passenger **Laila** and crashes the train in an attempt to drag the player and four other passengers to Hell. She was voiced by Amelia Tyler and was modelled on Eleni Miariti.

## Appearance

Laila is a tall, slender Caucasian woman with light skin. She has short disheveled black hair made in a pixie cut, with fringe dyed scarlet. She has tattoos all over her body. Laila wears a black jacket with sleeves down to her elbows, a shirt with the collar unbuttoned and pants with multiple chains. She completes her suit with a pair of black heeled boots.

After being possessed by Belial, Laila's appearance becomes more sinister. Her hair becomes pitch black and her skin becomes dead pale. Her clothes are tattered and jacketless. At times, she grows demonic wings and contorts her face.

## Personality

Belial is very mocking toward the player, and seems to consider what she is doing a sort of game. However, as the player fights her in the final level, she becomes angry and desperate.

## *Switchback VR*

Laila walks down the train's aisle in the opening scene while reading a book. A bump causes the player's coffee to spill on her, and as she yells at the player, her voice distorts and the train crashes as she is possessed by the demon Belial. In the first level, she welcomes the player to Inferno's Ride and laughs before The Curator appears. Throughout the game, she can be heard laughing or whispering at various points, and her demonic seal can be seen on numerous objects.

In the second level, she mocks what Charlotte said in her voicemail to the player and later scares the player by jumping out of a casket. In the third level, toward the end, Belial yells "Not yet!" and appears, screaming at the player and forcing them back to fight the Sailor Girl.

In the fourth level, Belial appears in the playground, menacingly turning toward the player before being yanked into the darkness. Later, she shouts "DIE!" at the player. In the fifth level, Belial mocks Charlotte's voicemail again. Upon reaching Scarlett, Belial asks the player what they would do to hang on to life. When the Crushed Demon is killed, she taunts the player, saying they sound scared.

In the sixth level, Belial once again mocks Charlotte's voicemail. She also tries to scare the player upon entering the temple, which is only successful if the player follows her orders and looks at her. In the seventh level, she approaches the player as they hang in the elevator before scaring them and causing them to fall. If Claudia is saved, she warns the player that Belial is watching and wants the player.

In the eighth level, an optional track shows Belial's face on a monitor, with her briefly walking toward the player before disappearing. At the end of the level, she scares the player by crawling out a wheelchair and jumping out from the darkness, causing the player to fall through the floor. In the ninth level, Belial repeatedly taunts the player, saying they've been very bad and later saying she isn't done with them yet as she forces the player to go away from leaving the island. As the player returns to the hotel, a demonic Belial invites them to play a little more. If Robert is saved, he warns the player that Belial is coming. Belial mocks Charlotte's voicemail again and, at the end of the level, freezes over the lake in preparation for the final level.

In the final level, Belial scares the player on the train, saying they'll "pay for this." She is the level's main boss, taunting and observing the player throughout the level while judging them on how many passengers they saved and riding a cart of her own. The player fights Belial twice, with the second fight being timed. When the timer runs out, Belial seemingly dies and is pulled into a fiery pit regardless of if the player defeated her or not. In the ending, if the player did not defeat her in time, they die and Belial promises they will be down with her forever.

## Trivia

* Belial is the face of *Switchback VR*'s cover.
	+ However, unlike other cover characters, Belial's model has been used in other games.
* Belial shares the same character model as:
	+ Daniella Cárdenas from *Hidden Agenda*.
	+ Anna Bennet from *The Inpatient*.
	+ Toma from *Bravo Team*.
	+ Jenny May from *Man of Medan*.
	+ Taylor, Tanya A. Clarke, and Tabitha Milton from *Little Hope*.
	+ Clarice Stokes from *House of Ashes*.
	+ Michelle Morello from *The Devil in Me*.
* The name Belial means "lacking worth" in Hebrew and is used as a word to "characterize the wicked or worthless".
* The symbol that constantly appears in the game is Belial's sigil from "Ars Goetia" with some added details into it.
* Belial's proclamation to be the "Mother of Lies" may be a reference to *Diablo* franchise, which also features the character Belial as the "Lord of Lies."