Cob

Cob (クモ, Kumo, lit. "spider") is the main antagonist in Tales from Earthsea directed by Goro Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli.

Appearance
Cob has long, straight purple hair as well as violet eyes with small patterns underneath them (like tears or small, thin triangles) and he has animal-like claws which indicate his inhumanly evil nature. His skin color is very pale, almost white, and he wears a long, purple tunic throughout most of the film.

However, when the battle commenced, Arren cut his hand off with his father's sword. Because of this, his true appearance was revealed: he had been old all along but disguised by magic. After a while, his eyes turned black when he attempts to kill Therru.

Personality
Cob is a very cruel individual, involved in the slave trade in Hort Town. He can be described as unfeeling and even malicious who desires to be the arch-mage, and is nearly as powerful as Ged, but is obsessed with finding out how to live forever. He has a hold over Lebannen to keep him under control, because he believes that he has a clue to living forever.

He usually talks in a soft and whispering voice, although this changes drastically into a livid shrieking tone later in the film or whenever he is angry.

Biography
Cob never attended the wizard school in Rok and therefore he is not a wizard, but a palnic mage. Since he overcame his own death and opened the gate to the realm of the dead, he proves that he is equal to the archmage Ged. He is also dubbed the King of Shadows, who caused the disturbance of the balance. In the nightmares he calls people to him and he promises them immortality. Cob keeps his power to himself and exerts it on his followers.

In the Earthsea series of novels, he has power not only over the humans, but also over the dragons. The latter are aware that Cob is immortal and will always return to life if he perishes. Because of this great power, the dragons fear him, which gives him even more power. Thus, he took away the dragons' primal language, causing the dragons to go insane. To stop Cob, Ged and Arren confronted him in the realm of the dead.

Past
Cob was not always obsessed with power. Ged as a young man met Cob when he was using palnian magic. Cob was a powerful, gray-haired magician from Havnor. He uses the magic art for the entertainment of others for a fee. Thus, he summons the dead from the realm of the dead.

One day he summons the archmage Nemmerle from the realm of the dead, which angers Ged. For Nemmerle has saved Ged's life at the risk of his own. Enraged, Ged forces him to follow him into the realm of the dead. They stood in front of a stone wall. But Cob does not dare to overcome it, because he fears for his death. He promised never to use Palnian magic again, left Havnor and died years later. Later it turns out that he overcame his own death.

Loss of power
At the gate to the realm of the dead, he kills the dragon Orm Embar and then flees, whereupon Ged and Arren follow him. When his pursuers have followed him deep into the realm of the dead, he shows himself to them. He boasts that he is the only mage to achieve immortality. To achieve this, he killed himself.

He also shows Ged and Arren where he opened the gate to the realm of the dead; as he is confident that Ged cannot close the gate. However, Ged managed to make the gate smaller, whereupon Cob lunges at Ged. Arren draws his sword to keep Cob away. Since Cob is immortal and his wound keeps healing, he strikes him several times. When Ged closes the gate, he turns away from him.

Gallery
Cob ゲド戦記 (映画)