The Beast (Over the Garden Wall)

"No. There is only me, there is only my way; there is only the forest, and there is only surrender."

- The Beast to The Woodsman.

The Beast is the main antagonist of the 2014 Cartoon Network mini series, Over the Garden Wall. He is the monster of the place known as "The Unknown". His goal is to take the souls of the brothers, Wirt and Greg.

Info
Throughout the series, The Beast is shown to be a shadowy figure with bright eyes and two branch-like horns on his head. But when light is shine on him, it is shown that he is made of the spirits he had turned into Edelwood trees.

The Beast had bore an old lantern called the Dark Lantern, containing his soul in its flame. It is unknown when The Beast lost this lantern to The Woodsman, But The Beast has haunted the man since losing it. He deceived The Woodsman into believing that his daughter's soul was sealed inside the lantern, and that she would keep on living as long as the flame was lit. It's assumed that The Beast stole the soul of The Woodsman's daughter. The lantern is kept lit by the oil from Edelwood, a type of tree that forms when The Beast captures the souls of children led astray. For many years The Woodsman has chopped the wood and collected the oil from it, not knowing of how the trees were created.

In the finale, "The Unknown", The Beast finally overpowers The Woodsman, and then tries to persuade Wirt into becoming the new lantern bearer, promising him that Greg's soul will live on as the burning flame of the lantern. Wirt rejects his offer, and casually notes that The Beast is so obsessed with the lantern as if it was his own soul captured inside it. When he threatens to blow out the light, The Beast yells "Don't!", revealing Wirt's suspicions to be true. Wirt leaves the lantern to The Woodsman, who finally caught on to the deception. The Beast tries to manipulate him into killing the boys and get more oil, but The Woodsman opened the lantern and blew out the light, ending The Beast for good.

Quotes
"♪ Tralalala! Tralalala! Chop the wood to light the fire! ♪"

- The Beast singing.

"Come wayward souls who wonder through the darkness, there is a light for the lost and the meek. Sorrow and fear are easily forgotten when you submit to the soil of the earth." "Yes. Come, Gregory. There is much to be done."

- The Beast to Greg.

"Are you ready to see true darkness?!"

- The Beast to Wirt.

"STOP! YOU'LL NEVER SEE YOU DAUGHTER AGAIN, WOODSMAN! ARE YOU REALLY READY TO GO BACK TO THAT EMPTY HOUSE?! NO! WOODSMAN!"

- The Beast's last words.

Trivia

 * The Beast was voiced by Samuel Ramey.
 * The Beast shares many similarities to Aku: both are demon-like creatures, both are associated with darkness, though, while Aku is both threatening and comical, The Beast is just threatening.
 * The Beast is considered to be one of the most evil and serious Cartoon Network villains.