The Ordeals are four minor villains in 8-Bit Theater. They appear in the Castle of Ordeals to impede the Light Warriors, each Ordeal being a symbolic representation of one of the Seven Deadly Sins, specifically a sin that one of the Light Warriors is guilty of. The intent, of course, is that the Light Warriors will overcome their character flaws and defeat their sin. However, in some way or another, the Light Warriors avoid learning anything from their encounters.
- First Appearance: Episode 608: Teleporting never screws anyone
Pride[]
Red Mage's sin is Pride, represented by a Grey Naga sprite from Final Fantasy. Upon Pride confronting Red Mage with his sin of hubris, Red Mage rebukes the accusation, stating that due to his precision character and stat planning, he has no flaws. After repeating this and showing this several times to Pride, it still does not listen. Red Mage finally admits he cannot defeat the monster, and Pride passes him and vanishes. However, the significance of the victory does not strike Red Mage, and he quickly gloats about his victory and plans to brag about it.
Sloth[]
Fighter's sin is Sloth, represented by a Dracrocotta sprite from Final Fantasy III. Unlike the other Light Warriors, Fighter does not understand the purpose of his ordeal at all, and when Sloth tells Fighter he must overcome him, Fighter thinks he means he must wrestle a Sloth. Sloth attempts to explain that Fighter must work and improve his skills, but Fighter does not listen. Finally, Sloth tells Fighter to use his brain as well as his blades; Fighter quickly slices Sloth's head off, claiming "my brain said this was faster".
Greed[]
Thief's sin is Greed, represented by a Kraken sprite from Final Fantasy III. Greed emerges from a giant treasure chest to appear before Thief, but immediately after, Fighter activates a teleportation pillar, causing Greed to appear before Black Mage instead. Black Mage tries to explain to Greed that he is looking for Thief, not him, but Greed insists Black Mage have "an introspective metaphorical battle with his own base urges". Black Mage feigns a personal revelation, and Greed vanishes. Thief is the only Light Warrior who does not actually confront his sin.
Black Mage's Ordeal[]
Black Mage's sin is not named, but is implied to be Wrath. The ordeal is represented by a doppelganger of Black Mage, and explains that the only thing evil enough in the universe to represent his sins was himself. This actually impresses Black Mage, who begins naming all his evil deeds to make sure they are being represented. As he names evil deeds the ordeal is not aware of, the ordeal becomes cracking in a dark, evil aura, and advises that Black Mage stop, lest he become too powerful for Black Mage to overcome. Black Mage stabs himself, indicating that he believes it the only way to defeat his own evils. The ordeal is stunned and turns away, when Black Mage reveals it to be a trick and rises to stab the ordeal through the head. The ordeal is killed, and Black Mage absorbs its evil, avoiding all hope of redemption for his sin.