When I first heard the Prophecy, I thought that Lugia was the Beast of the Sea. It's easy to think that based on what Lawrence says in the begining:
Lawrence III: Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice and Lightning
Lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash.
Though the Water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting
Alone its song shall fail and the earth shall turn to Ash.
O chosen one, into thine hands bring together all three
Their treasures combined tame the Beast of the Sea. Lugia!
From this it seems that the prophecy states that Lugia is the beast of the sea. But what if we write it like this:
Lawrence (reciting): Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice and Lightning
Lest these Titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash.
Though the Water's Great Guardian shall arise to quell the fighting
Alone its song shall fail and the earth shall turn to Ash.
O chosen one, into thine hands bring together all three
Their treasures combined tame the Beast of the Sea.
Lawrence(Musing): Lugia!
I feel that the word Lugia is not part of the prophecy and therefore we have no proof that it is the Beast of the sea, although Lawrence III seems to think so. His interpetation: If thou bringst the Titans of Fire, Ice and Lightning together, then Lugia shall be thy prize. But I also don't think Lugia could be the Beast because it is already described as the Water's Great Guardian. This time we have proof of this, as Slowking and Melody both call Lugia this when it appears. Therefore, I submit that Lugia is NOT the Beast of the Sea.
But then, who/what is the Beast? I think Prof Oak has already given us the answer. While inside the helicopter, he tells the reporters that the unbalenced fire+ice(water) and lightning could form an swirling underwater current that could flood the planet. He describes it as "a churning 'beast of the sea'." When I first saw 2000, I thought that Oak was barking up the wrong tree. But now that I no longer see Lugia as the Beast, I agree that the current could very well be the Beast!
The prophecy talks about "taming" the Beast of the Sea. Recall the watery looking rainbow thing that rises up at the end, once all is peaceful? I submit that that is the current/beast, no longer a threat!
What do you think?
By the way, Stacee, that's what you have to expect in a novelization. The writers can't use the exact origional dialouge for some reason, and so they make up some of their own. It ends up having a far different result. So get your information from the movies, not the books!