Hamel and Phantom Hamel are ultimately 2 sides of the same coin. Yes, even if Phantom Hamel morphed into "Hamel" for the sake of morphing into... well, Hamel.
An obvious characteristic between the two of them is that they are mentally broken. But, how they show it is very different.
[Note: for pronouns, i'll use they/it, however more of the pronoun "they".]
For Phantom Hamel, as a more stronger corruptor who controls the Carnival's Black Ring aspects, they are someone who will be indifferent to anything and everything to achieve what they desire. Examples of this are how the corruptor's were influenced under their spell, deluding them even further to thinking that they are the actual "Hamel", as well as feeding off the corruptor's love for Hamel with her sweet yet meaningless words to transform into eventually something larger with the intent of destruction.
The white lies and persuasion that seems to have a magnetic pull, given constantly with a facade expressing kindness to the corruptor's of the Carnival who have suffered beyond repair make them easily vulnearble. This information aligns with Phantom Hamel's goals, with the thought of that when done, it will receive contentment and company in return.
Though, this is not the case at all, which crashes into them like a truck.
Despite everything they has done, even after Hamel disappeared, and making the corruptor's fall under its hypnotic trance once more when all of their minds were set in chaos—it still isn't enough.
"What were they doing wrong?" Let us look at her actions. Through numerous times, we see her constantly praising to the corruptor's in the Carnival, telling constantly this specific statement, no matter how different the wording is: "If you follow me—if you love me, I will give you the love and joy you have been soughting out for throughout your miserable lives. I will free you from the endless ticking torment that has haunted you long before you have came here. I will give the mercy that all of you had tried so desperately to receive and hold onto your bare, wallowing hands." (My interpretation). Note this as it ties into the Carnival narrative and its themes. Obvious i know.
Love, joy, freedom from the concept of physical/mental pain; these hold high regard and importance. To the corruptors, those act almost like salvation itself; the gateway to a freeing hevean, able to grant them mercy and clean off their tainted body and burdening guilty, starting anew.
The feeling of insufficiency growing within itself during that painful realisation lies in two specific things: how they executed the actions they has given to the corruptors, and the nature of its mental structure as a corruptor. It wanted to embody what made Hamel—Hamel. The lovable, selfless, kind parts of hers. However, as Hamel and Phantom Hamel are ultimately different, their mental cognitive structure do not align well at all.
Phantom Hamel's intentions were also taken from Hamel. We'd describe as "morally good" on paper, but it was done that included many layers of immorality and havoc added to the result.
From taking her physical form, to taping Hamel's identity to itself, to intentions, just so it could feel what love is; they have failed to do. Why? Because they never took into account the one idea that is the very core of humanity: imperfection.
See, Hamel is imperfect. Before even getting herself involved in The Carnival, she was exploited and abused for her parent's own satisfaction and benefit. She was coerced and alienated. No care came from the voices of the rich. Her mental health had always took a toll.
She went into the Carnival not only for the sake of her brother, Norman, but for others too. She took the burden so that no one will get hurt and get involved in the Black Ring.
She came for the corruptors, during when what only can be seen was immense torture and unforgiving pain. She danced for the corruptors with indifferent kindness, as though they were people too, so their suffering would halt and be forgotten by them, basking in what should be false happiness, even just for a second.
She showed love to the corruptors who have tasted the relentless despair of the world since then and never knew what it means to feel love in the first place. Technically, Hamel and the corruptors are almost the same. In an artistic viewpoint, they share a symbiote + parisitic form of relationship (an analysis for another time.)
All of these that she had done, she never bothered with her own well-being first. She put the corruptors and those living in the bitter reality she once had to endure over herself. She done those impressive feats of human kindness as someone who is not free from flaw and sin.
And the corruptors in The Carnival? They gave back in return. Praise, love, appreciation—treating Hamel like a goddess, with utmost respect. Her flaws never mattered, how unstable she was; she showed kindness and granted something so salvation-like to them when no one would, and encapsulated them in an illusory space using her power so that they'd have a safe space—a refuge to take into anytime their problems collide onto them the heaviest, to just let those dissolve into ethreal mist.
Simply put, she understood how it felt to be so broken. So broken to never receive a kind experience. And so, she gave the corruptors exactly that, just because—at least they will receive a time where the concept of suffering felt so... Out of reach. So foreign, so surreal. Because they barely/no longer experienced "pain".
Phantom Hamel though had believed that she was someone who was "always perfect". She was someone who effortlessly received love just because she did. She was someone who was constantly never alone just because she wasn't. Beyond that, they never considered Hamel's imperfections, because not only did she always looked so flawless to them, but also because they hate the idea of "being flawed".
Both are flawed and mentally broken. They were never perfect from the start. The thing is, one has come to terms with it. The other decided to evade from it, never acknowledging that part of theirs, wanting to be seen as someone perfect enough to spread and give love.
And now we reach the showing part. Of course, Hamel heals, lets their worries and thoughts dissolve away so they feel at peace. These are shown with kindness, never with the regard on what or who they are. Phantom Hamel, on the other hand, shows indifference... To everything.
They just want love and love only. To feel pleasure. To feel good. To not feel lonely. When it comes to the task of giving love just like Hamel (as its identity is copied to her) they just go... Apathetic.
There is a part in cutscene 8-7 "Ferris Wheel" where they are fufilling the corruptor's desires. They listened to them. Though, no matter how much of a considerate face it tried to put on, the truth is that they do not really care. At all. They just want to immediately receive that company, love, and joy it has been wanting for the entirety it has been awakened in The Carnival. Like a rich kid who has their eyes set on a toy they had once saw through a shopping window, doing any means to getting said toy.
To conclude, their dynamic is something like this: 2 sides of the same coin, however a side more selfless and considerate, and a side which is more selfish and indifferent to everything around them.
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