List of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door characters
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Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door has many characters, some original, others repeated from other Mario games.
Main characters
Mario
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the fourth role-playing game Mario has starred in. In the field, players control Mario by moving him through the game world and navigating through menus. Menus also control battle, although players can increase their chances of winning a battle through timed presses of certain buttons. Mario is voiced by Charles Martinet.
Mario's adventure begins when Princess Peach sends him a letter with a treasure map enclosed. She requests that he join her on vacation in Rogueport and help her find the treasure indicated by the map. When Mario arrives, he finds the princess missing. He rescues Goombella from Lord Crump and a group of X-Naut soldiers and then meets Toadsworth, informing Mario that the Princess is missing. Goombella introduces Mario to Professor Frankly, who believes that following the map will lead them to Princess Peach. Mario then sets off on his quest to find the seven treasures indicated by the map: the Crystal Stars. His fame throughout the game is noted by many characters.
After gathering together all seven of the Crystal Stars, Mario was tricked into opening the Thousand-Year Door by Doopliss, who was disguised as Professor Frankly. Ultimately, after defeating Gloomtail, The Shadow Sirens, Grodus, Bowser and Kammy Koopa, Mario took on the Shadow Queen, who had tricked Grodus in order to possess Princess Peach and thus return from beyond the grave.Gets some badges to change his clothin to luigi's(after 6crystal star)wario(must buy from salesman)
Princess Peach
While Princess Peach was In Rogueport waiting for Mario to come she wandered into the east side of the town. There she was kidnapped by the X-Nauts until she had given information. The greatest computer in the world, named TEC-XX, or better known as TEC, was watching this happen in the X-Nauts lair. He opened the door to Peach's room and summoned her into TEC's room. TEC then fell in love with her. She must do many odd and dangerous things for TEC at the end of each chapter.
Professor Frankly
A professor in archeology at Goomba University, he taught both Kolorado and Goombella. While living in Rogueport to research the ancient ruins underneath the town, he was overjoyed to assist Mario and Goombella on their quest to find the Crystal Stars. Throughout the game, he is a source of information for Mario and friends, unearthing the ancient legend about the Thousand-Year Door and researching how to get to hellish locations described on the magical map. His Japanese name is Furankuri, referencing the Japanese name for Goombas, Kuribo. Near the end of the game, Frankly is knocked unconscious by the X-Nauts. Doopliss then assumes his appearance in order to trick Mario into opening the Thousand-Year Door. After coming to, Frankly rushes into the Palace of Shadow to try and do what he can to prevent the return of the Shadow Queen, but he fails to reach Mario or Grodus in time. He also bears a striking resemblance to Professor E. Gadd.
Bowser
Bowser is Mario's nemesis, and is usually responsible for trouble in the Mushroom Kingdom. In this game, Bowser has many cutscenes where he is a playable character. These scenes are often quite humorous, and involve gameplay and level set-up similar to the original "Super Mario Bros." NES Game. Remixed music from the original 1985 Super Mario Bros. game is also included. . He is voiced by Scott Burns.
When Bowser found out that Princess Peach had been captured by the X-Nauts, he was infuriated, as that was his claim to fame. Mario was going after "treasure" (the Crystal Stars) and the princess, leading Bowser to jealousy. Thus, Bowser and Kammy set off to make life harder for Mario and the X-Nauts.
Bowser's journey in the game follows a similar pattern to Mario's. However, he is usually a few steps behind Mario and his friends, so he is met with little success. There are three sections of the game in which you control Bowser through the above mentioned side-scrolling levels, and several others where you control Bowser similarly to how Mario and Peach are controlled. During Mario's mission in Glitzville, the Koopa king attacks him in the ring and loses. During the last part of the game, Bowser and Kammy break into the Palace of Shadow, accidentally saving Mario from Grodus. However, Bowser and Kammy attack, allowing Grodus to regain consciousness and take Princess Peach to the Shadow Queen.
Kammy Koopa
Kammy Koopa is Bowser's right-hand lady and returns in the second Paper Mario game. She is the one who informs Bowser on Mario's quest for the Crystal Stars and about Princess Peach being kidnapped. After that she attempts to aid Bowser in his journey to retrieve the Crystal Stars and Princess Peach before Mario and the X-Nauts get them. Most of the time her efforts to help are unsuccessful and she often gets on Bowser's bad side and ends up being the on the other end of Bowser's physical and verbal wrath. Her role, like Bowser, in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is to provide comic relief. At the end of the game, she aids Bowser when he battles Mario and his companions in the Palace of Shadow but is defeated along with her master. Her fate, along with Bowser's, is never clarified at the end of the game. This old turtle wants to defeat all in her path, and help Bowser kidnap Princess Peach, and eventually take over the world! Only the 2 paper mario games have Kammy in them.
Toadette
Toadette helps out Mario whenever he receives an upgrade to his boots or his hammer by teaching him a brand new technique. She never appears in the game, however, but rather in the screen similar to the one where you learn how to use your new partner's ability. Judging by her behavior, many gamers have assumed she has a crush on Mario.
Sir Grodus
Sir Grodus is the main villain of the game, and the leader of the X-Nauts. He is a ruthless, megalomaniacal psychopath who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Discontented to have his power limited to the moon, Grodus hopes to take over the world by obtaining the Crystal Stars and unleashing the Shadow Queen. His plans begin to fail when Mario obtains the Magical Map first. The X-Nauts are forced to follow Mario as best as they can and hold onto the hope that they will be able to outsmart or defeat him somewhere down the road.
After Mario regains all of the Crystal Stars and the X-Naut base is abandoned, Grodus has his minion Doopliss disguise himself as Professor Frankly and tricks Mario into opening the Thousand-Year Door. They navigate the Palace of Shadow faster than Mario; Grodus is only caught at the foot of the passageway to the Shadow Queen's tomb. After Mario and company defeat him, he holds Peach hostage, trapped in a force field, threatening to kill her. After he electrifies Mario for some time, Bowser crashes through the roof and crushes him accidentally. During Bowser's battle with Mario, Grodus regains consciousness and escapes with Peach into the Shadow Queen's tomb. When Mario and company get there, Grodus unleashes the Shadow Queen, who possesses Peach. When Grodus tries to command the Shadow Queen, she destroys his body, leaving nothing but his head. In an ironic twist, the Shadow Sirens are shown to be loyal to the Shadow Queen and state that they have manipulated him. Only a small number of X-Nauts remain, including Grodus, Lord Crump, and a handful of basic X-Naut soldiers. Grodus now exists as a bouncing, talking head, and it is not explained how he survived.
He wears goggles like the other X-Nauts, but sports a cloak (which may be a status symbol among X-Nauts). Grodus's head is partially electronic, but the reason for it is never explained in the game. He is proficient in magic, which he uses his staff for. Like many Mario villains, Grodus often finishes his boasting with an evil laugh. Grodus appears to have a cough as his laughter appears as "GAAAAAAAACK ACK ACK ACK ACK!" in speech bubbles. He also carries throat lozenges. In the Italian version, his name is "Giustignardo". In Japanese, his name is "Lord Batsugaruf".
In Super Paper Mario, there is a cartoon show called "The Grodus Chronicles". Francis also mentions a series called "Starship X-Naut".
Lord Crump
Crump is another important figure in the X-Nauts army, one of Grodus' top generals and quite possibly his second-in-command. Lord Crump appears frequently throughout the game as a major antagonist to Mario and his allies. Like the other X-Nauts, he wears a pair of goggles over his eyes; he also wears a cape, a ruff, and a beanie with what would seem to be two stuffed horns atop them (as 'Four-Eyes' the stuffing seems to leave one horn, leaving it to flop). Grodus frequently sends Crump to investigate areas where Crystal Stars are located and to extract them. In the game he pilots both models of Magnus Von Grapple, the first time being in the Great Tree and the second in the X-Nauts Fortress.
Mario first meets Crump in Rogueport at the beginning of the game when Crump and his X-Naut forces are interrogating Goombella after hearing she had been asking around about the Crystal Stars. Mario challenges Crump and their battle ends in a draw, Crump then summons all of his forces to attack Mario but fortunately he and Goombella sneak away unnoticed. Mario and company later face Crump at the Great Tree in Boggly Woods after hearing from Punio that the X-Nauts have invaded the tree in order to find the Emerald Crystal Star. When Mario and company find the star, Lord Crump comes in and steals it then activates his "Remote Time Bomb Detonator" that would destroy the Great Tree, fortunately the Puni Elder holds him off before he can get through the exit, allowing Mario to catch up and defeat him and his robot, Magnus Von Grapple. Next Lord Crump poses as a sailor nicknamed Four-Eyes and follows Mario and company on their voyage to Keelhaul Key. Once Mario defeats Cortez and retrieves the Sapphire Star, "Four-Eyes" reveals his true identity and summons an X-Naut ship and begins firing on all the people stranded on the island, it isn't until Flavio reasons with Cortez to lend the castaways his ship are they able to strike back at the X-Nauts. Mario and his allies defeat Lord Crump and send him retreating with a battle on board his ship. The next and last time Mario and friends meet Lord Crump is at the X-Nauts Fortress on the Moon. Grodus allowed Crump to hold on to the Crystal Crystal Star the X-Nauts had in their possession in order to lure Mario to the moon in a scheme to get all of the Crystal Stars together. For Grodus it would be a win-win situation, if Crump were to succeed he would be able to get the rest of the Crystal Stars from Mario, if he failed then Mario would be able to open the Thousand-Year Door for him anyway, although it seemed Lord Crump was oblivious to Grodus' intentions. Mario and his allies fought Lord Crump one final time when he piloted Magnus Von Grapple 2.0 with Mario and friends being the victor and resulting in the robot's destruction. The ensuing explosion expels Lord Crump into space, although at the end of the game reveals that Crump somehow survived along with Sir Grodus.
During the game Crump seemed to have a merciless personality, willing to attack and oppress anyone who stood in his way including Goombella, the Punis and the castaways on Keelhaul Key, although his personality might have changed at the end of the game. He also had a characterisitc, unique evil laugh like Grodus, "Buh buh huh huh huh huh!" However, Crump also displays a large amount of comic incompetence, no doubt to lighten the game and display its humor. His common catchphrase is "And with that-Pow! I'm gone". Crump is also noteworthy as being one of the few characters in the game that breaks the fourth wall by specifically speaking to the player and asking that they do not reveal his true identity to Mario.
TEC-XX
Sometimes called the Extraordinary Computer, TEC-XX (nicknamed TEC), is a computer created by the X-Nauts to operate and maintain their moon base and gather information. He is a self-proclaimed "perfect" computer that occupies an entire room in the lowest level of the X-Naut Fortress, and often summons Princess Peach into the main computer room to ask her questions since as he is a perfect computer, he must know everything. Peach learns he doesn't know things like love, so TEC lets her send e-mail to Mario in return for teaching him. TEC's intelligence and use of the moon base's security systems is reminiscent to 2001: A Space Odyssey's HAL 9000.
The unusual love story between Peach and TEC begins when the X-nauts take her before Grodus, and TEC, under the instruction of monitoring her, falls in love with her, apparently watching as Princess Peach takes a shower. After Peach is imprisoned within a room on the lower levels of the base, TEC calls her to his room and she reveals to him that he must have experienced love. In his quest to be the perfect computer, TEC allows Peach to e-mail Mario in exchange for Peach answering his questions about love. As the game continues, TEC asks stranger and more dangerous things of Peach, from dancing with him (via a holographic version of Peach) to obtaining info from Grodus by disguising herself as an X-Naut and later turning invisible to obtain a data disk in Grodus' Room. It is this data disk that alerts TEC of the X-Naut's ultimate plans for Princess Peach and the Crystal Stars. This frightens TEC, yet he doesn't tell Peach until he is absolutely sure that the data is correct. Unfortunately, when he tells Peach, he is seconds late. As Princess Peach is typing her e-mail to Mario to alert him, Grodus storms TEC's room and has him shut down. Grodus views TEC's actions as a simple malfunction, yet TEC doesn't stop fighting after he has been "shut down," but sends the e-mail (which revealed Peach's location, but not the plan) and professed his love to Princess Peach.
For some reason, TEC is not quite dead after this. After Mario attacks the X-Naut fortress and claims the Crystal Star, the fortress is devoid of all life except for TEC (it is unknown whether or not he played a role in this). TEC prepares the teleporter to Rogueport and after Mario leaves, he sends explosives through the fortress.
Later, after the "end" of the game, TEC has regained function. He claims that he saw a light and heard Peach's voice, implying that Peach somehow saved him. This is reminiscent of the battle with the Shadow Queen, in which Peach was able to send Mario her power. Perhaps Peach did the same for TEC.
The Shadow Sirens
The Shadow Sirens are a group of purple, shadowy creatures (perhaps demons like the Shadow Queen) who worked for Grodus over the course of the game. Originally, the members of the Shadow Sirens were three sisters: Beldam, Marilyn, and Vivian. After Vivian leaves, Doopliss replaces her (see bosses). Mario and his friends fight them two times: once before Vivian leaves and once after Doopliss joins the Sirens. The Shadow Sirens have strange magical attacks and are also able to hide in their own shadows. They often disappear and reappear by traveling in such a state.
As in other Mario RPGs that had parodies of famed shows and people (the Axem Rangers were a play on the Power Rangers/Super Sentai and the Koopa Bros. a joke on the Ninja Turtles), the Shadow Sirens may be a parody of the three Wëird Sisters from Greek mythology and Shakespeare's Macbeth.
- Beldam, the leader of the Shadow Sirens and the oldest sister, is a cruel hag whose pride leads her to blame Vivian for her mistakes. She tricks Mario and the X-nauts into collecting the crystal stars for her and open the seal to the Shadow Queen. Her name is a word that referenced an old witch in Greek Mythology. Her name is a word meaning 'old woman'. She is the shortest and resembles an old woman with long, flat purple hair, a pointed nose, and a tall blue and white striped hat. Ruling the Sirens with an iron fist, she "punishes" her sisters when they make mistakes, or as it is often in Vivian's case, are blamed for something. In battle she relies on her magical powers more than her two sisters. Not only is she a powerful offensive fighter, but she often powers up herself and her partners as well. Examples of this are when she uses a spell to use more attacks per turn than normal and when she makes her sisters huge. Symbolised by the blue on her hat, her element of choice is ice. Many speculate that the unnamed, hooded merchant who sold Princess Peach the magical map may have been Beldam, because of her statement that she had found Peach, and also the fact that Wonky calls the merchant female, and has a similar story to Beldam.
- Marilyn is the middle sister, younger than Beldam but older than Vivian. Taller and fatter than her sisters, she is also the most powerful. Her elemental attacks, as symbolized by the yellow lines on her hat, are lightning-based. Her distinguishing features are her large belly, her blonde hair with a pudding-bowl haircut, and a yellow and white striped hat. Goombella describes her as "the strong-silent type," as she rarely speaks words aside from her grunts. The only 2 words she ever says, which is when you face them in Boggly Woods for the first time, are "...the Three...", which is referring to their groups name, "The Three Shadow Sirens".
- Vivian, the youngest Shadow Siren, is of average height with a round, plump body and wears a red-and-white striped hat over her curly pink hair. Because of Beldam's constant abuse, she has developed an inferiority complex. Slightly spunky, she will usually stand up for herself in such situations, usually making Beldam angrier. Her growth into a strong person and fighter begins when she meets Mario, whose name and body were at the time stolen by Doopliss. Not knowing who he truly was, she helped him out in return for his kindness. After faltering during Mario's battle with Doopliss when she found out that she had been helping her enemy, she changed sides and took down the ghost. She uses fire-based attacks, as referenced by her partially red hat, and can also protect Mario from the environment and enemies by pulling him into the shadows. In the Japanese version of the game, it appears that Vivian was a male character who acted like a girl in an attempt to make Beldam and Marilyn like him, but this is explained below in Vivian's bio. Beldam also calls her man at times, probably just to annoy her. She might be a girl because the team "the sisters" refers to girls rather than men.
- Doopliss replaces Vivian after she and Mario defeat him. When he is with the Sirens, he simply copies his opponents' appearances and attacks rather than steal their bodies. This allows for a much more offensive fighting style, instead to the back-stabbing trickery implemented against Mario. Not much is revealed as to how well he fits in with Beldam and Marilyn, but players can assume that he is not appreciated, as Beldam's nickname for him is "freak sheet". He seems to have been used as a new scapegoat that replaced Vivian after she left.
While Grodus believed the Shadow Sirens to have been on his side, they were in reality using him to forward their cause: reviving the Shadow Queen. Whether Vivian knew about what was to happen to Princess Peach is never addressed, but even after leaving the Shadow Sirens she still had a certain degree of loyalty to her sisters. After the Shadow Queen's defeat, Beldam and Marilyn give up evil and become the kind, loving sisters that Vivian needed. Doopliss leaves the sisters and joins Flurrie's acting troupe.
Party Members
The term "party members" refers to the characters who join Mario for the entirety of his adventure and fight beside him. In addition to a unique set of moves, party members can also help out in the field, mainly to solve puzzles or offer hints. The list below is organized by the order in which the characters join Mario.
Goombella
The female, college-aged (she currently attends Goomba University as a junior) Goomba working with Professor Frankly (the head archaeology teacher at "Goomba U", as Goomba University is often called) to uncover ancient treasure, she helps Mario in a manner similar to Goombario from the original Paper Mario. High on spunk and information, she is a great help to players who are confused about where they are, who someone is, or how to defeat an enemy they are facing. When not in battle, her Tattle ability gives the player helpful information on the area they are in or the person they are standing by. Famous for lacing her facts with opinions and other humorous bits, Goombella is remembered more fondly than the good-mannered Goombario. For example, she disses Beldam's snotty attitude, complains about a comment in her bestiary about Goombas being the "underlings of underlings", and notes sarcastically that it is nice to have access to a bathroom now and then in regards to a bathroom that is always occupied. She also has temporary dislike for Ms Mowz, referring to her as a floozy whenever the pair meet. At the end of the game when Mario is almost done reading Goombella's e-mail, she says that Ms. Mowz is still their little globe-trotting thief. Also in the e-mail, it seems as if she had a crush on him for some time. She also thinks she is cuter than Vivian.
In the Japanese version, her name is "Kurisuchiinu" (クリスチーヌ). This name makes a very similar pun as her english name. It is a reference to the English name "Christine", but also references the fact that she is a "Kuribo", the character known as "Goomba" in Japan.
Koops
Very similar to Kooper from the first Paper Mario, Koops is a Koopa with shell-related abilities. After joining Mario in Petalburg to avenge his father's death at the claws of Hooktail, he helps out in the field by retreating into his shell letting Mario launch him at switches or distant objects to hit them or retrieve them. New to this game is the ability to hold Koops' shell in place.
After defeating Hooktail and saving his father (whom everyone believed to be dead), Koops could have settled back down into Petalburg, but he continued to adventure with Mario until the end of his adventure. It is believed that he wished to prove himself to his father, Koopley, his girlfriend, Koopie Koo, and the town that he was not a coward. It is worth noting that Koops is the first Koopa in the series to wear a shirt; most Koopas just let the undersides of their shells show.
Koops is the polar opposite of the hyperactive and excitable Kooper from the first game. Shy and indecisive, he constantly begins his statements with "Umm". Despite this, Koops is very brave when he needs to be, and a loyal companion.
In Japan, Koops is known as Nokotarou (ノコタロウ) which comes from the name "Nokonoko", the Japanese name for the Koopa Troopa, as well as "Tarou", a common boy's name in Japan.
In Italian, Koops is known as "Koopaldo" , which comes from "koopa", as well as "Aldo", a common man's name in Italy.
Flurrie
A famous actress who grew bored with theater life, Madame Flurrie moved to the Boggly Woods for peace and quiet. When Mario, Goombella, Koops, and Punio ask her to help them enter the Great Tree in order to save the Punies, she gladly joins them and even fights alongside them. After the X-Nauts are evicted from the tree, Flurrie decides to help Mario for the duration of his adventure. Over the course of their journey, she realizes how much she misses the stage (since battles are taken place on a stage) and puts on a play of Mario's adventure with the help of a reformed Doopliss afterwards.
Her trademark is her pricey necklace, which she is never seen without. Once quite attractive, Flurrie put on weight, but still retains a trademark "curvy" appearance. Despite her dramatic and sometimes snobby speech, Flurrie is a very kind soul and always willing to help a person in need. Because she is a cloud spirit, she is able to use an arsenal of wind attacks to battles. When not battling, she can send out strong gusts of wind to uncover secret objects, cease enemy movement by blowing them in dizzying circles, or remove objects blocking her path. Flurrie's name in the Japanese version is Clouda (クラウダ; Kurauda). Her name in Spain is Claudia, which is based on her Japanese name. She bears great resemblance to Disney's Ursula, both in appearance and manner.
Yoshi
Yoshi is one of the most unique partners in the game, as his appearance is determined by how much time passes between the moment the player obtains the egg and when it hatches. Colors that the Yoshi might be are green, blue, red, orange, pink, light blue, black, and white (the hair color will also change depending on which color of Yoshi you get). Being parentless, Yoshi entrusts Mario with naming him, something that the player has full control of.
Although he is not even a year old by the end of the game, Yoshi is quite smart and spunky, escaping from Hoggle the hot dog seller in Glitzville and battling alongside Mario in the Glitz Pit. Yoshi's field ability allows Mario to ride him, greatly increasing Mario's speed, and also allows Mario to hover above gaps for short distances. Because Mario is addressed as the Great Gonzales while fighting, Yoshi learned Mario's name incorrectly and continues to call him "Gonzales" for most of the game. After Mario's adventure, Yoshi returns to the Glitz Pit and makes a name for himself under the title "Great Gonzales Jr.," which reveals the deep respect he has for his adopted father. He is known as "Chibiyoshi" (a cross between "Chibi" and "Yoshi") in the Japanese version
Vivian
Vivian is an ex-member of the Shadow Sirens who abandoned them for Mario's team. As unlikely as the friendship may be, Mario and Vivian were able to join forces without any trouble because of the conditions they had met under. Doopliss had stolen Mario's name and body, rendering the original Mario a shadowy being. Thus, Mario witnessed the true Vivian, who was his friend rather than an enemy. She helped him fight until she realized who he truly was, but returned to his side in time to save him from Doopliss and all of Mario's "former" party members, who had been tricked into helping Doopliss. After the Shadow Sirens changed their ways, Vivian returned to a much better life than she had previously had. By the end of the game, Vivian had a crush on Mario, and nearly told him of it before he boarded the boat and the party members were saying their good-byes. In the original Japanese version, Vivian is male. Despite that, in the Japanese version, the “Three Shadows Group” uses the word 魔女たち (majotachi), which refers to a group of sorceresses, i.e. females, and words like her, she, and sisters are also used. However, many of these words are used by Vivian himself, as he tries so hard to fit in with his sisters that he considers himself a female. Unlike most characters that undergo major changes during translation, Vivian maintains the same (feminine) name in both the English and Japanese versions. At one point, Majorin (Beldam) points out that Vivian is male after he calls them a group of sisters. Also, the Japanese menu information and an official Japanese website describes Vivian as male.
Outside of battle, Vivian is similar to Bow from the first game. She can grab Mario and pull him down into their shadows, which protects them from enemies and allows them to eavesdrop on conversations. There are also several other ways the move can be used, like protecting Mario from spikes that come up through the floor or a wall.
Admiral Bobbery
Admiral Bobbery, a salty old Bob-omb sea captain, was married to a very beautiful woman named Scarlette, and they shared many happy years together. She eventually became ill and died while he was at sea. He blamed himself for her death, feeling if he hadn't been on the voyage at sea he would have been able to make sure that she survived and so he couldn't forgive himself. Because of this, Bobbery found himself unable to set sail any longer because it reminded him of his painful memories of sorrow and guilt. Close to the end of her life, Scarlette predicted that her death would bring about this pain, and so she wrote her husband a letter revealing her death wish that he continue his life as a sailor and entrusted the letter to Podley, the owner of the local cola bar. However, Podley could not bring himself to deliver the letter and held onto it for many years. Such behavior may seem strange, but this was the same Podley who abandoned his young love, Eve of Twilight Town, and later in life pretended to have forgotten her. Eventually, when Mario needed Bobbery's talent to navigate the way to Keelhaul Key, Podley had Mario to deliver the letter. Bobbery joined Flavio and Mario's journey to the Key. After they were attacked by pirate ghosts, or Embers, and marooned on the island, Bobbery joined Mario as a party member, and remained with him to the end of Mario's journey. Bobbery also has the highest HP possibility of any partner characters. In English, "Bobbery" is an outdated word that means "a loud disturbance". His Japanese name is Barel (bareru).
In the field, he uses the same attack that Bombette had in the last game: exploding to make holes in walls that are cracked.
Bobbery won the award for "Best New Character" in a 2005 issue of Nintendo Power.
Ms. Mowz
Ms. Mowz is an incredible sneak thief who specializes in stealing badges. As a Squeek, she possesses a very keen sense of smell. She uses this to sniff out possible items that she can take. When she wishes to blend into normal society, Ms. Mowz removes her mask and lives as the manager of the Lovely Howz of Badges at Rogueport, which is also where she sells her stolen goods. When she met Mario in Hooktail Castle, she was immediately smitten by him, much to the dismay of Goombella. When found in The Great Tree and Glitzville, both Flurrie and Goombella temporarily detest the sweet-talking thief. Once she's part of your party, she's automatically seen as everyone else's friend. Being brash and bold, she made her intentions known before leaving the fortress. Whether or not she follows Mario or if their paths simply happen to intersect by chance is unknown, but after meeting him two more times, Ms. Mowz decided to put Mario to a test. By posting a notice at Rougeport's trouble center after Chapter 4, Ms. Mowz recruited Mario to find a badge she had cleverly hidden. The badge is ATTACK FX B, which is found in Hooktail Castle. You go to the top to the room you originally fought Hooktail in and use Flurrie to blow a fraud page in the middle of the room, which reveals a treasure chest that contains ATTACK FX B. After returning it to her, she lets Mario keep the badge and decides to join him for the duration of the journey, hoping to find a good share of treasure by following him.
Ms. Mowz is the only partner in the game that is optional. If a player does not accept her trouble (labeled as being posted by "???"), he or she can finish the game without her. Her field ability is very useful, but not vital. She can sniff out any coins, hearts, flowers, items, key items, badges, or star pieces in the area through a sort of hotter-colder game. Although she never says exactly where something is, she will tell players if there is something of use nearby (on the same "screen") and then jump in the air when Mario is standing extremely close to the item. Players then need to find the item, which may be under an underground panel, in an invisible block, in some bushes, in a tree or similar object, or covered by part of the scenery. This move can be compared to Watt's special move in the last game, except this move doesn't reveal exact locations, but can find more than just invisible blocks. Her Japanese name is Chuchuriina, which is based on "chuchu" a Japanese onomatopoeia for a mouse's squeak.
Other characters
These characters (excluding Luigi, Merlee, Merlon, Merluvlee) are involved with significant points in the plotline, but usually have minor roles. Also mentioned is what chapter(s) he or she is most involved in.
Black Chest Demons
- Prologue; Chapters 1, 4, and 5
Four Demons are locked in Black Chests, and beg for you to free them, saying they will help you. But when they come out, the Black Chest Demons place a curse on you. Fortunately for you, their curse is in truth, a Blessing (a concept reused from several Legend of Zelda games) - they are how you obtain your four special Paper abilities (Plane Mode, Paper Thin Mode, Tube Mode, and Boat Mode).
Mario eventually wises up to the fact that the chests contain curses and as such sends the sprit of the fourth chest (Boat Mode) into a depression when he is "told" by Mario to "Skip the prologue and just get to the curse" (Mario doesn't actually say this, due to his being a silent protagonist, but the chest interprets his hand signal as such) however, being sporting, Mario allows him to do his "evil monologue", something the chest thanks him for before leaving. Mario's Partner says something to the effect of the fourth chest spirit not being such a bad guy.
The spirits seem completely oblivious to the fact that the curses are actually helpful, but later the truth is revealed. The Black Chests are actually the Four Heroes that were involved in the sealing away of the Shadow Queen. Being cursed themselves, they had to cause a curse to whomever opened them. The heroes could never truly do this and instead offered "good" curses. They pretend to be evil demons by saying things like, "FOOOOOOOOLS!" and implying insults on Mario. This hides their true identity as the Four Heroes. But when Mario first locates the chests, the Heroes will hold a short conversation on how they go stuck in the box and that some legendary hero will free them.
Merlon
Merlon is a Shaman who has the ability to raise each secondary character one level, for three Shine Sprites. It is unknown as to whether or not he is the same Merlon from Toad Town in Paper Mario, although Wonky speaks of certain occupations in which his race must change their name according to what they do.
Merlee
Merlee, for a fee, will cast a spell on you, and appears in battles to help you, by raising your attack or defense, raising Star Points gained, raising coins earned, raising Flower Points or Heart Points earned, or lowering Flower Point use. She always talks in rhyme.
Merluvlee
Merluvlee is a fortune teller, able to tell you where there are Star Pieces, Shine Sprites and even tell you where to go next - for a fee, of course. She once suffered a severe case of indigestion caused by a wild binge on eight Shroom Steaks.
Chet Rippo
Chet Rippo also is a Shaman who has the ability to adjust Mario's stats. He does not allow for you to purchase a level but lower one stat Stat i.e. 5 Heart Points, 5 Flower Points, or 3 Badge Points and raise another. He charges a fee for the use of his magic and is found beneath Rogueport through a pipe that cannot be reached without Bobbery. For whatever reason, the second part of his name seems to be a reference to "ripoff."
Wonky
An old man full of knowledge, he lives below Rogueport. You must pay 5 coins to gain a fact from him. He has information about recipes, hidden doors, and town gossip.
'Wonky' is an Old English word meaning strange. In modern British English it means 'uneven'.
Dazzle
The Star-Piece collector. He'll trade you badges for Star Pieces. He will also sell rare badges. There's no other point to Star Pieces besides trading them for badges, so Dazzle is someone worth talking to now and then. He is below Rogueport, after taking the east side pipe, go in the left room to find him.
Mayor Kroop
- Chapter 1
The mayor of Petalburg. When Mario comes and talks to him about slaying the dragon, Hooktail, Kroop gladly accepts the offer (the dragon occasionally swoops down and devours random passersby). Originally, he thought Mario was a thief and talked about his wife. He appears to have a hearing problem, as when Mario said his name, Kroop thought he said "Murphy" and calls him this for the rest of the game.
Koopley
- Chapter 1
Koopley is Koops' dad. He went to defeat Hooktail, the dragon boss of the first chapter, but he failed. Koops decided to join Mario in defeating the dragon to avenge his father. However, when the dragon is slain, it is revealed that even though Koopley was indeed eaten up by the dragon, he hid in his shell where he was safe until Koops and Mario came and slew the dragon. In return Koopley gave Mario the Crystal Star he found in Hooktail's belly. Luckily for Koopley, Hooktail never learned how to chew her food.
Koopie Koo
- Chapter 1
Koopie Koo ("Nokorin" in Japan) is Koops' girlfriend. While she started out worried something might happen to her boyfriend, Koops returns without a scratch. After that, Koopie Koo stays in Petalburg, awaiting Koops' return.
Luigi
Luigi is Mario's brother. Every once in a while, he is sitting in the audience, and will occasionally assist you. He goes on adventures all during the plot. Each Chapter, he will have a new story and a new ally (who generally hates Luigi--they join him for dubious reasons, such as a grudge against him or a debt to be paid). Luigi's tales during Paper Mario 2 explain his journeys through the Waffle Kingdom as he fights to rescue the Princess Eclair. What's funny about Luigi's story is that it is hard to tell how much of it is true. Though at first one is led to believe it is entirely false (his story mirrors Mario's; for example, the Circuit Break City part resembles Chapter 3's main quest), his 'allies' give some support that he was, in fact, on a quest (one of his later allies reveals that the story is, at least in part, true). The troubling matter is figuring out what really happened, as his allies, such as Blooey, whose white Blooper skin was charred on one quest, or Torque, whose racing machine was wrecked in Luigi's race for a Marvelous Compass piece, have their own biases, implying that Luigi is changing the story somewhat to make himself more heroic. Luigi's stories are also very long and actually bore Mario to sleep before he is even finished talking.
Eventually, you can buy an in-game novel about him, titled Super Luigi, which quite obviously exaggerates the events of the quest (stating that at one point Luigi played a nature spirit in a play orchestrated by Hayzee, when in fact he played a patch of grass). The first book actually called Mario his "older, though less talented" brother and said that he was out on a "no-doubt inconsequential errand". It is unknown whether or not Luigi actually told his interviewer this lie. However, knowing Luigi's kind personality, he probably did not. There are 5 volumes of Super Luigi in total and the price progressively doubles. The first volume costs 64 Coins, the second through fourth cost 128 (a sly reference to Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 128, respectively), and the last costs 256. Apparently, the Super Luigi series is a soon-to-be motion picture (again, in the game).
Punio
- Chapter 2
A young Puni that you find in Rogueport Sewers, Punio helps you get to the Great Tree. He often helps you get around, and is constantly yelled at by the Puni Elder. He gets along with one certain Jabbi that can be found in the The Great Tree shop. He is apparently the heir to leadership of the Punis.
Puni Elder
- Chapter 2
An elderly female Puni with a short temper. When someone calls her old, she grows to a frighteningly large size, shrieks in rage and scares the daylights out of anyone that happens to be within earshot. Mario first meets her in a jail cell in the Great Tree soon before freeing her. In her trouble, she requests a Life Shroom due to her old age. She mispronounces Mario's name, in which she says "Marty-O", due to the fact that she has bad hearing (She also mispronounces Princess Peach's name this way, to "Princess Pinch").
Petuni
- Chapter 2
Punio's little sister Petuni was captured by the X-Nauts along with most of the others. She asks you every once in a while to play the "Stump Petuni" game. If you let her win by asking a certain question, such as 'Which person does Mario like the most?' she will give you a Mystic Egg, which isn't an impressive item, but is used in several of Zess T.'s recipes. She makes an appearance on a poster in Chapter 3-4 of Super Paper Mario.
Zess T.
- Chapter 3
After Mario accidentally breaks her contact lens when she is searching for them (after she tells you not to move, anything you do that involves movement leads to you stepping on the lens), this spunky old Toad chef blocks his route to West Rogueport until he buys her a new one. After getting the first Crystal Star and buying a new lens for her for 10 coins, Zess T. will cook food for players when given items. After solving her trouble at the Trouble Center (giving her a cook book from the secret room in Creepy Steeple), she gains the ability to cook using two items, making a total of 57 recipes she can make.
Zess T. is likely Tayce T.'s sister. One of Wonky's stories talks of Zess T. having a sister who lives far away. However, Zess T. is much different from her sister, as seen by her unforgiving nature even after you replace her contact lens. "Stompy" is only one of the insulting nicknames she calls Mario.
Lahla
- Chapter 3
Lahla is a Boo who works at Pianta Parlor in addition to her work as a model. After convincing Mario to play the games at the Parlor by telling him she will talk about herself if he beats the high scores, she is forced to do so, revealing that she likes Honey Shrooms, is eighteen years old, is sisters with Peeka, the Boo who runs Westside Goods, and is on a diet. The influence from Bow in the last game is obvious. They are almost identical except for Lahla's lighter green color and cat ear headband.
Don Pianta
- Chapters 3 and 6
The leader of the Pianta Syndicate (think Pianta Mafia) that keeps people in line in Rogueport, Don Pianta's daughter, Francesca, ran off with one of his minions, Frankie. He wants Mario to find them and bring them back to him in return for a Blimp Ticket to Glitzville. Mario also brings back Francesca and Frankie when Don Pianta feels lonesome, and he gives him a Train Ticket to the Excess Express in return. He speaks with an Italian-American accent. (Of course, according to his dialect.)
Jolene
- Chapter 3
Jolene ("Kinoshikowa" in Japan, "Toadskova" in Germany) is a female Toad that works at the Glitz Pit. She seems to be up to no good, as many contestants have been disappearing, but it is revealed that she has been trying to help Mario in order to save her brother, Prince Mush (the first champion of the Glitz Pit), and was also X, the person who mysteriously e-mailed Mario at certain points when you are ascending the ranks of the Glitz Pit.
Rawk Hawk
- Chapter 3
The big, burly champion of the Glitz Pit, Rawk Hawk ("Gold Hawk" in Japan) is undefeated. The player may at first believe he is the chapter boss but during Mario's time in the major league it is revealed Hawk's crystal star is made of glass. He is a shady character that will do anything to win when Mario, or rather, the "Great Gonzales", climbs the ranks. He resorts to attempting to poison Mario with a slice of cake, and having security lock Mario in an unused locker room prior to Mario's fight with him. However, after his defeat, he promises to fight fairly. He also appears in a humorous cutscene in the game when Bowser and Kammy Koopa arrive at his private gym, during which Bowser calls him a "little chicken nugget". Bowser and Kammy Koopa see a "Crystal Star" on Rawk Hawk's belt hanging on the wall. When Rawk Hawk attempts to kick Bowser, Bowser simply jumps over him and squashes him. The "Crystal Star" breaks. When Bowser yells out asking what happened to the real Crystal Star and where it is, Rawk Hawk mentions that "Gonzales" took it, then says several entertaining phrases such as "Ow, my aching hair" and "Feel...the...Rawk...". At one point in the Japanese version, he declares, in English "Ai amu nanbaa wan!!" (I am number one!) "Ai amu chanpion!!" (I am [the] champion!), although in the English version, he says "Number one, baby! Rawk Hawk is the Champ!". Also in the English version, his catchphrase is "Feel the Rawk!!".
Grifty
- Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Grifty is a mysterious minstrel that hangs out on a roof in Rogueport that requires Yoshi to reach. Over the course of the game, you can pay him 5 coins to have him recite bits and pieces of the Legend of the Four Heroes. This tale helps to explain the roots of the 1000 year-old evil that destroyed the area currently known as Rogueport, as well as some other minor bits regarding other characters, like Cortez, the pirate king, and the Great Tree's origin.
After paying the fee, the player is free to listen to his stories again anytime they wish.
| This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. |
- Ages ago, a city flourished here in peace and splendor. But it was destroyed in a single day by a demon from the dark beyond. Historians claim a great calamity befell the city, but nay...'twas a demon. The city sank below ground, and one-quarter of the old city became the demon's den. This demon put fear into the hearts of all men and sent out minions to take the land. And its den, its palace, grew rich with the treasures stolen from all over the world.
- In order to increase its already formidable power, the demon created Crystal Stars to hold the essence of the heavens. One of these stars was placed in each country to exert the demon's influence (There was the Diamond Star, the Emerald Star, the Gold Star, The Ruby Star, The Sapphire Star, the Garnet Star and, of course, the Crystal Star).
- The demon built a dungeon near its palace and filled it with terrifying monsters. All those who fell into disfavor were thrown into this dungeon to rot. The demon also had three dragon pets: Hooktail, Gloomtail and Bonetail. These dragons flew across the land, spreading fear and sorrow over all. Even now, the mere mention of a dragon is enough to give someone the terrors.
- One day, there came a hero who could vanquish the fell demon. The young Toad from Petal Meadows was strong of arm, but shy of voice. All those around the boy teased him endlessly about the way he spoke. But when the demon cast her fearful gaze across the land and reached out, the young Toad used his strength and honor to defend his people. And he became a hero to all, despite his odd voice.
- There was a wise Goomba from Boggly Woods gifted in knowledge of the world. When beasts rose to take the woods, this knowledge helped the people fight them. And this Goomba, who knew the way that every monster would attack, she began to think of a way to banish all monsters from the land.
- A Koopa who traveled the world alone learned of the darkness covering the land. He went alone wherever evil dwelt, and banished it with shell and sheer bravado. The monsters grew to fear this scar-riddled Koopa who thwarted them at every turn. But the brave Koopa was finally taken in a trap set for him by the monsters. But then, a Boo who fought with the monsters came and used her magic to free him. The brave Koopa's spirit had melted the heart of the cold Boo lass.
- The Boo used her powerful magic to learn more about the evil they faced. "We cannot destroy this darkness alone," she decided, her face a grim mask. "We need the Toad hero of Petal Meadows and the wise Goomba of Boggly Woods." The Boo's magic drew the four heroes together to send the demon from the world. And so, the four heroes finally set out for the Palace of Shadow.
- The power of the world-devouring demon was greater than any could imagine, but the wise Goomba soon realized that this was the power of the Crystal Stars. She thought of a way to take the stars and use them against the demon. She told the other heroes her plan and set it in motion, banishing their fears. The Boo's magic and the Toad's strength created a gap in the demon's defenses. At that moment, the brave Koopa seized the stars and succeeded in badly damaging the demon.
- But even the brave Koopa's stroke was not enough to end the demon's reign. The wise Goomba thought of another use for the Crystal Stars in that dire hour. She suggested sealing the demon forever with the Crystal Stars. All agreed. The heroes matched their strengths with the power of the Crystal Stars and they successfully sealed the demon's soul within the deepest part of the palace. Together, they made it so that only all seven stars could break the seal.
- The four heroes thought they had sealed away the demon and all of its powers, but the demon used a tiny opening before the seal was complete to curse them all. While holding the Crystal Stars, they'd feel nothing, but when they let them go, a black box would appear to seal their souls within. The four heroes traveled the world, scattering the stars so the seal would remain. But the last four stars each carried the curse, which claimed each hero.
- The hiding places of many of the Crystal Stars have now faded into legend. But some say that the wise Goomba hid one in the Great Tree. At that time, many monsters wandered in the nearby Boggly Woods. The tiny Punies were always tormented by their fierce appetites, it was said. Pitying them, the Goomba hollowed out the Great Tree for the Punies to live in. The Punies were so grateful that they swore to protect the Crystal Star there.
- Once the Boo heroine hid her star in the Steeple, she was trapped in the nearby town. Some say the Crystal Star lies in that Steeple still.
- The Koopa hero went to a southern isle to hide his star where none would find it. But the Koopa was so tired from his journey that the pirate Cortez stole it easily. In that very instant, the brave Koopa was trapped in an inescapable chest. But Cortez did not realize the power of the star and lost it among his treasures.
- The strong Toad held his star and continued his arduous journey. But eventually the miles took their toll upon him, and he collapsed. A traveling healer happened by and saved his life. But the Toad knew his fate was to be trapped in the box when the star was gone. So he asked this healer to hide the star in a secret place known to no one. After the demon was sealed within the Palace of Shadow, many refused to come near that place of terror. But as the years passed, entire generations forgot and the penniless and the immoral began to congregate in this once-barren place. This place soon became a populous harbor, the town of Rogueport. And some even began to say that the underground city held a legendary treasure, but they were unaware that the demon slept beneath them still.
- The heroes knew that the seal might not last forever and they sought to make the Crystal Stars available to one who might need them. So, before going to their individual dooms, they made a map to all the stars. And to prevent an evil force from misusing this map, they placed it in a box that could only be opened by the pure of heart.
Traveling Sisters 3
Three toad sisters who are usually found wherever Mario goes. They are just like the original Travelling Sisters Three from Paper Mario 1, but whether they are the same sisters or different sisters is unknown.
Flavio
- Chapter 5
Flavio is a rich, foppish merchant that, for the first four chapters, sits in Podley's Place, admiring his precious Skull Gem (which was actually stolen from Cortez by Flavio's ancestors). In chapter five, he assists you in getting to Keelhaul Key. He's not a very dependable man, and would only go with you into the jungle under pressure from the other shipmates. While he may be the "leader" figure of the crew, he is disliked by them, particularly the rough Bob-Omb pirate, Pa-Patch, who often teases him. Flavio has a tendency to speak in 3rd-person as well. His name is a reference to both his appearance and cowardly nature as well as the color of his skin, as flavius means "yellow" in Latin. Although, when adversaries are not present, he portrays himself as a fearless hero, Flavio is easily frightened and does not show much bravery. He can be compared to Professor Kolorado from the prequel, Paper Mario. However, it should be noted that when Lord Crump attacked the island and put everyone in danger, Flavio went with Mario to Cortez to get use of his ship, despite his fear of ghosts. This proved that while he is still is a coward by nature, when push came to shove he would do what was needed to protect his crew.
Toodles
Toodles is a rich Toad who lives in the large pink house near the Poshley Heights train area. While she's on the Excess Express, Doopliss steals her gold ring. After Doopliss escapes, Mario returns her ring. She is also one of the individuals who places an ad in the Trouble Center for someone to help return a Wrestling Magazine she lent to Jolene in Glitzville. When Mario gets the Magazine back for her, she rewards Mario with the Platinum Card. Goombella describes her as being extremely fashionable, and the definite type to be living in Poshley Heights.
Ratooey Businessman
A businessman, and one of the passengers on the Excess Express, he is the client of a mystery where he lost his contract for Nitro Honey Syrup. By itself, it is an excellent syrup, with powerful curative properties (Strong enough to raise the dead, it is claimed at one point). If combined with calcium and gold, however, it becomes unstable, causing a huge explosion that covers everything nearby with a sticky, yet yummy shellac. When Mario captures Doopliss (who had disguised himself as the famous actor Zip Toad), he recovers his contract. He is also the client of a "trouble" where he forgot the code to open his briefcase. If you tell him the code, he will reward you with some Hot Sauce. After that, he will sell you hot sauce for 10 coins.
Pa-Patch
Flavio's Bob-omb rival. After Lord Crump betrays the S.S. Flavion crew, Pa-Patch stays at Keelhaul Key for the rest of the game. He earns his name from the eye-patch he wears.
Pa-Patch is best known for being the first character in an English Mario game to make a farting noise (when he was commenting how Flavio's armpits stink).
Heff T.
Heff T. is an overweight Toad who lives on the Excess Express. The first mystery of the chapter is when Chef Shimi's stew is stolen, and the culprit is revealed to be Heff T. When Mario uses the train to get back to Poshley Heights, he finds that Heff T. is the only passenger from the original ride. The overweight Toad explains that he's eaten so much, he can't get off the train. Because of this, he now gets his food via room service. It is later found out that Heff T becomes good friends with the chef. This happens because the chef was complimented by the fact that Heff T liked the stolen stew so much.
Ghost T.
The spirit of a Toad who died on the Excess Express years ago, found in the passenger room next to Mario's by hiding in the room with Vivian. He steals the conductor's blanket when the conductor mistook him for a real passenger, and will only return it if you deliver him his old diary. Mario has to recover the diary from the baggage car and bring it to Ghost T. If you read the diary, then Ghost T. will appear, scold you for invading his privacy, kills you, and gives you a Game Over. If you give him the diary, then he'll try to go up to "the next world", but will decide otherwise, in favor of staying on the train for a while longer, saying it had grown on him. By hiding again with Vivian after the end of Chapter 6, he will reappear, and will remain visible in the room for the remainder of the game. He later e-mails Mario, but explains that he did it by possessing the conductor and goes on to say that he will use computers and technology to write a new journal for his afterlife.
General White
A white Bob-omb who has been described as a wanderer. General White is first spotted in Petalburg, but wanders around the overworld. Eventually, he heads back home to Fahr Outpost, but he must be woken up with a few dozen jumps. When you jump on him, you see the animations for successful Action Commands, which you naturally see during battle. He also works a large cannon which blasts Mario to the X-Naut base on the moon. After Chapter 7, Goldbob places an ad in the trouble center for someone to deliver a package to General White, leading the player on yet another wild-goose-chase to find him.
Goldbob
Goldbob is a wealthy, golden Bob-omb who lives in Poshley Heights. He owns a large and famous business called Goldbobbingtons. He is also good friends with General White. Despite living in Poshley Heights, Goldbob and his family are first spotted in Chapter 3 outside the Glitz Pit on vacation to see the fights. It is shown that he's willing to buy anything, no matter how expensive or likely they will use it, when he suggests getting Bub a car or house for his birthday.
Sylvia
The wife of Goldbob. As her name implies, Sylvia is a silver Bob-omb. Unlike Goldbob, she tries her best not to spoil their son, Bub. She is mostly interested in Bub's education.
Bub
A bronze, spoiled Bob-omb who lives with his mother and father in Poshley Heights. When Mario boards the Excess Express, he discovers that it is little Bub's birthday, and his parents are arguing over what to get him. Neither of them knew that Bub wanted the autograph of his favorite person: the train engineer.
Pennington
A Bumpty (a type of penguin) who works as a museum curator, but also fancies himself a detective. When various mysteries happen aboard the Excess Express, Pennington hires Mario as his deputy to get to the bottom of them. However, he is an atrociously bad detective: he guesses nothing correctly, not even the name of his deputy (whom he repeatedly calls Luigi). He keeps the sixth Crystal Star in his museum, along with a badge that, ironically, changes Mario's color scheme to match the real Luigi's.
Major Bosses
These are the major foes in Mario's path, usually guarding a Crystal Star at the end of a chapter.
Hooktail the Dragon
The holder (or rather, the swallower) of the Diamond Star is the dragon Hooktail, found in the tower of Hooktail Castle. When you battle Gloomtail he says he'll kill you for what you did to his Little Sister referring to Hooktail as a female dragon. Hooktail attacks with fiery breath, biting attacks, and stomping moves. She has no problem with eating the Toads in the audience and does so when she is low on health (although they are released as Mario defeats her). When the player thinks they've beaten Hooktail, she will also attempt to trick Mario by offering to pay him 1000 coins, giving him a super-rare badge and lastly allowing him to smell the soles of her feet, something that people apparently pay much money for.
She claims to have gotten food poisoning from eating crickets once, so she becomes ill upon hearing the sound of crickets. Some also suggest that the reason for Hooktail's aversion to crickets is because the ancient Toad hero had a voice like one. Hooktail was indeed the Shadow Queen's pet, so there is some credibility to the theory. Mario can use this to his advantage by using the Attack FX R Badge that makes his attacks sound like cricket chirps. This badge is found in a dungeon of the castle. Mario must first use his newfound "curse" to turn paper thin and walk between the bars of the dungeon cell to retrieve the badge. When he attacks while wearing this badge, Hooktail's attack is decreased from 5 to 2, and her defense is decreased from 1 to 0. Without the badge, Hooktail is virtually invulnerable and very hard to defeat at this point in the game. (But with some extra training beforehand or skilled superguarding, it can be done.)
Hooktail has two siblings named Gloomtail and Bonetail, who live in the Palace of Shadow and in the Pit of 100 Trials, respectively. Hooktail, Gloomtail, and Bonetail were the Shadow Queen's pets before she was imprisoned the first time. Some fans say that their heads look like giant Yoshi heads.
Her name is a reference to Valoo, a red dragon from The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker. Valoo actually had a hook tail (which proves to be vital as it helps you beat the monster that is tormenting him).
In Super Paper Mario, there is a dragon called "Fracktail", and appears to be a mechanical version of Hooktail.
Grubba/Macho Grubba
The proprietor of the Glitz Pit, and a former arena fighter (who was considered mediocre until he found the Gold Star), Grubba uses an evil power-sucking machine powered by the Gold Star to drain the life from fighters to keep himself ultra-buff. He's a large orange creature that resembles a larger form of Tubba Blubba from Paper Mario, as well as the enemy Spike from Super Mario Bros. 3. He primarily punches or jumps on his enemies, but can also increase his attack and defense, make himself dodgy, or attack twice each round. The disappearances of Bandy Andy, King K., and Prince Mush were all his doing; they were fighters who discovered what he was up to. He announced his intentions to drain Mario, aware that Mario was getting close to realizing what was going on.
Doopliss
Initially nameless (identified as "?????"), this Duplighost (a type of doppelgänger/ghosts that can mimic the appearance of their enemies) can also change other people's appearances, which is unique to Doopliss. He lives at the top of Creepy Steeple, just outside the village of Twilight Town. Being a prankster, he turned the residents of Twilight Town into pigs one by one each time the tower bell chimed. After Mario defeated him for the first time, he switched bodies with Mario just as he was defeated, in effect stealing the star back before Mario ever really took it. Players then control the silhouette left in place of Mario's body. Doopliss later mocks Mario, bragging that he stole his name and body and had plans for ruining them both.
Similar to the story Rumpelstiltskin, the only way for Mario to break the spell is to guess the ghost's name. Until then, he is invincible. Players who know his name beforehand will be met with a roadblock, as there is no lower-case "p" on the screen where you enter his name. The "p" must be stolen from Creepy Steeple, where his pet parrot accidentally tells Mario Doopliss's name (And, in a fit of oddity, guards a chest that contains "The letter p" [sic]). After Mario reveals his name, Doopliss retreats to Creepy Steeple, where he rallies Goombella, Koops, Flurrie, and Yoshi against you, tricking them into believing that he is Mario. Despite Doopliss' odd behavior (he wants to stop the quest, he hunches over, his eyes are hollow and he talks a lot for the almost mute Mario, and even addresses them as "my loyal ones".), the player's "former" party members battle Mario. With the help of Vivian, a former Shadow Siren, Mario defeats the ghost and takes his body and name back. Doopliss escapes, humiliated. Between this and when Mario next sees him in the Excess Express, Doopliss joins the Shadow Sirens. He uses his transformation skills to fool everyone on the train into thinking he is a famous action movie star named Zip Toad, and secretly plans to blow up the train with a Nitro Honey Syrup bomb. His plans are once again foiled by Mario, but he manages to escape. Later in the Palace of Shadow, Mario and friends fight him, along with the rest of the Shadow Sirens. At the very end of the adventure, Doopliss ends his evil ways and starts a career as an actor alongside Flurrie. His Japanese name is "Ranperu", most likely a nod to the aforementioned Rumpelstiltskin. His English name is probably based on "Duplicate" or "Duplicitous". His Italian name is "Rampel." Doopliss has been rumored to have floating eyes under his sheet. He's believed to have a crush on Goombella.
The Smorg
The Smorgs do not hold a Crystal Star, but they attack the Excess Express during its journey to Poshley Heights and jump on the train, where the sixth Crystal Star is held. The Smorg is a huge monster made up of hundreds of smaller Smorgs in the form a blob shape with either three tentacles (able to attack Mario or his partner three times in all per round) or one pincer-like protrusion (able to perform a more devastating attack on both Mario and his partner), being the Smorg Miasmas. An individual Smorg can be described as a small beast made of five black "discs" and two yellow eyes. They are first seen at the Riverside Station, where they try to prevent Mario and his teammates from lowering the drawbridge to continue the trek to Poshley Heights. Later on, the Smorgs stow away onto the Excess Express and hold all of the passengers hostage within the miasma, with the exception of the conductor, engineer, and waitress. Mario and his comrades fight the entire tribe on the rooftop of the train. The miasma soon releases the petrified passengers and the Smorgs flee from the train. Due to their resemblance to fuzzy X's, they may have been designed by the X-Nauts. The nature in which they attack the train (swarming around it and overrunning the interior through sheer numbers) can be compared to the opening sequence of Resident Evil 0 for the Nintendo GameCube.
Gloomtail
By this point in the game, the player has probably been listening to Grifty's tales about the mystical history of Rogueport. There it was revealed that Hooktail was the pet of the demon that destroyed the old town, but it was also revealed that the demon had more than one pet dragon. Gloomtail is the second strongest (and second oldest) of the dragons. He looks and behaves mostly like Hooktail, except he is much stronger, and is armed with poisonous breath. It is likely that Gloomtail is a nod to Bahamut from the Final Fantasy series of video games; he is pitch black in color with a purple colored underbelly, and boasts about his power, but the primary connection is his special attack, the 'Megabreath'. In the Tattle Log, it states "Watch out for his famous megabreath attack!", and Goombella says "the word is, it's GNARLY!". This appears to be a reference to Bahamut's famous 'Mega Flare' attack. Gloomtail also mentions that Hooktail is his younger SISTER when your partner slips about destroying Hooktail at the beginning of the game. This is an easy detail to miss.
The Shadow Queen
- Appearance — The Shadow Queen is the demon of the legends who destroyed the town now buried under Rogueport in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. She's a tall, purple, woman-like figure with long hair and a crown. She appears to be the queen of the mysterious shadow folk that Beldam and the Shadow Sirens belong to, resembling them greatly, except wearing a pointed gold tiara instead of a witch's hat. In fact, it was Beldam working behind the scenes that leads to her rebirth at the end of the game. Presumably she once had a body, but it is unknown what she originally looked like. When freed, she possesses the body of Princess Peach. Now, she appears to be some manifestation of dark matter or magic. She harnesses the power of the shadows to fight. Her hands can take on alternate forms, including a large group of Dead Hands reaching out of the ground to drag you into the darkness. She can absorb health from Mario and his partners, unleash status effects and use some immensely powerful attacks. Not only that, but she appears at first to be completely invincible until she is weakened by her host's last wish for peace.
- History of the Shadow Queen — In the past, she created the Crystal Stars to increase her already formidable power. She ruled one-quarter of the old city, in a palace supposedly filled with stolen treasures. She had, and still has, three pet dragons, Hooktail, Gloomtail, and Bonetail, and apparently created the infamous Pit of 100 Trials as a dungeon for those who defied her. The four heroes of legend damaged her with the Crystal Stars they stole from her, then used them to seal her deep in the Palace of Shadow, behind the Thousand-Year Door. However, before the seal was complete, she cursed the four heroes, resulting in each of them being trapped in Black Chests when they let go of the stars they all held (therefore meaning it is presumably the souls of the heroes who 'curse' Mario with his useful paper-related abilities). They made a map to the stars before they separated. Many years passed, and a new town, Rogueport, was built above the destroyed underground city, with nobody realizing that the Shadow Queen slept in the ruins below.
- The Shadow Queen's Rebirth — In the present day, Sir Grodus of the X-Nauts kidnapped Princess Peach, believing her to have the map. However, she had already passed it on to Mario. In failing to locate all but one of the Crystal Stars, he and the Shadow Sirens tricked Mario (who now possessed all the Crystal Stars upon the defeat of Lord Crump) into opening the Thousand-Year Door. When Mario and his friends caught up with Grodus, they were too late. The evil villain awakened the Shadow Queen from her deep sleep, offering her Peach's body to inhabit. But when he ordered her to attack Mario, she destroyed Grodus instead (although it seems he survived, albeit remaining a bodyless hopping head). She stated that no one controls her, and at this point Beldam, Marilyn, and Doopliss arrive on the scene. Beldam took full credit for the Shadow Queen's revival, having tricked Grodus into thinking the Shadow Queen would obey him.
- The Final Battle — The Shadow Queen asks Mario to be her eternal slave, leading to a game over if you choose to accept. Mario doesn't, obviously, and the evil witch attacks, still possessing Peach's body. She finds Peach's body too unfamiliar, so she transforms into her true form, thereby becoming invincible. Before she could destroy Mario and his friends, the Crystal Stars scattered to where they were found, and the people in each place sent their positive thoughts and wishes, momentarily disorientating the Shadow Queen and awakening Peach. Peach was able to break free from the Shadow Queen's spell long enough to give Mario her last energy, restoring his and his teammates' stats completely. Peach then appeared to fade away, giving the Queen full control. However, Peach had done what she needed, and the Shadow Queen was now vulnerable. After a long duel she was defeated, and vanished forever, leaving Peach unharmed. Presumably the Shadow Queen is now defeated for good, but some presume that she was again sealed away inside the box, although the game stated that she had been "banished to the depths of the Netherworld." After her defeat, Beldam and Marilyn vanish in the shadows, leaving Doopliss to once again flee of his own accord. It is later known that the Sirens have taken a turn for the good, no longer having a reason to be evil. This implies that the Shadow Queen really is gone for good, and also that Beldam was simply doing her duty and she doesn't necessarily want the world consumed by darkness. Beldam's deeper motives and the genesis of the shadow folk is never fully revealed.
Bonetail
Taking the place of Culex and The Master in previous Mario RPG games, Bonetail is a final, optional challenge for masters of the game. Bonetail is the oldest of the three dragons. With 200 HP, he provides the player with one last foe to conquer even after the game is finished. His attacks are the same as his brother and sister, except most will have a status effect on Mario, such as Freezing or sleepy status. Once you defeat him, you will receive a Badge called the Return Postage Badge. Contrary to his younger siblings, both who appear to be mindless killing machines but are actually intellectual speakers, Bonetail speaks with the exclamation "Arooo!" and variations of it, possibly because he is so ancient and just a skeleton, having not been fed for so long. On the other hand, one NPC says his name was Bonetail when he was a pet to the Shadow Queen so it is unknown if he was a skeleton back then as well. Even though he is the Shadow Queen's pet, it is a common belief among players that he is a harder boss than she is. Although, this is also commonly debunked due to the fact that the Shadow Queen's hands act as partners to her, and she can suck health from the player.
Atomic Boo
An optional boss that appears in the Creepy Steeple. When Mario swipes away the Boos twice with his hammer, they become angry and begin to merge into a single, enormous Boo to battle Mario and his partners. Due to the manner of its arrival and location, Atomic Boo is a clear reference to Boolossus from Luigi's Mansion on the GameCube (it is made of many Boos, it comes down on top of you, it shrinks when Boos go out of it and the boos sometimes circle around you). Defeating Atomic Boo offers no development to the story, but gifts the player with a special badge, the Lucky Start Badge. Atomic Boo is actually just a Big Boo, since Big Boos are known as Atomic Telesas in Japan, and the name didn't localize in this case. Oddly, although Atomic Boo has a massively larger amount of Boos inside it than Boolossus (200, compared to 15), they are about the same size. Atomic Boos also appear as enemies in Super Paper Mario.
Other characters
There are some other "not-so-important" characters:
Charlieton
Charlieton is a salesman who sells items, that normally wouldn't be found there, such as Ultra Shrooms, Jammin' Jellies, & various badges that can only be obtained by buying them from him. Despite giving easy access to somewhat rare items and/or badges early on in the game, they sometimes tend to be overpriced. His name is a reference to the word "charlatan" which means "quack", "fraud", or "faker".
Diva
The diva at the juice bar in Glitzville. Some people believe it is the singer in Paper Mario and others think that she's Jolene. Some others also think that because of Goombella's Tattles about her, and based on what she says to Mario after he rescues Prince Mush, she may be related in some way to Jolene and Mush as a mother or other relative.Though, judging by the fact that she mentions how Mario actually knows her quite well, this could rule out the possibility of her being another one of Jolene's siblings. Also, if she were Jolene, this would certainly explain why she seems to disappear at times. Although, it might not explain the myth mentioned by Bandy Andy about her supposedly going into a restroom and then not coming back out (unless she goes into the restroom to change into her "Diva" disguise and then no one recognizes her when she comes out). One theory that may make it seem that Jolene is not Diva, is that after Jolene become the one on charge of the Glitz Pitz, and you become the champion again, you can go into her office by going through the vents, with Jolene being there, and then instantly go and see Diva. Unless Jolene knows how to teleport, Diva is probably not Jolene... However, one person in the game mentioned that Rawk Hawk has a crush on her.
Lumpy
Lumpy is the Ratooy in Rogueport Harbor, near the boat panel. He wants to go prospect for oil in Dry Dry Desert, but he does not have the funds to start off on this voyage. You can give him 100 coins 3 times before Chapter 4. When he returns, he'll give you triple the amount you gave him (if you gave him 300 total, you'll receive 999 instead, but since you cant hold more then 999 coins, it is better off that you spend all your money before recieving your 999). He then has a diary who refers to:
- Kolorado, the exploring Koopa.
- Moustafa, the Nomademouse.
- Buzzar
- Paper Mario
Kolorado
Kolorado is referred twice. He is referred in Lumpy's diary and by the letter Koops reads in Hooktail Castle.
Speedy
He is a Yoshi. You can find him sometimes on the Excess Express.