Mogwai

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For the Scottish post-rock band, see Mogwai (band).

The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 (mo1 gwai2) (Mandarin Chinese: 魔鬼; pinyin：móguǐ) meaning "ghost", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".

[edit] Mogwai in Chinese culture (Magwai)

Mogwai are the only breed of fairie folk found in Oriental lands. They reproduce sexually during mating season, triggered by the coming of rain. Just why this is no one can say but it is probably because rain signifies rich and full times ahead so Mogwai take care to breed at these times.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Mogwai in the Gremlins series

As depicted in the 1984 Joe Dante film Gremlins and its 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch, the word mogwai is used by some Chinese characters to describe a rare sentient animal. It is a furry, cute creature that if exposed to the right stimuli will transform into, and/or create (given the circumstance) gremlins. If exposed to water, it immediately reproduces more of its kind asexually; if it eats food after midnight, it becomes a gremlin (a more reptilian and evil creature). Sunlight will kill a mogwai and other lights will annoy or hurt it. Most of the mogwai creatures are mean-spirited and mischievous, with Gizmo, the most famous mogwai, being the exception.

Little else is known about the mogwai's biology. In Gremlins 2 Gizmo is taken to a laboratory, where the scientists speculate mogwai are rodents. However, when confronted with gremlins, they believe them to be either reptiles or viruses. The scientists also note they are uncertain as to whether Gizmo's cuteness is genetic. They also explain Gizmo's hatred of bright lights by calling it an allergy.

In the novel Gremlins, by George Gipe, published by Avon Books in June 1984, it is stated mogwai were created as gentle, contemplative creatures by a scientist on an alien world.

Also, in the novel, it is stated that for some reason, mogwai are now almost always born mischievous or just plain evil, with a very rare gentle one (such as Gizmo) viewed as an anomaly and hated by other mogwai.

[edit] Other appearances

In the online role-playing game AdventureQuest, there are small, peaceful, home-loving creatures called moglins (which are obviously "cousins" of the Mogwai) which turn into Moglinsters (tall, ugly, evil moglins) when exposed to darkness (they sleep with the lights on), vampire-werewolf curing solution, or trick-or-treaters with no masks.

Not necessarily mogwai, gremlins featured in NetHack have similar traits. They reproduce when exposed to water in addition to becoming more malevolent at midnight stealing a player's intrinsics.

ADOM also has similar Gremlins. They reproduce if exposed to water, if a 'fluffball' is exposed to water, it becomes a Gremlin, and bright lights will kill them instantly.