Insult swordfighting
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Insult swordfighting is a feature of many of the Monkey Island graphic adventure games. It is a form of swordfighting in which the participants, as well as trading blows with their swords, also trade cutting insults at appropriate moments. In the games, protagonist Guybrush Threepwood must turn to insult swordfighting on numerous occasions in order to complete some form of challenge. The literary precedent for this is Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac who composes an insulting ode to his opponent while beating him in a duel. The insults for Monkey Island 1 were written by author Orson Scott Card.[citation needed]
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[edit] Monkey Island 1
In the first game, Guybrush must beat the swordmaster of Mêlée Island, Carla, in insult swordfighting, in order to become a pirate. First though, he has to be trained in the basic concept, this training is provided (at a price) by Captain Smirk. He then has to beat some of the lesser pirates on the island and learn insults and their suitable responses (see examples) so he will be good enough to beat the swordmaster (meaning, learn enough responses to use against her insults which are different from other pirates').
Note: Using Carla's insults against normal pirates will guarantee a win but prevent Guybrush from learning more insults/comebacks.
[edit] Monkey Island 2
Though insult swordfighting makes no real appearance in the second game, Guybrush attempts to challenge Rum Rogers, Jr. to a duel with the same words he constantly uses in Monkey Island 1: "My name is Guybrush Threepwood. Prepare to die." When Rogers remarks that real men don't swordfight (they drink!), Guybrush responds with, "Giving up so easily, eh? Wow! [Guybrush then faces the player] This game's a cinch!"
[edit] Monkey Island 3
In the third game in the series, Guybrush must engage Captain Rottingham in insult swordfighting in order to win back a map stolen by the Captain. Again, he must first battle lesser pirates in order to learn insults. The insults in this game differ from the ones in Monkey Island 1 in that the insult and the response have to rhyme. Additionally, it all takes place on the high seas, with Guybrush first engaging in Pirates!-like cannon battles with opposing ships in order to to board them (though the player has the option to have help from the computer in these fights). When at last Guybrush has gained enough insults, he can fight Rottingham. The evil captain will try to throw Guybrush off by offering different beginnings to the insults, but all the player must do is find a rhyme that will still make sense (Example: Rottingham: You have the sex appeal of a shar-pei. Guybrush: I look THAT much like your fiancee?). If one loses the battle with Rottingham and uses Rottingham's insults against lesser pirates, they complain it isn't fair.
In addition to the listed responses, Guybrush can also make seemingly random statements that rhyme with the insult that's just been thrown at him (such as responding to "I'll leave you devastated, mutilated and perforated!" with "The importance of breakfast cannot be overstated."). Needless to say, these responses are not correct.
[edit] Monkey Island 4
Insult swordfighting itself only makes a brief (and optional) appearance in the fourth game, when Guybrush has the option of challenging Ozzie Mandrill to a match. However, it is not possible to defeat him; his use of supposedly Australian insults confuse Guybrush, as he doesn't know the responses, rendering him incapable of responding.
Other forms of insult games also make an appearance in Monkey Island 4, most notably insult arm wrestling, which Guybrush must play in order for his opponent to join his crew as a navigator. Insult armwrestling works along the same sort of lines as insult swordfighting, this time with no need for the insults to rhyme (although some do) and with many new insults relating to perceived strength of the arms. Also, there is no need to learn the insults or comebacks from lesser pirates, as there is only one opponent. They are all unlocked from the start, and the player simply must determine which is the correct response.
[edit] See also
- Monkey Island series
- Guybrush Threepwood
- The Shivah, another game to use a similar gameplay sequence, but with a Jewish twist.
[edit] External link
| Games: | The Secret of Monkey Island | LeChuck's Revenge | The Curse of Monkey Island | Escape from Monkey Island |
|---|---|
| Characters: | Guybrush Threepwood | Elaine Marley | LeChuck | Ozzie Mandrill | Herman Toothrot | Voodoo Lady | Stan | Minor Characters |
| Islands: | Blood | Booty | Dinky | Jambalaya | Lucre | Mêlée | Monkey | Phatt | Plunder | Scabb | Skull |
| Various: | SCUMM | GrimE | iMuse | Insult swordfighting | List of Monkey Island topics |
