Smithy Gang

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The Smithy Gang (カジオー軍団, Kajiō Gundan^?, カジオーぐんだん literally "Kajio Corps") is a fictional organization Square (now Square Enix) and Nintendo created as antagonists for the video game, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. They are a strange group of weapon-like creatures and weapon manufacturers bent on world domination.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Soldiers 2.1 Shyster 2.2 Aero 2.3 Springer 2.4 Jabbit 2.5 Machine Made 2.6 Ninja 2.7 Mad Mallet 2.8 Pounder 2.9 Poundette 2.10 Shyper 3 Lieutenants 3.1 Mack 3.2 Bowyer 3.3 Yaridovich 3.4 Axem Rangers 4 Factory Guards 4.1 Boomer 4.2 Exor 4.3 Count Down 4.4 Cloaker & Domino 4.5 Clerk, Manager, and Director 4.6 Factory Chief and Gunyolk 4.7 Drill Bit 5 Smithy 6 Factory 7 References 8 See also 9 Links

[edit] Overview

Smithy names the gang after himself, the leader and overseer of all weapon-soldier production. Directly below Smithy is the Factory Chief. The Factory Chief's subordinates are the Director, Manager, and Clerk, who produce the soldiers. Below them are the soldiers themselves. Smithy chooses a few elite solidiers as lieutenants, to lead the soldiers in his schemes, however, should they fail, he has no difficulties replicating stronger copies to guard the factory. Fortunately, Mario and his allies level up in order to be equally strong.

The Factory is their base of operations. Hundreds of soldiers and a complex system of conveyor belts, nut bridges (akin to Super Mario Bros. 3 ), and moving platforms guard it extremely well.

The Smithy Gang possesses many members, but the main fighters are the lieutenants. The Chief and his subordinates stay behind in the factory to further production. The members are all dangerous, and they are ruthless and cruel in their methods and do not care if innocents are harmed in their missions. Mario and his allies battle the lieutenants first, before entering the Factory.

[edit] Soldiers

[edit] Shyster

Minions of Mack, Shysters are Shy Guys riding blade-tipped pogo-sticks. Shysters attack by either stabbing an opponent on the head or by shooting them with their "Drain" attack, which is a small fireball.

In battle, Mack will have four Shysters, dubbed "Bodyguards", act as his assistants. When Mack temporarily leaves battle, the Bodyguards will have to be destroyed in order to make Mack return. After Mack is defeated, two Shysters that witness the battle leave to tell Smithy about Mack's fate.

[edit] Aero

Aeroes are, as their names would imply, arrow-like creatures with somewhat crazed-looking faces; Aeroes are the main minions of Bowyer, who would fire them into the nearby Rose Town and Forest Maze, if someone, including Mario, were hit by an Aero, they would be temporarily paralyzed.

In battle, Bowyer will occasionally use an Aero to attack or activate his special ability to cancel out an attack strategy. After Bowyer is defeated, it is an Aero that tells Smithy of the Star Road after eavesdropping on Geno, Mario and Mallow.

In The Factory, Aeroes are encountered once again; these arrows are much more accurate than the ones in Rose Town and Forest Maze, ususally hitting Mario if the player is to slow. The Machine Made copies of Bowyer also utilize Aeroes in battle.

[edit] Springer

Springers are simply Shysters wearing green cloaks and possessing a higher level of attack power encountered in The Factory. Springers also have several more attacks than a Shyster, such as the laser-like "Mega Drain".

[edit] Jabbit

Jabbits resemble green and yellow worm-like creatures with yellow eyebrows, small javelin indeed; Jabbits are encountered only in The Factory and attack by either ramming their head forwards or self-destructing. Interestingly, the Machine Made version of Yaridovich will occasionally split into four, completely gray Jabbits.

[edit] Machine Made

Machine Mades are gray, less detailed versions of Smithy's various lieutenants. Throughout The Factory, Machine Mades of Mack, Bowyer, Yaridovich and the Axem Rangers can be encountered and battled.

[edit] Ninja

The apparent guards of The Factory, the Ninjas are black, faceless creatures which attack by throwing sharp knives at an opponent. When severely weakened, a Ninja will try one last, desperate attack before exploding.

[edit] Mad Mallet

Mad Mallets are anthropomorphic hammers with eyes and feet; Mad Mallets are often found patrolling The Factory, they are also the ones who pound Smithy's minions into shape after Smithy creates them. Several Mad Mallets also act as the bodyguards of the Clerk.

[edit] Pounder

Pounders are stronger, blue shaded versions of Mad Mallets who acts as the bodyguards and workers to the Manager.

[edit] Poundette

Poundettes are the strongest versions of Mad Mallets, they are pink in color and act as the minions/bodyguards of the Director.

[edit] Shyper

Shypers are encountered only in the battle against Smithy, where he reproduces them through the use of the Smelter; Shypers resemble Shysters, though dull-gray in color and they are much more powerful.

Along with these various soldiers, the Smithy Gang also brainwashed several dozen members of the Koopa Troop into working for them. Additionally, several bizzare-looking creatures, supposedly native inhabitants of The Factory, are shown to aid the Smithy Gang, though if they do this purposely or inadvertantly is unknown.

[edit] Lieutenants

[edit] Mack

Mack (ケンゾール, Kenzōru^?, 剣ゾール literally "Swordzor") is the first Smithy Gang member Mario and his ally, Mallow, battle.^[1] Smithy designed him like pogo stick with a tip of a "big knife" (ケン, ken^?, 剣 literally "sword"),^[2] a play on the song Mack the Knife from The Threepenny Opera that Louis Armstrong covered and popularized.^[3] After defeating Croco and reclaiming the Rare Frog Coin, Mario and Mallow return to find the Mushroom Kingdom overrun with Shysters causing chaos and frightening its citizens. Mario confronts Mack and six Shysters in the throne room. Mack primarily uses fire attacks and becomes stunned, just once, if Mallow uses his Thunderbolt special attack.^[4] When Mario and Mallow defeat Mack and four of his Shysters,^[5] the other two Shysters flee, and Mario finds the first Star Piece, an important plot item.

[edit] Bowyer

Bowyer (ユミンパ, Yuminpa^?, 弓ンパ literally "Bownpa") is the second Smithy Gang member Mario and his allies, Mallow & Geno, battle. His body resembles a bow (ユミ, yumi^?, 弓 literally "bow"). He has "a rather loose grip on the English language",^[6] speaking in object agent verb permutations of expression, similar to Yoda of Star Wars. For example, he says, "Strong you are. But stronger am I! Hurt you, I will!" ("You are strong. But I am stronger. I will hurt you!").^[7] Excited, feverish speech also characterizes him. Like Mack, he possesses minions in his own theme, Aeros, living arrows, however, he shoots them; they never battle.

Mario encounters him in the Forest Maze, similar to the Lost Woods from the Legend of Zelda series. As he shoots arrows upon nearby Rose Town, Mario runs forward, "fists flying", but Mallow pulls Mario back saying, "Who do you think you are, Bruce Lee?"^[8] Immediately after an Aero finds a Star Piece, Geno appears and attempts to battle Bowyer in order to retrieve it, and Mario and Mallow join.

Bowyer possesses several lightning attacks such as Bolt, Static E!, and Lighting Orb, however, his unique ability disables actions by firing arrows on the battle screen at a corresponding icon of a button on the SNES controller.

The trio defeats Bowyer, and Mario claims the second Star Piece.^[5]

[edit] Yaridovich

Yaridovich (ヤリドヴィッヒ, Yaridovihhi^?, 槍ドヴィッヒ literally "Speardovich") possesses a long, thin, metal body with a sharp point on his head, giving him a similar appearance to a spear (ヤリ, yari^?, 槍 literally "spear"). Extremely vain, he says he is "such a genius" and it is "no wonder" he is "so important".^[9]

When Mario and his party first arrive in Seaside Town, the townspeople act extremely odd, pausing between their sentences, and asking others for their "lines". In actuality, Yaridovich, able to divide himself, poses as all the townspeople as part of his scheme to get the Star Piece. After Mario returns with the Star Piece from Jonathan Jones, Yaridovich reveals himself and forces Mario to "hand it over"^[10] threatening the imprisoned townspeople. As the disguised group flees, the Blade is "late",^[11] foiling their escape, and Jonathan Jones prevents them from leaving. Merging together, the group takes their disguises off in "formation" and battles Mario's party.^[12]

Yaridovich has a variety of magic attacks, several being water–based. His distinguishing tactic is his ability to create an illusion of himself.

Mario and his allies defeat Yaridovich and reclaim the fifth Star Piece.^[5]

[edit] Axem Rangers

The Axem Rangers (カジオー戦隊(せんたい)オノレンジャー Kajiō Sentai Onorenjā^?), a group of five elite soldiers who all have spikes on their heads and use matching–color axes (オノ, ono^?, 斧 literally "axe"), reference the television programs' Sentai and Mecha of Super Sentai in Japan and Power Rangers and Zords of Power Rangers in western countries. Their team title imitates the naming scheme for Super Sentai (スーパー戦隊(せんたい) Sūpā Sentai^?) character teams.^[13] They are not technically lieutenants, but their powerful fighting skills elevate them above other soldiers. They also possess an enormous and constantly "late"^[11][15] Zord (メカ Meka^?, 機械(きかい) literally "Mecha") the Blade. The Axem Rangers appear in Barrel Volcano in order to steal the Star Piece the Czar Dragon guards. After Mario chases them, they confront onboard the Blade. Despite their power, Mario's party soon defeates them, and thus, they are forced to use the Blade's powerful "Breaker Beam", referencing the Power Rangers' "Power Blaster".^[14] Mario and his allies defeat them again,^[5] and an enormous explosion destroys the Blade, falling down Barrel Volcano.

• Axem Red (Ono Red): The leader, and the strongest of the Rangers. Has a loud and boisterous nature, and is easily angered by the other Rangers' stupidity.
• Axem Black (Ono Black): The "cool dude". Thinks highly of himself and his "coolness". The fastest of the Rangers, he also utilizes bombs in battle.
• Axem Green (Ono Green): Smartest of the Rangers (with the possible exception of Red) but physically unfit, and suffers from headaches. Is the Rangers' magic user.
• Axem Yellow (Ono Yellow): Fat and short. Constantly hungry and complains about it. Has the highest attack power of all the Rangers.
• Axem Pink (Ono Pink): The only girl Ranger. Incredibly vain, and constantly complaining about her makeup. The weakest of the Rangers, but very skilled in healing magic.

[edit] Factory Guards

[edit] Boomer

Boomer is a robotic samurai skilled in kenjutsu (剣術, kenjutsu^?, けんじゅつ literally "fencing") who fights Mario's party on a pair of chandeliers, similar to the fight with Bowser at the beginning of the game. He is the panultimate boss of Bowser's Keep. He is "impressed" Mario "made it this far".^[16]

In addition to his sword skills, Boomer can to switch from red mode, with low attack power and high defense, to blue mode conversely, with high attack power and low defense.

After Mario and his allies defeat Boomer, he becomes very dramatic, cutting the chandelier's rope, but the Chandeli-ho knows a "little fall isn't" going to "hurt" Boomer.^[16]

[edit] Exor

Exor (カリバー Rasudān^?, 口径(こうけい) literally "Caliber") is a gargantuan sword, with a large face for the end of the sword, his weak point, on the face of the pommel. He is the first Smithy Gang member encountered; he crashes into Bowser's Keep at the beginning of the game and claims it for the Gang. When Mario attempts to return to the Keep to search for the Princess, Exor destroys the bridge, closing off access to Bowser's Keep for the main duration of the game.

Mario does not encounter Exor again, until after Mario's party defeats Boomer, and then Mario's party fights and defeates him, however, with his last breath, he sucks the party into the machine world, revealing he is the contact between two worlds.^[17]

Exor has four targets: the face on the pommel (the only one marked "Exor"), his two eyes, and his mouth, Neosquid, also famous for being one of the few bosses susceptible to Geno's "Geno Whirl" special attack. Mario's party can only harm the face when they disable one of the eyes.

[edit] Count Down

Count Down (メビウス Mebiusu^?, 毛(モ)ビウス literally "Möbius") is an enormous, sentient alarm clock Mario finds in the Factory. He appears to be a complete machine, with no thoughts other than following orders and destroying intruders. The two bells on its head, Ding-A-Ling (リンリン, Rin Rin^?, リングリング literally "Ring Ring"), voice the machine.

Though it has little intelligence, Count Down has a wide variety of spells, from Water Blast to Mega Recover. It determines what spell to use by the time on its face; it will announce the time, state an activity, and then perform the spell.

[edit] Cloaker & Domino

Cloaker & Domino (ドルトリンク&メーテルリンク, Dorutorinku & Mēterurinku^?, ドルトリンク&メーテルリンク literally "Dortlink & Maeterlinck") are a pair of jesters used as bodyguards for the final part of the Factory maze. Cloaker is a short, round creature with a beard and a sword, skilled in physical attacks, while Domino is a purple masked creature with green hands, well-versed in magic.

Fighting the two is unique; once one is defeated, the other will run away to a giant mechanical cobra. Cloaker will have Earth Link (アースリンク, Āsu Rinku^?, アースリンク literally "Earth Link"), while Domino will have Mad Adder (メルクリンク, Merukurinku^?, メルクリンク literally "Melk Link"). Once Mario's party defears the cobra, the jester disappears.

[edit] Clerk, Manager, and Director

The Clerk, Manager and Director are three of Smithy's highest ranking minions; located in the Factory, they oversee the production of the soldiers of the Smithy Gang. Dressed in an attire similar to viking armoring, the Clerk, Manager and Director each weild a large axe and have a group of assistants/bodyguards with them at all times. The Clerk wears dark yellowing armor, the Manager has blue armor and the Director wears red.

[edit] Factory Chief and Gunyolk

The Factory Chief is a ninja enemy in charge of factory production. Although he is not skilled in fighting, he is very intelligent, and his mechanical genius has allowed him to not only keep a steady and efficient production of soldiers, but make deadly machines, such as his masterpiece Gunyolk.

Gunyolk (ラスダーン Rasudān^?, 旋盤(せんばん)ダーン literally "Latherocket") is a machine that seems to be a robotic vat, filled with molten lava. The lava seems to be sentinet, as it will form a face when Gunyolk attacks. It is very powerful, and along with the deadly Breaker Beam, knows several attacks that can destroy intruders.

The two are the final battle before Smithy and attempt to stop Mario's party. Ultimately, Mario and his allies defeat the two and advance onward to Smithy's lair.

[edit] Drill Bit

A character resembling a red Jabbit, maybe a drilling spear or drilling javeline or, more precisely, a drilling spike, Drill Bit appears alongside a Shyster and an Aero after the first phase in the battle against Smithy is completed. Drill Bit will attempt to calm Smithy down, saying that he shouldn't pound the recently built floor. Smithy simply ignores this warning and pounds the floor hard enough to cause it to collapse, apparently destroying the Shyster, the Aero, and Drill Bit.

A Mad Mallet henchmen of the Manager mentions that after this first Drill Bit was created, several more would be put into production. Interestingly, the Nintendo Power guide for Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars lists Drill Bit as a boss enemy,^{[citation needed]} despite the fact that players never actually fight it. The guide also mentions that Drill Bits thought after reading it's mind with Mallow's Psychopath is "This is for Yaridovich!", meaning Drill Bit may have a possible connection with Yaridovich.

Further evidence of the Yaridovich connection is the Machine Made Yaridovich splits into four gray-colored Drill Bits (Jabbits), so the original may have originally been intended to do the same.

[edit] Smithy

Smithy (カジオー, Kajiō^?, カジオー literally "Kajio") is the leader of the Smithy Gang, and the final boss of the game. He is an evil, megalomaniacal blacksmith, with an enormous hammer, which he usually uses to create soldiers with the help of his machine, Smelter (ようこうろ, You Kouro^?, 溶鉱炉 literally "Blast Furnace").

Smithy's ultimate goal is to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom. Why exactly he desires this is not known, but it is suggested in a statement, that he wants all life to be like his world: dead, mechanical, and under his rule. He seems to especially despise the Star Road and its power of granting wishes, knowing it has the power to stop his reign.^[18]

He initially appears as a large robotic creature with a crown, and a snowy white beard, giving him a similarity to Santa Claus. After being defeated, he smashes the floor in a rage, and destroys the floor of the factory, plunging everyone into a setting that represents a subterranean mechanical Hell. It is there that he reveals his true form, and transforms his head into a large toaster shaped head.

In this form, Smithy is able to change his head into four different heads. The Tank Head allows him to use immensely powerful attacks, including Magnum, an instant death attack. The Magic Head gives him magic attacks of the highest level; among them, Meteor Swarm, Arrow Rain, Sword Rain, and Spear Rain. The Mask Head is not very powerful, but has very high defense, thwarting most attacks. The Treasure Chest Head allows him to inflict any status ailment upon the entire party. In addition to all these attacks, Smithy's Body can attack separately, although it can be killed to temporarily immobilize him.

After Mario's party defeats him, he explodes. He briefly appears during the ending parade riding the Blade, behind Mack, Bowyer, and Yaridovich.

[edit] Factory

The Factory is the Smithy Gang's main base-of-operations, it is also apparently located in another dimension, or is perhaps an entire dimension itself. The Factory is seemingly only reachable through the mouth (or "Neosquid") of Exor.

The Factory is a desolate looking place, covered in a dark fog and with a black, void background. Throughout the Factory are platforms with odd, fungal-like growths on them. Connecting these platform are nut bridges, similar to the ones found on the airships of Super Mario Bros. 3. Inhabiting this portion of the Factory are apparent native beings of the dimension, bizzare creatures with seemingly no affiliation with the Smithy Gang.

Deep within the Factory is the titular factory where the soldiers of the Smithy Gang are produced. Filled with conveyor belts and a variety of other machinery which is presided over by the factory staff.

The deepest portion of the Factory is a large, red-shaded pit which resembles a representation of Hell. This pit is filled with a variety of broken down machinery and weaponry, the most noticeable of which is what appears to be several damaged heads identical to Smithy's own.

With the destruction of Smithy and disintegration of Exor, it seems the gateway to the Factory was permenantly closed.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
• List of characters in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

[edit] Links

• Mario Wiki Information on the Smithy Gang

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