List of villains in the Battletoads series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dark Queen, Robo-Manus, and Big Blag are antagonists from Battletoads, a video game franchise developed by Rare.
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[edit] Dark Queen
The Dark Queen is the staple villain in the videogame franchise Battletoads and the ruler of the planet Ragnarok. She is a mysterious, sultry woman, whose ambitions include destroying the Battletoads and ruling over the universe.
[edit] Appearance
The Dark Queen is depicted as a sultry, mysterious woman with jet black hair, a black or dark blue leather oufit and, at times, a cape and staff to match her royal persona. In the arcade game, she has a portrait that has her hair spread out in a fashion much like Medusa's.
[edit] Background
She is the Toads' main antagonist set on galactic conquest, and has attempted to hinder or outright kill them along with Professor T. Bird on several occasions. She has partnered with the vengeful technician, Silas Volkmire. She's also teamed up with the Shadow Boss in the crossover game Battletoads & Double Dragon.
Judging from cut-scenes within the games, she tends to taunt the Battletoads with constant and graphic insults about what her army will do to them, although they've apparently failed at every turn and she's ended up having to take up the slack personally at the end of each game. Surprisingly enough, though, the Dark Queen truly seems to care about her minions; at one point in the original game she expresses concern for Robo-Manus's and Big Blag's well-being. While she assumedly comes from a royal order, she is no more cultured than the Toads themselves if her dialogue is any indication.
In the first game, the Dark Queen has two methods of attacking: transforming into a flying tornado and kicking at the player(s) with her stiletto heeled high boots. In Battletoads in Battlemaniacs she can shoot snake heads with her staff and teleport around. In Battletoads & Double Dragon she can cast magical fireballs and travel across the ground in a fiery wave. She has also appeared in Battletoads for Game Boy and the arcade game Super Battletoads, but not as an enemy that the player(s) must battle directly.
[edit] Robo-Manus
Robo-Manus is a "mutant biogen", a cybernetic mutant who appears in practically every Battletoads game as a boss, and even as a final boss twice. Robo-Manus is one of the main henchmen of the Dark Queen.
[edit] Appearance
Since Robo-Manus almost constantly changes in size and appearance, he hardly ever looks the same in each game, although he usually retains a few regular features. Robo-Manus' typical physical features can best be described as a mix between RoboCop, a Cylon and a Xenomorph, featuring a black metal skullcap, and with a visor on the front through which he sees (and shoots laser beams from in Battletoads and Double Dragon), and often seen with a cylon-like oscillating red or purple light. Cracks on his helmet reveal what appears to be his brain. Another common feature is the set of metallic orbs that he can swivel his head on in most of the games. Robo-Manus is also known to have tentacles, though they are never seen in the game. As the series progressed, Manus began to receive more changes in his appearance, his face being the most noticeable. Rare made Manus considerably less alien, and gave him more human-like features. Manus' visor also changed, and featured two red eyes instead of the Cylon-like bar eye. Robo-Manus' facial features still remain a mystery, though some can be seen through a crack in his visor after defeating him in the arcade game. Since Robo-Manus is part robotic, he is able to survive in the vacuum of space and can be rebuilt after being destroyed. Manus was depicted of having wings at some point (in the intro of the first game). He is able to fly later in the series, though either by jet propulsion or levitation. Manus is also seen having large shoulders or shoulder armor in some games. In the instances that it is seen cracked, a fleshy material can be seen under the plating. Its purpose remains unknown other than to give him a more menacing, battle-scarred appearance.
[edit] Background
How Robo-Manus was created is unknown, however, judging from his species name, and quotes from the Battletoads manuals, he is the result of heavy genetic and technological experimentation. According to the Battletoads manual, he is "A genetically enhanced biogen mutated by the forces of darkness", suggesting he was mutated by the Dark Queen's evil powers and turned into a twisted being of pure evil. Robo-Manus, General Slaughter, and Big Blag, some of the Dark Queen's top lackeys, never appeared in Battletoads in Battlemaniacs. This suggests that either the game may have taken place before they were in service to the Dark Queen, or they were unable to enter the gamescape themselves.
Robo-Manus first fought the Battletoads at the top of the level Intruder Excluder, a trap-rigged elevator shaft (oddly devoid of an elevator) leading into the utility tunnels of the Dark Queen's massive Gargantua spacecraft, where he was defeated by the Rash and Zitz. After being rejuvenated by the Dark Queen after her loss on Ragnarok's World, he served as the main guard of the recently captured Rash and Pimple. Despite the well placed traps in the chasm leading up his area, the Biogen was defeated by Zitz, and was presumed to be completely destroyed. When the Dark Queen and the Shadow Boss attacked Earth several years later, Robo-Manus was discovered to be very much alive with a new upgraded form. Manus attempted to pilot a very large missile into Earth in an attempt to destroy the planet, following the destruction of the Colossus, the Dark Queen's latest space ship, at the hands of the Battletoads and the Lee Twins. After fighting across the outer and inner hull, the duo defeated him at the tip of the missile, despite his new upgrade, and the missile crash landed safely on Earth.
Robo-Manus, both in tactics and prowess, is the most intelligent and powerful of the Dark Queen's minions, and is most likely her second in command, though the cartoon depicts General Slaughter as her second in command. General Slaughter is usually described as stupid and incompetent in the manuals, making him seem unfit for his position, despite his name.
Not choosing to rely openly on close combat, Robo-Manus attacks with a variety of ranged weapons, the most visibly notable are a pair of fore-arm mounted guns. Other weapons in his arsenal include mortars (Game Boy) eye lasers (Battletoads and Double Dragon), as well as missiles, "electric" fireballs, explosive drones and flame-throwers (Super Battletoads). Despite using no forms of physical combat, more mobile incarnations of Robo-Manus can often crush the 'toads by landing on them following a jump, which often proves to be fatal to the 'toads.
[edit] Game appearances
[edit] Battletoads (NES/Genesis/GG/amiga/ACD32)
Robo-Manus is encountered as the boss of level 8, Intruder Excluder.
[edit] Battletoads (GB)
This is the first game that features Robo-Manus as the final boss.
[edit] Battletoads and Double Dragon (NES/Genesis/SNES/GB)
Robo-Manus appeared in this cross-over, though there were minor differences in attack and health depending on the system.
[edit] Super Battletoads
The second Battletoads game with Robo-Manus as the final boss. Topping in at 76'8 tall and weighing 6 & 1/2 tons, he is the biggest boss character in Battletoads, and also probably the toughest fight in the series.
The only games that Robo-Manus is not in are Battletoads in Battlemaniacs for SNES and Battletoads in Ragnarok's World for the Game Boy.
[edit] Big Blag
Big Blag serves as one the Dark Queen's top henchmen, and has appeared in most of the games throughout the series.
[edit] Appearance
Big Blag is a greasy-looking, morbidly obese rat who leads the Dark Queen's rat pack. Big Blag is regarded as the easiest boss of the original Battletoads, since he can be "juggled" in the air by repeatedly striking him with a Walker leg, rendering him unable to fight back. He often tends to attack with a spike ball that is on his tail. His other weapon, obviously, is his gargantuan weight. Big Blag's attack style tends to remain the same, in which he jumps around trying to crush the toads, or smacking them with the spike ball. In Super Battletoads Big Blag will actually fist fight. He can also double his size. He appears in all games except Battlemaniacs.
[edit] References
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