Flavio

Flavio
Artwork from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
First appearance	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004)
Latest appearance	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) (2024)

“Monetary wealth gives me freedom, and freedom gives me wealth of spirit!”

—Flavio, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Flavio is a "famous", narcissistic, and naïve Rogueport entrepreneur who appears in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. He owns many ships, his favorite being the S.S. Flavion, which he and Mario need to use to travel to Keelhaul Key. Flavio's name is most likely derived from the Latin word "flavus", which means "yellow", a reference to the color of his skin, as well as his cowardly nature.

History

Flavio talking to Mario in Rogueport

Mario can first meet Flavio at Podley's bar. He is seen with text above him, showing him singing a pirate's song. When talked to, he rants about his prized possession, the Skull Gem.

When Mario and his friends need to get to Keelhaul Key during Chapter 5, in order to obtain the fifth Crystal Star, they need to ask Flavio to ferry them there with his ship, the S.S. Flavion. Flavio reluctantly agrees to take Mario to Keelhaul Key under the condition that he can keep all the treasures of the pirate king Cortez. After finding an experienced helmsman to help navigate, Mario boards the ship and the group shoves off.

On the trip to Keelhaul Key, Cortez's forces attack the ship, causing it to sink. The group is eventually washed ashore on Keelhaul Key and they set up camp there, Flavio soon getting in an argument with Pa-Patch. As the two of them go off to fight, they encounter more Embers and hide behind Mario. Afterward, Flavio decides someone should investigate the island, choosing to stay behind and sends Mario off to explore in his stead. Once Mario finds Bobbery, he returns to Flavio to ask for a Chuckola Cola, saying it was Bobbery's last request. After giving Bobbery the Chuckola Cola and returning to Flavio, Mario and Bobbery tells Flavio about a mysterious skull rock near where Bobbery was found. Outvoted, Flavio partners with Mario for the moment until they reach the entrance to Pirate's Grotto, the puzzle to get into it being the Skull Gem Flavio owns and the puzzle in the song that he sings.

After Mario fights Cortez and obtains the Sapphire Star, he exits the grotto and finds out that Lord Crump and his forces are bombarding the island with their ship. Flavio suggests to ask Cortez to borrow his ship, the Black Skull. After some negotiating and Flavio giving up his Skull Gem, Cortez agrees to give Mario the ship. After a battle with the X-Nauts, Lord Crump decides to retreat, and Mario and co. go back to Rogueport.

In an Email from Pa-Patch, it is implied that Flavio occasionally returns to Keelhaul Key to complain to the remaining islanders about them "treadin' water instead o' seizin' life", as Pa-Patch puts it.

Apparently, after the incident and bidding Mario farewell, Flavio got insurance for his boat wreck and became the second richest man in Rogueport.

According to the 7th issue of the RDM, Flavio was punched in the face by Zess T. after causing gourmet ingredients to spoil on the dock by holding up a crew with a two-day story. He temporarily lost his memory as a result. The issue also says he is twenty-five years old.

Personality

Flavio is constantly bragging about how brave and courageous he is, but he is actually a coward and tries not to engage in anything dangerous, instead trying to get Mario and his crew members to do it instead. He also gets mad at anyone who disagrees with him, mainly Pa-Patch, and he either snaps at them or challenges them to a fight.

Despite his arrogance and admitting that he is cowardly, Flavio, in an act of bravery, negotiates with Cortez and warns him that Mario will fight him again and he will even throw the Skull Gem away if he does not help.

Tattle

Rogueport, Podley's Place

• "That's the entrepreneur, Flavio. He's like, super-rich, and he owns lots of ships. What's he doing in here so early in the day, though? Think he's doing OK?"

Rogueport harbor

• "That's the entrepreneur, Flavio. He's like, super-rich. He owns lots of ships. I don't know for sure, but it looks like this ship is his favorite."

Keelhaul Key

• "That's the entrepreneur, Flavio. He calls himself the leader of this group. He's a funny enough guy... but he mostly loafs around and makes folks do his work. Not much of a leader, huh? ...But WHAT a dresser!"

Gallery

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  Singing sprite from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on the Nintendo Switch

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  Group artwork from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on the Nintendo Switch

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  Flavio on the Nintendo Magazine for summer 2024, showing a relationship chart featuring many characters from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	マルコ Maruko	Marco, a reference to the famous explorer Marco Polo
Chinese (simplified)	马可 Mǎkě	From the Japanese name and「马可·波罗」(Mǎkě Bōluó, Marco Polo)
Chinese (traditional)	馬可 Mǎkě	From the Japanese name and「馬可·波羅」(Mǎkě Bōluó, Marco Polo)
Dutch	Gaston	Possibly a reference to the villain from the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast
French	Marco	A reference to the famous explorer, Marco Polo
German	Korsario	Portmanteau of Korsar ("corsair") and "Mario"
Italian	Marco	A reference to the famous explorer, Marco Polo
Korean	마르코 Mareuko	Marco
Spanish	Marco	A reference to the famous explorer, Marco Polo

Trivia

Concept art featuring two iterations of Flavio as a Toad near an alternately colored version of his final design

• Flavio was originally designed as a Toad before becoming the unnamed creature he appears as in the final.
• According to Flavio, he is the editor of a magazine titled Foppish Gourmet Weekly.
• The default Mii for the Roaming Gourmet role in the Nintendo Switch version of Miitopia is named Flavio. The Mii in the role is also given a blonde wig styled similarly to Flavio's hair.