Merlee
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- “I'm afraid that Mimi freak was too robust, and I too weak... The Pure Heart I quickly took and hid where she would never look... But now you're here; hooray! This bad tide will turn today! Soon that awful Mimi pays...”
- —Merlee, Super Paper Mario
Merlee is a character in the Paper Mario series. She is a fortune teller who speaks exclusively in rhyme in every appearance, and, for a price, she will perform a spell with her various magical devices that will randomly increase Mario's attack or defense, number of Star Points earned, or number of coins dropped when he wins a battle. Many different Shaman-like characters with this name and occupation are found throughout the world, making it possible that multiple Merlees exist, a claim supported by Wonky's story of a tribe of "strange ones" naming their members after their services.
History
Paper Mario
- “I'm Merlee, you see? That's me! A cuter gal you'll never see. I do magic, but not for free.”
- —Merlee, Paper Mario
In the game Paper Mario, she is depicted as Merluvlee's twin sister and therefore also a sibling of Merlow (though the latter is actually never mentioned). She resides in a hidden alley in Dry Dry Outpost and uses cards to power Mario up. Merlee offers three payment plans, and the length of time for which Merlee's spells last is dependent upon which plan Mario picks (e.g. the most expensive plan lasts the longest). Merlee's spells take effect randomly during or after battles, and the effects they bestow upon Mario are also random. When activated, a spell will either increase the amount of coins Mario receives after a battle, double his Star Points, increase his attack or defense power by 3. Each of these effects lasts only as long as a given battle. After a period of time, Merlee's spells wear off, forcing Mario to pay Merlee if he wants their effects again.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, she can be found in Rogueport Sewers. Merlee performs the same service in this game (and is even given the same depiction as Merluvlee's twin, according to Goombella), except she uses a magical box (instead of magical cards) to enhance Mario's luck. This Merlee may, in fact, be a different Merlee than the one in Paper Mario. This is because Wonky states there is a fortune-telling clan that names its members after their role in the clan. Perhaps the name "Merlee" indicates a certain role or ability one performs in the fortune-telling clan.
During the events of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Merlee submitted a trouble to the Trouble Center in Rogueport. Mario ultimately took on this trouble by agreeing to find the recipe for a Heartful Cake. Toce T., a resident of Petalburg, told Mario the recipe: Ruin Powder mixed with Cake Mix. When Mario told Merlee the recipe, the fortune teller asked the plumber to get her some Cake Mix. Mario purchased some Cake Mix at the Pianta Parlor for six Pianta Tokens, then delivered it to Merlee.
Super Paper Mario
Merlee returns in Super Paper Mario for the Wii. In this game, she lives in a mansion at Gloam Valley. She later moves to Flopside in a building adjacent to Merluvlee's house in Flipside to help Mario and his party. This Merlee appears rather angular and strange (not looking even vaguely like past Merlees), taking on the appearance of other female members of Merlon's clan. Like the Merlee in Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, this may be a different Merlee. It also could be the same Merlee from Paper Mario because she wants her crystal ball back from Merluvlee, and Merluvlee borrowed Merlee's Crystal Ball in Paper Mario.
Merlee's Mansion is a major level in Chapter Two. Mimi also makes an appearance here, initially posing as Merlee's maid in her standard form, then eventually Merlee herself – in three separate occasions, in fact. The first is when she attempts to trick Mario into thinking he finally found Merlee, but an apparition of the real Merlee appears, exposing her as a fake. She impersonates Merlee again once the real Merlee is found, causing a confusion that is only settled with a game show hosted by The InterNed. During the subsequent battle with Mimi, Merlee cheers from outside the bathroom, healing Mario and his party. After Mimi is defeated, Merlee gives Mario and his party the third Pure Heart. Much later in the game, Mimi disguises herself as Merlee once more in Castle Bleck, asking Mario and friends what monsters they fear the most.
This Merlee is Merluvlee's rival, and has been ever since they were classmates. After Chapter 2, Merlee works as a fortune teller in Flopside. She begins a trading sequence by requesting that Mario bring her a Crystal Ball from Merluvlee. Merlee also apparently once helped Merluvlee greatly sometime before the events of Super Paper Mario, as Merluvlee tells Mario and friends to tell Merlee "Now we're even" as they give her the Crystal Ball. In the end, Merlee gives Mario a key that unlocks the building holding Piccolo.
Merlee's charms work differently in this game than the previous games. For her cheapest spell, she'll make Mario get a helpful item every time he kills 25 enemies for 10 times. For the medium priced, she'll give Mario a helpful item every time he kills 20 enemies for 15 times. And for the most expensive, she'll give Mario a helpful item every time he kills 15 enemies for 25 times. She is very useful for the Pit of 100 trials. She will, however, allow the player to receive all levels of charms for free if Mario brought her the Crystal Ball from Merluvlee.
Catch Card
Card Type: Uncommon
Card Description: This charmer uses the sun to work her magic. She is a descendant of the Tribe of Ancients.
Other Facts
These facts are about Merlee from Super Paper Mario; she reveals them during the "That's My Merlee!" Show.
- Merlee was born on March 25.
- Her favorite smell is fresh air.
- Her favorite food is strawberries.
- She washes her bangs first in the shower.
- Her nickname is the "Bashful Ghost".
- She has no preferred type of guy.
- Her favorite animal is a bear cub.
- Her hobbies include looking through catalogs for Crystal Balls.
- She wants the newest kind of Crystal Ball. (which Mario can give to her)
- Her best feature is the lobes of her ears.
Tattle Information
Paper Mario
- That's the charmer, Merlee. She's bright and cheery, huh? If you have her charm you, you'll receive various bonuses in battle. They're super-helpful, so next time you have a chance, be sure to have her charm you! Oh, AND I hear she's the twin sister of Merluvlee, the fortune-teller!
Names in Other Languages
Trivia
- Oddly enough, Merlee's theme in Super Paper Mario, "The Road for the Lost" (which is also Merluvlee's theme), normally never plays in her mansion.
- There's an obvious way of telling which Merlee is which in the game show, the real Merlee will have a fly swarming around her due to the fact she was in the toilet.
- Strangely, in Super Paper Mario, most of Merlee's sentences rhyme together. For example, "hooray" in the quote above rhymes with "today." This was also a good indication of finding the true Merlee in the game show.
