Aero
| Aero | |
|---|---|
 Artwork of an Aero | |
| First appearance | Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996) |
- “Ooh, I heard everything! Who would have known that star was so important? I've got to inform Smithy.”
- —Aero, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Aeros are arrow-like projectiles fired by Bowyer during his siege of Rose Town in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. The Aeros are laced with a special potion,[1] allowing them to cause paralysis when they hit their target. As such, Bowyer fires arrows into Rose Town, paralyzing its inhabitants. Despite this, most of the Aeros land harmlessly on the ground in both Rose Town and the Forest Maze where Bowyer is stationed.
When Mario is hit by one of these arrows, he will not be permanently paralyzed; rather, he is briefly knocked unconscious. Although Mario takes no damage, being hit by an Aero can be dangerous. While in the Forest Maze, if Mario is stunned, he will be unable to run away from attacking monsters. However, since these Aeros' attacks are random, Mario will most likely never be hit even once unless the player actively tries to make it happen.
Shortly after Mario and Mallow discover and hide from Bowyer after stumbling upon him deep within the Forest Maze, they watch as Bowyer and his many Aeros laugh about the helpless citizens of Rose Town. Before they can react, a single Aero is revealed to have found the green Star Piece somewhere in the forest, which he in turn presents to Bowyer.
During Mario's confrontation with Bowyer, Aeros are used by Bowyer as a standard physical attack and as a Sleep inducing special attack. Additionally, Aeros are used to lock controller buttons, preventing Mario's party from using certain commands. Eventually, Mario and company defeat Bowyer, with his minions also disappearing. However, one Aero remains hidden behind a tree stump, having watched the battle. After eavesdropping on Mario and the gang, this Aero rushes to the Factory to inform his boss about the importance of the Star Pieces.
Aeros later appear in the Factory. Like in Rose Town and the Forest Maze, Aeros briefly knock Mario out, allowing enemies to attack him. However, these Aeros are more accurate than the previous ones, meaning Mario is far more likely to be hit and paralyzed. The source of these arrows is unknown, but they are probably fired by an off-screen Machine Made Bowyer or a security trap. Like the original, the mass-produced versions of Bowyer also use Aeros in battle, albeit monochrome (though ones that hit party members become colored while falling).
During the final fight against Smithy, an Aero is one of three minions that warn Smithy against smashing the floor of the platform, which ultimately breaks.
Gallery
An Aero standing
An Aero falling
A Machine Made Aero
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | アーロン[?] Āron |
Pun on「アロー」(arō, arrow) and possibly the masculine name "Aaron" |
Trivia
- Aero's English name comes from the Greek prefix aero-, meaning air, which is pronounced similarly to the word "arrow".
- The name "Aero" is never revealed until the battle against Smithy at the end of the game. The citizens of Rose Town simply refer to them as "arrows," while a group of Aeros are credited as Bowyer's "flunkies" shortly before Geno shows up.
References
- ^ Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Nintendo Player's Guide, page 25.
