Bob-omb (Paper Mario: The Origami King)
Bob-omb | |
---|---|
Species | Bob-omb |
First appearance | Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020) |
Latest appearance | Super Mario-kun volume 58 (2022) |
- “You know that memory-loss thing? What's it called... Ambrosia? Amnesty? Thinky Thinky Panic? Whatever you call it, I've got it—big time.”
- —Bob-omb, Paper Mario: The Origami King
Bobby, sometimes referred to as "Bhomas" or "Bombert" by Olivia, is an ally to Mario in Paper Mario: The Origami King. Being a fuseless, amnesiac Bob-omb, he joins Mario and Olivia's quest in an effort to recall his memories. Throughout their adventure, he refers to Mario and Olivia as "Big M" and "ma'am," respectively.
In battle, Bobby uses an attack called Bomb Bump, a move very reminiscent of Bombette's Body Slam, ramming into the nearest enemy and dealing 20 damage, or 30 if the Ally Tambourine is equipped. However, there is also a chance that he may trip and deal no damage instead, which is indicated by if he starts to sleep during the turn. Bobby is the only partner in the game who can be brought to revisit certain past areas at any time, excluding the Earth Vellumental Temple, the Water Vellumental Shrine, the Ninja Attraction, and Scuffle Island.
History
Background
According to Bobby himself, prior to the events of Paper Mario: The Origami King, he lost a comrade, also named Bob-omb. He kept his late friend's fuse as a memory, keeping it safe within a lockbox that he always carried with him.
At some point afterwards, Bobby was booked with a group of Bob-omb friends on a cruise in the VIP stateroom on the Princess Peach. However, during the trip, the ship was attacked by Gooper Blooper, who had been converted to a Paper Macho form due to King Olly's actions. The group attempted to defend the ship, unsuccessfully, and during the battle, Bobby was knocked off the boat, losing his fuse in the process.
Sometime later, Bobby washed ashore at Toad Town, physically unharmed but suffering amnesia. After coming to his senses, Bobby set off alone toward Overlook Mountain, looking to recover his memories.
Paper Mario: The Origami King
By the time Mario and Olivia defeat Colored Pencils and unravel the red streamer used in King Olly's plot to take over the world, Bobby has boarded a cable car headed toward Autumn Mountain. Mario and Olivia end up boarding that same car, where the two parties cross paths for the first time.
During the ride, Bobby introduces himself, stating he only remembers his name and reveals he has amnesia, albeit not knowing the correct term for the condition, and states his purpose for going on the journey. Olivia then brings up the idea of Bobby joining them as a chance to help him recover his memories. Initially, Bobby is skeptical, stating he believes he would be a burden to the two, after which Olivia abandons the idea. Bobby, however, considers the opportunity, and brings it up again shortly afterward.
By the time the cable car reaches Autumn Mountain, Mario agrees to take Bobby under their wing. After getting off, Olivia refers to him as Bombert, but Bobby corrects her. Shortly afterward, Bobby runs off to investigate a small valley in the mountain. Olivia tries to call him back, calling him Bhomas only for him to correct her again, leading her to settle on Bobby as a nickname. Mario and Olivia then jump in after him. The valley turns out to be merely a dried up river, and on the way out, Bobby tries to make friends with a Spiny turned Folded Soldier, forcing Olivia to stop him and explain that they are enemies. The trio then enters a dried up lake, with a Water Vellumental Magic Circle nearby.
As the trio explores the mountain, Bobby runs off twice, the first time to take in the sight of the Water Vellumental Shrine, and the second during a walk in the Tall Grass Plains, in which he meets and befriends a Sombrero Guy. Then, while crossing a bridge to the shrine, a Paper Macho Goomba appears, whom Bobby also attempts to befriend. The Goomba then knocks Bobby off the bridge, and Mario jumps off in pursuit, landing in the Chestnut Valley. Mario ends up continually having to rescue Bobby, before making it back to the shrine. Once they arrive, Bobby and Mario stand on dual pressure plates, opening the shrine. Bobby, however, decides to remain near the entrance in fear.
Bobby continues to tag along until and during Shogun Studios, with the exception of the Ninja Attraction. While in Shogun Studios, he can wear different outfits and take photos with Mario and Olivia at the Dress-Up Photo Studio. After Mario defeats Rubber Band and unravels the blue streamer, the staff of Shogun Studios throw fireworks in celebration. Looking at the fireworks causes Bobby to regain his memories. Feeling a sense of fulfillment at the completion of his personal mission, Bobby thanks Mario and Olivia for their help and the new memories they created together, but decides to part ways with the duo. After some convincing from Olivia, he decides to continue with them.
The trio continues the boat tour to Sweetpaper Valley, following the yellow streamer. During the ride, Olivia asks Bobby to tell them more about him, but he declines for unknown reasons. The boat reaches Sweetpaper Valley, but following an encounter with King Olly, a boulder crushes Olivia and blocks the way forward. Seeing this, Bobby and Mario, on the former's request, head back to Toad Town and take a ride from Sea Captain Toad across the Great Sea to the Princess Peach, now overtaken with black ink. Inside the VIP stateroom is a lockbox containing the item Bobby is looking for, which is promptly taken by Gooper Blooper. After Mario defeats it and recovers the box, the two head back to Sweetpaper Valley. Bobby finally tells Mario his backstory, and reveals the item inside the lockbox: a fuse that belonged to his late best friend. He puts it on, and, as his last words, thanks Mario and Olivia. Bobby then lights the fuse, prompting Mario to try to stop him, only for it to be too late. Bobby blows himself up and sacrifices his life to destroy the boulder trapping Olivia.
A devastated Olivia runs off into Breezy Tunnel. She comes to rest on a log in a Monty Mole chamber, questioning her ability to continue with the quest. Mario tries to comfort her, but with little result. The Monty Moles then gather the remains of the destroyed boulder and place it near the entrance. Bobby's spirit calls to Mario from the rubble, and instructs him to help Olivia pull through, lest his sacrifice be in vain. Under Bobby's suggestion of using laughter, Mario then uses his Goomba Mask to cheer up Olivia, and the two continue their quest. Though Bobby's spirit cannot be talked to again, Mario can still inspect the pile of rubble where the spirit is found anytime afterward, to which Olivia will question what he is doing and urge him to keep going.
If Mario returns to the Dress-Up Photo Studio after this point, Bobby's spirit will appear in the finished picture.
In Bowser's Castle, Olivia mistakes one of the Bob-omb troops boarding the Airship to be their old partner. This Bob-omb then states that he is not the same Bob-omb, though Olivia decides not to think too hard about it, and continues to call him and the other Bob-ombs "Bobby", stating she is glad to see him.
In Origami Castle, Olivia mentions Bobby alongside her other partners after fighting Stapler and before fighting King Olly.
During the credits, a photo from Shogun Studios shows one of the fireworks launched in Bobby's honor by taking his shape.
Bobby's corresponding Collectible Treasure (No. 52) can be found at the Ninja Attraction. After the power is reactivated, Mario can ride the sign across to the other side of the roof and drop down to find a hidden chest containing the Collectible Treasure.
Super Mario-kun
Bobby has the same role in Super Mario-kun as in the game. After defeating Colored Pencils, Mario, looking for something to eat that is not folded into an origami, bites onto Bobby before realizing what he is. Bobby reassures him that he is not evil and cannot explode, since he lacks both his fuse and memories, and follows them. Compared to his more laid-back game counterpart, Bobby is slightly more participative in the adventures and more happily carefree. Physically, he is drawn similar to the Bob-omb Buddy from the Super Mario 64 story arc, with two big eyes with ocular irises and a mouth.
The biggest difference in Bobby's adaptation in the manga is when he and Mario try to free Olivia from the boulder: after Olivia gets stuck under it, Bobby recalls his past, explaining he may have something useful back on the Princess Peach cruise ship, but Mario tells him he retrieved (off-screen) the box with the fuse from the ship after defeating the Paper Macho Gooper Blooper. Mario offers himself to use the fuse in some way to free Olivia, but Bobby does not let him, grabs the fuse, and runs towards the boulder and yells at it with all his might, breaking it. However, he is forced to leave the party since, by screaming so much, he needs to go to the hospital to have his throat checked.
In the next volume, Bobby returns during the final battle against King Olly, replacing the Origami Craftsman. After rescuing Luigi and Bowser from their fall from Olly's platform, he reveals to have met Olly's creator, who gave him the final Magic Circle and a letter confessing what Olly's scribble is about.
Personality
Bobby possesses a mild-mannered personality, often shown relaxing and taking it easy. He sometimes appears to seem less interested than he truly is, as proven from his very introduction. If Mario accepts him into his party immediately, he quickly becomes happy. On the other hand, if Mario continues to refuse him, Bobby attempts to persuade him until the point when he outright begs to join, preventing Mario from reaching Autumn Mountain until he is allowed in. Although Bobby is afflicted with amnesia for most of his time as Mario's ally and claims to have no memories, he still displays some amount of knowledge, as shown when he recognizes what a boat is as well as a lake.
Bobby has a tendency to get lost or trail off, which occurs numerous times throughout the game, intentionally or otherwise, the most notable case being when he is knocked into Chestnut Valley and must be rescued a few times before the adventure can resume. This could suggest he is both easily distracted and accident prone. Additionally, Bobby does not enter intimidating or holy places such as the Water Vellumental Shrine, the Ninja Attraction, and the Earth Vellumental Temple. He claims to simply be disinterested, though it is implied he may be simply be frightened.
Bobby appears to look up to Mario and Olivia, both literally and figuratively, often requiring them both to keep him on track or together. Though Olivia almost always calls him Bobby rather than his actual name, he does not seem to mind this, though he does joke about Olivia being unable to tell the difference between him and his friend of the same name. When Olivia becomes trapped under the boulder, Bobby sacrifices himself to rescue her, with little reluctance, believing this fulfills a Bob-omb's purpose. Olivia, however, becomes extremely depressed when she realizes what has happened, running away and claiming she is unable to go on. Bobby, however, reappears as a spirit and convinces Mario to put a smile on her face, with this simple task successfully cheering her up.
Profile
- Collectible Treasure No. 52: "An enthusiastic young Bob-omb without a fuse or memories but with plenty of gumption and explode-tuitiveness."
Gallery
Artwork
Promotional wallpaper for Paper Mario: The Origami King from Nintendo Co., Ltd.'s LINE account
Paper Mario: The Origami King desktop wallpaper from My Nintendo
Artwork of Mario, Olivia, and Bob-omb
Artwork of Kamek, Bob-omb, and Professor Toad, three different partners in the game
Sprites
Screenshots
Mario, Olivia, and Bob-omb relax on a bench in Autumn Mountain
Bob-omb naps in Chestnut Valley
Mario, Olivia, and Bob-omb enter the Great Sea
Mario, Olivia, Bob-omb, and the Oarsman ride through Eddy River
Mario, Olivia, and Bob-omb cross a bridge over Eddy River to enter Shogun Studios
Mario, Olivia, and Bob-omb approach the entrance to Big Sho' Theater
Bob-omb and an audience of Toad's witness Mario defeat Rubber Band
Bob-omb cowers behind Mario from an incapacitated Toad aboard The Princess Peach
Mario and Bob-omb are attacked by an origami Spike
Bob-omb washed up on Toad Town docks
Bob-omb went to Picnic Road, headed for Overlook Mountain
Scans
Names in other languages
- Bob-omb
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
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Japanese | ボムへい[1] Bomuhei |
Bob-omb | |
Chinese (simplified) | 炸弹兵[2] Zhàdànbīng |
Bob-omb | |
Chinese (traditional) | 炸彈兵[3] Zhàdànbīng |
Bob-omb | |
Dutch | Bob-omb[?] | Bob-omb | |
French | Bob-omb[?] | Bob-omb | |
German | Bob-omb[?] | Bob-omb | |
Italian | Bob-omba[?] | Bob-omb | |
Korean | 폭탄병[?] Poktanbyeong |
Bob-omb | |
Spanish (NOA) | Bob-omba[?] | Bob-omb | |
Spanish (NOE) | Bob-omb[?] | Bob-omb |
- Bobby
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Japanese | ボム Bomuhei |
A kanji interpretation of Bob-omb's Japanese name (same pronunciation), with「 |
|
Chinese (simplified) | 炸弹彬[?] Zhàdàn Bīn |
From "炸弹兵" (Zhàdànbīng, Bob-omb) | |
Chinese (traditional) | 炸彈彬[?] Zhàdàn Bīn |
From "炸彈兵" (Zhàdànbīng, Bob-omb) | |
French | Bobby[?] | Bobby | |
German | Bobby[?] | Bobby | |
Italian | Bobby[?] | Bobby | |
Korean | 포탄병[?] Potanbyeong |
Mispronunciation of "Bob-omb". 포탄 (Potan) means "cannonball". | |
Spanish (NOA) | Bombi[?] | Bomby | |
Spanish (NOE) | Bobby[?] | Bobby |
Trivia
- While trying to recall the term for amnesia, Bob-omb mentions "Thinky Thinky Panic", which itself is a pun on Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, where Bob-ombs debuted. He also mentions "ambrosia" and "amnesty", which is a reference to Animal Crossing: New Leaf when Gulliver tries to recall the term for amnesia.
- In the Japanese version, Bobby calls Mario "aniki", or "big brother" (which can figuratively be used as an honorific for a superior), implying that Mario is older than him.
- In the Latin American Spanish version, "Bobby" is one of Olivia's nicknames for him before calling him "Bombi".
- Bobby's sacrifice was alluded to as part of a post on the Nintendo Switch news application showcasing games with explosions for the Fourth of July in 2021.[4]
References
- ^ Nintendo 公式チャンネル (June 12, 2020). ペーパーマリオ オリガミキング 紹介映像. YouTube. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ June 12, 2020. 《纸片马力欧:折纸国王》介绍视频公开! 详细介绍马力欧的新冒险、同伴和战斗. nintendo.com.hk. Retrieved June 17, 2020. (Archived April 28, 2024, 20:33:02 UTC via archive.today.)
- ^ June 12, 2020. 《紙片瑪利歐:摺紙國王》介紹影片公開!詳細介紹瑪利歐的新冒險、同伴和戰鬥. nintendo.com.hk. Retrieved June 12, 2020. (Archived April 28, 2024, 20:33:09 UTC via archive.today.)
- ^ July 4, 2021. "Get hyped with a few in-game explosions.". nintendo.com. Archived May 23, 2022, 09:21:00 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
Bob-ombs | |
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Characters | Bobbery • Bobolink • Bob-omb (Paper Mario: The Origami King) • Bob-omb gang • Bob-omba • Bomberto • Bombette • Bruce • Bub • Fahr Outpost mayor • Fred • Gattai monster • General White • Gob • Goldbob • Jerry • King Bob-omb • Lucky • Master Crash • Mecha King Bob-omb • Nob • Pa-Patch • Proto Mecha King Bob-omb • Red Bob-omb • Rob • Scarlette • Swob • Sylvia • The Bob-omb Squad |
Species and variants | Alarm Bob-omb • Baboom • Black Pit Bob-Omb • Bob-omb • Bob-omb Buddy • Bob-omb Car • Bob-omb Fish • Bob-ulk • Bomb Bud • Bomb Net • Bomb Plant • Bombite • Bulky Bob-omb • Buzz-Bomb • Chuckya • Dark Fawful Bomb • Designbomb • Dreamy Bob-omb • Fly Bomb • Giga Bob-omb • Glad Bob-omb • Glad Parabomb • Goombomb • Kab-omb • King Bomb • Lethal Bob-omb • Lob-omb • Lob-omb R • Mega Bob-omb • Mezzo Bomb • Microbomb • Onpu Bomu • Paper Bob-omb • Paper Macho Bob-omb • Parabomb • Rob-omb • Shiny Bob-omb • Shroob-omb • Smell Bob-omb • Tail Bob-omb • Time Bob-omb |