Smithy Gang
| Smithy Gang | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Smithy, the leader of the Smithy Gang | |||
| First appearance | Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996) | ||
| Latest appearance | Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch) (2023) | ||
| Leader | Smithy | ||
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The Smithy Gang, translated as "Weapon gang" on one occasion,[1] is an evil army composed of sentient weapons led by the titular Smithy. They are the main antagonists in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and its Nintendo Switch remake. Their primary goal is to rule the world, destroying wishes by shattering the Star Road. Their main base of operations is Smithy's Factory, located in another world. Their secondary base is Bowser's Keep, occupied by Exor during the beginning of their invasion. Exor acts as a gateway between the two worlds, allowing Smithy's forces to overrun the world.
The invasion of the Smithy Gang starts with an attack to Bowser's Keep, which is done by Exor. The strength of the impact from the sky shatters the Star Road and sends Mario, Bowser, and Princess Peach flying away from the castle. Additionally, many Koopas, Shy Guys, and Goombas, as well as Wizakoopa, ally themselves with the Smithy Gang.
After the attack to Bowser's Keep, Smithy decides to invade the Mushroom Kingdom. Smithy sends Claymorton to attack it. However, when Mario returns, he fights off Claymorton's forces and defeats Claymorton. Additionally, Mario recovers a Star Piece, required to restore the power of wishes to the world.
Smithy's second minion, Bowyer, is sent to the Forest Maze to start attacking Rose Town. Additionally, the Forest Maze is the location of the second Star Piece that Smithy is searching. Bowyer sets up camp in the forest and begins firing poison-tipped arrows, which can immobilize people in Rose Town. Also, one of Bowyer's arrow minions finds the second Star Piece. However, Bowyer's celebration is interrupted by Geno. Mario and Mallow arrive to help Geno as well. Together, they defeat Bowyer and claim the second Star Piece. One of the Aero creatures hears their conversation after Bowyer's downfall and decides to directly report back to Smithy.
Smithy enacts a plan to retrieve the fifth Star Piece. The Star Piece is in the hands of Jonathan "Johnny" Jones and his pirates. Smithy sends another of his minions, Speardovich, to Seaside Town. Once there, Speardovich locks up all the people in a large building. Speardovich then splits himself into many bodies that take the form of Mushroom People. When Mario arrives in town, he is asked by a village elder (who is actually Speardovich) to retrieve the Star Piece from Johnny. Mario agrees, but when he returns with the Star Piece, Speardovich reveals his true identity and forces Mario to hand over his Star Piece. If Mario refuses, Speardovich will torture an old man with a tickling feather until Mario gives in. Speardovich is to be picked up by the Axem Rangers and the Blade. However, the Axem Rangers are running late. As a result, Speardovich decides to swim away, but Johnny emerges from the sea, blocking Speardovich's path. Speardovich is forced to fight Mario and his allies. Eventually, Speardovich loses the fight, and the true population of Seaside Town is freed.
Smithy orders the Axem Rangers to take the Blade to the Barrel Volcano, the location of the sixth Star Piece. Once there, the rangers not only discover the Star Piece but also fight Mario. However, Axem Red, the leader of the Axem Rangers, has beaten Mario to the punch. Axem Red quickly grabs the Star Piece and retreats to the Blade. Mario and his allies follow. After a long battle, Mario defeats the Axem Rangers and the Blade's Breaker Beam cannon. The Blade begins to explode after the cannon's malfunction, but Mario and his allies escape to the nearby volcano before the Blade is destroyed.
Mario fights his way through various enemies and traps set by the Smithy Gang. Wizakoopa also comes to his senses, and he aids Bowser by healing him and the rest of Mario's party. Eventually, Mario reaches the swordsman Boomer. After a long battle, Boomer is defeated and prefers to die a warrior's death. Then, Mario and company are brought to the top of the castle where they fight the gigantic Exor. When the party emerges victorious, Exor inhales Mario and his allies. The group is brought to Smithy's Factory, the source of their world's troubles and the location of the last Star Piece. Mario and his allies fight their way through Smithy's forces. Mario witnesses and passes the Machine Made series, which are gray copies of Smithy's original lieutenants. Through a series of battles, Mario and his allies best the Clerk, the Manager, the Director, Gunyolk, and the Factory Chief.
As it turns out, Smithy is in possession of the seventh Star Piece. Smithy attempts to talk Mario into giving up his six Star Pieces, but to no avail. Smithy knows the final conflict is inevitable and invites them to initiate combat, trying to take the rest of the Star Pieces by force. Wielding powerful magic and practical tools alike, Smithy is a fearsome and capable villain. Additionally, the Smelter continues to routinely pour out liquid metal that Smithy pounds into Shyper soldiers to help him in battle. Pounding his hammer on the ground, Smithy inadvertently shatters the factory floor, sending him and Mario's party straight to the factory basement. Once there, Smithy reveals his true from. Smithy is, in fact, a shape shifter who can mold his head into various forms. After a long battle, the heroes emerge victorious, and Smithy explodes in a brilliant flash.
With Smithy defeated, his factory is no more. The Star Pieces are returned to the Star Road, and the power of wishes is returned to the world. Additionally, Exor dissolves into nothingness, eliminating the gateway between Smithy's world and Mario's world and putting an end to the Smithy Gang.
Organization[edit]
Supreme leader[edit]
Operatives[edit]
Lieutenants[edit]
Bowser's Keep[edit]
Smithy's world[edit]
Smithy's Factory[edit]
Others[edit]
Soldiers[edit]
Gallery[edit]
Claymorton, with his sword-like appearance
Bowyer, with his bow-like structure
Count Down, a clock-like gang member
Cloaker, a jester whose partner is Domino
Bad Adder, Cloaker's pet snake
The Gunyolk
Factory Chief, the Factory's last line of defense before Smithy
Speardovich, who has a shape that is reminiscent of a spear
Domino, a jester whose partner is Cloaker
Mad Adder, Domino's pet snake
Theme[edit]
"The Weapons Show Up" Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | カジオーぐんだん[?] Kajiō Gundan |
Smithy Corps | |
| 武器軍団[2] (Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)) Buki Gundan |
Weapon Corps | ||
| Chinese (traditional) | 武器軍團[3] Wǔqì Jūntuán |
Weapon Corps | |
| Dutch | Bende van Schmidt[?] | Smithy's gang | |
| French | Gang de Forgeroi[?] | Smithy's gang | |
| German | Schmiedrichs Schergen[?] | Smithy's henchmen | |
| Italian | Banda di Fabbro Magno[?] | Smithy's Gang | |
| Korean | 킹스미스군단[?] Kingseumiseu Gundan |
Smithy Corps | |
| Spanish | Banda de Fraguo[?] | Smithy's Gang |
Trivia[edit]
- Each gang member that Mario fights for a Star Piece is weapon-based. Bowyer and Speardovich are respectively an anthropomorphic bow and spear, and Claymorton, the Axem Rangers, and Smithy respectively wield knives, axes, and a hammer. Although Punchinello is an anthropomorphic bomb and guards a Star Piece, he is not a member of the Smithy Gang.
References[edit]
- ^ Nintendo Magazine 2023 Winter (Digital English edition). nintendo.co.jp. Retrieved November 21, 2023. (Archived November 21, 2023, 21:25:25 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Character section of the official Japanese website
- ^ 公開《超級瑪利歐RPG》的介紹影片。一起來回顧本作的有趣之處。 Nintendo. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
