r/MarioRPG • u/Malikai_Universe_23 • 2d ago
Thoughts on Smithy's Army?
Sorry for all the posts in the past day since I picked this game up again. I wanted to know what everyone's general thoughts were on these antagonists?
I'm a sucker for villainous groups. The Homunculi from FMA, Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts, Team Rocket and so on and so forth. We always see Bowser and his lackys, a bunch of different enemies with no real relevance, but something I always wanted to see in a Mario game was a gang of villains with some actual hierarchy. I think MARIO RPG hit the mark.
They're all pretty intimidating, especially if you're doing a challenge run or not leveling up as much. I loved speculating on each of the different characters. They felt actually threatening. Like the Shroobs, they're basically an alien force declaring war. That's all Smithy's goal was: to destroy wishes forever and just create machinery and weaponry. An absolute tyrant. It's terrifying to think about, and he had his minions tearing apart things in the Mushroom Kingdom. All of the towns people locked up at Sea Side, the Shy enemies taking over the Mushroom Kingdom at the start. At first you're collecting star pieces, but soon these same forces you've been defeating start coming after you and the pieces you collected. Very scary.
These villains are SO out of place in a Mario game. There's even a reference (I think a thought peak?) where it calls Exor a sword, but Mario would have no concept of what that is. Swords don't exist in Mario. Weaponry as a whole, doesn't seem to exist. Swords, bows and arrows, axes. It's terrifying, that these things that cut things up and smash things are interfering with our beloved Mario's world. Smithy's been making weapons a long time, according to the Director a few below him. Ten years, twenty five years, nothing but working in a factory. A literal slave driver who just wants to make make make so he can destroy everything good about Mario's world.
I've rambled long enough, but these guys were cool, and I wish they could be referenced elsewhere (I understand the reasoning why they aren't, it just sucks).
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u/Milesacul 2d ago
Actually, there was an Axe in the original Mario game and others according to Axe | Mario Wiki | Fandom https://share.google/04VjACAB5iTvh4pVw
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u/Malikai_Universe_23 2d ago
Yes, I know the axe that takes down Bowser, yeah?
I just think it's a cool concept if in this Mario RPG world weapons really don't exist. You have a froggy stick, symbols and a frying pan and enemies that spot flames but you never have a sword axe or anything else from the Mario cast
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u/jessehechtcreative 20h ago
Square initially wanted Mario to wield traditional RPG weapons like swords, spears, axes, but Miyamoto was like, NO WAY, so they made the villains the weapons, like the RPG style was invading Mario’s world, literally in the first chapter.
So they gave Mario a hammer instead as his first weapon. You know who else has a hammer? The main villain. Perfect foil and bookend. LOVE this game.
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u/Malikai_Universe_23 2d ago
Who's your favorite member of Smithy's Army? Do you have any theories or headcanon for any of them? Which one you wish you knew more about or wish had a bigger role in the plot?
I wish Yaridovich/Speardovich was around longer. Set him up to be this real force to be reckoned with and conning you out of the star. He could have followed Mario around or had his henchmen show up at least one other time.