Raphael the Raven

Raphael the Raven
Species	Raven
Debut	Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Raphael the Raven is a recurring character from the Super Mario who has appeared as both a boss and a supporting character.

Background

Yoshi Appearances

Rapheal originally appeared in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island as the boss of the fifth world. He was faced at the end of his own castle. Originally, he was a normal-sized Raven. As with most of the game's bosses, he was enhanced by Kamek's magic to become gigantic. Raphael tackled Yoshi onto a small moon and then leaped onto it himself for their battle. During the battle, Raphael ran around the circumference of the moon and attacked with ground pounds that produced shock waves.

However, the moon had two small stumps on it, and ground pounding one would cause it to jut out the other side. Raphael could be injured only by timing a ground pound so that he would be struck by a stump as it surfaced from the other side of the moon. With each hit, Raphael would become angrier and faster while turning redder. After being hit three times, Raphael would be launched into the sky and became a constellation.

Raphael also appeared in Yoshi's New Island as an enemy who was faced within the fifth level stage called Eggstrordinary Terrain. The level featured various small moon-like bodies, many of which had Ravens on them, and one of them had Raphael. In this appearance, Raphael's behavior was similar to that of a standard Raven, and he could be defeated with the same standard methods as well.

In Tetris Attack, Raphael was depicted as one of Yoshi's friends who were brainwashed by Bowser. He also had several Shy Guys accompanying him. He was the eighth opponent to be faced (replacing the moon fairy Seren from Panel de Pon) and the last of Yoshi's friends to be freed. He could be unlocked as a playable character by defeating him.

Paper Mario

Raphael made a significantly different appearance in Paper Mario. This version of Raphael was the benevolent leader of a tribe of Ravens living on Lavalava Island. He lived in a nest located atop a giant tree that was hidden deep within the jungle. He was among the few Ravens who could speak both the human and Raven language. He had apparently lived there for a long time, as the Yoshi Elder claims to have met him once as a child, and he has also gone a long time without visitors. There were several statues of him on the island, and placing a Jade Raven in one of them was the key to accessing his part of the jungle.

At one point, he was visited by a Star Spirit in a dream, who foretold that Mario would come to him and also enlightened him about the purpose of an Ultra Stone that he had discovered in the jungle long ago. He was still surprised when Mario arrived to see him during the fifth chapter. He went into action with the Ravens to show Mario the path to Mt. Lavalava, and he had the Ravens construct a pulley to help him access its entrance. He also gave Mario the Ultra Stone and explained its purpose.

In the game's ending parade, Raphael was seen peeking from the Lavalava Island float.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In the Super Smash Bros. series, Raphael has been represented as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee, a sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and an Advanced-rank Support Spirit (granting falling immunity) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. When fought against in a Spirit battle, he would possess a giant King Dedede and be battled in the Mario Galaxy stage (which itself is set on part of a planetoid). Additionally, the moon from Raphael's boss battle could be seen in the background of the Yoshi's Island stage that was introduced in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Trivia

• His Japanese name is simply Big Kyuu-chan, with Kyuu-chan being the Japanese name for the Raven enemy.
• In the introduction of Yoshi's Island DS, Raphael is seen pictured with a group of other bosses from the original Yoshi's Island during a summary of that game's events.
• In Paper Mario, he uses military jargon in his dialogue.
• He also sends a letter to Sushie in Paper Mario. In it, he invites her to visit him when her travels are done and offers to prepare seemingly any food for her.
• He only briefly flashes red in Paper Mario, while preparing for action.