Greetings. I am Culex, Dark Knight of Vanda. I've crossed into this dimension to fight for the Dark Mage. You who stand before me... Where does your depth come from? Why are you rendered so three-dimensionally? The evil power that gave me life mapped out this flat plane as my form. You are formed from a power unknown to me. I wish to gain the secret of your three-dimensional world! You will enter combat against me?
„
~ Culex
“
I am matter... I am antimatter... I can see your past... I can see your future... I consume time... And I will consume you!
„
~ Culex
“
I am formed from the supreme power.
None in this world surpass me.
Across time, from this world’s beginning to its end, I am the inheritor of the ultimate of Two.
Come forth, o power that rules over all creation!!
„
~ Culex
“
Denizens of the three-dimensional world... Our paths cross once more. You have used your great strength to grant the wishes of powerful people. The force of your strength resonated with my own wishes, enabling me to attain greater evil power and return to this plane. You shall see this power firsthand!
„
~ Culex
“
Heh heh... Feast your eyes! This new form is worthy of your three-dimensional world! I return to this world remade. I am matter and antimatter. I am past, present, and future. I will consume all time and space! My evil power is in harmony with this three-dimensional world. And now, it will crush you!
„
~ Culex
Culex Boss Battle theme
Background
Culex is an optional hidden boss who appears in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Culex is a being from a different dimension (the second dimension) who desires to do battle with warriors from Mario's world. He appears to be a type of demon, having dark purple skin, red twisted horns and wings, a red mark along his torso, a jagged tail, and several crystals surrounding his waist. He also emanates what appears to be dark energy.
Alongside the Crystals, Culex is an even more powerful boss than the main story's antagonist, Smithy, as he has 4,096 HP, the second most of any encounter in the game (behind only Smithy's second phase). Culex, combined with the Crystals, has 12,396 HP, which exceeds both of Smithy's phases combined.
Codex Statistics
Key:2D | 3D
Tier:Varies. 6-C, up to 2-C | Varies. 6-C, up to 2-C. Far Higher with Final Claw
Combat Speed:Varies. Massively Hypersonic (Can harm Mario, Mallow, Geno, Bowser, and Princess Peach who can all react to lightning based attacks such as Bolt). Up to Faster Than Light (Can be comparable to Mario, Bowser, and Princess Peach), Higher with Nimble Force
Reaction Speed:Varies. Massively Hypersonic. Up to Faster Than Light, Higher with Nimble Force
Earth Crystal: The Earth Crystal has the highest amount of HP out of all of the four crystals, but balances out with a dismal defense of 70. Despite being the crystal of earth, it only has two earth-based attacks, Boulder and Sand Storm. It also wields Storm and Water Blast. It finishes up with the move Blast. It is weak against Thunder-based attacks.
Fire Crystal: True to its name, the Fire Crystal uses largely fire-based attacks, including Corona, Flame, and Flame Wall. It rounds these attacks out with the moves Drain and Mega Drain. It is weak against Ice-based attacks. It has greater Magic Defense than the next-in-line Water Crystal. Combined with its exceptional Magic Attack, it can be considered an even more difficult opponent than even the Earth Crystal.
Water Crystal: The Water Crystal is the second weakest crystal. While wielding decent Defense, its Magic Attack and Magic Defense are still lower than that of the Fire Crystal. It uses mostly ice-based moves, namely Ice Rock, Blizzard, Crystal and Solidify, as well as the non-elemental Diamond Saw. Its only weakness are Fire-based attacks.
Wind Crystal: The Wind Crystal is the weakest of all the crystals, but has massive physical defense, making it take far longer to defeat than the others. The Wind Crystal has mainly electrical-based attacks, such as Bolt, Electroshock, Lightning Orb and Static E!. It also has two attacks that may inflict status effects on Mario and his party. Petal Blast causes the entire party to transform into mushrooms, which prevents any party member from attacking or using an item, but heals a small amount of HP each turn. The Wind Crystal is also armed with the Light Beam attack, which leaves the party under the sleep status. Once defeated, the Wind Crystal will disappear like the other three crystals until the battle ends. It is weak against Jumping attacks, making it the only crystal susceptible to physical rather than special attacks.
Notable Techniques
Shedder: Removes and negates any boost in statistics his opponent gains.
Flame Stone: Flame Stone is a fire-based attack from the game, it targets a single party member and does minor damage. Animation is noted as a fiery stone falling like a meteor from the top of the screen, onto the opponent.
Dark Star: A massive dark star smashes all of Culex's opponents. It's the strongest spell in the game.
Meteor Blast: Culex summons multiple shining star-shaped meteors towards his foes.
Elemental Crystals: Culex creates 4 elemental crystals. These crystals are all used to manipulate elements on extremely dangerous levels. (The elements that are being manipulated are created out of thin air by the crystals.)
Earth Crystal: The earth crystal is used to manipulate the earth but it is also able to cause explosions and summon large blasts of lightning.
Blast: Blast is a common attack that deals average damage. The animation for Blast is a series of orange and yellow explosions that appear over the target.
Storm: The Earth Crystal summons a large devastating blast of lightning out of the sky.
Sandstorm: Sand Storm is a special move that inflicts moderate damage on all party members and causes the status effect Fear. The animation for Sand Storm is a wave of small, white sand grains flying across the screen.
Water Blast: Water Blast, is an attack that deals medium or high damage to all party members. When used, Water Blast causes spouts of water to appear everywhere on screen with steam rising upwards, followed by a giant explosion.
Boulder: The Earth Crystal will summon a large amount of rocks and mud that will rain down on Culex's enemies at high speeds.
Fire Crystal: This crystal will manipulate fire and summon large walls of fire and it will even manipulate light using a powerful blinding beam
Drain: The Fire Crystal throws a fireball at an enemy that will drain life force out of them if it hits.
Mega Drain: A larger and more powerful version of Drain. It will summon a large beam of light to his target.
Flame Wall: The Fire Crystal summons a large wall of fire that can cover a large distance to incinerate multiple enemies at once.
Corona: Corona is an attack that will summon a large, yellow orb that will attack all opponents, doing significant damage.
Water Crystal: This crystal manipulates snow and ice based based attacks instead of water based attacks.
Ice Rock: The Water Crystal will summon a large boulder of ice above the opponent's head and slam it down on them.
Blizzard: The Water Crystal's only wind based attack. The crystal will call out a large snowstorm out of nowhere, the temperature of the storm is low enough to freeze things caught in it instantly.
Solidify: The Crystal will choose multiple targets and encase them in ice.
Crystal: Crystal is an attack that will summon three large blue ice crystals to fall on the opponent.
Diamond Saw: Diamond Saw is an attack that will create a Blizzard and summon two razor-edged snowflakes to fly at an opponent, damaging them.
Wind Crystal: The weakest of the crystals, but it has the best defense, The Wind Crystal has the best durability out of all the crystals and has multiple lightning based attacks.
Electroshock: This attack will rain down sparks on an enemy, encasing them in a ball of electricity. Then a large bolt of lightning will come down and the victim will be electrocuted. (The ball increases the damage of the lightning bolt)
Petal Blast: The Wind Crystal's only wind based attack; The Wind Crystal summons a large amount of flower petals that will fly over the battlefield. This attack will end by turning people into mushrooms.
Light Beam: The crystal flashes of light towards the enemies and it puts the victims to sleep.
Static E!: Static E! causes a blue, shimmering wave to cover the screen and, along with an interesting sound effect, deals minor electrical damage to all targets.
Bolt: Bolt consists of a single bolt of blue lightning that strikes a single opponent.
Lightning Orb: Lightning Orb attacks one opponent, when the attack is used, a small whitish-blue orb floats toward its target and engulfs it in an electric dome before disappearing, after which point the target takes damage.
Other
Standard Tactics: Culex and his crystals will attack in tandem attempting many different status effect attacks along with powerful regular attacks.
↑"If you're familiar with things like Popeye and some of the old comic characters, you would oftentimes see this cast of characters that takes on different roles depending on the comic or cartoon," Miyamoto said. "They might be businessman in one [cartoon] or a pirate in another. Depending on the story that was being told, they would change roles. So, to a certain degree, I look at our characters in a similar way and feel that they can take on different roles in different games."
