Kolorado
| Kolorado | |
|---|---|
 Picture of Kolorado in one of his letters to Mario | |
| Full name | Professor Kolorado |
| Species | Koopa Troopa |
| First appearance | Paper Mario (2000) |
| Latest appearance | Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) (2024) (mentioned) |
- “Archaeology is about mystery. And you know, without mystery life is rather bland, hm? Maybe you should write this stuff down Mario.”
- —Kolorado,Paper Mario
Professor Kolorado is an adventure-loving, boldKoopa Troopa explorer and archaeologist inPaper Mario. A former student ofProfessor Frankly, Kolorado lives inKoopa Village, but is rarely home, preferring to go out on quests for ancient artifacts, to the displeasure ofhis wife. He is the idol of his neighborKooper, who eventually becomes his assistant at the end ofPaper Mario. Kolorado is a parody ofIndiana Jones, as they are both legendary archaeologists. Both wear similar outfits and go on quests for unique artifacts, and Kolorado is also chased by aSpiny Tromp similar to the boulder scene from the movieRaiders of the Lost Ark.
History[edit]
Background[edit]
Not much is known of Kolorado's life beforePaper Mario, though according to a Toad in Toad Town, his interest in adventuring was inspired byKoopa Koot when he was once a famous explorer. InPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door,Goombella informs Mario that Kolorado was a student of the renownedProfessor Frankly. Kolorado seems to have followed the footsteps ofhis father, a fellow adventurer who died while exploringHooktail Castle. It is unknown whether Kolorado knows about this or not. Kolorado later married and settled down in Koopa Village. However, he left the village frequently to explore unknown lands, frustrating his wife. Because of his journeys, Kolorado became well-known and respected in the archaeological community and also became the personal idol ofKooper.
Paper Mario[edit]
It has been requested that this article berewritten.Reason: Flowery writing, too much detail.
Mario first hears of Kolorado during his visit toKoopa Village.Kooper mentions that Kolorado is his role model, and if Mario enters his house, he meets Kolorado's wife, who is angry that her husband is constantly away from home. Mario andParakarry find aletter addressed to Kolorado onMt. Rugged and plan to deliver it to him.
Mario and hispartners first meet Kolorado in person on the edge ofDry Dry Desert, which they were going to cross in an attempt to rescue theStar SpiritMamar. Kolorado, along with a group of fellow explorers, is there to find the treasure ofDry Dry Ruins. When Mario discovers and subsequently explores Dry Dry Ruins, he finds anArtifact that he can give to Kolorado. Kolorado gives Mario aStar Piece as thanks if the player chooses to do so. Later on, Kolorado sends a letter toMario's House, stating that he finally found the ruins (although Mario never told him that he had already found them), but did not find any treasure there.Moustafa also sends Mario a letter saying he saw a "suspicious looking Koopa" messing around the ruins, referring to Kolorado.
Mario encounters Kolorado again in theToad Town Port after rescuing the fourth Star Spirit,Muskular. The explorer is attempting to find a way toLavalava Island in order to find a legendary treasure there. Mario finds awhale who agrees to carry the two adventurers to the island after Mario cures it of a stomachache caused byFuzzipede. Kolorado then accompanies Mario toYoshi's Village and when a path is opened toMt. Lavalava, he rushes ahead to the volcano. On the way, he is saved from the inhabitants ofJade Jungle twice by Mario, although the player has the option on both occasions to ignore Kolorado and continue through the jungle, after which Kolorado would somehow escape the enemy on his own and berate Mario for not helping him.
Kolorado ventures into the volcano with Mario, but is unable to find any treasure or even progress through the treacherous caverns without Mario's assistance. At one point, he is run over by aSpiny Tromp trap. At the halfway point of Mario's battle with theLava Piranha, Kolorado attempts to aid him, but is badly burnt and runs away. After the plant's defeat, Kolorado, Mario, and the newly freed Star SpiritMisstar venture deeper into the near-erupting volcano to try to find a way out. At the end of the volcano, achest is discovered on a high ledge, and Kolorado makes a near-fatal reach for it as lava rises behind him. He is scooped up at the last minute by Misstar, and the band of adventurers narrowly escape from the volcano as it erupts.
Kolorado is distraught at his lost treasure, despite Misstar telling him he should be glad to still have his life. Kolorado is too miserable to leave Yoshi's Village until Mario finds the Treasure Chest, which miraculously survived the eruption and was simply blown to a section ofJade Jungle. After Mario gives him the treasure inside it, theVolcano Vase, to Kolorado, the overjoyed explorer trades aMagical Seed for the treasure and accompanies Mario back to Toad Town.
Once back in Toad Town, Kolorado tells Mario that he plans to go back to Koopa Village and see his wife. However, during his return trip, a large Koopa calledKent C. Koopa blocks the path to Koopa Village and demands one hundredCoins for passage. Mario helps Kolorado by defeating the burly Koopa, and Kolorado spends the remainder of the game in Koopa Village with his wife, though he mentions plans to explore theCrystal Palace.
Through the rest ofPaper Mario, Kolorado is alluded to in two ofGoombario'sTattles, in both of which Goombario impersonated Kolorado and his love for treasure. ADuplighost in the Crystal Palace also disguises himself as Kolorado, intending to trick Mario into thinking he wasKooper.
After Mario defeatsBowser, Kooper becomes Kolorado's assistant and leads him toShiver City, where they are ready to embark on an expedition to the Crystal Palace, fulfilling Kolorado's past plans. When they get there, though, they are stopped by Parakarry, who delivers a party invitation fromPrincess Peach to Kooper and gives Kolorado a message from his infuriated wife, forcing him to forestall the expedition and return to Toad Town. Kolorado is later seen alongside his wife in the game's ending parade, where they wave to the player atop the Whale and are sprayed into the air by its spout.
Tattle[edit]
- "He's the archaeologist, Kolorado. He's famous as both a scholar and an explorer. Unfortunately, he's also renowned for his carelessness. He's wild about treasures and ancient secrets, so he's always taking off around the world on some adventure."
Russ T.'s information[edit]
You know a Koopa called Mr. Kolorado, the famous explorer and archaeologist?
I have nothing but respect for him. Solving the riddle of the Candy Canes on Pleasant Path,
investigating Dry Dry Ruins in Dry Dry Desert, discovering many new facts...these are but a few of his accomplishments.
Recently, he found a treasure that proves an ancient civilization once existed on Lavalava Island.
According to Mr. Kolorado, a long time ago, people once lived on Lavalava Island.
I heard that these people used to live in the holes dug out of the side of thevolcano on Lavalava Island.
But they they were forced to flee the island because the volcano became very active.
Even he couldn't find out what kind of people they were or where they escaped to.
Long after these mysterious people left the island, Yoshis and Ravens arrived, and they've lived in harmony ever since.
Letters[edit]
InPaper Mario, Mario can find two letters from Kolorado on the desk inhis house as the game progresses.
How are you, dear boy? I've just finished my exhausting research of the ruins found bymy unwavering efforts.
Sadly, I did not find any treasures as valuable as I had hoped.
I will press on, though, old chap! There are treasures hidden all over the world!
I hear them calling my famous name, asking me to dig them up!
How are you, old bean? Smashing, I trust. I'd just like to thank you for helping with that nastyvolcano business.
Of course, I'm sure you're well aware of my own heroic role in the final fracas.
I've lately worried aboutmy dear wife. How she must worry about me as I brave danger!
Perhaps it's time I returnedhome for a while. Feel free to stop by for a spot of tea!
- Kolorado
There is also a letter addressed to him, which Mario finds on the upper-left ledge ofMt. Rugged and gives toParakarry in Chapter 2. After Parakarry joins Mario's party, the two can deliver the letter to Kolorado, for which he gives aStar Piece as a reward.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door[edit]
If Mario readsLumpy theRatooey's journal, he discovers that at some point Kolorado went back toDry Dry Desert and that Lumpy encountered him there duringPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Kolorado helped Lumpy make his dream of finding oil a reality by providing him with shelter.
Mario andKoops also discover the remains ofKorvallis, Kolorado's father, inHooktail Castle (which Koops mistakes as the bones ofhis own father), whileGoombella mentions that Kolorado was a student ofProfessor Frankly.
He is referenced an additional time in the remake in one ofthe Creepy Steeple Boo's quizzes, where "Kolorado" is the correct answer to "What is the name of the son mentioned in the letter held by the Dull Bones in Hooktail Castle?".
Personality[edit]
Kolorado is consistently portrayed as extremely courageous, willing to go into the depths of Mt. Lavalava to find treasure. AsRaphael the Raven comments, this bravery often gives way to foolishness; Kolorado is also an ignorant character in his comical and constant misnamings of thewhale (much to the whale's annoyance) as a tuna andMisstar as a starfish. Kolorado is a generally friendly character who is willing to help, but despite his intentions, never actually aids Mario in his quest. In fact, he is shown to be very weak; during his time on Lavalava Island, he is attacked by bothJungle Fuzzies andSpear Guys, and is unable to fight back against either of them, requiring Mario to assist him. This is demonstrated when Kolorado attempts to help Mario in fighting theLava Piranha; although he rushes courageously at the monster, he is easily beat back.
Kolorado is obsessed with finding treasure, and his wife comments that he is rarely at home, always going on some expedition. Although there is no voice-acting inPaper Mario, Kolorado's text seems to hint at a stereotypical southern English accent, as he often uses phrases such as "tally-ho", "old boy", "old chap", and "old bean". A similar accent was also applied toAdmiral Bobbery inPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
Quotes[edit]
- Main section:List of Paper Mario quotes § Kolorado
- "I'm known as Kolorado. I'm an archeologist, you know. I travel the world."
- "So close...Can't resist...By theStars, I'll risk my life for that treasure!!"
- "Now then, gentlemen...It's time to scale the frosty heights to the Crystal Palace!"
Naming[edit]
Kolorado's name is a portmanteau of "Koopa", which he is based on, and "Colorado", a state in theUnited States. Likewise, both Kolorado andIndiana Jones share names with states in the continental United States.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | チャールズ[?] Chāruzu | Charles | |
| Chinese(Simplified) | 查尔斯[?] Chá'ěrsī | Charles. Sometimes qualified as「查尔斯博士」(Chá'ěrsī Bóshì, Dr. Charles) | |
| Chinese(Traditional) | 查爾斯[?] Chá'ěrsī | Charles | |
| Dutch | Koopar[?] | Possibly a portmanteau of "Koopa" and the name "Caspar", which can mean "treasure bringer" | |
| French | Kolorado[?] | - | |
| German | Kolorado[?] | - | |
| Italian | Professor Charles Jones[1][2] | From the Japanese name, his last name is a callback to Indiana Jones | |
| Korean | 찰스[?] Chalseu | Charles | |
| Russian | Колорадо[?] Kolorado | Kolorado | |
| Spanish | Kolorado[?] | - |
Notes[edit]
- Kolorado has been the focus of three editorials ofToad Town News inPaper Mario.
- According to the in-game description, most books on the bookshelf in Kolorado's room are about archaeology, but there are also a few that seem "somewhat less intellectual".
References[edit]
- ^«Vorrei solo fare un ultimo saluto a mio figliolo Charles. Buona fortuna, tesoro...» – Korvallis' letter.Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Italian).
- ^«Anche il famoso archeologo, il Professor Jones, è un allievo del Professor Goombastein.» – Goombella tattling Professor Frankly.Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Italian).
