| “ | I want some answers. Who are 'ya? Why'd you bust me out? What kind of vehicle is this? And why are you still wearing those stupid reptile disguises? | „ |
| ~ Clyde upon being taken aboard the Doomship. |
"Crime Wave" Clyde (sometimes spelled Crimewave Clyde) is a minor antagonist in animated series The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. He is an infamous and aggressive human criminal whom King Koopa hires to teach his children how to be hardcore criminals.
He was voiced by Dan Hennessey, who also voiced Bully Koopa in the same cartoons.
Biography
Past
Prior to his imprisonment, Clyde was one of the most infamous criminals on Earth (or "the real world" to the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom), becoming Public Enemy #1 and gaining the nickname "Crime Wave" Clyde due to his reputation. Although the reason why Clyde was such a notorious criminal is unknown, it is implied that he was an accomplished pickpocket, bank robber and mugger. Eventually, Clyde was apprehended and sentenced to 12,427 years in prison with no parole.
Crimes 'R Us
After King Koopa and the Koopa Kids enter the Real World, Crime Wave Clyde is seen playing basketball, and, after being taunted by a smaller inmate, crushes him into a ball and tosses him in the net, asking if anyone else thinks that they can beat him at basketball. After this, King Koopa attacks the prison with his Doomship, allowing Bully Koopa to descend on a ladder and kidnap Clyde. Upon being brought into the Doomship, Clyde demands to know what Koopa (whom he initially thinks is a man wearing a costume) what he wants with him. After being taken to Castle Koopa, Koopa tells Clyde that he wants him to give his children all the advantages he never had, and when he refuses, Koopa explains that he wants him to teach his children everything he knows about crime. When Clyde asks what benefits the deal has for him, Koopa states that he will get to keep half of everything he steals (crossing his fingers while doing so), causing him to agree to Koopa's terms.
Later on, Clyde prepares to give the Koopa Kids lesson number one; bank robbery, however, due to an interference from Mario and Luigi, the lesson is unsuccessful. Back at Castle Koopa, Clyde, telling his students that they failed lesson one, he then prepares lesson two; "How to Get the Good Guys Out of Your Hair." Afterwards, Cheatsy tricks Mario and Luigi into entering a warp-pipe that leads to an underground prison, which Clyde and Big Mouth seal off after locking a Boom Boom inside.
With the Mario Brothers out of the way, Clyde finishes teaching the Koopa Kids about crime and unleashes them on the Mushroom Village, however, his pride quickly turns to annoyance and frustration when the Koopa Kids not only begin stealing from themselves, but from him as well. As Clyde prepares to leave, King Koopa announces their final crime: stealing one billion coins from the Mushroom Treasury, an idea that gives Clyde enough motivation to stay. As he and the Koopa Kids prepare their final crime, Kooky chains a Bomb-omb to Clyde's leg and Cheatsy and Kootie explains that they never intended to let him keep anything. With this notion, Clyde, panic-stricken, jumps into a nearby lake and puts out the bomb.
Finally driven over the edge, Clyde breaks down the door to the Mario Brother's prison and offers to help them take down Koopa and his children if they get him back to the Real World. While the Koopa Kids are robbing the Treasury, Mario, Luigi and Clyde ambush them, tie them up and send both of them and a Bomb-omb up to the Doomship, blowing it up and forcing Koopa to retreat. Later, Mario and Luigi return Clyde to his prison in the Real World, and when Luigi states that he's never seen someone so happy to return to prison, Clyde states that the entirety of his sentence is better than one more day with the Koopas.
Trivia
- Clyde's prison number is 213.
- Oddly enough, one of Dan Hennessey's most iconic roles is Chief Quimby from the Inspector Gadget franchise, who strives to enforce the law.
- Clyde's name is likely a reference to the infamous criminal Clyde Barrow.
- He is far more intelligent than King Koopa.
