| “ | SMOOOOOOOOOORG! | „ |
| ~ The Smorg's words before fighting Mario |
The Smorgs (Jap.: モアモア, Moamoa) are major antagonists in the 2004 video game Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and its 2024 remake of the same name, serving as the main antagonists of Chapter 6.
They are a mysterious hive-mind species of dark, cloud-like creatures who Mario first encounters blocking the switch to the drawbridge at Riverside Station. After being chased off, the Smorgs stow away on the Excess Express, where they are able to take the entire train and its passengers as its hostages.
Biography[]
The Smorgs are a species of small creatures about the size of a typical Fuzzy and resemble small dark clouds with yellow eyes. Though easily shaken off by Mario as individuals, as the collective Smorg, they become a formidable threat when congregated into a large mass and attack the passengers of the Excess Express. The Smorgs at the base of the collective appear magenta, while the others form vicious tendrils, which can be manipulated from tentacles to devastating pincer claws.
Individual Smorgs are first encountered after Mario's trip to Poshley Heights aboard the Excess Express is halted by a raised drawbridge at Riverside Station, presumably due to Beldam's plots to stop Mario from obtaining the Garnet Star. After Mario obtains the key to the drawbridge inside the station, he encounters the mysterious species guarding the button to the drawbridge, though he can easily shake them off. Unbeknownst to Mario and friends, the Smorgs then stow away in the soon departed Excess Express.
The next day, the Smorgs reappear in droves all above and throughout the train, kidnapping its passengers and staff. Mario and his teammates confront the Smorgs, which have congregated into its unitary form, on the rooftop of the train to rescue the passengers. After the collective's defeat, they blow away in the wind and release the passengers, leaving Mario and his party to safely arrive at Poshley Heights.
Trivia[]
- Its name may come from the word "smog", based on its dark, cloudy appearance, and the term miasma, referring to a poisonous cloud and/or dangerous atmosphere, likely referencing the appearance (the "tentacles", specifically) and hostile nature of the Smorgs.
- The Smorgs' name also serves as a pun: their role in Chapter 6 can aptly be summarized in the statement “Smorgs aboard”.
- Smorg is the only chapter boss in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (with exception of the Shadow Queen) that does not directly possess a Crystal Star.
- While the smaller Smorgs resemble Fuzzies in shape and size, there is no known connection between the two species.
- Earlier in the game's development, the Smorgs were monsters created or tamed by Beldam who sicced them after Mario in order to halt his progress (they were supposed to fight the Shadow Sirens in Riverside Station after the Smorg battle), but this was cut in the final game, leaving no direct explanation for the Smorgs' appearance.
