Tannis Rhodes

Tannis Rhodes
Species	Human
Appears in	Game Boy (It's a Small World After All) (1990)

Tannis Rhodes, usually referred to as just Tannis, is a young girl who appears as the main supporting character in the Game Boy comic It's a Small World After All. She lives with her younger sister Rebecca Rhodes alongside an unnamed mother. She also has an unnamed grandmother, who she plans to visit prior to her flight being hijacked by Tatanga and his minions.

History

Tannis first appears at the beginning of the comic, where her mother introduces her to stewardess Eliana, saying that she is going to take care of her during her flight. Though Tannis expresses her desire to see the space shuttle at Cape Canaveral, Rebecca reminds that she is going to see her grandmother. Eliana offers to board Tannis a little early to see the cockpit, to which she asks her mother for permission. As Eliana and Tannis enter the gangway, her mother tells Rebecca to wave goodbye to her, saying that she will not see her for two weeks, though Rebecca is more focused on her Game Boy, being on World 4-1 of Super Mario Land.

Just as the flight crew finishes showing the cockpit of a Boeing 747 to Tannis and guides her to her seat, Tatanga's army board the plane and order it to be flown to Disney World (in an attempt to satisfy Daisy). While above the Atlantic Ocean, Eliana tells Tannis that she should not be scared, to which she responds that they have been "skyjacked" by Tatanga. She then points at Herman Smirch, who she believes to be Tatanga, telling her that she does not deserved to be terrorized, though Tannis says that he is not Tatanga; Tatanga is from a Game Boy. She continues by saying that one can get Mario out of Game Boy to chase Tatanga away, explaining that she knows as a student at school told her sister Rebecca. As Tatanga becomes frustrated by the Boeing 747's speed, Tannis mentions that the space shuttle flies five miles a second. Taking an interest at her response, Tatanga demands the location of the space shuttle.

The plane lands in a body of water in Florida and Tatanga orders everyone except Tannis to leave. As Eliana says that she will not leave without Tannis, she tells her that she will be alright. The plane then resumes course to Disney World. Tannis notices Daisy in the Pagosu with Tatanga and comments that she must be very courageous by how she is able to put up with everything that is happening. Daisy comments that she is courageous as well as Pionpi announces that they have arrived at their destination, which is actually Cape Canaveral. Tatanga's army and Tannis enter the vehicle assembly building and inside the space shuttle. Inside the space shuttle, Tannis is fascinated by the space shuttle, mentioning that she will fly into space on the shuttle someday. As Daisy wishes for all of her dreams to come true, Tatanga has another destination in mind.

The space shuttle flies off into space, where Daisy comments that Tannis must be excited, thanking Tatanga for granting her wish. Unbeknownst to her, Tannis tells Herman that she is actually scared and does not believe she is ready to go to space, explaining that she is only eleven years only and wants to go home. Herman mentions that he is scared as well, but does not want to start crying. Noticing that she is shivering, he hands his jacket to her as Pionpi calls for him. As he leaves, Tannis finds a Game Boy in one of the pockets and begins playing Super Mario Land in an attempt to summon Mario. However, she unable to get past World 1-1, and makes contact with NASA ground control, asking to direct her call to home. With her mother on the phone, Tannis tells her speak to Rebecca for advice on how clear World 1-3 (actually World 1-1), threatening to turn off the radio. With Rebecca's tips, Tannis clears the level and summons Mario as Tatanga orders his minions to attack her. Now free, Mario tells her leave while he takes care of Tatanga's minions.

Later, as Tatanga mentions that someone is responsible for summoning Mario, Herman says that Tannis did, with her taking notice of him shivering and suggesting that he have his jacket back. Despite Herman reasoning that Tannis stole his Game Boy, Tatanga explains that he is the "keeper of the gateway", with Tannis adding that she borrowed it and explaining that he left it in his jacket.

As space shuttle begins to fall back to Earth, Tatanga plans for him and his minions to escape into the Game Boy, though Mario explains that they will not be able, as he and Tannis have the "portal". Tatanga decides to forget about them, instead ordering his minions to repair its anti-gravity and slow their descent to Earth.

The space shuttle crashes onto the It's a Small World attraction in Disney World, and Tatanga and his minions flee back into the Game Boy to give Daisy medical attention (who pretends to be unconscious). As Mario comments that he was not willing to fight any longer, Tannis mentions that Herman was not willing to either. Mario tells Tannis that he has to return to Sarasaland before the Warp Zone closes to continue fighting against Tatanga, asking if she is okay. Tannis tells him that she has been to space, adding that she can handle Earth, with Mario jumping into the Game Boy.

Tannis then hands back Herman's jacket to him as he leaves the wreckage, only to be stopped by two police officers, who ask him to leave as he is not dressed properly. The comic ends with Tannis, alongside other spectators, looking at the ruins of the It's a Small World ride.

The International Enquisitor story, "MINIATURE ALIENS STEAL SPACE SHUTTLE !", explains that the last thing Tannis had in mind was being hijacked by tiny aliens, and that she found herself on the "ride of her life".

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Finnish	Tiina Rhodes	Tina Rhodes
Swedish	Tannis Rhodes	-