Huey

"A paint can? You think I'm just some regular paint can?!"

- Huey

Huey is one of the main characters (or the main partner/helper) who appears in Paper Mario: Color Splash. He is a floating paint can with a brown handle that acts as his arms, and white eyes inside a dark-blue slot that changes color depending on his emotions (red when he is angry, blue when he is sad, yellow when he is happy, and purple when he is scared or surprised). He acts as Mario's partner throughout the adventure, much like Kersti from the previous game or Tippi from Super Paper Mario, the third Paper Mario game and the game before Sticker Star. Huey's name is a pun on "hue", a term used to describe color.

Paper Mario: Color Splash


Mario and Princess Peach first find Huey in 3D form as a seemingly inanimate object in the inactive Prisma Fountain at the town square of Port Prisma. After Mario whacks him with his hammer, however, he wakes up and gets mad at him for hitting him while he was sleeping, but calms down shortly afterwards, asking them if they would like something to eat. Peach introduces herself and Mario to Huey, but soon after they hear Toad scream and run to go help him. When they find him, his color is being drained by a Slurp Guy. Huey teaches Mario how to battle with Battle Cards and Mario squeezes Huey into paper form so that he can use paint. After the battle, Huey informs Mario that he now has the ability to use the Paint Hammer.

Huey sees a Mini Paint Star, believing it to be a Big Paint Star from far away, and encourages Mario to get it. When they arrive, he is slightly disappointed, but tells Mario to collect it anyways in order to find the real Big Paint Stars.

Later, in Cherry Lake, Huey introduces the Cutout technique so that they can get through the gate at the beginning of the level. The technique allows Mario to use Thing cards to solve puzzles, to cut out clear lines of the background in order to traverse areas if he isn't able to continue, and to find hidden Battle Cards.

At Bloo Bay Beach, Mario participates in a Toad Shuffle event. Even if Mario plays the game correctly, the Toad organizer still says he is incorrect. After Mario exposes the scam by hitting the correct Toad with the paint hammer, Huey complains, and the Toad gives Mario the Blissful Beach Key out of fear of being "scandalized by the media."

In Daffodil Peak, while Mario and Huey are helping the park ranger repaint his cabin, Huey teaches Mario how to use the Unfurl Block. They use the Unfurl Block to unfurl the ranger's favorite chair. Later, when Huey sees that the Mountain Sage is apparently fake, he is outraged and yells at the gatekeeper.

Huey teaches Mario how to use the Battle Spin after a Slurp Guy attacks them right after the Card Connoisseur Toad borrows all of Mario's Battle Cards. The Battle Spin allows Mario to get extra cards for ten coins when he runs out. Huey gives Mario enough coins to use the Battle Spin until he defeats the Slurp Guy.

Huey explains to Mario that his First Strikes get stronger after collecting each Big Paint Star while at Sunglow Ridge. Later, he cleans up the black paint from a Banzai Bill bomb.

In the Sacred Forest, Huey gets a Mini Goomba stuck to his back and tells Mario to get it off; Mario uses the Slaphammer and sends him into the background. Huey holds a grudge against Mario for the rest of the level, cowering away from danger and insulting him.

During the first visit to Plum Park, Huey talks with the Dark Bloo Inn greeter to ask if he has seen a teapot.

At Mustard Café, Mario briefly loses Huey due to wind blowing both of them into the giant sinkhole that the purple Big Paint Star repainted. Mario must find Huey captured by a Green Pokey, and defeat the Pokey to get him back. While the Pokey has Huey, Mario cannot use his Paint Hammer or the Cutout technique.

At Toad Trainworks, Huey finds Coal Guys stopping up the coal production, and demands that they stop. When they stop holding the coal, it runs down the chute and covers Mario, Huey, and a Toad in coal. Huey makes sure that Mario is okay, and Mario then defeats the Coal Guys and saves the Toad.

In Redpepper Crater, Huey and Mario visit some hot springs deep in the volcano. Huey relaxes and apologizes for making Mario find all the Paint Stars, almost leaving him to stay in the hot springs. He soon realizes what he has said and quickly rejoins Mario.

At the Green Energy Plant, after Mario knocks on the door to the Toad House, the Toad peeks out, then a claw grabs Huey. Inside the house, Mario has to free Huey from the Toad's claw by pulling him out of it. Mario and Huey then go to a tall tower to power up the Toad House. After using the Battery Thing, Huey is struck by lightning and is momentarily knocked out.

At Mossrock Theater, Huey reads a poster for the circus and excitedly asks Mario if they can visit it.

Huey does an act at the Emerald Circus despite having stage fright. The audience is angry after his impression of a tin can, and Mario manages to impress them with his trick, although Huey finds it lame.

In Black Bowser's Castle, Mario and Huey see a conveyor belt with Paint Guys. Mario holds Huey as a paint bucket, allowing him to pass. Later, before fighting Bowser, Huey has a talk with Mario and thanks him for helping.

During the battle with Bowser, Huey turns back into his 3D form so that he can absorb the black paint that Bowser uses to attack Mario with. If Mario takes too long to defeat Bowser, Huey will be knocked out, giving Mario an instant Game Over. After rescuing Princess Peach, Huey tells Mario, Peach, and Luigi to go back to Port Prisma without him, so that he can contain the black paint and release it where it can do no more harm, turning the castle into a card in the process.

When Mario achieves all of the Super Flags in Port Prisma, Huey can be seen falling back into Prisma Fountain at the end of the staff credits.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Huey appears as a Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Personality
Huey is very friendly and cheerful. He has a large connection to paint, and is angered to see it get misused or wasted, which is shown when the player tries to color a huge colorless spot which can only be colored by a Big Paint Star. He is also slightly greedy, which is shown when he sees the giant Coin in Mondo Woods, though he values friendship more than money. Huey is also shy in front of crowds, which is shown in The Emerald Circus.

Powers and abilities
Besides floating freely above the ground, Huey also is often able to smell Mini Paint Stars and Big Paint Stars from long distances. He has the ability to absorb large amounts of black paint, as seen in Sunglow Ridge and the battle with Bowser. Huey also seems to be fairly strong, as he is able to hold Mario with just his handle in Kiwano Temple, and he is also able to wring out Bowser's entire castle (albeit, only with the aid of the Big Paint Stars). Mario and Huey are also both able to hear the Big Paint Stars' voices and see their memories in their heads.

Quotes

 * "OW! What was that for?"
 * "How would you like it if I whacked you with a hammer while you were sleeping?"
 * "A paint can? You think I'm just some regular paint can?!"
 * "Alright, you don't look like you're from around here, so I'll forgive that comment."
 * "But I am SO much more than a regular paint can!"
 * "Anyway, now that I'm awake, you wanna grab a burger or something? Your treat."
 * "That didn't sound good!"
 * "What are you waiting for, Mario?! Use those Battle Cards on this sucker!"
 * "We've got cards, we've got paint... YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, MARIO!"