King Calamari


 * Not to be confused with King Kaliente from Super Mario Galaxy.

"Good job...I'll let you through...If you can get past ME, first, that is."

- King Calamari

King Calamari is a giant Blooper in the Sea of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. It sank Johnny Jones' ship and was locked in the treasure room. Mario had to work out a six letter word before he can enter the treasure room. This word is Pearls, and after Mario works it out, King Calamari allows Mario in the treasure room, where he is battled as a boss. Unlike normal squids, King Calamari has eight tentacles rather than ten, though this may have been merely to simplify gameplay/artwork or because the crew members chopped some off before fleeing it. There are various logs throughout the ship referring to the squid and the calamity it caused. In battle, King Calamari can use Ink Blast and Sandstorm. His tentacles would also aid him with two tentacles attacking at a time.

In Super Mario RPG ' s sequel Paper Mario three more giant bloopers are fought, and again in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. The biggest Blooper is fought in Super Paper Mario, though he is much easier to defeat (with Bowser roasting his red tentacle three times). King Calamari resembles Gooper Blooper, the giant blooper that debuted in Mario Sunshine, as well.

Trivia

 * King Calamari's name is derived from "calamari", a term for edible, fried squids. "Calamari" (from which the food calamari's name is derived) is also the word for "squid" in Greek and Italian; in Spanish, the word for "squid" is similar, "calamar". However, King Calamari was most likely named directly after the food term.
 * King Calamari's eight tentacles and jar-like home may mean he is an octopus, rather than a squid.