Bub

This article is about the character from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. For the enemy known as "Bub" in Super Mario 64, see Cheep Cheep.

Bub
Species	Bob-omb
First appearance	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2004)
Latest appearance	Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) (2024)

“Well, so... Think you can detect what I really want for my birthday?”

—Bub, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Bub is a young, bronze Bob-omb in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door with an affinity for trains. The son of Goldbob, president of Goldbobbington's, and Sylvia, he travels to various locations with his parents throughout the game.

History

Mario and his party first meet Bub in Glitzville outside the Glitz Pit while he and his family are vacationing there. Goldbob and Bub become quick fans of Mario after he begins rising through the ranks of the Glitz Pit, often referring to him to by his stage name, "The Great Gonzales".

Bub is next encountered on the Excess Express as it departs from Rogueport to head to Poshley Heights. On the train, Goldbob and Sylvia argue over what to get Bub for his birthday, with Goldbob wanting a house or a car to flaunt the family's wealth and Sylvia wanting to get him study materials to prepare him for the future. Their arguing seems of little concern to Bub, who actually just wants an autograph of the Excess Express engineer since he someday hopes to become a train engineer himself. Seeing no hope in getting through to his parents, Bub asks Mario to get the autograph for him. The engineer is flattered to oblige Bub's request, giving Mario the autograph. When Mario presents the autograph to him, Bub expresses his appreciation by giving Mario a Shine Sprite. Goldbob and Sylvia are surprised to learn of their son's interests in trains, with Goldbob proclaiming he will buy Bub a solid gold train. Sylvia apparently convinces Goldbob to tone down the gift as later that night Bub is excited that his parents are getting him a train set rather than an actual train, though Goldbob is adamant that the train set must be solid gold. Goldbob and Bub admire the Express outside as it is stopped at Riverside Station.

At the start of the third day, Bub, along with his family and the other passengers and staff, goes missing, being absorbed into a hoard of Smorgs that attacks the train. Mario eventually defeats the Smorgs, causing them to blow away in the wind. After the incident, Bub and his family safely arrive in Poshley Heights. When Bowser and Kammy Koopa arrive in Poshely Heights, Bowser can optionally talk to Bub, who will ask him for his name: Evil King Extraordinaire, Businessman of Legend, or Koopa Koot. If Bowser answers "Evil King Extraordinaire", Bub will become terrified and flee.

Bub joins others in Poshley Heights to lend support to Mario in the remake

Later, Bub gets into an argument with Sylvia for not doing his homework. To apologize for the argument, he posts a trouble at the Trouble Center. The trouble requests either Mushroom Cake, Keel Mango, or Fright Mask to present to Sylvia as a gift. If Mario chooses Mushroom Cake, he will need Zess T. to mix a Mushroom with a Cake Mix, which can be bought from Pianta Parlor, to make one. After delivering the item to Bub, he makes a present out of the item, writes a letter, and asks Mario to deliver the present and letter to Sylvia. When Mario delivers the letter, Sylvia is so moved by it that she cries tears of joy and explains she was never angry at him; she was only being stern because she loves him and cares about his future. For solving the trouble, Bub rewards Mario with three Coins, which he says are his "entire fortune".

During Mario's battle against the Shadow Queen, Bub, his family, residents of Poshley Heights, and, in the remake, staff from the Excess Express gather outside of Poshley Sanctum to shout support into the Garnet Star to empower Mario and his partners.

Letter to Sylvia

Bub's letter to Sylvia reads,

Dear lovely Mama...
I'm sorry I didn't do my homework.
From now on, I'll do my homework and try to be a good Bob-omb like Papa.
And I will give you good food and a nice house...
...and a pretty hat
So please don't hate me.

From Bub

Tattle

• "That's Bub the Bob-omb. He's from a very rich family, so he's kind of spoiled. Still, kids are kids, no matter how big their trust fund is... Aren't they?"

Goombella has an alternate tattle for Bub when Mario takes on his trouble.

• "That's Bub the Bob-omb. He's from a very rich family, so he's kind of spoiled. He put in a request to help him make up with a certain someone."

Gallery

• 

  Concept art of the Excess Express passengers and staff, including Bub and his family

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	コナリキン Ko'narikin	Portmanteau of「小」(ko, "child") and「成金」(narikin, "parvenu")
Chinese	小金公子 Xiǎojīn Gōngzǐ	From 「小金」 (Xiǎojīn, a Chinese name that can be translated as "small gold") and 「公子」 (gōngzǐ, young master)
French	Bairain	A mixture between "Bob-Omb" and airain ("bronze")
German	Bronzmuth	From "bronze" and the German name "Helmuth"
Italian	Bomb-ottino	From "Bob-omb" and bottino ("booty")
Korean	소락부자 Solakbuja	Combination of "소" (so, small) and "벼락부자" (byeolakbuja, suddenly rich)
Spanish	Bombino	Pun on bomba ("bomb") and bambino (Italian word for "kid")

Trivia

• In Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door's end credits parade, Bub's silhouette can be seen with the Poshley Heights characters.
  • In the remake, Bub runs across the stage gleefully holding the autograph while Goldbob and Sylvia walk behind him, followed by the Bob-ombs from Fahr Outpost.
• Bub is one of few friendly Bob-ombs with a visible fuse; most friendly Bob-ombs wear hats or lack one entirely, including his parents and Lucky.