E. Gadd

E. Gadd and his Poltergust 3000.
E. Gadd
Real Name	Elvin Gadd
Species	Human
Base	The Lab (Boo Woods)
Voiced by	Kazumi Totaka
Debut	Luigi's Mansion

Professor Elvin Gadd is a recurring character from the Super Mario series who originally appeared as a supporting character in Luigi's Mansion. He is known for his accomplishments in paranormal research and also for the various inventions that he has contributed to the Mario world.

Background

Professor E. Gadd was a paranormal researcher and inventor who spend decades catching ghosts, until his old age finally caught up to him. He first met Mario and Luigi in Luigi's Mansion, where he helped Luigi to save Mario by lending him his old ghost-catching equipment, including the spectral vacuum Poltergust 3000, a communications/map/storing device called the Game Boy Horror, and use of his Ghost Portrificationizer, which could turn ghosts into portraits and vice-versa. In the 3DS remake, a future version of E. Gadd (apparently from the time frame of Dark Moon, judging by the incomplete model of the Dark Moon in the background) also made contact and sent a gooey doppleganger of Luigi he had created named Gooigi, so that his present self and Luigi could test it out for him. When Luigi finally saved Mario at the end of the game, E. Gadd took the money he had collected and bought Luigi a real mansion of his own.

The Mario Brothers had another encounter with him in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. E. Gadd left his ghost-catching behind him and decided to start up a chain of coffee shops known as Starbeans, using his self-designed bean mixer for bold new flavors. Customers who mixed new flavors were given special accessories in return for their services, as well as previews of his new inventions, like the Poltergust 3001 and a Boo's Sheet. Within the Minion Quest mode of the game's remake, he also appeared in a cave that he fell into while pursuing ghosts and could be found by Bowser's minions. He talked about his research and his work on a time travel device, in reference to Partners in Time. E. Gadd also appeared in Mario Party 6, as the host of a few events on his own personal board, E. Gadd's Garage, and in Mario Party Advance, having invented various collectibles called Gaddgets.

Partners in Time

In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, E. Gadd built a time machine powered by the Cobalt Star. Peach and two of her attendants used it to travel back in time, unfortunately right into a Shroob invasion. While the Mario Bros. went to the past to collect the Cobalt Star shards, E. Gadd remained at Peach's Castle, where he studied a captured Shrooboid. He also sent Stuffwell after the Mario Bros., a robotic suitcase designed to advise them and store their belongings.

The Mario Bros. and their baby forms later ran into E. Gadd's younger past self at his lab on the side of Thwomp Volcano, where he studied Thwomps long ago. When the volcano erupted, his lab took severe damage, but watching Baby Mario spit on the fire to put it out gave his future self the inspiration for the Hydrogush 4000, a FLUDD-shaped device strong enough to douse even volcanic eruptions. The young E. Gadd then moved to a new lab on the edge of the Boo Woods to take up paranormal research. The present E. Gadd, meanwhile, used his Hydrogush to spread a liquid with the chemical make-up of baby tears throughout the past Mushroom Kingdom and rid it of the Shroobs for good. He also fixed his time machine and, for lack of the Cobalt Star, altered it to run on the energy generated from Time Holes, thus making it possible for the Baby Mario Bros., Peach, and Toadsworth to return to their time.

Further Adventures with Luigi

E. Gadd later traveled to Evershade Valley, where an object called the Dark Moon made all of the local ghosts friendly. Fascinated by this, Gadd decided to conduct research in the area and built his new laboratory in a building known as the Gloomy Manor. The various friendly ghosts acted as his assistants, and he also had several Toad assistants as well. Things went well until the events of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, when King Boo shattered the Dark Moon. This caused the ghosts to suddenly turn hostile. E. Gadd was forced to flee from his lab and took shelter in a nearby bunker. He quickly contacted Luigi and used his new invention, the Pixelator, to teleport Luigi to his bunker, particle by particle. E. Gadd sent him to the Gloomy Manor to retrieve the newest model of the Poltergust, the Poltergust 5000, and he then guided him in a series of missions that took Luigi across the various areas of Evershade Valley.

Luigi ended up gaining a shard of the Dark Moon in each area, which was corrupted by evil energy. Gadd had a machine that was able to clean each Dark Moon piece, which revealed more areas of Evershade Valley. Eventually, Luigi was sent to the Treacherous Mansion to search for the final piece of the Dark Moon. It was then that they discovered King Boo's hand in the scheme and that he had captured Mario again. With further guidance from Gadd, Luigi was able to seek out King Boo and defeated him again. Afterwards, they reunited the Dark Moon, and the ghosts' friendly natures were restored. They were then freed from E. Gadd's ghost container, and Gadd joined everyone else in the celebrations that ensued. E. Gadd also appeared in Luigi's Mansion Arcade, which followed a heavily truncated version of the story of Dark Moon.

E. Gadd continued his work on "Gooigi", who was made from the goo left behind by ghosts and was intended to act as his ultimate lab assistant. In Luigi's Mansion 3, E. Gadd received an invitation to a hotel known as The Last Resort. The owner claimed to have a collection of rare ghosts from around the world. Gadd excitedly accept and brought his own ghost collection with him. This proved to be a trap; Hellen Gravely trapped E. Gadd in a portrait and set his ghost collection loose, including King Boo. Gadd's portrait was kept in the ballroom on the second floor of the hotel, and Luigi was able to set him free after discovering the Poltergust G-00 and the Dark-Light Device that Gadd had left in different parts of the building. His initial thoughts were to escape from the hotel, but Luigi convinced him to stay because Mario and his friends were still being held captive by King Boo.

After deciding to stay and help Luigi, Gadd brought Luigi to the basement and set up a portable laboratory that he had been carrying with him. From there, he acted as mission control while Luigi went through different parts of the mansion. He also gave Luigi the Virtual Boo, to use to communicate with him over long distance, and he later had Luigi use Gooigi as well. He also provided the Poltergust with an upgrade, called Super Suction, after Luigi helped a Toad to retrieve a part for him. E. Gadd lost contact with Luigi when he went to the roof of the mansion, where Luigi confronted King Boo. King Boo proceed to snatch up Gadd's portable laboratory, and he trapped the scientist in a giant portrait along with the Toads, Mario and Peach. After Luigi defeated King Boo again, E. Gadd and everyone else were freed from their portraits. King Boo's jewel then dissipated, at which point the local ghosts became friendly and apologetic. Gadd worked together with everyone, including the ghosts and Gooigi, to rebuild a new hotel in the ruins of the old one. When Luigi and his friends departed after the credits, E. Gadd was shown staying by the new hotel with Gooigi and the ghosts.

Impact

E. Gadd has also had an indirect impact in other games, where his inventions appear without he himself playing a role. He is responsible for FLUDD and the magic paintbrush in Super Mario Sunshine, the Gaddlight in Mario Party 4, a series of battle machine parts in Mario Party 5, Luigi's Poltergust 4000 kart in Mario Kart DS, and the Surprise Wands and Coin Vacuums in Mario Party 7. In addition to Starbeans, E. Gadd seems to be the owner or inspiration for E. Gadd Scientifics, Inc., a company that produces his products on a much more universal scale.

An E. Gadd Scientifics lab is seen in the Diamond City level of Mario Kart Arcade GP, along with a golden statue of E. Gadd.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In the Super Smash Bros. series, E. Gadd has been represented by a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and as an Advanced-rank Support Spirit (with the effect of raising energy shot attack and resistance) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Trivia

• His English name is a play on "egad", which is simply an exclamation one makes when surprised or frightened. It was most likely chosen due to being an exclamation one would make upon seeing a ghost.
• E. Gadd's name in the Japanese version of Luigi's Mansion is Professor Oyama, in homage to Nintendo designer Yoshiyuki Oyama. By listening closely to his gibberish, he can be heard saying "Oyama" a few times.
• When E. Gadd first started into the ghost-catching business, he was just as terrified of ghosts as Luigi is.
• His appearance is also available as a Mystery Mushroom costume in Super Mario Maker.
• In Luigi's Mansion 3, he claims that King Boo is his favorite ghost.