Andross
| |
| Andross in Star Fox 64. | |
| Andross | |
| Species | Lemur |
| Relatives | Andrew Oikonny (nephew) Dash Bowman (grandson) |
| Voiced by | Rick May (1997) Duncan Botwood (2004) David White (2011-2016) |
| Debut | Star Fox |
Andross is one of the primary antagonists of the Star Fox series who often appears as the final boss. He is an ape who acts as a scientist, and he is usually represented as a giant head and a pair of hands floating in the air.
Background
Andross was at one time one of the most brilliant scientists in the Lylat System. However, over time his experiments became more and more dangerous and ambitious. Eventually he unleashed a weapon on Corneria's citizens and was captured by his old friend, General Pepper. Andross was then exiled from Corneria to planet Venom. After that, the great Dr. Andross was all but forgotten. During his exile, however, Andross had begun to build an empire based on Venom, the first planet in the Lylat system. His plan had been to convert the planet into a livable ecosystem by purifying the oceans. The actual mechanism for this changed was stored on Titania and he never was able to make use of it. He also created the Anglar aquatic race to serve him, although they would play no part in the coming battle.
As his legions grew, General Pepper sent the (original) Star Fox team to investigate. However, they were not aware that Pigma Dengar, one of the Star Fox pilots, was working for Andross already. Andross was able to capture the Star Fox leader, James McCloud, but Peppy Hare was able to escape. Once back in the Lylat System, Peppy Hare delivered the news to James McCloud's son, who in turn eventually developed a new Star Fox team. In the meantime, Andross hired a mercenary team to oppose Star Fox; team Star Wolf. This team included Wolf O'Donnell, Leon Powalski, Pigma Dengar, and Andrew Oikonny, Andross's own nephew.
Eventually Andross's forces came into confrontation with the Cornerian Defense Force and was able to overwhelm them. Soon after, Team Star Fox was called in to take on Andross in Star Fox 64. The four-man team was able to liberate the planets Andross had conquered one by one, defeating Star Wolf and his many minions. Eventually on Planet Venom, Fox McCloud did battle with Andross's new bio-engineered form, that of a giant head with matching giant hands. In the second phase of the battle, he was reduced to a gigantic brain. He also devised a mechanical decoy, which was faced in the real Andross's place in the false ending path. Canonically, Fox was able to defeat the true Andross and escaped the following explosion.
After his defeat, Andross was left with only his spiritual form and with little ties to the physical world. In time he came upon the planet Sauria and came to learn of their deep spiritualistic society. He was able to ally himself with the Sharpclaws by taking on the persona of the Krazoa god. However, this still left him without form until he was able to aquire the special abilities of Krystal, who was able to channel the Krazoa energy. With her power and Andross's manipulation of Fox McCloud, he was able to regain his original (giant head) form as well as retain the powers of the Krazoa in Star Fox Adventures. However, Fox (with the assistance of Falco) was able to defeat Andross yet again.
Andross's spirit persisted on Titania even after that. He was able to take possession of his four bioweapons he stored on there thanks to encoding them with his DNA. Despite personally guiding them to battle Star Fox if they visited Titania in one of the ending paths of Star Fox Command, he was foiled yet again. The device the bioweapons were protecting were used to purify the oceans of Venom. Following this, his grandson Dash Bowman, became the steward of the now inhabitable planet.
Other Appearances
Video Games
- He appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an Assist Trophy, using his polygonal appearance from the original Star Fox game. He attacks by moving to the back of the screen and spitting out panels. Throughout the series, Andross has also been represented by two trophies (one for his Super NES design and one for his modern design) in Super Smash Bros. Melee, a trophy in Brawl, one trophy (plus one of his true brain from in the 3DS version) in the 3DS/Wii U Smash and two stages of a Primary Spirit in Ultimate. Andross's initial Spirit is an Ace-rank Spirit using his Star Fox 64 3DS appearance, and after reaching Level 99, it can be enhanced into a Legend-rank Spirit of Andross's True Form which has the added effect of raising stats during critical health. When fought in a Spirit battle, Andross's Spirit would possess Wolf in a low gravity battle with Andross's Assist Trophy self attacking from the background.
Other Media
- In the 1992 Star Fox comic adaptation, Andross made many appearances and his background was extended. He was shown to have been adopted by an android pig couple, and it was their deaths in a military experiment that made him swear revenge. He also fell in love with Fox McCloud's mother and became jealous of his father, which led him to kill them both (although Fox's father was still alive in the black hole). Andross died at one point but was revived as a pair of clones, one of which killed the other. The remaining clone was being trapped in the black hole.
- He makes a strange guest appearance in Volume 8 of Super Mario-Kun, once more in his form from the Super Nintendo game, as a minion of Wart who battles Mario and the others outside Wart's palace as their last enemy before entering. Ultimately he is defeated when Mario boards a Super Mario Bros. 2 rocketship and flies it into Andross, shattering his face like glass.
Trivia
- The first boss in Star Fox Assault is Andrew Oikonny, who dons a mech suit of a giant head with two hands, similar to his late uncle.