"I may be a dunce, but at least I'm a mighty pirate dunce!"
Article by: Polo
Pictured from: Tales of Monkey Island
Created by: LucasArts
First appearance: 1990
Bio
Guybrush Threepwood, self-proclaimed "mighty pirate," is the protagonist of every Monkey Island game. Although his appearance changes along with the art style in each installment, he maintains his cheerful disposition, his wit, and his proud ability to hold his breath for ten minutes.
In the first game, The Secret of Monkey Island, Guybrush is a castaway on Mêlée Island™ with a burning urge to be a swashbuckler. To prove himself worthy, he must complete the three trials of piratehood: swordplay (besting the Sword Master in combat), thievery (stealing a relic from the Governor's mansion), and treasure huntery (finding the Treasure of Mêlée Island™). Along the way, he falls in love with the Governor, Elaine Marley, and rescues her from the ghost pirate LeChuck, the main antagonist of the series. In life and death, LeChuck has become the most feared pirate in the Caribbean, at least until Guybrush foils his plans, and in later games, he seeks to master the darkest voodoo arts in an effort to both reclaim control of the seas and rid himself of the lad. Fortunately, Guybrush is backed by his share of crew members and recurring allies on his adventures, including the Voodoo Lady, the mapmaker Wally B. Feed, the hermit Herman Toothrot, and of course his "plunderbunny" Elaine.
The gameplay of each Monkey Island title centers around solving puzzles through a point-and-click interface. Guybrush's pockets are deep and plentiful, and everywhere he goes he plunders anything useful — from live animals to human spit — and applies it to other objects, people, and situations in order to advance. Some puzzles depend on choosing the right response — sports like insult swordfighting and insult arm wrestling require the delivery of scathing retorts that match the opponent's in order to gain the upper hand (for example, "you fight like a dairy farmer" can only be countered with "how appropriate. You fight like a cow").
No matter what Guybrush crosses — seas, villains, or swords — those who know of his deeds view him as a buccaneer to be reckoned with.
Selected game appearances
DOS
Windows
- The Curse of Monkey Island (1997)
- Escape from Monkey Island (2000)
- Tales of Monkey Island (2009)
References
