Emperor Bulblax

Emperor Bulblax
Appears in	Pikmin, Pikmin 2
Scientific name	Oculus supremus
Family	Grub-dog
Areas	The Final Trial
Caves	Bulblax Kingdom, Cavern of Chaos, Hole of Heroes
Challenge Mode stages	Emperor's Realm
2-Player Battle stages	None
Attacks	Eats Pikmin, crushes Pikmin, causes panic, summons Mitites

The Emperor Bulblax is the second largest known species of the Grub-dog family right after the Empress Bulblax. It serves as the final boss in the original Pikmin, dropping the last treasure needed to complete the game entirely. Moss grows upon its thick hide in both games, giving its body a greenish color and serving as camouflage, although in the first game it even bears tall mushrooms and fern-like stems. This beast usually hides in the ground to ambush prey, catching it with its long, sticky tongue. Its soft face is its only weak point to attack, but since it doesn't discriminate much when eating things, it can be led to swallow something a bit less tasteful than Pikmin. The Bulblax is different than most members of the grub-dog family as it has a sludgy, melted appearance, smaller eyes, a more flexible tongue, and what appears to be small fungi, or Blaxcaps (in Pikmin 2, there are instead crater-like bumps) on its back. In Pikmin 2 it is significantly weaker than in the first game, but still, don't underestimate it's long tongue. Oddly enough, in Pikmin 2, it actually has less health than the Fiery Bulblax. Emperor Bulblax is possibly the hardest boss to fight in Pikmin (Depending on skill level, the Smoky Progg might be harder).

Ship Log

"My radar indicates that a gigantic member of the Bulborb species has swallowed the Dolphin's final part. Yet, how am I to attack this gargantuan beast? Testing the explosive power of the Bomb Rocks the Yellow Pikmin unearth may prove valuable..."

“{{notes:enemy/{{{2}}}|block=y}}”

Pikmin 1

File:Emperorbulblaxroaring.jpg

The Emperor Bulblax's artwork from Pikmin 1.

The Emperor Bulblax is the final boss in Pikmin 1. It lies buried in the ground at The Final Trial inside the center of the sandy arena north of the landing site, visible only by the mossy growth on its back protruding from the ground. When approached, the Bulblax will rear up and roar, knocking Olimar and the Pikmin back, and will then proceed to attack. His attacks are different depending on his "mood". This mood is initially characterized by salivation: he will attack by using his tongue, gobbling up any Pikmin in front of him, even though it is huge, it only eats thirty to forty Pikmin per gulp. The Bulblax also squishes any Pikmin under it, and uses this move to shake off Olimar's Pikmin. After taking damage to about half of his overall health, this phase ends, and the Bulblax uses his jump attack, but still retains the ability to do both former moves in the same way mentioned before. As defeating him when he is doing this is rather tricky, as Olimar must pay attention to his mood. If Olimar evades several of his jumps, he goes back to his eating mood. It is possible to identify the jumping mood beforehand, as the creature drools far less during the phase. The eyes also widens just before it jumps. This beast can defeat Olimar if it lands on him.

The best strategy to defeating him is for Olimar to have Yellow Pikmin grab any nearby Bomb Rocks inside three boot-like containers around the exterior, then toss the bomb-toting Yellows in front of him, and either allow them to throw the Bomb Rocks at the huge Emperor, or call them back so that they drop them in his path just before he attacks with his tongue (this does not apply in the New Play Control); alternatively, the Bulblax can eat the Yellow(s) while they are holding the Bomb Rock(s), although this is not an option for players attempting zero-death runs and is just generally not recommended for Olimar wishing to conserve Pikmin. Pikmin can also be thrown into his mouth while he is preparing to stick out his tongue and still give a stun-like effect. Once the Bomb Rocks explode, it/they will stun the Bulblax (the more Bomb Rocks, the longer the stun), providing a good time to toss as many Red Pikmin, as they are stronger than other Pikmin, as possible onto his face. Doing this repeatedly will have him beaten easily. A slightly faster method is to leave a Yellow Pikmin with a Bomb Rock behind him when he has turned around. All of the Red Pikmin (which should be able to amount to sixty or more) then Olimar must swarm the Bulblax as soon as it notices the Yellow Pikmin, as attacking its legs also hurts it. However, careful timing is necessary when calling back the Pikmin. The stomping attack is especially dangerous, as the Pikmin are right beneath the creature, and the attack comes rather surprisingly. It is also possible to defeat the Bulblax by throwing Pikmin onto its flabby cheeks when it is distracted. It is more risky than using Bomb Rocks but much more simple and probably the only option for people trying to do a zero-death run.

Once defeated, the Emperor Bulblax will go into a particularly long death animation, where it writhes around and appears to be sucked underground, leaving behind the Secret Safe and five randomly colored 5-Pellets behind (which are then obsolete, since there is nothing left to defeat it is possible that they were intended to up the player's score or help a player who has managed to lose so many Pikmin to the Bulblax that they are unable to retrieve the part.) It's usually a good idea to devote a single day to removing obstacles and clearing the path, and then deal with the Bulblax the following day, since the battle itself can often be time-consuming. The Bulblax must be defeated in a single day, since any damage done on one day will not carry over, and if the day is ended before it is killed, then it will be at full health the next day. However, experienced players can cover all the Final Trial in a single day, which is a must for a 9-day run.

Music

thumb|300px|right The music played when Emporer Bulblax is battled.

Pikmin 2

File:Emperorbulblax.jpg

The Emperor Bulblax's artwork from Pikmin 2.

In Pikmin 2, these beasts have the least amount of health of any boss in the game. They are much smaller in the sequel and are found only underground. Unlike in the first game, their eyes are exposed as a form of camouflage, but emerge in the same manner. They still eat Bomb Rocks in this game, but must be coaxed into doing so instead, since Yellow Pikmin no longer have the ability to handle those explosive objects. All other abilities are retained, except the jump, and the jumping phase. It is replaced by a roaring phase when the Emperor Bulblax is about a quarter until death, it also makes other Emperor Bulblaxes join the fight. The roar scatters the Pikmin like Mitites, and drags existing Mitites out of the ground. The hide is not very mossy, but the backside of the beast is still green and slimy, as well as invulnerable. The Pikmin 2 versions may be younger than the one in Pikmin 1. Where Bomb Rocks are available, making it eat them is the safest strategy, but can be time-consuming.

Killing Strategies

Strategy 1

By far, the quickest and best method of defeat is using Purple Pikmin: Lob them at the eyes, not whistling them, quick enough so the beast becomes defeated before it can retaliate. Only ten Pikmin are required for this quick and easy defeat. However, if Olimar or Louie go too close to the Emperor Bulblax, Olimar or Louie will get stunned by its jump, and will be unable to throw the Purple Pikmin. If the Emperor Bulblax has already emerged, Olimar and Louie can wait until it retreats back into its state of camouflage, or can throw Purples at it then, being sure that they hit the ground or the beast with an impact, stunning it and dealing massive damage. When it dies, the Emperor Bulblax spins around and roars, whipping gobs of saliva everywhere until it shrinks down to about half its original size for easier carrying.

Video
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Strategy 2

Note: This works only on levels where there is water.

Strategy 3, which is specialized for levels where there are water, is the bomb-rock method. Take a the entire squadron of blues available with you to fight the bulblax. Guide the bulblax to a bomb-rock, and while he's eating it, spray your blue pikmin with the ultra-spicy spray. Next, the bulblax will be stunned, giving your blues the oppurtunity to utilize their increased power and deal massive damage on the bulblax. Since the bomb-rock also deals damage, the bulblax is capable of dying in one shot. If he's still alive after one attempt, use a second or third bomb-rock.

Locations

This creature is found on the last Sublevel of the Bulblax Kingdom, where the only larger specimen is; two are found on Sublevel 4 of the Cavern of Chaos and Sublevel 10 of the Hole of Heroes; and three are in the Emperor's Realm in Challenge Mode.

Trivia

• Captain Olimar's notes for the Emperor Bulblax say that moss and plants grow on its back in rainy seasons. In Pikmin 2, these beasts only appear in caves, which, added with the presumably younger age, might explain why so much moss is absent on the beast's back, as the moss only has the cave's moisture to grow with. *The Emperor Bulblax's attacks and appearance may be based off of the real-life frog. They both bury or immerse themselves with only their eyes and backs exposed while hunting, use their long sticky tongues to catch small things passing by (in this case, the Pikmin), they can both jump really high, and both make loud croaking noises.
• Its scientific name,Oculus supremus, translates to 'Eye Supreme': Oculus translates into eye, and supremus is similar to supreme.

Gallery

• EB1.jpg

  The Bulblax in Pikmin 1.

• EB2.gif

  The Bulblax in Pikmin 2.

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  Calling Pikmin back to safety.

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  Stunning the Bulblax with a Bomb Rock.

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  The Emperor Bulblax being stunned, and attacked in Pikmin 1.

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  The Emperor Bulblax in the Piklopedia from Pikmin 2.

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  An Emperor Bulblax being defeated in the last sublevel of Bulblax Kingdom.

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  An Emperor Bulblax in Sublevel 4 of the Cavern of Chaos.

• BREEL.jpg

  Emperor Bulblax in the enemy reel