Lucas (Mother 3)

Lore & Background

Lucas first appears in Mother 3 as a resident of Tazmily Village on Nowhere Islands. Early in the story, his mother Hinawa is killed by a wild Drago, and his brother Claus goes missing after seeking revenge. Lucas spends much of his days grieving while his father Flint searches for Claus. He later becomes involved in the fight against the Pigmask Army, which has been influencing the village with 'Happy Boxes' and destroying homes without one. Alongside his dog Boney, he meets Duster, a thief, and Kumatora, a tomboy princess. After becoming separated from his group, Lucas finds himself in a sunflower field with Boney, sees a vision of his mother, and jumps after her off a cliff, landing safely on haystacks placed by his grandfather Alec and Duster's father Wess, who were told by Hinawa's spirit to do so.

Lucas is tasked by beings called Magypies to pull seven needles sealing a dragon under Nowhere Islands; the wishes of the person who pulls the most needles affect the dragon's behavior. He discovers another individual, the Masked Man, is also pulling needles. Lucas battles the Masked Man multiple times, eventually learning he is Claus, rebuilt and enslaved by the Pigmask Army's leader, Porky. After defeating Porky, Lucas encounters Claus alone and cannot fight back. Claus regains his senses after hearing their mother's voice and uses his lightning to kill himself. Lucas pulls the last needle, awakening the dragon, which destroys the island, though everyone survives thanks to the dragon.

Reader's Guide

Lucas appears as a playable character in multiple Super Smash Bros. entries, starting with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. He was originally planned for Super Smash Bros. Melee to replace Ness, but the plan was dropped after EarthBound 64 was canceled. His inclusion in Brawl introduced many players outside Japan to the character. He was later added as downloadable content for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and appeared again in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where one of his attacks features Kumatora and Boney. An Amiibo figure of Lucas was released alongside his DLC addition, and when used with Super Mario Maker, allowed Mario to look like Lucas. Nintendo also released plushies of Lucas.

Critics have analyzed Lucas's relationship with his family, particularly Claus. The final battle between Lucas and the Masked Man was generally well received; multiple critics discussed how emotional the fight was and that it made them think of losing their own siblings. RPGFan writer Alana Hagues called it one of the most emotional battles in a video game, while Destructoid writer Chad Concelmo noted he had to call his own brother after the scene. The A.V. Club writer Dave Tomaine analyzed Lucas through a queer lens, arguing that his grief and gentleness set him apart from others and that his refusal to fight back against Claus showed strength.

Did You Know?

• Lucas and Claus were named after the narrators of the book The Notebook (1986) by Ágota Kristóf.
• Lucas was not planned for Melee; he was added in Brawl.
• In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, one of Lucas's attacks has Kumatora and Boney accompany him.
• Lucas's Amiibo figure, when used with Super Mario Maker, unlocks a Lucas costume for the Mystery Mushroom, not a Mario skin that looks like Lucas.