Medusa

Medusa

メデューサ

Medyuusa

First Appearance: Kid Icarus (1986) Latest Appearance: Kid Icarus: Uprising (2012) Title(s): Gender: Female Race: Goddess/Deity Homeland: Underworld Affiliated Faction: Other Allies: Status: Voiced By: English: Venus Terzo (Captain N) Cree Summer (Kid Icarus: Uprising) Japanese: ??? (Kid Icarus: Uprising)

In the beginning, Medusa (メデューサ Medyuusa) co-ruled Angel Land with Palutena. Whereas Palutena fostered the growth of humanity, Medusa hated their kind, and took to drying up crops and petrifying people. Palutena, in a fit of anger, changed Medusa's form to a cyclopic, snake-haired monster and banished her to the Underworld. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, Medusa vowed one day to overthrow Palutena and retake her position in the Palace in the Sky. Over time, Medusa gained the allegiance of Underworld monsters and, once her forces were strong enough, led an attack against the very gates of the Palace. The ensuing war did not go well for Palutena; the Three Sacred Treasures were lost, Centurions were turned to stone, and Palutena herself was captured and imprisoned in the Palace in the Sky, unable to help as her beloved Angel Land swarmed with the forces of evil. As a last resort, she called out to Pit, the former leader of her personal bodyguards, now kept prisoner in the lowest dungeons of the Underworld. Responding to the call, and armed with a Bow manifested by the goddess' waning strength, Pit set out to destroy the invaders and defeat Medusa.

Appearances

Kid Icarus

When Pit encounters Medusa in the Palace of the Sky, she has taken refuge in a large effigy of herself. Pit must dodge deadly rays and Tanatos snakes from her hair, all while attempting to hit her with Arrows of Light. By positioning himself just a little bit under eye-level, he can avoid the majority of her attacks easily. Once she's taken enough damage, the eye will disappear, revealing a crumpling Medusa.

Hit Points	Damage	Hearts	Score (Experience)
150	5	0	100 per hit

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Kid Icarus: Uprising

Medusa makes a reappearance as a major antagonist during the first part of the story. Her design is based more on her original sprite, rather than the boss form that Pit fought her in. However, she takes on a much more gothic look in contrast to Palutena's angelic appearance. Revived after her defeat in the first game, Medusa returns with her army, ready to attack the world and get her revenge on Pit and Palutena for her defeat twenty-five years prior. She is seemingly fought as the final boss of the game during Medusa's Final Battle, although Hades appears thereafter to reveal that she was revived to use as a distraction for Palutena and Pit. Despite her destruction during the chapter, Medusa makes a surprise appearance during the true final boss battle against Hades, claiming that she was annoyed of being constantly revived by the Underworld god. She saves Pit from a powerful attack by decapitating Hades, only to be obliterated by him when he reforms his head.

Other Appearances

Captain N: The Game Master

Medusa made an appearance in the episode Mega Trouble for Megaland where she was guarding the Three Sacred Treasures on Mount Icarus. Her design is a mix between her human and monster forms, and she has a beautiful voice to trick her victims into a false sense of safety. This ability worked on the easily fooled Simon Belmont, although Medusa was ultimately defeated by accidentally looking into the Mirror Shield and turning herself into stone.

Gallery

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  Original sprite.

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  Medusa's early design in Uprising.

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  Medusa's finalized appearance in Uprising.

• File:Medusa monsterPict.png

  Medusa's monster form.

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  Medusa in Captain N: The Game Master.

Trivia

• In Greek mythology, Medusa was once a beautiful woman, and sister to Euryale and Stheno. Though she was once a priestess of Athena (the inspiration for Palutena in the Kid Icarus series), the goddess changed her into a monster once she found out that Medusa and Poseiden had been making love in her temple. Medusa's monstrous form was so hideous that any one gazing upon her countenance would instantly be petrified. She was later beheaded by Perseus, wielding a Mirror Shield.
• Medusa's newest design was likely inspired by the prominent goth subculture, having ghostly white skin, dark eye shadow, and a tattoo around her left eye. One of the serpents that makes up her hair is even colored bright red to resemble a chunking highlight, which is popular in gothic fashion.
• In Uprising, Medusa appears to be left-handed.