Plasm Wraith

The Plasm Wraith is a virtually-featureless, vaguely-humanoid Waterwraith-like being made entirely out of a cellular protoplasmic mass, which allows it to split different parts of its body off to create other semi-independent entities. Plasm Wraiths are intelligent creatures that show obsessive traits not seen with other creatures of PNF-404, holding even leaders captive with what appears to be curiosity rather than maliciousness. Efforts by others to take what the Plasm Wraith has claimed causes the being to become the Mysterious Life-Form and slowly ooze towards the offenders, attempting to retake its prized possession until the possession in question has traveled far enough. Once this occurs, the Plasm Wraith assumes its golden humanoid form, locks the possession in its core, and begins to attack.

After the Mysterious Life-Form transforms into the Plasm Wraith, attacking it will cause small bits of its plasmic exterior to fall off, making its health go down. However, Pikmin must then attack the puddles of plasm on the ground to destroy it, or the Plasm Wraith will simply reabsorb the puddles and regenerate health.

It will actively attack Pikmin but mainly prefers to target the leaders and attack when they are close, by skewering them with a rapid "needle-arm" attack. If any Pikmin aside from Rock Pikmin are in the range of this attack, they will be skewered and eaten. While it is doing this, it will not be fazed by attacks, and can easily kill the Pikmin. Instead, throw just a few Pikmin at it until it tries to shake Pikmin off by twisting its body. This will cause additional plasm to fly off of its body. As it loses more and more plasm, it decreases in size; this is the key to winning the fight. It can also become temporarily airborne, during which it can be reached by Winged Pikmin, or, with some effort, Yellow Pikmin. If it is hit with enough Pikmin while flying, it will fall, losing even more plasm as it hits the ground.

Plasm Wraiths have also displayed the ability to sacrifice a bit of plasm to create illusions that are capable of recreating the physical form and behavior of the creature it is mimicking.

When the Plasm Wraith is defeated, it stands still and raises one arm while roaring, before falling back and splattering into small pools of plasm. This plasm is capable of moving on its own accord and eventually reforming into the Plasm Wraith if it isn't destroyed.

Elemental Plasms
After a quarter of its health is depleted, the boss will attack by spewing large masses of plasm onto the arena, then spitting out a small, golden patterned cube. The plasmic mass will form around this solid cube and transform into an Elemental Plasm. Each Elemental Plasm has a specific hazard associated with it. If the Wraith spits out a cube, quickly call all Pikmin away from it. The less plasm in the Elemental Plasm, the less time is needed to destroy it. It has many forms, each of which can only be destroyed with certain Pikmin types:


 * A bubble of water, with the cube in the middle. Blue Pikmin must be thrown in, so they can swim to the core and shatter it. Other Pikmin will gain a bubble of water on their stem if they touch the hazard, and will suffocate if not called back.
 * A bed of fire surrounding the cube. Red Pikmin are recommended, but Rock Pikmin can get the job done as well, provided they are whistled back before they burn to death upon touching it.
 * An electrical sphere. The Elemental Plasm will form a spike underneath the cube, setting it high up in the air, and will then generate an electric barrier around it, making it resemble a . Only Yellow Pikmin can reach high enough and sustain the forcefield.
 * A crystal cube with the Elemental Plasm inside. The cube slowly tumbles around the stage, crushing Pikmin. Only Rock Pikmin can break it, chipping away different shards at a time.

Destroying Elemental Plasms will leave behind a large amount of plasm that must also be destroyed. If they are left there after being initially spat out, the Plasm Wraith will reabsorb them to heal itself. After the boss has been reduced to just a quarter of its health, it will create three Elemental Plasms at once.

Alph's comments

 * "Structural flaw: varies / Weight: unknown / What a marvel this creature is! Constantly adapting to new threats, it can manipulate fire, water, electricity, and its own body to form wings or an armored carapace. It takes several squads of Pikmin on frequently rotating duty to keep up with its shifting nature. How I wish I could construct anything so effortlessly flexible! Ahem... Its attacks leave behind little pieces of itself, so if you can eliminate those before it reforms, you can wear it down little by little."

Brittany's comments

 * "Wow, it really did not want to let go of Captain Olimar. Is that budding inter-species romance I smell? Anyway, I bet that gunk would make for some good lotion. I should've bottled some up so I could sell it back on Koppai."

Charlie's comments

 * "This thing doesn't know what it wants! One minute it's soft, one minute it's hard. First it's big, then it's small. It hunts Olimar but doesn't want to hurt him. We're practically doing it a favor by taking it out! Anyway... That Olimar guy must ooze charisma to get such an alien creature to follow him anywhere. He's a ship captain and I'm just a squad captain, but that still gives us something in common! I oughtta be taking notes!"

Louie's comments

 * "Despite its refreshing citrus scent, the flavor of this beast is decidedly... dangerous."

Olimar's comments

 * "This unusual life-form consists of an amorphous body around a hard, cubic core. The body can shift not only into different shapes but into different substances. It reminds me very much of the waterwraith, and at first I wondered if it was also an ectoplasmic incarnation. However, enough others have seen and encountered it to dispel this theory. The creatures living near the plasm wraith must be formed from its gelatinous substance, since they all liquefy upon its death. It's not clear what purpose they serve for the wraith. It's currently unknown what caused the hole in its torso—some sort of manifested psychic wound?—but the search for this cause may lead us down the path to unraveling the history of evolution on this planet."

=In fanon games=

In Pikmin E
The Plasm Wraith is much weaker and easier than it was in Pikmin 3, and serves as a miniboss. It does not give a reward upon death.

In Pikmin Ultimate
In Pikmin Ultimate, it acts as a mini-boss of the cave, Ghoul's Resting Place. It is substantially easier than in Pikmin 3, as it has fewer hit points and has lost its elemental plasm attacks. However, its stabbing attack is longer and it is faster than the original. It can also become the Mysterious Life-Form for a brief moment. Other than speed, the more dangerous stabbing attack, and the ability to transform, the fight isn't much different.

In Pikmin: Wide World
The Plasm Wraith returns in Pikmin: Wide World as the major boss of Ancient Metalworks, where its presence is subtly hinted at until the creature is formally revealed. Until the Plasm Wraith is defeated, various organic, but not mechanical, enemies will collapse into a puddle of plasm upon defeat, which can be destroyed. The first time this happens, Captain Olimar panics, knowing all too well what the anomaly means, and alerts Shacho, Marie, and Louie of its significance. On the night of the defeat of the Greater Bulbot, one of several minor bosses present in Ancient Metalworks, Olimar is unusually the last one to board the Dolphin Lander. Olimar, however, never sets foot into the spacecraft. The Plasm Wraith, in the form of the Plasm Goolix, abducts the Captain before the Lander can beam him up and escapes to its lair with Olimar trapped helplessly inside. The Plasm Wraith that abducted him is actually the very same Plasm Wraith that had so obsessively held him hostage during the events of Pikmin 3. When Olimar is abducted, a dramatic and curt tune that references the Plasm Wraith's theme in Pikmin 3 can be heard. Because the three other leaders and the Onion cannot wait any longer, they take off into the atmosphere until sunrise. The following day, Shacho, Marie, and Louie exit the Dolphin Lander and notice a trail of plasm blobs presumably leading to the Plasm Wraith's Lair. When approached, some of these blobs can form into organic enemies that are present in Ancient Metalworks. The size of the enemy or how many of them appear, if any at all, is based on how much plasm the puddle is made of. The Plasm Wraith's lair cannot be accessed until this plot point takes place.

The Plasm Wraith appears exactly as it did in Pikmin 3, as a golden, humanoid figure, but at a smaller size. It is still quite large, however.

The first time the Plasm Wraith is seen in-game, in its lair, it gently cradles Olimar in its arms and looks down lovingly upon him, softly rocking him back and forth occasionally. When Shacho, Marie, and Louie enter its lair, the Plasm Wraith sees them, absorbs Olimar, and roars loudly at them, initiating the fight. Its attacks and the fight against it are almost the same as they were in Pikmin 3, except that it cannot fly anymore and it will temporarily revert to its Plasm Goolix form after it takes enough damage. When defeated, the Plasm Wraith will collapse into a puddle of plasm, leaving behind Olimar, a golden cube, and. Before collecting the spoils, the three leaders and their Pikmin destroy the remaining plasm to ensure that the Plasm Wraith will no longer be a threat ever again. Olimar, who is asleep since he cannot disable his suit's auto-sleep feature, must be carried back to the Dolphin Lander, which will wake him up after beaming him up. The cube can be taken to the Master Onion for fifty Pikmin seeds or to the Dolphin Lander for.

Olimar's notes

 * "Never has a monster caused me so much suffering and grief. It has taken a massive toll on my mental health, and I'm more than happy that it has been put to a permanent end. I know its behavior towards me was innocent, but it was obsessive and it wouldn't let me go. As much as thinking of this abomination pains me, it is still a spectacle that I would sometime like to study more. Well, maybe not me, but somebody else."

Shacho's notes

 * "Gold! It's made of liquid gold! I could bottle it all up and sell it all of Hocotate and rake so many Pokos! The sales would make me the richest person on Hocotate! What a wonderful dream..."

Marie's notes

 * "This creature is definitely one of those pets that would practically own its owner! Judging by its obsession with Olimar, it seems like a very curious creature. It also seems particularly lonely, as Olimar told me that it creates what he calls "plasm illusions", and they take the form and behaviors of creatures the plasm wraith has seen. So, that means the plasm wraith can make more pets! One of the best things about the plasm wraith is that it is so protective of its owner. It can also change its form, so that's cool too."

Louie's notes

 * "Inedible. Although its citrus scent is pleasant, consumption may lead to unforeseen consequences."

Dolphin Lander's notes

 * "Olimar really does not like this thing. I was so happy I could wake him up and hear how relieved he was that the plasm wraith was no more! At least, he hopes that an end has been put to it. He also wishes he could've witnessed its remains being destroyed. It seems a bit over-the-top, but... I suppose it's justified, considering his past with it... Even if the plasm wraith never wanted to hurt him."

In Pikmin4
The Plasm Wraith returns as a captain in Pikmin4. It is discovered by David, in Shady Forest, and is used to retrieve more fragments to complete the bridge to the S.S. Dolphin. However, the ship hits a branch, causing the Wraith to be shot out of the cockpit.

To be continued...