Culex (Super Mario RPG)
Throughout Super Mario RPG, you may be asked to collect a series of items for various characters milling about the towns. This is what’s affectionately dubbed as a ‘fetch quest,’ and it finally comes to an end when you trade for a Shiny Stone from a young girl in Moleville. Putting aside the troubling fact that you acquire this stone by giving a small child fireworks, you’ve now received your key to the hardest boss in the entire game.
There is a locked door in Monstro Town that responds to a touch of the Shiny Stone, and inside lurks the interdimensional warlord, Culex. He challenges you to a friendly fight, though things soon turn sinister when he declares that he probably intends to eat you, and will kill you where you stand. Surrounded by elemental crystals that dish out additional damage and status debuffs, Culex is an imposing figure, particularly aesthetically, as his hideous visage is something quite foreign to the Mario universe.
Once bested, Culex will reward you with the Quartz Charm, a fantastic accessory that boosts your offense and defense, and increases the damage output of certain items. You can cherish this precious gift forevermore, or sell it for a whopping three coins. Either way, you can now declare yourself the most powerful knight in the Mushroom Kingdom, and that looks fantastic on a resume.
