Masked Man

The Masked Man is one of the antagonists in Mother 3. 
==In Mother 3==
The Masked Man is first seen briefly at the end of Chapter 5, and is introduced in Chapter 7, although he is alluded to several times times beforehand, particularly when Lucas is confused for him for the majority of Chapter 5. He is the commander of the Pigmask Army, and is mainly controlled by Porky. He has the ability to use PK Love, and because of this, he is the only person besides Lucas who can pull the Seven Needles. He and Lucas race around the Nowhere Islands to pull the Needles, following Porky's plan to end the world out of boredom, using the Masked Man as a vessel to pull the needles. Among his other abilities, he can fire powerful bolts of lightning that can cause instant knock-outs - provided that the target isn't wearing a Franklin Badge - and is equipped with a personal jet pack to easily navigate the Nowhere Islands with.
He is encountered several times during Chapter 7, wherein he pulls the Osohe Castle, Snowcap Mountain and Tanetane Island needles for the Pigmask Army, and is confronted as the chapter's end boss in front of Chupichupyoi Temple. When encountered throughout the chapter, a strange tension fills the area whenever his eyes meet with Lucas', although both stay speechless. By the end of the chapter both have pulled an equal amount of needles, meaning the Dark Dragon will inheret the heart of whoever pulls the last needle, located underneath New Pork City.
His true identity is revealed at the end of Chapter 8; it is also revealed that the Pigmask army had found him since the end of Chapter 1 and turned him into a human Chimera after learning of his psychic abilities. In the Final area, after Porky has been confronted and Flint tells the party the truth of the Masked Man's identity, he is fought as the game's final boss. The battle is one-sided, with the Masked Man knocking all of the other party members unconscious before the battle even begins and continuing to knock them out with a sure-hit KO thunder attack if they're ever revived, while Lucas refuses to attack Claus, with the newfound knowledge that his brother is still alive. During the battle, Hinawa reaches out to them both, struggling to break Claus' attacks, until the end of the battle when he removes his mask, fires a bolt of lightning at Lucas, and intentionally killing himself. In the final moments of the game, Claus apologizes to everyone, before saying his last goodbyes, and giving his final breath. 
===Chapter 7 Encounter===
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===Chapter 8 Encounter - Phase One===
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===Chapter 8 Encounter - Phase Two===
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===Battle Memory description===
"What expressions lie hidden behind his mask? ...And more importantly, who is he?"
===Memo ===
"Just who is he? The masked man remains silent..."
==Trivia==
*If Lucas attacks the Masked Man during the final battle after Flint jumps in front of PK Love Ω, Hinawa will say: "Lucas... Stop fighting.". Also, in the second phase of the final battle, if Lucas manages to attack, a message appears after saying: "Lucas... Felt heartbroken." And if he continues attacking, a message appears saying: "Lucas started to cry."
*There is an inconsistency concerning the Masked Man's battle sprites. In his second battle sprite his arm cannon is missing, and he is wearing gloves in both battle sprites, which are absent from his Overworld sprite. 
*In the second Masked man fight, the battle background is the same as is the fight against the Evil Mani-Mani in Earthbound.
*When the Masked Man swings his sword, you can hear Claus' combo instrument (sitar) playing.
*The Masked Man's "Shield Killer" attack shares a name with an item with the same effect from Earthbound, unlike the item usable by the party, renamed the Shield Snatcher.
*In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Lucas has an alternate costume where he wears a shirt with the Masked Man's head on it, along with the same color pallete. 
*In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the same alternate costume is included, and the Masked Man is also featured as a Spirit in the game, including a Spirit Battle that takes elements from his design and battle. Additionally, the stage background changes to the second Masked Man fight's battle background when Lucas utilizes PK Starstorm.
*The Masked Man's design partially resembles Mega Man from the aptly-titled series of games, particularly his mask shape and large arm cannon that resembles the Mega Buster.
*The Masked Man has several unused overworld animations, including him attacking with his arm cannon and a seemingly related set of animations of him exploding, being carried and then being operated on. https://tcrf.net/Mother_3/Unused_Graphics/Character_Sprites
*Like many bosses from Mother 3, the Masked Man has data for a "back sprite" in his first fight, although it's actually a sprite of him unmasked, similar to his second battle sprite. He has a different pose than said sprite, though, and is still wielding an arm cannon. https://tcrf.net/Mother_3/Unused_Graphics
**This may be related to how, in the scrapped animation of him being operated on, his entire right arm is replaced by some sort of metal, meaning at one point he might have had his right arm completely replaced.
**Additionally, he has stats for being approached for behind, even though it's normally impossible. https://tcrf.net/Mother_3/Oddities
*In the first fight against him, the Masked Man has the action "burst into laughter!" in his pool of attacks, but is programmed to never use it.
==References==