Earth

"*Yeah, THAT Earth*." -Niiue

"Home sweet home."

**Earth**is the third planet in the solar system, and the only one capable of hosting intelligent life (or so its inhabitants naively believe). It is the location of all three official games in the MOTHER series. In *Cognitive Dissonance*, it is one of the most plot-centric planets that the Applechasers visit, being the site of Giegue's defeat and many other things.

## Unlocking Earth

In order to unlock Earth, the player must have Niiue onboard their ship to disable the mysterious barrier surrounding the planet. As such, it is available immediately after clearing the abandoned colony on Mars, where Niiue formally joins the ship's team.

## Exploring the Planet and Major Locations

Earth arguably has the most developed surface of any planet the Applechasers visit-- the only accessible areas are cities and a dump. The party arrives after the spaceship crashes into the side of an abandoned apartment building. In order to walk around without suspicion, they quickly disguise themself as humans (Zarbol as a dog) whenever they set about visiting the towns.

There are several main locations the party may explore:

### The Apartment

Where the party crashlands at the beginning of Chapter 6. It serves as a base of operations and safe zone, where no enemies are present. The rest of the crew (Dr. Saturn, Malik, Elmadan, the shopkeeper, and Niiue) will make camp here until the end of Chapter 6. The rooms contain little of interest, save for a drunken homeless man complaining about the 'spider robot' clanking around upstairs-- in reference to the Greyface's brief playable segment here at the end of Chapter 5.

### Thunderton City

The main area the party will explore. It is a small town in classic *EarthBound/MOTHER* style, featuring shops, a hotel, a hospital, and more. Items such as Cure-All Cream and the Mobster Semi-auto for Col. Saturn can be bought from some of the shops. Wearing their disguises, the party may talk with citizens around the town (some of whom are not fooled by them) to learn about the town and acquire certain items. The Pigsnout Building in the center of town is of major interest, as well.

### The Dump

The area found behind the abandoned apartment building. It is the location of the seventh Point of Power, guarded by a boss (Sub Woofer). Two items the party should take note to pick up are the PK Fire Gamma disc for Larice and the Green Gem (hidden on the left side of the fence on the second screen).

### Cloudvale Town

The most distant area the party visits in the present time of Earth. It is available only in Chapter 6, after the Greyface has given the disguised party permission to pass the police barrier blocking the route. It is relatively small and at a very high altitude, and features a much cheaper hotel than Thunderton Town. At the top of the village is a statue in honor of Ninten, Ana, Lloyd, and Teddy-- 'the heroes who climbed Mt. Itoi to repel the alien forces'. Alinivar can move this statue with PSI to reveal a secret passage underneath, leading to a chamber containing the Apple of Winter.

In addition to these locations, Twoson Town is briefly visited by the Greyface in Chapter 5. Onett Town can be visited as well in the beginning of Chapter 7, though in a destroyed, post-apocalyptic state devoid of citizens. Ness's house may be visited as the eighth Point of Power (the "Forgotten Home") after defeating its guardian, Mr. Multiplicity. In addition, the meteor crash site from the beginning of *EarthBound*contains an XX pillar that teleports the party to Magicant.

## Items of Importance

Earth contains many items vital to the plot, and others that are very helpful as well. Weapons for all party members can be obtained here, including the incredibly useful Mobster Semi-auto for Col. Saturn. Battle items such as a Multibottle Rocket can be found as well. In addition, the final two Points of power are located on Earth. Finally, two critical sidequest items are obtained here-- the Moon sidequest's Green Gem is found in the dump, and a former Pigsnout employee in Thunderton will trade the party a Reboot Orb in exchange for a Snow Cone.

## Plot Significance

Earth is first visited after the Applechasers leave Mars for the first time at the end of Chapter 5.

Shortly before landing, the Greyface enters the Heavily Armed Mecha in an old apartment room of Thunderton and travels forward in time to 199X. Spying from behind a bush, he watches as Ness walks by, hand in hand with Paula. After the hero leaves, Greyface picks up a yo-yo that he left behind-- the 'Friend's Yo-yo'.

Immediately afterward, the party crashes into the building he had just left and finds themselves stranded until the ship-- and Larice-- can be repaired.

Exploring the nearby town while disguised as humans, the party hears of the mysterious "Pigsnout Organization" which has recently come into power in the town. Finding the company's building at the center of town, they enter to find out more about the organization. After the receptionist asks for the *player'*s name, the party is registered as initiates of the society and go upstairs to take a PSI test. Alinivar is immediately promoted to the highest level after the tester sees his incredible affinity for PSI, and the three are shuffled in to see the head of the company immediately.

The head of the company turns out to be none other than the Greyface. Inside his office are dolls of Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo, further hinting at his identity. He is impressed by Alinivar's PSI powers and sends him to Cloudvale City in the west, to retrieve a 'golden apple thingy' (the Apple of Winter). After passing the police barrier and defeating the boss of the bridge to Cloudvale, Sir Sniffle, the party takes the ropeway to the city.

At the northern end of the town, the city has erected a statue of four familiar heroes: Ninten, Ana, Lloyd, and Teddy from the original *MOTHER*! After reading the plaque, which thanks the above four for climbing Mt. Itoi and repelling Giegue, Alinivar moves the statue with PSI to reveal a hidden passage underneath. Following a brief skirmish with the security system inside, the three discover the Apple of Winter in an alcove.

The three return to the Pigsnout Building and inform the Greyface that they have recovered the Apple. He thanks them for doing so, and takes it from them... and immediately reveals he saw through their ruse all along! He calls his guards to take them down, but suddenly Niiue and a heavily upgraded Larice smash down the door to back up the party. However, the Greyface retreats to the Heavily Armed Mecha and engages the four in combat.

Eventually, Giegue arrives to take the final Apple piece. Knowing they cannot win against him, Niiue hurries the Applechasers into the Phase Distorter, also in Greyface's possession, and sends them into the future. Heavily Armed Greyface confronts Niiue, intending to take him down, but quickly loses the fight and escapes into time (when encountered in Magicant, he says he went to the future to 'bother some other people'). Thus, Niiue and Giegue are left alone with the pieces of the Apple...