Dragon Quest: Journey of the Cursed King
Hero and Munchie: The background (WARNING spoiler alert!)
For the entirety of this epic quest it seems like little mouse Munchie is just the hero's pet along for the ride, remaining as a fairly inconspicuous passenger in the hero's waistcoat pocket - at the start of the game a first-mouse perspective follows Munchie running through a field before leaping into his cosy carriage. But there's actually more to this mouse than meets the eye. He is, in fact, the hero's grandfather, Chen Mui (an anagram of Munchie, see) who transforms himself into a rodent in order to watch over the hero during his adventure. Of course, the hero is none the wiser about this startling revelation until Chen Mui reveals himself, so we assume that the hero's good nature is the reason Munchie is allowed to take residence in his pocket. Either that or he just likes the reassurance of feeling something warm and furry in his pocket.
And the star of the show is?
As mice go, Munchie is an adorable little beast and there's something irresistibly kooky about having a mouse squatter in your pocket. However, the twitchy-nosed Munchie plays such a tiny part that he's pretty much an invisible companion. So, while the hero is doing exciting stuff like slaying some slimy monster or other, Munchie is ensconced within the hero's waistcoat, probably bedding down and littering the place with miniature poo. So, as cute as he might be, Munchie still operates almost exclusively in the hero's shadow.
So this is a mutually beneficial relationship, right...?
Munchie gets a free-ride, a place to stay and the occasional lump of fromage to nibble on. In return, the hero gets to use Munchie's diminutive mousey proportions to sneak into tight spaces and, by feeding him special cheese, benefits from various attribute enhancing effects. He also gets to smell of mouse wee. Of course, unbeknownst to the hero, Munchie's motives are actually covertly courageous, so this is a more reciprocal relationship than it first appears.
Arbitrary true friend rating: 9/10
To permit a mouse to ride shotgun in his pocket is testament to the hero's fondness of the apparently only moderately useful Munchie. And Chen Mui's selfless act of becoming a mouse in order to watch over his grandson is an honourable sacrifice indeed. If we were going to fight fat-headed demons, however, we think we'd be more grateful if our concerned grandparent took the form of something a tad more formidable than a mouse.
