Ssssam

Sssssam
Other names	{{{other names}}}
Alignment	Good
Appears in	Rayman 2, Rayman 2 Forever, Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance), Rayman 3 (cameo)
Location	{{{location}}}
Portrayed by	Pierre-Alain de Garrigues (Rayman 2 on PC, Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast)
Sex	Male
Species	Serpent
Status	Ferryman
Relatives	{{{relatives}}}
Unlock criteria	{{{Unlock criteria}}}

This young and spirited serpent is the ferryman for the Marshes of Awakening. He helps the inhabitants waterski across the swamps...

—Manual, Rayman 2: The Great Escape

Sssssam the Watersnake is a character that appears in Rayman 2, its remakes and the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 3.

Description

Sssssam in the Marshes of Awakening

Sssssam is a purple serpent who dwells in the Marshes of Awakening, acting as a ferryman for the Glade's inhabitants. He has a disproportionately large head compared to his thin body. The body itself appears to be no longer than Rayman's height; however, he is never seen in full – only his head, part of his neck and occasionally the tip of his tail are ever actually visible, as he always partially submerged in the water of the Marshes. As a result, it is impossible to gauge just how long he might be, though he is small enough to fit inside a Robo-Pirate cage.

Sssssam speaks with heavy emphasis on sybilants, not unlike a stereotypical cartoon snake.

Sssssam is described as a ‘young and spirited serpent’ in the manuals for most versions of Rayman 2, and he appears to be very cheerful, enjoying the simple things in life. Upon being able to stretch out after being freed from his cage by Rayman, he says that it is ‘Sssssensational’. He does not have any knowledge of the Masks of Polukus, possibly due to spending most of his life in the Marshes.

Role in the games

Rayman 2: The Great Escape

A hologram of Sssssam is used to represent the Marshes of Awakening in the Hall of Doors.

Sssssam's colours are different in the Japanese version of Rayman Revolution

Sssssam, as he appears in the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 3.

In Rayman 2 and its remakes, Sssssam is first found by Rayman in the Marshes of Awakening, imprisoned in a pirate cage. Upon being freed by Rayman, Sssssam stretches and agrees to take Rayman across the Marshes, as he had seen the Pirates take Globox in that direction. On the other side, Sssssam bids Rayman farewell and asks Rayman to make a point of visiting again. From this it would seem that he is very lonely, possibly having no friends within the Marshes.

This is his only appearance in most versions of the game. However, in Rayman Revolution, a bonus minigame called Waterski Challenge can be unlocked by talking to Ly the Fairy once the player has freed 30 of the game's 80 Familiar Spirits. The bonus level is another waterski chase, similar to the one in the Marshes of Awakening. Rayman must collect 20 Red Lums as Sssssam takes him through a swamp.

In the Game Boy Color version of Rayman 2, Sssssam appears with a much smaller role, appearing only at the end of the first level of the Marshes of Awakening (although he can be seen again with the rest of the cast at the end of the game) In this version, he simply lets Rayman ride across the marsh on his head, rather than waterski. He is never named in this game.

Statue of Sssssam seen in Razoff's mansion in the Bog of Murk

Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)

In this alternative version of Rayman 3, Sssssam is first found in the Swamps of Begoniax, this time uncaptured, where Rayman asks Ly the Fairy for directions to find Globox. He then allows Rayman to waterski through the swamps in a similar fashion to Rayman 2.

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

Ssssaam makes a cameo appearance in Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc as one of Count Razoff's statues. A developer referred to these statues as Razoff's ‘finest catches’ in a RaymanZone interview, indicating that Razoff had captured Sssssam at some point.