Jano: Difference between revisions

| appears in = ''[[Rayman 2: The Great Escape]]'', ''[[Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)|Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)]]''

'''Jano''' (commonly known as '''the Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams''') is a character from ''[[Rayman 2: The Great Escape]]'' (and its remakes) in which he guards [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]], as well as [[Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)|the Game Boy Advance version of ''Rayman 3'']] where he is involved with [[Robo-Pirate Army|the Pirates]]. In the former game, he is the Guardian of [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]], a subterranean grotto in which the nightmares of [[Polokus]] are found and which it is his job to ensure are kept locked away. Jano also guards precious treasure, which, until found by [[Rayman]], was only rumoured to exist.

The manual of ''[[Rayman Origins]]'' reveals that Jano was the first nightmare of Polokus, and that Polokus begot Jano during the [[First Bad Dream]]. It also reveals that Jano is the progenitor of the [[Antitoon]]s. It was in response to this endless swarm of Antitoons that [[Betilla the Fairy]] and her [[nymph]] sisters created Rayman, meaning that Jano is indirectly responsible for Rayman's existence. (The game's official site claims that Polokus ''became'' Jano, but this is simply a mistranslation from the original French.)

Jano is a larger version of [[Mini Jano|the one-eyed, fire-breathing monsters]] that dwell in [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]] and [[the Sanctuary of Stone and Fire]], who additionally carries a staff with a [[skull]] on its top, and wears a magician's hat identical to that worn by [[Polokus]]. The skull atop his staff contains the [[Elixir of Life]], which Rayman must gain to save his friend [[Clark]], who became ill after munching on a rusty [[Robo-Pirate]] in [[the Menhir Hills]].

Jano is a fierce but wise creature, with the ability to read an individual's mind, breathe fire, conjure floating skulls, and change his size (becoming huge during his battle with [[Rayman]]). As a guardian, he will ward off anyone that doesn't know the name of the Cave of Bad Dreams. Although he's an ally of Rayman in general, he challenges Rayman to find the treasure that is hidden deep in the cave in ''Rayman 2'', chases and battles him towards the level's end, and offers the treasure to him upon his defeat (even though Jano attempts to kill Rayman a number of times throughout the level).  

He can tell whether or not an individual is greedy, so he rewards Rayman with the [[Elixir of Life]] for refusing to take the tempting treasure. In all versions of Rayman 2 (excluding the Playstation version), the player gets to choose whether (s)he wants the treasure or not, and in choosing it, Rayman is cast to a deserted island surrounded by the gold, noticeably obese, resulting in 'the end of the game'.

==Role in the games==

[[File:Rayman meets Jano.jpg|thumb|320px|Jano meets Rayman in [[the Marshes of Awakening]]]]

===In ''[[Rayman 2: The Great Escape]]''===

Jano makes his first in-game appearance in [[the Marshes of Awakening]], one of the earlier levels of ''[[Rayman 2: The Great Escape]]''. Encountering him at this point is optional: he can be found in a cavern located at the end of a hidden side-path in the swamp. If Rayman approaches him, Jano tells him that he cannot pass unless he knows the name of this place. Rayman must retrace his steps and continue the level as normal.

Later, Rayman meets up with his friend, [[Clark|Clark the Giant]], in [[the Menhir Hills]]. Clark has become ill as a result of eating a rusty [[Robo-Pirate]] in the heat of battle. He tells Rayman that the only way to heal him is to recover the [[Elixir of Life]] from [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]], where it is guarded by a fierce monster. This is also where the creatures born from the nightmares of [[Polokus]] are imprisoned. Rayman returns to [[the Marshes of Awakening]], and Jano reads his mind, seeing that he now knows the name of Jano's domain. Jano tells Rayman that he has hidden a precious treasure within the Cave of Bad Dreams, and that Rayman can have it if he finds it. Jano warns Rayman that he will chase him, but says that he will give him a head start. Jano then teleports Rayman to his lair, where he encounters many [[Mini Jano]] and other obstacles. Eventually Jano catches up with Rayman and chases him down a slimy slope in an attempt to eat him. Next, the two battle; Rayman must avoid the fireballs Jano spits, while traversing the floating skulls he conjures. After turning the tables on Jano and chasing him away, Rayman finds himself in a chamber filled with mountains of gold and jewels. Jano says that Rayman has defeated him, and asks him to choose between the treasure and the [[Elixir of Life]]. If the player selects the treasure, Jano punishes Rayman by making him obese and teleporting him to a desert island with only the treasure to keep him company, and the game ends. If the player chooses the Elixir, Rayman finds himself back in the Marshes of Awakening, where Jano is congratulating him on having made the right choice. Jano hands over the Elixir (which turns out to be contained in the skull mounted atop his staff), and sends Rayman on his way. Rayman thanks him and leaves. In spite of Jano's new benevolence, he still attacks Rayman should he return to the Cave of Bad Dreams.

Jano's role is smaller in the PlayStation version of ''Rayman 2''. In this version, [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]] is accessed directly through a [[Spiral Door]] in [[the Hall of Doors]], and the meeting in [[the Marshes of Awakening]] does not occur. Jano does not actually appear in the game until the beginning of Rayman's battle against him.

A glitch involves Jano has been known to occur in the PC, N64 and Dreamcast versions of ''Rayman 2''. If the player returns to [[the Marshes of Awakening]] after beating [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]], they can see a miniscule Jano floating over the swamp water, just on the left side of the log leading to the cave, where [[Rayman]] appears after choosing this level.

<table>

<td valign="top">[[File:R2TGE-PC-TheCaveOfBadDreams-HallOfDoors.jpg|thumb|320px|A hologram of Jano symbolises [[the Cave of Bad Dreams|his level]] in [[the Hall of Doors]]]]</td>

<td valign="top">[[File:RR-PS2-Japanese-Jano.JPG|thumb|320px|Jano's colours are different in the Japanese version of ''[[Rayman Revolution]]'']]</td>

<td valign="top">[[File:ShrinkedJano.jpg|thumb|320px|A glitch causes a miniature Jano to appear in [[the Marshes of Awakening]]]]</td>

</table>

===In [[Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)|''Rayman 3'' (Game Boy Advance)]]===

[[File:Jano GBA.PNG|frame|class=sprite|Jano battles [[Rayman]] in [[Jano's Nest]]]]

In [[Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)|the Game Boy Advance version of ''Rayman 3'']], Jano is the second of four bosses. He is fought in [[Jano's Nest]], a level in [[Haunted Dreams]], the second world of the game. Their passive–aggressive relationship from the previous game is continued. When Rayman sees Jano, he automatically [[grimace]]s, and Jano responds by shooting fireballs out of his staff and conjuring skulls out of the air as in the previous game. Again Rayman must chase Jano across the screen until he gives up. In this game, it is possible to hurt Jano by punching him, but this does not help Rayman to defeat him. Once the fight is over, Rayman demands to know where [[André]] is, and Jano tells him that André and has gone off to the [[Magmacosm]] with [[Admiral Razorbeard]]. Jano wishes him good luck, and Rayman leaves.

<table>

<td valign="top">[[File:JanoGBA1_EN.png|thumb|320px|class=sprite|Jano in a cinematic of the game.]]</td>

<td valign="top">[[File:JanoGBA2_EN.png|thumb|320px|class=sprite|Jano in a cinematic of the game.]]</td>

</table>

===In ''[[Rayman Origins]]''===

Jano does not appear in ''[[Rayman Origins]]'', but the game's manual and official website discuss him, and reveal some important information about his backstory. Jano was the [[First Bad Dream]] of [[Polokus]]; it was Jano's nightmarish birth that signalled the introduction of imbalance into [[the Glade of Dreams]]. When he was created, Jano began to spawn [[Antitoons|Darktoons]], the stuff of nightmares and the warped opposites of the [[Electoon]]s. In response to Jano and his Darktoon infestation, [[Betilla the Fairy]] and the other [[nymph]]s joined forces to create a hero who could restore balance to the world: [[Rayman]]. It seems that, on his very first adventure, the young Rayman put a stop to Jano's invasion, and the monster was forced to become the Guardian of [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]].

*Jano's name is never spoken in dialogue during ''[[Rayman 2]]'', the manual refers to him only as "The Guardian of [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]]". His name can be learned from [[Rayman 2 : The Great Escape : Le Guide Officiel|the official French guide of ''Rayman 2'']], [[Rayman 3 (Game Boy Advance)|the GBA version of ''Rayman 3'']] or the manual of ''[[Rayman Origins]]''.

*Despite Jano apparently being the reason for [[Rayman]]'s creation and the assertion that they have fought before, the two do not appear to recognise each other in ''[[Rayman 2]]''. In fact, if it was his defeat at the hands of [[Rayman]] that caused Jano to become the Guardian of [[the Cave of Bad Dreams]], one might question why [[Rayman]] does not know the name of the cave at the start of the game.