Murfy

Murfy
Other names	{{{other names}}}
Alignment	Good
Appears in	Rayman 2, Rayman Arena, Rayman 3, Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge, Rayman Raving Rabbids (Game Boy Advance), Rayman Kart, Rayman Origins, Rayman Legends, Rayman Adventures
Location	{{{location}}}
Portrayed by	Pierre-Alain de Garrigues (Rayman 2 on PC, Nintendo 64 and Dreamcast) Eddie Crew (Rayman Arena) Billy West (Rayman 3) Douglas Rand (Rayman Origins, Rayman Legends)
Sex	Male
Species	Greenbottle
Status	Helper
Relatives	{{{relatives}}}
Unlock criteria	{{{Unlock criteria}}}

Nicknamed "The Flying Encyclopaedia," Murfy helps Rayman by giving him loads of hints and advice. For a short reminder of Murfy's main explanations, move Rayman next to one of the many Stones of Thought

scattered around throughout the world. If you would rather have Murfy come in-person to give you his detailed explanations, stop by a Stones of Thought and hold down F2.

—Manual (PC version), Rayman 2: The Great Escape

Murfy is the tough-guy fly with the 411on the dangers, enemies and obstacles Rayman must face throughout the adventure. He’s got the speed and the sass to zip into Hoodlum camps undetected, then report back with the best way to proceed. Murfy’s never at a loss for words – even if it means busting on Rayman whenever the opportunity presents itself.

—Press release, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

A ridiculous, pretentious greenbottle. Despite his stupidity, this upstart has succeeded in landing the role of coach – the only explanation for which is a disgraceful bit of string-pulling!*

* Ubi Soft would like to state that the manual does not accept responsibility for these comments.

—Manual, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

Part-time quizmaster and full time know-it-all, this bug is the guy to go if you want to know anything! Listen to his lectures carefully if you really want a game advantage.

—Manual, Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge

Murfy (sometimes spelt Murphy, and known as JM Murphy in Rayman Arena) is Rayman's guide, sometimes referred to as his instructor or sidekick. He made his début in Rayman 2: The Great Escape and its remakes (excluding the PlayStation version in which his role is taken by Ly the Fairy, and other greenbottles are often found in cages), later appears in Rayman Arena as a reporter, reprises his role as Rayman's coach for a short while in Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, again in Rayman Origins, and debuts as a playable character in Rayman Legends. His nickname is ‘The Flying Encyclopedia’, and it is his job to provide as much information about the world to Rayman as he can, as well as teaching him how to train and perform his moves. In the PlayStation version of Rayman 2 his role is taken by Ly the Fairy, and other greenbottles are often found in cages. Murfy returns in Rayman Adventures acting as a pointer if the player is playing with a Bluetooth controller.

Character description

Artwork of Murphy from Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

Murfy is a small flying creature with a green head, and despite his frog-like appearance, he is actually a greenbottle, a sort of fly, as revealed in the instruction booklet of Rayman 3. He always sports a huge cheesy grin showing large teeth, and is always dressed in green, yellow and purple clothes, almost identical of those of the Grand Minimus Teensies. In Rayman Arena, he takes on the role of a reporter, and pesters the competitors between their matches. In his appearance in Rayman 3 he has undergone a number of changes, such as his hands and eyes, which are now much bigger than in Rayman 2, and his wings have become more fly-like. His clothes have also been slightly changed, notably his shoes which are elf-like. He also appears to have fingers and legs now, unlike the previous game.

The greenbottles are known to play practical jokes; many Ludivs have fallen victim to their pranks, and have been stripped of their glasses.

Role in the games

Murfy's first appearance in Rayman 2

Rayman 2

In all versions of Rayman 2 (except for the PlayStation and Game Boy Color versions), Murfy seems to be an innocent character that serves as a guide for Rayman, giving him instructions on how to pull off his moves while going through the Woods of Light. All around the world there are Stones of Thought. If Rayman stands next to one of these for a while and thinks, Murfy will come back to him and repeat his instructions.

Rayman Revolution

Murfy's job as an instructor is a little more looked into at the beginning of Rayman Revolution, as there is an extra stage after the Woods of Light in which he along with a baby Globox teaches Rayman how to swim and how to shoot, using a scarecrow as his first target.

Rayman Arena

In Rayman Arena (but not Rayman M), Murfy appears and takes on the role of a 'Special Reporter', who pesters the characters between their competitive matches like a stereotypical paparazzo. At the end of the game, the characters grow tired of him and beat him up. His name appears as 'JM Murphy' in this game.

Murfy in Rayman 3

Rayman 3

Murfy with the manual in Rayman 3

Murfy later appears in Rayman 3, and this time he carries a Manual (a purple booklet with a picture of the original Rayman's face on it and Rayman's symbol on the inside), which he reads from instead of passing his own knowledge to Rayman. He develops a more cocky personality than before, and often rants about how he is stuck with being a sidekick, as well as giving witty comments and sarcastic remarks about the Manual as Rayman goes through the Fairy Council. In this game, he is voiced by Billy West, who had also voiced Rayman in The Animated Series four years earlier, as well as voicing Murfy in Rayman Arena. Unlike Rayman 2, in which he can appear anywhere in the game which has a Stone of Thought, Murfy leaves the player at the Heart of the World, promising to “See you in Rayman 4!”.

Rayman Origins

Murfy as seen in Rayman Origins

Murfy (on the top-right) as he appears in Rayman Kart.

Murfy appears once again at the beginning of Rayman Origins, shortly after Rayman and his friends escape from their cage at the Snoring Tree and free the Bubble Dreamer. He tells the heroes that they must free Electoons in order to restore the energy that the Bubble Dreamer has lost and build bridges to new worlds. After that, his role in the game is to hold a sign that indicates how many Electoons are required to unlock secret characters. He also appears at the beginning of the Electoon Bridge levels, congratulating the heroes for getting enough Electoons to pass. If players die on a level a certain number of times, Murfy will appear, suggesting to leave the place. In this game Murfy has shedded his jaded and sarcastic personality of Rayman 3; he acts more like his Rayman 2 self. Also, he wears different clothes from the other games. He wears a green robe with light-orange edges and bare feet.

Rayman Legends

Murfy makes his debut as a playable character in Rayman Legends. He appears in the opening cutscene where the Bubble Dreamer discusses the events that have passed since Rayman Origins and witnessing how the nightmares have multiplied in the intervening years, to combat this force, he is ordered to awaken Rayman and friends, who current sleep in a forest. His moveset in the game is different to that of the other characters. Instead, he is controlled with the touchscreen on the Wii U gamepad and PS Vita, however, in the PC, PS3 and Xbox versions, commands Murfy can do that are needed to progress are activated with a single button. Murfy's main role in the game is to provide assistance and help Rayman and his friends to get across different areas, unlock secrets or facilitate fights by interacting with the environment.

Other games

Murfy also makes brief appearances in many handheld Rayman games, such as Rayman 3 for the GBA and Rayman: Hoodlums' Revenge, in which he relates the games' instructions as before. In the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman Raving Rabbids, he is sent to help Rayman escape from his cell. He appears also in Rayman Kart for counting laps and putting unfortunate racers back on the track.

Cameos

• Although Murfy is in the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman Raving Rabbids as a guide, his face can also be seen painted on a target in the 'Shoot a Rabbid' minigame.
• The worms in the Rayman Raving Rabbids minigame 'Bunnies don't use toothpaste' resemble Murfy.
• In Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 and Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party, Murfy has the default third highest score on each minigame, scoring 6000 on each.
• In the Apple TV version of Rayman Adventures Murfy acts as a cursor (since there is no touch screen).
• The manual for the PlayStation version of Rayman 2 refers to the greenbottles that appear as "The Murfies" suggesting that Murfy is actually the name of his race, not him specifically. All other accounts contradict this.