Salute to the Mid-Boss

We here at Raccoon Inc. have decided to dedicate tonight's post to an unsung hero not only of video games, but of life in general: the Mid-Boss.  You know, that half-way boss that's kinda tough, but seems too easy to be the end boss.  Well, that's who we're going to celebrate tonight.  So, strap yourself in and get ready for mid-thrills, mid-chills, and mid-entertainment.

The Classic Mid-Boss

Kids say the darndest things, don't they?

To start of our exercise this evening we will visit one of the more famous mid-bosses in recent history, and this really is a classic example.  Early on during the PS2 game Disgaea (the original in the series), you come across a demon named Vyers.  He considers himself the Dark Adonis, and he looks somewhat like a cross between an elf from WoW and Mark Wahlberg.  Fortunately, he hits more like Glass Joe than Irish Mickey Ward, which is good, cause he's the first boss type character you come across.  Laharl notices this fairly quickly and for that reason gives him the new name "Mid-Boss" to Vyers' horror.  And, to Vyers' continued horror, the name sticks throughout the rest of the game, even appearing in his name caption above the dialogue box.

This scene was well done and just flat-out hilarious, as was much of the rest of the game that spawned a whole series after it.  I think that a lot of the comedy of the game stemmed directly from its self-awareness.  The game knew what it was and had fun with it.  Enemies that were pushovers were not only treated as pushovers, but knew they were pushovers.  Most of the punch from the Vyers scene is because Vyers seems to be the only one who thinks that he's not about to get stomped by Leharl and friends.  Remember, it's only funny because they don't realize what's going on when it happens.

The Definition of a Mid-Boss

Mid-bosses mid-celebrating (note the facial expressions) a mid-moment of mid-triumph!

Now, the Mid-Boss need not be confined solely to the realm of the video game.  Why, in our own federal politics, there appears to be a near endless parade of Mid-Bosses just waiting to be trounced into the mud by Stephen Harper.  And really, that's the whole point of the Mid-Boss.  The Mid-Boss is an entity which provides resistance, but ultimately gets knocked over like a cheap tent in a stiff breeze.  You may not beat a Mid-Boss by just phoning it in, but with even just a little effort, they prove to be not much  of a challenge at all - much like Stéphane Dion.  Or Michael Ignatieff.  Or Bob Rae.  Or the next guy, most likely.  Well, I shouldn't rule out Rae or the next dude (or dudette) right out of hand like that, but the track record really isn't looking good at present.

And now we shall look at a few different types of Mid-Bosses, as they certainly do come in all shapes and sizes.

The Gimmick

Well, that didn't work out quite as planned, did it?  Mind you, 16 seconds into Round 1 was how long Dion lasted, too.

Now, some Mid-Bosses are Mid-Bosses because they have some form of gimmick that makes them super-duper tough unless you know this gimmick, and therefore great bodyguards.  Take our portly pugilist here.  King Hippo has this trick, you see?  You gotta bop him in the mush and then wail away on his bandaged up belly button.  If you try to beat him any other conventional way, you'll end up on the canvas right smartly.  And that, my friends, is a classic example of the gimmick based Mid-Boss.  Other Gimmickists include:

Ron Wilson - Gimmick: Sarcasm   Achilles Heel: Coaching Ability

Benny - Gimmicks: Fancy Suit and Matthew Perry   Achilles Heel: The Black Widow Perk

 The Toadie

Yes, few can put the "Toad" in "Toadie" quite like Draco can.

Another common form of Mid-Boss is the Toadie.  The Toadie is the style of Mid-Boss that is a right-hand-man or unwitting supporter of the main boss, but is usually perceived as an incompetent coward.  Draco, for example.  Is he an evil son of a gun?  Maybe, maybe not.  Is he a coward?  Hell yes!  Is he incompetent?  Because of his cowardice, yes.  Draco's a pretty good archetype for this type of Mid-Boss, but they do tend to be rather broad in rank, intelligence, and ability.  A few other good examples include:

You sure showed them, Ozzie!  With you around, Magus' Fortress is as safe as a submarine with a screen door.

World War II's Mid-Boss.  Fold like a cheap tent in a stiff breeze?  Check!

The Reverse Toadie

A Reverse Toadie if ever there was one.

Yet another form of Mid-Boss is the type where you think you're fighting the Boss, but it really turns out to just be the Toadie version of the Mid-Boss instead.  The real Boss is instead quietly pulling the strings from the sidelines while the Toadie steals all the spotlight.  Generally, the Reverse Toadie (aka. The Puppet) falls without much of a fight whatsoever, since the only time the Reverse Toadie is ever in a fight is when the Boss decides that the Reverse Toadie has outlived his usefulness and can now be safely fed to the wolves.  A couple good examples would be...

You know, everyone is a Reverse Toadie next to Good Ole Delita here.

Beneath that charming, zany Mid-Boss exterior lies the beating heart of the real Late Show Boss.

 
The Ultros

Yeah, the octopus has a TENTACLE and knows how to use it with grim consequences.

The Ultros is no Toadie, that's for sure. This type of Mid-Boss has two main characteristics: that they seem to pop up over and over again, and that they are in actuality quite formidable opponents.  These guys are no pushovers, unlike some of the previously mentioned Mid-Bosses.  They can be downright difficult if you're not careful.  The archetype for this is Ultros himself, from Final Fantasy VI.  You face him over and over again, and in most cases, his attacks pack a mean punch to them.  This is one of the most formidable forms of Mid-Bosses there are.

Where there's controversy there's twitter-holic Tony Clement: Mid-Boss to the stars.

Murderer's Row: the 1927 New York Yankees.  You know you're in trouble when Lou Gehrig is just the Mid-Boss.

Well, that's all the time we have for this evening.  We sincerely hope that tonight's entry has opened your eyes to the normally unseen, unnoticed, unappreciated world of the Mid-Boss.  And remember: the next time you come across a Mid-Boss in your travels, take a moment and let them know that they're appreciated.  Make them feel like the Big Boss for a day.