- “Gulp, lunchtime!”
- —Ripto, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!
Gulp is one of Ripto's two minions, the other being Crush in the original Spyro series.
Personality
Gulp is a brutish yet fairly intelligent creature. He is extremely loyal to Ripto even when faced with abuse from him (we find out later this is because Ripto saved him from perishing in Molten Crater). In Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly and onward, he becomes capable of speech, but is not permitted to do so in the presence of his boss.
Abilities
Gulp can ingest certain objects and spit out its harmful qualities at his opponents, such as spewing out waves of green energy after devouring a metal barrel. When equipped with a metallic pack, he can launch homing energy spheres or fire rockets.
Story
History
Some time prior to the events of Ripto's Rage!, Gulp lived in Molten Crater, where he begged for work from Gnasty Gnorc. Being turned down by the Gnorc multiple times, he ended up eventually finding work under the evil mastermind that is Ripto.
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!
Gulp with Ripto and Crush in the Glimmer realm
A simple-minded creature with dreams of becoming a cook, Gulp joined Ripto in the hopes of gaining food, and was warped with his master to Avalar, where he acted as Ripto's steed, carrying him across the realms. He accidentally ate his master's scepter upon Spyro's arrival in Glimmer when Crush tried to hit a fairy named Zoe and accidentally whacked Ripto instead, and they are forced to retreat. When Ripto and Gulp took over Autumn Plains, Ripto tried to feed Zoe to Gulp, but Spyro arrived and defeated Gulp in the dungeon (Gulp's Overlook) of the castle at Autumn Plains.
During Ripto's boss battle, Ripto created a mechanical version of Gulp after Spyro gave him a beating a couple of times, and the robotic beast was later destroyed by the purple dragon.
In the epilogue of the original game, Gulp found a new life at the Society for the Protection of Abused Monsters (SPAM) petting zoo in Avalar, where he befriended a Gemcutter, a Hippo and a Baby Turtle.
Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly
Not long before the events of Enter the Dragonfly, Gulp rejoined Ripto's side. Unlike in Ripto's Rage!, he seems to be the less intelligent minion (which makes sense as the epilogue of Ripto's Rage! showed that Crush pursued higher learning). He may have only kept quiet under the orders of Ripto, who told him that he was "not hired for his brains." When Ripto learned from Crush that the Dragonflies have been scattered all over the Dragon Realms, Ripto took his anger out on his monsters by attacking them with a spell, sending them flying.
Other appearances
Spyro 2: Season of Flame
Gulp as seen in Spyro 2: Season of Flame
Gulp was tasked by Ripto to stop Spyro from going to Starry Plains, being equipped with impenetrable armor that was only susceptible to his own missiles but he still ended up being defeated by Spyro.
Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy
Gulp, along with Crush, appeared as bosses in the game.
Crash Team Rumble
Gulp makes a cameo in Crash Team Rumble as an epic relic station in the Artisans map.
Strategies
- Main article: Gulp's Overlook
Gallery
- Main article: Gulp/Gallery
Trivia
- Unlike Ripto and Crush, Gulp actually resembles a real dinosaur. He is commonly believed to be based off a ceratopsian such as a Triceratops, albeit one without a frill, a beak, and being a carnivore rather than an herbivore.
- During Gulp's boss battle, if you hit Ripto, you get a Skill Point. This is easier to do with the permanent super-flame power-up.
- In fact, the difficulty of Gulp's battle is completely removed when you have the permanent Superflame since the Superflame counts as an explosive, which hurt Gulp automatically. A similar case applies to Ripto, though Ripto is still able to attack you whereas if the player keeps firing at Gulp, he won't be able to attack.
- Also, with the permanent superflame, Gulp is somewhat easier to defeat than Crush. Once you hit Crush, this will trigger the normal effect as to when you normally flame him. With Gulp, however, he takes damage instantly after a blast of superflame.
- A skill point is earned if the player defeats Gulp without taking any hits. This is easier to do with the permanent super-flame power-up.
- During Gulp's boss battle, if you don't press any buttons when you enter the fight, including moving the joystick, Gulp will do nothing but look left and right. This also happens in almost every other boss battle in this game and Year of the Dragon, most likely so they wouldn't attack until you are ready.
- Gulp talked in Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly and Spyro 2: Season of Flame. Since Ripto did not hire them for their brains, it's assumed that Crush and Gulp were able to talk while in Avalar, but remained silent because they were not allowed to speak.
- As proven by dialogue in Season of Flame, Gulp appears to be third in command as when Crush gets defeated he hopes that makes him second in command.
- The sample used for the music in Gulp's Overlook can be heard in many different other pieces of media.
References
- ↑ Spyro 2: Season of Flame game manual, page 11
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