Overview
Zubaz (typically referred to as The Baz) is an oft-unemployed, highly emotional warrior with the ability to command lightning. His character design is based on Bullfighter, a rejected character design found in concept art for Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. In 2011, hosts Matthew Kowalewski and Woolie Madden of the Machinima YouTube series Fighterpedia (and later of Super Best Friends Play) took note of the rejected character and began using him as a running joke. Eventually, the group and its fans began backing Kickstarter campaigns which allowed backers to submit characters, in hopes of making The Baz a playable character in various games.
The first game to feature "The Baz" was Divekick. Playing on the character's lack of his own game, in Divekick he attempts to join the Divekick Circuit after being rejected from every other fighting competition. This narrative remains throughout the majority of The Baz's appearances in games, with Baz hoping to join the Order of No Quarter in Shovel Knight and lamenting his lack of a home even when winning matches in Petal Crash. Some of his appearances even go as far as to characterize him as homeless, with the funding campaign to bring The Baz to Petal Crash describing him as "a video game hobo."
His abilities tend to vary from game to game, however his moves always revolve around lightning and whip-use, rarely employing other tactics. In Divekick, the majority of his attacks do no damage, instead relying on a lightning trail following behind him. In many of his appearances, he attacks sparingly with his whip, instead using it to swing himself from hanging objects.
He is also referenced in a number of games without directly appearing in them, such as in a palette swap for Beowulf in Skullgirls, as Zubug on a plaque in Hollow Knight, and through "Baz's Whip", an item in One Step From Eden.
Log in to comment