Undergrunt

Undergrunt
Chronological information
First game	Super Mario Galaxy (2007)
Latest game	Super Mario 3D All-Stars (2020)
Game appearances	Super Mario Galaxy Super Mario Galaxy 2 Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Biological information
Subspecies	Undergrunt Gunner
Association
Related	Monty
Leader	Major Burrows
Game information
Defeated by	Ground Pound then Star Spin

Undergrunts (also simply referred to as Moles) are mole-like enemies first appearing in Super Mario Galaxy. These moles are typically seen digging beneath the ground leaving stoney dirt trails in their wake. Undergrunts wear helmets adorned in spikes making them susceptible to damage from above and are usually seen below the ground making hitting them rather difficult. Undergrunts are vulnerable to earthquakes and can be forced aboveground and then stunned by Ground Pounds and then from there, beaten with Star Spins, the Undergrunts are also known to constantly harass the Star Bunnies forcing Mario/Luigi to eliminate them to free the bunnies.

History

Super Mario Galaxy

Mario's encounter with an Undergrunt.

Undergrunts are first seen in Super Mario Galaxy. In this game, they can be found in the Gusty Garden Galaxy during the mission "The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows" where they are found digging up the Star Bunnies gardens. They are seen tunneling below the ground with only their helmets visible and cannot be attacked in this state (if they hit Mario/Luigi, they will briefly pop their heads out of the ground taunting him before burrowing back beneath the ground), Mario/Luigi must Ground Pound near an Undergrunt to force it aboveground rendering it dizzy and from here, the plumbers can Star Spin near one to finish it off for a Coin, typically, beating Undergrunts is required to advance onward. Undergrunts are later seen in the Gold Leaf Galaxy. A relative of the Undergrunt called the Monty also appears in several other galaxies. Undergrunt Gunners also appear in the game as bosses and mini-bosses piloting the Bubble Cannons and Cannons. The Undergrunts are lead by Major Burrows who appears as a boss in the Gusty Garden Galaxy.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Mario stuns the Undergrunts.

Undergrunts return in Super Mario Galaxy 2 where they retain their behavior from the previous game (tunneling beneath the ground leaving dirt trails in their wake) however this time, they're much more rare with only three appearing in the whole game, they are only seen in the Battle Belt Galaxy. Undergrunts can once again be beaten by Ground Pounding near them and the preforming a Star Spin to finish them off however this time, they leave behind three Star Bits instead of a Coin upon defeat. Undergrunt Gunners also return in this game this time as regular enemies. Major Burrows also makes a return in this game as one of the five returning bosses from the Boss Blitz Galaxy.

Trivia

• The Undergrunt's "defeat-reward" switching from a Coin in Super Mario Galaxy to three Star Bits in Super Mario Galaxy 2 is similar to the Jammyfish switching from a Coin to 10 Star Bits
  • In contrast, both are similar to how the Mandibug's "defeat-reward" was switched from three Star Bits to a Coin.
• Undergrunts are the first major mole species since the Monty Mole to appear in a mainstream Mario game. Despite this, Undergrunts are unrelated to Monty Moles and are just an entirely separate mole species.