The Marshes of Awakening

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Rayman passing the Swamp Monster
Rayman passing the Swamp Monster

The Marshes of Awakening is a location from Rayman 2: The Great Escape and its remakes, Rayman 2: Revolution and Rayman DS. It has a darker, more foreboding mood than other levels in the games.

Contents

[edit] Description

The Marshes of Awakening lie deep in the Marshlands, hidden in the exact opposite direction from the Bayou. The waters of the marsh are green with algae and lilypads, and are infested with piranhas, making swimming dangerous.

The Marshes have a strange connection to the dead and bad dreams; in fact, the swamp's name corresponds with the name of the nearby Cave of Bad Dreams, suggesting that the Cave is a nightmare and the Marshes are both the prelude and the finale of the nightmare. The Marshes in any case have a dark mood hanging over them and are haunted by Zombie Chickens.

The Marshes of Awakening are home to three elusive characters that only appear in the level all in the same game in Rayman 2: Revolution: Sssam the Snake, the Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams (absent in the PS version), and the Swamp Monster (Revolution only). Both Sssam and the Swamp Monster prowl the murky waters of the Marsh; the Guardian, on the other hand, sits in a cobweb-filled grotto guarding his cave.

According to a sign near the Cave of Bad Dreams, Admiral Razorbeard believed that at some point during his reign, the Marshes would be a particular tourism location. Razorbeard warns on the sign that the road leading to the Guardian is uncharted and therefore dangerous. This explains the lack of Robo-Pirates in the Cave of Bad Dreams.

Large lily pads, bridges, and tree roots are the only pieces of solid footing throughout most of the marsh. Without a boat or some other way of water transportation, it is impossible to get from one side of the marsh to the other.

[edit] As a Level

[edit] Before the Level

It is confirmed by Sssam the Snake that, while Rayman fell into the Forest of Light in the beginning of the game, Globox landed in the Marshes of Awakening. However, he was apprehended by Robo-Pirates and was carried off to the Canopy, Sssam being locked in a cage in the process.

[edit] Water Skiing

After climbing over a rope fence, Rayman discovers a cage floating in the water. Inside the cage is Sssam the Snake. Rayman asks Sssam whether he knows where the Four Masks of Polokus are; however, Sssam doesn't know what Rayman is talking about. Rayman then asks if Sssam had seen Globox; Sssam nods and says that the Robo-Pirates carried Globox across the marshes. Sssam then offers to take Rayman across the Marshes too, and Rayman agrees.

By grabbing onto Sssam's scarf a la Purple Lum style, Rayman is able to hang on to Sssam's fast body as the snake speeds through the swamp. The remainder of the level simply requires Rayman to hold onto Sssam; if Rayman hits anything or if the connection between the two is cut, Rayman sinks into the marshes and must start over again.

During the first segment, Rayman has in most versions very little enemies to dodge other than piranhas, Zombie Chickens, and a pendulum. However, as in Revolution the Marshes are the sixth level instead of the third, the difficulty of the ride is increased via the addition of the Swamp Monster. At multiple points in Rayman's ride through the marshes, the Swamp Monster stalks Rayman through the water and then bursts out occasionally (similar to Blargg and Nep-Enut from the Yoshi game series).

The second segment calls in the return of the Robo-Pirates. Rayman must leap over and dive under bombs hovering directly above the water while weaving around wooden poles. Near the very end of the level, a single Robo-Pirate sits atop a fishing boat; unable to fight back, Rayman must dodge the boat and the laser blasts.

[edit] A Sad Farewell

Winding up the Marshes of Awakening, Rayman arrives at a patch of land near a crashed fishing boat. Scrambling onto land, Rayman says farewell to Sssam, who is not at all happy to say good-bye. Sssam ends his trip as the game hints at Rayman needing to return to the Marshes later in the game, as Sssam requests Rayman return soon. In all versions other than Revolution, this is the end of the level.

[edit] The Return Visit

[edit] Rayman 2

In all versions other than Revolution and the PS version of Rayman 2, Rayman must enter the Marshes a second time after meeting Clark in the Menhir Hills. Clark, in need of the Elixir of Life, requested Rayman to seek out the Cave of Bad Dreams hidden in the Marshes. At the Marshes entrance, Rayman must take a side trail up a tree root and into a hidden grotto off-limits to Robo-Pirates. Here, Rayman encounters the Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams. Though the Guardian denied Rayman entry before the Menhir Hills encounter, the Guardian teleports him to the undead realm of nightmares.

After completing the Cave of Bad Dreams, Rayman is warped back to the grotto. He then has the option of paying Sssam a visit and racing through the Marshes (therefore securing the Yellow Lums found on the trail towards the Cave) or taking the entry portal back to the Hall of Doors.

[edit] Revolution

In Rayman 2: Revolution, the Marshes of Awakening is an optional level at first, and Rayman is able to pass the Marshes and swing straight to the Bayou. It only becomes a required level following the encounter with Clark in the Menhir Hills.

Instead of hiding at the entry of the marshes, the Cave of Bad Dreams is hidden beyond the fishing boat wreckage at the end of Sssam's journey. Upon accessing the grotto, however, Revolution returns once again to Rayman 2's storyline.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Good Guys

[edit] Neutral

[edit] Enemies

[edit] See Also

[edit] Level Details

[edit] Rayman 2/Rayman DS

The Fairy Glade => Marshes of Awakening => The Bayou
Menhir Hills -> Marshes of Awakening -> Cave of Bad Dreams

  • Level Type: Swamp
  • Number of Lums: 50
  • Number of Cages: 4

[edit] Revolution

Menhir Hills => Marshes of Awakening => Cave of Bad Dreams

[edit] PS Version

The Fairy Glade => Marshes of Awakening => The Bayou

  • Level Type: Swamp
  • Number of Lums: 35
  • Number of Murphys: 2
Retrieved from "http://www.raymanpc.com/wiki/en/The_Marshes_of_Awakening"
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