Overview
Ness and Paula meet face-to-facePaula is a playable character in the 1994 role-playing game EarthBound for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. She is one of the "chosen four" children that were prophesied by the Apple of Enlightenment to defeat Giygas and save Earth, and the second playable character to join Ness' party; Paula is also the only playable female character in EarthBound. Paula's parents own and operate Polestar Preschool out of their home in Twoson.
Paula's psychic abilities are public knowledge by the time EarthBound begins, and several NPCs in both Onett and Twoson refer to her "miraculous" powers in conversation. Paula's popularity may have played a factor in her kidnapping by Pokey Minch and Carpainter, the leader of the Happy-Happyist cult based in nearby Happy Happy Village. After defeating Captain Strong, Ness begins receiving telepathic messages in his dreams from Paula, asking him to rescue her. He arrives in Twoson and receives a tip about the kidnappers' location from Burglin Park boss Everdred after a quick battle. Ness makes his way to the cult's base and locates Paula locked inside a cabin, who gives him the protective Franklin Badge. This item deflects Carpainter's lethal lightning attacks, giving Ness the edge necessary to defeat the Happy-Happyist cult leader and release Paula from captivity.
The city of Fourside also proves to be dangerous for Paula later in the game, and she is kidnapped a second time while shopping at the Fourside Department Store's grand re-opening. Paula's new abductor turns out to be Geldegarde Monotoli, Fourside's wealthy and powerful mayor, who was acting under the evil influence of the Mani Mani Statue that he had stolen from Everdred. After a lengthy investigation, Ness and Jeff eventually locate Paula inside the Monotoli Building and secure her release from an apologetic Monotoli.
Gameplay
Paula equips frying pans as her primary weapons. Although physically weak, Paula is a master of offensive PSI abilities and typically has the largest pool of Psychic Points on the team. With a wide variety of tactical options for dealing PSI-based damage, Paula quickly becomes the party's primary PSI-user. Paula also learns PSI Shield, the only ability capable of blocking or reflecting PSI attacks.
Paula's special "Pray" command will generate a random effect during battle. These effects may be harmful or beneficial to either the party, the enemy, or both.
| Prayer | Effect |
|---|
| Dazzling Light (A) | Deals approximately 100 damage to a random enemy |
| Dazzling Light (B) | All enemies and allies begin to cry uncontrollably |
| Golden Light | Restores full HP to one random party member |
| Heaven-Rending Sound | All enemies and allies begin to feel strange |
| Heavy Air | Reduces all enemies' and allies' Defense by a few points |
| Mysterious Aroma | Puts all enemies and allies to sleep |
| Mysterious Light | Recovers a very small amount of all party members' PP |
| Very Subtle Light | Recovers approximately 5% of all party members' HP |
| Warm Light | Recovers approximately 10% of all party members' HP |
| Rainbow-Colored Light | Fully heals and revives all enemies and allies |
During the final battle against Giygas, Paula's Pray command becomes the key to Giygas' defeat; in fact, Pokey hints at the solution while he is taunting Ness. Giygas' attacks eventually become incomprehensibly powerful in the battle's final phase. At the same time, he also becomes invulnerable to the party's conventional attacks. With no other options, Paula begins to Pray, and her prayers are somehow heard by the many people throughout the world whose lives were touched by Ness and his friends. The people of Earth begin to pray for the safety of the party, and these prayers are reflected as increasing amounts of damage dealt to Giygas. Eventually even the player is called upon to pray; this deals the final blow to Giygas and ends the battle.
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