Papyrus

Overview

Papyrus is a major supporting character in Toby Fox's indie RPG Undertale, who also makes a cameo appearance in Deltarune. Living in the subterranean town of Snowdin alongside his older brother Sans, he is an ambitious and high-spirited skeleton. Driven by a desire for recognition and popularity, Papyrus strives to join the Royal Guard by capturing a human. Despite his loud bravado and lofty ambitions, he possesses an exceptionally pure heart and friendly demeanor, making him one of the story's most iconic figures.

Appearance

Papyrus is a tall, slender skeleton with long limbs and large vertical eye sockets that occasionally exhibit pupils during pronounced facial expressions. He maintains a constant wide smile. His signature outfit, which he calls his battle body, consists of a white chestplate featuring gold trim and a star-like emblem, paired with a flowing red cape, gold-trimmed red gloves, blue briefs, a gold belt, and tall red boots. When going on social outings with the protagonist, he wears an alternate stylish outfit.

Personality

Papyrus presents himself with dramatic flair and overwhelming confidence, speaking loudly and proudly of his own greatness. Beneath his theatrical exterior, however, lies an immensely kind, innocent, and optimistic soul devoid of malice. Unlike his laid-back brother Sans, he is diligent and neat, frequently keeping their household in order. He harbors a deep passion for designing puzzles and possesses unwavering optimism, retaining faith in the inherent goodness of others regardless of how hostile they act toward him.

Abilities

In combat, Papyrus attacks by sliding bone obstacles across the battle area. He possesses the ability to perform cyan and blue attacks, turning an opponent's soul blue to subject it to gravity and force them to jump to evade threats. Though capable of high combat capability—including an unused special attack involving a blaster—he refuses to inflict fatal damage. Should an opponent's health drop dangerously low, Papyrus halts his assault and confines them to a makeshift cell rather than destroying them.

Background

Papyrus and his brother Sans arrived in Snowdin prior to the events of the main story. Seeking to enter the Royal Guard, he persistently pursued training under Captain Undyne. When a human child arrives in the Underground, Papyrus attempts to capture them by deploying elaborate puzzles throughout Snowdin. However, his natural affection for the human quickly leads to friendship. After helping bring peace between humans and monsters, he fulfills his ambition of living on the surface world and driving a red convertible on the open road.

Relationships

Papyrus maintains a close bond with his older brother, Sans, often scolding him for his laziness and puns while relying on him to read bedtime stories. Undyne, the captain of the Royal Guard, serves as both his mentor and close friend; recognizing his gentle nature, she focuses his training on culinary arts rather than combat. He forms a warm friendship with the human protagonist after initially trying to capture them. Additionally, he receives advice from a talking flower named Flowey and openly admires the entertainer Mettaton.

Trivia

His name originates from the Papyrus font, which is used exclusively to display his dialogue in all-uppercase text. Although famous for cooking spaghetti for others, he has never actually eaten it himself; his true favorite foods include oatmeal with dinosaur eggs, corn and mayonnaise pizza, and apples. He avoids greasy foods under the belief that they cause hives, and uses mayonnaise as skull polish. His bedroom features a car-shaped bed, action figures, and children's storybooks.