Mao Mao

"I'm gonna be a LEGEND!" Mao Mao Mao (usually referred to as Mao Mao) is the main protagonist and titular character of Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart.

Appearance
Mao Mao is a furry cat with narrow green eyes and black fur, with two whiskers sticking out from the side of his head. He wears a red cape along with a red sash on his waist, crimson gloves, and leg protectors.

Personality
Mao Mao is energetic and outgoing. He tends to look for adventure and people who need assistance. Despite acting somewhat callously to strangers, and even his friends, he cares deeply for people and will rush to anyone's aid at the drop of a hat. He follows a very strong moral compass, and is willing to give up his own aspirations in order to do what is right.

Mao Mao has his own views on what makes a hero, to which he acts out and usually puts the town in danger. In "Mao Mao's Bike Adventure", he underestimates the Sky Pirates, to which he insists that a hero is never wrong. In "Sick Mao", he tries to continue his duty as a sheriff despite suffering from a severe cold, saying that being sick makes you weak, and heroes are never weak, which ends up afflicting his friends.

Mao Mao appears to be averse to physical affection, only dishing it out himself on rare occasions, but seems to begrudgingly accept it from others (mainly Badgerclops).

Mao Mao suffered childhood neglect from his father Shin Mao and possibly his sisters, which has caused an incessant need for him to be a "legendary hero" like they are. Mao Mao constantly tries to find ways to rise to their ranks and gain his family's respect.

Mao Mao tends to exaggerate and be overly dramatic when he reminisces upon his adventures, or legendary related things. These can vary from slight alterations to completely distorting the truth of what actually happened, specifically if it is something related to his feelings like in "Bao Bao's Revenge".

Mao Mao tends become frustrated easily. When things do not go as planned, he shouts in a booming voice, usually out of bottled frustration and anger.

Skills

 * Golden Truth Form: In "Sugar Berry Fever", Mao Mao briefly enters this state after surpassing his trauma with cobbler. This form covers him in golden energy and enhances his physical abilities. Mao Mao claims that the transformation wasn't something he could repeat on a regular basis, as it was derived from "years of pent-up desire".
 * Energy Punch: Mao Mao can release the Golden Truth Form's energy in a powerful punch, which causes a golden energy blast. Apparently, the Energy Punch drains him of the form's energy, thus making him return to a normal state.


 * Swordsmanship: Mao Mao is a highly skilled swordsman who wields his katana Geraldine as his main weapon.


 * Immense Strength: Even as a teenager, Mao Mao was capable of supporting weights up to 30 tons. As an adult, he's displayed enough strength to briefly lift the rock monster seen in "Breakup" off his body, albeit with heavy strain.


 * Incredible Speed: Mao Mao is capable of moving at superhuman speeds in excess of 50 mph, a trait he frequently uses to his advantage when in combat. His running skill greatly weakens when flustered, however, as shown in "Not Impressed".


 * Piloting: Mao Mao has demonstrated great control over his Aerocycle.


 * Mold Casting: Mao Mao carries an emergency bag of plaster, with a trowel included, and can make casts of whatever he sees fit (e.g. King Snugglemagne's foot), and a full body cast of himself.


 * Disguise:  Mao Mao has a wardrobe full of convincing disguises of various characters (even characters much smaller than him, such as Adorabat and Chubbum), which he uses masterfully for both tricking enemies and for his own personal gain.


 * Vocal Mimicry: In addition to his talent of disguise, Mao Mao is an excellent voice impersonator and can perfectly mimic others' voices after practice. Mao Mao first used this ability in "Not Impressed", while wearing a Chubbum costume to impress Ol' Blue. He used it again in "Outfoxed" when he was wearing an Adorabat costume to catch Rufus and Reggie in the act of their scams.


 * Stealth: Mao Mao's pitch-black fur allows him to perfectly blend into dark environments when not wearing his traditional red clothing.
 * Item Storage: Mao Mao hide and carry objects by eating them and regurgitating them later, a skill he uses mainly to store his binoculars. He doesn't have control of which object he'll regurgitate, as shown in "Perfect Couple" where he regurgitated a pair of sunglasses and a book while trying of pull out his binoculars.

Equipment

 * Geraldine: Geraldine is Mao Mao's golden katana, which is his main weapon. Mao Mao received Geraldine from his father when he was a child after he asked for a weapon, seeing his sisters receive theirs. Adorabat wanted to call the weapon Goldie Chops.


 * Lunar Lash: A powerful attack in which the katana glows. The attack appears to gather light energy inside the katana and then release the energy into the opponent. It is capable of slicing the Shadow Dragon in two with a single slash.

Team Moves
Mao Mao can use several special moves with the assistance of at least one of his companions.

With Badgerclops

 * Whiplash: Badgerclops grabs Mao Mao and extends his arm, allowing Mao Mao to make a wide-ranged slash with his sword.


 * Ice Slash: Badgerclops covers Mao Mao's sword with a freezing beam. The resulting sword slash can freeze a wide perimeter.


 * Flying Squirrel: Badgerclops uses his air fan so Mao Mao can use his cape as a glider and reach a high altitude.


 * Top Cat: Badgerclops causes Mao Mao to spin like a top, allowing Mao Mao to make a continuous circular cut.


 * Double Punch: The duo throw a synchronized punch.


 * In "Breakup", Mao Mao and Badgerclops used a plethora of combo attacks, some of them seemingly being jokes, including Cartwheel Attack, Rock-A-Bye Baby, Electric Leapfrog, and others.

With Badgerclops and Adorabat

 * Piggyback Blaster: Badgerclops deploys a triple cannon tower which requires each individual to fire.

With Bao Bao

 * Bone Catch:  Mao Mao throws a bone, Bao Bao goes for it in a rush, hitting everything in his path.

Weakness
Mao Mao's main weakness is his reckless behavior, which can endanger himself and others.

Badgerclops
Badgerclops is Mao Mao's best friend. They travel everywhere together, and share good chemistry with each other. While Mao Mao can be impulsive, Badgerclops acts more as his voice of reason, encouraging him to relax and take breaks. However, sometimes these roles are reversed, as Badgerclops can sometimes be excessively lazy or selfish and require Mao Mao to be the voice of reason in the situation.

Badgerclops and Mao Mao have a very good relationship overall. Sometimes it is strained though they always work through their problems out by the end of the episode. They are always there to balance each other out and they are always there for each other.

Adorabat
Adorabat is Mao Mao's deputy. Mao Mao met Adorabat in Pure Heart Valley, and they became quick friends due to Adorabat's near immediate respect and admiration for him. Mao Mao acts as her mentor, and they share a close relationship similar to one between a father and a daughter.

Bao Bao
Mao Mao met and befriended Bao Bao when he was five years old, as shown in "Lonely Kid". He used to dislike Bao Bao but later grew fond of the dog. He used to be Mao Mao’s partner before Badgerclops. They used to share a close bond with one another but after Bao Bao's "betrayal" (which turns out to be unintentional), Mao Mao holds a grudge towards him. However, after "Bao Bao's Revenge", Mao Mao decides to forgive and be friends with Bao Bao again, only for Bao Bao to be distracted and leave him yet again afterwards. During the events of "Baost In Show", Mao Mao is initially begrudged to Bao Bao for seemingly choosing King Snugglemagne over him, bur soon realizes that Bao Bao wishes to be a free dog and allows him to depart once again.

Shin Mao
Shin Mao is Mao Mao's father, though it is implied that they have a strident relationship. When Mao Mao was still young, He always admired and looking for praise from his father by showing off his combat skills. However, Shin Mao neglected son and only focused on his five older sisters. His ignorance was not an ordinary situation, as he apparently forgot Mao Mao's name and called him Moo Moo once. Fortunately, Mao Mao still cares about Shin Mao, despite being ignored. In the episode titled "Small", Mao Mao finally gets a chance to prove himself to his father after he was defeated by a monster he was fighting, and is revealed to be smaller than Mao Mao without his armor. After Mao Mao defeated the monster on his own, his father finally gives him the recognition he desired.

Sisters
Mao Mao has five older sisters: Brunhilde, Minori, and three others who have yet to be named. They are all physically larger than he is (although by how much is debatable, as we have not seen the sisters in the present), and whom Mao Mao recalls as having mocked him in his youth. According to Mao Mao, "[they] are all well on their way to becoming legends", and Mao Mao desires to prove himself worthy to be counted among them. The fact that his sisters got more attention from their father Shin Mao is a chip on Mao Mao's shoulder, but he doesn't seem to resent his sisters as a result.

Mother
The exact nature of Mao Mao's relationship with his mother is currently unknown, but she called her son in "Small" to inform him that his father was going to visit him at her request. In "Lonely Kid" in the flashback Mao Mao openly exclaims he wished that she was here in that moment.

Orangusnake
Prior to the events of the show, Mao Mao and Bao Bao defeated Coby and Tanner before they became Orangusnake, as seen in the flashback in "Orangusnake Begins", which has caused Orangusnake to hold a grudge against Mao Mao. Mao Mao and Orangusnake became archenemies when him and the rest of the Sky Pirates attempted to steal the Ruby Pure Heart from the Pure Heart Valley in "I Love You Mao Mao".

Rufus and Reggie
Mao Mao first met Rufus during the events of "Outfoxed" during "Takesgiving", which was a fake holiday created by Rufus and Reggie in order to steal the Sweetypies' possessions. However, Mao Mao saw through their deception. Mao Mao disguises himself as Adorabat to prove to Adorabat that Rufus and Reggie were con men, succeeding in his plan.

Tanya Keys
Mao Mao used to be partners and friends with Tanya Keys, but the two parted ways because of their differences, with Mao Mao's law-abiding nature conflicting with Tanya's disregard for authority. By the end of "Meet Tanya Keys", the two seem to have reconciled, at least, to a degree. Throughout the episode, Mao Mao even gets flustered a few times when Tanya teases him, and tells Adorabat that "adult relationships are complicated", hinting that their relationship is complex and may have romantic sentiments, not necessarily just friendship.

King Snugglemange
Mao Mao is very loyal to the king being very respectful to the ruler calling him "my liege". Mao Mao tends to go to great lengths to serve Snugglemagne even in the most minuscule of tasks. Although Mao Mao respects Snugglemagne as a king and ruler, he does not seem to like him as a person, as he is aware of the king's ego and competitive streak. In "He's the Sheriff", he tried all manner of tactics to get rid of the king, knowing well enough that the king was a bad deputy for the job. In "Meet Tanya Keys", Mao Mao decides to let Snugglemagne deal with a mayonnaise-covered Pinky so that he can save Badgerclops from Tanya Keys. The episode "Baost in Show" was the first time in which the two characters were in actual conflict with each other, both competing over the ownership of Bao Bao. In "Fright Wig", Mao Mao decides to let Badgerclops use "exposure therapy" on Snugglemagne in an attempt to learn Snugglemagne's "secret".

Trivia

 * Mao Mao is his first name, and his surname is Mao. Therefore, his full name is Mao Mao Mao.
 * "Mao" also means "cat" (猫 = Māo) in Mandarin.
 * So, his name basically means Cat Cat Cat.
 * He is known to snore when he sleeps, and the sound of his snore is very similar to the pronunciation of his own name.
 * In "Ultraclops" he doesn't understand the expression "step on like a shoe", most likely because neither he, nor any other character in the series wears shoes.
 * In "Bao Bao's Revenge", it is revealed that he lost his tail after it got crushed by a boulder.
 * Mao Mao currently sleeps on the bottom bunk of his bed after relinquishing the top bunk to Badgerclops in the episode "Ultraclops".
 * Possibly due to the neglect his father gave him due to being preoccupied and focused on Mao Mao's sisters, as revealed in "Not Impressed", and the fact that he forgot Mao's real name during the ceremony, calling him "Moo Moo", Mao Mao may have developed Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD), a disorder in which someone craves constant attention/praise as an result of lack of attention or love from a parent.
 * Mao Mao is left-handed, but trained ambidextrous, as seen in "Outfoxed" when he was explaining his successful plan to Rufus, and as confirmed by creator Parker Simmons.
 * He is similar to Robin from Teen Titans Go!:
 * Both have anger.
 * Both tend to be heroes.
 * Both tend to be bossy.
 * Although Mao Mao's revamped appearance in "Popularity Conquest" is based on that of the titular character from Steven Universe (another Cartoon Network show), his outfit is officially called New Mao Mao™.
 * His palette is based on that of Link at the end of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: red and green with a golden sword.
 * In "Mao Mao's Nakey", it is shown that he is greatly attached to his clothes because he considers them as an acknowledgement from his father Shin Mao.
 * In Mao Mao’s Golden Truth Form, he finishes the giant monster off in a fashion similar to Persona 5’s “All Out Attack”.
 * Mao Mao is fanatic of Lucky Ducky, and he has so much pride in it that he has several merchandise of it:
 * A light cyan polo shirt that he first wears in "Orangusnake Begins".
 * A stamp on a side of his Aero-cycle.
 * An old mug shown in "Fright Wig" (until Adorabat and Badgerclops break it).
 * A collection of coins. (Several of them were, ironically, melted when Adorabat and Badgerclops make a new mug as an apology and a replacement for breaking the old one)
 * He is revealed to have Pupaphobia when it comes to ventriloquist's dummies in "Scared of Puppets".
 * In The Perfect Adventure when Mao Mao states that every perfect adventure had a "Big fat reward", a The Master Sword can be seen, a reference The Legend of Zelda.
 * According to Parker Simmons, Mao Mao was born on a Waturday, the show's in-universe equivalent of a Saturday.
 * Parker Simmons has stated that Mao Mao is a fan of avocados.
 * Parker has also stated that Mao Mao likes pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives on his pizza.

Chronology
Mao Mao Mao Mao pt-br:Mao Mao