Baymax

Publication history

Created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau in their spare time while working on another project, Baymax was first intended to appear with the rest of Big Hero 6 in Alpha Flight #17 (December 1998). However, the team first appeared in their own self-titled three-issue miniseries by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Gus Vasquez, which due to scheduling issues, was published before Alpha Flight #17. The character appeared with the team in a subsequent five-issue miniseries which was launched by Marvel Comics in September 2008.

Fictional character biography

Monster Baymax began his existence as a science project created by Hiro. He was originally designed to be a hydro-powered robotic synthformer programmed to serve as Hiro's personal bodyguard, butler, and chauffeur. However, prior to the project's completion, Hiro's father died and the young inventor programmed Baymax's artificial intelligence using the brain engrams of his recently deceased father. With the thoughts and emotions of Hiro's father, Baymax became much more than a robotic bodyguard. He also functions as Hiro's best friend and father figure, and is by his side nearly every hour of every day. Baymax also feels a deep attachment to Hiro's mother; however, Hiro and Baymax decided it was not in her best interest to inform her that her departed husband's memories were used as the basis for Baymax's artificial intelligence, at least for the time being.

Baymax is programmed to serve and protect Hiro and therefore unable to allow his creator to be placed in possibly dangerous situations. When the Giri attempted to recruit Hiro into the fledgling super-team known as Big Hero 6, Baymax was also on their list of potential operatives. Baymax opposed the idea of Hiro being placed in harm's way but acquiesced to joining the team after the Everwraith, the astral embodiment of those killed in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, abducted Hiro's mother. Baymax continues to serve alongside Hiro on Big Hero 6.

Powers and abilities

Baymax is an artificial synthformer capable of synthtransing his body into various forms. His default form is a large humanoid male designed to be less conspicuous in public while attending to Hiro's daily needs. His other forms "Battle-Dragon" and "Action-Mecha", are significantly more powerful and imposing than his default humanoid form, and are primarily used during undercover missions and other hostile operations. When Baymax sustains physical injuries beyond his damage threshold, he automatically reverts to his humanoid form and becomes temporarily depowered.

In all forms, Baymax is equipped with internal scanners and sensors able to detect and evaluate the threat posed by lifeforms in the immediate vicinity. He can also deploy remote monitors to record events from afar. His feet are equipped with jet engines capable of generating a thrust sufficient to propel him at speeds up to Mach 4. He can send, receive, and intercept radio transmissions, and monitors all networks maintained by the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Baymax is also directly linked to Hiro's Core Cyber-Network (CCN). As a result, when Baymax is not in Hiro's vicinity, he can be immediately summoned via a wrist-mounted communication device. Baymax is also connected to Hiro's cybernetic glasses, so that everything that Hiro sees and hears while wearing the glasses is stored in Baymax's databanks for later reference and analysis.

Baymax is programmed with fighting techniques from several forms of combat, including karate, tae kwon do, Western boxing, and Wing Chun. He possesses a durable, polymantium endo/exoskeleton resistant to most forms of small ballistics. Baymax uses water as his primary source of power for locomotion. His artificial intelligence system is memory-card-based and contains thoughts and emotions of Hiro's deceased father Tomeo.

Reception

In 2020, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Baymax 4th in their "Marvel Comics: Ranking Every Member Of Big Hero 6 From Weakest To Most Powerful" list.

In other media

Disney adaptation

• Jordan Roberts
• Robert L. Baird
• Daniel Gerson Hugs (by Trina)

While battling Yokai, Hiro teaches Baymax to fight and gives him armor equipped with wings and detachable rocket fists. Baymax sacrifices himself to save Hiro and Yokai's daughter Abigail, but entrusts the former with his personality chip, enabling him to be transferred into a new body.

In Big Hero 6: The Series, Hiro builds several robots based on Baymax: Skymax drones who maintain the team's costumes, and Mini-Max (voiced by John Michael Higgins), who watches over Fred.

Baymax also appears as the protagonist in the Disney+ spin-off series Baymax!, where he is dedicated to helping several citizens of San Fransokyo.

Video games

• Baymax appears as a playable character in Disney Infinity 2.0 and Disney Infinity 3.0.
• Baymax appears as an unlockable playable character in Disney Magic Kingdoms.
• Baymax appears as a playable character in Disney Heroes: Battle Mode.
• The original and second Baymax appear as non-playable characters in Kingdom Hearts III, voiced by Scott Adsit in English and Tokuyoshi Kawashima in Japanese. Dark Riku resurrects the original Baymax and uses him to battle Big Hero 6, but Sora and the second Baymax defeat him, destroy the chip, and restore his original self.
• An alternate universe variant of Baymax appears as a playable character in Disney Mirrorverse.
• Baymax appears as an unlockable outfit in Fortnite.
• Baymax appears as a playable character in Disney Speedstorm.

Theme park attractions

Baymax appears in The Happy Ride with Baymax, a rotating car ride at Tokyo Disneyland.

Other appearances

Baymax makes cameo appearances in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) and Once Upon a Studio (2023), with Scott Adsit reprising his role in the latter.

In the COVID-19 pandemic

In mainland China, the term Baymax () or Dabai is used to refer to epidemic prevention personnel wearing white full-body protective suits. The term Dabai was used by official media as early as February 2020 to refer to epidemic prevention workers. The nickname comes from the public's intuitive description of the visual appearance of personnel dressed in white protective gear, which resembles Baymax*.* This nickname became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, frequently appearing in online discussions, media reports, and official statements. The number of short videos related to Dabai on platforms such as TikTok correlated with local outbreak severity and epidemic control efforts, peaking in the first half of 2022.

References

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