Guardener

Guardener is the miniboss of the Steamworks, encountered in the Greenhouse. She is a malfunctioning protector of the Greenhouse who glitches out and attacks Clover in the Neutral and Pacifist Routes.

Profile

Appearance

Guardener is a tall purple robot with large pistons for arms, red eyes, and a Delta Rune on her torso. She has a wide cylinder on her head that gives the appearance of a hat. She is evidently quite old, as shown by overgrown plants on top of her hat.

Personality

Guardener was built to take care of the Greenhouse and ensure the power plants it grows stay controlled. She prioritizes her job over anything else. Upon finding one of the flowers squished, she first labels Clover as a level 3 threat and politely asks them not to do it again. However, she glitches and quickly escalates the situation to a level 10 offense, attempting to execute them immediately. Guardener is not very social, as when Lil Bot 2 asked to be called "just to hang out," they were met with silence.

However, Guardener is also kind, as shown when Lil Bot 3 had arrived late she gave them a flower as consolation, allowing them to still attack. Once calmed down, she is completely passive, to the point where if Clover kills her, she assumes she must deserve it and does not seek repairs.

If she is spared, after figuring out the Steamworks has shut down, she expresses regret over ever waking up and her lack of desire to see what the world is like now.

Etymology

Guardener's name is a combination of the words "guard" and "gardener", as she executes the job of a gardener by tending to the plants for controlling their growth and also of a guard by protecting the flora from possible threats.

Main Story

History

Guardener was constructed to take care of the Greenhouse flowers in lieu of having a team of monsters. The model that Clover fights is Guardener Model 02.

Neutral/Pacifist Route

Guardener's body if killed on a Neutral Route.

Guardener ambushes Clover (and Ceroba Ketsukane in the Pacifist Route) when they are leaving the Greenhouse. The path forward forces Clover to trample a flower to proceed. This awakens Guardener, who tries to report them to staff for a level 3 offense, but malfunctions and accidentally reports it as a level 10, which is punished by extermination. If Clover spares her, Guardener tries and fails to correctly report the offense as a level 3 and contact her creator or the head office. When she realizes the current state of the area, she expresses her regret for coming out to see she is no longer needed and goes back into hibernation. If she is killed, she cannot remember why Clover attacked her but assumes they were in the right to do so.

In the credits of the True Pacifist ending, while the Lil Bots are still active, she does not appear.

Genocide Route

When Clover gets to Guardener, she is in the middle of talking to Axis. He tells her to stay put in order to protect herself. When she sees Clover, she quickly hides back into the ground and her fight is skipped.

In Battle

During Guardener's battle, she will ensnare Clover in white vines, blocking the FIGHT, ACT, ITEM, and MERCY buttons. They can be released by pressing each of them three times, which will spend a turn each time.

Attacks

Phase 1:

• Guardener releases 3 piston arms. One on the right side of the bullet board, then one from the top descends quickly, before retreating and one from the bottom quickly rises.
• A single piston is released horizontally, followed by 4 plants that shoot a pellet upwards.
• A single plant buds, followed by three pistons that progressively get lower from the top of the bullet box. The plant does not damage the SOUL.
• A gear in the corner will repeatedly shoots pellets from every direction.
• A gear slides into the middle of the bullet box. It spawns walls that spin in one direction, before quickly switching to the other direction.
• A gear slides into a corner of the battle box before a piston crushes it, making the gear explode into large fragments. This repeats several times.
• Three plants grow from each side and shoot a single bullet to the other side. They grow first the bottom, then the right, then the top, then the left.
• Two helper robots are summoned. The one on the right (Lil Bot 2) shoots cannonball that break on the left's (Lil Bot 1) shield and turns into three fragments.
• The helper robots throw an assortment of items like axes, swords, and cement bricks.

Phase 2:

• Two pistons from the top-left and bottom-right will shoot upwards. If the SOUL is closer to Lil Bot 1, they shoot arrows, while if it is closer to Lil Bot 2, they shoot balls which will fragment if they hit the pistons.
• A random attack from phase 1 is used.
• Lil Bot 3 appears after the other two robots have left. They appear on the left-side of the bullet box and aim at the SOUL with a gun. They have laser sight on that shows where they are aiming.
• The two robots return and throw grenades and dynamite which explode a moment after entering the bullet box.

Strategy

Clover needs to release all 4 buttons to be able to use their 3 ACTs. Clover is then able to spare Guardener by using Plead 5 times to fully lower their offense level. Freeing the ITEM button first is advisable, as it allows Clover to use healing items.

In phase 1, Guardener goes through her list of attacks in order. After the list is exhausted, a random one is picked every turn. In phase 2, Guardener goes through her new attacks in order. After the list is exhausted, a random one from phase 1 is picked every turn. From turn 7 of phase 2 onwards, the same random attack is used every turn.

On the turn that all menus are freed, the two piston attack with Lil Bots 1 and 2 will start. It is easier to dodge in the top-left, as Lil Bot 2 does not shoot if a piston blocks them, while both Lil Bots will attack in the bottom-right.

Flavor Text

• Guardener ensnares you! [Encounter, Neutral Route]
• Traps offenders for easy apprehension. [Check]
• Should take her rage down a few notches. [Check, after freeing menus]
• White spores swirl through the air. [Neutral]
• Guardener slams her arms into the floor in agitation. [Neutral]
• A great hostility is blossoming! [Neutral, before freeing menus]
• Smells like lawnmower clippings. [Neutral, before freeing menus]
• Guardener looks down upon you, twitching slightly. [Neutral, before freeing menus]
• Guardener waters your cage. [Neutral, before freeing menus]
• You're starting to think you've had your fill of plants. [Neutral, after freeing menus]
• Guardener gives it all she's got! [Neutral, after freeing menus]
• Guardener twitches at an alarming rate. This can't be good for her. [Neutral, after freeing menus]
• Vines weave in and out of the ground all around you. [Neutral, after freeing menus]
• You pick some flowers and offer them. Guardener is too distracted. [Gather]
• You plead with Guardener and it seems to have an effect. Offense level lowered! [Plead once]
• You try to convince Guardener to stop fighting. Offense level lowered! [Plead twice]
• You tell Guardener that this is a misunderstanding. Offense level lowered! [Plead three times]
• You ask Guardener to think about what she's doing. Offense level lowered! [Plead four times]
• You use rationale in hopes of de-escalating the situation. Offense level lowered! [Plead five times]
• You criticize Guardener for bugging out and attacking you. This does not help anyone. [Antagonize]
• Guardener cools down as steams seeps from her arms. [Spare conditions met]
• You wriggle within your confines. The FIGHT vines weakened! [Unused ACT #1]
• You wriggle within your confines. The ITEM vines weakened! [Unused ACT #2]
• You wriggle within your confines. The MERCY vines weakened! [Unused ACT #3]

Quotes

Pre-Battle

Neutral Route

• I...
• AM...
• AWAKE.
• GUARDENER - MODEL 02 -_ ST_ATUS, D_MAGED. .   .
• OH, HE-HELLO THERE.
• WAS IT YOU WHO DISTURBED THE FLOR-A? ?
• I ASK YOU TO PLEASE HAVE MORE _RESPECT.
• BU-T DO NOT WORRY. _
• SEEING T;HAT YOU ARE SO Y-Y-OUNG, IT IS FORGI>ABLE.
• I WILL REPORT THE_INCIDENT AS A LEVEL 3-03--__4LLEE
• EV-EL 10 OFFENSE.
• LEVEL 10 MEANS - THE TERMINATION OF THE TRAMPLER.
• FAREWELL.

Pacifist Route

• [Ceroba] What was that?
• I...
• AM...
• AWAKE.
• GUARDENER - MODEL 02 -_ ST_ATUS, D_MAGED. .   .
• OH, HE-HELLO THERE.
• WAS IT YOU WHO DISTURBED THE FLOR A? ?
• I ASK YOU TO PLEASE HAVE MORE _RESPECT.
• [Ceroba] Um, we apologize. Won't happen again.
• DO NOT WORRY. _
• SEEING T;HAT THE CHILD IS SO Y-Y-OUNG, IT IS FORGI>ABLE.
• I WILL REPORT THE_INCIDENT AS A LEVEL 3-03--__4LLEE
• EV-EL 10 OFFENSE.
• LEVEL 10 MEANS - THE TERMINATION OF THE TRAMPLER.
• [Ceroba] Hold on!
• FAREWELL.

Genocide Route (Fight is skipped)

• [Axis] ST4Y pUT, OK?
• [Axis] YoUR'E s-SAFE.

Battle

• [First turn]
  • I HAVE INCAPACITATED YOUR OPTIONS.
  • I ASK YOU COOPERATE WITH ME.
• ACCEPT YOUR OFFENSE, TRAMPLER. [Second turn]
• [Third turn]
  • YOU MUST LEARN THAT PLANTLIFE IS IMPORTANT.
  • MORE IMPORTANT_ THA;N Y0U. /
• IF YOU DO NOT YIELD, I WILL CALL FOR BACKUP. [Fourth turn]
• [Fifth turn]
  • YOU ARE A HANDFUL.
  • I AM GOING TO COUNT TO 3.
• 1... [Sixth turn]
• [Seventh turn]
  • 2...
  • NOT BLUFFING.
• [Eighth turn]
  • 3.
  • [CALLING BACKUP_]
  • [Lil Bot 1] you called for help, guardener?
  • CORRECT.
  • THIS TRAMPLER DOES NOT VALUE THE GREENHOUSE.
  • [Lil Bot 2] what is the offense level, miss?
  • 10 - TERMINATION.
  • [Lil Bot 1] level 10!?
  • [Lil Bot 1] i mean, of course!
  • [Lil Bot 2] we are sorry, offender.
  • [Lil Bot 2] guardener says you deserve termination.
  • THEY KNOW. I JUST SAID THAT.
  • [Lil Bot 1] sooo...
  • ATTACK.
  • [Lil Bot 1] right.
• _KEEP IT UP_< [Ninth turn]
• PLEASE/ STAY IN Y0UR_CONFINES ! [Tenth turn, and every subsequent turn until menus are freed]
• [When menus are freed]
  • CLEVERLY DONE.
  • YOU HAVE GAINED MY RESPECT.
  • BUT YOU HAVE NOT GAINED MY MERCY.
  • BOTS, _ATTACK.
• [End of first attack after freeing menus]
  • ADEQUATE JOB.
  • THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
  • [Lil Bot 1] no problem, guardener.
  • [Lil Bot 2] yeah, give us a call anytime.
  • [Lil Bot 2] even just to hang out or smth.
  • ...
  • [Lil Bot 2] or not, it's nbd.
• [Second turn after freeing menus]
  • JUST YOU AND I AGAIN.
  • IT IS TOO BAD I CANNOT GROW TIRED.
  • FOR YOU, THAT IS.
• [Third turn after freeing menus]
  • [Lil Bot 3] i'm here for the attack!
  • OH. YOU MISSED IT.
  • [Lil Bot 3] seriously? maaan.
  • HEY, IT IS OK.
  • HERE, A FLOWER TO CHEER YOU UP.
  • [Lil Bot 3] yoo thanks
  • [Lil Bot 3] mind if i attack a little?
  • BY ALL MEANS.
• [Fourth turn after freeing menus]
  • STILL STANDING?
  • YOU ARE RATHER UPSETTING.
• [Fifth turn after freeing menus]
  • JUST WAIT UNTIL MY CREATOR HEARS ABOUT THIS.
  • YOU WILL GET A LONG LECTURE.
  • A LECTURE MORE PAINFUL THAN ANYTHING I AM DOING.
  • TRUE TORTURE.
• [Sixth turn after freeing menus]
  • AFTER THAT, THE HEAD OFFICE WILL GIVE YOU AN AWARD:
  • "EXCELLENCE IN RUINING GUARDENER'S DAY"
  • DESERVED.
• [GIVE_IN, 0_ALREADY// . .. [Seventh turn and onwards after freeing menus]
• [Plead five times]
  • WAIT-
  • YOU- Y0U / _I. ..
  • [>/0FFENSE LEVEL LOWERED_]
  • . . .
  • OH.
  • WHAT HAPPENED?
  • THERE S_SEEMS TO BE A GAP IN MY MEMORY CORE.
  • I AM SORRY.
• [Fatally Hit, any turn]
  • BZstzZ;Z t_T //98 .. -
  • [CRITICAL MEMORY ERROR]
  • . . .
  • ;TRAMPLED_ FLOWERS . . .
  • . . .
  • I CANNOT RECALL/ WHAT HA-S TRANSPIRED _
  • IF_MY BOTANICAL C0NDUCT WAS /UNSATISFACTORY. . .
  • . . .
  • NO.. . I WILL N/NoT MAKE EXCUSES_
  • I_MUST DESERVE THIS. .. .
  • [SYSTEM FAILING. SEEK REPAIRS IMMEDIATELY]
  • . . .
  • I SUP-POSE Y0U F/EEL DIFF3RENTLY BUT TO ME.. .
  • THE GARDEN_ . .
  • IT IS. .. BEAUTIFUL.

With Ceroba

• [Entering fight]
  • [Ceroba] Ack!
  • [Ceroba] I'm stuck, Clover!
  • [Ceroba] We need to find a way out of this! Fast!
• [Eighth turn]
  • [Ceroba] This is only getting worse!
  • [Ceroba] Don't stop your efforts to free us!
• [After freeing menus]
  • [Ceroba] Way to go!
  • [Ceroba] I'll do what I can to help us escape for good!
• [Sparable]
  • [Ceroba] I think that did the trick!
  • [Ceroba] You're pretty clever in intense situations.
  • [Ceroba] I'm... impressed.

Post-Battle

Spared

• I WAS ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING.. .
• OH YES, I REMEMBER.
• SENDING LEVEL 3 REPORT_
• ...
• [RESPONSE - NEGATIVE]
• I APOLOGIZE. ALLOW ME TO CALL AGAIN.
• SENDING LEVEL 3 REPORT_
• HELLO? CREATOR?
• ARE YOU THERE?
• ...
• I BELIEVE MY CREATOR MAY BE PLAYING A "PRACTICAL JOKE" ON ME.
• SIGNALING STEAMWORKS HEAD OFFICE_
• [BEEEEP - THE LINE YOU ARE CONTACTING HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED]
• WHERE... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?
• OH... I HAVE ALLOWED IMMENSE OVERGROWTH.
• I UNDERSTAND.
• IT SEEMS... MY DAY HAS PASSED.
• ...
• ...CANCEL REPORT AND REINITIATE HIBERNATION_
• [HIBERNATION SEQUENCE ENGAGED]
• I AM SORRY FOR INCONVENIENCING YOU.
• I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE WORLD IS LIKE NOW, NOR D-DO I WISH TO. //
• LIFE WAS. .. M-MUCH BETT>ER...
• _NOT ;KNOWING...  .
• [With Ceroba]
  • [Ceroba] ...
  • [Ceroba] ...
  • [Ceroba] Let's... keep moving.

Killed

• [With Ceroba]
  • [Ceroba] ...
  • [Ceroba] Surely...
  • [Ceroba] There had to be some other way...
  • [Ceroba] ...
  • [Ceroba] Let's just... keep moving.

Game Over Quotes

• Talk about lethal! Maybe try getting your "offense level" lower?
• This bot may be tough, but you're tougher! Put it back where it came from!
• Who knew a robot could be cold-blooded? Or... just cold. Unless things get even weirder. You never know.

Gallery

• 

  Guardener exiting hibernation, breaking her wires.
• 

  Guardener looking around, realizing the shutdown of the Steamworks.
• 

  A still from her overworld animation, used as her overworld sprite after realizing the Steamworks shut down.
• 

  Guardener reentering hibernation.
• 

  Lil Bot 1.
• 

  Lil Bot 2.
• 

  Lil Bot 3.
• 

  A blueprint for Guardener found earlier in the room she is fought in.
• 

  Guardener's corrupted sprite in the first phase of Flowey's battle, if she was killed on a Neutral Route.
• 

  Official artwork of Guardener.

Trivia

• Strangely, Guardener does not appear as a corrupted variant in Flowey's boss fight if she was killed in a Pacifist Route with Ceroba Ketsukane present, thus aborting the route. The game only checks if she was killed in a Neutral Route where Ceroba was not with Clover. This is likely a bug.
• If the player is fast enough at the beginning of the fight, Clover can attack Guardener before the FIGHT button is freed from the vines. Doing this will not remove the vines from the FIGHT command and can only be done once before the fight continues as normal. This cannot be done if Ceroba is a follower, as her dialogue blocks the choice prompt to fight on the first frames.
• Even if the player uses hacks or cheats to avoid trampling onto the fourth flower Clover passes through in the Greenhouse, it does not alter Guardener's dialogue in her cutscene and her battle still begins.
• Guardener's speech sound is the same as Axis's speech sound, set to be pitched down when she is talking.
  • Due to an oversight, if she is killed when Ceroba is not accompanying, Axis's speech sound is never changed to be pitched back to normal. Any future encounters with Axis will then have him use Guardener's speech sound. Quitting and reopening the game fixes this.