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Star Fox franchise strategy guide/Characters/James McCloud

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James McCloud is a fictional character from the Star Fox series of video games. He is the father of Fox McCloud and the founder of the Star Fox team. He was betrayed by Pigma Dengar and captured and killed by the evil Andross, his and his son's archnemesis. Peppy Hare informed James's son about his fate. Although, it is debatable whether or not he is truly dead.

The only mention he was given in the original Star Fox was in the briefing before going into the Black Hole, when General Pepper mentions that the Black Hole was where James disappeared, though he was not mentioned by name.

Until Star Fox 64, Fox McCloud's father was not called "James." Some references, such as the comic adaptation published in Nintendo Power, called him "Fox McCloud, Sr." From this it could be theorized that his full name is "James Fox McCloud". His son was either named using his middle name, not an uncommon practice, or his full name is James Fox McCloud Jr., and Fox goes by his middle name to distinguish between himself and his father.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

James McCloud makes a very minor appearance in Star Fox: Assault. The Aparoid Queen uses his voice to taunt Fox. The Queen likely got such information from the memories of Pigma and General Pepper.

At the end of Star Fox 64 (depending on if the player fought at Area 6 or Bolse) James' ghost helps Fox escape the planet Venom, but then disappears soon afterwards when Fox returns to the Great Fox after the battle with Andross. James was supposed to have been killed, and no one is quite sure how James guided Fox out. Some think that Fox had some sort of hallucination or vision, or that James had escaped Andross. However, the latter theory holds not much weight, as if James had survived, how did he disappear, and why didn't he approach Fox earlier, helping him?

Appearance wise, James looks much like Fox, except for wearing sunglasses, and having darker brown fur, although this difference is not quite as obvious in Star Fox: Assault.

F-Zero character

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There is a character named James McCloud in the F-Zero series of games. While the character is a human, he bears definite resemblance to James and Fox McCloud; he has clothing similar to Fox, has sunglasses similar to James', and his hair kind of looks like fox ears. The F-Zero machine he drives (The Little Wyvern) resembles a wingless Arwing, and he's a member of mercenary group "Galaxy Dog". The bio also notes he has a little son.