"Axem Red: We fight for evil! Axem Black: We live for disorder! Axem Green: We like what we do! Axem Pink: We struggle for chaos! Axem Yellow: We are...
All:...the AXEM RANGERS!!”—Axem Rangers, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
The Axem Rangers are teenage members of the Smithy Gang and appear in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. There are five Axem Rangers, each with their own distinct traits and abilities. However, all five of them wield a small axe in combat. Additionally, the Axem Rangers have their own battleship, the aptly named Blade. Axem Red is the leader of the group.
During the events of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Mario and his allies enter Barrel Volcanoe to locate the sixth Star Piece. Unbeknownst to the heroes, Smithy has ordered the Axem Rangers to recover the Star Piece as well. After Mario and company defeated the Czar Dragon, they discover the sixth Star Piece. However, before the heroes can claim it, Axem Red appears and swipes the Star Piece away from Mario. Then, the Axem Rangers escape to their battleship, Blade. He follows closely behind and jumps onto the deck of the gargantuan ship. Thus, Mario and his companions engage the five Axem Rangers into battle. Eventually, each ranger falls, one-by-one. However, the fight isn't over yet. The Axem Rangers combine their strength with the Blade's Breaker Beam and begin firing devastating blasts at Mario's party. However, even this isn't enough. Ultimately, the Axem Rangers and Blade are defeated by Mario and his comrades. Blade explodes, destroying the Axem Rangers and Mario recovers the sixth Star Piece. However, this isn't the last Mario and company will see of the Axem Rangers. They return in the Factory, as gray, mass-produced copies of the original Axem Rangers. As it turns out, the original five Axem Rangers are merely the prototypes for an army of mass-produced Axem Rangers.
The Axem Rangers are first mentioned by another of Smithy's minions, Yaridovich. Apparently, the Axem Rangers are supposed to pick up Yaridovich after he recovers the fifth Star Piece, however, the rangers are running late, causing Yaridovich to be defeated by Mario and his new ally, Jonathan Jones.