Thievius Raccoonus

Lore & Background

The Thievius Raccoonus is an ancient book that contains the Cooper family's secrets, intended to help Sly become a master thief. On his 8th birthday, Sly was to inherit it, but the Fiendish Five invaded his home, murdered his father, and stole pages from the book before spreading across the world. Sly was sent to an orphanage, where he formed a gang with Bentley and Murray. Two years later, the Cooper Gang infiltrates Interpol headquarters in Paris to steal a police file on the Fiendish Five. They track the members to their hideouts: Sir Raleigh in Wales, Muggshot in Utah, Mz. Ruby in Haiti, and the Panda King in China. Sly defeats each member, takes back their pages, and leaves them for Inspector Carmelita Fox to arrest. Each member reveals the location of the next, up to their leader, Clockwerk. In Clockwerk's lair in a Russian volcano, Sly rescues Carmelita, and they temporarily team up. Clockwerk reveals he converted himself into a machine to gain immortality out of jealousy of the Cooper Clan, and that he killed Sly's father. After Clockwerk is defeated, Carmelita attempts to arrest Sly, but he kisses her and handcuffs her to a rail before escaping. The gang returns to their hideout with the fully recovered Thievius Raccoonus. After the credits, one of Clockwerk's eyes flashes open.

In Their Own Story

The night air was cool and thick with the scent of rain-soaked stone. Sly crouched on a gargoyle overlooking the Parisian skyline, the recovered page of the Thievius Raccoonus clutched in his paw. He could feel the faint pulse of the ancient paper, the ink seeming to shift and shimmer under the moonlight. His father's handwriting—no, his grandfather's—spelled out the 'Raccoon Roll,' a move he had only dreamed of. Bentley's voice crackled through the earpiece: 'Sly, Muggshot's compound is wired tight. You'll need that roll to clear the laser grid.' Sly smiled, the weight of generations settling on his shoulders. He wasn't just stealing a gem; he was reclaiming his family's soul, one page at a time.

Reader's Guide

The Thievius Raccoonus was developed as the central narrative and gameplay mechanic for *Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus*, released by Sucker Punch Productions for the PlayStation 2 in 2002. The book serves as the in-game justification for Sly's expanding moveset: as players recover pages, they unlock new abilities such as the 'Raccoon Roll,' 'Cane Parry,' and 'Spire Jump.' This design elegantly ties character progression to story progression, encouraging exploration and completionism. Critically, the Thievius Raccoonus was praised for its clever integration into both plot and gameplay. Reviewers noted that the book's lore added depth to the game's lighthearted tone, giving Sly a tangible motivation beyond simple treasure hunting. The book's visual design—a worn, gold-embossed tome with animated illustrations—was also highlighted as a charming and effective storytelling device. While sales figures and exact review scores are not documented here, the concept of the Thievius Raccoonus is widely recognized as a key element that helped distinguish the Sly Cooper series from other platformers of its era.

Did You Know?

• The Thievius Raccoonus is a book listing every thieving technique created by Sly's ancestors.
• On Sly's 8th birthday, the Fiendish Five stole pages from the Thievius Raccoonus and murdered Sly's father.
• Each sub-section of a lair contains clue bottles that, when collected, allow Sly to access a safe containing a page from the Thievius Raccoonus.
• Defeating each boss of the Fiendish Five gives Sly moves from the Thievius Raccoonus.
• After the credits of the first game, one of Clockwerk's eyes flashes open.