spyro's moveset utilizes his unique abilities as a dragon. spyro has two main offensive moves, used to attack enemies as well as destroy certain objects: charging, in which spyro sprints forward and rams into things with his head, and breathing fire. these attacks must be used interchangeably for certain enemies and situations; for instance, some enemies carry fireproof metal armor, meaning that they can only be defeated by charging, while larger enemies can only be hit using fire breath, as they will immediately crush spyro otherwise. spyro can also use his wings to glide in midair, letting him travel further distances in the air and access areas otherwise unreachable via a regular jump. throughout the game, spyro is accompanied by sparx, a yellow dragonfly who protects spyro from taking damage and serves as the player's system of health. sparx's current health is represented by the color of his body; if spyro is hurt by an obstacle, such as an enemy or by touching water, sparx changes colors, with yellow, blue and green representing different subsequent amounts of withheld damage. if the player is damaged too many times, sparx disappears, leaving spyro vulnerable to lose a life if he is hurt again. sparx can be rejuvenated by consuming butterflies, which are found by killing passive creatures such as sheep that roam throughout most levels. sparx also helps spyro collect items by retrieving any gems that spyro passes by.