The Super Mario Bros. series has been inspiring generations of gamers for decades, and fans have come up with some pretty wild ideas about what’s going on under the surface of the series. For the most part, the Mario Bros. series of games is fairly straightforward. There’s not a lot of complexity to them, befitting a franchise that’s always been family-friendly and often used to introduce children to gaming.
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However, the broad appeal of the series and the long-running nature of the franchise have given fans plenty of time to think about different ways to interpret the series. Some argue that the main heroes are actually more nefarious than they seem, while others use the game’s canon to explain divergent character personalities. Here are the five best fan theories about the Super Mario Bros. series.
Mario Bros. And Legend Of Zelda Are The Same Story – Literally
One of the more interesting fan theories for Nintendo’s most famous character suggests he’s actually the same person as another fixture of the game publisher. Some fans have argued that the thematic similarities between the original Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda games are because they are actually the same story, but told from different periods and with different perspectives. Both are centered around a solitary hero embarking on a dangerous quest to save a princess from a monstrous king.
The theory argues that The Legend of Zelda is the original version of the myth, but that over time, the details were smoothed out and changed to reflect more modern interpretations. This is what led to Mario. For example, the evil king was initially Ganon, a malevolent porcine figure. However, over time, the oral tradition led to tweaks and changes that eventually changed him into Bowser, the turtle-like king of the Koopas. Link, being an average boy thrust into a mighty adventure, became Mario as an average Joe who gets stuck in a wild world.
It’s an interesting theory, which makes the thematic connection between the two games a feature instead of a problem. It also plays into the themes of The Legend of Zelda‘s overarching timeline, which has frequently played with the idea that history can be reinterpreted over time. It’s unclear, though, which of the Zelda timelines might technically also be home to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Peach Is The True Villain Of the Franchise
A popular fan theory for the overall Mario Bros. series suggests that Princess Peach isn’t nearly as noble as she appears. The theory argues that Peach is never truly in danger, either because she’s staged her kidnappings to manipulate Mario into helping her or because Bowser is actually a heroic freedom fighter seeking to liberate the Mushroom Kingdom from her rule.
It’s a surprisingly grim theory, suggesting that each Toad who directs Mario to another castle in the original game is just using Mario to systematically bring down Bowser’s forces and weaken his revolutionary army. It also casts Peach’s seemingly demure personality in a darker light, as this theory suggests it’s all just a show for the public.
It’s a dark but fun concept, bringing a layer of harsh intrigue to the otherwise bright and colorful setting. The theory effectively makes Mario (and by extension, the player) a tool of her despotic rule. It also puts a grim turn on all of Bowser’s minions that Mario dispatches across the games, as they are recast as liberators brought low by the Princess’s most loyal warrior.
Dr. Mario Is The Third Mario Brother
The Super Mario Bros. is often taken to just mean Mario and Luigi. However, there’s a popular fan theory that Dr. Mario is actually the third member of the sibling trio who simply focuses on his medical practice instead of getting swept up in adventures. The argument stems from two angles, the first being that Mario’s overt profession as a plumber in the early games means it’s unlikely that he’s also an acting physician.
There’s also the inclusion of Dr. Mario in the Super Smash Bros. series as a separate character from Mario. Beyond the doctor’s coat, Mario and Dr. Mario are distinguished by some minor physical features, such as a slightly bulkier frame for Dr. Mario and lighter-colored hair. Although both men look similar, this would also explain the difference in their gameplay style, such as why Dr. Mario can’t wall-jump like Mario.
It’s a clever theory that suggests fans simply haven’t considered the possibility that the Mario family could be larger than it appears. It also highlights the various jobs that Mario has had over the years in Nintendo games, and creates a division from Mario the boxing ref to Mario the active doctor. This is the theory with the most storytelling potential, as a game that addresses this theory could formally introduce an entirely new character to the lore.
Super Mario Galaxy Actually Killed The Plumber
One of the darkest fan theories for the larger Super Mario Bros. franchise is the idea that Mario and Bowser were technically killed in the climax of Super Mario Galaxy. At the end of Super Mario Galaxy, Bowser’s ambitions lead to him causing a black hole to fully overtake the larger universe, sucking in everything and destroying it. Although Rosalina and the Lumas are able to restore the universe, the theory doubles down on the implication that Rosalina and Luma merely rebuilt the cosmos instead of salvaging it.
As a result, the Mario, Bowser, Peach, and everyone else in the universe that players had been following are effectively killed in this moment. The versions of them that appear at the end of the game are copies. They may be perfect replications of the originals, but they are still inherently different people. It’s a grim theory that suggests Mario and his friends died on-screen, in front of the player, with no way to save them.
It’s the saddest of the Mario Bros. fan theories due to the grim implications and what it suggests about the Mario who appears elsewhere in the franchise. It also highlights the enduring power of Rosalina, as she’s able to withstand the destruction of her entire universe and simply make another one. Even if this theory is true, it doesn’t seem likely to be used in the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy movie.
Luigi’s Cowardice Stems From Yoshi’s Island
One of the most clever character theories about the Super Mario Bros. series focuses on Luigi and his cowardice. Over the course of the series, Luigi has increasingly been shown to be easily scared and panicky, making it all the more fun that his solo games are the horror-themed Luigi’s Mansion titles. However, there’s a potentially sad reason for this aspect of his personality.
The theory argues that Luigi has been dealing with the lingering trauma he experienced in Yoshi’s Island, which has translated into an innate sense of fear. While Baby Mario was found by the Yoshis, Luigi was successfully kidnapped from the stork by Kamek. While Mario got the chance to learn from the courage of the dinosaurs who saved him, Luigi was instead terrified by the experience and left with a weak constitution as a result.
It’s a smart theory, using the events of the earliest games in Mario and Luigi’s personal history to explain their personality traits in the present day. It gives Luigi a sadder backstory than he may initially appear to have, and goes further to illustrate why Luigi is so different from his brother. It also adds a layer of heroism to the character’s actions, as he’s able to overcome that trauma to help his brother against all sorts of dangerous threats.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
