Summary
TheMariogamesaren’t exactly well known for their captivating stories. Nintendo often decides to purposefully keep the plot vague so that it doesn’t get in the way of thefun and engaging gameplay, but this has also had the opposite effect since a lot of fans have created many theories over the years to try and make sense of theMariouniverse, and the many characters who occupy it.
Some of these theories can feel a little outlandish and whacky, while others seem eerily real, to the point where they have become more or less canon in the minds of many fans because of how many hints are presented in the games.Mariofan theories are always a lot of fun to discuss, so it’s time to take a closer look at some of the most popular ones to uncover why exactly so many people have decided to believe in them.
It’s Been Subtly Implied That Dr Mario Is Potentially A Third Brother
Dr. Mario
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For a long time, fans have assumed that Dr. Mario was simply everyone’s favorite Italian plumber dressing up as a doctor, but there are some that believe that he’s actually someone else entirely, and maybe even a third brother alongside Mario and Luigi. There are a few hints to this being the case, such as inSuper Smash Bros Meleewhere Dr. Mario is actually a lot heavier and more hard-hitting than his counterpart, and his hair is also slightly lighter and more blonde than Mario’s too.
There’s also the issue of Mario actually being able to find the time to become a doctor, since, whenever fans get to see him, he’s always either rescuing Peach or venturing around the Mushroom Kingdom in his classic red get-up. It’s also mentioned inDr Mario 64that this character actually goes around medically healing people in the Mushroom Kingdom, something that has never been mentioned for Mario himself, so there does seem to be some big inconsistencies between the two.
It’s well known that Nintendo likes tomix and match a lot of their IPs, with a prime example of this being the inclusion of Chain Chomps and Goombas inLink’s Awakening. However, while it isn’t actually confirmed to be the case, there are a lot of signs that point to Yoshi actually being from the world ofPokemon. His green cartoonish dinosaur design is admittedly a little unorthodox even for theMariouniverse, and the only thing he can say is his own name, just like a Pokemon.
It’s also been shown throughout the games that Pokemon are able to lay eggs, which is another very big part of Yoshi’s character. Similar to how a Pokemon will willingly use their HM and TM abilities to assist their trainer, Yoshi also does the exact same thing with Mario who will willingly jump on his back, similar to how Ash would always hop on Charizard to get to out-of-reach areas in the anime.
Shy Guys are without a doubt one ofthe most mysterious enemiesin all ofMario. They are very recognizable for their small stature and muffled voices, but one of their most distinctive features is actually their masks. If a Shy Guy loses their mask in the games, they are shown to become very paranoid, immediately covering their face before anyone can get a glimpse at their true identity.
It’s long been theorized that underneath the mask is actually a hideous monster who’s wicked appearance can strike fear into anyone that lays eyes on it. This is actually referenced inMario Power Tenniswhere Luigi, after seeing the true face of a Shy Guy, begins shaking in fear. Some even speculate that the Shy Guys are unfortunate victims of experimentation by Bowser and his Koopa Kids, and while this might seem a little dark for a series as lighthearted asMario, Nintendo has shown that they aren’t afraid of tackling these sorts of topics in their games before.
Wario was first introduced to the series inSuper Mario Land 2back in 1992, and while he’s gone on to becomean incredibly beloved character, barely anything has been revealed about his actual backstory. His mean and antagonistic personality can initially make him seem like nothing more than a grumpy man who simply just wants to cause chaos, but there are plenty of subtle hints that have also led fans to believe that Wario is actually a Mario fanboy who’s become a little too obsessed with his idol.
Not only is Wario’s costume virtually identical to Mario’s, just with a few color swaps, but inSuper Mario Land 2, it’s also revealed thatthe castle Wario is occupyingwas once actually owned by Mario, yet he chose to keep the large statue of Mario still standing in front rather than ripping it down. Therefore, it does seem pretty plausible that the rude and maniacal character fans know as Wario is actually nothing more than a fan who’s let his love for Mario get a little out of hand.
During the story ofYoshi’s Island, players will encounter both Baby Mario and Luigi, but while Mario is kept safe for much of the game thanks to his new dinosaur companion, Luigi isn’t so lucky. Instead, Luigi is taken away from his brother and placed in a creepy dungeon where he resides for the majority of the game.
Thankfully, everyone’s second-favorite plumber is saved by the end of the game, but anytime fans have seen him on screen in his older iterations, he always seems overly paranoid and scared, especially when coming up against enemies. A lot of fans theorize that the events of Yoshi’s Island have actually had a big impact on Luigi’s psyche, which would definitely explain his erratic behavior.
Fans of theMariogames have always been led to believe that the character himself is a brave, kind, and kindhearted man who wants nothing more than to protect his allies from Bowser’s evil schemes. However, there are a few indications from the early titles that imply that Mario is actually a far more devious and potentially evil character whose actions are a little more harmful than players realize.
The biggest hint towards this theory is inthe instruction manualfor the firstSuper Mario Brosgame where it states that the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom had been turned into bricks, the ones that Mario destroys throughout his entire journey. Some fans have even gone a step further and theorized that the coins found within the bricks are actually the souls of the inhabitants, suggesting that Mario is harvesting them to use for himself. Nintendo has seemed to steer further away from these implications in more recent years, but it’s hard not to wonder if they really were aiming to make their lovable mascot more of an anti-hero in his first few titles.
