5 Fan Theories That Completely Change How You See the Mario Bros

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For decades, the Super Mario Bros. games have captivated players and sparked countless fan theories about the stories behind the adventures. While the Mario Bros. series is known for being simple and accessible, that’s part of what makes it so appealing, especially for new gamers and families.

The Super Mario Bros. series is so popular and has been around for so long that fans have had plenty of time to come up with their own ideas about what it all means. Some believe the heroes aren’t as good as they appear, while others use the established story to explain why characters act the way they do. Here are five of the most interesting fan theories about the series.

Mario Bros. And Legend Of Zelda Are The Same Story – Literally

A popular fan theory proposes that Mario and Link from The Legend of Zelda are actually the same person. Some believe the similar themes in Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda suggest they tell the same story, just at different times and from different viewpoints. Both games feature a lone hero on a perilous journey to rescue a princess from a villainous king.

The idea is that The Legend of Zelda came first, acting as the original story. Over time, as it was retold, details were simplified and updated to fit more current ideas, eventually leading to the creation of Super Mario Bros. For instance, the villain originally appeared as Ganon, a powerful pig-like king. Through word of mouth and retelling, Ganon gradually transformed into Bowser, the turtle king of the Koopas. Similarly, Link – a regular boy thrown into an epic quest – evolved into Mario, an everyday person who finds himself in a strange and exciting world.

This idea is compelling because it strengthens the link between the two games, turning what might have been a weakness into a strength. It also fits well with the established lore of The Legend of Zelda, which often explores how history can be seen and understood in different ways. However, it’s still unknown exactly where the Mushroom Kingdom would fit within the existing Zelda timelines.

Peach Is The True Villain Of the Franchise

A common fan theory about the Mario Bros. games proposes that Princess Peach isn’t as virtuous as she seems. The idea is that either Peach fakes her own kidnappings to get Mario to rescue her, or Bowser is actually a good guy trying to free the Mushroom Kingdom from Peach’s control.

A fascinating, if somewhat dark, idea proposes that the Toads in the original Super Mario Bros. aren’t actually helping Mario, but are cleverly using him to dismantle Bowser’s army and undermine his power. This theory also suggests that Princess Peach’s gentle and innocent demeanor is a facade, a carefully crafted image she presents to the world.

Okay, so I came across this really interesting idea, and it totally blew my mind! It takes the cheerful Mario world and adds this surprisingly dark twist. Basically, the theory suggests that Mario isn’t actually the hero – he’s unknowingly helping Princess Peach maintain a pretty strict, maybe even oppressive, rule. And get this – it flips everything we thought about Bowser’s guys! Instead of being the bad guys, they’re actually trying to free the Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario, as Peach’s top soldier, is putting them down. It’s a really cool, if unsettling, way to look at the games!

Dr. Mario Is The Third Mario Brother

When people talk about the Super Mario Bros., they usually mean Mario and Luigi. But some fans believe Dr. Mario is actually their brother, who chose to become a doctor instead of joining their adventures. This idea comes from the fact that Mario is established as a plumber, making it seem unlikely he’d also be a practicing doctor.

The Super Smash Bros. series features both Mario and Dr. Mario as distinct characters. While they look alike—both wear similar outfits—there are subtle differences. Dr. Mario is a bit more muscular and has lighter hair. These physical differences contribute to how they play the game; for example, Dr. Mario can’t perform wall-jumps like Mario.

Okay, so I came across this really interesting theory, and it’s kinda blowing my mind. Basically, people are thinking maybe the Mario family isn’t just Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad – maybe there are more family members we just haven’t met yet! It also points out how many different jobs Mario’s had over the years – from boxing referee to a full-on doctor! It’s cool because it separates those versions of Mario as different people. Honestly, this theory has the most potential for a new game. Imagine a game that explains all this and introduces a whole new character to the Mario universe – that would be amazing!

Super Mario Galaxy Actually Killed The Plumber

A particularly unsettling fan theory surrounding the Super Mario Bros. series suggests that Mario and Bowser actually died at the end of Super Mario Galaxy. The game concludes with Bowser’s actions creating a black hole that consumes the entire universe. While Rosalina and the Lumas are able to bring the universe back, the theory proposes they didn’t save the original universe, but instead completely rebuilt a new one.

This means that Mario, Bowser, Peach, and all the other characters players had grown to know are actually killed during this part of the game. The characters shown at the end are simply perfect copies, but they aren’t the original people. It’s a dark idea suggesting that Mario and his friends die right before the player’s eyes, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it.

This is a particularly depressing fan theory about the Mario universe, because it suggests a dark fate for Mario as we know him. Interestingly, it also shows just how powerful Rosalina is – the theory claims she survived the destruction of her entire universe and simply created a new one. Despite its popularity, it doesn’t seem like this idea will be included in the new Super Mario Galaxy movie.

Luigi’s Cowardice Stems From Yoshi’s Island

A popular theory about the Super Mario Bros. games suggests there’s a reason Luigi is often portrayed as scared. Throughout the series, he’s become known for being easily frightened, which makes his own games – the spooky Luigi’s Mansion series – particularly interesting. But there might be a surprisingly sad explanation behind his fearful personality.

Okay, so I’ve been thinking about Luigi, and there’s this interesting theory that makes a lot of sense. Basically, it suggests he’s always been so scared because of what happened way back in Yoshi’s Island. See, Mario got rescued by the Yoshis and got to hang out with these brave dinosaurs, but Luigi? He was actually kidnapped by Kamek! While Mario built up courage, Luigi was just straight-up terrified, and it apparently left him with a pretty fragile constitution ever since. It explains so much about why he’s always so jumpy, honestly!

The idea of looking at Mario and Luigi’s earliest adventures to understand their current personalities is really insightful. It suggests a more difficult past for Luigi than we might realize, and helps explain the differences between the two brothers. It also makes Luigi’s bravery even more impressive, showing him overcoming past hardships to support Mario against dangerous enemies.

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2025-11-09 18:44