What happens to Mario when he loses all his lives? Probably something you’ve not given much thought since you just use a continue and carry on, or start the game over. Well, the difference between Mario’s death inSuper Mario Worldand Super Paper Mario implies that Mario gets sent to hell, but he isn’t dead when he gets there.
This rather dark deep dive into the lore behind Mario’s death, and what happens to him when he dies, began with a post shared by Mario expert,Supper Mario Broth. The account noted that when you run out of lives in Super Mario World, the famous plumber ascends with a halo over his head, implying that he’s on his way to heaven.
However, 17 years later in Super Paper Mario, he is sent to The Underwhere, which, for all intents and purposes, may as well be Mario hell. Broth initially noted that Mario dies before he is sent to The Underwhere, but has deleted that post and shared a correction. That’s because Mario doesn’t die when he’s sent to hell in Super Paper Mario - he’s still alive when he’s forced to make his descent.
Mario doesn’t die, which is good, but turns out he goes to hell alive, which is not so good
That is arguably a fate worse than death, as an effectively undead Mario then has to find his way out of Super Paper Mario hell. There is still the implication that Mario has done something unforgivable in the years between Super Mario World and Super Paper Mario. Perhaps go-karting with the monster that repeatedly steals his girlfriend lost him a place in heaven, or inviting characters from other franchises to what was essentially a Nintendo Fight Club during Super Smash Bros' early days.
It’s all very complex lore that, let’s be honest,Nintendoalmost certainly hasn’t given a second thought. Particularly when the line we’re trying to draw is one from a 2D Mario game to a Paper Mario game released 17 years later. Technically two very different, almost certainly unconnected series, even though they share a leading man.
Nintendo lore is a particularly spicy topic right now aspeople attempt to puzzle out when on the Donkey Kong timeline Bananza takes place. The game will feature a young version of Pauline, but also an old version of Cranky Kong. Again, Nintendo probably doesn’t care, but I’m still holding out hope that when DK and Pauline reach the surface in Bananza, an evil Mario will be there waiting to kidnap her.
