Keep in mind that this is an ongoing project, so the timeline may change to suit the story’s needs. This timeline also CONTAINS SPOILERS as it shares a brief breakdown of all the Super Mario stories I intend to write.
Next (coming soon)
Super Mario Disaster Master Page
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- Mario Bombs Away
Mario Sr.’s wartime adventures before he enters the Mushroom World.
Mario Sr. immigrated to the US from Italy as a young adult, where he lived a normal life as a workman. I’m not sure if he was drafted or if he volunteered, but he ended up as a soldier about midway through the Vietnam War. He picked up the skills to navigate the Mushroom World there, from his experiences with jungle warfare.
(I don’t plan to write this, but it provides valuable background information.)
- Donkey Kong
Later in life, Mario Sr. stumbles into the Mushroom World, where he meets his future wife (who doesn’t have a name yet).
DK (a young cranky kong) saved her from an arranged marriage and a horrible political situation. However, she doesn’t know that was DK’s intention and neither does Mario. Mario happens to spot them and chases the two around for a while until the misunderstanding clears up. They leave DK on good terms and Mario escorts her to the Mushroom Kingdom (the closest group of humans not caught up in her homeland’s mess) to seek asylum, and Peach’s family welcomes them warmly.
She adores Mario, and eventually they get married.
(Mario Sr. and his wife end up playing a significant role in the Mushroom Kingdom after their arrival. The bro's mom is a powerful star sage, and becomes something of a mentor to Peach’s mother. Peach’s dad takes Mario Sr. on as a sort of bodyguard, and they become fast friends.)
- Yoshi Island
Some years later, Mario Sr. and his wife have twins. When the boys are around two, word gets out about some particularly potent prophecies concerning them. Bowser’s dad sends Kamek to kidnap the them; he gets Luigi but loses Mario along the way.
Mario Sr. attempts to get the boys back, but sustains a serious injury in the process. He walks with a cane for the rest of his life. The Yoshis save the day and everything turns out alright, but Mario Sr. no longer feels capable of protecting his kids. He moves his family back to the US—to his old home in Brooklyn.
(Between the kidnapping and his time in Darkland, Luigi develops some childhood trauma from this incident. This plays a big role in his young life.)
(Despite these events, Mario Sr. doesn’t leave the mushroom world until the boys are about five. Not long after Yoshi’s Island, Bowser’s father dies at the hands of Cackletta, so Mario Sr. think the boys are safe. But another incident occurs a year or two later. I don’t know the details—it’s a stand-in for Partners in Time, but I know it doesn’t play out the same way. This is the last straw and Mario Sr. moves his family to Brooklyn.)
(I’m pretty sure Peach’s dad and Mario Sr. have a falling out around this time as well, over the Surassaland-backed pilfering of Darkland after King Koopa’s death. Mario Sr.’s injuries save him from geting involved, but I don't think the concept sits well with him. It causes a rift between the old friends—nothing nasty, but enough to prevent any burning desire to return to the mushroom world soon.)
- “Origins”
The bro’s mom dies in an accident when they’re 15 or 16, removing any lingering desire Mario Sr. has to return to the Mushroom Kingdom. He lives the remainder of his life with his boys, running “Mario and Sons Plumbing” and eventually dies of a stroke. The boys are probably 22.
Origins is several of the side-scrolling games wedged into one. When the bros go through their parent’s possessions after their father’s death, Mario finds the portal painting their parents kept to get back to the mushroom world (the same deal as the paintings in Mario 64). He jumps through and mucks about for a while, exploring the world and having the strangest sense of dejavu. He winds up in the right place at the right time to save Princess Peach from Bowser. When Mario escorts her back to her castle, Toadsworth recognizes him immediately, because Mario looks like his father. Toadsworth doesn’t say anything, but he encourages Mario’s visits and makes him feel special and welcome. Mario makes a habit of showing up after that, and starts building a reputation for heroics.
(Peach’s parents both died not long after Mario Sr. left. I don’t know the details yet, but I’m pretty sure it was a case of “what goes around comes around.” This left Peach in the care of Toadsworth, who she basically considers her dad now. Despite the sudden loss of the king and queen, with the help of Sarasaland Toadsworth managed to retain most of the Mushroom Kingdom's land and resources, including the territory stolen from a young Prince Bowser.)
- Super Mario Land
Mario and Peach have become good friends by this point. When Peach gets word that her childhood friend Daisy needs help, she goes to Mario, sending him on a wild adventure into the heart of Surassaland. He meets Daisy’s family in this story, and though they keep their feelings veiled, they instantly consider him a threat and a rival for Peach’s hand (despite their falling out with Peach, they still hope she'll get over her issues with them and marry Prince Haru, Daisy’s big brother). This incident foreshadows some of the political issues that come into play later in the timeline.
- RPG
Mario is pretty well known across the Mushroom Kingdom, Darkland, and Surassalnd by now. He visits the mushroom world more frequently and stays for longer (leaving Luigi very concerned, but more on that later). Then Smithy shows up, sweeping Mario into one of his biggest adventures yet.
Through this situation, Mario meets Geno, who talks about some of the prophecies that mention the bros. He also introduces Mario to the concept of “star chosen” and “sages.” He heavily implies that the bro’s mother was a very powerful figure in the mushroom world.
I don’t know how much of this Mairo swallows, probably not a lot, but it opens the door to that sort of thinking. It also prompts him to talk to Toadsworth, who confirms that Mario Sr. had lived in the mushroom world and met the bro’s mother there.
- Mario Bros
Things stay quiet for a while after RPG. Bowser keeps himself busy rebuilding his castle, and generally being conflicted after fighting alongside Mario and Peach. But when he finally does go after Peach again and Mario stomps him as usual, all his hard feelings come rolling back.
In the meantime, Luigi is becoming seriously concerned. Mario hardly helps with the business anymore—he’s hardly around at all. When he does come back, he brings all sorts of money with him, and more than once he’s been busted up. Luigi's starting to think Mario has gotten tangled into a gang or something.
That is, until Mario takes home a power star and tucks it under the floorboard.
Geno told Mario about the star chosen—told him that only the chosen can hear the glittering sound that stars make. With Bowser growing desperate, Mario tucks a star away in his secret stash just in case, assuming Luigi won’t be able to hear it.
Luigi spends all day looking for whatever’s making that infernal ringing sound, and when he finds it, the star won’t stop following him and flying around his head. Mario comes back to find a very disgruntled Luigi with questions.
Reluctantly, Mario starts to explain. Luigi is incredulous, that is, until a hoard of massive turtles come flooding after Mario from the sewers.
- Mario 64
When Mario and Luigi become cornered in the apartment above their shop, Mario drags Luigi through the painting. They sprint for the castle to warn Peach, only to find Bowser waiting for them. The situation ends badly.
Luckily, Yoshi manages to free Mario so he can save the day, but it’s a rough first introduction to the mushroom world for Luigi. But once he’s free, he does help Mario gather stars, and as the adventure goes on Luigi gets the same feeling of dejavu for the world that Mario did.
(After 64, utterly exhausted and their home in Brooklyn destroyed, Mario and Luigi accept Toadswroth’s offer to stay at the castle for a while. Mario explains to Luigi in detail his adventures in the mushroom world, and with both brothers finally present, Toadsworth explains the full story of their parents as well. Luigi can’t disbelieve it—not anymore. He can also see that Mario is very taken with the princess.
At the end of their stay, Luigi offers to relocate to the Mushroom Kingdom for good, moving what’s left of the family plumbing business with him.)
Part 2 (Coming soon)
- Mario Bros
Things stay quiet for a while after RPG. Bowser keeps himself busy rebuilding his castle, and generally being conflicted after fighting alongside Mario and Peach. But when he finally does go after Peach again and Mario stomps him as usual, all his hard feelings come rolling back.
In the meantime, Luigi is becoming seriously concerned. Mario hardly helps with the business anymore—he’s hardly around at all. When he does come back, he brings all sorts of money with him, and more than once he’s been busted up. Luigi's starting to think Mario has gotten tangled into a gang or something.
That is, until Mario takes home a power star and tucks it under the floorboard.
Geno told Mario about the star chosen—told him that only the chosen can hear the glittering sound that stars make. With Bowser growing desperate, Mario tucks a star away in his secret stash just in case, assuming Luigi won’t be able to hear it.
Luigi spends all day looking for whatever’s making that infernal ringing sound, and when he finds it, the star won’t stop following him and flying around his head. Mario comes back to find a very disgruntled Luigi with questions.
Reluctantly, Mario starts to explain. Luigi is incredulous, that is, until a hoard of massive turtles come flooding after Mario from the sewers.
- Mario 64
When Mario and Luigi become cornered in the apartment above their shop, Mario drags Luigi through the painting. They sprint for the castle to warn Peach, only to find Bowser waiting for them. The situation ends badly.
Luckily, Yoshi manages to free Mario so he can save the day, but it’s a rough first introduction to the mushroom world for Luigi. But once he’s free, he does help Mario gather stars, and as the adventure goes on Luigi gets the same feeling of dejavu for the world that Mario did.
(After 64, utterly exhausted and their home in Brooklyn destroyed, Mario and Luigi accept Toadswroth’s offer to stay at the castle for a while. Mario explains to Luigi in detail his adventures in the mushroom world, and with both brothers finally present, Toadsworth explains the full story of their parents as well. Luigi can’t disbelieve it—not anymore. He can also see that Mario is very taken with the princess.
At the end of their stay, Luigi offers to relocate to the Mushroom Kingdom for good, moving what’s left of the family plumbing business with him.)
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Part 2 (Coming soon)
Super Mario Disaster Master Page
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