With the world premiere of the official trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans have gotten a look at the animated adaptation of the beloved video game franchise. Already, numerous series mainstays look set to make an appearance. Among them is Princess Peach, who appears to be undergoing quite the makeover for her film debut.
Princess Peach was not in the original live-action Super Mario Bros. movie, where her role as the damsel in distress was taken by fellow princess Daisy. But this time around, it appears Peach will not need rescuing. Instead, Peach will guide Mario on his adventure to defeat the iconic series villain Bowser. That is a big change for the character, but it’s a welcome one that has its roots in the franchise over the years.
Princess Peach Has Defended Herself Before
Princess Peach being a warrior is something that the Super Mario Bros. franchise has dipped its toes into on several occasions. Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario 3D World were all mainline entries that allowed the player to use Peach as she joined Mario on his adventure. Notably, she possessed the unique ability to float, which gave her an edge over the plumber in jumping skills. Even spin-offs have gotten in on the action, as Super Paper Mario and Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars showed her as a defensive warrior. Most famously, Princess Peach has been a recurring playable character in Super Smash Bros. since the second game in the franchise as a competitively viable fighter.
Peach has also been a fighter outside the games, as the Super Mario Adventures comics and The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! made her an equal partner to the Mario Bros. With The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Peach is simply carrying on a tradition showcased in the games. Notably, she's seen wearing a more action-oriented jumpsuit that has roots in the Mario Kart franchise and uses power-ups as she could in Super Mario 3D World. The only thing that doesn’t come from the games is her swinging a halberd like a warrior princess. But, if anything, Illumination Entertainment did its homework and put Peach’s best traits on display for the world to see.
Damsels Are Out of Style on the Big Screen
Peach’s new role is a rather timely addition, for audiences have demanded a more proactive version of the famous damsel in distress for years. She is infamous for being one of the most frequent damsels in gaming and fiction, with most of the Super Mario Bros. games having her kidnapped in some way. Her kidnappings are so frequent that even the games have made fun of the trend. On top of that, her constant captures make her seem overly passive and stand at odds with her more capable appearances in the franchise and elsewhere.
The case for Peach becoming a warrior princess also has a lot to do with modern cinema. The last decade has seen a rise in proactive female protagonists in animated and live-action films. The success of characters such as Rey, Raya and Naru shows the world has an appetite for female action stars who can fight evildoers. It is natural, then, that Peach adapts to the times and fights alongside Mario in their first cinematic adventure.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie Breathes New Life Into Peach
Changing Peach into a proactive character allows for a much-needed breath of fresh air. As Peach has consistently been a damsel in distress, this gives her an opportunity to be more than the end goal for Mario to rescue. It also ensures the film itself will not be tied down by the franchises’ usual storytelling and can stand on its own. More importantly, it allows Peach to develop as a character rather than being used as a plot device.
As the first film in the Super Mario Bros. series in thirty years, The Super Mario Bros. Movie has a lot riding on it. The film has promised a faithful adaptation of its source material, but it has also generated controversy because of the casting of Chris Pratt as Mario. But changing Princess Peach into a warrior is a positive change that fans can welcome because it allows the franchise to move forward while still paying homage to its past.