Luigi’s Mansion is beloved for its fun gameplay and the fact that it shines a light on Mario’s beloved brother, Luigi. But one theory believes that the entire Luigi’s Mansion series may be more than a solo outing and could actually be the epilogue to the entire Mario franchise.
Fan Theory Suggests Luigi’s Mansion is the End of Super Mario Bros.
The Luigi’s Mansion games always established Luigi’s story and how he’s forced to eventually combat ghosts that include the deadly King Boo. However, it wasn’t until Luigi’s Mansion 3 that we saw Mario and the others as they tried to enjoy a road trip vacation. Of course, this led to them being captured in a haunted hotel and Luigi saving the day. But it also lacked one character in all three games: Bowser.
According to this Reddit theory by Benvincible, Luigi’s Mansion games all took place after Mario defeated Bowser once and for all. This was further justified when explaining how when Luigi met a ghost fortune teller, they explained how Mario “thoroughly defeated Bowser.” Plus, when King Boo appeared, he spoke as if Luigi had thwarted his plans before. As a result, it could be possible that King Boo could be the ghost of Bowser, or, at the very least, these games are set at the end of the Mario story.
Luigi’s Mansion Games Have Evidence to Support This Theory
One of the biggest hints given in the Luigi’s Mansion games, aside from the fortune teller, is the final boss fight against King Boo. Rather than fight the massive ghost, you instead battle a giant mechanical Bowser costume that King Boo controls. It’s a rather on-the-nose nod to the villain but also begs the question of why King Boo would choose that particular character in the first place.
There’s also Luigi’s Mansion 3, which shows Mario, Luigi, Toad, Princess Peach and other characters enjoying a road trip. The main constant was that, from beginning to end, there was no imminent sense of danger within the group, and the only reason they got trapped was because they didn’t see it coming. The logical reason for this would be that Mario and his family had nothing to worry about in the first place. Peach having the chance to take a vacation would prove that the Mushroom Kingdom was far from danger and could allude to the fact that Bowser was no longer in the equation.
Is Luigi’s Mansion Actually the End of the Series?
To answer this question, we must also acknowledge the riskiest part of the theory in that there never was a Bowser, and King Boo was in control all along. In short, this is the least likely part of the theory because, with as many times as Bowser has fallen in lava, it’s strange there were never signs of his ghostly disguise or the dismantling of his robotic suit. Plus, he has many children that would argue he’s as real as can be.
That said, when it comes to the idea that King Boo is actually Bowser’s ghost, it’s a fun idea but ultimately one that has no legs because the main undead version of Bowser has always been Dry Bowser. While it’s strange that King Boo would act as if he’s fought Mario and Luigi before, their exploits likely reached the king since the brothers fought countless Boos in the past. Therefore, Bowser and King Boo being one and the same is more a coincidence than a fact.
Perhaps the most tangible aspect of the theory is that Luigi’s Mansion acts as a conclusion to the Mario franchise. Aside from the ghost terrifying Luigi, these games, especially Luigi’s Mansion 3, represent a happier and more relaxed time in the franchise. There’s no Bowser in sight, and our heroes appear more relaxed than ever. Plus, with one king destroyed for good, it would make sense that another like King Boo would appear and cause mischief.
There’s also the thematic irony that after the major threat has been defeated by Mario, Luigi gets his time to shine and face off against an arch-nemesis of his own. Therefore, while not official, it makes perfect sense, until proven otherwise, that the Luigi’s Mansion games mark the final chapter in the epic Mario saga.
For more theories and guides, you can check out our Super Mario hub.
