TV NEWS
Super Mario Bros. Movie: Princess Peach Details Only Adults Will Notice
By ETHAN ZACK
This story contains spoilers for
"The Super Mario Bros. Movie"
SPOILER ALERT!
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” does an excellent job of adapting the video games and bringing its characters to the big screen, like the icon royal Princess Peach.
The movie’s Peach shares many qualities with her game counterpart, but many older fans likely noticed some intriguing elements specific to this iteration.
Why not Queen Peach?
While the title of princess indicates that Peach is in line to inherit the throne and become queen, the film reveals that she is the sole ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.
The games generally remain ambiguous about Peach’s parents, but the movie shows that she’s the undisputed leader of the kingdom and should actually be the queen.
The Smurfette Principle
Author Katha Pollitt coined the term Smurfette Principle, referring to stories focusing on a group of males with one female — often characterized by her gender — with them.
Princess Peach finds herself in such a situation, and although her arc doesn’t necessarily center on gender, she is the only woman featured in the alternate worlds.
Brand-new power-up
Princess Peach has used power-ups in the past, but the “Mario” movie sees the monarch of the Mushroom Kingdom using the Ice Flower for the first time.
The item has never appeared in the titles where she’s a playable character. Once Peach uses the power-up, her wedding gown becomes an icy dress similar to the Fire Flower costume.