A strange theory has been discovered in a manga of Super Mario of the 90s that reveals a possible origin for the 1-Up Mushrooms that appear in the series.
Although the Super Mario series is full of interesting characters and can even introduce some dark elements at times, this strange idea about the origin of extra life power-ups takes things to another level of weirdness.
The Super Mario series has seen its red-capped protagonist use many power-ups and items since the franchise’s inception. From the classics, like the Super Mushroom and the Fire Flower, to the relatively new ones, like the Super Bell and the Bee Mushroom, there is no shortage of items to mix up the gameplay in most Super Mario games.
Although many of these power-ups influence the way Mario plays, the 1-Up Mushrooms stand out as they provide the player with extra lives instead of new abilities.
Recently, Supper Mario Broth, a Twitter account dedicated to highlighting obscure Mario-related content, discovered an interesting, if disturbing, concept about the 1-Up Mushrooms. Specifically, this theory originated in a 1996 Super Mario 64 manga and concerned how extra life items were created in the Super Mario universe.
The idea of creating the 1-Up Mushrooms was vividly conveyed in an illustration from the manga. In the image, a deceased Mario was seen buried underground. From this lifeless body, a root extended to the surface, where a mushroom is visible.
This suggested a repeating pattern in which dead Marios create extra lives, “perpetuating the cycle of life and death”, according to Supper Mario Broth.
