Board 8 > So what exactly is Paper Mario anyway?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Is he from a parallel universe? Is he a fictional character within the "real" Mario universe? Or is he supposed to be just the same Mario as usual just presented in a different style?

I had always assumed the latter when playing the games as a kid, but then they came out with the Paper Jam game where the "real" Mario met Paper Mario. But then again, is Superstar Saga Mario the "real" Mario either?

Super Mario RPG Mario is a different version too

Its easier to just assume that all Mario games are stage shows.

the real question is what is mario, period

UF8 posted...

the real question is what is mario, period

I'll do you one better, why is Mario?

swirIdude posted...

Its easier to just assume that all Mario games are stage shows.

Which makes it easier to justify Mario and Bowser kart racing together because the games are just business, nothing personal.

swirIdude posted...

Its easier to just assume that all Mario games are stage shows.

This raises more questions about sentient moving paper

in Japan its called Mario Story and the first game opens up a book to tell the story

in Paper Jam he comes from that book

so Paper Mario is a story in the story

Every Mario game takes place in a different universe.

I feel like y'all are speaking a Mario Multiverse into existence and I'm not sure how much I like that

AriaOfBolo posted...

I feel like y'all are speaking a Mario Multiverse into existence and I'm not sure how much I like that

The next Mario game being all the past Mario's joining together to prevent a multiverse collapse, all with unique playing styles through a coherent story makes me hard just thinking about it

Super Mario Multiverse is the next logical step up from Galaxy

Will live-action Mario be included?

Galaxy 1 isn't even canonical to Galaxy 2

pjbasis posted...

Galaxy 1 isn't even canonical to Galaxy 2

Sure it is

Galaxy 2 is the remade world from the ending of Galaxy 1

Which sets the stage for Super Mario Multiverse

Mario is Popeye--the situation and setting the characters are in varies according to the needs of the production

andylt posted...

This raises more questions about sentient moving paper

The Mario universe has incredible special effects.

Mario is an idea. It's hard to kill an idea. Even if it runs out of lives, it may still continue.

I guess this answered my question:
https://x.com/ThePipePlaza/status/1797629318396580049

...And raises significantly further questions

Paper Mario isn't in that image, so it can still be a separate character entirely

AriaOfBolo posted...

I feel like y'all are speaking a Mario Multiverse into existence and I'm not sure how much I like that

I'm all for it if we actually get Comrade Mario from it

Isn't there a whole flowchart for this that a fan put together, I feel like it's probably good enough

UF8 posted...

the real question is what is mario, period

this

how come all the humans need space suits to breathe on the moon, but mario can breathe just fine

Emeraldegg posted...

Isn't there a whole flowchart for this that a fan put together, I feel like it's probably good enough

IIRC, according to the flowchart in question, the Paper Mario games are the dreams Mario has if he never wakes up in Subcon.

https://x.com/ThePipePlaza/status/1797629318396580049?t=YtQu6s0xAni5QXJMctfWzg&s=19

Also, just because there are different timelines doesn't mean that there are different Marios. Whether or not the same person in a different timeline is actually a "different person" is more of a semantic issue.