Bowser, alternatively referred to as King Koopa and known in Japan as Koopa, is a video game character in Nintendo's Mario universe and Mario’s archenemy. Bowser is the king of Koopa and lives in huge castle; usually he kidnaps Princess Peach to rule the Mushroom Kingdom or even the galaxy; his plans are then invariably thwarted by Mario and his friends, although he sometimes allies himself with Mario for a common cause.
History[]
Early life[]
Bowser was born as baby Bowser from unknown parents (although it is highly probable that he is the cross between a Koopa and a dragon) as prince of the Koopa army. He was taken in charge for an unknown time after his birth by a Koopa army commander, a magician named Kamek.
First meeting with Yoshi and Baby Mario[]
An undetermined time after the birth of the prince, Kamek, fearing that Mario and Luigi, in the future, will end the Koopa army, abducts Baby Luigi and brings him back to the castle without informing Baby Bowser. Despite all the wizard's efforts to stop Yoshi, who has taken Baby Mario, from reaching the castle, Yoshi finally reaches Baby Bowser, who tries to sit on Yoshi but gets beaten. Kamek then makes him giant, and he rushes Yoshi in the background, but he is beaten a second time.
Baby Bowser wish his revenge in when he steals the Super Happy Tree, the source of all the happiness throughout Yoshi's Island. To make matters worse, he turns the entire island into a pop-up book. It's up to a bunch of Baby Yoshis to stop him. After some venturing, the Baby Yoshis uncover Baby Bowser in his castle and one of them duels him to reclaim the Super Happy Tree. Baby Yoshi has to hit Baby Bowser with Bob-ombs while the prince is riding his "pet" and knock him off. The battle is then on the ground where Baby Bowser shoots fireballs, throws bombs, and sends shock-waves; Yoshi has to hit him a few more times to beat him. After being beaten, Bowser surrenders, and allows the baby Yoshis to have the Super Happy Tree back, rationalizing that the fruit tasted horrible to him anyway, before being carried out by his Toadies while sobbing.
Later, Baby Bowser is at his castle when his future self shows up to kidnap the star children and gain control of the universe. Baby Bowser is ironically abducted by the future Kamek and brought to Bowser's Castle. When he realizes what's going on, he insults his grown-up self and his plan, calling him an "old geezer." Enraged and oblivious to the fact that his younger self is one of the star children, the Koopa King kicks Baby Bowser out of the castle.
As Baby Bowser plummets, he swears revenge and once he lands, he yells into the sky in a futile attempt to remind his older self that they're one and the same. Baby Bowser then notices Baby Mario and tells him he sees Baby Luigi in Bowser's Castle. Baby Bowser then realizes that he has just landed on Yoshi and is stoked to get a ride from him. Baby Bowser is then playable for the remainder of World 4; as the Nintendo Power Player's Guide puts it, he shows up to "kick some major enemy butt, of course!" While carrying him, Yoshi can't swallow enemies, as this move is replaced with the young Koopa's ability to breathe fireballs; this defeats enemies and melts ice cubes. Once Big Guy the Stilted is defeated, Baby Bowser leaves Yoshi's group in an attempt to hitch a ride from the future Kamek as he flies off to report to the adult Bowser. However, Baby Bowser loses his grip and falls off of Kamek's broomstick.
Baby Bowser later rejoins Yoshi's group, along with Baby Wario, when they reach Bowser's Castle. He eventually betrays them and attacks Yoshi and the babies, believing they're after his treasure. The fight goes much like the previous one, but faster. Yoshi beats the little prince and Kamek takes him away, leaving the group to the future Bowser, who is angry at what Yoshi did to his younger self. He is then eventually defeated. At the end of the game, Baby Bowser falls off Kamek's broom and lands on a barge carrying his treasure, now claimed by Baby Wario; an argument between the two young misers inevitably ensues.
A time later, his news plans to turn Egg Island into his vacation home, so the Yoshis, as well as adventuring to rescue Baby Luigi, go out to stop Baby Bowser's plan. At the end, the scenario is similar to the original Yoshi's Island. He is once again awaken from his slumber, only to crush and kick Kamek out. He soon notices the "familiar green donkey" and proceeds to try and ride Yoshi again.
After he is defeated, and before the stork and Baby Luigi are rescued, his future self appears out of nowhere, making Yoshi and Baby Mario battle him, defeat him.
Having had enough of his old castle, Baby Bowser tries this time to use the power of wool to build a "huge castle". Yoshi must stop him and go find him to defeat him. Yoshi faces Baby Bowser at the castle, and he uses the power of wool to increase his size to crush Yoshi. The latter must defeat him with the help of giant wool balls of different colors. Baby Bowser is one more time defeated and the island is saved.
Always in search of revenge, Bébé Bowser reappears at the Château de Peach of yesteryear where he tries to capture Bébé Peach then confronts Bébé Mario. When the Xhampis attack, he calls the Tortue-Jet to escape, Kamek is his right arm. He is later met at Yoshis Island to steal cookies and is swallowed by Yoob with the others. He will meet his version of the future at the crater, they will fight but they will end up making a duet to face the Mario Brothers. He will be seen again at the Mother Ship, at the Xhampis Castle and eventually give up.
Adult age[]
Having grown up, Bowser finally became the new king of the Koopa and made Kamek his right hand. He finally decides to launch an attack on the Mushroom Kingdom, and, his childish desire still not calming down, to kidnap Princess Peach now an adult.
Bowser attacks the kingdom, turning the Toads into bricks and keeping the princess in his castle, because she can break the spell with her magic. He also erected castles where he imprisoned the Toads and had them guarded by False Bowsers. His plan is finally thwarted by Mario and Luigi, who, liberating the Toads and beating the False Bowsers, reach the real King Koopa and make him fall into the lava.
Powers and abilities[]
Bowser's main ability in almost any game where he appears is to spit fire he's owned since birth.; he is thus able to shoot it in the form of fireballs or a stream of fire. In addition to his fire breath, Bowser has shown pyrokinetic powers as in Mario Odissey where he gives flaming tail blows and creates fire shock waves, or in Yoshi Wooly World where he creates small columns of lava with his charge on the ground.
One of Bowser's main powers is also his immense superhuman strength, allowing him to lift and shoot down incredibly heavy objects; he often uses his strength in combat to charge and attempt to submerge his opponents under a powerful stream of attack, so he uses little defensive strategy. In addition to his strength Bowser is almost invulnerable, surviving countless defeats and falling into the lava many times, still surviving.
Bowser is also qualified in black magic, able to use a wide variety of spells such as teleporting (him or others), fligth, electrokinesis, metamorphosis, black energy manipulation and telekinesis.
Finally Bowser is a very intelligent being, able to conceive and carry out his plans, which would have succeeded without Mario's intervention and also to deceive his enemy by luring him into traps like in Mario 3D Land and Mario Odissey.