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| “ | Still here? Has the dark power not yet crushed your puny hopes? Soon this kingdom will vanish along with all who dwell within. And you, too, will sleep eternally in the dark power's embrace! | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser to Bowser before the final battle. |
The Dark Star, later known as Dark Bowser, is the overarching antagonist of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and its 3DS remake, as one of the two overarching antagonists (alongside Fawful) of Bowser jr's Journey. It is an ancient artefact of terrible power that was sealed away beneath Toad Town. After it was reawakened by Fawful, it absorbs Bowser's DNA and transforms into Dark Bowser, the game's final boss.
Biography[]
Past[]
| “ | Long, long ago, a star sleeping deep below the Mushroom Kingdom was dug up. It was not benevolent. It was a frightful star that hid a great evil. The Dark Star. It was said that if an evil entity found the Dark Star, the world would plunge into darkness. That evil-hearted entity would rule the world. Fearing that, the Star Sprites that watch over us sacrificed much over many years. They sealed the Dark Star deep under the earth the Toad Town. | „ |
| ~ Princess Peach telling the story of the Dark Star. |
The Dark Star's exact origins are a complete mystery. All that is known is that it was a star that, unlike the rest of its kind, was purely evil, and somehow was buried deep beneath the land that would house the Mushroom Kingdom.
Long ago, Toad archaeologists unearthed the Dark Star from its resting place underground. Upon which, it awoke and began attacking the Mushroom Kingdom. It was also theorized that if an evil being were to obtain the Dark Star, they would have the power to dominate the world and plunge it into total darkness. In order to prevent such a reality from coming to pass, the Star Sprites subdued the Dark Star and sealed it within a secret labyrinth deep beneath Toad Town, with only the true monarch of the Mushroom Kingdom having the power to break the seal on it.
At some point, the evil Beanish mastermind and former lackey of Cackletta, Fawful, learned of the Dark Star and begins formulating a convoluted plan to obtain it alongside his own minion, Midbus.
Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story[]
After tricking Bowser into inhaling everyone inside Peach's Castle into his body, including Princess Peach herself, Fawful eventually retrieves her and then heads to Toad Town Caves. He overwhelms the guards and destroys the security field surrounding the Dark Star, allowing him to obtain it, and then heads off to Peach's Castle to take control of it. Using the Dark Star's power, he erects a barrier to prevent anyone from entering. This barrier was ultimately destroyed when the Mario Bros, along with Starlow, assemble the Miracle Cure, allowing them to enter the castle, which had been reconstructed to his liking.
After finding Bowser, who had been previously imprisoned in his own vault and thrown into a garbage pit, the Bros re-enter his body and allow him to travel through the castle's interior, which was patrolled by mechanical guards empowered by the Dark Star. He then confronts Fawful and Midbus, who had hooked up Princess Peach and the Dark Star to a machine in order to unseal its full potential. Bowser manages to defeat Midbus, who had been granted ice powers by Fawful, causing him to freeze up, but it was too late to stop the Dark Star from reawakening. Fawful then attempts to absorb the star's evil power into himself, transforming himself into "Dark Fawful", but Bowser punches him away just when the process was half-way done.
Bowser then gloats his victory and plans to take both Peach and the Dark Star for himself. However, the Dark Star begins levitating itself around the tyrant before turning into smoke and entering Bowser's body through his mouth, hiding itself within his respiratory system. This causes his chest to start burning, so he uses the cold wind blowing through the frozen Midbus' nose to relieve the pain, allowing the Mario Bros. and Starlow to enter and travel through it in search of the Dark Star while battling several enemies that have either been created or influenced. During which, they witness the star absorbing Bowser's DNA and try to attack it while it feeds but it counters all of their strategies by utilizing the abilities it copies from Bowser, such as his punching strength, fire breath and shell smash. They finally corner it but it separates into four parts and disappears again to absorb more DNA. The parts return and each form a different section of Bowser's body; combining to form a darker version of Bowser with a ghostly wisp. The star then uses Bowser's vacuum breath on the brothers but only takes Luigi and spits him out afterwards. It then changes back into its original form and engages in battle with the heroes only to lose.
The Dark Star then turns back into smoke and exits Bowser's body through his mouth, resuming its Bowser-like form which shocks and enrages the original. Realizing that half of its power was stolen, the newly formed "Dark Bowser" begins searching, absorbing Princess Peach in the process. When it hears Fawful's voice, Dark Bowser recognizes it as the one who took his power, so it punches its way through several obstacles to get to him. Bowser goes after his dark copy, but Dark Fawful finds Bowser and forces him to engage in combat with Peach's Castle itself, which had been modified into a fighting robot by Fawful and empowered by the Dark Star's energy. Growing to equal size with the Mario Bros' help, Bowser defeats the castle and resumes his search of Dark Bowser, who continues its own search for Fawful.
Bowser then finds Dark Fawful and engages him in combat. Despite being empowered by dark energy, the evil Beanish loses the fight and regresses to a small bug-like form, known as the "Dark Fawful Bug". He attempts to run away, but Dark Bowser finds and absorbs him, thus reclaiming the power it lost and becoming whole again, gaining new legs. The fully-formed Dark Bowser then smashes Peach's throne into a secret chamber, with Bowser in hot pursuit. They clashed using their fire and spike ball attacks, and Bowser was able to overcome his counterpart with the Marios' help, and Dark Bowser escapes upwards. Bowser chases Dark Bowser to a platform atop Peach's Castle where he finally corners it with nowhere left to go. Dark Bowser then creates a black hurricane that sweeps over the entire Mushroom Kingdom, sucking up everyone within it. Bowser was nearly blown away by the vortex as well, but was encouraged by Starlow and the Mario Bros to continue fighting. Dark Bowser mocks at Bowser's tenacity while claiming victory, but the Koopa King boldly states that the kingdom is his alone to conquer and proceeds to the final battle with his dark counterpart.
During the battle, Bowser gets Dark Bowser to cough out the Dark Fawful Bug and sucks him into his own body; allowing the Marios to fight and eventually vanquish him. This in turn causes Dark Bowser to weaken and allows Bowser to land the final blow. Mortally wounded, Dark Bowser is shocked that it lost before it reverts back into its original form, rises into the sky and explodes; dispersing the storm it had created and ending its threat once and for all.
Boss Fights[]
Airway[]
When it is first fought, the Dark Star is inside Bowser's body, faced within the Airway area. It can attack by creating duplicates. After their creation, the Dark Star and its duplicates (known as Satellmites) will charge. Mario and Luigi have to use their hammers to find off this attack. Blocking a Dark Star copy will knock out any Dark Star copy that follows behind, as well. King Boo has a similar move when he is fought in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam.
The Dark Star can also create Dark Satellmites at the start of its turn. After the Dark Star's turn, the Dark Satellmites can either heal the Dark Star or fire a laser from their face, although the latter can be avoided with a jump. Once their stamina is drained, the Satellmites will become dazed (Treat as paralysis, though the Satellmite can no longer be targeted), eventually turning into an inactive Dark Star ball in the game's 3DS remake on the initiative count 1, losing all initiative ties.
The Dark Star can also fire colored orbs that will fall on the brothers. This can be dodged by jumping. Another attack is a giant laser that must be avoided by grabbing onto Starlow's feet as she flies overhead, though if the brothers are still grabbing on after the attack is over, the Dark Star will charge. The brothers must release their hold to escape before the Dark Star hits them.
The Dark Star can also bring the brothers' shadows to life. Mario and Luigi have to jump to make sure their shadows are undamaged, as any damage the shadows take will be transferred to their respective brother. After its health is cut down to half or lower, more shadows will be created.
The Dark Star will unleash a kamikaze move if there are dazed or inactive Dark Satellmites in its army. The disabled Dark Satellmite grabs the bomb, then jumps into the air. It then becomes an inactive Dark Star ball and drops down, dropping the bomb onto the brothers. The Dark Satellmite and its bomb go over their target normally, but the brothers can use their hammer to knock either projectile into the star. Hitting the bomb damages the brothers with no effect on the Dark Star himself, but hitting the Dark Satellmite will send the creature's corpse into the Dark Star, weakening him. After sending two of its Dark Satellmites into him, the Dark Star will be immobilized for one turn (treat as paralysis, though the Dark Star can counterattack with a laser that can be jumped, but gets exhausted quickly and backs down afterwards).
After it loses all its stamina (Overkill damage has no effect), the Dark Star will launch a vacuum breath move to deal massive damage. Mario and Luigi have to mash their buttons to escape. After it is done, the Dark Star is defeated.
Final Battle[]
In the final battle, the Dark Star and Fawful are one. It retains the laser attack, but loses the rest. Instead, it can drag an arrow on the ground (This can be jumped.) and then fire the arrow at a brother depending on the rotation (clockwise for Mario and counterclockwise for Luigi). The Mario Bros. have to use their hammer to deflect the arrow, lest it explodes, dealing massive damage to them. There is an alternative attack in the remake, where orbs are dragged in the first part, but the second half is the same. Once the Dark Star is destroyed, Dark Bowser is defeated.
Description[]
Appearance[]
When the Dark Star is in its dormant state, it appears as a violet sphere with a black star-shaped mark on its front. When it's active, it gains two pupil-less red eyes and eight black spikes that are constantly rotating around its sides.
Upon absorbing Bowser's DNA, the Dark Star became an almost exact duplicate of him, except that its limbs, head and shell are violet, the mouth, underbelly, spikes and horns are a dull white, its eyes are red with a thick, black rim and no pupils, and its hair is a black mohawk. At first, Dark Bowser appeared ghost-like with a wisp instead of legs, but when it reabsorbed its lost power, it became whole and gained legs. Its voice was almost the same as Bowser's, but with a metallic echo added to it.
Personality[]
At first, the Dark Star was silent aside from inhuman growls and gargles, and could only express its personality through actions alone. After becoming Dark Bowser, it became capable of voicing its desires. In either case, the Dark Star has a dark and almost emotionless personality, with its ultimate desire being to plunge the world and everyone in it into eternal darkness. When some of its power was drained, the Dark Star will become obsessed with finding and reabsorbing it, or occupy itself by finding other forms of power to absorb, such as a tyrant's genetic code. Dark Bowser was also an extremely cocky and arrogant individual who believed himself to be all-powerful and invincible. This is most evident in his final moments where it is utterly shocked at the fact that it was killed despite being at full power.
Powers and Abilities[]
The Dark Star[]
- Flight: The Dark Star can fly by itself with no apparent means of propulsion.
- Umbrakenesis: The Dark Star's powers (and by extension those of Dark Bowser} all come under umbrakenesis (the ability to manipulate darkness).
- Barrier Creation: The Dark Star's power was able to generate giant indestructible barriers in front of Peach's Castle that required the power of the Star Cure to destroy.
- Mutation: Just half of the Dark Star's total power was able to mutate Fawful into his ultimate form, Dark Fawful.
- Sustainability: The Dark Star was able to keep Fawful alive (as the Dark Fawful Bug) despite Bowser having basically killed him. He died once the Dark Star was destroyed since it's dark power was no longer able to sustain him.
- Dark Wave Generation: The Dark Star will generate a large purple-black wave of energy from itself which will scare off the Bros. if they get too close. It can do this without even looking at the Bros.
- DNA Consumption: The Dark Star can "eat" strands of Bowser's DNA through the center of its "face" to gain new abilities.
- Punch: After eating the first DNA strand, the Dark Star can grow massive purple fists strong enough to destroy a large block of ice and then the Airway's barriers with one punch each.
- Fire Breath: After eating the second DNA strand, the Dark Star could "breathe" purple fire hot enough to melt the amoeba that it was stuck inside and another barrier.
- Shell Drop: After eating the third and final DNA strand, the Dark Star could transform into a purple-white version of Bowser's shell
- Invulnerability: The Dark Star is completely indestructible due to the energy shield around it. Not even being slammed into a membrane wall by an ice block did anything more than anger it.
- Dark Satellmite Generation: The Dark Star can project tiny replicants of itself called Dark Satellmites from its underside that work as its support but also its undoing in the battle.
- Dark Satellmite Blast: The Dark Satellmites will jump forward and fire light purple lasers at the Bros which they must jump to avoid. However, if they pause for several seconds, they will jump and fire the lasers above the Bros so they must remain stationary.
- Illusion Generation: The Dark Star will occasionally generate a dozen copies of itself which then fly off of the battlefield with the true Dark Star.
- Illusion Rush: The Dark Star and it's clones will then fly at the Bros and must be Hammered back although this still does not harm the Dark Star.
- Invisibility: Complicating matters is the fact that the copies will turn invisible on their way to the Bros so the player must count to two in their head and then swing the Hammer to prevent getting hit.
- Illusion Rush: The Dark Star and it's clones will then fly at the Bros and must be Hammered back although this still does not harm the Dark Star.
- Energy Balls: The Dark Star's main attack where it twirls around for a moment and generates red and green energy balls that will then fly into the top right corner. The Dark Star will then fly up there and fling them at the Bros (the colour of the ball being the Bro it is being fired at).
- Shadow Attack: The Dark Star can flash the entire area to generate a massive white light around the area which will draw out the Bro's shadows (four in total, two for each Bro) and make them run around in a circle around it. The Dark Star will fire off light purple lightning at one or both of the Shadows (determined by the shape of the shadow) which said Bro shadow must jump or it's real counterpart will take damage.
- Dark Thunderbolts: The Dark Star fires light purple lightning bolts which, aside from it's shadow attack, is it's only attack in it's exposed state.
- Charge Blast: The Dark Star will occasionally retract the star on its "face" into itself to form a single red eye. It will then charge itself up with purple energy into its "face", taking a few moments, and then fire a devastating spiral energy wave. The Bros must jump onto and remain on Starlow who will fly above the attack otherwise they will take massive damage.
- Ram Attack: However, if the Bros don't immediately release from Starlow when the attack ends, the Dark Star will become enraged and ram itself around the top screen which is also likely to Poison the Bros as well. Unlike it's other attacks however, even if it's performed, the Bros. can still dodge it by dropping off before it reaches the top screen.
- Kamikaze Attack: When at least one of the Dark Satellmites has been defeated and reverted to it's inert state, the Dark Star will flash its eyes, generating a bomb and sending both it and the Satellmite into the air to rain down on the Bros. The player must not hit the bomb with the Hammer, since it will damage them but will go over them if not hit, but hitting back the Satellmite at the Dark Star will damage the forcefield. Doing this twice will destroy its shield for 3 turns, leaving it inert and wide open to attack.
- Black Hole Wave: The Dark Star's final but most powerful attack. When it's HP has been fully depleted, instead of just exploding like all other bosses, the Dark Star will lose it's eyes and begin spinning in the air, generating a massive energy whirlwind to suck in the Mario Bros. The player must mash the A and B buttons to take them off-screen since it will shortly thereafter unleash a purple energy shockwave that will cause massive damage and instantly KO the Bros if they have under 50 HP. However, if the Bros withstand this attack, the Dark Star will explode and the battle is over.
- Transformation: Once outside of Bowser's body, it was able to engulf itself in a cloud of purple energy and form a being dubbed Dark Bowser by Starlow. However, when it did this, it was incomplete since Fawful took away half of its energy, which left it without legs and severely weakened.
Dark Bowser[]
- Strength: Dark Bowser is just as strong as Bowser, matching him punch for punch in the final battle and being basically invincible with the aid of the Dark Star Core. Even in his incomplete form, Dark Bowser was able to smash through rocks covering a doorway to Peach's Castle's front door with one punch each (something Bowser couldn't do) and smashed through the front door with one punch when complete.
- Durability: Dark Bowser was able to shrug off multiple charged punches from Bowser with no physical damage and Bowser's fire breath had almost no effect on him.
- Flight: Only seen in his incomplete form, Dark Bowser can float around like a genie although he just walked when he absorbed the Dark Fawful Bug.
- Sliding Charge Punch: Dark Bowser's primary attack in the final battle where he can charge his fist up with purple energy and slide forth into Bowser. Assuming that this is not countered with a well timed punch from Bowser, this is strong enough to push his back heavily. This is a combination of Bowser's Power Punch and Sliding Punch abilities that he uses in the game.
- Dark Energy Whirlwind: Dark Bowser's greatest demonstration of power where he opens his mouth and fires a massive swirl of evil energy from it. It would then fly in a giant column into the air before forming into a massive dark-purple tornado/cyclone strong enough to push Bowser back quite a way.
- Vacuum Breath: Dark Bowser can inhale characters in a whirlwind of purple wind akin to the Vacuum Block. As seen during the final battle, it was as strong as Bowser's own vacuum breath since, if the player does not mash X fast enough, it will instead suck up the Dark Star Core and basically restart the battle.
- Flame Breath: Dark Bowser can breathe a massive barrage of purple fire (like the Dark Star could after absorbing his DNA) but this variant was stronger since it was an even match for Bowser's own.
- Spike Ball Transformation: In a way akin to Bowser's Spike Ball move, Dark Bowser can retract into it's shell and bounce around like a ball to try and hit Bowser.
- Rock Blast: Dark Bowser can pull a large black boulder out of thin air and throw it into the air before blasting it with a fireball, reducing it into flaming debris to rain down on Bowser which can be dodged by ducking,
- Fire Blast: However, Dark Bowser would then unleash his most powerful attack where he begins to charge up his mouth with purple fire and then unleash a devastating purple fire wave. This takes off an automatic 58 HP but can be countered by punching a boulder into his mouth (seeing as there is a space between boulders falling where Bowser can punch one into his gullet) which will damage him from overload instead.
- Cage Summoning: Dark Bowser will occasionally summon a cage made of pink-purple energy to descend on Bowser and trap him before lifting him into the air.
- Energy Ball Creation: Dark Bowser will then lift his hands over his head, charging them up with purple energy which quickly forms a pink-purple energy ball that he throws at Bowser. Bowser must punch the cage many times to hang over Dark Bowser so that it snaps off and hits the monster, damaging him. If the energy ball hits Bowser, the cage will shatter and he'll fall to the ground, dealing moderate damage.
- Growth: After being defeated, the Dark Star Core will revive Dark Bowser will full HP and make him grow into a giant version of himself. The only way to defeat it is to punch Dark Bowser in the stomach which both shrinks him down and makes him spit out the Dark Star Core which runs off-screen. Bowser can then inhale it on the next turn so that Mario and Luigi can attack it.
- Minion Ball: The now giant Dark Bowser will then draw a massive ball of corrupted variations of Bowser's minions (Goombas, Koopas, Bob-bombs, Bullet Bills and Thwomps) which he will then toss at Bowser who will quickly shatter the ball by pushing back. Bowser must then duck and punch his way through the platoon but must also be aware that Dark Bowser will try a Spike Ball Attack immediately before it ends and will cause massive damage if he doesn't duck.
Quotes[]
| “ | Dark Bowser: "Your body, I have copied... Your power, I have copied..." Bowser: "Now who's THIS jerk!? You're biting my style!? Not on MY watch, buddy!" |
„ |
| ~ The Dark Star's first words as it reforms into an incomplete Dark Bowser, with Bowser becoming angry about it. |
| “ | Not enough... Not enough power... Not enough dark power... Power has been drained... I am not complete... | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser stating that half of its power had been taken. |
| “ | Who... Who will give... the dark power... Her... (inhales Peach) No... | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser attempting to find its missing power, then assuming Princess Peach had it and taking her before realizing that she didn't. |
| “ | That voice... Yes... I know that voice... That is the being who drained me of my power... | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser recognizing Fawful's cackling and realising that he has the rest of his power. |
| “ | Where... Dark power... Being who drains... Where... Where... | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser searching for Fawful. |
| “ | There... | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser finding Fawful before inhaling him. |
| “ | FWAHAHAHA! Awake at last! The dark power is complete! | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser having inhaled the Dark Star Core and becoming complete. |
| “ | I have copied all that is you. You are no longer necessary. | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser to Bowser after absorbing Fawful and becoming a complete being. |
| “ | The dark power slept so long, and now it wakes... It must be freed... BEHOLD! | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser when confronted by Bowser atop Peach's Castle and when unleashing a storm of darkness. |
| “ | Dark Bowser: "Still here? Has the dark power not yet crushed your puny hopes? Soon this kingdom will vanish along with all who dwell within. And you, too, will sleep eternally in the dark power's embrace!" Bowser: "GWAHAHA! Great dark hurricane! Seriously, perfect backdrop for an awesome final battle! You really sweat the details! Listen up! You're saying the kingdom will vanish? NOT TODAY! THIS KINGDOM IS ALL MINE! SO YOU VANISH!" |
„ |
| ~ Dark Bowser and Bowser before their final confrontation. |
| “ | Huuh huuh huuh... Haah haah haargh... I have fallen... To come so far... so far... to lose... | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser after being defeated. |
| “ | Dark... Even with the dark power completed...The unthinkable happened... | „ |
| ~ Dark Bowser's last words. |
Themes[]
Dark Star Power[]
Destroy the Dark Power![]
In The Final[]
Trivia[]
- Bowser says that Dark Bowser is male but he then refers to the Dark Star with neutral pronouns.
- In the original game, Dark Bowser would inflate to giant size once a boulder piece was stuck in his mouth before taking damage whereas he just flails about and it explodes in his mouth in the remake.
- In the original game, Dark Bowser's whirlwind was shown to consume the entire Mushroom Kingdom instead of just Peach's Castle and (presumably) Toad Town in the remake.
- In the original game, Dark Bowser's energy cage was black whereas it's a pink-light purple hybrid in the remake.
- The Dark Star gives 9,999 experience upon defeat, which is much more than any other boss or enemy in the entire Mario & Luigi series.
- In the 3DS remake, the Dark Star is given its own theme titled "Destroy the Dark Power!" whereas the original uses the standard boss battle theme {"They're Pretty Tough, Should We Be Careful?" or "Tough Guy Alert!") of the game.
- Despite this, Dark Star X still uses the standard boss theme.
External Links[]
- Dark Star on the Mario Wiki
- Dark Star on the Super Mario Wiki
- Dark Star on the Nintendo Wiki
[]
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