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Bowser, often nicknamed Paper Bowser, is the main antagonist of the Paper Mario series and the arch-nemesis of Paper Mario.
He serves as the main antagonist of Paper Mario, Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Paper Mario: Color Splash, a minor antagonist and playable character in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, the tritagonist of Super Paper Mario, one of the two main antagonists of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (alongside his mainstream counterpart), and one of the two tritagonists of Paper Mario: The Origami King (alongside Paper Luigi). He is a paper version of Bowser.
He differs from his mainstream counterpart and is more comical and incompetent in appearance, also being more open to help Mario and his friends. Paper Bowser himself, as shown in Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, is a separate entity to the normal version of Bowser.
Like the mainstream Bowser, he's voiced by Kenny James.
Biography
Paper Mario series
Paper Mario
“
Ohhhhhhh, NOOO!!!! Mario defeated me...again... He always defeats me... This time I became invincible! And I STILL couldn't beat him! Darn it!!!!!
„
~ Paper Bowser upon his defeat in the original Paper Mario.
In the Paper Mario series, Bowser is the main antagonist of the first Paper Mario, using the Star Rod to become invincible. Mario rescues the Star Spirits and gains the power to counter Bowser's Star Rod and defeat him. He is sent flying into the distance when his machine explodes from the intensity of the battle.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
In Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, he plays a more minor role, with the player controlling him in an event after each chapter and he is always one step behind Mario. Bowser is fought as a boss in Chapter 3, but is eventually defeated by Mario.
Towards the end of the game, he inadvertently foils Sir Grodus' threats when he falls through the ceiling of the Palace of Shadows. He then attacks Mario without giving him time to heal. Here, he returns as the penultimate boss of the game alongside his assistant Kammy Koopa. However, Mario defeats him one last time, knocking both Bowser and Kammy out.
Super Paper Mario
“
But... But I'm Bowser! I'm grade-A, 100% prime-cut final boss! I'm going to take over the world any day now! No way am I helping Mario! He's always trashing my awesome plans. What'd you say? If the world ends, there's not gonna be any world for me to rule?
„
~ Paper Bowser
In Super Paper Mario, Bowser is kidnapped by Count Bleck, who forces Peach to marry him to create the Chaos Heart. Bowser is presumably released by Dimentio soon after, and joins Mario's team, since he cannot rule the world if it is destroyed. He is one of the four heroes of the Light Prognosticus (other three being Mario, Peach, and Luigi). He is temporarily killed by Dimentio along with Mario and Peach, bur returns. Bowser seems to become more praiseworthy and noble when he apparently sacrifices himself to save Peach, Mario, Luigi, and his enemy O'Chunks (after beating him in a duel in Castle Bleck), and was supposedly crushed by a falling ceiling, but survived since his weight caused him to fall through the floor. Bowser helped Mario and Peach destroy Dimentio and save all worlds. He does not seem to turn evil again after this, as he returns to Flipside with Mario, Peach, and Luigi quite a while later. An interesting thing is that he is portrayed as an anti-hero in this game instead of the usual him being antagonistic.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star
However, in Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Bowser tries to steal the Sticker Comet, and ends up powered up by a Royal Sticker. Though oddly he has no lines in this game, he is the main antagonist. After being defeated by Mario, he later tries to steal the Sticker Comet again, to no avail.
Paper Mario: Color Splash
“
I have harnessed the power of the black paint! Nothing can stop me now! Soon I will share the dark gift of black paint with the entire world! GWAHAHA! Later, chumps!
„
~ Paper Bowser
Another form of Bowser, known as Black Bowser, appears as the final boss of the game. At Port Prisma on Prism Island, Bowser invades the town and jumps into the color fountain created by the power of the Paint Stars and, with the intent to make his shell a rainbow hue, spins around in the fountain to mix up the colors, only for it to turn into malevolent black paint, which possesses him and spreads across the island. After Mario and his companion Huey collect all of the Big Paint Stars stolen by the Koopalings do they have access to Black Bowser's castle, where they rescue Princess Peach and defeat Bowser, ridding him of the black paint and returning him to his normal self.
Paper Mario: the Origami King
“
*huff* Hey, slow down! I'm walkin' with my face here! Nobody makes Bowser walk with his face! I mean...obviously theyDID... But they're not gonna get away with it!
„
~ Folded Paper Bowser lamenting on his current state.
Paper Bowser was a victim to King Olly's invasion, imprisoned in the dungeon of Peach's Castle, having been folded into a weakling by Olly's Stapler. After escaping on the Klown Car, Bowser is captured by Folded Soldiers and taken to Bowser's Castle currently inhabited by Scissors. After Mario defeats Scissors, Bowser accompanies Mario and Olivia to the Origami Castle, where after Mario destroys Stapler, removes the staple holding Bowser's body in place, allowing him to fold back to normal.
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
After Luigi accidentally unleashes the Paper characters to the world by opening a magical book, Bowser and Paper Bowser team up their armies to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. While working together, neither of them get along and secretly plan to betray one another once the Mario Bros. have been defeated. After Mario Bros. raid Bowser's Castle to rescue the Princess Peaches, the Bowsers attack Peach's Castle in vengeance for the defeat of Bowser Jr. and Paper Bowser Jr.
At the end of the game, the two face the Mario Bros. in their flying castle and explain their plan to trap the trio in the magic book and burn it. The two combine with each other to create Shiny RoboBowser, although Mario, Luigi, and Paper Mario are able to defeat it. While Bowser plummets to the ground below, the trio uses the book on Paper Bowser and return him to his world, much to his dismay.
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Paper Bowser makes his debut in the Super Smash Bros. series in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, appearing as two trophies (his default look and his wedding attire from Super Paper Mario), and as a sticker.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Although absent of any presence in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Paper Bowser appears again in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS as multiple trophies (being his default appearance and his form when using the Royal Sticker).
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Paper Bowser appears once more in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an enhanceable spirit. Appearing originally as an Ace-level Attack spirit, his spirit battle has him possess his default self on the Ω variant of Peach's Castle, with the match being a stamina match. For other effects, his attack and defense will increase, he comes equipped with a Star Rod, he sometimes will become invincible, and have stronger special attacks. When enhanced, his spirit changes to become him using the Royal Sticker. It is a Legend-level spirit that grants the user the curry effect on starting the match.
Personality
“
Count Bleck, Floro Sapiens, whatever... Stomping fools is my business! Show me a fool, I'll stomp it! I don't even need a reason!
„
~ Paper Bowser
His personality is slightly different than that of his mainstream counterpart. While he is also very ruthless, cruel, and destructive, he shows more comedic and lighthearted sides. He also shows more specific care for his minions. He is shocked when they got folded into origami or is angry that Count Bleck kidnapped them. He is also shocked and disgusted when he sees how evil Count Bleck and Dimentio are compared to him, stating that he never would go to such an extent of evil.
Trivia
Paper Mario: The Origami King is the first Paper Mario game where Bowser is never fought as a boss at all.
