Since its debut in 1985, Super Mario has been one of Nintendo's biggest and most popular franchises. Throughout dozens of main series titles and spin-offs, the world of Mario has seen the addition of many characters. Despite that, the series has always reveled in the simplicity of its central characters.

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Many of the Mario franchise's most popular characters have little to no backstory. However, many one-off titles dive deep into the past of certain individuals, while other entries in the franchise introduce new allies with compelling histories. These characters, at some point in the series, had their chance to show their depth.

10 Il Piantissimo

Il Piantissimo laughing while talking to Mario in Super Mario Sunshine

Super Mario Sunshine is one of the most beloved games in the Mario series. While most of the game feels easy-going due to its tropical setting, one character, in particular, has been the subject of players' ire. That character is Il Piantissimo, a masked human who challenges Mario to a race in several levels of the game.

While players may find Il Piantissimo's cockiness unpleasant, there is potentially a reason for it. By talking to several Pianta Village locals, Mario can learn that Il Piantissimo is detested by many in the public. Sadly, this public ostracization is probably the cause for his delusions of grandeur.

9 Captain Syrup

Captain Syrup approaching the Ancient Globe in a cutscene from Wario Land Shake It

Captain Syrup made her debut in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 as one of the game's main antagonists. As the leader of the Black Sugar Gang, her riches become the target of Wario's avarice throughout the franchise. She even makes a reappearance in Wario Land: Shake It for the Nintendo Wii as Wario's ally.

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Despite this, Captain Syrup's motivations in Wario Land: Shake It is more than meets the eye. She initially appears to be helping Wario find the legendary Bottomless Coin Sack, though her real plan is to steal the treasure for herself. By the game's end, Syrup gets to continue her job as Wario's rival marauder.

8 Toadsworth

Toadsworth flinching in Super Mario Sunshine

The Toad species are often seen in the servitude of Princess Peach. This is still the case with Toadsworth, the princess's personal steward. Toadsworth appears in many Mario titles, debuting in Super Mario Sunshine as he escorts Mario and Peach on vacation. However, players get to learn about his past in another spin-off title.

Toadsworth appears in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, which finds the plumber brothers traveling back in time and allying with their baby selves. There, they encounter a younger Toadsworth, still serving an infant Peach. This Toadsworth isn't as worrisome as his future self, though he does happen to be more courageous.

7 Mallow

Mario facing Mallow in Super Mario RPG

Mallow is one of Mario's first partners in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Alongside characters like Geno, Mallow's appearance in this game is one-of-a-kind, though many fans would probably be happy to see him reappear. When Mario first meets Mallow, the cloud boy is the adoptive son of the sage Frogfucius.

Later in their travels together, Mario and Mallow find themselves in Nimbus Land. There, the companions discover that Mallow is the biological son of King and Queen Nimbus. Though he discovers he has princely duties, at this point, Mallow has found joy in adventuring and abandons his post to continue his allyship with Mario.

6 Count Bleck

Count Bleck standing next to his minion, Natasia, in a cutscene from Super Paper Mario

The Paper Mario games are one of the few plot-focused spin-off series in the Mario franchise. Super Paper Mario for the Nintendo Wii is no different, as this game features Count Bleck. When Count Bleck first appears, he is arranging a wedding for Peach and Bowser, though his real motives are eviler than that.

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In flashbacks, players learn about a child named Blumiere. One day, Blumiere was found injured by a human named Timpani, who nursed him back to health. Blumiere fell in love with her, though as a result, his father banished her from their dimension. This leads Blumiere to become Count Bleck and plans to destroy his dimension.

5 Professor E. Gadd

Luigi talking to Professor E. Gadd in a cutscene from Luigi's Mansion 3

Professor E. Gadd was introduced to Mario fans in the spin-off GameCube title Luigi's Mansion. The scientist makes many subsequent appearances in the Mario franchise. Similar to Toadsworth, a younger version of him appears in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, living in a lab at the base of Thwomp Volcano.

Through his encounter with the baby Mario Brothers, E. Gadd is inspired to invent the Hydrogush 4000, which becomes useful to the present-day brothers. Later, the young E. Gadd moves to Boo Woods, where he begins studying ghosts, resulting in his expertise as seen in the Luigi's Mansion series.

4 Mario & Luigi

Yoshi and Baby Mario approaching Baby Luigi and a tied up stork

The plumber brothers have a shared backstory prior to their appearances in the series as adults. Players get to meet Mario & Luigi for the first time chronologically in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. This game finds players in control of Yoshi, who curiously discovers the lost Baby Mario in his homeland of Yoshi's Island.

Baby Mario didn't come from anywhere, though. The infant Mario & Luigi were originally being carried through the sky by a stork. However, the wizard Kamek had a vision that the two children would later bring tragedy to the Koopa race. As a result, he kidnaps Baby Luigi, forcing Baby Mario to team up with Yoshi and rescue him.

3 Mona

Mona cheerleading in a cutscene from WarioWare Smooth Moves

Mona made her video game debut in WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Micrograme$, the first installment in the WarioWare series. Ever since, the character has been a staple of the spin-off games. Mona has taken on many occupations, from working in a pizza restaurant to cheerleading for Diamond City's football team.

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However, Mona's backstory is largely absent from the WarioWare games. On the Japanese website for Mega Microgame$, it is revealed that Mona's parents are often traveling, meaning she doesn't spend much time with them. Mona even empathizes with Ashley more because of this, as Ashley is also a lonely character.

2 Admiral Bobbery

Mario standing next to Admiral Bobbery in Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door

Out of all of Mario's partners in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Admiral Bobbery has the most tragic backstory. Bobbery was once married to a Bob-omb named Scarlette, who would wait for him while he traveled at sea. One time, she fell sick while he was away, and died before he returned, breaking Bobbery's heart.

As a result of this, Bobbery vowed to never sail again. That is until Mario needs a navigator to take him to Keelhaul Key. Bobbery initially declines Mario's quest, until the plumber finds a letter written to Bobbery from Scarlette, encouraging him to not lose his love for traveling the sea, which makes Bobbery decide to join Mario.

1 Rosalina

Rosalina laughing with Baby Luma in a storybook page from Super Mario Galaxy

Few Mario characters have stolen players' hearts as much as Rosalina did in Super Mario Galaxy. Rosalina is the adopted mother of the Lumas, guarding over them in the Comet Observatory that serves as the main hub for Mario's adventures. In the library of the Observatory, Mario can read Rosalina's backstory through a storybook.

Told over the course of nine chapters, the storybook reveals how Rosalina discovered the Baby Luma. Together, the two set out to find Luma's mother, which causes Rosalina to think about her own lost mother. Overall, it's a heartbreaking yet warm story that reveals a lot about Rosalina's kind and powerful nature in the game.

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