Super Mario Galaxy debuted a new power for its take on Princess Peach, inspired by Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. franchise. Peach, played by Anya Taylor-Joy in the animated adventure, has been a big part of Illumination's take on the Mushroom Kingdom thus far, doing away with her typical 'damsel in distress' trappings and becoming a fearless warrior alongside the likes of Mario and Luigi.
Peach took center stage in a new promo for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, showing off the character's iconic parasol powers. The short TV commercial (spotted online by X user Portal S Mario) was in conjunction with the upcoming Winter Olympics and features the iconic video game princess floating down to the ground with her pink umbrella, then engaging in a quick bout of ice skating.
Fans will instantly recognize this parasol float from the Smash Bros. games. In Nintendo's series of platform fighters, Peach can deploy the weapon, shooting her straight up in the air before she slowly floats back down to the ground.
The parasol float actually originated in Square Enix's Super Mario RPG, released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. In the 1996 role-playing classic, Mario actually uses the umbrella to float from he high towers of Mushroom Kingdom during the game's iconic castle escape set piece.
Her parasol has since appeared in every entry into the Super Smash Bros. franchise. It also made its way over to the mainline Mario franchise, the Yoshi's Island series, and all the Paper Mario games.
Fans got a taste of this new weapon for the movie version of Peach in the film's first trailer, showing the character fighting off some karate-chopping ninjas with the lace-lined tool. She has also been seen with the parasol over her shoulder in leaked merchandise featuring the character ahead of release.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opens in theaters on April 1. The film from Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment will center again on Chris Pratt as the iconic video game mascot, as he heads to the stars to take on Bowser Jr.
The Winter Olympic TV spot can be watched below:
Princess Peach's Role in the Super Mario Galaxy Movie
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will once again keep Peach at the forefront of the action. No longer is she simply a princess for Mario to save from a castle; she is as much a part of the quest to take down Bowser and his droves of minions as both Mario and Luigi.
While The Super Mario Bros. Movie saw Peach fighting alongside the two Mario brothers, the upcoming sequel could mix things up. Thus far, fans have seen Peach and her venerable sidekick Toad (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) on their own adventure, seemingly separate from both Mario and Luigi.
Perhaps the team needs to split up to take on Bowser Jr., sending Peach on her own quest across the stars. Some speculated this could be to discover who she is, with some wondering whether the new film could confirm the long-running theory that Peach and new character Rosalina are related.
With Rosalina now on the board, the pair of Princesses could make a dynamic duo in the fight against Bowser Jr. (and whatever other villains are hiding in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie).
