Photo: Universal/Everett Collection
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has an awful lot going on, including the addition of a bunch of characters familiar to Nintendo fans. The film gives us proper introductions to icons like Yoshi and Rosalina, and even Star Fox’s Fox McCloud, but is somehow still missing the best character in the entire Mario universe — that is, until the post-credits scene. Let’s talk about why the final seconds of this movie are more exciting than anything that happens in the hour and a half preceding them. (Spoilers ahead!)
Ukiki, a cheeky monkey who stole from Toad earlier in the movie (and is originally from the 1995 game Super Mario 2: Yoshi’s World), has returned to steal from another innocent bystander. But this time, he’s stopped by a swift punch in the face. That fist belongs to none other than Princess Daisy, who smiles and winks before the scene ends.
While most of the Mario universe takes place in the Mushroom Kingdom (where Princess Peach reigns), Daisy is the princess of Sarasaland, where Super Mario Land takes place. The 1989 Game Boy game is the only one where Daisy is the damsel in distress instead of Peach, which fans loved so much that it became the fourth-highest-selling Game Boy game ever. Since then, Daisy has appeared in more than 50 games, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Mario Tennis, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and the Mario Party and Kart franchises.
Daisy’s (extremely brief) inclusion in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a big deal. She’s the only significant hero in the Mario franchise who hasn’t been featured in the films yet. Even Rosalina, who’s appeared in roughly half as many games and is a far newer character, gets a starring role in Galaxy — nothing short of a slight to our beloved brunette baddie. Daisy’s last-second appearance suggests that, finally, she’ll play a major role in whatever Mario film comes next.
Daisy is, and always has been, the moment.
Visually, Daisy is practically a Peach clone, with brown hair instead of blonde and a yellow dress instead of pink. Like Luigi, she plays second fiddle to her less interesting and unmistakably heterosexual pal. And while Peach is demure and elegant, known for being good-natured and compassionate, Daisy is a boisterous, sports-loving tomboy. Though the games frequently pay her dust, she is not one to be overlooked: Her most famous voice line is her shouting, “Hi, I’m Daisy!” And as you can hear in this sampling of Daisy’s other lines, she’s happiest when shouting.
Since the Mario franchise is far from story focused, it allows fans to draw their own conclusions. And its half-hearted attempts to give her a romance with Luigi haven’t convinced anyone. No, instead, Daisy has become a gay icon. Peruse Tumblr for fan art of her in a romantic relationship with Peach. And see how, in a number of games, Daisy has the ability to summon and/or fight with flowers, an obvious nod to the gay plant community. But beyond her delightfully assertive, loud, and sporty personality, the fact that Daisy is constantly overlooked is key to why she is celebrated. Gay people love a diva, but the only thing we love more is an underappreciated diva.
Daisy doesn’t speak in the film, so we have some suggestions as to who should get the honor. The obvious choice is Deanna Mustard, who voiced Daisy for nearly 20 years, or her current voice, Giselle Fernandez. But the Mario movies sadly don’t value voice actors — otherwise someone like Tara Strong or Grey DeLisle would be fantastic choices.
If we’re going to inevitably get a major movie star to voice her, Daisy should absolutely be played by a queer woman. Kate McKinnon would be amazing. Sarah Paulson or Jodie Foster would be outrageous (these movies can afford anyone). We’d love to see what Reneé Rapp could do with Daisy.
Realistically, it’ll be someone ultrafamous like Scarlett Johansson or Margot Robbie. We’d also be very supportive of Kirsten Dunst picking up another paycheck. Like Daisy, she’s brilliant and vastly underrated.
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