Super Plant (episode)

The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! live-action segment
"Super Plant"
Production number	125
Airdate	October 5, 1989[?]
Guest star(s)	Gary Schwartz Patrick Dempsey
Cartoon episode	"The Pied Koopa"
Zelda preview	"Sing for the Unicorn"
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Super Plant is the twenty-fourth live-action segment of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Its corresponding animated episode "The Pied Koopa."

Plot synopsis

In Mario Brothers Plumbing, Mario and Luigi are dressed like doctors, doing what they can to keep Mama Mario's dying basil bush alive. Unfortunately for them, Mario concludes that things are grim, and that the only thing he and Luigi can do now is hope and pray. Luigi does not want to have to tell Mama that her basil bush is dying, and Mario states that they need a miracle.

To their surprise, the doorbell rings, and a man who calls himself Dr. Toby enters. Dr. Toby claims that he can tell whenever a plant is in distress, and knew to come over beforehand. He refers to his ability as either a gift, or a curse, and presents Mario and Luigi with his new Super Plant Growth Formula, but warns them that it is in the experimental phase, and that they should follow the instructions "carefully." Mario and Luigi thank Dr. Toby, and he leaves.

As Luigi begins to read the instructions, he notes that only a small amount of formula should be used. Desperate to revive the basil bush, Mario disregards the instructions and sprinkles a massive amount of the formula on the plant

Later on, Mario calls Dr. Toby to inform him that his plant formula worked "too well." He explains that as a result, the formula transformed the basil bush into Super Plant, which is holding Luigi hostage in an embrace. Relaying advice from Dr. Toby over the phone, Mario tells Luigi to ask Super Plant to let him go; however, that does not work. Mario then tells Luigi to try tickling Super Plant, but that does not work as well, along with teasing it and dancing. Mario then tells Luigi to run, and it works, but Super Plant chases both brothers around the basement, and eventually catches them.

Being held down by Super Plant, Mario and Luigi keep themselves occupied by playing chess until Dr. Toby returns. When he arrives, Dr. Toby is thrilled to see that his formula works, and announces that he has created an antidote to the formula which will shrink the plant back to its original form. As he prepares to do so, Super Plant attacks him, but Mario physically restrains him as Dr. Toby sprays the antidote.

Mario is mildly disappointed, for he enjoyed the fight he had with Super Plant ("What'd you do that for, Doc? I had him right where I wanted him!"). Dr. Toby then mentions that he developed a fast-acting Super Yeast Formula that Mario and Luigi could use for their pizza dough, but they quickly refuse the offer. As for now, the basil bush is healthy again, and Luigi notes that Mama will be happy now.

Characters

• Mario
• Luigi
• Dr. Toby
• Super Plant
• Mama Mario (mentioned)

Dub edits

• In the Latin American Spanish dub, after Luigi fails to be let go by Super Plant after teasing it, Mario mentions it does not hate anyone. In the original, he says it hates Henny Youngman.
  • In the Brazilian Portuguese dub, he instead says it does not like salad.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Chinese (simplified)	超级株 Chāojí Zhū	Super Plant
German	Super Pflanze	Super Plant
Hebrew	צמח הפלא Tzmch Hfl	Wonder Plant
Italian	La Super Pianta[?]	Super Plant
Portuguese (NOA)	Super Planeta1	Super Planet
Spanish	Súper Planta	Super Plant

¹ - Mistranslation of "plant," the correct title is "Super Planta."

Trivia

• The "until next time" part of the episode is omitted from the Netflix version.