Princess Daisy (film character)

Princess Daisy appears in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film as the princess of Dinohattan, the sole remaining city in a parallel world inhabited by evolved dinosaurs.

Daisy is an intelligent and analytical young woman who, perhaps in large part due to her saurian-heritage, is incredibly passionate about dinosaurs and paleontology. Even before discovering herself to be a dinosaur she felt a strong connection to dinosaurs and related to the idea of "trying to be human."

This passion later manifests itself as the growing desires of a "reptile brain" inspired by exposure to the parallel world. It is only her relationship with Luigi that grounds her humanity and prevents her from completely losing herself to those urges.

History

The film begins with Daisy's mother smuggling a metallic pod into the human dimension while being pursued by General Koopa. Koopa had previously slaughtered the Portal-Keeper ruling elite in a military coup, sparing only her due to his love for her. Knowing that he would force her to merge the dimensions she escaped and fled into our world, making her way through the streets of New York City to the steps of a cathedral. She then deposits the pod on its steps, inserting a gleaming shard into it and frantically knocking on the door before fleeing again. An elderly nun opens the door just as she leaves and sees the pod, kneeling down to take it inside.

The newly-hatched Daisy at St. Theresa's Cathedral

Daisy's mother then crosses the street, nearly being hit by a car before climbing down an open manhole that leads towards an abandoned subway shaft. She peers around in fear when Koopa suddenly steps from the shadows from behind and grabs her, demanding "the rock." Trying to escape, Daisy's mother causes a cave-in that both kills her and seals the tunnel, preventing Koopa from entering the human world to retrieve Daisy and the shard.

Back at the cathedral, several nuns surround the pod that now rests on an alter. The elderly nun from before removes the meteorite shard from it, causing the pod to open and reveal an egg inside. The egg begins to hatch and break apart until we see the infant Daisy, crying with life while her mother dies to save her. The elderly nun holds the meteorite shard up, which gleams as the scene cuts twenty years later.

Daisy is next seen as a paleontology student with a passion for dinosaurs that she doesn't quite understand. Her passion has brought her to work as the crew-leader at a project alongside the East River. However, the digsite is being hounded by Anthony Scapelli, a construction and plumbing mogul, because it had previously been the site of a construction project until the discovery of dinosaur bones forced him to step aside. Scapelli personally decides to visit the digsite in an attempt to settle his problem. Flanked by suited-goons, he demands to speak with whoever is in charge. This turns out to be Daisy who hops down from a ramp and asserts herself as "the boss." Unfazed by the girl, Scapelli sleazily eyes her body and threatens both her and the site if she doesn't end the digging soon. Worried, Daisy leaves another student in charge while she enters the city to call the university for more security.

Meanwhile, Spike and Iggy, Koopa's bumbling henchmen, sit in their car eating "dog" while discussing their failure to capture the right "girl." It is then that Iggy notices Daisy crossing the street and decide that she's the girl they have failed to locate. They begin to tail her, attempting to snatch her on the street only to be thwarted by their own stupidity. Daisy continues, unaware of the attempt on her life and arrives at a payphone currently being used by Luigi, who, stunned by her beauty, offers its use to her.

Unfortunately, Daisy soon finds that the university cannot increase their security. Dismayed, she approaches Luigi and his brother Mario to thank them for allowing her use of the phone. Mario, realizing his younger brother's infatuation with the girl, offers her a ride back to the digsite. Unsure of the offer, Daisy notices Spike and Iggy watching her from their car and accepts the brothers' offer, believing them safer than the two men she suspects are Scapelli's goons. The three talk along the way and get to know each other enough for Daisy to accept a dinner invitation from Luigi for later that night.

During that dinner Daisy reveals to Mario, Luigi, and Daniella that she was abandoned at birth and that she never removes the meteorite shard she wears around her neck as it is all she has of her past. Luigi admits that he also never knew his mother or father and was raised by his brother Mario, which prompts a shared gaze between the two and a moment of understanding. At Mario and Daniella's urging, Luigi offers to walk Daisy home following the meal.

During the walk home Luigi expresses embarrassment at his awkwardness. Daisy responds by explaining that she herself is embarrassed by her passion for dinosaurs, which she feels is an odd fascination to have. In the end, both are reassured by the others insecurity and smile. Daisy then offers to bring Luigi to the digsite to show him the fossils they have found.

The two race to the digsite, entering the tunnel that leads to the fossil pit. There's no security guarding the place, which Daisy explains is the reason she was using the phone earlier. She also explains to him how the fossils came to be found and the trouble Scapelli has been giving her crew. Luigi asks whether Daisy finds the underground chamber creepy. She says, to the contrary, it feels strangely "comfortable" to her.

The two begin to draw near for an intimate kiss, only to be interrupted by the sound of a nearby commotion followed by the sight of two of Scapelli's goons, Mike and Doug, running past them. The plumbing has been sabotaged in an attempt to flood the digsite and destroy the fossils. Daisy, aware that Luigi is a plumber, asks for his help.

After getting Mario, the two brothers begin to repair the plumbing while Daisy looks on. As they're about to finish, Iggy and Spike appear from behind, knocking them out and abducting Daisy. They pull her into the subterranean depths of the tunnel, leading her to the gateway between their world and ours. Mario and Luigi, once the regain consciousness, follow. Finally, they come to what appears to be a dead end. However, they can hear Daisy's voice calling out to them from a seemingly solid rock wall. To their amazement, Daisy's face then appears through the rock wall as she struggles against Iggy and Spike. Luigi tries to grab her, but misses as she's pulled back and is left only with the meteorite shard worn around her neck.

Daisy is then pulled through the apathetic streets of Dinohattan before entering a cab. She is later seen being led into the holding cell where the four missing "Brooklyn Girls" are being held. It is there that she reunites with Daniella, who had been kidnapped only hours before. The presence of a familiar face comforts Daisy. She is then told by the Brooklyn Girls that they were kidnapped by someone known as "Koopa" who is seeking a princess. Daisy seems to suspect it's her, but says nothing.

Quotes

• "I'm the boss here."
• "Weird is working in a bone pit all day and spending your nights reading about things that have been dead for 65 million years."
• "Thank God you're here! I mean, you're a plumber, right?"
• "Luigi, help me!"
• "Uh, I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat anything with a face."
• "I hope he's all right."
• "Only I can stop it."
• "Luigi, Mario! You gotta come with me, I need your help."
• "You're never gonna believe this."

Trivia

• Although the character is named for Princess Daisy, her chief inspiration came from Princess Peach.
• Daisy's relationship with Luigi mirrors the relationship between her namesake and the games' Luigi, which first arose in NES Open Tournament Golf two years prior.