Dark Star Core

Dark Star Core is the final boss of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, along with Dark Bowser. The Dark Star Core consist of the remains of Dark Fawful after Bowser weakened him combined with the weak point of the Dark Star. In this form, Fawful has greater powers, along with slightly altered appearances, such as red glass eyes, changable appendages, and the Dark Star attached to his head.

History

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

The Dark Star Core entering the battle.

In the final fight of the game, Bowser has to make Dark Bowser collapse by depleting his 1000 HP. Dark Fawful will heal his host, making Dark Bowser giant in the process. After surviving his dark copy's new attack, Bowser must punch the giant's stomach to make him spit out Dark Fawful. Bowser then has to inhale Dark Fawful and let Mario and Luigi battle him. When in Bowser's body, Dark Fawful will power up and assume a massive size.

Dark Fawful's second form consists of 6 parts: the two lenses of his glasses, three skinny legs, and the Dark Star Core located on an antenna atop his head. The Dark Star Core is the main target, but it is also unreachable at the beginning of the fight. To damage the core, must destroy Dark Fawful's legs-but they can only attack one at a time unless the eyes are destroyed. Although it is possible to ignore the glasses and destroy the legs individually, it is more efficient to destroy the glasses first, preventing Dark Fawful from hiding his appendages. Then, the brothers can attack all three legs at once, reducing the risk of the first leg regenerating while they pick off the others. The Snack Basket technique can destroy all three at once if perfectly executed.

With all three legs destroyed, Dark Fawful will fall and shatter on the ground, bringing the Dark Star Core into range. The Mario Bros. have to damage the core as much as possible until it revives Dark Fawful and jumps out of Bowser's body. If it retreats from Bowser's body, the core will jump back into Dark Bowser, forcing the Koopa King to repeat the earlier battle until he can inhale the Dark Star Core once again.

Attacks

Dark Fawful attacks in various ways. One attack has him pick up the Mario Bros. while the Dark Star Core shoots rings of stars at them. Fawful will move his arms up and down between rings, altering the brother's strategies; they have to jump over the rings if they are shot at them. and stay still if they are not.

Dark Fawful can also chase after the Mario Bros. while the Dark Star Core repeatedly swoops at them. Before each attack, the Dark Star Core will fly by the top screen, showing either a green or red glow. If the glow is red, it will hit Mario. If it is green, it will hit Luigi. After jumping over several attacks, the Mario Bros. will fall into a white portal and the fight will continue.

Dark Fawful can also put both of his arms into the ground and fire purple balls of energy at Mario and Luigi. The brothers have to destroy the balls by hitting them with their hammers. Sometimes, larger orbs will come down the arms-the heroic plumbers can hit them to fire them back at Dark Fawful.

The instant the Dark Star Core explodes in battle.

The Dark Star Core uses a different variety of attacks. It can charge up and fire a massive, screen-filling laser at both Mario Bros.-to dodge this move, Mario and Luigi have to jump onto Starlow and stay on the top screen until the attack subsides. This is essentially the same as the laser attack used by the Dark Star in the previous encounter, but with a faster charge and no follow-up ram. The Dark Star Core will also spin a shadow arrow around it and try hitting the brothers. First, the arrow will spin in the air right above the Bros., who must not jump during this time. After 5 revolutions in the air, going faster each time, the shadow arrow will scrape across the floor, forcing the Bros. to jump over it. This move is like Cackletta's arm move from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Elder Princess Shroob's tentacle move from Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.

File:Darkfawfulexplode.JPG

The Dark Star Core about to explode.

After completing its shadow arrow spin, the Dark Star Core will charge the arrow further and fire it at one of the plumbers. If the arrow is pointed at an upwards angle, it is aiming for Mario. If it is pointing at a downward angle, Luigi is being targeted. Either way, the attacked plumber must use his hammer to knock the arrow back at the Dark Star Core, inflicting light damage in the process.

After the Dark Star Core's HP is depleted, it will be defeated along with Dark Fawful. This will cause Dark Bowser to become unstable. Bowser then lands the final blow on Dark Bowser, ultimately defeating him and saving the kingdom from the Dark Star. After Dark Bowser gets destroyed, Fawful appears before the Mario Bros. one final time-without a body or the Dark Star's power, he doesn't have much time left. He gives one last psychotic smile before self-destructing, which negates the effect of the Vacuum Mushroom and expels Mario, Luigi, Starlow and the Toads from Bowser's body.

Trivia

• When one of Fawful's eyes are damaged, the Dark Star Core closes one of its eyes as well.

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