How did Bowser become King of the Koopas in ‘Mario?’

Perhaps one of pop culture’s biggest icons as well as a staple of the Super Mario franchise alongside its titular character, Bowser, also known as “King Bowser” or “King Koopa,” rules the Koopa Kingdom with an iron fist, hoping someday to kidnap Princess Peach and enslave the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as defeating his archenemies Mario and Luigi. Now, Bowser’s biography is a little hazy, and if you’re unfamiliar with the Super Mario lore, it can get extra confusing too. We know that Bowser is the ruler of the Koopa Kingdom, a title which he inherited, but how did it happen? There’s no explicitly clear answer, since a lot of theories have circulated the internet in regards to Bowser’s history. That being said, it’s a widely known and accepted belief that Bowser took over the Koopa Kingdom after his father — whom fans assume is Morton Koopa Sr. — passed away. There’s variations of Morton Sr.’s death, so no one truly know for certain, but let’s take a crack at unraveling the truth.

Mortan Koopa Sr. dies suddenly, leaving Bowser to be raised by Kamek

Throughout his childhood and beyond, Bowser was raised by Kamek, a Magikoopa who acted as a maternal figure. According to Super Mario lore, Morton Koopa Sr. served as the king of the Koopa Kingdom for over a centennial and allegedly fathered a son, Bowser, in 1939. Just under 50 years later, he would die, but his exact cause of death is speculative. Some sources claim he died from advanced prostate cancer, whereas others suggest that Morton Sr. died during the Yoshi Revolutionary War, wherein the Yoshi’s attacked him and pushed him off a cliff, hence he fell to his death. That being said, there are those that think Morton Koopa Sr. is Bowser’s brother, not his father. Regardless, once the previous heir had died, Bowser inherited the throne.

Bowser’s relative were killed off, leaving him to assume the throne

The commonly held belief is that Bowser, when he was younger, became engaged to Princess Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom in an effort to elect peace between the kingdoms. Bowser became heir to the Koopa throne after Toadstool broke the agreement by murdering all of Bowser’s older siblings and then attempting to kill Bowser himself at their wedding. From then on, Bowser became known as “King Bowser” or “King Koopa” and adopted many corresponding nicknames. Soon after that, Bowser retaliated against Toadstool’s betrayal by kidnapping her, which led to his first encounter with Mario, who came to rescue the Mushroom Kingdom’s royal.

That’s the long and short of it, according to multiple recounts from the Super Mario fandom. There’s bits and pieces that one might have to infer for themselves through some painstaking research, since the Super Mario lore isn’t clear-cut like some other franchises. Still, it would make sense for all of the above to happen, especially as it sets up Bowser’s grudge with the Mushroom Kingdom and his life-long quest to kidnap Princess Peach, which is always thwarted by Mario and Luigi.