A reader explains why the thinks Internet sensation Bowsette should become an official part of the Mushroom Kingdom canon.
Nintendo have, on the whole, always been a family-friendly company (we shall ignore that they once owned a love hotel). However, the first big game for them, Donkey Kong, can be said to have a sexual overtone to it, thanks to how it is basically a retelling of King Kong on one computer monitor.
And King Kong is very much a sexually-charged tale (over-sized monster sees girl, falls in love with girl for plot reasons, kidnaps girl to love and protect her, falls to hero when it realises that is the only way to save his love). In the same way, Donkey Kong has Kong trying to protect his love from the hero, but once the hero reaches the girl he jumps off the tower, realising the girl will be best helped by that sacrifice.
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Enter Mario…
Once again the girl (Princess Peach) has been kidnapped by the monster (Bowser) so said monster can love and protect her (whether she wants it or not), and once again the hero fights his way to the girl through multiple challenges to… find she is in another castle. Well, eventually to defeat the monster, who it can still be said sacrifices himself when he realises this is best for the girl he loves (only to return in the sequel, mua ha ha ha … ahem).
Now, while not as obviously sexual as Fay Wray in the original King Kong movie, there is no hiding that there is something of the kind going on throughout the various Mario games, even down to the use of kidnap-to-force-marry trope in the latest version of the game (which is a brilliant game). Still, this does leave the villains reasons in a less-than-family-friendly position.
Enter Bowsette…
The Internet can be a place that is, shall we say… somewhat odd in its treatment of beloved movie and game characters. It can also come up with some amazing ideas and I think Bowsette is one of them. That she was created as a response to Nintendos own Peachette to me is actually a good thing. It also makes her a potentially good reason for the Bowser/Peach kidnapping history.
Why shouldnt the reason Bowser kidnapped Peach be that he was trying, in his own villainous ways, to help his own daughter find a friend? That would certainly be a more family friendly reason than being in love with Peach himself. Or, if you wanted to embrace the whole mushroom-based forced change, how about having Bowser, as Bowsette, kidnapping Peach to help him with his new female body/identity?
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It is at this point I hope you can start to see how the inclusivity of having Bowsette in the Mushroom Kingdom would both make for fun new storylines, and also make a lot more people able to loose themselves in a place that understands them, without the need to bring sexuality up in a non-family-friendly way.
So there you have it, why I think Bowsette is a great opportunity for Nintendo. And one that can be in keeping with their company philosophy, while making their games even more inclusive than they already are.
Have fun!
By reader Gleth
The readers feature does not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
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