Dark Gate
The title of this article is official, but it comes from a Japanese source.
If an acceptable English name is found, then the article should be moved to the new title.
The Dark Gate is the door placed at the entrance of Mario's castle in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. It is a giant gate decorated by two columns held by a Goomba and a Koopa Troopa, while a monster face is depicted on the top. A giant door with "MARIO LAND 2" engraved on it is surrounded by six slots. After reclaiming the castle, the Dark Gate is replaced by the usual castle entrance, which has a Mario Cap instead of the monster face.
During the Mario Land takeover, Wario places the Dark Gate at the entrance of the castle to prevent Mario from entering, using the six Golden Coins as the key to unlock it and giving them to the zones' bosses. Mario has to defeat the bosses to collect their respective coins, which are placed in their respective slots in the Dark Gate. Once all of the coins are collected, the gate opens, and Mario can access the final level. In the event of a Game Over, the screen shows the Dark Gate with all of the Golden Coins ejected and returned to the bosses, forcing Mario to defeat them again.
In the Super Mario Kodansha manga, the Dark Gate is the real physical form (and possibly the symbol) of Aku no Keshin, the embodiment of evil that possesses Wario during the events of the Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and Mario & Wario arcs. While attempting to destroy Mario Land after Wario's defeat, Aku no Kenshin lures Princess Peach into his gate form (with Wario's face engraved on the door), possessing her and disguising her as a giant Wario wearing the Dark Gate as an armor suit, with the monster as the helmet and a Goomba and Koopa Troopa's faces as the claws. To move around, however, Aku no Kenshin takes the form of a group of Small Warios. At the end of the Mario & Wario manga, Mario uses the Excellent Hyper Hana Beam to vanquish Aku no Kenshin once and for all, who appears as the Dark Gate one last time.
Gallery[edit]
The Dark Gate in its Wario form in Super Mario Land 2 - 6-tsu no Kinka 3
The Dark Gate suit in Super Mario Land 2 - 6-tsu no Kinka 3
"Wario" and the Dark Gate suit exploding in Super Mario Land 2 - 6-tsu no Kinka 3
Aku no Kenshin escaping in Super Mario Land 2 - 6-tsu no Kinka 3
The end of Aku no Kenshin in Mario & Wario
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Dāku Gēto |
Dark Gate |
References[edit]
- ^ Kazuki Motoyama (6 May 1994). Super Mario Land 2 - 6-tsu no Kinka 3. KC Deluxe (Japanese). ISBN 4-06-319467-1. Page 90.
