Professor Brainström

The title of this article is official, but it comes from a German source.
If an acceptable English name is found, then the article should be moved to the new title.

Professor Brainström
Species	Human
Appears in	Super Mario Bros. ("Die unglaubliche Erfindung") (1991)

Professor Brainström is an inventor who appears in the German-exclusive Super Mario Bros. story "Die unglaubliche Erfindung." He is described as a little man who has a little white hair and wears a tattered coat and pants that are several centimeters too short. During the events of the story, Brainström has set up a laboratory in an abandoned factory, where he stores all of his inventions, including a miniature submarine.

History

At the beginning of the story, Luigi tells Mario, who had fallen asleep in Mrs. Miller's bathtub in Mario Bros. Plumbing, that he has someone interesting, with Professor Brainström standing behind him. Brainström, who is nodding his vigorously, exclaims that he has sensational news for Mario, and that he should quickly get out of the bathtub.

After Mario wakes up, Brainström urges him and Luigi, the latter introducing himself to the former. Luigi continues by explaining that Brainström has made an invention that will revolutionize plumbing, adding that they will be the first ones to test it. They, along with Brainström, leave their plumbing business and find themselves in an abandoned factory, which serves as Brainström's laboratory.

In the laboratory, Professor Brainström leads Mario and Luigi through a hall filled with technical equipment and devices, the purpose of which they do not know. At the center of hall, in the center of a junction with several directed lamps and spotlights, is a miniature submarine. Mario marvels at the submarine, which Luigi explaining that unclogging pipes will become much easier for them with it. Mario is confused by his statement, to which Brainström explains that he can shrink the submarine down to the size of a penny. Mario believes that he is a movie theater, and adds that they will no longer be able to go inside one, which the professor announces that this will be true while they are inside the submarine. Luigi tells Mario that, with the submarine, they will be able to inspect all pipes very thoroughly from the inside, which Brainström adds that it will allow them to spot issues such as corrosion, wear, deposits, and clogs. Mario is still speechless, but Luigi encourages him to enter the submarine. Mario asks him if they will be done before dinne, but his curiosity ultimately wins out, and decides to accompany Luigi in the submarine.

Mario and Luigi takes their seats in the miniature submarine, with Brainström closing its glass dome. After closing the dome, he then announces that he will activate his invention, explaining that he will drop them into the drain of his sink after shrinking them down, where they can then take a dive and inspect everything. He adds that, when they resurface, he will receive them and enlarge them again. He then asks if they are alright with this, with the Mario Bros., now somewhat worried, nod. The lights suddenly go out, and everything around them turns black.

Professor Brainström leaves his laboratory, with the miniature submarine in hand, having seemingly tricked the Mario Bros. King Koopa, who is waiting for him in a dark alley, asks the professor if he succeeded in shrinking Mario and Luigi and has them inside the submarine. Brainström nods and swallows, fearing King Koopa, who, extending his claw, demands that he hand the shrunken submarine to him. Examining the tiny thing, he chuckles at their supposed demise, explaining that they will not standing in the way of his plans to become ruler of all digital worlds.

Brainström reminds King Koopa of an agreement they made, which the latter acknowledges, who has turned away for the nearest sewer to dispose of the miniature submarine which he believes contains Mario and Luigi. He then comes back, explaining that, though it is not typical of him to stick to agreements, he notes that he is a capable scientist and mentions that he might need his help again sometime. With these words, he hands Brainström several thick bundles of cash. The professor then tells "Mario" and "Luigi" to take care of King Koopa drops the submarine telling them that they should have the rats eat them as the lights come back on.

Mario and Luigi are actually still sitting in the submarine in the laboratory, with nothing having changed around them. Mario shouts that the submarine is not working, to which Brainström, with a sad look on his face, agrees with Mario, adding that he apologizes to him and Luigi a thousand times. Luigi shouts through the intercom to get them out of the submarine, explaining that he is beginning to feel claustrophobic inside it, with the glass dome then lifting.

Though the professor tries to make a guilty and contrite face, he cannot completely hide his inner joy; he had earned more money than he had earned in his life. He believes that it is time to realize his true scientific dream: the journey into the inside of the human body. By reducing a submarine to the size of a pinhead, it could be comfortably injected into the bloodstream. There, doctors could explore the organism, examine its organs, and discover and heal hidden diseases, which is much more meaningful than inspecting drainage pipes. However, he does not know how King Koopa found out that he was involved in such research, and was even more confused that he wanted to shrink what he believes to be two mere plumbers.

It is then revealed that he had not actually shrunk the Mario Bros., but instead gave King Koopa a tiny coin-sized replica. Though he believes that it was not completely for him to claim that his invention is operational, the large sum of money, which he needed for his research, was tempting, and in the end, had he actaully shrunk the Mario Bros. and handed them over to him, they would now be drowning in the swewer. Mario and Luigi say goodbye to the professor, with the latter adding that they are not angry at him, explaining that setbacks happen in life. He then adds that, when the inventions is perfect and ready for plumbing, they will be the first to test it. Brainström nods in agreement, before asking them if they know King Koopa. The Mario Bros. shake their heads, explaining that they never heard of him. The professor responds that it was merelt a question, but does not want to keep them any longer, He wishes them of their continued success in their work, with Mario joking that they should wish them a good appetite for their meal, adding that it is what they will do first.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
German	Professor Brainström	"Professor Brainflow," "Brainström" is also a pun on "brainstorm"