Princess Daisy (film character)

Princess Daisy appears in the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film as the princess of Dinohattan, the sole remaining city in a parallel world inhabited by evolved dinosaurs.

Daisy is an intelligent and analytical young woman who, perhaps in large part due to her saurian-heritage, is incredibly passionate about dinosaurs and paleontology. Even before discovering her origin as a dinosaur she felt a strong connection to dinosaurs and could relate to the idea of "trying to be human."

This passion later projects itself into a strong connection for the parallel world she discovers is home as well as the growing desires of a "reptile brain." It is only her relationship with Luigi that grounds her humanity and prevents her from completely losing herself to those urges.

History
The film begins with Daisy’s mother smuggling a metallic egg into our world while being pursued by Koopa, then a general. Koopa had previously slaughtered the Portal-Keeper ruling elite during a military coup, leaving only Daisy's mother alive due to his love for her. She then escaped and fled to our world, knowing Koopa would soon seek her out as the only person capable of withstanding the dimensional radiation to merge the dimensions. Once in our world she makes her way to a cathedral where she deposits the metallic egg on the steps, keying a gleaming shard into a slot on top. She then covered it with a shawl and frantically knocks on the door before fleeing again. An elderly nun opens the door, taking the egg in with her.

Inside the cathedral, several nuns surround the metallic egg as it opens to reveal an actual egg inside. The egg then hatches an infant Daisy, crying with life, just as Koopa confronts and kills Daisy's mother in the underground tunnel leading back to their dimension. Trying to escape, she had caused a cave-in which kills her and seals the tunnel, preventing Koopa from entering our world to retrieve Daisy and the meteorite shard. Daisy would then remain in our world to be raised by the nuns as a human, growing up unaware of her origins.

She is next seen twenty years later as a paleontology student with a passion for dinosaurs she can't quite understand. This passion has brought her to work as the crew-leader for a local university at a digsite alongside the East River. The dig is being hounded by Anthony Scapelli, a construction and plumbing mogul, because the discovery of dinosaur bones during construction has forced him to step aside for the university to dig. Scapelli arrives at the dig with his goons, demanding to speak with whoever is in charge. Daisy then hops down from a ramp and asserts herself as "the boss." Unfazed by the young girl, Scapelli sleazily eyes her and threatens both her and the site if she doesn't end the digging soon. Worried, she enters the city to find a payphone to call the university to ask for increased security.

As Daisy crosses a street to get to a payphone Spike and Iggy, Koopa's bumbling henchmen, spot her from their car and decide she's the girl they're looking for. They begin to tail her and attempt to snatch her on the street but are thwarted due to their own stupidity. Daisy continues, unaware of the attempt on her life, and arrives at a payphone currently being used by Luigi. Stunned by her beauty he offers it to her.

Unfortunately, the university can't offer any higher security. Dismayed, she notices Spike and Iggy watching her from their car. Believing them to be Scapelli's goons she accepts a ride from Mario and Luigi back to the digsite, getting to know the brothers along the way. Once they arrive she accepts a dinner invitation from Luigi for later that night.

During dinner Daisy reveals to Mario, Luigi, and Daniella that she was abandoned and that she never removes the meteorite shard she wears around her neck as it is all she has of her past. Luigi admits that he never knew his mother or father either and was raised by his brother Mario, which prompts a shared gaze between the two and a moment of understanding. At Mario and Daniella's urging, Luigi walks Daisy home following dinner. Along the way the two begin talking more and express their shared awkwardness, Daisy worried that her passion for dinosaurs would come off weird. Luigi, however, doesn't mind and Daisy spontaneously decides to bring Luigi to the digsite.

Trivia

 * Although the character is named for Princess Daisy, her appearance and chief inspiration came from Princess Toadstool.

Quotes

 * ''"I'm the boss here."
 * ''"Thank God you're here! I mean, you're a plumber, right?"
 * ''"Luigi, help me!"
 * ''"Uh, I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat anything with a face."
 * ''"I hope he's alright."
 * ''"Only I can stop it."
 * ''"Luigi, Mario! You gotta come with me, I need your help."
 * ''"You're never gonna believe this."