Cosmic Clone

Cosmic Clones (or Shadow Clones) are shadowy duplicates of Mario or Luigi that appear in Super Mario Galaxy 2. Cosmic Clones are created once a certain point is reached in a galaxy and will follow behind Mario or Luigi, performing every movement the plumbers make. Boards usually warn the plumbers that Cosmic Clones are present in the area, although they also appear when a Clone Comet orbits in a galaxy.

Cosmic Clones will do whatever Mario did, even if the landscape has recently been changed. For example, they will still appear to jump on a platform even if the platform had disappeared after Mario used it. If Mario or Luigi gets hit by a clone, he receives damage and the clone vanishes, and the rest of the clones mimic the plumber taking damage. Once the way out of the area where Mario or Luigi is in is revealed, the clones disappear screaming loudly for a few seconds and leaving behind three Star Bits each.

A Cosmic Clone appears only in the Special World in Super Mario 3D Land, and it resembles Small Mario, though it differs in size in certain levels. A big Cosmic Clone has a low pitch of voice, and it can destroy Brick Blocks. Due to its size, it can be difficult to avoid. It seems to conduct the same tactics as Cosmic Mario, with the addition of it attacking Mario if he gets in its way, and it has a purple outline instead of a red one. Mario or Luigi can destroy it by touching it while invincible. Upon reaching a certain area the Cosmic Clone disappears. If the player goes out from that area the Cosmic Clone will appear again.

Trivia

 * The Cosmic Clone's theme is a remix of the Super Mario Bros. overworld and underground theme, like Cosmic Mario's (or Cosmic Luigi's) theme from the prequel.
 * Cosmic Clones also share the same tone of voice as Cosmic Mario and Cosmic Luigi's: a high-pitched voice that is strikingly similar to Bowser Jr.'s, and another trait is that Cosmic Clones look like Cosmic Mario or Luigi, but Cosmic Mario or Luigi cannot hurt the brothers, and they have a starry display and their bodies are blue. Also, Cosmic Clones have glowing yellow eyes, while Cosmic Mario and Luigi have no eyes.
 * Only the first clone will make noises when jumping. If the player is hurt by the first Cosmic Clone, the other ones will not make any noises.
 * In Super Mario 3D Land, if Tanooki Mario attempts to fly or tail whip, the Cosmic Clone will do the same, even though it does not have a tail.