Skull (Mario's Time Machine)

The Skull is an item in the SNES and PC releases of Mario's Time Machine. It is a prop used during William Shakespeare's production of Hamlet: as Prince Hamlet mourns the death of Yorick, the court jester who entertained him as a child, he holds up his skull and laments the fragility of mortality. The skull has since become a famous symbol of the play. In Mario's Time Machine, as Shakespeare's troupe is preparing for the first rendition of the play in 1601, the Skull is stolen by Bowser, who traveled back in time to place the skull in his museum. After it is placed in the museum, Mario steals it back and travels back in time to Stratford-upon-Avon so that he can return it to Shakespeare. However, Mario does not know that the Skull is a part of the play, so he shows it to some of the inhabitants of Stratford, including Anne Hathaway and Richard Burbage. Anne eventually recognizes it as a prop for the play and points Mario in the direction of the theater. After Mario absolutely confirms the Skull's origins, he then brings it to Shakespeare, who gladly accepts it, as they were about to start the play without it.