Rosalina

"May the stars shine down on you."

- Rosalina

Rosalina is a character that debuted in Super Mario Galaxy. Rosalina first appears in the Gateway Galaxy, and she is also the adopted mother of the Lumas. Rosalina commands the Comet Observatory. She is a very powerful figure, as her duty is to watch over and protect the cosmos as well as the Lumas.

Rosalina's back-story is chronicled in her storybook told by her in the Comet Observatory's Library in Super Mario Galaxy. Nine chapters are unlocked throughout the game, and the last is unlocked by completing the game.

Super Mario Galaxy
During one of her centennial visits to the Mushroom World, the Comet Observatory is attacked by Bowser, who steals the observatory's Power Stars and Grand Stars. Rosalina later appeared to Mario/Luigi after Peach is kidnapped. In order to aid Mario/Luigi she gives him Luma, the same one seen with Peach at the Star Festival. After Mario/Luigi collects enough stars to power the ship, Rosalina flies the observatory to the center of the universe for the final confrontation with Bowser.

Super Mario Galaxy 2
Rosalina appears during the ending sequence of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Lubba reveals at this time that he and Rosalina had met before, but the details of their meeting remain unknown. Rosalina also frequently sends letters to the Baby Luma that's with Mario, but she does not reveal her identity in them.

When the player manages to get 120 Power Stars and beats the final boss again, a scene is shown after the ending credits, showing Rosalina and her Lumas in the Library, revealing that she was telling the story of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Then, she decides to narrate how Mario (and Luigi) collect every Green Star to her Lumas. If Mario, Yoshi and Luigi manage to collect every single star in the game, and survive the Grandmaster Galaxy's Daredevil Comet, Rosalina will thank and join them on Starship Mario.

Players can also use Rosalina to represent their file on the file select screen. However, the Rosalina avatar can only be used on save files in which the player has collected 120 stars, and unlocked the Green Star Prankster Comets.

This game also features a cosmic entity that highly resembles Rosalina, known as the Cosmic Spirit.

Mario Kart Wii
Rosalina makes her first playable appearance in Mario Kart Wii, where she is a Large-sized unlockable character. Here, the player must win 1st Place with at least 1 Star Rank in all Mirror Grand Prix Cups, have a Super Mario Galaxy save file and play 50 Races, or play 4,950 Races. Rosalina rides in Large vehicles, and is the first female character to ever be in this class. While racing, a Luma orbits around Rosalina. Rosalina's racing symbol is a Grand Star. Like Peach and Daisy, Rosalina appears in a biker suit while racing on any of the motorbikes, only that the color scheme is different to the overall color scheme of her main dress. Her signature bike is the Shooting Star and her signature kart is the Honeycoupe. Rosalina is the staff ghost character for Rainbow Road.

Mario Kart 7
Rosalina returns in her second Mario Kart game appearance in Mario Kart 7 for the Nintendo 3DS. She is a Cruiser-type character, and this time, she appears without a Luma accompanying her in the races. Rosalina has an advantage bonus for the weight, along for speed. Just as in Mario Kart Wii, Rosalina is an unlockable character, which the player must win the Star Cup of the 150cc class to unlock her. In this game, she has her personal racecourse called Rosalina's Ice World, a track that makes allusion to the Super Mario Galaxy series, where she has appeared prominently.

Mario Party: Island Tour
Rosalina is scheduled to return in Mario Party: Island Tour for the Nintendo 3DS. She will be a non-playable character on the space themed board.

Other appearances
Rosalina was intended to appear instead of Luma in Mario Tennis Open but was replaced for the same reason that Birdo didn't make it to installments after Mario Tennis; the developers did not have enough time to model another complex character. Rosalina appears in issue 38 of the Japanese manga, Super Mario-Kun. After Bowser uses a flyswatter to knock Mario away to a planet, Mario loses his motivation, despite Luma's efforts to get him back. Rosalina sends a hologram of a Giant Goomba for Mario, thus making him use his Star Spin technique to make it disappear (much to Mario's surprise). She later helps him on the adventure.

Physical description
Rosalina has a very tall frame, in terms of other characters, being about as tall as Waluigi, if not taller. Rosalina appears to have a similar body composition to Peach, though she is taller than her, and is even classified as a large-sized character in Mario Kart Wii, as a result. Rosalina's skin is very fair, being a pallor white. Most of her facial features are similar to Peach's, but are tapered sharper. She has the same type of lips and nose as Peach, though her mouth has more of a natural frown and a pinkish-orange tone. Her eyes are similar to Peach's as well, but are more almond-shaped and have a deep, brown shade to her lashes rather than black. Like other main human characters, Rosalina has blue eyes, though hers have a noticeably cyan hue.

Rosalina's hair is depicted as a platinum-blonde (although she had red hair in her childhood), a much lighter blond than Peach's yellow-blond. Rosalina's hair style is very similar to Peach's, as it consists of two separate flips on the sides in the same shape. Unlike Peach's hair however, Rosalina's includes one large bang (which covers her right eye completely), two long, shaped ear-tails, and two rows of flips at her shoulder. Continuing from her shoulder is a large single flip down her back.

Clothing
Rosalina currently appears in a pale turquoise gown said to be a color that only exists when the sun peers out of the clouds. Her brooch and crown are silver star shaped accessories; the latter suggests she is a princess as Peach and Daisy are, as well as the Super Mario Galaxy Prima guide. Her earrings are also star shaped, but yellow in color. The brooch's jewel is yellow and her crown jewels are pink in the front and back, and turquoise on the sides. The gown cuts off at the top of her chest, where a powder-blue flap loops around. The gown has long sleeves with wide openings at the bottom, which are topped with powder-blue frills. At the bottom of her gown is a unique powder-blue frill that loops around until turning up to a point at the middle; under this a layer of a light ribbed undergown is visible, and her nail polish is a light purple. In Super Mario Galaxy, Rosalina holds a silver wand with a golden star at the top. She also has silver high heels.

Motorbike gear
As bikes were a newly added feature to Mario Kart Wii, each human female participant who is not a baby was depicted in a jumpsuit if riding on any of the bikes. Like Peach and Daisy, Rosalina's jumpsuit has the same design in general, but with some differences that were still exclusive to her. Rosalina's color palette for her jumpsuit when riding motorbikes is primarily white-and-teal, a color scheme also found on her usual gown. Specific elements were still included to make Rosalina's outfit unique, including her star jewelry. Other than that, Rosalina also has her version of the outfit's general design, including pairs of pale turquoise boots and gloves, and a teal scarf that rests to the side of her chest. A white heart with a teal outline is present on her back; the heart is hidden by her hair unless it is flowing up.

Development
Although Rosalina's design has not been changed since her debut, when she was originally being created for Super Mario Galaxy, her concept design was vastly different compared to what she looks like now.

She was depicted with a beehive hairstyle along with short, straight-cut bangs, and long, curly ear-tails. She had more unique facial features including eyes with three length-varying lashes as opposed to the facial features she has now which are more similar to Peach's. However, her outfit design was indeed more similar to Peach and Daisy. Having a similar base for her dress aside from unique star-shaped frills coming out of her sleeves similar to Daisy's, and a star-shaped ruffle at the bottom of her dress. Her jewelry was more simple, having a star-shaped brooch, and earrings in the same shape. Instead of a crown, she had a tiara with a single star jewel at the center. Her gloves were long, and shaped just like Peach's. She also had a light collar which stretched up the back of her head and it opened at her brooch. Aside from these details it was not clear what colors were intended other than blue tones and lighter colors.

A final concept drawing depicted Rosalina very similarly to the way in which she appears now, though it contained minor differences, most of which were color-related.

Personality and traits
Rosalina is generally wise, kind, thoughtful and mother-like. She has an intimate knowledge of the universe and cares deeply for the Lumas. Rosalina is also a friend of Mario and Luigi; towards the end of Super Mario Galaxy, she aids Mario/Luigi to reach Bowser in order to save Peach. Her outward strength and inner sorrow is most likely due to the loss of her mother, as Rosalina is often described as feeling lonely.

It has also been shown that Rosalina's voice is rather monotone, even when she is excited. Like most players, Rosalina enjoys special activities, but in a very humble manner.

Powers and abilities
Rosalina has special powers as seen in Super Mario Galaxy. For example, once sufficient power is restored to the Comet Observatory, Rosalina is able to use her powers to surround the observatory in a force field, transforming it into a starship as a form of transportation. Also, she can be protected by a force field that resembles a bubble. If the player attempts to jump on her, the bubble would appear. Rosalina can also form these bubbles around Mario if he falls off the Comet Observatory; it will then levitate and drop him back to where he was standing. Rosalina also has the ability to float in mid-air, just like the Lumas. Finally, Rosalina is shown to be skilled with her wand and can deflect Star Bits with it if the player shoots them at her.

Luigi


Rosalina also befriended Luigi who acts just as Mario does in his run-through of Super Mario Galaxy. Luigi tells Mario upon being rescued that he can only have his Power Star if he tells Rosalina that he obtained it for her. Rosalina is also seen alongside Luigi in a secret picture with the Toad Brigade at Peach's Castle that could be obtained upon collecting all 121 power stars with both Mario and Luigi.

Lumas
One of Rosalina's most notable relationships is with the Lumas. Rosalina has cared for the Lumas since she was a little girl, when she found one looking for its mother. The two quickly bonded and they searched the galaxies together in search of their missing mothers. The Luma comforted her when she cried about her mother and the two soon found more Lumas. Rosalina then decided to build a home for the Lumas and care for them for eternities to come. When Rosalina once again mourned for her mother, all of the Lumas embraced her and together, they baked a cake topped with Star Bits. Rosalina also reads them bedtime stories every night in the Library to help them sleep. One of her most trusted advisors is also the Luma, Polari. A Luma also revolves around her in Mario Kart Wii.

Mario


Mario befriended Rosalina during the events of Super Mario Galaxy. When Rosalina was in need of help to recover her lost Grand Stars that power the Comet Observatory, Mario came to her aid. With his help, Rosalina was able to power the Comet Observatory and continue her orbit around the universe. In return for Mario's help, Rosalina helped Mario in his adventure to rescue Princess Peach, by using the Comet Observatory to destroy a fleet of Bowser's airships and transport him to where Peach was being held captive by Bowser. At the end of the adventure, Rosalina appears one more time in front of Mario, and speaks to him about the stars. After that, she bids him goodbye.

Polari
Polari is Rosalina's advisor and acts like a father to Rosalina, caring for her very much. Polari always appears by Rosalina's side when the two are at the Comet Observatory, except when Polari is in a Dome helping Mario or during the cutscenes before and after Mario heads to Bowser's Galaxy Reactor.

Lubba
After Bowser is defeated in Super Mario Galaxy 2, it is revealed that Lubba has met Rosalina before. Where and when they first met is unknown. Also, when the player obtains the final Power Star from the Grandmaster Galaxy and Rosalina boards Starship Mario, Lubba thanks Mario for bringing "The Lady of the Shooting Stars" onto the ship.

Portrayals
The following voice actresses have lent their talents to portray Rosalina in the Mario game series:
 * Mercedes Rose (Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2)
 * Kerri Kane (Mario Kart 7) She is the current voice actress for Rosalina.

Super Mario Galaxy bio

 * "Not much is known about Rosalina, the lonely princess who wanders the cosmos in the Comet Observatory, a giant starship that travels the celestial expanse. She is a great friend of the Luma, taking them in and caring for them as if they were her children. But there is a sadness behind her eyes. What has she lost out among the stars?"

Mario Kart Wii

 * Class: Large-sized
 * Stats:
 * Acceleration: */***
 * Top Speed: ***/***
 * Off-Road */***
 * Actual Bonuses
 * Speed: +3
 * Handling: +3
 * Mini-Turbo: +3
 * Game Bio: "Making her debut on the track, Rosalina shows her experience of space travel translates well to rocketing round the race course. With a friendly Luma by her side, Rosalina is right at home on the track!"
 * Guide Bio: "Watching over and protecting the cosmos sure gets tiring! But with Mario's help, Rosalina can spend some time with her new hobby: riding only the biggest, baddest bikes!"

Super Mario Galaxy trading card description

 * "Rosalina's home is the Comet Observatory, a very important place that serves as the launching pad for all of Mario's adventures throughout the universe. She has an expansive knowledge of the universe and is known as a kind and motherly figure, especially to the Lumas-those cute little stars that she adopted who help Mario throughout his journey to save the princess."

Mario Kart 7

 * Class: Cruiser
 * Stat Boosts
 * Speed: 3.75
 * Acceleration: 2.5
 * Weight: 3.75
 * Handling: 2.5
 * Off-Road: 3.75
 * Site Bio:
 * Flag of USA.png "While gentle and sweet, Rosalina has a tall and commanding presence behind the wheel."
 * Flag of Europe.png "Tougher than she looks, Rosalina can take hard knocks and makes up for what she lacks in acceleration with great top speed."

Quotes

 * "Do you hear the baby stars? These newborns will grow up to become galaxies someday. When stars die, they turn to stardust and scatter across the cosmos. Eventually, that stardust reforms to create a new star... And so the cycle of life continues. But the cycle never repeats itself in quite the same way.... So...you'll see."
 * "Yes... All new life... Carries the essence of stars... Even all of you..."
 * "I will watch over you from beyond the stars."
 * "This﻿ planet... It's very dear to me. I looked forward to visiting this planet with the Lumas every one hundred years... The Luma that's been traveling with you may also grow up to become a star someday. Some Lumas become planets...some become comets...and a few become Power Stars. I'm traveling with them while they look for a place to be reborn. But I never thought all this would happen..."