Princess Daisy (film character)

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

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

This passion later becomes a strong connection to the parallel world where she encounters real-live dinosaurs and faces the growing desires of a "reptile brain." It is her relationship with Luigi that grounds her humanity and prevents her from completely losing herself to those urges.

History

The first scene of the film shows Daisy’s mother smuggling a metallic egg into our world while being pursued by the then General Koopa. Koopa had previously slaughtered the Portal-Keeper religious order (of which Daisy and her mother were born into) during a military coup. Koopa planned to merge the two dimensions in a bid to reclaim our world's resources and needed the Portal-Keepers to do so as they were the only ones capable of withstanding the force of the dimensional radiation. Knowing Koopa would seek her out as the sole Portal-Keeper survivor, Daisy's mother escaped to our world with the metallic egg containing the unhatched Daisy and the meteorite shard. Both were deposited on the steps of a cathedral where they were found by nuns.

The newly-hatched Daisy at St. Theresa's Cathedral

Inside the cathedral, the metallic egg is opened to reveal an actual egg inside. The egg then hatches an infant Daisy, crying with life, just as Koopa confronts Daisy's mother in the underground tunnel leading back to their dimension. Trying to escape, Daisy's mother causes 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 remain in our world to be raised by the nuns as a human, never aware of her mysterious origin.

Daisy is next seen twenty years later as a paleontology student with a passion for dinosaurs she herself doesn't understand. She is working at a digsite alongside the East River that is funded by the local university. The dig is being hounded by Anthony Scapelli, a construction and plumbing mogul, because the recent discovery of dinosaur bones during construction has prevented further work. Scapelli asks to speak with whose in charge, which leads to Daisy hopping down from a ramp and asserting herself as "the boss." Unfazed by a woman, Scapelli threatens both Daisy and the site, causing her to enter the city to call the university for increased security.

As she crosses a street in the city to get to a payphone Spike and Iggy, Koopa's bumbling goons, spot her from their car and decide she's "the" girl they're looking for. They begin to trail 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 meets Luigi at the payphone where he offers its use to her.

Unfortunately, the university cannot offer any higher security. Dismayed, Daisy accepts a ride from Mario and Luigi back to the digsite, talking to the sweet Luigi along the way. Once there she accepts a dinner invitation from Luigi for later that night.

It is during dinner that Daisy reveals she was abandoned and that she never removes the meteorite shard she wears around her neck as it is her only connection to her past. Luigi then 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.

Trivia

• Although the character shares name with Princess Daisy of the video games, her qualities come mostly from Princess Peach.

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."