Super Mario Bros Movie’s Lumalee Explained: Origins, Video Game Appearances & Why He’s Trapped In Bowser’s Castle

The Super Mario Bros Movie features many characters from the Super Mario Bros video game franchise, including Lumalee, who holds important implications for the future. The Super Mario Bros movie follows the origins of brothers Mario and Luigi, who get sucked into a Warp Pipe and separated. Mario ends up in the Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach, who trains Mario on how to fight in this world. Luigi falls into the Dark Lands, ruled by the evil Koopa King Bowser. Bowser imprisons Luigi, holding him hostage against Mario, thus setting up Lumalee’s cameo.

While imprisoned, Luigi meets the other prisoners in the hanging cages, like The Penguin King, Goombas, the Kongs, and Lumalee. Lumalee has a somewhat nihilistic personality, finding cheer in the face of hopelessness. Even the prospect of dying by lava brings joy and excitement to Lumalee, who then appears disheartened upon gaining freedom. This Lumalee not only brings comedic elements to the Super Mario Bros Movie but also lays the groundwork for a potential plotline in The Super Mario Bros Movie 2.

Lumalee First Appeared In 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy As A “Shop” For Mario & Luigi

Lumalee first came to the Super Mario universe in Super Mario Galaxy, released in 2007. Lumalees are part of the Luma species, which are star-shaped floating creatures that live on the Comet Observatory, Starship Mario, and countless planets. The Lumas are extremely friendly cosmic beings that help Mario during his journey. There are 12 types of Lumas who all have their own roles in the Super Mario Galaxy game.

The Yellow Lumas, for instance, turn into Launch Stars, whereas Hungry Lumas can transform into planets or Pink Launch Stars. There’s also the Red Luma type, which gives Mario a Red Star, allowing him to fly. Rosalina, the protector of the cosmos, is regarded as the mother of all Lumas. As for Lumalee, this character acts as a “shop” where Mario or Luigi can purchase a Life Mushroom or a 1-Up Mushroom. These can be purchased using Star Bits, the most common collectible in the Super Mario Galaxy series. Once the Lumalee is fed Star Bits, they disappear.

Lumalee’s Mario Video Game Appearances Explained

Lumalee is involved in two Super Mario video games. The first game they are in is Super Mario Galaxy, where they are in several galaxies, as well as appearing to Mario before boss battles. Once the Lumalee is fed the right amount of Star Bits, it transforms into the mushroom the player chooses to collect. Since the Lumalee transforms, Mario can only buy one item for each Lumalee he encounters. In Super Mario Galaxy, Lumalees can be found in the levels “Battlerock Galaxy”, “Ghostly Galaxy”, “Bowser Jr.’s Airship Armada”, “Dreadnought Galaxy”, and “Melty Molten Galaxy”.

The next appearance of the Lumalee is in Super Mario Galaxy 2, which came out in 2007. While the Lumalees mostly serve the same purpose as the first game, they also appear at the end of certain missions where two Lumalees holding sticks with Chance Cubes at the end appear on a pipe on Starship Mario. This addition allows players to potentially win from the Luma Shops’ Chance Cubes a single Star Bit, a 1-Up Mushroom, three 1-Up Mushrooms, and five 1-Up Mushrooms. They appear twice the number of levels than in the first game, like “Spin-Dig Galaxy”, “Bowser Jr.’s Fiery Flotilla”, and “Freezy Flake Galaxy”.

Why Is Lumalee Trapped In Bowser’s Castle? (& How It Sets Up Super Mario Bros Movie 2)

There are many theories as to why Lumalee is in Bowser’s Dungeon in the Super Mario Bros Movie, including how Lumalee could be a spy for Rosalina, how Bowser wants to use the Lumas power to create new galaxies, and that Bowser was torturing Lumalee for the Superstar. However, one likely theory is that he simply ended up there the same way Luigi did, falling through a pipe. The Luma species lives with Rosalina in the Comet Observatory, so one Lumalee could have easily fallen through a connecting pipe into the Dark Lands, where it became imprisoned.

With Lumalee emerging as a stand-out character in the Super Mario Bros Movie, Lumalee could take a more central role in a sequel. The next Super Mario Bros Movie cast could feature Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach traveling to the Comet Observatory with Lumalee, bringing Rosalina to the films. The sequel could focus on the plot of Super Mario Galaxy, where Bowser attacks the Comet Observatory. If so, Rosalina could emerge as a player, which would pay off the cosmic teases attached to Lumalee’s cameo in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.