Super Mario Manga Reveals Disturbing Theory About Where 1-Up Mushrooms Come From

gamerant.com:

A strange theory has been uncovered in a 1990s Super Mario manga that reveals a possible origin for the 1-Up Mushrooms seen in the series. While the Super Mario series is full of interesting characters and can even sometimes introduce some darker elements, this strange idea for where the extra life power-ups come from takes things to another level of weirdness.

The Super Mario series has seen its red-capped protagonist use many power-ups and items since the start of the franchise. From classics like the Super Mushroom and Fire Flower to relatively newer additions such as the Super Bell and Bee Mushroom, there is no shortage of items to mix up the gameplay in most Super Mario games. While many of these power-ups impact the way Mario plays, 1-Up Mushrooms stand out since they provide the player with extra lives instead of new abilities.

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Recently, Supper Mario Broth, a Twitter account dedicated to highlighting obscure Mario-related content, discovered an interesting, albeit disturbing, concept about 1-Up Mushrooms. Specifically, this theory originated in a 1996 Super Mario 64 manga and pertained to how the extra-life items were created in the Super Mario universe. The idea for the creation of 1-Up Mushrooms was vividly conveyed in an illustration from the manga. In the picture, a deceased Mario was seen buried underground. From this lifeless body, a root extended to the surface where a mushroom could be seen. This suggested a repeating pattern where dead Marios create extra lives, «perpetuating the cycle of life and death,» according to Supper Mario Broth.

It is worth pointing out that this concept regarding 1-Up Mushrooms is not officially endorsed by Nintendo and likely