Is Peach Bowser‘s wife?

No, Princess Peach and Bowser are not married within the official Mario game canon. But their complex relationship and hinted romantic past has spawned endless fan theories over the decades. As a Mario superfan, I‘ve dug deep into the evidence to unravel the mysteries surrounding gaming‘s greatest ‘will they/won‘t they.‘

Bowser‘s Big Crush

Across over 20 games to date, Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach over 50 times. According to Mario lore experts, at least 10 of those kidnappings were attempts to force Peach to marry him. Their earliest potential marriage storyline comes from the 1989 Japanese game manual for Super Mario Bros, which implies Bowser used magic to transform Toads into bricks to trap Peach until she agreed to be his bride.

But does Peach return Bowser‘s feelings? All evidence points to no. She has rejected his marriage proposals multiple times and shows no romantic affection towards him. Still, Bowser remains obsessed with making Peach his bride. Perhaps there‘s more to their history we still don‘t know?

The Baby Bowser Theory

One hotly debated theory is that Baby Bowser from the Yoshi‘s Island games is actually Bowser and Peach‘s child, meaning they got together years in the past. The evidence does seem curious:

• Baby Bowser sees Yoshi as an enemy in Yoshi‘s Island DS. Could it be because Yoshi helped Peach fight against his father, Bowser?
• Kamek seems fiercely protective of Baby Bowser‘s safety. Is it because he‘s the secret child of his King and future heir to the throne?

However, most signs indicate Baby Bowser is simply Bowser himself as an infant:

• Official Nintendo interviews refer to him as a younger Bowser, not his son
• His character design is nearly identical to Bowser, just smaller

While tantalizing, the evidence weighs against Baby Bowser being a child between Peach and Bowser. But theories still abound…what if there‘s another child they had who hasn‘t been revealed yet?

The Case of Bowser Jr.

In 2002‘s Super Mario Sunshine, Bowser told his supposed son Bowser Jr. that Peach was his mother. But Peach quickly denied this, proving she wasn‘t Bowser Jr.‘s mom after all.

Still, some fans insist there could be more to this story. Perhaps Bowser Jr. is Peach‘s son but she refused to acknowledge it? It would explain why Bowser is so convinced Peach belongs with him and why he constantly tries to abduct her.

Personally, I think it‘s unlikely Peach ever had children with Bowser. Her character has always been portrayed as too ethical to abandon her own child, even Bowser‘s. Nevertheless, the theories persist years later as devotees continue to speculate on what might have transpired between Mario‘s leading lady and his arch-nemesis.

Peach and Mario – Friends or More?

Of course, we can‘t discuss Peach‘s love life without addressing her hero in red. Peach and Mario have been side-by-side since his debut in 1981‘s Donkey Kong. Their close friendship is clear, but are they strictly platonic pals?

The evidence is hazy. In some games Peach kisses Mario on the nose or face, hinting at affection. An old 80s manga even claimed they were engaged, but Nintendo quickly dismissed this as non-canonical.

Ultimately, their relationship seems open to interpretation. Perhaps they are romantically intertwined, or perhaps their bond transcends traditional labels. As Rosalina hints in Super Mario Galaxy:

"All life ends eventually. But that does not mean life is meaningless."

In other words, whether romantic or not, Peach and Mario‘s lives are intertwined through their shared experiences, courageousness, and perseverance.

Could Marriage Ever Happen?

Bowser has proposed to Peach and been rejected enough times to warrant a restraining order in real life. Meanwhile, Mario continues rescuing Peach without pushing for any clear relationship status.

As a Mario superfan, part of me hopes we will get some definitive answers in an upcoming game. But part of me enjoys the mystery and nuance of these untold backstories and relationships.

Ultimately, I don‘t believe Peach and Bowser were ever married or had children together. But with over 35 years of obtuse Mario lore to draw from, fans will likely continue speculating and debating for decades to come. Until Nintendo reveals otherwise, the full truth remains tantalizingly out of reach, like a Super Star dangling over a lava pit.