"The Mark of Zero" is the thirty-third animated episode of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!. It is paired with the live-action segment "Toupee."
Plot[]
Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool and Toad arrive in El Desertland looking for the masked hero Zero, whom they hope can help them against King Koopa. Spotting a taco stand, the group decides to stop off for lunch. Unfortunately, El Koopitan (King Koopa's alias in this episode) spots them and sends in his Koopa Troopas and Mouser to attack. Upon seeing El Koopitan's men, the Taco Stand Lady runs into her stand and closes off the shop leaving the Marios to fend for themselves.
The Marios are quickly surrounded but Zero makes a sudden appearance. She easily manages to fight off the Koopa Troopas and fights with Mouser. After a brief sword fight, Mouser is defeated and his shirt had a "0" cut into it. El Koopitan takes sees an opportunity, however, and pins Zero to a cactus by throwing a smaller cactus onto his cape. Zero is captured and the Marios are left in favor of the better prey.
Making their way to a town, the Marios attempt to incite the townsfolk to fight back but without Zero, the Townsfolk are too afraid to try. El Koopitan takes full advantage of this and starts terrorizing the town. The Marios attempt to fight off his forces with vegetables but they run out. It seems that they too will be captured but Mario makes a break for some tortillas and uses those as weapons. The tortillas do a fine job as weapons and El Koopitan leaves. The Mayor then apologizes for his people fleeing, saying they need Zero to inspire them.
In spite (or because) of recent events, El Koopitan decides to deal with the village once and for all. The villagers quickly surrender but Mario and Luigi show up dressed up as Zero and his sidekick Zero Plus One. With their heroes to back them up, the Villagers right with a renewed strength and manage to fight off El Koopitan but not before Mouser shouts out the location of their fort.
The Marios head out to the fort to rescue the real Zero. While they are spotted, they easily defeat the guards and manage to accomplish their mission.
Back at the taco stand, the Taco Stand Lady asks them if they have decided but has forgotten to take off her mask and fake moustache. The group realizes that she's Zero and she offers them free tacos if they'll keep her secret. Mario eagerly agrees to the trade.
Trivia/Goofs[]
- Zero is a spoof of Zorro and the title is a spoof of the 1920 film The Mark of Zorro.
- This is the first time the Marios are shown to glide with a cape, which would later become a power-up in Super Mario World.
- The featured song, "La Bamba" by Los Lobos is the only non-English song played.
- Near the beginning of the episode, right after Mario takes his order, Bowser interrupts. For the first two seconds, before they notice his arrival, Mario mouths the start of Bowser's line.
- When Mario and Luigi duck inside the giant sombrero-like carriage from Mouser's thrown cactus pieces, Mario, in Luigi's voice, says "holy calamari".
- A brief anime reference appears when Zero moves two Koopa Troopas into a cactus; a closeup of one of the Koopa Troopas is seen as it falls down has a common hurt expression on his face.
- When Luigi says "Wow, this Zero guy can get down, Mario" while Zero challenges Mouser, he doesn't move his lips when he says "Mario".
- When the commercial break is over and everyone is surrounded, Luigi keeps his mouth open when he moans and says that the Koopa Troopas pulling his arms apart are hurting him.
Availability[]
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Animated characters | Protagonists | Luigi • Mario • Princess Toadstool • Toad |
Antagonists | King Koopa • Mouser • Tryclyde | |
Other characters | Albatoss • Angry Sun • Autobomb • Beezo • Bingo • Birdo • Birdoroo • Black Pit Bob-Omb • Bloober • Bob-Omb • Bomb Net • Brutius Maximus Grouchimus • Bullet Bill • Bunsen • Butterfingers • Calamity Clam • Captain Abidab • Captain Clump • Cave People • Cheepy • Clawgrip • Cowazaurus • Cobrat • Dealin' Delbert • Dr. Nerdnick • Dr. Sheldon • Dr. T. Garden • Elves • Elvin Parsley • Fire God • Flab Boys • Flaky • Flurry • Fryguy • Genie • George Washingtoad • Giant Birdo • Goomba • Goomba (zombie) • Goomba Biker Gang • Goomba Mummy • Goosey • Gramma Toadstool • Gramps • Grunt • Hammer Brother • Harry • Hercufleas • Herlock Solmes • Hooded Robin • Hoopster • Koopa Paratroopa • Koopa Troopa • Lakitu • Mousersaurus Rex • Ninji • Ostro • Phanto • Pidgit • Indiana Joe • James Blond • Joliet • Joliet's father • June and Ward • Killer Kitty of the Kaskervilles • King James • King Neptune • Mark Twang • Mayor Fettuccine • Mermushrooms • Mervin the Magician • Misaki • Mouth of the River • Mr. President • Mr. Mayor • Mugga • Murphy • Mushroom People • Mushroom Rebel • Obi-Wan Toadi • Outback mayor • Patches • Pine • Piranha Plant • Pokey • Porcupo • Prince Pompadour • Pronto • Quirks • Robo Shyguy • Robo Koopa • Romano • Romano's father • Royal Cow • Salvador Drainado • Sam Shalam • Santa Claus • Scooter • Secret Agent N • Shyguy • Shyguy Lion • Slammer • Snifit • Space Troopa • Spark • Spider • Spiny • Spiny Egg • State Troopa • Stool Pigeon • Stormtroopa • Super Troopa • The Three Mushrooms • Thunder Birdo • Trouter • Tweeter • Tweeter Bat • Waldo the Wizard • Wereturtle • Whale • Zero | |
Live-action characters | Characters | Clog • CooKoo Bird • Edison • Luigi • Mario • Ratagator |
Guests | Alligator Dundee • Angelica • Aunt Luigeena • Brian Bonsall • Captain Lou Albano • Cher • Count Zoltan Dracula • Cyndi Lauper • David Horowitz • Doc Freud • Dr. Frankenstein • Dr. Sigmund Fruitcake • Dr. Toby • E.C. • Einstein • Ellie Mae • Elvira • Elvis Presley • Ernie Hudson • Exterminator • Frankenstein's Monster • Fred Van Winkle • George Washington • Grandma Mario • HAL 9001 • Harry Blackstone Jr. • Howard Stevens • Ike • Imperial Poobah • Inspector Gadget • Inspector Klean • Jim Lange • Jodie • Kenneth • Little Robert • Liz • Luigeena • Luigi's girlfriend • Lyle Alzado • Mad Donna • Madam AGoGo • Magic Johnson • Mama Mario • Marianne • Marilyn • Mario Joe and Luigi Bob • Mikhail S. Gorbachev • Monster • Mr. Gibbel • Mr. President • Mrs. Gammliss • Mrs. Periwinkle • Nick • Nicole Eggert • Obi-Wan Cannoli • Pam Matteson • Patty • Patty's mother and father • Pietro • Poochie • Ralph Washington • Rob Stone • Rowdy Roddy Piper • Roxanne • Sgt. Slaughter • Shabba-Doo • Slime Ghost • Super Plant • Susanna Ross • Tawny Tyler • Ted Bull • The Old Psychic Lady with the Evil Eye Who Reads Fortunes and Knows Everything Before it Happens • Tommy Lasagna • Vincent Van Gook • Willy White • Young McDonald | |
Episodes | Animated | The Bird! The Bird! • King Mario of Cramalot • Butch Mario & The Luigi Kid • Mario's Magic Carpet • Rolling Down the River • The Great Gladiator Gig • Mario and the Beanstalk • Love 'Em and Leave 'Em • The Great BMX Race • Stars in Their Eyes • Jungle Fever • Brooklyn Bound • Toad Warriors • The Fire of Hercufleas • Count Koopula • Pirates of Koopa • Two Plumbers and a Baby • The Adventures of Sherlock Mario • Do You Princess Toadstool Take this Koopa...? • The Pied Koopa • Koopenstein • On Her Majesty's Sewer Service • Mario and Joliet • Too Hot to Handle • Hooded Robin and His Mario Men • 20,000 Koopas Under the Sea • Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold • Mario Meets Koop-zilla • Koopa Klaus • Mario and the Red Baron Koopa • The Unzappables • Bad Rap • The Mark of Zero • The Ten Koopmandments • The Koopas are Coming! The Koopas are Coming! • The Trojan Koopa • Quest for Pizza • The Great Gold Coin Rush • Elvin Lives • Plummers Academy • Karate Koopa • Mario of the Apes • Princess, I Shrunk the Mario Brothers • Little Red Riding Princess • The Provolone Ranger • Escape from Koopatraz • Mario of the Deep • Flatbush Koopa • Raiders of the Lost Mushroom • Crocodile Mario • Star Koopa • Robo Koopa |
Live | Neatness Counts • Day of the Orphan • All Steamed Up • Marianne and Luigeena • Slime Busters • The Mario Monster Mash • Bonkers From Yonkers • Bats in the Basement • Will the Real Elvis Please Shut Up! • Magic's Magic • Mama Mia Mario • Alligator Dundee • Dance • Cher's Poochie • Wild Thing • E.C. The Extra Creepy • The Marios Fight Back • Magician • Do You Believe In Magic? • Mommies Curse • Lost Dog • Plumbers of the Year • Mario Hillbillies • Super Plant • Fred Van Winkle • Baby Mario Love • 9001: A Mario Odyssey • Fake Bro • Time Out Luigi • Tutti Frutti, oh Mario • Flower Power • Vampire Until Ready • Heart Throb • Fortune Teller • The Magic Love • Little Marios • Gorilla My Dreams • George Washington Slept Here • Caught in a Draft • Defective Gadgetry • Toupee • The Artist • Zenned Out Mario • Texas Tea • The Great Hereafter • The Painting • Game Show Host • Home Radio • Glasnuts • Treasure of the Sierra Brooklyn • Adee Don't • Chippie Chipmunks • A Basement Divided • No Way to Treat a Queenie • Pizza Crush • Goodbye Mr. Fish • French • Two Bums From Brooklyn • Opera • Tutti Frutti Mario • Cyrano de Mario • Rowdy Roddy's Rotten Pipes • Santa Claus is Coming to Flatbush • Captain Lou Is Missing • The Ghoul of my Dreams | |
Live-action locations | Live-action locations | Mario Bros. Plumbing |
Animated locations | Regions | Amazon Jungle • Aqua Land • Brooklyn • Brooklyn Bridge • Car Land • Caveman Land • Cloud Land • Coney Island • Cramalot • Crime Land • Desert Kingdom • Down Under Land • El Desertland • Flatbush • Grand Koopa Canyon • Happy Harbor • Jungleland • Kingdom of Youth • Koopos • Land of Ice • Land of Romance • Lava Land • Linguini Empire • Lonesome Mushroom • Mushridge • Mushroom Kingdom • Mushroom Planet • Mythis • North Pole • Oceanworld • Parsley Land • Pastaland • Pirate's Port • Pirate Waters • Pirate World • Pyramid Land • Quirk • Rap Land • River World • Robo Land • Rotundaland • Sayonara • Shamrock Kingdom • Sharewood Forest • Sharewood Village • Snow World • Sock Hop Land • Spy Land • Sudden Death Valley • Swiss Cheese Alps • Trouter Bay • Turtlevania • Victoria • Winterland • Waki-Waki • Warp Zone • Wild West |
Landmarks | Bonkers Street • Brooklyn Plumbers Academy • Chateau Koopula • Cramalot Castle • Double Cross Ranch • First Mushroom Bank • Forest of Perpetual Night and Terrible Dangers • Fort Hard Knox • Fountain of Youth • George's Gorge • King Koopa's Castle • Koopacropolis • Koopa Klub • Koopatraz State Prison • Linguini Empire Colosseum • Mushroom Colony • Outback • Pasta Pit • Quirk Factory • Rebel Fort • Rotunda Castle • Santa's workshop • Shamrock Inn • Super Spy Headquarters • Temple of Koopa • Tower of Victoria • Tunnel of Doom | |
Items and objects | Animated | All Purpose Portable Plumber's Helper • Aladdin's Lamp • Beanstalk • Birdo Ray • Blackbeard Koopa's Ship • Bomb Plant • Ding Bell • Excalibur • Fireball • Fire Flower • Fireproof Lava Boat • Flagpole • Flying carpet biplane • Flying Pizza • Freeze Gun • Garbage Pod • Gold Coin • Golden Plumber's Helper (King Mario of Cramalot) • Golden Plumber's Helper (Plummers Academy) • Great Balls of Fire • Heat Gun • Industrial Strength Itching Potion • Intergalactic InSinkErator • Koopa-Kola • Koop Star • Koopa Scepter • Koopa Strength Itching Powder • Koopa Surprise • Koopa's rocket • Koopilus • Lava Machine • Lightplunger • Lost Mushroom • Magic carpet • Magic doodad • Magic flute • Magic Growing Potion • Magic Shrink Potion • Magic Statue • Magical Potion • Mushroom Starfighter • Passion Potion • Peapod • Plumb-Fu • Plumber's Log • Plumbinator • Pot of Gold Coins • Power block • Red-Hot Pepper Detector • Retro Router • Robot Monster Troopa • Robo-suit • Royal Plug • Sacred Sink of Cramalot • Shrinking Sukiyaki • Sinister Star • Space Raft • Spaghetti • Spymobile • Starman • Stereo Gun • Stormtroopa Starfighter • Super Sushi • Super Sushi Shrinker • Unzappable Hat • Vegetable • Yellow spaceship |
Live-action | Mario Brothers Clog Cleaner • Mario Brothers Plant Food • Pizza Transformer • Roseitis • Secret Chippie Decoder Ring • Steam-O-Matic • Strange watch • Super Plant Growth Formula • Veggieitis |