"Tell the Koopa... that Mario is back!"
—Mario at the end of the official trailer
Super Mario: The Plumber Knight Returns is a web series created by Richalvarez, the creator of Stupid Mario Brothers, and serves as a distant sequel to said series, taking cues from both the original Nintendo games and several Batman stories, most notably Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. The first episode debuted on April 17, 2014.
Legendary hero Super Mario has been missing for twenty years, having retired and taken up the assumed name of Michael Camorrelli, a typical Idle Rich person. However, with the rising crime in Ferral City, Mario decides he has to do something and gets back into action, hunting the street gang known as the Goombas and their leader, the mysterious "Koopa."
The Plumber Knight Returns contains examples of the following tropes:
- Alternate Universe: The season 2 finale of Stupid Mario World reveals that the events of this series is set in alternate universe where the events of Stupid Mario World never took place, with both series serving as alternate futures to Stupid Mario Brothers.
- Big Bad: The Darkness/The Koopa serves as this for the entire series, serving as the main threat in Season 1 and The Man Behind the Man in Season 2.
- Clark Kenting: Mario doesn't even wear a mask. Anyone who's seen both him and Michael should recognize them, but they don't. Granted, the original series didn’t shy away from having Mario look-alikes considering the low amount of actors available.
- Cliffhanger: Season 1 ends on one as it's revealed that the Koopa's identity is in fact the Darkness, confirming the show to be a sequel to Stupid Mario Brothers.
- The Commissioner Gordon: Lt. Gibbs becomes this to Mario. Notable since he quite easily accepts the partnership, trusting Mario and knowing he is capable of saving Ferral City.
- Thanks to Mario's 'talk' with Mayor Carson in Episode 4, he ends up being promoted to Commissioner too, completely fitting the trope in name.
- The Dragon: Clause was this to the Koopa until he quits, realising he's nothing more than a pawn to him. Jeckle replaces him in Episode 5.
- Field Promotion: Mario's talk with Mayor Carson also includes that Lt. Gibbs be promoted to Commissioner.
- Fireballs: Like his video game counterpart, Mario has this power. Though he can use it without needing a Fire Flower.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Bowser Jr. serves as this posthumously in Season 2 as he is responsible for resurrecting Luigi and turning him into The Blue Hood.
- Goggles Do Nothing: Mario is shown putting on a pair of goggles as part of his suiting-up, but all subsequent scenes depict him simply wearing them around his neck. Subverted in Episode 2, revealing that the goggles allow Mario to see x-ray vision.
- Healing Factor: Mario's body heals slightly faster than most. Though the time it takes to heal may depend on the kind of injuries Mario has. (e.g. the injuries he got from the fight with Jeckle took him two weeks to recover from.)
- The Heavy: Luigi/Blue Hood serves as this in Season 2 in front of The Darkness’s Big Bad.
- Heel–Face Turn: Clause pulls one, with help from Mario when he realises he was being used by the Koopa for his own ends. He later turns fully good by helping Mario locate the Koopa in episode 9.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Mario becomes this upon coming back into action, highlighted with Dr. John Horus who openly declares him a sociopath who is just as bad as the Goombas, and may even be in league with them, which is of course untrue.
- Idle Rich: Mario's Secret Identity, Michael Camorrelli, is stated to have lived without a job for the past twenty years.
- Jerkass: Both Dr. Horus and Mayor Carson are this.
- Killed Off for Real: Dr. John Horus in Season 2.
- In episode 8 Gibbs dies from the injuries he suffered while tortured by Jeckle, despite trying so hard to fight on. And Mayor Carson dies after being tricked by Mario into jumping in a pool, causing him to be electrocuted by his cyborg body.
- In episode 9, Clause dies at the hands of Jeckle after trying to help Mario find the Koopa.
- In Season 2, Jeckle is killed by the Blue Hood and Luigi/Blue Hood is killed by The Darkness
- Mythology Gag:
- Mario's new red-and-black outfit takes cues from the Flying Mario power-up he had in Super Mario Galaxy.
- The Koopa references Super Smash Bros. as a series of tournaments that Mario fought in, before whipping out a Beam Sword.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: Subverted; Mario may wear red and black, but he's anything but evil.
- Redemption Equals Death: Clause's fate at the hands of Jeckle after he helps Mario fight off several Goombas and try to find the Koopa.
- Just after the Blue Hood/Luigi returns to his normal self, he gets stabbed by the Darkness with the Black Widow Blade and dies.
- Secret Identity: Mario lives under the assumed name of Michael Camorrelli.
- So Last Season: In episode 1, Mario removes his classic red-and-blue outfit from the closet, looking it over, and deciding that he'll "never fit into it again."
