In the 2016 Nintendo Switch game Paper Mario: Color Splash, the main villain is the evil paint can named Black Bowser. Throughout the game, Mario and Huey must journey across Prism Island battling the color-stealing forces of Black Bowser in order to restore color and peace to the world.
Paper Mario: Color Splash follows the adventures of Mario and his companion Huey, a paint can-like character, as they travel across Prism Island fighting back against the color-draining forces of the villainous Black Bowser. Black Bowser and his minions are stealing the color from Prism Island, turning the landscape drab and muted. It’s up to Mario and Huey to travel to each region of the island, battle Black Bowser’s minions, and restore the stolen color using Huey’s powerful paint magic.
Throughout their journey, Mario and Huey slowly learn more about the origins and motivations of Black Bowser as they get closer to finally confronting him directly. In the end, the fate of Prism Island depends on Mario and Huey toppling the evil machinations of Black Bowser.
Black Bowser’s Introduction
Black Bowser first appears early on in Paper Mario: Color Splash, when Mario and Huey arrive on Prism Island only to find it strangely deserted and devoid of color. As they explore, a group of Shy Guys suddenly attack and steal Huey’s paint, draining even more color from the environment. Mario gives chase but is unable to catch them before they disappear behind a colorful billboard.
Pushing through the billboard, Mario enters a hidden factory area and soon encounters the source of the color-stealing: a large Banzai Bill cannon being loaded with colorful objects by Shy Guys. Mario battles his way past the Shy Guys and reaches the cannon, only for it to fire directly at him! Just when it seems Mario will be crushed, the Banzai Bill comes to life and turns on the Shy Guys, sending them fleeing in terror.
The mysterious Banzai Bill then introduces himself as Huey’s brother Black Bowser. Black Bowser explains that he was created when Bowser used a forbidden artifact to drain the color from Prism Island into himself. This transformed Bowser into Black Bowser, leaving the island colorless. Black Bowser recruits Mario’s help in tracking down the colors stolen from Prism Island and returning them to their rightful places.
Black Bowser’s Motives and Schemes
Throughout most of Paper Mario: Color Splash, Black Bowser claims that his goal is to help Mario return the stolen color to Prism Island. But occasionally his actions seem questionable, such as insisting that all the paint should be given directly to him rather than used to re-color the world. Huey in particular grows increasingly suspicious of Black Bowser’s motives.
These suspicions are confirmed later in the game when Black Bowser turns on Mario and steals the Big Paint Stars Mario had collected. He reveals that he was manipulating Mario to gather the Paint Stars which are the sources of color for Prism Island. With the power of the Big Paint Stars, Black Bowser can drain all of Prism Island’s remaining color and keep it for himself.
Now that his true motives are uncovered, Black Bowser dedicates himself to gathering the remaining Big Paint Stars. He stops pretending to be helpful and sends waves of minions to block Mario’s progress through the islands. He also begins reconstructing the abandoned castle of the previous game villain Bowser in order to have a seat of power.
Key Schemes and Plans
Here are some of Black Bowser’s major schemes over the course of Paper Mario: Color Splash:
- Tricking Mario into retrieving the first Big Paint Stars under the pretense of helping restore color.
- Building armies of minions like Shy Guys to steal color and slow Mario down.
- Reconstructing Bowser’s old castle as a base of operations.
- Sending specific minions to guard and protect the remaining Big Paint Stars.
- Creating fake versions of himself to distract and hinder Mario.
- Stealing the train colors to build a fleet of airships.
Final Confrontation
Throughout Paper Mario: Color Splash, Mario and Huey slowly gather the Big Paint Stars and make their way towards Black Bowser’s castle. Once they infiltrate the castle, they confront and defeat Black Bowser’s strongest minions guarding the remaining stars.
Finally, Mario and Huey confront Black Bowser himself, who uses the power of the stolen Big Paint Stars to transform into an even larger and more powerful form. An epic final battle ensues, with Mario dodging Black Bowser’s attacks and striking back when he finds an opening. With Huey’s help, Mario is finally able to topple Black Bowser.
Defeated, Black Bowser laments his loss and explains he just wanted to have the same creative painting power as Mario, Huey, and the other paint can companions. Mario and Huey convince him that stealing the island’s color was not the right way to go about this. Black Bowser agrees to return the color he drained from Prism Island and turns over a new leaf.
Conclusion
In Paper Mario: Color Splash, the villainous paint can Black Bowser drives the story from his earliest appearance through to the final confrontation.
Introduced as a mysterious ally, over time Black Bowser is revealed to be manipulating Mario in order to steal Prism Island’s color for himself. His scheming and powerful paint magic force Mario and Huey to embark on an adventure across the color-drained landscape in order to stop him.
Black Bowser proves to be a formidable foe, requiring all of Mario and Huey’s skill and bravery to finally defeat him in an epic battle. Though in the end he has a change of heart, for most of the game he stands out as the main antagonist and driver of the story through his sinister plans and actions.
As the powerful villain who sets events in motion by stealing Prism Island’s color, Black Bowser clearly emerges as the primary villain and threat in Paper Mario: Color Splash.
| Location | Major Events |
|---|---|
| Prisma Fountain | Black Bowser is introduced when he saves Mario from Shy Guys |
| Cherry Lake | Black Bowser insists on collecting the Big Paint Star |
| Daffodil Peak | Black Bowser reveals his plans and betrays Mario |
| The Crimson Tower | Black Bowser steals the train colors |
| Black Bowser’s Castle | The final confrontation against Black Bowser |
In summary, the paint can Black Bowser is established early on as a mysterious force and eventually revealed to be the main antagonist in Paper Mario: Color Splash. His theft of color from Prism Island drives the game’s story forward and presents Mario with his biggest challenge – stopping Black Bowser’s sinister plans. After an epic final battle, Black Bowser is defeated, confirming his role as the principal villain in the game.