The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has smashed a ton of records over its opening holiday weekend. Making over $370 million worldwide, the Mushroom Kingdom and its many galaxies above are in great shape for another billion dollar run. One of the most exciting new elements of the sequel was the big screen debut of Princess Rosalina, voiced by Brie Larson. The mother of the Lumas and the protector of the cosmos had a major role to play in the Galaxy Movie.
However, the princess has had a rich history the last two decades before the Galaxy Movie. From the Super Mario Galaxy series to Super Mario 3D World (2013) to the various sports games, Rosalina has been a Nintendo fan favorite. Now, sit back and grab some tasty star bits. This is the character of Rosalina explained.
Rosalined Debuted in Super Mario Galaxy For the Nintendo Wii
While many Super Mario games don’t have an in-depth story, this heroic plumber’s first Wii entry in 2007 was a bit different. Super Mario Galaxy‘s cinematic quality was seen in its atmospheric opening cut scenes that saw Princess Peach once again get kidnapped by Bowser. This time during the “Star Festival” via an eerie-looking spaceship. In an attempt to save her, Mario gets blasted off into space. In a galaxy far away from the Mushroom Kingdom, he’s saved by this other-worldly figure who introduces her as Rosalina.
Given Rosalina is so ingrained in Mario’s lore now, it’s easy to forget that the princess isn’t even 20 years old yet. Super Mario as a brand already existed for over two decades when Super Mario Galaxy was released. Nevertheless, when Rosalina rescues Mario she takes him back to her Comet Observatory ship. This is where the player is further introduced to her adaptive children. These would be cute star-like beings, The Lumas. Rosalina then reveals that she can help Mario rescue Princess Peach and stop Bowser. Mario just needs to collect enough power stars to use as fuel for her ship. The massive Comet Observatory serves as the player’s hub world as Mario hopes between levels like Good Egg Galaxy and Gusty Garden Galaxy. The levels are housed in places like the Roslina’s Bedroom, The Engine Room and the Observatory’s Garden.
Rosalina Has The Most Emotional Backstory in the Series
However, the unique aspect of the first Super Mario Galaxy Game is, after you beat a certain number of levels, you unlock chapters in Rosalina’s storybook. If you visit the library throughout the game, you can join the Lumas for story time with Rosalina. Here’s where we learn the character’s tragic backstory. The nine-chapter story starts with a young Rosalina meeting her first Luma, who’s referred to as the “Star Child” throughout. Luma needed to wait for her mother to rescue her. Yet after a long while, she never came.
Rosalina then gets the idea to go find Luma’s mother together. They leave the Princess’ Planet on Luma’s newly repaired spaceship. However, after many long days and nights, they couldn’t find the Star Child’s mother. Rosalina was even running out of supplies like food and water. This caused them to start collecting star bits with the net Rosalina brought for the trip, which are said to taste “like honey”. This is where the story really takes a saddening turn. After they stumble upon an Ice Comet, they’re still unable to find Luma’s mother. This causes Rosalina to have a dream about her own mother. Her mother tells her, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m always watching over you, like the sun in the day and the moon in the night.” Her younger self then holds onto her mother tight.
The last thing Rosalina’s mother said before she woke up was, “I will turn into a star in the clouds and wait for your tears to dry. This caused her younger self to wake up crying because she’d never see her mother again.” Then, after it was clear that the Luma wasn’t going to see their own mother again either, Rosalina made a vow to forever take care of them. They would then start the construction of their new home. However, before long, the Luma finally found more Lumas on a distant yellow planet. “My Mama!” was repeated enough to make any cold-hearted person burst into tears, but our Star Child never finds her. However, arguably more magical, they find a new family. Rosalina was overjoyed, and she couldn’t help but name each Luma she saw.
That said, the story almost ends on a somber note as Rosalina remembers her family after seeing their 100th comet. They visit her planet from a far, viewing it through her father’s telescope. She remembers all her childhood moments with mother, brother and father. She then burst into tears with the Lumas emotionally in tow. She wants to go home. She wants to see her mother. However, she knows she can’t. She knows that the dream with her mother wasn’t a dream at all. Her mother was saying goodbye to her as she left the land of the living. “She’s sleeping under the tree on the hill!” This is where the iconic storytime Luma theme will really crush your soul.
Her original Luma friend then tries to cheer her up and ultimately decides to turn into a comet to show her there’s so much more life left to live. There’s more to the world beyond our physical plain of existence. The Lumas tell Rosalina about their dreams. This included becoming planets, comets and stars. Rosalina went on to celebrate her new family and comet that she still calls home to this day. Though she still visits her original home planet every hundred years.
Mario Kart World: How to Unlock Rosalina
The wonderful Rosalina is an unlockable playable character in Mario Kart World, and players can easily get her for their roster by checking in here.
Rosalina’s Big Screen Debut in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Changed Everything
This brings us to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which brought Roslina’s story back to the main center of the Mario universe. The film opens up with Rosalina telling a bedtime story to her Lumas just like in the game. However, this time she’s telling the tale of Princess Peach. This is one of her children’s favorite stories, but it’s interrupted by Bowser Jr. invading the Comet Observatory. Galaxy Movie’s epic cold open ends with Rosalina saving her Lumas and Bowser’s son capturing the princess. Bowser Jr. needs Rosalina’s power to use his universe-destroying weapon.
However, the Lumas go to Princess Peach to help to save Rosalina. The former is dealing with her own lonely issues as Peach still doesn’t know where she comes from. That said, she answers the call to action anyway. Her reward is discovering that Rosalina is her long-lost older sister. Long before Rosalina met the Lumas, she was forced to separate herself from Peach. This was because their combined power made them a danger to people looking to use it for their own evil purposes. This changes Rosalina’s storybook from the original Galaxy game (swapping out her brother for Peach), but the emotionally raw core is still the same. The imagery tied to Rosalina and Peach’s backstory is visually similar to her storybook’s stunning artwork too, and this reveal was the perfect way to connect these two iconic princesses.
Peach and Rosalina never really interacted in the games outside the sports titles. In Galaxy, she helps save Peach, but all her scenes were usually reserved for Mario. This new emotional hook strengthens both Peach as a character and Rosalina’s heartbreaking themes of newfound families. The Galaxy Movie was all about parenthood. Bowser is his own version of a “good” father to Bowser Jr. and Rosalina is a motherly role model to her Lumas, for example.
However, whether it’s Peach’s updated relationship to Rosalina or this pink-loving princess’ continued fondness for the Mushroom Kingdom, one thing remains true. No matter if you’re playing games or watching the movie, Super Mario Galaxy is about realizing that family are the people in life, regardless if they’re connected by blood or not. Your home isn’t restricted to just one house or location. Your home is where your heart drives you to be.
A New Found Galaxy
Rosalina is one of Nintendo’s most tragic characters. She went through so much in her young life, like leaving home to help a friend and losing her mother. However, that also makes her the strongest character. Despite all she went through, Roslina always found the strength to help those in need. That includes the Lumas, Mario and Peach. The character and Super Mario Galaxy will be celebrating its 20th anniversary next year in 2027. It’ll be exciting to see where they bring this interstellar princess next.
The logical next step is furthering Rosalina’s sisterly bond with Peach in the next Super Mario Movie. There’s surely also going to be a new Super Mario Game in the near future as well. However, for now, you can buy Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Nintendo Switch alongside Rosalina’s endless sea of merch. This includes her Super Mario Galaxy Movie action figures, amiibo figures and Rosalina’s real-life storybook. She was also recently added to the Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meet Up in Bellabel Park as a playable character for the Nintendo Switch 2.
- Release Date
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April 1, 2026
- Runtime
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98 Minutes
- Director
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Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc, Fabien Polack
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Anya Taylor-Joy
Princess Peach
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