Escape from Koopatraz

## Next Episode

Mario of the Deep

**Escape from Koopatraz** is the fifty-seventh episode of *The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!*. In this episode, on the streets of an unknown city, Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool and Toad, having been chained up in shackles, are being escorted by two Koopa Troopas up to a courthouse with the words "JUST US" on its front.

## Plot

The episode opens to Mario & Co. in chains being led up to a courthouse by two guard Koopas. Bailiff Mouser then asks all present to rise as Judge Koopa makes his entrance, taking his seat and banging his gavel. Mouser is asked to read the phony charges that were made against Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool and Toad, to which they deny every accusation. It falls on deaf ears, though as Koopa claims they confessed to every crime. After a failed attempt to defend themselves and the jury unanimously claims them to be guilty, our heroes are weighed on the Scale of Justice which determines how many years in prison they'll get. Due to the scale being rigged, they end up with 500 years at Koopatraz State Prison and proceed to watch an introductory video before leaving for the island prison.

At the prison gates, our heroes come face-to-face once again with Koopa, who has now decided to become the warden after having so much fun being their judge in court. As Mouser shows everyone to their cells, we see Hiram "Gramps" Toad counting down another day of being in prison. Princess Toadstool is separated from the others as girls have their own cells. Mario, Luigi and Toad then go to introduce themselto their cellmate, where they learn that Gramps is actually Toad's paternal grandfather.

During mealtime, Mario is very unimpressed with the "Koopa surprise" they serve. Luigi then gets the idea to shovel their way out of the prison using forks, but this plan wouldn't work as the guards count up the utensils after every meal. The only solution then is to cause a distraction, which Mario does as he starts up a food fight. Just as their plan is working, Warden Koopa breaks up the fight and tells them they won't have any more food until he's looted the Princess' kingdom. Night falls, where Mario and Luigi pull a tile off the floor in their cell using the forks they hid in the cafeteria. The digging commences, but not before they end up waking a Goomba guard, who proceeds to go check what the noise in their cell is. Luckily, they quickly disguised their digging hole as a card table, and after the guard goes back to sleep, their digging continues. After excavating quite an elaborate tunnel, Gramps guesses that they'd have to be outside the gates, and Mario agrees as he hears someone sawing wood. This sound he hears however turns out to be a snoring Warden Koopa, who is awoken after Mario digs a opening in the floor directly under his cot. After catching them, Koopa tells the Princess their punishment of being put in solitary confinement along with 500 years of hard labor.

That afternoon, Mario, Luigi, Gramps and Toad are breaking rocks as part of their labor. Afterwards it's laundry time, and after Mouser sends Mario to get more soap, he manages to hide a bar of soap in his overalls. He then has a plan that he whispers to Luigi, who then passes it down to Toad and so forth. That night, Mario is in his cell putting his plan into action as he carves a Bob-omb out of the bar of soap and proceeds to cover it in shoe polish to make it convincing. After alerting and persuading the Goomba guard to come into his cell, he uses the fake Bob-omb to make the guard give him his keys. Mario, then gets the others out as they rush into the courtyard with the sirens blaring. Suddenly, a storm commences and the rain ruins Mario's fake bomb as he tries to use it on the approaching guards. Our heroes run into a nearby sewer drain, to which they jump into it and fall into the prisons draining system which contains a large plug that holds the entire island afloat. After pulling the plug, the water drains as the island is sinking, but not before Mario & Co. manage to make it into a lifeboat just as Warden Koopa kicks a Bob-omb at the pier.

Our heroes laugh in victory as Koopa and Mouser swim for their lives away from Trouters, and Gramps is extremely happy to be a free mushroom once more. Mario jokingly suggests he buy them dinner, to which Gramps presents bread and water he took from the prisons mess hall, to Mario's disappointment.

## Characters

* Mario
* Luigi
* Princess Toadstool
* Toad
* King Koopa *(Judge Koopa, Warden Koopa)*
* Mouser *(Bailiff Mouser)*
* Koopa Troopa
* Goomba
* Gramps (single appearance)
* Bob-omb
* Birdo (cameo)
* Phanto (cameo)
* Shy Guy (cameo)
* Pokey (cameo)
* Piranha Plant (cameo)
* Trouters

## Cast

* **Lou Albano** - Mario
* **Danny Wells** - Luigi, Gramps
* **Jeannie Elias** - Princess Toadstool
* **John Stocker** - Toad, Mouser
* **Harvey Atkin** - King Koopa, Goomba

## Music

*Main article:* List of background music

* SMB1 Underground (Variation 27) - Opening.
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 1) - The trial begins.
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 3) - "Hold it, Koopa. Don't we get to talk in our own defense?"
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 11) - Mouser brings down the projection screen.
* Unknown Track - Film showcasing Koopatraz prison.
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 3) - "Quiet, fungus. Warden Koopa doesn't allow our prisoners to talk."
* Unknown Track - Warden Koopa revealed.
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 21) - Mario, Luigi and Toad are put into their cell.
* SMB1 Ending - Toad finally meets his grandfather.
* Unknown Track 11 - Lunchtime in the cafeteria.
* SMB2 Character Select (Variation 3) - "Food fight!"
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 6) - "So, you don't like the food? In that case, try going without it!"
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 1) - Mario & Co. start to dig a tunnel.
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 19) - The Goomba guard checks up on them.
* SMB2 Cave (Variation 4) - Mario & Co. dig their tunnel into Koopa's bedroom.
* SMB1 Castle (Variation 1) - "Do you know what your friends did? They interrupted my sleep!"
* Unknown Track - "Koopa's got us breaking stones..."
* SMB2 Overworld (Variation 4) - Mario & Co. escape from their cells.
* SMB2 Boss (Variation 3) - Mario & Co. pull out the drainplug for the island.
* SMB1 Underground (Variation 8) - Koopa kicks a Bob-omb at the escaping prisoners.
* SMB2 Overworld (Variation 8) - Ending.

## Gallery

*Main article:* **Escape from Koopatraz/gallery**

## Trivia

* The phony charges made against Mario & Co. are as follows:

1. Disturbing the Koopa
2. Plumbing without a license
3. Not eating their pasta

## Release

This episode is available on streaming services such as YouTube and iTunes. It is also available on the following North American home releases:

* Hooded Robin Plus Other Stories
* The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Volume 2
* Showdown in Brooklyn

## References

1. ↑  https://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/french-escape-from-koopatraz/id899133957?i=919066684. Retrieved March 1, 2021