Whatever happened to Cackletta?

[Le Mario Bro]

WARNING! READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END BEFORE COMMENTING.

Okay, so I was playing Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time the other day, (found a working copy over at GameStop,) and I'm around the point where you first get the Bros Ball, and you head down to the basement. Now, anyone that has ever played Partners in Time knows that this is where you come face-to-face with Fawful, who has now taken up shop beneath Peach's Castle.

I was just about to head back up the pipe when I realized something; Cackletta was never mentioned in neither Partner's in Time nor Bowser's Inside Story. Before you start, I am well aware that her soul was destroyed by Mario and Luigi, and it's obvious that it's not something that they'd want to remember, but; and here's the kooky part; not even Fawful mentions her.

When Baby Mario and Baby Luigi ask him of his story, he says, and I quote, "Those brothers of badness! My brain aches at their overalls! I have fury AND headache now! Fawful would be here, reigning over all and laughing at you! ...But no." He makes it sound like he's the one that was behind the whole thing, and Cackletta didn't even exist. I don't know if it's a pride thing, (which it shouldn't be, given the fact that he's telling this to a couple toddlers,) but still, that struck me as kind of odd.

I mean, it's not like the people aren't gonna guess that he's refering to Cackletta, seeing as how she was the main antagonist in the last game. Plus, a bit earlier, Fawful talks about how Mario & Luigi caused his ship to overheat. That is a very obscure reference since you wouldn't know that until way the heck at the end of the game when you actually fight him. And even in Bowser's Inside Story, when you fight in the Cold Storage Room over in Bowser's Castle, not only does Starlow (unintentionally) reference the baby tears, (which is the only way to reverse the Shroobanization,) but Elder Princess Shroob is in. The. Frickin'. TOP SCREEN. as you fight the Shroobs. Really, obscure references would be a very poor excuse.

So yeah, all that tl;dr aside, I'm not really bothered by this, so much as I find it rather odd. Opinions below?

[SMBBQ]

Fawful was crazy already, but perhaps the death of Cackletta, whom he was totally loyal to, was enough to send him totally over the edge. So far over the edge, that maybe he doesn't even remember her.

[cheat-master30]

Here's a thought... what's to say Cackletta has to be dead? Many Mario villains explode when defeated and 'dissolve', yet they're not killed off for real.

Heck, apparently, you can see the Elder Princess Shroob in the background of the cold storage area in Bowser's Castle from Inside Story, and said character 'died' about the same way.

As for Fawful... he's vain. Really, really vain, and really arrogant (not to mention narcissistic). He wants people to believe he was behind the whole thing. Likely a deliberate attempt to try and make himself look better, like how many real life dictators tend to exaggerate about their role in past battles and affairs to make themselves look better (like Stalin).

I know, he wasn't 'evil' at this time (that merely meaning he wasn't an opponent in game, his speech obviously indicates some want of revenge), but hey, maybe he was trying to show off to someone he thought/knew wasn't around to see the last game's events.

[Sarisa]

May 17, 2011 17:08:42 GMT -5 cheat-master30 said:

Here's a thought... what's to say Cackletta has to be dead? Many Mario villains explode when defeated and 'dissolve', yet they're not killed off for real.

Good point - especially since Fawful wasn't there to see Cackletta's complete demise. He doesn't have any reason to assume that Cackletta is any more dead than the average Mario villain.

As for Fawful... he's vain. Really, really vain, and really arrogant (not to mention narcissistic). He wants people to believe he was behind the whole thing. Likely a deliberate attempt to try and make himself look better, like how many real life dictators tend to exaggerate about their role in past battles and affairs to make themselves look better (like Stalin).

Also true. And towards the end of Superstar Saga, he was thinking about how all of Cackletta's success was due to his work. It's not far from there to conclude that Cackletta was just useless baggage all along and he did all the evil work in Superstar Saga.

[Koopalmier]

Quoting (and translating) from my version of Bowser's Inside Story, during Fawful's last speech:
"I had to work for a hysterical woman... I worked in dirty places... And every, every time, these two mustachioed men come in and ruin my work..." (well, something like that)
The "hysterical woman" is obviously a reference to Cackletta. I'd say he never actually liked her, and probably wanted to betray her at the last minute - that's why he hates the Mario Bros. so much now, as they messed up his perfect plan.

I'd say Cackletta is dead. Not only do you fight her spirit, but after beating her her spirit dissolves into the air. Either she's gone to the Underwhere, either her spirit has been destroyed. Either way, it's not like the "poof" you see when you beat an enemy.
Also, I think the reappearance of the Elder Princess Shroob is supposed to be a mystery, as she clearly exploded into smoke when in her semi-spirit-thing form.