The final preparations for the invasion plan were complete. Bowser settled into the seat of his clown car and ran one final systems check to ensure everything was running properly before take-off. He tried everything he could to keep his mind focused. He gave careful consideration as to which angle to fly in and approach Peach's castle from. He reviewed the ground troop formations one final time. He tried to predict what power-ups Mario would bring when he would eventually show up to rescue Peach. But nothing held his attention for long.

Bowser was just too distracted. He knew it for certain when he spotted a crayon drawing of him and his son taped to his dashboard; the one Junior made for him years ago. Bowser placed the tip of his claw to the paper and stroked it gingerly. Guilt washed over him.

Was everyone right? Was he really being too hard on Junior? He didn't want to be. He was just doing what he felt was right in order to take care of his son. But…maybe he was wrong. Clearly nothing he did right now was working since Junior wasn't listening to him. Bowser began to wonder if he was having these dreams about his wife for a reason. Not because her spirit was trying to tell him something necessarily. But maybe…this was his heart speaking to him and trying to tell him something. Whatever was going on, Bowser was sure of one thing. He couldn't let it go on like this. He hated watching Junior run out of the dining hall in tears like that. Bowser cringed when he recalled all of the horrible things he said to him.

I can't trust you to do anything!

I told you to take a bath and get ready, and you couldn't even do that!

WHY DO YOU LISTEN TO THIS STUPID THING MORE THAN ME!?

STOP CRYING!

If you're not there when time's up, I'm feeding your breakfast to the chain chomp instead and you'll go without eating!

You would've never thought to do this stuff after waking up on your own if I didn't tell you to!

… how can I trust my lousy son with anything more important!?

Bowser shut his eyes and ran his hand across his face as he sighed. Why did he have to say all of that? Why did he have to yell at his kid so much? His wife would've never approved of him being so vicious to their child. As far as Bowser was concerned, it was fine for him to be nasty to just about everyone else. But not his own son. Not to this degree. This was crossing the line. I should apologize to him… Bowser thought. We need to work this out somehow… Bowser typed in a command on the control panel of his aircraft; setting it into autopilot mode. Then he laid back in his seat, turned away from the crayon drawing, and shut his eyes to get some sleep before he would arrive at Peach's castle.

"You'll never get away with this, Bowser!" Princess Peach shouted from Bowser's side. "Mario will rescue me just like he always does!" Bowser turned to her and smirked.

"Come on, my sweet," he replied. "Aren't you getting tired of playing this little game? Why can't you just marry me and stop trying to defy destiny?" Bowser delicately brushed her cheek with his claw.

"You are not my destiny!" she objected. Bowser laughed. He'd heard this harsh rejection from her so many times that it didn't faze him one bit anymore. It had lost its effect long ago. Peach would give in and marry him eventually. Bowser was sure of this. It was just a matter of time. His train of arrogant thought was halted abruptly when Bowser heard what Peach shouted next.

"Mario!" she cheered. Bowser sharply turned his head around. Sure enough, there he was. Mario, standing at the far end of the platform; determination burning in his eyes. Mario had come to the rescue just as he always did. He sprinted directly towards the two of them.

"You want her? Come and get her!" Bowser challenged. He leaped down to the lower level. Taking a deep breath, Bowser shot off a series of fire balls from his mouth towards his adversary. Mario jumped, dodged and weaved around each projectile with ease. He stopped just short of Bowser. The two glared at one another; anticipating the other's next move.

Bowser threw the first punch against his most hated adversary. Mario stepped out of the way just in time to avoid it. In retaliation, he launched an uppercut square into Bowser's chin, sending the Koopa King hurdling into the air. Mario jumped up in pursuit and threw his fist straight across Bowser's face, which sent him rocketing back down to the earth below. This was an attack Bowser was all too familiar with as he had been on the receiving end of it countless times in the Smash Bros tournaments. The latter crashed and tumbled along the ground. Mario landed and prepared to sprint past him in pursuit of the princess in the distance. But Bowser wasn't finished yet. In the blink of an eye, Bowser swiped his tail across the ground and tripped Mario. Bowser grabbed the plumber from behind and shoved him into the ground as payback.

Bowser then raised both of his fists high into the air above Mario and prepared to pound the plumber into the ground with all the strength he could muster. Mario quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out a Cape Feather. He crushed it in his hand and in a flash, Mario dawned his signature yellow cape. Thrusting it forward across his body, Mario turned Bowser around a full 180 degrees just as the Koopa King's fists were about to strike down.

Bowser couldn't react in time. His attack was already underway. He crushed the ground in the complete opposite direction. By the time Bowser leaned back up, he felt Mario's hands firmly grab his tail. Attempting to break free was pointless as Mario had already begun swinging the Koopa King around and around in the air with absurd strength and velocity. Bowser was about to get motion sickness just as Mario released him and hurled the latter far across the arena; landing with a thud and sliding a few inches. His skin was scraped and bruised by the unforgiving concrete surface and gravel debris littered across it. Mario leaped high into the air and started gliding his way towards Princess Peach at the other side of the platform. Bowser gritted his teeth in anger. Not again. He could not lose again!

Bowser sprinted and gave chase towards the airborne plumber. He shot as many fireballs as he could in a desperate attempt to ground Mario. But Bowser's fire breath wasn't nearly as deadly when he was running since his lungs also needed to devote air to breathing as he ran. The fire balls were much slower and didn't reach as high.

Frustrated, Bowser leaped high into the air himself and came crashing down on the arena below. His tremendous force tipped the platform vertically at the precise angle and velocity to catch Mario before the plumber could react in time. When the platform fell back to its normal position, it had taken Mario back down with him. Now Bowser just needed to act on this moment before Mario could get up and move again. But just before Bowser could reach Mario to finish him, a voice startled him.

"Not so fast!" it cried from afar. Both Mario and Bowser both turned to see Junior descend down from above in his Junior Clown Car. Bowser clenched his fists in anger. He couldn't believe his son had disobeyed him once again by coming here.

"What're you doing here, brat!?" Bowser roared.

"What you can't do!" Junior retaliated. "I'm beating Mario once and for all!" Junior reached down into his vehicle and pulled out a power star. Stealing one of these babies from Star Haven had been a cinch since Mario was so busy rescuing the princess that he wasn't there to stop him. Bowser's eyes widened in horror when he pieced together what his son was planning on doing.

"Wait!" Bowser called out. Junior ignored his father's objection. He shoved the power star into a special compartment on his control panel and pressed a button. Instantly, the clown car began to glow as a cannon protruded out from the vehicle's mouth. Junior could feel the clown car tremor as it built up immense power; aimed directly at Mario.

"Eat this!" Junior exclaimed. Once the cannon was charged to maximum power, it launched a star-powered cannon ball with more speed than Bowser had ever witnessed before. He never knew a power star could supercharge his own weapons in such a way. But this was no time to be impressed. Did his son really know how to harness such power? Did he know exactly what he was dealing with here?

This was it. Junior was sure of it. The cannon ball would hit Mario with so much power that it would take him out in one blast. There was no way he could get out of the way in time. This had to be the moment. His family's greatest rival would finally be beaten once and for all. More importantly though, Bowser would apologize and give Junior the respect he knew he deserved. His eyes followed carefully as the cannon ball reached Mario at the other end of the arena. But, Mario didn't even try to jump out of the way. Instead he stood his ground as his imminent doom approached.

Mario thrust his cape over his shoulder once again at the last second. It reflected the cannon ball back in the opposite direction with twice the speed. The projectile flew at such a blinding velocity that no one could've stopped what happened next.

"NOOOOOOO!" Bowser roared. Junior's eyes lit up with terror as the cannon ball hit his clown car in the blink of an eye. The vehicle exploded with an echoing boom that rang across the sky. Bowser was horrified when he thought he had just watched his son become engulfed in the flames of the blast. The Koopa King was about to drop to his knees in shock, but then he realized he was wrong.

He caught a brief glimpse of Junior being sent flying backwards from the impact. He was out of the flames, but not harm's way. Junior crashed to the ground, tumbled and rolled a few times, and slid all the way to the edge of the platform. He hadn't been killed instantly, but his landing just now surely had left him with fatal injuries.

The clown car's explosion created a chain reaction on the arena. The ground below Mario and Bowser's feet began to tremor and break apart. With a running start and three consecutive jumps, Mario took off into the air once again and flew towards Peach. The quaking caused Junior to bounce off the edge of the platform, but the little Koopa grabbed onto the ledge in time with one hand. He was now dangling for dear life over the ocean of lava below.

Bowser could hardly think over the violent vibrations. Mario was about to reach the flagpole that Peach was tied to on the platform above them. He was about to save her once again. Bowser had to act now or his plan would fail. He was about to give chase once more, but was stopped by a small, hoarse cry for help.

"Dad!" Junior cried out in agony. He kicked his small feet in panic as he dangled from the platforms end. Try as he might, Junior couldn't pull himself up. His other arm had gone limp, and the one keeping him from falling was quickly losing strength. "Dad, help!" Junior cried out once again. If he wasn't pulled up from the ledge quickly, Junior was terrified he would let go and plunge to his death. Bowser's eyes widened in fear as he stood completely still. Time slowed down. His gaze shifted back and forth between Mario and Junior several times.

He had to make a choice. It was now or never. Bowser clenched his fists in frustration.

Dammit! Bowser cursed under his breath. Mustering all of his remaining strength and adrenaline, Bowser sprinted forward. He made his choice and was prepared to live with the sacrifice.

Junior felt his arm give out and his heart practically stopped. The little Koopa faded out of consciousness as he fell to the lava below. Kammy Koopa flew in on her broomstick just in time to watch the aftermath of the battle.

"Bowser!" the witch called out. Bowser ignored his name as he continued to run at full speed. Kammy watched as Bowser jumped headfirst off the platform into the lava below in pursuit of his son. The Koopa King angled himself in his dive in such a way to pick up speed so he could reach Junior in time. Extending his arms forward, Bowser grabbed the unconscious little Koopa and tightly hugged him to his chest. Bowser curled his legs, neck and tail close together in a fetal position as gravity began to rotate under him. Bowser shut his eyes and let the forces engulf him. He rolled faster and faster until his special ability had been triggered. Bowser transformed into a green spike ball just before he reached the lava's surface and plunged deep into the fiery liquid.

Kammy had cast a magic spell to try and catch her superior in time, but she was nowhere near fast enough. Had she just witnessed the demise of the Great and Terrible Bowser? Dumbfounded, she watched Mario fly off into the distance with Peach in his arms as Bowser and Junior met a fiery grave.