Popular Culture Review 29.2
own new identities . The myth critic Joseph Campbell was so sure that readers crave sameness in their heroes that he essentially believed that all heroes are the same figure , a “ hero with a thousand faces ,” as the title of his famous book proclaimed . In Super Mario Odyssey , such a subtitle would seem equally appropriate . Mario is a modern myth in the Campbellian tradition . Mario transforms endlessly , but always into an identity that can be loved and related to , a hero with a thousand faces , but only one hat . Of course , Odyssey inverts this as well by having Mario wear the hats of others , sombreros , explorer hats , and the like . With this , Mario ’ s body stays the same while he takes on the characteristics of others instead . Perhaps Mario can relate his identity to others while others can also relate their identity to him . As in the “ Nintendo School ’ s Out ” commercial , Mario is everyone , and everyone is Mario .
Odyssey seems to suggest this recursive identity building through its gameplay . As noted , Mario ’ s ability to transform has now literally allowed him the ability to take on the roles belonging to others by becoming one with enemies and some objects in his world and gaining their skills . Also as noted , these transformed individuals are marked by his hat as he assimilates with the form of these others . Likewise , Mario , acting purely as himself , can adopt a variety of personas in the game by collecting outfits that reflect a variety of occupations or cultural identities , from building inspector to explorer to a guise reflective of Mexican culture , complete with sombrero and serape . Adopting these personas and allowing others to reflect his identity allows the audience to see Mario ’ s plasticity and his ability to transform and to adapt to whatever role is necessary for him to succeed in Odyssey ’ s game world . This plasticity frees us to understand the hero in ways that we understand or that we can see in ourselves . A man , for instance , might view himself through his occupation , through
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