One of the most versatile characters in the Mario series, Lakitu appears in many forms, leading to lots of unanswered questions.
Appearing throughout the Super Mario series as an enemy, umpire, and cameraman, Lakitu is indeed one of the most versatile characters in the Mario franchise. But behind the innocent demeanor and smiley-faced appearance of the character are many questions that remain unanswered for fans.
When asked which Mario character best represented him in a profile for nsidr, creator Shigeru Miyamoto responded with Lakitu, as "he seems to be very free, floating in the air, going anywhere. And that's me, that is." Even if aspects of the character remain a mystery, Lakitu is still one of the most likable in the series.
Who Is Lakitu?
Like Toad and Yoshi, Lakitu is the name for both a species and a specific character in the Mario games. However, one of the more uncertain features of the character is the distinction between the character and the species at large, since Lakitu is less distinguishable than Yoshi and Toad from their respective species.
Starting from Mario Kart 7, Lakitu is playable and one of the most difficult characters to unlock in the Mario series. The playable character in Mario Kart 8 can be identified by his black and red shell. This distinguishes him from many of the Lakitu species who often wear green shells, including the camera operator and officiator in Mario Kart. However, Lakitu the character is mostly an unknown apart from this, with few other appearances in the series.
Lakitu And Koopa
Lakitus are a type of Koopa, indicated by the shell they carry on their backs. The main things that differentiate Lakitu from the other Koopas are their goggles and the cloud they are typically seen floating around on. They're not one of the strongest types of Koopa in the Mario universe, and are portrayed more like friends than foes.
What is unclear is why Lakitu are depicted less as enemies compared to the broader Koopa species. While there are other Koopas who don't have any affiliation with Bowser, Lakitu are more often neutral characters in the Super Mario series who aid Mario more often than hinder him. It may be that while some are loyal to Bowser, they are generally more good-natured than other Koopas.
A Koopa Of All Trades
One of the most impressive aspects of Lakitu as a species is their versatility and range of career options. They have been seen officiating matches of Mario Kart, umpiring games of Mario Tennis, and filming many of the games - acting as its in-world camera.
Lakitu often are accompanied by many tools and equipment to aid them with these jobs, including a broadcast camera and a fishing rod for retrieving racers who have fallen. What remains to be seen though is how Lakitus are so adaptable and prepared for these roles.
Kung Fu Lakitu
In the DLC for Mario Kart 8, specifically Dragon Driftway and Ribbon Road, there are several easter eggs depicting a unique martial arts specialist Lakitu.
In the background of the Dragon Driftway track stand statues of this mysterious Lakitu in martial arts poses, alongside murals depicting Lakitu performing kung fu. Their origin is unclear. And on the Ribbon Road track in Mario Kart 8 lies another easter egg, showing a poster reminiscent of the first Kung Fu Panda film, reading 'Kung Fu Lakitu - Coming Spring 2015.' The date for the fictional film was in reference to the DLC release date, however, and it remains to be seen if Kung Fu Lakitu will appear in future Mario media.
Friend Or Foe?
In a similar vein to Lakitu's relationship to the wider Koopa species, their ambiguous morality is another uncertain aspect of their character. While in earlier Mario games, including the first Super Mario Bros., Lakitu appeared as one of the Mario franchise's most ridiculous enemies - throwing Spiny Eggs onto the ground - but they have become much more neutral in recent Mario titles.
What isn't quite clear about this shift in alignment is if the evil, projectile-throwing Lakitu are the same characters as the tennis-adjudicating and camera operating Lakitu. Are they merely different members of the same species who wouldn't co-operate with Bowser, or have some Lakitu reformed over time?
Cloud Control
One of the defining features of Lakitu are the clouds they ride, and even though Mario Kart Lakitu is without one when racing, it is otherwise a defining characteristic of the species.
While fans would be forgiven for thinking the cloud is a part of the character, it may actually be a detachable vehicle that Lakitu somehow managed to harness. Giving credence to this theory is the fact that in Super Mario World, Mario or Luigi can also jump onto the cloud of a defeated Lakitu and ride it themselves, while New Super Mario Bros. features a Lakithunder who can harness not only clouds but also thunder and lighting. Do Lakitu have magic-like control over the weather, and if so how did they come to harness it?
Lakitu's Goggles
Lakitu is one of the most likable characters in the Mario franchise, and along with the signature cloud, their biggest trademark is the goggles they wear. This is actually something worn by all Lakitu, rather than just the one character, and it is unclear whether their purpose is aesthetic, functional, or both. Furthermore, why do Lakitu need goggles when other kinds of Koopa don't?
One explanation could be that Lakitu often have more technical roles than other Koopas, what with working cameras and officiating sports, and so need to keep a careful eye on events. Even when Lakitu are enemies they need to have precise aim to keep Mario on his toes.
The Existence Of King Lakitu
One of the only Lakitu bosses in the Super Mario games, King Lakitu appears in the Yoshi Star Galaxy in Super Mario Galaxy 2. His appearance is different from other Lakitu as he rides a purple cloud, is significantly larger, and also wears a smaller pair of goggles on his face.
The origin of King Lakitu is unknown, but his place in the hierarchy of Koopas and Lakitu raises many questions. While still a less significant boss than Bowser, does King Lakitu reign over all Lakitu, or perhaps just a small section of them?
Zelda Cameo
One of the most mysterious aspects of Lakitu is their cameo in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, and the differences between them and Lakitu in the wider Super Mario series. These are some of the only Lakitu who don't wear goggles, and the clouds they ride are devoid of the sunny smiles that characterize even the evil Lakitu.
The Zelda version of Lakitu is decidedly darker than their Mario counterparts, and the question remains as to whether they are distant relatives of the Lakitu species or a darker, alternate-universe depiction of them.
Where Is The Other Lakitu Brother?
When starting out in Super Mario 64, the player is greeted by a Lakitu floating on a cloud, holding a camera dangling from a fishing rod. From this, they discover that Lakitu is the one filming the action of the game, and by controlling the camera through the C buttons, they are giving different directions to Lakitu.
When Lakitu introduces himself though, he describes himself as part of the Lakitu Bros. 'reporting live' on the events, yet throughout the entire game this is the only Lakitu Brother who appears. Simply put, where is the other brother in this pair? Maybe instead of a cameraman, he is a live editor, clipping together the scenes of Mario 64, although there is no evidence to support this.
NEXT: 10 Things That Make No Sense About Rosalina In Super Mario
