Why Luigi is a Hero (And Why We Should Finally Admit It)

He’s the guy in green. The one who usually gets left behind at the castle while his brother gets the glory, the girl, and the cake. Honestly, for decades, the gaming world treated Luigi like a literal "Player 2"—an afterthought, a palette swap, the guy who shakes when a ghost breathes in his general direction. But if you actually look at the history of the Mushroom Kingdom, the narrative that Luigi is a hero isn't just a fan theory. It’s a fact backed up by decades of increasingly terrifying rescue missions.

Think about it for a second.

Mario is fearless. That’s cool, I guess, but is it really "heroic" if you aren’t afraid of anything? True courage isn't the absence of fear; it’s being absolutely terrified, knees knocking, teeth chattering, and doing the job anyway. That is Luigi’s entire brand. While Mario is out there doing triple jumps and feeling like a superstar, Luigi is hyperventilating in a dark hallway, clutching a vacuum cleaner, and literally saving his brother’s life.

The Year Luigi Stopped Being a Sidekick

The shift started back in 2001. When the GameCube launched, Nintendo did something weird: they benched Mario. They trapped the world's most famous plumber in a painting and told the scaredy-cat brother to go get him. This was the birth of Luigi's Mansion, and it’s the primary evidence for why Luigi is a hero of the highest caliber.

Most people forget that Luigi didn't even want to be there. He won a contest he didn't enter. He showed up to a mansion that shouldn't exist. Instead of running away—which would be the sane, logical thing to do—he strapped a nuclear-powered vacuum to his back and faced his literal worst nightmares. Professor E. Gadd didn't pick Luigi because he was the strongest. He picked him because he was the only one left.

Defining Heroism Through Anxiety

There is a specific kind of bravery that resonates with people today more than the "action hero" archetype of the 80s and 90s. We live in an era where everyone is a little bit anxious. Seeing a character who represents that anxiety—who clearly feels the weight of the world and the spookiness of the dark—yet continues to move forward? That’s relatable.

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In Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, we literally go inside Luigi’s head. What do we find? A deep-seated desire to help. Inside his subconscious, he isn't dreaming of fame. He’s dreaming of being strong enough to protect his brother. He sees himself as a "Dreamy Luigi" who can multiply and form giant hammers or towers to crush enemies. It’s actually kind of heartbreaking. It shows that he knows he’s perceived as weak, and he spends his entire internal life trying to overcome that.

A Different Skill Set

Luigi isn't just a Mario clone with a higher jump. Over the years, Nintendo has baked his personality into his mechanics.

• The Scuttle Jump: His legs flail in the air. It looks goofy, but it gives him more hang time than Mario. It’s the physical manifestation of him trying really hard not to fall.
• The Traction Issue: He slides. A lot. He’s harder to control. Playing as Luigi is literally "hard mode" because he doesn't have the grounded, stable footing of his brother.
• The Poltergust: He’s mastered a tool that Mario rarely touches. While Mario relies on fireballs and physical strength, Luigi uses technology and strategy to trap enemies that are literally intangible.

Breaking Down the "Coward" Myth

If you’ve ever played New Super Luigi U, you know the stakes are higher. The levels are shorter, the timer is tighter, and the physics are slipperier. This game was released during the "Year of Luigi" in 2013, a period where Nintendo finally leaned into the idea that Luigi is a hero who can carry a franchise on his own.

He isn't a coward. He has a phobia. There is a massive difference. A coward avoids the fight to save themselves. A person with a phobia faces the fight despite their nervous system screaming at them to run. When King Boo traps the entire Mario crew in Luigi's Mansion 3, who is the only one who doesn't get caught immediately? The guy who was already suspicious and on edge. Luigi’s "cowardice" is actually just high-level situational awareness.

He’s the guy you want on a team because he’s the only one who notices when something is "off."

The Psychological Depth of the Second Son

Shigeru Miyamoto and the team at Nintendo EAD (and later Next Level Games) did something brilliant with Luigi. They gave him a personality that Mario lacks. Mario is a cipher—he’s "Mr. Video Game." He’s great, but he’s static. Luigi has an arc. He has a range of emotions. In the Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), we see this play out on the big screen. The movie opens with him being the cautious one, the one who worries about their business and their safety. By the end, he’s wielding a Manhole cover to protect his brother from Bowser’s fire.

It's a classic hero's journey.

But it’s a journey he has to take every single time he wakes up. It’s not a one-and-done character development moment. Every time a new threat emerges, Luigi has to recalibrate his fear. That’s exhausting. And yet, he does it.

Real-World Lessons from a Green Plumber

What can we actually take away from the fact that Luigi is a hero? It’s not just about video games. It’s about the value of the "support" role and the reality of overcoming personal obstacles.

1. Fear is a Catalyst, Not a Roadblock: You don't need to be fearless to be effective. In fact, being afraid makes you more careful. Luigi’s success comes from his ability to navigate danger while being fully aware of it.
2. The "Second" Position has Power: Luigi often finds the secrets Mario misses. In many games, Luigi’s higher jump allows him to reach areas that are inaccessible to his brother. Being "different" isn't being "worse."
3. Loyalty Trumps Ego: Luigi doesn't care that Mario is the face of the brand. He cares that Mario is his brother. Most of Luigi’s solo adventures start with him being forced into action because someone he loves is in trouble. That’s the purest motivation there is.

The Evidence in the Gameplay

If you look at Super Mario Galaxy, Luigi is actually faster and can jump further, but he’s harder to stop. This is a metaphor for his entire existence. He has more raw potential, but he struggles with the "brakes."

There’s also the "Luigi Wins by Doing Absolutely Nothing" meme. While it’s a joke, it highlights a weird truth: Luigi is often lucky. Or maybe it’s not luck. Maybe his awkwardness creates opportunities that a more "perfect" hero wouldn't see. He falls into success, sure, but he’s the one who stayed in the arena long enough for that luck to kick in.

In Super Paper Mario, his transformation into Mr. L shows his potential for power. When his inhibitions are stripped away, he becomes one of the most dangerous villains the series has ever seen. This proves that his "weakness" is actually a conscious choice to remain humble and kind. He holds back. He chooses to be the supporting player because he knows what happens when he lets his ego take the wheel.

Why the Fans Won the Argument

For years, the "Luigi is better" crowd was a niche group. Now, it’s the mainstream opinion. You see it in the sales of Luigi’s Mansion 3, which moved over 14 million units. You see it in the way he’s portrayed in Super Smash Bros.—not as a clone, but as a weird, floaty fighter with a devastating "Super Jump Punch."

The gaming community has moved away from wanting "flawless" protagonists. We want the guy who fumbles. We want the guy who makes funny noises when he’s scared. We want the guy who actually has something to lose.

Luigi is the hero for the rest of us. He’s the hero for the people who feel like they’re in the shadow of someone else. He’s the hero for the people who have to count to three before they do something brave.

Actionable Takeaways for the Luigi Fan

If you want to appreciate this character more, or if you’re looking to dive back into the games with a new perspective, here is how you should approach the Luigi-verse:

• Play Luigi’s Mansion 3 with a focus on environmental storytelling. Look at how Luigi reacts to different rooms. His animations are some of the most expressive in gaming history. They tell a story of a man who is terrified but determined.
• Revisit the Mario & Luigi RPG series. These games (especially Superstar Saga) highlight the bond between the brothers. Pay attention to how Luigi carries Mario when he’s hurt. It’s a literal representation of him stepping up.
• Stop calling him "Green Mario." Words matter. Acknowledge him as the specialist he is. He’s the ghost hunter. He’s the high-jumper. He’s the one who stays behind to mind the shop but will cross dimensions to save his family.

The next time you’re playing a game and you have the choice between the two brothers, pick the one in green. Not because you want a challenge, but because you want to play as the most human character in the entire Nintendo roster. Luigi isn't just a hero because he wins; he’s a hero because he refuses to give up, even when every fiber of his being is telling him to go back to bed.

That’s real strength. That’s why Luigi is a hero we should have been celebrating from the very beginning.

To get the most out of Luigi's unique gameplay style, start by mastering the "Scuttle Jump" in Super Mario Odyssey or New Super Mario Bros. U. Learning to manage his lack of friction is the first step in understanding his character—he’s a "glass cannon" who requires more finesse than his more famous brother. Once you control the slide, you control the game.