Is There A Third Super Mario Brother? The Viral 'Italian Flag' Theory Explained

For over a decade, Super Mario fans have been theorizing that there might be a third Mario brother. Memes about a third Mario brother have been popping up online since as early as 2008 and they've only gotten more popular over the years, with one theory about the Italian flag adding further fuel to the fire. So, is there a third Mario brother? Here's what we know.

Is There A Third Mario Brother?

The majority of people know the Mario brothers as Mario and Luigi, but since as early as 2008, when YouTuber BlazeHedgehog posted an animation joking about a third brother, memes and theories about a potential third brother have grown online. In the late 2000s and throughout the 2010s, numerous pieces of fan art, memes and videos about a third brother have gone viral, including one popular YouTube video by Dorkly about a very regular Mario bro named Guiseppe.

In the canon of the Super Mario video games, there is no confirmed third Mario brother. Some have suggested that Dr. Mario is a third brother, rather than simply Mario with another profession, but this is unconfirmed. Others mistake Wario and Waluigi as Mario brothers, but apparently, they're just rivals with no blood relations to Mario and Luigi. So, does the theory have any legs at all?

What Is The Third Mario Brother 'Italian Flag' Theory?

In the last few years, a new theory about a potential third Mario brother has started spreading online. The theory claims that Mario and Luigi represent the red and green in the Italian flag. While this idea is unconfirmed, it suggests that there should be a third Mario brother who represents the white on the Italian flag.

This theory has gained viral spread and inspired a number of memes and theories. The main running theory is the Dr. Mario theory, claiming that Mario is not the same man as Dr. Mario. Others have used the theory to make memes, including edits joking that Peppino from Pizza Tower might be the third brother. So, while there probably isn't a third Mario brother, that hasn't stopped social media from having fun with the idea.

For the full history of the third Mario brother, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.