Thanks to Hamada for helping with edits.

Nintendo boasts a strong roster of mascots, including their flagship hero Mario and his antithesis Wario. While the latter focuses more on his business ventures these days, he first proved himself a capable headliner in the Wario Land series. We’re heading there today to interrogate one of Wario’s oldest acquaintances.

Captain Syrup, seen in 2008’s Wario Land: Shake It! (Image: Nintendo)

Wario’s fought several adversaries throughout his solo career, most of whom he vanquished after only one encounter. However, one of those antagonists has opposed Wario on multiple occasions, and only she comes close to equalling him.

Captain Syrup’s History

Captain Syrup debuted in Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Wario’s first treasure hunting excursion. The Black Sugar Gang, a group of pirates under Syrup’s charge, had pilfered a giant statue of Princess Peach and secured it at their base, Kitchen Island. After a destructive jaunt across the grubby landmass and through her castle, Wario finally meets the infamous Syrup in her personal chambers, where she summons her genie to battle the intruder. Wario defeats them, forcing Syrup to make a hasty retreat.

In Land’s American release, Syrup’s crew was dubbed the Brown Sugar Pirates. Their original moniker was retained in Land II‘s international release, unintentionally implying they’re sporting a darker and edgier rebrand. (Image: Nintendo)

Some time later, Wario was enjoying a nap in his castle ignorant to the intrusion of the rancorous Syrup and her goons, who abscond with his valuables and vandalize his home. Enraged, Wario lept into action to reclaim his ill-gained fortune. The bodacious buccaneer was more proactive throughout Wario Land II; she’d challenge the ogre on numerous occasions while demonstrating an impressive proficiency for machinery. Wario nevertheless thwarts his coeval in most of Land II’s endings and loots her hidden cavern in its ultimate trial.

Syrup scored cameos in auxiliary media of the era too, from the Japan-exclusive Picross NP Vol. 7 to various manga publications. Regrettably, the freebooter’s prominence wouldn’t last; she was absent from Wario Land’s overlooked second entry, and subsequent installments followed that example and phased her out. WarioWare, the anti-plumber’s second series, frequently makes homages to its platforming predecessors, though Wario himself is the only character they share (however, I like to assume Syrup’s the unidentified caller in Gold). And although Mario happily invites Donkey Kong characters to his socials, that courtesy was never extended to Syrup, nor anyone else from Wario’s supporting cast (instead, a newcomer was created to fill that void).

According to early Famitsu coverage for Shake, Syrup’s first name is Maple. It’s a pun as subtle as Wario’s entrance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl’s debut trailer. (Image: Nintendo)

Wario Land: Shake It! hit the Wii nearly a decade after Land II’s release, ushering in a return of the series’ firstborn foe. Syrup, now voiced by Hitomi Hirose and flaunting a modernized design, kickstarts events by stealing the Ancient Globe from a museum. Upon examining it, she discovers it houses the Shake Dimension, a domain under assault by the nefarious Shake King. Off-screen, Syrup meets and strikes a deal with one of its refugees: if she saves his home, she can keep its greatest treasure, the Bottomless Coin Sack. Eager to obtain the bag but reluctant to challenge the malicious monarch herself, Syrup “hires” Wario (with whom she’s become more cordial) to do the deed while selling him items along the way. As to be expected, the boor liberates the realm and claims its magic sack, only for Syrup to sneak in and pilfer it from him. Her only cameos since transpired in a Shake-themed manga, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Spirit (where she possesses Bayonetta and is accompanied by a giant King Dedede), and (following this article’s original publication) a reference in Animal Crossing: New Horizons by Gullivarr.

So, what’re my thoughts on Syrup?

Those familiar with Nintendo R&D1’s work should be acquainted with their groundbreaking 1986 hit Metroid and its intergalactic heroine, Samus Aran. Metroid predates Super Mario Land 3 by over seven years, though both titles sought to keep their respective lady’s identity hidden, with their manuals even addressing them with male pronouns. Samus and Syrup being women were legitimate twists given the male-centric nature of this medium, and their worlds were richer for it. Wario’s picaroon also bears the honor of being the first major female antagonist in the greater Mario universe, something owed to Wario Land‘s subversive relationship with its parent series. Just as Wario serves as Mario’s opposite number, Captain Syrup was presented as self-sufficient and amoral, a refreshing alternative to the damsel in distress role that normally characterized Peach, Daisy, and Pauline.

Syrup’s commandeered two corsairs and numerous mechs over the years. Did you notice how, in dedication to her motif, this vessel is shaped like a tea cup? (Image: Nintendo)

It’s in her dynamic with Wario where Syrup shines the most, however. The guy is by no measure a virtuous paragon, but he is more principled than the rogues he fights. Syrup likewise lacks outright malevolent intent; she’s not aiming to enslave populations or warp reality, she’s merely after loot. In fact, Wario and Syrup aren’t dissimilar at all: they’re both accomplished, avaricious adventurers. Neither are above using manipulative means to achieve wealth (Wario habitually attempts to hoodwink his employees), and both are open to performing good deeds… so long as they’re guaranteed a reward for the trouble. Another commonality between the thieves is how the pasquinade Wario world refuses to pedestalize them. Wario’s métiers are largely defined by that; his transformations demean him and he’s partially characterized by “doing stupid things.” Whereas jokes can be made at the expense of the regal Mario ladies, Wario’s covetous rival can be outright humiliated. Among other embarrassments Land II dishes her, she’s blasted into the sky à la Pokémon’s Team Rocket trio and afflicted by one of the transformations Wario’s subjected to. In less significant similarities, Syrup and Wario both keep pet birds and, though not core to his identity as it is to hers, Wario isn’t a stranger to donning pirate garb. 

Just as comparisons can be drawn between Syrup and Wario, irrevocable differences distinguish them too. Some overlap in color palettes notwithstanding, they’re polar opposites physically; our comically corpulent, muscular anti-hero isn’t meant to be attractive, whereas Syrup’s a slender, beautiful woman (Mario’s shown swooning over her in the Super Mario Bros. Daizukan guidebook). How they go about acquiring their treasure hoards is where they diverge the most, however. While Wario employs crafty schemes in other undertakings, his field work is generally straightforward: he travails solo and is a single-minded, bullish brute who’ll bulldoze through anything standing between him and gold. Wario’s siren employees a different methodology: she leads an organization of tearaways and, reminiscent of Catwoman, has no reservations prowling into forbidden areas or flirting with others (something Wario’s oblivious or indifferent to). Syrup’s biggest divergence from Wario’s strategy, however, is her aversion to fighting if she’s unassisted or unarmed; Syrup strives to maintain a safe distance when confronting Wario, retaliating through indirect means. After being bested by him twice, Syrup’s grown well-aware of his capabilities and intelligently works around them – and for this change in approach, she finally scored a victory over her longtime rival in Shake.

It’s fun and satisfying seeing other characters suffer through the same goofy “power-ups” Wario endures. Perhaps his colleagues may join him in his Land expeditions someday? (Image: Nintendo)

The Kyoto-based gaming empire has a strong lineup of antagonists and antiheroes, some of whom are among my favorites in this medium. Captain Syrup proudly sits among them, regardless of how rarely she appears. Wario Land’s practice of regularly introducing new enemies was novel and has merit (in contrast, Bowser’s tenured status in the Super Mario series occasionally gets stale), but none of them ever matched Syrup. Whether Nintendo regresses her relationship with Wario to its hostile genesis or maintains their more amicable rapport, the food-themed pirate is the perfect foil for the greedy glutton. I anticipate their next encounter, and I’m happy to assume she’s continuing to pilfer goods from unsuspecting citizens until then.

Congratulations, Captain Syrup! Enjoy your consultation fee!

I hope you’ll be there to greet Wario when he returns to his platforming roots, old friend. …Or maybe you could start pirating his Microgame software? (Image: Nintendo)

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Cart Boy

Cart Boy wants to be the very best, like no one ever was. When the stars align properly, he also writes articles, edits his peers' work, and helps run Source Gaming's social media.

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