Combat de Mario et Peach dans une clairière enneigée

Valentina: Usurper of the Cloud Kingdom

1378 words | Reading time : 6 minute(s)

BossValentinaSuper Mario RPG

She takes advantage of the prince's absence to seize the throne of the clouds. A flamboyant boss from Super Mario RPG in 1996 and from its 2023 Switch remake, Valentina stages a coup in Nimbus Land with the help of the bird Dodo. This profile digs into the largest spell arsenal in the game and the wedding gag that ties her to Booster.

Valentina is one of the most flamboyant bosses in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, the cult role-playing game released on Super Nintendo in 1996 (Japan) and then revived on Nintendo Switch in 2023. Her name stays identical in French and in English: Valentina.

Behind her grande dame airs hides an unscrupulous usurper who has laid hands on an entire floating kingdom. Backed by her loyal bird Dodo and armed with the biggest spell arsenal in the game, she delivers one of the most memorable fights of the adventure, before meeting a downright hilarious romantic fate.

Contents


Who is Valentina?

Valentina is a villain exclusive to Super Mario RPG, the very first role-playing game in the series, developed by Square and published by Nintendo. You meet her in the second half of the adventure, at the very top of the cloud world.

Her look openly parodies beauty standards: rosy skin, a wide and towering head, an iridescent cream gown, red heels and turquoise eyeshadow. The finishing touch? A little parrot permanently perched on her head and a martini glass in hand during the fight. Everything about her bearing breathes arrogance and vanity.

Unlike most villains in the Mario universe, Valentina is neither a monster nor a minion of Bowser. She is a calculating schemer driven by a single obsession: to rule. That personality makes her a villain apart, closer to a comedy of manners than to the classic bogeyman.


The coup in the kingdom of the clouds

The action takes place in Nimbus Land, the “kingdom of Nimbus” in the French version, a city built on a vast cloud where the Nimbus people live. In normal times, this sky kingdom is ruled by the Nimbus King and Queen, the parents of Prince Mallow.

Taking advantage of the long disappearance of Prince Mallow — off adventuring alongside Mario —, Valentina stages a full-blown coup. She has the king and queen locked away and takes the reins of the kingdom in their place.

Her plan rests on a brazen deception: she passes off her bird Dodo, dressed up for the part, as Prince Mallow returned home, in order to fool the inhabitants and legitimize her power. It is this trickery that puts Mario and his companions on her trail, firmly set on giving the throne back to the royal family.


Dodo, the accomplice bird

You cannot talk about Valentina without mentioning Dodo, her towering right-hand bird. This creature is no mere pet: he is an active accomplice in the usurpation, going so far as to impersonate Prince Mallow.

In battle, Dodo has a surprise in store. The duel does not begin like a classic party showdown: the bird swoops down on the team and carries off into the sky the character standing in the middle, forcing a brief one-on-one fight until Dodo is taken down.

  • Dodo is particularly vulnerable to fire, which makes him an ideal target for the most powerful fiery attacks.
  • Once the bird is out of the way, the fight shifts to Valentina herself, the real danger of the encounter.
  • Dodo stays loyal to the very end and follows his mistress even after the defeat, including in the game's final scene.

The biggest spell arsenal in the game

What makes Valentina so formidable is above all her mastery of magic. With her 2000 hit points, she is not the toughest of bosses, but she makes up for it with an offensive range that is off the charts.

Valentina can cast nine different spells, which is the largest number of spells of any boss in the game. No other opponent in Super Mario RPG lines up such a varied magical repertoire, from beams of light to icy breaths, by way of showers of petals and crystals.

That variety makes the fight unpredictable: she alternates elements to catch the team off guard. The winning strategy is to hit fast and hard, betting on offense rather than defense, because her real threat is offensive and not defensive. Taking Dodo out of the picture, then focusing all the damage on Valentina, remains the surest way to bring her down.


Booster and the wedding gag

Valentina's fate wraps up on one of the funniest notes in the game. Once beaten, the usurper is not eliminated: she vanishes from the scene only to reappear at the resolution.

In the ending sequence, Valentina finds herself engaged to be married to Booster, the eccentric master of the tower that bears his name, another colorful character from Super Mario RPG. The ceremony is even officiated by the faithful Dodo, turned into an improvised celebrant for the occasion.

But the gag does not stop there: at the fateful moment, Booster bolts in the middle of the ceremony, seized by panic. You then catch a glimpse of Valentina setting off in pursuit, carried by Dodo, in a finale as absurd as it is delightful. That final twist seals Valentina's reputation as one of the most endearing and funniest villains in the whole Mario universe.


Valentina at a glance

French name Valentina
English name Valentina
First appearance Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (1996, Japan)
Remake Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch, 2023)
Role Boss, usurper of Nimbus Land
Hit points 2000 HP
Spells 9 (the highest number in the game)
Minion Dodo, the accomplice bird

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FAQ

  • Which game does Valentina appear in?
    Valentina is a boss in Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, released on Super Nintendo in 1996 in Japan, then brought back in a remake on Nintendo Switch in 2023.
  • Which kingdom is Valentina trying to control?
    She seizes the kingdom of Nimbus (Nimbus Land in English), the floating city of the Nimbus people, after imprisoning the king and the queen.
  • Who is Dodo?
    Dodo is the big bird who serves Valentina. He helps her usurpation along by impersonating Prince Mallow, and he backs her up during the fight.
  • How many spells can Valentina cast?
    She can use nine different spells, which makes her the boss with the largest magic repertoire in all of Super Mario RPG.
  • What becomes of Valentina at the end of the game?
    In the final scene, she is about to marry Booster, but he runs away during the ceremony and she sets off after him.

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