As far as Nintendo leads us to believe, Mario is a hero. He risks his life to save Peach time and time again. But if you look closely at his actions and compare them to Bowser's, there may be some important details left out.
This video that appeared on Cracked for their "After Hours" web series features four friends who take a look at the huge span of media that Mario appears in to debate the issue.
Are we so sure, for instance, that Mario's intentions with Peach are so gentlemanly as we'd like to believe? What about poor Bowser? His kingdom gets shred to pieces without a second thought just so Mario can get his girl. Maybe Bowser really is just a lovestruck romantic, granted with a terrible way of expressing his feelings for Peach. Kidnap isn't exactly the ideal form of courting.
Each side makes a pretty convincing argument, but take a look and see if you're willing to change your opinion about Bowser.
Why Mario is Secretly a Douchebag [Cracked]