I don't think Peach is going to be kidnapped ever again with the new character direction set by the Super Mario Bros. Movie. I hope 2D Mario stays like Wonder as, though I love the classic format of the NSMB series, I love the wild and unexpected way that Wonder is (making it my favorite 2D game) and I do think it's cool that Peach is helping Mario and Luigi out in their adventures now.
This is going to ruffle some feathers, but I would really dislike if they actually did that. I know everyone in gaming loves to hate on Peach for being the useless damsel who does nothing but get kidnapped by Bowser all the time, but if you look at the lore of the Mario series, that's not actually true. Remember, the plot of the original Super Mario Bros had Bowser kidnap her because she was the only one with the power to reverse the dark spell he had put on her subjects that trapped them in blocks. Even from the beginning, she served a purpose that wasn't as a mere object or a target to be reached. It wasn't much of a plot, but she was treated as a real threat instead of a pawn in a game. So when you saved her, it actually meant something. The problem with many Mario games is that they don't replicate that kind of feeling. It's games like Super Mario 64 and Paper Mario that expand upon the nature of the kidnapping and flesh out her character that we see the standard plot really shine.
Let me explain. In Super Mario 64, Bowser doesn't just kidnap Peach, he takes over Peach's Castle and all its surrounding areas and traps her in the wall. He clearly thought this thing through, and as a result, he not only put Peach in serious danger, he endangered all her subjects, and most importantly, there's nothing Peach can do about it. Indeed, the game is basically you freeing the Toads and others from Bowser's tyranny on the way to saving Peach. That's what gives the game stakes: you're not just trying to save Peach, you're fighting to free her kingdom. Just like the original Super Mario Bros. In Paper Mario, Peach is given moments that develop her character and show her to be a selfless, kind-hearted person. She expresses concern for her people in the castle as it's rising in the sky, and we see just how much she misses Mario and wants to see him again. But where the game really stands out here is how she gets directly involved in finding out where the Star Spirits are and relays the information to Mario. She deliberately risks being captured in order to give Mario a fighting chance at saving her, and given that Bowser is invincible with the Star Rod, the only reason Mario is able to beat him is because of the information he receives from Peach that enables him to rescue the Star Spirits. In Thousand-Year Door, it's the same thing, and on top of that, she's given an actual reason to be kidnapped--namely, Grodus needs her to be the host for the Shadow Queen. When Mario and crew are about to lose to the Shadow Queen, she comes through, fighting off the Queen's control long enough to give them one last boost of power that enables them to defeat the Queen and free Peach. Even the platformers showcase this: in Super Mario 3D Land, we see Peach attempt to escape from Bowser and defeat some of his soldiers. The attempt ultimately fails, but it shows that she's not going to just sit around waiting for Mario to show up. You seeing a pattern here? The games that develop the story and/or Peach are the ones that get praised and cheered.
However, what about the games that don't bother to give Peach anything to do? Take the New Super Mario Bros games. Now, I really love the New Super Mario Bros games and will be the first to defend them against the accusations of "soulless" and "rehashes", but even I can admit the games just don't have much in the way of plot. While the plots aren't necessarily
bad, they aren't very original and really don't serve much of a purpose other than to set up the actual gameplay. We're given no real reason why Peach would be kidnapped; it's literally just "Mario and company are having an ordinary day when Bowser and his minions show up to cause trouble because they feel like it". In New Super Mario Bros Wii (which I should mention is my favorite Mario game), when Mario and gang reach the end of most worlds, they see Peach standing on the airship right next to the ledge. Does Peach do anything to get to them when she sees them? Nope, she just stands there and watches as Bowser Jr taunts them and jumps on board the airship as it takes them to the next world. (The way I would fix this is to have Bowser Jr beat them to the airship, jump onboard, and then taunt them as the airship flies away with Peach on board, preferably while tossing an obstacle at them. Also, have Peach tied up to prevent any escapes.) Peach receives little development and has no real defining character traits. Which means she isn't so much a
character as she is an
object to be gained. I understand that these games are supposed to be simple and appealing to everyone, but you really can't come up with something that's not "oh no, Peach got snatched away by Bowser Jr because Mario fell for an obvious trap he should have seen coming"? I think this is the real reason the games' reputation went undeservedly bad in the eyes of many people. (If it's any solace, at least they still come up with unique ways for Bowser to kidnap the princess. You wanna know what happens when a game doesn't even have that, on top of a bland story and no memorable characterization? You get Paper Mario: Sticker Star.)
At its core, the Mario franchise is about a man fighting repeatedly to save the girl he loves, and the world they live in, from an evil tyrant bent on ruling them all. No matter what challenges he faces, what obstacles get thrown at him, or what hardships he has to endure, he will always defend her. Mario is Peach's knight, a selfless, noble, and brave man who along with Luigi will always stand up to evil. How can you not be romantic about that? The standard plot of the Mario Bros saving Peach from Bowser has become so integral to the franchise, and it has maintained as series tradition for those very reasons. Heroes like Mario and Luigi are made with the purpose to rescue girls like Peach from danger, and with the old-fashioned honor, decency, and courage they show in the face of true evil, they're exactly what the world desperately needs right now.
Personally, I would push for a mixed bag of games, with both ones where Peach is a playable character and a badass, and ones where Peach is the damsel in distress but gets fleshed out as part of an interesting plot. Maybe people will call me a sexist for saying this--which I'm not, but they will--but I honestly think the damsel-in-distress plots are really cool and should not be forgotten as simply a misogynistic bag of cliches.
