EggBowser

EggBowser
GENERAL
Sonic the Hedgehog
Super Mario
Character	Doctor Eggman
Character	Bowser
Canonical?	Fanon
Status of Relationship	Allies/Fellow Competitors (Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games)
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Slash
Also Known As	Bowsegg

1

EggBowser is the slash ship between Doctor Eggman and Bowser from the Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario fandoms.

Canon

Bowser and Eggman are both villains with a desire to conquer. On at least one occasion (Super Mario Galaxy, Sonic Forces), they've even succeeded in total conquest for a time. Their ability to conquer is typically helped with the two having massive armies filled with a large variety of forces. The main difference here is that Bowser's army is the subjects of his kingdom that are loyal to him while Eggman's are robots that he built and directly controls. One exception to this is that both have children that they put a particularly large value in: Bowser's biological son Bowser Jr. and Eggman's synthetic "daughter" Sage. They also have a tendency to search out for additional help in their schemes, typically in the form of ancient relics of great power or an individual that can seemingly help them. Both Bowser and Eggman typically go for these as they show confidence that they can control whatever they use and that it'll get the job done.

In the end, however, they always get stopped by a renowned hero: Mario for Bowser, and Sonic for Eggman. This has led to them developing a desire that borders on obsession to beat said hero to prove their superiority. Even still, both Bowser and Eggman have been put into situations where they have to work with their antagonists and their friends. This is usually caused by whatever outside help Bowser and Eggman intended to use backfiring or someone directly threatening them as well as the heroes. There are also times when the two of them are more casually hanging out with them, though this is usually in spin-off games.

There are some smaller similarities between the two, as well. Both have a tendency to ride in a small and round flying vehicle - the Koopa Clown Car for Bowser and the Egg-Mobile for Eggman. Both have also enacted similar schemes to each other such as the manipulation of dreams (incidentally both in games with "Dream Team" as the subtitle). Both have also encountered alternate version of themselves (Paper Bowser/Eggman Nega) and have even worked with their past selves (in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time and Sonic Generations, respectively).

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series

Both Bowser and Eggman have been regular participants appearing every game together. However, the two only start directly interacting in the DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games after they get snubbed for invitations to the Olympics. Wanting revenge, the two worked together to try and cancel the Olympics so they can start their own. To do so, Bowser melts the snow on the island the competition is on while Eggman kidnaps the Snow Spirits to make sure they don't interfere. Ultimately, however, the two are defeated by Mario and Sonic working together but are eventually invited to join in the festivities.

Four years later, in the 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, both prepare to enter that year's Olympics. Upon realizing they haven't gotten their invites again, the two meet up at Hyde Park to commiserate. The arrival of Peach and Amy to rectify the situation doesn't help as the two villains mistake their hand-written invites for love letters. Fed up with waiting, the two enact another revenge scheme by blanketing London in a Phantasmal Fog to disrupt the competition. Mario and Sonic again stop this plan and defeat the villains, even after the two empower themselves with the fog. Surrounded by the plumber, hedgehog, and their friends, Bowser and Eggman explain why they enacted their scheme only to be informed that they can still make it if they sign up, which they do.

In the Switch version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Bowser and Eggman plan a trap for their nemeses in the form of the Tokyo '64: a console that simulates the previous Tokyo Olympics in 1964. The two observe hoping to see their enemies spring the trap, only for Bowser to get impatient - which results in them getting trapped in the console alongside Mario, Sonic, and Toad. Fortunately for them, when he was making the console, Eggman made it so the two could get out using gold medals earned in the game's events. However, Mario and Sonic learn of this from Toad, resulting in the heroes and villains competing against each other so they can escape. Bowser and Eggman got some help in the form of the latter's counterpart Eggman Nega (who got his hands on the console) giving the two powerups but even this doesn't help them. What's more, they also realize they have to get out before the console runs out of power. Ultimately, the villains lose the medals but their enemies try to bring them out anyway - only for the battery to run out in the process. The five are saved at the last minute thanks to Luigi and Tails installing a new and more powerful battery into the console, allowing them to leave. Now freed, Bowser and Eggman challenge Mario and Sonic one more time to settle matters but are defeated once again.

Fanon

EggBowser is a very well known and popular ship among the crossover ships for Mario and Sonic. The mere fact of Bowser and Eggman being the main villains for Mario and Sonic, two gaming heroes with a legendary rivalry, was enough for fans to start pairing the two. Over the years, connections between the two would continue being made including enacting similar plans in various games and even becoming fathers, strengthing the possibility of the two working together. The Mario & Sonic games confirm to the fans that they can work together, solidifying the ship's popularity. Plenty of fanworks feature the two collaborating so they can attempt to deal with their enemies together. Otherwise, they've been depicted more casually hanging out together, particularly present is watching their kids playing together. Some fans have also joked around with a Het version of the ship thanks to rise of "Bowsette" following the reveal of the Super Crown in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

There are also fans that think Bowser and Eggman wouldn't get along. Since their nemeses had been depicted as fierce rivals, they think the two would likely follow suit. More generally, these fans think they'd be more likely to get in each other's way or straight-up fighting each other due to their repeatedly shown difficulty of working with other villains. These fans usually prefer "who would win"-type discussions and fanworks of the two, including the well-known web series DEATH BATTLE!.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Bowser & Eggman tag on AO3

Bowser/Eggman tag on AO3

TUMBLR

EggBowser tag on Tumblr

Bowsegg tag on Tumblr