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The next arc, the [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as the second half and the GrandFinale of the Cosmology saga.
to:
The next arc, the [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as the second half and the GrandFinale of the Cosmology saga.
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The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the first half of the [=SMG4=] Cosmology Lore.
to:
The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the first half second instalment of the [=SMG4=] Cosmology Lore.
Lore trilogy.
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Removing all connections to the Cosmology Lore, since we got rid of them on the main recap page.
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The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the fifth and penultimate instalment of the [=SMG4=] Cosmology Lore.
to:
The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the fifth and penultimate instalment first half of the [=SMG4=] Cosmology Lore.
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The next arc, the [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel and the GrandFinale of the Cosmology saga.
to:
The next arc, the [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel the second half and the GrandFinale of the Cosmology saga.
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Changed line(s) 16 (click to see context) from:
The next arc, the [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel and the second half of the Cosmology saga.
to:
The next arc, the [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel and the second half GrandFinale of the Cosmology saga.
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Changed line(s) 12,13 (click to see context) from:
The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the first half of the two-part Cosmology saga.
to:
The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the first half fifth and penultimate instalment of the two-part [=SMG4=] Cosmology saga.
Lore.
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* TheUnreveal: We never learn anymore about Zero's past beyond the fact that he lost his avatar and was corrupted by an unknown force.
to:
* TheUnreveal: We never learn anymore about Zero's past beyond the fact that he lost his avatar and was corrupted by an unknown force. [[spoiler:At least, [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc at first]].]]
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* WhamEpisode: This arc alone reveals so much about the series and how it came to be.
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fixed spelling errors
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* AllForNothing: The end of MARIO'S OKAY and the start of the Final Piece has Mario captured and Zero victorious. After saving Mario and keeping him safe for a while, the episode ends with Mario again captured and Zero again victorious, only now it's even worse as all the protagonists and [=SMGs=] are now chained up.
to:
* AllForNothing: The end of MARIO'S OKAY "MARIO'S OKAY" and the start of the "The Final Piece Piece" has Mario captured and Zero victorious. After saving Mario and keeping him safe for a while, the episode ends with Mario again captured and Zero again victorious, only now it's even worse as all the protagonists and [=SMGs=] are now chained up.
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* AscendedFanon: [[invoked]]Following the confirmation in "Mario And The Backrooms" that Axol was being possessed by Zero, fans started to [[FanNickname nickname]] the abomination "[=Ax0l=]." In "The Final Piece", after the possessed Axol transforms for the second time, his subtitles begin to label him as "[=Ax0l=]" (though the name change is subtle due to the text being rendered in CapsLock). The official [=GMod=] workshop page for the Genesis Arc ragdolls however confirms that his name has indeed changed to [=Ax0l=].
* AscendedMeme: [=Ax0l's=] terrifying AsideGlance, which has gained instant popularity at the time it was aired, was shown on the thumbnail for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOV2OHVJKY&ab_channel=SMG4 Meggy Reacts To The Genesis Arc]]. Of course, memes are what [=SMG4=] is all about.
* BarrierMaiden: Mario's revealed to be this. As the avatar of his universe, getting killed by Zero would mean everyone in it dies. In addition, any [=SMGs=] using his form becomes disfigured. [=SMG1 and SMG2=] used to have an avatar named Spudnick, who was successfully killed by Zero.
* BigBad: Zero, an evil computer virus that’s destroyed countless worlds (or from what we learned, he only managed to destroy Spudnick's universe). He only made an active appearance in the first half of the arc during the 10 Year Anniversary Special, but really becomes a major threat in the later half. Zero is also revealed to behind many things in the universe in the first half; [=SMG3=]'s landing in the Mushroom Kingdom and thus, their rivalry, the disappearance of the Mario recolors, and is revealed to be influencing [=SMG4's=] insanity in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane".
* BittersweetEnding: The arc ends off on an ending that [[NothingIsTheSameAnymore shakes up the status quo of the series significantly]].
** Bitter: [[spoiler: Melony is [[MercyKill forced to kill Axol]], losing her best friend, her lover and her innocence in the process.]]
** Sweet: [[spoiler: Melony takes up manga art to finish Two Piece in honor of Axol with all her friends chipping in; [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] finally bury the hatchet on their long and bitter rivalry, looking forward to mastering their roles as Super Meme Guardians and, of course, the universe was saved.]]
* BleedEmAndWeep: Melony [[MercyKill reluctantly kills Axol]] at his own request [[HeroicSacrifice to stop Zero]], as Axol is too caged up to be saved and pulled out in time. She's crying even before she does it, and when she's later asked what happens and why Axol isn't with her when she returned, she ends up in a crying HeroicBSOD.
* AscendedMeme: [=Ax0l's=] terrifying AsideGlance, which has gained instant popularity at the time it was aired, was shown on the thumbnail for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOV2OHVJKY&ab_channel=SMG4 Meggy Reacts To The Genesis Arc]]. Of course, memes are what [=SMG4=] is all about.
* BarrierMaiden: Mario's revealed to be this. As the avatar of his universe, getting killed by Zero would mean everyone in it dies. In addition, any [=SMGs=] using his form becomes disfigured. [=SMG1 and SMG2=] used to have an avatar named Spudnick, who was successfully killed by Zero.
* BigBad: Zero, an evil computer virus that’s destroyed countless worlds (or from what we learned, he only managed to destroy Spudnick's universe). He only made an active appearance in the first half of the arc during the 10 Year Anniversary Special, but really becomes a major threat in the later half. Zero is also revealed to behind many things in the universe in the first half; [=SMG3=]'s landing in the Mushroom Kingdom and thus, their rivalry, the disappearance of the Mario recolors, and is revealed to be influencing [=SMG4's=] insanity in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane".
* BittersweetEnding: The arc ends off on an ending that [[NothingIsTheSameAnymore shakes up the status quo of the series significantly]].
** Bitter: [[spoiler: Melony is [[MercyKill forced to kill Axol]], losing her best friend, her lover and her innocence in the process.]]
** Sweet: [[spoiler: Melony takes up manga art to finish Two Piece in honor of Axol with all her friends chipping in; [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] finally bury the hatchet on their long and bitter rivalry, looking forward to mastering their roles as Super Meme Guardians and, of course, the universe was saved.]]
* BleedEmAndWeep: Melony [[MercyKill reluctantly kills Axol]] at his own request [[HeroicSacrifice to stop Zero]], as Axol is too caged up to be saved and pulled out in time. She's crying even before she does it, and when she's later asked what happens and why Axol isn't with her when she returned, she ends up in a crying HeroicBSOD.
to:
* AscendedFanon: [[invoked]]Following the confirmation in "Mario And The Backrooms" that Axol was being possessed by Zero, fans started to [[FanNickname nickname]] the abomination "[=Ax0l=]." In "The Final Piece", after the possessed Axol transforms for the second time, his subtitles begin to label him as "[=Ax0l=]" (though the name change is subtle due to the text being rendered in CapsLock). The official [=GMod=] workshop page for the Genesis Arc ragdolls however confirms that his name has indeed changed to [=Ax0l=].
* AscendedMeme: [=Ax0l's=] terrifying AsideGlance, whichhas gained instant popularity at the time it was aired, was shown on the thumbnail for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOV2OHVJKY&ab_channel=SMG4 Meggy Reacts To The Genesis Arc]]. Of course, memes are what [=SMG4=] is all about.
* BarrierMaiden:Mario's Mario is revealed to be this. As the avatar of his universe, getting killed by Zero would mean everyone in it dies. In addition, any [=SMGs=] using his form becomes become disfigured. [=SMG1 and SMG2=] used to have an avatar named Spudnick, who was successfully killed by Zero.
* BigBad: Zero, an evil computer virus that’s destroyed countless worlds (orfrom what we learned, he only managed to destroy at least Spudnick's universe). He only made an active appearance in the first half of the arc during the 10 ''10 Year Anniversary Special, Special'', but really becomes a major threat in the later latter half. As noted below, Zero is also revealed to have been behind many things unpleasant events in the universe in the first half; [=SMG3=]'s landing in the Mushroom Kingdom and thus, their rivalry, the disappearance of the Mario recolors, and is revealed to be influencing [=SMG4's=] insanity in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane".
universe.
* BittersweetEnding: The arc endsoff on an ending in a way that [[NothingIsTheSameAnymore shakes up the status quo of the series significantly]].
** Bitter:[[spoiler: Melony [[spoiler:Melony is [[MercyKill forced to kill Axol]], losing her best friend, her lover and lover, ''and'' her innocence in the process.]]
** Sweet:[[spoiler: Melony [[spoiler:Melony takes up manga art to finish Two Piece ''Two Piece'' in honor of Axol with all her friends chipping in; [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] finally bury the hatchet on their long and bitter rivalry, looking forward to mastering their roles as Super Meme Guardians and, of course, the universe was saved.]]
* BleedEmAndWeep: Melony [[MercyKill reluctantly kills Axol]] at his own request [[HeroicSacrifice to stop Zero]], as Axol is toocaged up entwined to be saved and pulled out in time. She's crying even before she does it, and when she's later asked what happens and why Axol isn't with her when she returned, she ends up breaks down bawling in a crying HeroicBSOD.
* AscendedMeme: [=Ax0l's=] terrifying AsideGlance, which
* BarrierMaiden:
* BigBad: Zero, an evil computer virus that’s destroyed countless worlds (or
* BittersweetEnding: The arc ends
** Bitter:
** Sweet:
* BleedEmAndWeep: Melony [[MercyKill reluctantly kills Axol]] at his own request [[HeroicSacrifice to stop Zero]], as Axol is too
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** While the other arcs primarily focused on [[CharacterDevelopment developing the characters]], this one primarily focuses on [[{{Worldbuilding}} developing the world]]--the nature of memes, the [=SMG4=] universe, and [=SMG4=] himself are thoroughly explored and given [[MagicAIsMagicA a concrete set of rules]] here. That's not to say there isn't any CharacterDevelopment at all (Melony becomes more mature, [[spoiler:[=SMG3=] pulls an official HeelFaceTurn]]), but the {{Worldbuilding}} definitely has more emphasis.
** It's structured very differently, with regular ''[=SMG4=]'' episodes in between plot-relevant episodes (the former of which are excluded from the arc's playlist).
* BreatherEpisode: In a first for the series, rather than have the episodes back to back like in the first four arcs, the arc has irrelevant episodes in between all the plot progression up until the last six installments:
** After ''10 Year Anniversary Special'', we got "Mario goes to the Dentist..." and "If Mario Was In.... Friday Night Funkin 2", before we get "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", which explains why [=SMG4=] was absent in the previous two episode.
** It's structured very differently, with regular ''[=SMG4=]'' episodes in between plot-relevant episodes (the former of which are excluded from the arc's playlist).
* BreatherEpisode: In a first for the series, rather than have the episodes back to back like in the first four arcs, the arc has irrelevant episodes in between all the plot progression up until the last six installments:
** After ''10 Year Anniversary Special'', we got "Mario goes to the Dentist..." and "If Mario Was In.... Friday Night Funkin 2", before we get "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", which explains why [=SMG4=] was absent in the previous two episode.
to:
** While the other arcs primarily focused on [[CharacterDevelopment developing the characters]], this one primarily focuses on [[{{Worldbuilding}} developing the world]]--the world]] – the nature of memes, the [=SMG4=] universe, and [=SMG4=] himself are thoroughly explored and given [[MagicAIsMagicA a concrete set of rules]] here. That's not to say there isn't any CharacterDevelopment at all (Melony becomes more mature, [[spoiler:[=SMG3=] pulls an official HeelFaceTurn]]), but the {{Worldbuilding}} definitely has more emphasis.
** It's structured very differently, with regular ''[=SMG4=]'' episodes in between plot-relevant episodes (the former of which are excluded from the arc'splaylist).
playlist). As pointed out in those episodes' notes, a few of them ARE important for complete understanding because they either set up or flesh out plot points.
* BreatherEpisode: In a first for the series, rather than have the episodes back to back like in the first four arcs,the this arc has irrelevant (or ''mostly'' irrelevant) episodes in between all the plot progression up until the last six installments:
entries:
** After ''10 Year Anniversary Special'', we got "Mario goes to the Dentist..." and "If Mario WasIn.... In… Friday Night Funkin 2", before we get "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", which explains why [=SMG4=] was absent in the previous two episode.
** It's structured very differently, with regular ''[=SMG4=]'' episodes in between plot-relevant episodes (the former of which are excluded from the arc's
* BreatherEpisode: In a first for the series, rather than have the episodes back to back like in the first four arcs,
** After ''10 Year Anniversary Special'', we got "Mario goes to the Dentist..." and "If Mario Was
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** There’s 3 filler episodes inbetween "The Other Universe" and "The Day HE Arrived", the starting point of the arc’s climax:
to:
** There’s 3 filler episodes inbetween in between "The Other Universe" and "The Day HE Arrived", the starting point of the arc’s climax:
* CerebusRetcon: Several events and changes in the [=SMG4=] world over the years are shown in retrospect to have been caused by Zero – notably [=SMG3=]'s unintended landing in the Mushroom Kingdom and thus his rivalry with [=SMG4=], the disappearance of the Mario recolors, and he's shown to be influencing [=SMG4's=] insanity in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane".
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** In ''The Other Universe'', it’s shown that the way Zero kills off avatars is by outright ''sapping their life force out, which causes them to rapidly decay''.
to:
** In ''The "The Other Universe'', Universe", it’s shown that the way Zero kills off avatars is by outright ''sapping their life force out, which causes them to rapidly decay''.
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* DarkerAndEdgier: The darkest arc in the series by far. While the Waluigi Arc was plenty grim, the Anime Arc ramped it up quite well, and the [=YouTube=] Arc pivoted back and forth, Genesis, with the exception of the filler episodes, can fully be called a horror story. While the series is no stranger to horror episodes, Genesis hearkens back to the older episodes that dealt with urban legends like the Carpenter Guy and demons like Baby Mario/The Monster, but while they had underlying comedic tones, this case is purely bleak. It also addresses a major complaint fans have had in a very dark way: the tone shift and the gradual shunting away of the Mario recolored characters like [=MM54321=], Enzo, [=MCG=], [=GM=], and many others. Answer? A dimension-hopping EldritchAbomination hiding in the Dark Web sneakily snatched them all up as the years went by and ate their souls, turning them into FacelessMooks. Not only that, an in-story reason as to why the tone of the series is the way it is: [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] are apparently of a guild of beings called "Guardians", whom land in video game worlds and bond with a native that resembles them. And that's just the '''''first''''' half. Oh, and [[spoiler:Axol [[CharacterDeath dies.]]]]
* DigitalAvatar: Mario himself is apparently the "Avatar" for both [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4=], which is why they're recolors of Mario, and by extension, every other ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' machininamist as well, namely [=MarioMario54321=], [=Starman3=], [=Nintendofan997=], [=FightingMario54321=], among others. [[IdiotHero Mario]] thinks this makes him [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender another kind of avatar]] as he uses "earthbending" on [=SMG3=] (i.e. throwing a rock at him). In reality, being an "Avatar" means that Mario is a BarrierMaiden.
* DigitalAvatar: Mario himself is apparently the "Avatar" for both [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4=], which is why they're recolors of Mario, and by extension, every other ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' machininamist as well, namely [=MarioMario54321=], [=Starman3=], [=Nintendofan997=], [=FightingMario54321=], among others. [[IdiotHero Mario]] thinks this makes him [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender another kind of avatar]] as he uses "earthbending" on [=SMG3=] (i.e. throwing a rock at him). In reality, being an "Avatar" means that Mario is a BarrierMaiden.
to:
* DarkerAndEdgier: The darkest arc in the series by far. While the Waluigi Arc was plenty grim, the Anime Arc ramped it up quite well, and the [=YouTube=] Arc pivoted back and forth, Genesis, with the exception of the filler episodes, can fully be called a horror story. While the series is no stranger to horror episodes, Genesis hearkens back to the older episodes that dealt with urban legends like the Carpenter Guy and demons like Baby Mario/The Monster, but while they had underlying comedic tones, this case is purely bleak. It also addresses a major complaint fans have had in a very dark way: the tone shift and the gradual shunting away of the Mario recolored characters like [=MM54321=], Enzo, [=MCG=], [=GM=], and many others. Answer? A dimension-hopping EldritchAbomination hiding in the Dark Web sneakily snatched them all up as the years went by and ate their souls, turning them into FacelessMooks. Not only that, an in-story reason as to why the tone of the series is the way it is: [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] are apparently of a guild of beings called "Guardians", whom land in video game worlds and bond with a native that resembles them. And that's just the '''''first''''' half. Oh, and [[spoiler:Axol [[CharacterDeath dies.]]]]
dies]].]]
* DigitalAvatar: Mario himself is apparently the "Avatar" for both [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4=], which is why they're recolors of Mario, and by extension, every other ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''machininamist machinimist as well, namely [=MarioMario54321=], [=Starman3=], [=Nintendofan997=], [=FightingMario54321=], among others. [[IdiotHero Mario]] thinks this makes him [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender another kind of avatar]] as he uses "earthbending" on [=SMG3=] (i.e. throwing a rock at him). In reality, being an "Avatar" means that Mario is a BarrierMaiden.
* DigitalAvatar: Mario himself is apparently the "Avatar" for both [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4=], which is why they're recolors of Mario, and by extension, every other ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''
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* LockedIntoStrangeness: Despite the Glitchy Gang preventing Mario's turning into another Zero during the 10 anniversary special, in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", his arm notably turns into Zero's again when the manifestation of [=SMG4=]'s madness shows up.
to:
* LockedIntoStrangeness: Despite the Glitchy Gang preventing Mario's turning into another Zero during the 10 anniversary special, 10th Anniversary Special, in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", his arm notably turns into Zero's again when the manifestation of [=SMG4=]'s madness shows up.
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* SpottingTheThread: What kicks off the arc--after everyone else [[OriginsEpisode recounts their early years]] during "Mario Babies", when it's [=SMG4=]'s turn, he finds that he can't remember anything before his first appearance. This also happens with [=SMG3=] next episode when [=SMG4=] questions him on his past.
to:
* SpottingTheThread: What kicks off the arc--after arc – after everyone else [[OriginsEpisode recounts their early years]] during "Mario Babies", when it's [=SMG4=]'s turn, he finds that he can't remember anything before his first appearance. This also happens with [=SMG3=] next episode when [=SMG4=] questions him on his past.
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** After being almost entirely mute the entire arc, merely saying disjointed words such as "Witness...", Zero has a lot of full sentence dialogue in the Final Piece. He also has full lines in the rap at the end of the [=WotFI=].
to:
** In his first few appearances, [=SMG1=] stays silent. Once he ''does'' start speaking partway through the 10th Anniversary Special, things turn very serious very quickly.
** After being almost entirely mute the entire arc, merely saying disjointed words such as "Witness...", Zero has a lot of full sentence dialogue inthe "The Final Piece.Piece". He also has full lines in the rap at the end of the [=WotFI=].
** After being almost entirely mute the entire arc, merely saying disjointed words such as "Witness...", Zero has a lot of full sentence dialogue in
Changed line(s) 94 (click to see context) from:
** Bob, as always. In "Into the Dark Web", while trying to find [=SMG4=]'s USB drive/Guardian Pod, he ditches the party to follow a Dark Web stream [[AllMenArePerverts he's infatuated with.]] He ends up lost, not realizing that the pod he found was [=SMG3's=] containing Zero rather than [=SMG4=]'s, and refuses to extend the anti-virus warranty, unleashing Zero once again. Zero then secretly follows Bob home where he would find [=SMG4=]...
to:
** Bob, as always. In "Into the Dark Web", while trying to find [=SMG4=]'s USB drive/Guardian Pod, he ditches the party to follow a Dark Web stream [[AllMenArePerverts he's infatuated with.]] with]]. He ends up lost, not realizing that the pod he found was [=SMG3's=] containing Zero rather than [=SMG4=]'s, and refuses to extend the anti-virus warranty, subscription, unleashing Zero once again. Zero then secretly follows Bob home where he would find [=SMG4=]...
** [=SMG1=] and [=SMG2=] manage to ''really'' screw it up twice, but they're able to fix it.
*** First, they accidentally brought Zero (parts of him anyway) to the Mushroom Kingdom to begin with – also, they must have arrived before [=SMG3=] at the very least since Zero was able to throw [=SMG3's=] Guardian Pod off-course from its intended destination in the Internet Graveyard. [=SMG2=] explicitly apologizes for this one.
*** Second, while training [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] on how to transmute memes and channel the power into their avatar, the younger [=SMGs=] pass out from exhaustion since it was their first attempt. Normally, a botched training session wouldn't be a big deal, but in this case the blowback left Mario unconscious, allowing Zero to capture him.
*** First, they accidentally brought Zero (parts of him anyway) to the Mushroom Kingdom to begin with – also, they must have arrived before [=SMG3=] at the very least since Zero was able to throw [=SMG3's=] Guardian Pod off-course from its intended destination in the Internet Graveyard. [=SMG2=] explicitly apologizes for this one.
*** Second, while training [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] on how to transmute memes and channel the power into their avatar, the younger [=SMGs=] pass out from exhaustion since it was their first attempt. Normally, a botched training session wouldn't be a big deal, but in this case the blowback left Mario unconscious, allowing Zero to capture him.
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** During the final battle of "[=SMG4=] Movie: 10 Year Anniversary Special", before Hobo 1 and Hobo 2 take out Zero, [=SMG4=] notes how they still don’t know the former two’s names, to which the two drop one of the biggest bomb shells in the entire series:
--->'''Hobo 1''': What, really? I thought it was obvious by now. [[spoiler:My name is [=SMG1=]!]]
--->'''Hobo 2''': [[spoiler:And I’m [=SMG2=]!]]
--->'''Hobo 1''': What, really? I thought it was obvious by now. [[spoiler:My name is [=SMG1=]!]]
--->'''Hobo 2''': [[spoiler:And I’m [=SMG2=]!]]
to:
** During the final battle of "[=SMG4=] Movie: 10 Year Anniversary Special", before Hobo 1 and Hobo 2 take out Zero, [=SMG4=] notes how they still don’t know the former two’s names, to which the two drop one of the biggest bomb shells in the entire series:
a massive bombshell.
--->'''Hobo 1''': What, really? I thought it was obvious by now. [[spoiler:My name is[=SMG1=]!]]
--->'''Hobo[=SMG1=]!]]\\
'''Hobo 2''': [[spoiler:And I’m [=SMG2=]!]]
--->'''Hobo 1''': What, really? I thought it was obvious by now. [[spoiler:My name is
--->'''Hobo
'''Hobo 2''': [[spoiler:And I’m [=SMG2=]!]]
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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/genesis_7.png]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:''Relinquish your grip on our hero!\\
3, 2, 1, 0!'']]
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Added thread notice
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%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16693303200.02659000
%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
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Image replaced per Image Pickin' thread
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[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/527d9a4c_111a_4510_a1d0_47de4797cfb6.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:You thought the Anime Arc was dark? Boy, does he have a story to tell you.]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[https://twitter.com/Starrysky_ymym/status/1432938845251592196?s=20&t=q_HtZCCOuDjttB9kdQwO0w Art by Yumeyume]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:You thought the Anime Arc was dark? Boy, does he have a story to tell you.]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[https://twitter.com/Starrysky_ymym/status/1432938845251592196?s=20&t=q_HtZCCOuDjttB9kdQwO0w Art by Yumeyume]]]]
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[[caption-width-right:300:You thought the Anime Arc was dark? Boy, does he have a story to tell you.]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[https://twitter.com/Starrysky_ymym/status/1432938845251592196?s=20&t=q_HtZCCOuDjttB9kdQwO0w Art by Yumeyume]]]]org/pmwiki/pub/images/genesis_7.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:You thought the Anime Arc was dark? Boy, does he have a story to tell you.]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[https://twitter.com/Starrysky_ymym/status/1432938845251592196?s=20&t=q_HtZCCOuDjttB9kdQwO0w Art by Yumeyume]]]]
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-->''Offical Description''
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[=SMG4's=] [[OriginsEpisode origins are finally revealed…]] and the cast faces their greatest threat yet.
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[=SMG4's=] [[OriginsEpisode origins are finally revealed…]] and the cast faces off against an enemy who's been pulling the strings behind their greatest threat yet.
existence all long.
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The One With cleanup
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[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one where]] [=SMG4's=] [[OriginsEpisode origins are finally revealed…]] and the cast faces their greatest threat yet.
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The next arc, the [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel and the second half of the Cosmology saga.
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The next arc, the [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc [[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel and the second half of the Cosmology saga.
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[[caption-width-right:300:You thought the Anime Arc was dark? Boy, does he have a story to tell you.]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[https://twitter.com/Starrysky_ymym/status/1432938845251592196?s=20&t=q_HtZCCOuDjttB9kdQwO0w Art by Yumeyume]]]]
->"It's time we told you the full story of [=SMG4=]"
-->''Offical Description''
[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one where]] [=SMG4's=] [[OriginsEpisode origins are finally revealed…]] and the cast faces their greatest threat yet.
The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the first half of the two-part Cosmology saga.
When the Glitchy Gang recounts their pasts, [=SMG4=] soon realizes that he can't remember his. And his attempts to figure it out soon lead to revelations about the nature of memes, the mysteries of a race known as the [=SMG=]s… and a confrontation with an EldritchAbomination known as Zero.
The next arc, the [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel and the second half of the Cosmology saga.
----
!Episodes
[[index]]
''[-Note: Episodes marked with [=*=] are not counted as official episodes, but are still connected to the plot.-]''
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersThePursuitOfHappiness The Pursuit of Happiness]][=*=] [[note]]Introduces two seemingly innocuous side characters who will end up becoming important to the plot[[/note]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersPerfectlyBalanced Perfectly Balanced]]
* [[Recap/SMG4MariosBedAndBreakfast Mario's Bed and Breakfast]][=*=] [[note]]Sets up the setting for the event that will kick off the main plot[[/note]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersMarioBabies Mario Babies]][=*=] [[note]]the ending marks the official beginning of the arc[[/note]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersSMG4sOrigins SMG4's Origins]]
* [[Machinima/TheSMG4Movie10YearAnniversarySpecial The SMG4 Movie: 10 Year Anniversary Special]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersSMG4GoesInsane [=SMG4=] Goes Insane]][=*=] [[note]]follows up from the revelations of the 10 Year Anniversary Special[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersIntoTheDarkWeb Into the Dark Web]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersStupidMarioGolf Stupid Mario Golf]][=*=] [[note]]The driving force of the plot follows up on a reveal in the previous episode[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersIfMarioWasInNewgrounds If Mario Was In... Newgrounds]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersTheOtherUniverse The Other Universe]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersWhatIf WHAT IF...?]][=*=] [[note]]The FramingDevice takes place after the previous episode[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersShesBack She’s Back!]][=*=] [[note]]Brings Meggy back into the cast following her temporary absence due to [[WebAnimation/SunsetParadise her vacation]] and sets up the core storyline of the sequel arc[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersIfMarioWasInAnime If Mario Was In… Anime]][=*=] [[note]]Sets up a plot point for the climax[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersTheDayHEArrived The Day HE Arrived]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersDoomsdayButMarioIsOkay Doomsday but Mario is Okay]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersMarioAndTheBackrooms Mario and the Backrooms]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersMARIOSOKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersTheFinalPiece The Final Piece]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersWarOfTheFatItalians2021 War of the Fat Italians 2021]]
[[/index]]
!Tropes
* AllForNothing: The end of MARIO'S OKAY and the start of the Final Piece has Mario captured and Zero victorious. After saving Mario and keeping him safe for a while, the episode ends with Mario again captured and Zero again victorious, only now it's even worse as all the protagonists and [=SMGs=] are now chained up.
* ArcWords: GUARDIAN DETECTED.
* AscendedFanon: [[invoked]]Following the confirmation in "Mario And The Backrooms" that Axol was being possessed by Zero, fans started to [[FanNickname nickname]] the abomination "[=Ax0l=]." In "The Final Piece", after the possessed Axol transforms for the second time, his subtitles begin to label him as "[=Ax0l=]" (though the name change is subtle due to the text being rendered in CapsLock). The official [=GMod=] workshop page for the Genesis Arc ragdolls however confirms that his name has indeed changed to [=Ax0l=].
* AscendedMeme: [=Ax0l's=] terrifying AsideGlance, which has gained instant popularity at the time it was aired, was shown on the thumbnail for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOV2OHVJKY&ab_channel=SMG4 Meggy Reacts To The Genesis Arc]]. Of course, memes are what [=SMG4=] is all about.
* BarrierMaiden: Mario's revealed to be this. As the avatar of his universe, getting killed by Zero would mean everyone in it dies. In addition, any [=SMGs=] using his form becomes disfigured. [=SMG1 and SMG2=] used to have an avatar named Spudnick, who was successfully killed by Zero.
* BigBad: Zero, an evil computer virus that’s destroyed countless worlds (or from what we learned, he only managed to destroy Spudnick's universe). He only made an active appearance in the first half of the arc during the 10 Year Anniversary Special, but really becomes a major threat in the later half. Zero is also revealed to behind many things in the universe in the first half; [=SMG3=]'s landing in the Mushroom Kingdom and thus, their rivalry, the disappearance of the Mario recolors, and is revealed to be influencing [=SMG4's=] insanity in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane".
* BittersweetEnding: The arc ends off on an ending that [[NothingIsTheSameAnymore shakes up the status quo of the series significantly]].
** Bitter: [[spoiler: Melony is [[MercyKill forced to kill Axol]], losing her best friend, her lover and her innocence in the process.]]
** Sweet: [[spoiler: Melony takes up manga art to finish Two Piece in honor of Axol with all her friends chipping in; [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] finally bury the hatchet on their long and bitter rivalry, looking forward to mastering their roles as Super Meme Guardians and, of course, the universe was saved.]]
* BleedEmAndWeep: Melony [[MercyKill reluctantly kills Axol]] at his own request [[HeroicSacrifice to stop Zero]], as Axol is too caged up to be saved and pulled out in time. She's crying even before she does it, and when she's later asked what happens and why Axol isn't with her when she returned, she ends up in a crying HeroicBSOD.
* BreakingOldTrends: This arc has quite a few fundamental differences from the previous ones, some of which would carry over to the Revelations Arc:
** Unlike the previous arcs, which either had a regular ''Mario'' character (Waluigi, Francis) or a pre-existing ''[=SMG4=]'' character (Bob, [=SMG3=]) as the ArcVillain, this arc introduces an entirely new villain in the form of Zero.
** While the other arcs primarily focused on [[CharacterDevelopment developing the characters]], this one primarily focuses on [[{{Worldbuilding}} developing the world]]--the nature of memes, the [=SMG4=] universe, and [=SMG4=] himself are thoroughly explored and given [[MagicAIsMagicA a concrete set of rules]] here. That's not to say there isn't any CharacterDevelopment at all (Melony becomes more mature, [[spoiler:[=SMG3=] pulls an official HeelFaceTurn]]), but the {{Worldbuilding}} definitely has more emphasis.
** It's structured very differently, with regular ''[=SMG4=]'' episodes in between plot-relevant episodes (the former of which are excluded from the arc's playlist).
* BreatherEpisode: In a first for the series, rather than have the episodes back to back like in the first four arcs, the arc has irrelevant episodes in between all the plot progression up until the last six installments:
** After ''10 Year Anniversary Special'', we got "Mario goes to the Dentist..." and "If Mario Was In.... Friday Night Funkin 2", before we get "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", which explains why [=SMG4=] was absent in the previous two episode.
** "Stupid Mario Golf" features little new lore and focuses on the slapstick and the memes, and while "If Mario was in... Newgrounds" has Mario and [=SMG4=] search for the Guardian Pod, it mainly focuses on the two interacting with the Newgrounds content.
** There’s 3 filler episodes inbetween "The Other Universe" and "The Day HE Arrived", the starting point of the arc’s climax:
*** "WHAT IF...?" is a WhatIf VignetteEpisode, with the FramingDevice of Mario and [=SMG4=] finding a heap of fanfic ideas on their way home after "The Other Universe", though it does contain a handful of heavy, non-canon {{Downer Ending}}s fitting the darker tone of the arc.
*** "She’s Back!" focuses on Meggy returning from Port Aurora and catching up on what her friends have been up to while she was gone.
*** "If Mario Was In… Anime" has Mario going through a wacky quest through anime to find the last piece of Inkweaver, finally allowing Axol to repair it.
* CosmicHorrorStory: With the world of [=SMG4=] being set in a ROM of ''Videogame/SuperMario64'', a computer virus attack essentially becomes a Cosmic Horror Story on their scale.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath:
** In ''The Other Universe'', it’s shown that the way Zero kills off avatars is by outright ''sapping their life force out, which causes them to rapidly decay''.
** Axol faces this after Zero takes possession of him, with his appearance becoming more and more mutilated as the possession goes on until Melony needs to MercyKill him.
* DarkerAndEdgier: The darkest arc in the series by far. While the Waluigi Arc was plenty grim, the Anime Arc ramped it up quite well, and the [=YouTube=] Arc pivoted back and forth, Genesis, with the exception of the filler episodes, can fully be called a horror story. While the series is no stranger to horror episodes, Genesis hearkens back to the older episodes that dealt with urban legends like the Carpenter Guy and demons like Baby Mario/The Monster, but while they had underlying comedic tones, this case is purely bleak. It also addresses a major complaint fans have had in a very dark way: the tone shift and the gradual shunting away of the Mario recolored characters like [=MM54321=], Enzo, [=MCG=], [=GM=], and many others. Answer? A dimension-hopping EldritchAbomination hiding in the Dark Web sneakily snatched them all up as the years went by and ate their souls, turning them into FacelessMooks. Not only that, an in-story reason as to why the tone of the series is the way it is: [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] are apparently of a guild of beings called "Guardians", whom land in video game worlds and bond with a native that resembles them. And that's just the '''''first''''' half. Oh, and [[spoiler:Axol [[CharacterDeath dies.]]]]
* DigitalAvatar: Mario himself is apparently the "Avatar" for both [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4=], which is why they're recolors of Mario, and by extension, every other ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' machininamist as well, namely [=MarioMario54321=], [=Starman3=], [=Nintendofan997=], [=FightingMario54321=], among others. [[IdiotHero Mario]] thinks this makes him [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender another kind of avatar]] as he uses "earthbending" on [=SMG3=] (i.e. throwing a rock at him). In reality, being an "Avatar" means that Mario is a BarrierMaiden.
* DrivenToMadness: [=SMG4=] does this in his titular episode, "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", trying to figure out what the [=SMGs=] are. It's implied that his insanity was also influenced by Zero.
* FunWithAcronyms: '''S'''uper '''M'''eme '''G'''enesis has the same acronym as '''S'''uper '''M'''ario '''G'''litchy.
* LivingMacguffin:
** As an SMG, [=SMG4=] is one of the only people who can open the Guardian Pods. [[spoiler:Zero exploits this by using [=SMG4=] to unlock his Guardian Pod, disabling the anti-virus keeping his full body locked up and does it again as [[DemonicPossession Axol]] to trap Mario and the two [=SMGs=] in [=SMG3's=] USB]].
** Mario, and any avatars really. They are essentially the core of the universe, and the entire point of the [=SMGs=] is to protect them from harm. It's for a good reason, as their death would cause the entire universe to break and corrupt. The corruption even spreads to the people in the universe, and it's implied being corrupted is a painful process.
* LockedIntoStrangeness: Despite the Glitchy Gang preventing Mario's turning into another Zero during the 10 anniversary special, in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", his arm notably turns into Zero's again when the manifestation of [=SMG4=]'s madness shows up.
* KnightOfCerebus: Zero is the biggest example of this in the entire series. His one comedic moment can be considered more gross than funny, and every other time he is on screen, literally all comedy is yeeted out the window. Plus, unlike most other characters, he has successfully wiped out countless universes before the series even began and came the closest one can get to killing Mario not once, but TWICE.
* OriginsEpisode: For [=SMG4=] as a whole, both the series and the character.
* PluckyComicRelief: Swag and Chris serve as this like they did in the Anime Arc, as they’re the sources of most of the comedy during the darkest episodes of the arc.
* RedemptionQuest: For [=SMG3=]. Not only does he find his true calling as lord of the Internet Graveyard, where he rules peacefully without having to bother [=SMG4=], but the two mortal enemies learn to get along with each other and use the power they share together to save both Mario and the universe.
* TheReveal: Quite a big one. Both [=SMG4=] and 3 aren't human, but from a race called the SMG (which is short for "Super Meme Guardians"). Zero meanwhile is a virus trying to destroy their reality while he’s been pursuing Mario, this world's "avatar", for the entire series. He's also behind the disappearances of the Mario recolors.
* RiddleForTheAges: Why does [=SMG1=] look rectangular instead of resembling his avatar? And if [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4's=] Mario-like appearances are explained by them being [=SMGs=], then where do the other Mario recolors come from? We may never get the answer.
* ShooOutTheClowns: Played with. Just about every main character could count as a "clown" but as Swagmaster and Chris don't have any personal attachment to the plot and are purely comic relief, they are swatted away by Zero at the start of the final episode.
* SpottingTheThread: What kicks off the arc--after everyone else [[OriginsEpisode recounts their early years]] during "Mario Babies", when it's [=SMG4=]'s turn, he finds that he can't remember anything before his first appearance. This also happens with [=SMG3=] next episode when [=SMG4=] questions him on his past.
* SuddenlySpeaking:
** This arc marks the beginning of an era where Melony is more talkative than usual, whether she's narrating a story she fabricates with Li'l Chonks in a BreatherEpisode or showing concern for Axol in the arc's main episodes.
** After being almost entirely mute the entire arc, merely saying disjointed words such as "Witness...", Zero has a lot of full sentence dialogue in the Final Piece. He also has full lines in the rap at the end of the [=WotFI=].
* TheEndOrIsIt: The opening advertisement of the first video after the end of the Genesis Arc reveals that while the arc itself has come to an end, there's still more to the story.
* TokenEvilTeammate: After being the villain of the previous arc, [=SMG3=] finds himself forced to team up with his enemies to oppose Zero.
* TheUnreveal: We never learn anymore about Zero's past beyond the fact that he lost his avatar and was corrupted by an unknown force.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom:
** Bob, as always. In "Into the Dark Web", while trying to find [=SMG4=]'s USB drive/Guardian Pod, he ditches the party to follow a Dark Web stream [[AllMenArePerverts he's infatuated with.]] He ends up lost, not realizing that the pod he found was [=SMG3's=] containing Zero rather than [=SMG4=]'s, and refuses to extend the anti-virus warranty, unleashing Zero once again. Zero then secretly follows Bob home where he would find [=SMG4=]...
** [=SMG4=] finding [=SMG1's=] Guardian Pod is exactly what Zero needed to reenter it, allowing him to use it to remotely activate the interdimensional travel feature on his own Guardian Pod, sending it to Mario's universe...
* WhamLine: This arc drops two of the biggest ones in the whole series.
** At the end of "[[OriginsEpisode Mario Babies]]", when it's [=SMG4=]'s turn to talk about his past;
--->'''[=SMG4=]''': [[spoiler:[[AmnesiacHero I... don't remember...]]]]
** During the final battle of "[=SMG4=] Movie: 10 Year Anniversary Special", before Hobo 1 and Hobo 2 take out Zero, [=SMG4=] notes how they still don’t know the former two’s names, to which the two drop one of the biggest bomb shells in the entire series:
--->'''Hobo 1''': What, really? I thought it was obvious by now. [[spoiler:My name is [=SMG1=]!]]
--->'''Hobo 2''': [[spoiler:And I’m [=SMG2=]!]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The Guardian Pod that [=SMG1=] and [=SMG2=] came to Brazil in belonged to [=SMG1=]. [=SMG2's=] original Guardian Pod is never mentioned nor referenced.
* YankTheDogsChain: Axol was finally able to repair Inkweaver and restore his art prowess but he only had one episode to enjoy it before getting possessed by Zero. [[spoiler:And he dies at the hands of his beloved Melony with the universe on the line.]]
[[caption-width-right:300:You thought the Anime Arc was dark? Boy, does he have a story to tell you.]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[https://twitter.com/Starrysky_ymym/status/1432938845251592196?s=20&t=q_HtZCCOuDjttB9kdQwO0w Art by Yumeyume]]]]
->"It's time we told you the full story of [=SMG4=]"
-->''Offical Description''
[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one where]] [=SMG4's=] [[OriginsEpisode origins are finally revealed…]] and the cast faces their greatest threat yet.
The Genesis Arc (initially titled Super Meme Genesis) is the fifth major story arc in the [=SMG4=] series, the major arc for Season 11, and the first half of the two-part Cosmology saga.
When the Glitchy Gang recounts their pasts, [=SMG4=] soon realizes that he can't remember his. And his attempts to figure it out soon lead to revelations about the nature of memes, the mysteries of a race known as the [=SMG=]s… and a confrontation with an EldritchAbomination known as Zero.
The next arc, the [[Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersRevelationsArc Revelations Arc]], serves as a direct sequel and the second half of the Cosmology saga.
----
!Episodes
[[index]]
''[-Note: Episodes marked with [=*=] are not counted as official episodes, but are still connected to the plot.-]''
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersThePursuitOfHappiness The Pursuit of Happiness]][=*=] [[note]]Introduces two seemingly innocuous side characters who will end up becoming important to the plot[[/note]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersPerfectlyBalanced Perfectly Balanced]]
* [[Recap/SMG4MariosBedAndBreakfast Mario's Bed and Breakfast]][=*=] [[note]]Sets up the setting for the event that will kick off the main plot[[/note]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersMarioBabies Mario Babies]][=*=] [[note]]the ending marks the official beginning of the arc[[/note]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglicthy4sSuperMario64BloopersSMG4sOrigins SMG4's Origins]]
* [[Machinima/TheSMG4Movie10YearAnniversarySpecial The SMG4 Movie: 10 Year Anniversary Special]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersSMG4GoesInsane [=SMG4=] Goes Insane]][=*=] [[note]]follows up from the revelations of the 10 Year Anniversary Special[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersIntoTheDarkWeb Into the Dark Web]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersStupidMarioGolf Stupid Mario Golf]][=*=] [[note]]The driving force of the plot follows up on a reveal in the previous episode[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersIfMarioWasInNewgrounds If Mario Was In... Newgrounds]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersTheOtherUniverse The Other Universe]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersWhatIf WHAT IF...?]][=*=] [[note]]The FramingDevice takes place after the previous episode[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersShesBack She’s Back!]][=*=] [[note]]Brings Meggy back into the cast following her temporary absence due to [[WebAnimation/SunsetParadise her vacation]] and sets up the core storyline of the sequel arc[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersIfMarioWasInAnime If Mario Was In… Anime]][=*=] [[note]]Sets up a plot point for the climax[[/note]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersTheDayHEArrived The Day HE Arrived]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersDoomsdayButMarioIsOkay Doomsday but Mario is Okay]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersMarioAndTheBackrooms Mario and the Backrooms]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersMARIOSOKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY MARIOS OKAY]]
* [[Recap/SMG4sMarioBloopersTheFinalPiece The Final Piece]]
* [[Recap/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64BloopersWarOfTheFatItalians2021 War of the Fat Italians 2021]]
[[/index]]
!Tropes
* AllForNothing: The end of MARIO'S OKAY and the start of the Final Piece has Mario captured and Zero victorious. After saving Mario and keeping him safe for a while, the episode ends with Mario again captured and Zero again victorious, only now it's even worse as all the protagonists and [=SMGs=] are now chained up.
* ArcWords: GUARDIAN DETECTED.
* AscendedFanon: [[invoked]]Following the confirmation in "Mario And The Backrooms" that Axol was being possessed by Zero, fans started to [[FanNickname nickname]] the abomination "[=Ax0l=]." In "The Final Piece", after the possessed Axol transforms for the second time, his subtitles begin to label him as "[=Ax0l=]" (though the name change is subtle due to the text being rendered in CapsLock). The official [=GMod=] workshop page for the Genesis Arc ragdolls however confirms that his name has indeed changed to [=Ax0l=].
* AscendedMeme: [=Ax0l's=] terrifying AsideGlance, which has gained instant popularity at the time it was aired, was shown on the thumbnail for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOV2OHVJKY&ab_channel=SMG4 Meggy Reacts To The Genesis Arc]]. Of course, memes are what [=SMG4=] is all about.
* BarrierMaiden: Mario's revealed to be this. As the avatar of his universe, getting killed by Zero would mean everyone in it dies. In addition, any [=SMGs=] using his form becomes disfigured. [=SMG1 and SMG2=] used to have an avatar named Spudnick, who was successfully killed by Zero.
* BigBad: Zero, an evil computer virus that’s destroyed countless worlds (or from what we learned, he only managed to destroy Spudnick's universe). He only made an active appearance in the first half of the arc during the 10 Year Anniversary Special, but really becomes a major threat in the later half. Zero is also revealed to behind many things in the universe in the first half; [=SMG3=]'s landing in the Mushroom Kingdom and thus, their rivalry, the disappearance of the Mario recolors, and is revealed to be influencing [=SMG4's=] insanity in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane".
* BittersweetEnding: The arc ends off on an ending that [[NothingIsTheSameAnymore shakes up the status quo of the series significantly]].
** Bitter: [[spoiler: Melony is [[MercyKill forced to kill Axol]], losing her best friend, her lover and her innocence in the process.]]
** Sweet: [[spoiler: Melony takes up manga art to finish Two Piece in honor of Axol with all her friends chipping in; [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] finally bury the hatchet on their long and bitter rivalry, looking forward to mastering their roles as Super Meme Guardians and, of course, the universe was saved.]]
* BleedEmAndWeep: Melony [[MercyKill reluctantly kills Axol]] at his own request [[HeroicSacrifice to stop Zero]], as Axol is too caged up to be saved and pulled out in time. She's crying even before she does it, and when she's later asked what happens and why Axol isn't with her when she returned, she ends up in a crying HeroicBSOD.
* BreakingOldTrends: This arc has quite a few fundamental differences from the previous ones, some of which would carry over to the Revelations Arc:
** Unlike the previous arcs, which either had a regular ''Mario'' character (Waluigi, Francis) or a pre-existing ''[=SMG4=]'' character (Bob, [=SMG3=]) as the ArcVillain, this arc introduces an entirely new villain in the form of Zero.
** While the other arcs primarily focused on [[CharacterDevelopment developing the characters]], this one primarily focuses on [[{{Worldbuilding}} developing the world]]--the nature of memes, the [=SMG4=] universe, and [=SMG4=] himself are thoroughly explored and given [[MagicAIsMagicA a concrete set of rules]] here. That's not to say there isn't any CharacterDevelopment at all (Melony becomes more mature, [[spoiler:[=SMG3=] pulls an official HeelFaceTurn]]), but the {{Worldbuilding}} definitely has more emphasis.
** It's structured very differently, with regular ''[=SMG4=]'' episodes in between plot-relevant episodes (the former of which are excluded from the arc's playlist).
* BreatherEpisode: In a first for the series, rather than have the episodes back to back like in the first four arcs, the arc has irrelevant episodes in between all the plot progression up until the last six installments:
** After ''10 Year Anniversary Special'', we got "Mario goes to the Dentist..." and "If Mario Was In.... Friday Night Funkin 2", before we get "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", which explains why [=SMG4=] was absent in the previous two episode.
** "Stupid Mario Golf" features little new lore and focuses on the slapstick and the memes, and while "If Mario was in... Newgrounds" has Mario and [=SMG4=] search for the Guardian Pod, it mainly focuses on the two interacting with the Newgrounds content.
** There’s 3 filler episodes inbetween "The Other Universe" and "The Day HE Arrived", the starting point of the arc’s climax:
*** "WHAT IF...?" is a WhatIf VignetteEpisode, with the FramingDevice of Mario and [=SMG4=] finding a heap of fanfic ideas on their way home after "The Other Universe", though it does contain a handful of heavy, non-canon {{Downer Ending}}s fitting the darker tone of the arc.
*** "She’s Back!" focuses on Meggy returning from Port Aurora and catching up on what her friends have been up to while she was gone.
*** "If Mario Was In… Anime" has Mario going through a wacky quest through anime to find the last piece of Inkweaver, finally allowing Axol to repair it.
* CosmicHorrorStory: With the world of [=SMG4=] being set in a ROM of ''Videogame/SuperMario64'', a computer virus attack essentially becomes a Cosmic Horror Story on their scale.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath:
** In ''The Other Universe'', it’s shown that the way Zero kills off avatars is by outright ''sapping their life force out, which causes them to rapidly decay''.
** Axol faces this after Zero takes possession of him, with his appearance becoming more and more mutilated as the possession goes on until Melony needs to MercyKill him.
* DarkerAndEdgier: The darkest arc in the series by far. While the Waluigi Arc was plenty grim, the Anime Arc ramped it up quite well, and the [=YouTube=] Arc pivoted back and forth, Genesis, with the exception of the filler episodes, can fully be called a horror story. While the series is no stranger to horror episodes, Genesis hearkens back to the older episodes that dealt with urban legends like the Carpenter Guy and demons like Baby Mario/The Monster, but while they had underlying comedic tones, this case is purely bleak. It also addresses a major complaint fans have had in a very dark way: the tone shift and the gradual shunting away of the Mario recolored characters like [=MM54321=], Enzo, [=MCG=], [=GM=], and many others. Answer? A dimension-hopping EldritchAbomination hiding in the Dark Web sneakily snatched them all up as the years went by and ate their souls, turning them into FacelessMooks. Not only that, an in-story reason as to why the tone of the series is the way it is: [=SMG4=] and [=SMG3=] are apparently of a guild of beings called "Guardians", whom land in video game worlds and bond with a native that resembles them. And that's just the '''''first''''' half. Oh, and [[spoiler:Axol [[CharacterDeath dies.]]]]
* DigitalAvatar: Mario himself is apparently the "Avatar" for both [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4=], which is why they're recolors of Mario, and by extension, every other ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' machininamist as well, namely [=MarioMario54321=], [=Starman3=], [=Nintendofan997=], [=FightingMario54321=], among others. [[IdiotHero Mario]] thinks this makes him [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender another kind of avatar]] as he uses "earthbending" on [=SMG3=] (i.e. throwing a rock at him). In reality, being an "Avatar" means that Mario is a BarrierMaiden.
* DrivenToMadness: [=SMG4=] does this in his titular episode, "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", trying to figure out what the [=SMGs=] are. It's implied that his insanity was also influenced by Zero.
* FunWithAcronyms: '''S'''uper '''M'''eme '''G'''enesis has the same acronym as '''S'''uper '''M'''ario '''G'''litchy.
* LivingMacguffin:
** As an SMG, [=SMG4=] is one of the only people who can open the Guardian Pods. [[spoiler:Zero exploits this by using [=SMG4=] to unlock his Guardian Pod, disabling the anti-virus keeping his full body locked up and does it again as [[DemonicPossession Axol]] to trap Mario and the two [=SMGs=] in [=SMG3's=] USB]].
** Mario, and any avatars really. They are essentially the core of the universe, and the entire point of the [=SMGs=] is to protect them from harm. It's for a good reason, as their death would cause the entire universe to break and corrupt. The corruption even spreads to the people in the universe, and it's implied being corrupted is a painful process.
* LockedIntoStrangeness: Despite the Glitchy Gang preventing Mario's turning into another Zero during the 10 anniversary special, in "[=SMG4=] Goes Insane", his arm notably turns into Zero's again when the manifestation of [=SMG4=]'s madness shows up.
* KnightOfCerebus: Zero is the biggest example of this in the entire series. His one comedic moment can be considered more gross than funny, and every other time he is on screen, literally all comedy is yeeted out the window. Plus, unlike most other characters, he has successfully wiped out countless universes before the series even began and came the closest one can get to killing Mario not once, but TWICE.
* OriginsEpisode: For [=SMG4=] as a whole, both the series and the character.
* PluckyComicRelief: Swag and Chris serve as this like they did in the Anime Arc, as they’re the sources of most of the comedy during the darkest episodes of the arc.
* RedemptionQuest: For [=SMG3=]. Not only does he find his true calling as lord of the Internet Graveyard, where he rules peacefully without having to bother [=SMG4=], but the two mortal enemies learn to get along with each other and use the power they share together to save both Mario and the universe.
* TheReveal: Quite a big one. Both [=SMG4=] and 3 aren't human, but from a race called the SMG (which is short for "Super Meme Guardians"). Zero meanwhile is a virus trying to destroy their reality while he’s been pursuing Mario, this world's "avatar", for the entire series. He's also behind the disappearances of the Mario recolors.
* RiddleForTheAges: Why does [=SMG1=] look rectangular instead of resembling his avatar? And if [=SMG3=] and [=SMG4's=] Mario-like appearances are explained by them being [=SMGs=], then where do the other Mario recolors come from? We may never get the answer.
* ShooOutTheClowns: Played with. Just about every main character could count as a "clown" but as Swagmaster and Chris don't have any personal attachment to the plot and are purely comic relief, they are swatted away by Zero at the start of the final episode.
* SpottingTheThread: What kicks off the arc--after everyone else [[OriginsEpisode recounts their early years]] during "Mario Babies", when it's [=SMG4=]'s turn, he finds that he can't remember anything before his first appearance. This also happens with [=SMG3=] next episode when [=SMG4=] questions him on his past.
* SuddenlySpeaking:
** This arc marks the beginning of an era where Melony is more talkative than usual, whether she's narrating a story she fabricates with Li'l Chonks in a BreatherEpisode or showing concern for Axol in the arc's main episodes.
** After being almost entirely mute the entire arc, merely saying disjointed words such as "Witness...", Zero has a lot of full sentence dialogue in the Final Piece. He also has full lines in the rap at the end of the [=WotFI=].
* TheEndOrIsIt: The opening advertisement of the first video after the end of the Genesis Arc reveals that while the arc itself has come to an end, there's still more to the story.
* TokenEvilTeammate: After being the villain of the previous arc, [=SMG3=] finds himself forced to team up with his enemies to oppose Zero.
* TheUnreveal: We never learn anymore about Zero's past beyond the fact that he lost his avatar and was corrupted by an unknown force.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom:
** Bob, as always. In "Into the Dark Web", while trying to find [=SMG4=]'s USB drive/Guardian Pod, he ditches the party to follow a Dark Web stream [[AllMenArePerverts he's infatuated with.]] He ends up lost, not realizing that the pod he found was [=SMG3's=] containing Zero rather than [=SMG4=]'s, and refuses to extend the anti-virus warranty, unleashing Zero once again. Zero then secretly follows Bob home where he would find [=SMG4=]...
** [=SMG4=] finding [=SMG1's=] Guardian Pod is exactly what Zero needed to reenter it, allowing him to use it to remotely activate the interdimensional travel feature on his own Guardian Pod, sending it to Mario's universe...
* WhamLine: This arc drops two of the biggest ones in the whole series.
** At the end of "[[OriginsEpisode Mario Babies]]", when it's [=SMG4=]'s turn to talk about his past;
--->'''[=SMG4=]''': [[spoiler:[[AmnesiacHero I... don't remember...]]]]
** During the final battle of "[=SMG4=] Movie: 10 Year Anniversary Special", before Hobo 1 and Hobo 2 take out Zero, [=SMG4=] notes how they still don’t know the former two’s names, to which the two drop one of the biggest bomb shells in the entire series:
--->'''Hobo 1''': What, really? I thought it was obvious by now. [[spoiler:My name is [=SMG1=]!]]
--->'''Hobo 2''': [[spoiler:And I’m [=SMG2=]!]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The Guardian Pod that [=SMG1=] and [=SMG2=] came to Brazil in belonged to [=SMG1=]. [=SMG2's=] original Guardian Pod is never mentioned nor referenced.
* YankTheDogsChain: Axol was finally able to repair Inkweaver and restore his art prowess but he only had one episode to enjoy it before getting possessed by Zero. [[spoiler:And he dies at the hands of his beloved Melony with the universe on the line.]]
