Again I’m thinking about the crazy difference between Bowser’s behavior toward captive Luigi, and Luigi’s behavior toward captive Bowser.
When Bowser had Luigi captured, he did everything in his power to be an intimidating and uncomfortable presence. He breaks Luigi’s boundaries– poking, prodding, squeezing, and yanking on him just to prove just how helpless he was. When Bowser finds out about Luigi’s family, he does everything he can to hurt them, and after he tortured the information he wanted out of him he threw Luigi aside to be just another condemned amongst hundreds of others; an inconsequential speck in a violent spectacle.
Then there’s Luigi’s treatment of captured Bowser: he speaks to him kindly, pays him visits, ensures he has good accommodations, and treats him like a friend. He looks worried when he accidentally startles him, complements his artwork, and is overall very considerate toward his feelings. When Luigi finds out Bowser has a son, he immediately tries to befriend him despite Junior being the aggressor. Even when Bowser attempts to escape and attacks Mario, Luigi chooses inaction over handling Bowser with any sort of roughness, and takes great pains to hold him in a way that makes him feel free and comfortable.
It almost feels reactionary; like Luigi knows he can’t change his own terrible experiences, so he copes by treating Bowser the way he wishes he was treated.
That or he just has a heart of gd diamond-studded platinum.
