It does make sense, that guy is totally wrong! Mario, as far as I remember, only had the fireballs after eating the little flower. So, when you eat a 'fireball flower' you can throw fireballs. Simple, rational.

Mario got the firepower after eating the fireflower. But his point is, where do the fireballs originate from? Do they magically materialize out of thin air near his abdominal region kamehameha-style? It isn't really clear. That's the problem he solved by turning Megaman's right appendage into a handcannon.

maybe the fireflower give mario better control over his chi so that he is able to shoot it out of his hands in fire/chiballs.

Exactly Brette, just like Ryu.

Isn't that what they do in Dragon Ball Z (KA ME HA ME HA!)

I didn't realize that Ryu was a streetfighter character. I ened up having a long converstaion about this last night with friends who make video games. We concluded that fireballs would be the best/easiest way for early video games to represent externalized chi.

If I remember correctly, Mario throws fireballs with a downwared motion from the elbow. Thus I theorize that they come from his right armpit. They are plumber B.O. gas bundles, lit with a special palm-fitted lighter.

You spend all day warping through sewer pipes and you get some pretty wicked B.O..

The "fire flower" he picks up is actually the lighter for the deadly gas balls.

The B.O. theory makes sense. Crazy Italian plumbers. But I think the fireballs are more than just balls of fire because they never really burn anything. They just kill you on impact. That's some rank shit coming out of your armpit, Mario.