Dark Matter is one of the primary antagonists of theKirby series, making major appearances in two games to date, namelyKirby's Dream Land 2 andKirby's Dream Land 3. He also makes a minor appearance as the final boss ofKirby Quest, aSub-Game ofKirby Mass Attack. He twice attempts to take overPlanet Popstar and turn it into a world of darkness; the second time, he calls upon his masterZero to assist him.

Overview[edit]

Dark Matter has two primary forms. His initial form is a somewhat humanoid appearance with spiky hair, armor, and a cape, as well as a visor with a single eye. This form is generally referred to solely as "Dark Matter", but the American English localization ofKirby: Planet Robobot suggests (due to once referring toDark Matter Clone as such) that it is called"Dark Matter Blade". His other form is that of a shadowy sphere encircled by small orbs, sporting a single eye. InKirby's Dream Land 2, the orbs are purple, and this form is referred to as"Real Dark Matter"; in all other appearances, the orbs are orange, and this form is simply called "Dark Matter". Given that Real Dark Matter briefly appears with orange orbs whenDark Matter Clone is defeated,Kirby's Dream Land 3 features the same character with orange orbs, and most other artwork of Dark Matter features orange orbs, it can be assumed that the purple orbs were simply an early design difference.

Little is known about Dark Matter's motives, other than his desire to turn Popstar into a dark world where his kind can thrive. He is capable of possessing other life forms and making them bend to his will, an ability that he frequently takes advantage of to possessKirby's friends and rivals (notablyKing Dedede), often forcing them to fight them. While being possessed by Dark Matter, some creatures obtain enhanced and sometimes bizarre abilities. He can also controldark clouds that serve the same purpose on a larger scale, doing so inKirby's Dream Land 3.

Game appearances[edit]

Kirby's Dream Land 2[edit]

Dark Matter (referred to here as!? in the game'sbad ending) debuted inKirby's Dream Land 2. Here, he tried to take over Dream Land by breaking the rainbow bridges between theRainbow Islands and possessing some of itscitizens. He can only be fought in this game if Kirby has collected allRainbow Drops and defeated King Dedede inDark Castle. Otherwise, defeating King Dedede will end the game and lead to the bad ending. Meeting the necessary prerequisites causes Dark Matter to fly out of Dark Castle after theRainbow Sword is formed and Kirby gives chase.

In this game, he first appears as Dark Matter Blade. He attacks by firing lasers from his sword, ramming at Kirby, or launching orbs at him. Once this form is defeated, he emerges as his true form, Real Dark Matter, and both combatants begin free-falling. In this form, he attacks by launching four orbs from his body, firing lasers in a circular pattern, also ramming at Kirby, and shooting large lasers from his eye. Kirby must defeat Real Dark Matter before reaching the ground, or else he will burn up and lose a life.

After defeating Real Dark Matter, Kirby restores the rainbow bridges of Rainbow Islands, undoing all of Dark Matter's plan.

According to a book published by Keibunsha in 1995 titled「最新星のカービィ大百科」 (The Latest Kirby of the Stars Encyclopedia), Dark Matter is lonely, and targetedDream Land out of jealousy:

This book was not officially published by Nintendo,so whether or not it applies to the game's continuity is unclear. However, the January 2019 issue ofNintendo DREAM affirms that, at least in-house, theHAL Laboratory developers considered this to be Dark Matter's backstory.^[2]

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  Dark Matter emerges from King Dedede.
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  Kirby battles Dark Matter's first form.
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  Kirby prepares to parry against Dark Matter's second form.

Kirby's Dream Land 3[edit]

After being defeated inKirby's Dream Land 2, Dark Matter once again tries to take over Dream Land alongsideZero inKirby's Dream Land 3, this time using adark cloud. The official Japanese guide mentions that Kirby defeated Dark Matter in the previous game, but it is left unclear if this is the exact same character as before (though this is implied to be the case by theKirby Character Encyclopedia).^[3] He can only be fought in this game if Kirby has collected allHeart Stars. After being defeated, the people possessed celebrate together. Otherwise, defeating King Dedede will end the game and lead to the bad ending.

Dark Matter is faced as the first opponent inHyper Zone. He fights similarly to his second form inKirby's Dream Land 2, using dark lasers and projectiles consisting of his orange fins to attack. However, his attack patterns are less aggressive and there is no time limit. After being defeated,Zero appears immediately after as the true final boss of the game.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards[edit]

While Dark Matter does not directly appear inKirby 64: The Crystal Shards, instead being replaced by theDark Matter cloud and a handful of individual specimens of it, his Real Dark Matter form fromKirby's Dream Land 3 appears as a painting thatAdeleine creates during her boss fight. He floats around during battle and attacks by dropping orange orbs when he is above Kirby, which can be used as projectiles, or by ramming at him.

Kirby: Canvas Curse[edit]

InKirby: Canvas Curse, Dark Matter in his real form appears as a painting inPaint Panic. Notably, he is depicted here with a light blue iris, as opposed to orange or dark brown in most appearances sinceKirby's Dream Land 3.

Additionally, Dark Matter was originally set to appear as aball character, along with otherbosses from previous games, likeLololo & Lalala,Zero, andNightmare's Power Orb. However, the idea was scrapped, and he doesn't appear in the final game.^[4]

Kirby: Squeak Squad[edit]

InKirby: Squeak Squad, Dark Matter Blade appears in aGraphic featuring various final bosses. Notably, the artwork used for him is brand new.

Kirby Super Star Ultra[edit]

Dark Matter Blade appears inKirby Super Star Ultra as a card in theSub-GameKirby Card Swipe.

Kirby Mass Attack[edit]

Main article:Kirby Quest#Chapter 4

Dark Matter is the Final Boss of theKirby QuestSub-Game inKirby Mass Attack, being fought in Chapter 4, Stage 40. Dark Matter Blade has a notably different design than usual in this game, with the purple armor around his neck instead being a red bandana, his eye being cyan instead of white, his cape being darker and greener, his shoulder pauldrons being a dull blue, and him now wearing a necklace connected by two green pieces of jewelry with a blue orb in the middle.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe[edit]

InKirby: Triple Deluxe,sprite art of Dark Matter Blade fromKirby's Dream Land 2 and Dark Matter fromKirby's Dream Land 3 are present as rarekeychains for the player to collect.

Kirby: Planet Robobot[edit]

InKirby: Planet Robobot, Dark Matter appears as twostickers using his artwork fromKirby's Dream Land 2 andKirby's Dream Land 3. Aclone made in his likeness also appears, being summoned byStar Dream to testMeta Knight.

Team Kirby Clash Deluxe /Super Kirby Clash[edit]

Dark Matter makes a cameo inTeam Kirby Clash Deluxe and inSuper Kirby Clash, where a set of Dark Matter-themed weapon (Dark Matter Blade) and armor (Dark Matter Gear) for theSword Hero role is sold inMagolor's Shoppe. The sword is covered with a purple aura, the armor resembles the appearance of the dark swordsman (complete with flowing "hair" and a living single eye), and the shield resembles his true form.

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  Dark Matter Blade inTeam Kirby Clash Deluxe
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  Dark Matter Gear inTeam Kirby Clash Deluxe
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  Dark Matter Blade inSuper Kirby Clash
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  Dark Matter Gear inSuper Kirby Clash
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  Kirby wears the full set of Dark Matter gear inSuper Kirby Clash

InSuper Kirby Clash, Dark Matter Blade also appears as asticker.

Kirby Star Allies[edit]

InKirby Star Allies, Dark Matter Blade appears in theCelebration Picture "Bad Boss Brothers" alongside many other final bosses. Additionally,Void Termina's Final Core,Void Soul andVoid transform into a Dark Matter-like form for some attacks.

Kirby's Dream Buffet[edit]

InKirby's Dream Buffet, Dark Matter appears on twoCharacter Treats: the first depicts artwork of Dark Matter Blade fromKirby's Dream Land 2, and the second depicts his true form sprite fromKirby's Dream Land 3.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]

InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, Dark Matter appears as a ★★★★ primaryspirit in his Blade form. The spirit's type is attack, and it possesses 3 support slots. It has level 1 stats of 2,159 attack and 1,876 defense, along with 5,398 attack and 4,691 defense when leveled up to level 99. It can be obtained either by battling it inWorld of Light, battling it in theSpirit Board, or purchasing it from theShop.

Kirby: Right Back at Ya![edit]

Dark Matter Dark Matter as he appears inKirby of the Stars Pilot. Details Debut episode Kirby of the Stars Pilot

This box: view • talk • edit

While not appearing in theanime itself, Dark Matter makes a brief appearance in theKirby of the Stars Pilot as one of the enemies which Kirby must battle, taking on his appearance fromKirby's Dream Land 3. He is quickly dispatched using theIce ability.

Relatives of Dark Matter[edit]

There are many other creatures and objects which are either similar to or directly related to Dark Matter. They are as follows:

Confirmed[edit]

In Japanese, these entities belong to a group called theDark Matter Clan (ダークマター族).

• Dark Matter (cloud) - A cloudy mass of darkness that is controlled by Dark Matter, Zero, and 0².
• Gooey - A friend of Kirby's who is made of Dark Matter.
• Zero - A huge white sphere that appears after Dark Matter is defeated inKirby's Dream Land 3, with the ability of summoning smaller Dark Matters.

These entities do not belong to the Dark Matter Clan, but are confirmed to be related to Dark Matter:

• Dark Matter Clone - A clone of Dark Matter created byStar Dream inKirby: Planet Robobot.

Suspected[edit]

• N-Z - A common enemy first introduced inKirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Despite their innocuous appearance and behavior, there are implications that suggest that they are part of the Dark Matter family.
• Miracle Matter - A mysterious 20-sided foe which utilizes manyCopy Ability elements inKirby 64: The Crystal Shards. While suspected to be part of the Dark Matter family, there has been no official confirmation of this.
• 0² - Thought to be the successor to Zero, fought inKirby 64: The Crystal Shards. The Japanese-exclusive20th Anniversary Kirby Pupupu Encyclopedia states that its relationship to Dark Matter and its true intentions areunknown.
• Dark Mind - A powerful foe who resided in theDimension Mirror and was able to influence other characters. Much like Dark Matter, he has a humanoid "false" form and a true form with a cycloptic eye.
• Dark Nebula - A star-shaped being who was confined to a treasure chest, fought inKirby: Squeak Squad. The Japanese-exclusive20th Anniversary Kirby Pupupu Encyclopedia states that Dark Nebula (known in Japanese, Chinese and Korean as Dark Zero) may be related to Dark Matter, but their exact relationship is unknown. This relationship has never been stated in the games or any localized English source.
• Dark Crafter - The color-stealing main antagonist ofKirby and the Rainbow Curse, with some similarities to the Dark Matter line.
• Void Termina - A giant monster with various aspects of the Dark Matter family, summoned byHyness inKirby Star Allies. The Japanese, Chinese and Korean versions state that Void is made up of dark matter, as well as heart, soul, and dream matter.

Music[edit]

Main article:Dark Matter Blade (theme)

Main article:Real Dark Matter (theme)

Main article:Vs. Dark Matter

Dark Matter has various boss battle themes for his different forms.

• His themes fromKirby's Dream Land 2 have been remixed inKirby: Planet Robobot (forDark Matter Clone) andKirby Star Allies (forRick & Kine & Coo vsMorpho Knight).
• His theme fromKirby's Dream Land 3 has been remixed inKirby Star Allies (forGooey vs Morpho Knight).

Trivia[edit]

• InPokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, the final boss,Dark Matter, shares similar qualities with Dark Matter from theKirby series, such as having the same name in English, French, Spanish and Japanese, being a main antagonist, and having the ability to control the minds of other characters.

Gallery[edit]

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  Artwork of Real Dark Matter in his typical ball form inKirby's Dream Land 2
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  Concept art forKirby's Dream Land 2, featuring Dark Matter Blade
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  Sprite of Real Dark Matter fromKirby's Dream Land 2
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  A sprite of Dark Matter's silhouette fromKirby's Dream Land 2
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  Artwork of Dark Matter from the credits sequence inKirby's Dream Land 3
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  Artwork of Dark Matter fromKirby: Squeak Squad
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  Card fromKirby Card Swipe inKirby Super Star Ultra
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  Sprite of Dark Matter Blade fromKirby Mass Attack,Kirby Quest
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  Sprite of Dark Matter fromKirby's Mass Attack, Kirby Quest
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  Game over screen showsRick,Coo andKine on the bottom with Dark Matter shown on top where the game over text is displayed inKirby Quest
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  Keychain of Dark Matter's blade form inKirby Dream Land 2, fromKirby: Triple Deluxe
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  Keychain of Dark Matter's real form inKirby Dream Land 3, fromKirby: Triple Deluxe
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  Model ofDark Matter Clone fromKirby: Planet Robobot
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  Model of the form Dark Matter Clone takes for a very brief moment before exploding inKirby: Planet Robobot
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  Artwork of the Dark Matter Gear fromTeam Kirby Clash Deluxe
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  Dark Matter cameos in the "Bad Boss Brothers"Celebration Picture fromKirby Star Allies in his blade form
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  Original sketch of the "Bad Boss Brothers" Celebration Picture, where Dark Matter is in a different pose
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  Sticker fromSuper Kirby Clash
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  Concept art for Dark Matter Blade and Gear fromSuper Kirby Clash
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  Pixel Dark MatterCharacter Treat fromKirby's Dream Buffet, using his sprite fromKirby's Dream Land 2
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  Pixel Dark Matter Character Treat fromKirby's Dream Buffet, using his sprite fromKirby's Dream Land 3
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  Dress-Up Mask of Dark Matter Clone fromKirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
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  Dark Matter inKirby of the Stars! Moretsu Pupupu Hour! Volume 1
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  Miiverse illustration commemorating Kirby's 23rd birthday
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  Miiverse illustration commemorating Kirby's 25th birthday
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  Halloween 2017 illustration from theKirby JP Twitter featuring a candy based on Dark Matter
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  Valentine's Day 2018 Illustration from the Kirby JP Twitter featuring a cookie based on Dark Matter
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  The Dark Matter dense chocolate and fruit cake inKirby: The Strange Sweets Island
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  Dedede Directory about Dark Matter
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  Sword Hero Kirby with the Dark Matter Gear inFind Kirby!! Full of Kirby

Names in other languages[edit]

Dark Matter[edit]

Dark Matter Blade[edit]

Real Dark Matter[edit]

References

• Monsters
• Final bosses
• Secret bosses
• Bosses in Kirby's Dream Land 2
• Bosses in Kirby's Dream Land 3
• Bosses in Kirby Quest
• Antagonists
• Non-playable characters

• Pages using Tabber parser tag
• Articles which list Japanese names
• Articles which list Chinese names
• Articles which list Dutch names
• Articles which list French names
• Articles which list German names
• Articles which list Italian names
• Articles which list Korean names
• Articles which list Portuguese names
• Articles which list Russian names
• Articles which list Spanish names