"Judgment of the Malus Pumila" is the main theme associated withMagolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler inKirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, composed byYuki Shimooka.^[1] This song mainly plays in the hub area of thisExtra Mode, and is also incorporated as a main leitmotif into other songs associated with this mode.

Composition[edit]

"Judgment of the Malus Pumila" is an orchestral theme composed in a 4/4 time signature at 152 beats per minute. The song is played primarily in the key of A minor, while some leitmotifs in the song play in other minor scales, notably within the range of D minor to F-sharp minor. It features a prominent usage of trumpets, violins, and minor instruments like xylophone and harpsichord incorporated into smaller side melodies. A hammered anvil also plays throughout the main beat of the song, similar to "C-R-O-W-N-E-D". The song features excerpts of other leitmotifs fromKirby's Return to Dream Land, mainly the ones that are associated withMagolor himself.

In the song's intro, "Road to Victory" is incorporated as part of it, before playing the first original melody featured in the song. Afterwards, the song switches to 3/4 time signature and to the key of D minor (while still retaining its original tempo) to play the "Limitless Power" leitmotif, which is associated with the "Let Me Explain Everything" cutscene. It then gradually switches key to F minor before moving on to the opening notes of "Welcome Your New Overlord", used to transition into the second original melody of the song. This melody features excerpts of "Magolor, the Far-Flung Traveler" incorporated into different parts, and pitches up the key by one semitone halfway through it.

Near the end of the song, the opening notes of "Welcome Your New Overlord" play again, and parts of "C-R-O-W-N-E-D" and "Road to Victory" are played before the song slows down and reverts back to its original key. Finally, an excerpt from "A Visitor from Afar" (specifically the part that plays when Kirby and friends enter theLor Starcutter in the opening cutscene) plays while accompanied by digital static and signal interference sound effects, before looping back again to the first melody of the song.

Game appearances[edit]

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe[edit]

"Judgment of the Malus Pumila"'s first appearance is inKirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, where it is used as the main theme forMagolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler, and plays on its own menu screen as well as the hub area. This song, especially the second melody featured halfway throughout, is incorporated into most of the tracks associated with this mode as a leitmotif. "Judgment of the Malus Pumila" can be found as track 169 in theJukebox.

The first theme to make use of "Judgment of the Malus Pumila" as a leitmotif is "VS Darpa-Dippa-Dupas", a rearrangement of "VS Sphere Doomer". Near the end, a partially-rearranged version of the first melody of "Judgment of the Malus Pumila" plays at a time signature of 4/4. This arrangement was composed by Yuki Shimooka and can be found as track 172 in the Jukebox. "VS Flock of Doomers" is essentially an extension of the aforementioned song, and was also composed by Yuki Shimooka, and can be found as track 182 in the Jukebox.

"Hot! Elemental Boss Battle", the main boss theme of Magolor Epilogue, features part of "Judgment of the Malus Pumila" incorporated into the song. It takes a bit of a deviation from the original melody, and part ofMagolor, the Far-Flung Traveler plays to close it out and transition into the second section of the song. It can be found as track 177 in the Jukebox.

A faster-paced, more intense version plays in the stages ofLocandra Dimension. This arrangement is titled"Onward to a Pain My Heart Knows Well", and was composed byHirokazu Ando. Notably, the second melody of "Judgment of the Malus Pumila" features a more distinct deviation from its original version which also intertwines with part of the second section of "Magolor, the Far-Flung Traveler". This song can be found as track 181 in the Jukebox.

Additionally, the theme is incorporated throughout theMaster Crown battle'sUltra Sword section's theme "Settling a Score - Atone for One's Misdeeds!", composed by Yuki Shimooka. This theme can be found as track 185 in the Jukebox.

Finally, the first large section of Magolor Epilogue's credits theme "Crossing into the Parallel with You" is based on "Judgment of the Malus Pumila". It was composed by Hirokazu Ando, and can be found as track 186 in the Jukebox.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World[edit]

InKirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World, "Judgment of the Malus Pumila" plays during the first phase of the battle againstForgo Leon inThe Ultimate Cup Z EX, whilst "Onward to a Pain My Heart Knows Well" plays during the second phase. After clearing The Ultimate Cup Z EX, both tracks also appear at theWaddle Live! Corner Stage as tracks 136 and 137, respectively.

Other appearances[edit]

A tango arrangement of "Judgment of the Malus Pumila" is included onThe Sound of Kirby Café - Jazz Style - alongside an arrangement of "Faded Dream of a Psychomeddler" as a part of the medley 飴色のロイヤルアップルティー (Amber-Colored Royal Apple Tea), which was arranged byYuko Komiyama.

Etymology[edit]

Malus pumila is thescientific name for the common apple tree. In Latin,mālus means "apple" (or "apple tree") andpūmila means "dwarf" (as in "small"). This is among the few details in Magolor Epilogue that foreshadow the creation of the red fruit fromFruit Fragments, which resembles a largeGem Apple.

Mālus also has afalse cognatemalus, meaning "evil", which has different syllable lengths as denoted by amacron. The macron is omitted in most contexts, making both words appear identical. Some researchers theorize that this is why the Biblicalforbidden fruit — the fruit that Eve ate from thetree of the knowledge of good and evil as theoriginal sin — is depicted as an apple in the Western world (the original Hebrew text does not name the fruit).^[2]

While the theory is debated due to the fact that the two meanings are false cognates, it may have been the reason why the LatinMalus pumila name was emphasized in this track title, given that Magolor Epilogue features Biblical overtones, with Magolor's theft of the Master Crown being likened to the original sin. The Chinese title notably uses the term 「智慧果」 (lit. "fruit of knowledge"), a word often used to refer to the forbidden fruit, rather than the LatinMalus pumila.

Names in other languages[edit]

Judgment of the Malus Pumila[edit]

Onward to a Pain My Heart Knows Well[edit]

References

• Music in Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
• Music in Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World
• Music in Kirby Café

• 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 Spanish names