Editing Kirby (species)

[[File:KatamPoster.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Four different hues of Kirby from ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'' and [[Meta Knight]], a suspected member of Kirby's species.]]
{{quote|So many Kirbys to talk to!|[[Waddle Dee]] in ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''}}
[[Kirby]] is not the only one of his kind in his universe. Many '''Kirbys''' have appeared throughout the [[Kirby (series)|''Kirby'' franchise]], and outside of the series too. The following will list other examples of Kirby's species (referred to as 'Kirbys' for the sake of simplicity), both confirmed and suspected:

==Examples==
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===Kirby===
[[File:KTD Kirby artwork.png|thumb|125px|Naturally, the most notable member of Kirby's species is Kirby himself.]]
{{main|Kirby}}
Naturally, [[Kirby]] himself is the most notable of his species, and is typically seen as its representative. Despite all of the examples of Kirby clones illustrated below, Kirby is often depicted as the only one of his kind in games that he appears in, with most examples of additional Kirbys being directly derived from him in some way. Given that Kirby did not originate from [[Dream Land]] itself, but made his home there after he "blew into Dream Land one day on a spring breeze",<ref>Kirby's [[Figurine]] caption from ''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''</ref> it is possible that there are others like him elsewhere on Planet Popstar or the galaxy at large, but these have yet to be seen/confirmed.

===Unnamed Kirby clones===
[[File:Kirby pyramid KMA art.png|thumb|left|125px|The ''Kirby'' series has a habit of splitting Kirby into several copies, whether it just be for visual effect, or as part of the story.]]
The ''Kirby'' series has a habit of cloning Kirby regularly in various ways. The most basic example is when Kirby splits into multiple copies of himself in order to perform his [[Kirby Dance|victory dance]] at the end of levels and stages. This trope goes all the way back to the original ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'', though it is not clear if these dance clones are meant to be distinct entities or if they are just a visual effect as part of the dance. These clones are produced just ahead of the dance and do not persist after the level or stage fades out. Other examples of such ephemeral Kirby clones include the Kirbys operating the [[Goal Game]] cannon in [[Dyna Blade (main game)|Dyna Blade]] from ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'', the Kirbys that come pouring out of the cloud in the opening cutscene for [[Bubbly Clouds]] from ''Kirby's Dream Land'', and instances of splitting Kirby into multiple copies for gameplay purposes, such as in ''[[Kirby's Block Ball]]'', ''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]'', and ''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''.

There are, of course, examples of more persistent and distinct clones of Kirby who operate separately from him and are often distinguished by body color. The first canonical instance of this (i.e. not counting [[Color changes|simple palette swaps]] for multiplayer modes, detailed below) is in ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'', where [[Dark Meta Knight]] strikes Kirby with his sword and splits him into four different Kirbys, each with a different color. Aside from this superficial difference, each Kirby has the same abilities and presumably the same motives. Differently-colored clones of Kirby also appear in the ''[[Team Kirby Clash (series)|Kirby Clash]]'' games as part of Team Kirby. In ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]'', [[King Dedede]] is in possession of a [[Kirby Printer]] which is capable of mass-producing Kirby clones (which come in every color except for pink). These clones come pre-equipped with a [[Copy Ability]], and never discard them. When the Kirby Printer is eventually destroyed, all the clones it created vanish.

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===Keeby===
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|footer=Keeby (left) and Shadow Kirby (right) are the only two examples of Kirby lookalikes who have distinct names and identities.
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{{main|Keeby}}
The player 2 character in ''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]'' is a yellow version of Kirby called [[Keeby]]. In the game, he serves as player 2, competing against Kirby. Like Kirby, he is able to copy abilities from enemies, though it is unknown whether he can float or inhale. As he has never properly appeared again in the series, and he is never acknowledged in the story of the game or in any cutscene, it is likely that this Kirby is not [[canon]] and only serves a multiplayer purpose, as other colored Kirbys would often do in future games, though he is notable as the first example of a differently-colored clone of Kirby to appear in the series' history.

===Shadow Kirby===
{{main|Shadow Kirby}}
[[Shadow Kirby]] is a gray/black and/or purple version of Kirby from the Mirror World that appears in ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'' and the ''Kirby Fighters'' games. He appears to share the ability to copy and hover, and his motives are not entirely clear. Unlike the other clones of Kirby, his personality differs notably: he is mischievous, reclusive, and somewhat cowardly, though he does not appear to be evil at heart.

===Other===
[[File:KNiDL Kirby Colors artwork.jpg|thumb|left|125px|Kirby along with three common other colors of Kirby.]]
[[File:KDL Bye-bye.png|thumb|At the end of ''Kirby's Dream Land'', Kirby appears before what looks to be a crowd of other Kirby-like entities.]]
{{main|Colors}}
In most Kirby spinoff games and [[Sub-Game]] that involve [[multiplayer]], players 2-4 can play as [[Color changes|alternately colored]] Kirbys. Notable standalone games that include the ability to play as such include ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'', ''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]'', ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'', ''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]'', ''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]'', ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'' (''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe|Deluxe]]''), ''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]'', ''[[Kirby Fighters Deluxe]]'', ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'', ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]'', and ''[[Kirby's Dream Buffet]]''. These Kirbys, however, are not officially [[canon]] to their respective games' storylines (if there are storylines in the first place), as they are never acknowledged in said stories and only serve a gameplay purpose.

At the end of ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'', Kirby can be seen returning stolen food to a crowd of other round creatures that look a lot like him. In [[Spring Breeze]], however, this crowd was [[Canon|retconned]] into one made mainly of [[Waddle Dee]]s.

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==Possible members==
===Meta Knight===
[[File:KRtDL Meta Knight Artwork 1.png|thumb|200px|Meta Knight is often seen as the same species as Kirby, due to their similar body shape and faces. However, Meta Knight has never been shown to have Kirby's other distinct powers, such as the ability to inhale and copy abilities.]]
{{main|Meta Knight}}
It is popularly speculated and widely believed that [[Meta Knight]] and Kirby are the same species. Evidence pointing in favor of this conclusion includes their similar shape, body structure, and face (when unmasked). Additionally, [[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!|the anime]] explains that both Kirby and Meta Knight are part of an order of [[Star Warrior]]s who tend to share a similar origin (though even if taken into consideration, this reasoning is imprecise, as Star Warriors themselves also tend to come in different types), although the anime is a different canon from the games.

However, a number of key differences exist between Kirby and Meta Knight, many of which were established in later titles. Meta Knight is often depicted with wings, which is a feature that Kirby cannot obtain without the use of the [[Wing]] ability. However, in the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' games, these wings are shown to be a transformation of his cape, which eventually was demonstrated in the ''Kirby'' series proper in the opening cutscene of ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''. Meta Knight also has glowing yellow (but otherwise featureless) eyes, which is another trait that Kirby lacks. As a final note, Meta Knight has never been shown to be able to [[inhale]], which is something that Kirby and all of his clones are capable of doing.

Ultimately, there is no conclusive proof in either direction, but the fan consensus still tends to tip toward Meta Knight and Kirby being the same species. This is augmented by the way Meta Knight is often compared to Kirby in the games and in descriptions, with examples including both the eighth [[Color changes|palette swap of Kirby]] and his description in [[smashwiki:Palutena's Guidance|Palutena's Guidance]] starting with ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U''.

===Dark Meta Knight===
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|footer=Dark Meta Knight (left) and Galacta Knight (right) are similar in character to Meta Knight, and thus, are also similar to Kirby.
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{{main|Dark Meta Knight}}
Only seen for a brief moment after he is defeated at Radish Ruins in ''Kirby & The Amazing Mirror'', [[Dark Meta Knight]]'s unmasked form resembles a black Kirby, darker than even Shadow Kirby. However, it is unknown whether he is an actual evil Kirby working for [[Dark Mind]] or merely a replica of Meta Knight created by Dark Mind.

===Galacta Knight===
{{main|Galacta Knight}}
[[Galacta Knight]] in many ways resembles Meta Knight and therefore Kirby in shape and size. However, Galacta Knight's maskless form is never seen, even when he is defeated. In addition, his wings appear to be a natural fixture, rather than the cloak that comprises Meta Knight's.

===Morpho Knight===
{{main|Morpho Knight}}
Similarly to Galacta Knight, [[Morpho Knight]] is an entity that bears a similar appearance to that of the Kirby species, although notably lacking a mouth. Unlike other characters like Kirby, Meta Knight and Galacta Knight, Morpho Knight doesn't always display the likeness of the Kirby species, as it normally has the body of a [[butterfly]], only gaining the Kirby-like appearance after absorbing the soul of a powerful being, like that of Galacta Knight or Soul Forgo.

===Prince Fluff===
[[File:KEY Prince Fluff Cutscene screenshot.jpg|thumb|250px|Prince Fluff and Kirby are nearly identical in shape and ability when in Patch Land, but unlike Kirby, Fluff retains his yarn form when in Dream Land after Yin-Yarn's spell is broken.]]
{{main|Prince Fluff}}
In ''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'' and ''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]'', Kirby's primary helper is [[Prince Fluff]], who, like Kirby in his yarn state, is unable to [[inhale]] or [[hover]], but is capable of [[Yarn Transformation|transforming]] himself into other shapes. It is unclear if Fluff is the same species as Kirby, or if they just happened to look similar when Kirby was transformed into a yarn outline like him. However, one notable difference between the two is that Prince Fluff has large, wide eyes, whereas Kirby's eyes are beady.

===Batamon===
[[File:KSA Batamon cameo.jpg|thumb|left|Batamon looks superficially similar to Kirby, but has a different face and none of his powers.]]
{{main|Batamon}}
In ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'', mysterious enemies known as "[[Batamon]]" are often seen in locations impossible for Kirby to access. These enemies look very similar to Kirby, but bear a slightly different body shape and face structure.

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==Trivia==
*There is some confusion as to whether the proper pluralization for Kirby is 'Kirbys' or 'Kirbies'. While 'Kirbys' is more common, both are used at some point in the series, so technically both are correct.
*In ''[[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening|The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening]]'' and its [[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX|subsequent]] [[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo Switch)|remakes]], there are enemies called '''[[zeldawiki:Kirby|Anti-Kirbys]]''' who can attack Link by inhaling him, and then spitting him out. These Kirby-like foes are immune to standard sword swipes, and must be defeated using bombs or another item. Interestingly, these enemies are referred to as "Kirby" in Japanese and sometimes in English material as well.<ref>'''Nakago:''' ''"And it wasn't just Mario and Luigi, but something like Kirby, too."''<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"Huh?"''<br>
'''Tezuka:''' ''"Um...  Kirby was in there, too. I think we asked for permission, but..."''<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"Oh."'' (laughs)<br>
'''Tezuka:''' ''"But some people at HAL Laboratory might say they never heard anything."''<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"I suppose so. Oh well. I'm not sure how many people at that time recognized it was Kirby."''<br>
'''Aonuma:''' ''"But that character appeared as one of Link's enemies, and if you got close, he would suck you up!"'' (laughs)<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"About that time, Kirby was still just a fledgling character, so I think people thought that it was an honor to have him appear in a The Legend of Zelda game."''<br>
'''Aonuma:''' ''"And the Chomps who appear in the Mario games were also enemies. Partway through you could have them walk along with you."''<br><small>Conversation from [http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/ds/zelda/1/1 "Iwata Asks": The History of Handheld The Legend of Zelda Games (Volume 2)]</small></ref> The ''[[Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition]]'' booklet says that the reason why so many [[treasure]]s are references to other Nintendo franchises was to "return the favor" for [[Kirby]]'s appearance in that game.<ref>{{Cite|In The Great Cave Offensive, Kirby can find treasures based on classic Nintendo games like Super Mario Bros.™, EarthBound™, and The Legend of Zelda™. We thought it was only right to return the favor, since Kirby got to make a guest appearance in The Legend of Zelda™: Link's Awakening™!||[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/323530530681520129/831862216851849216/image0.jpg ''Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition'' booklet]}}</ref> This text also seems to imply that Anti-Kirby and Kirby are the same entity, but it can also be interpreted as appearance in physical sense. The official ''The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Player's Guide'' calls them "Kirby's evil twins".<ref>{{cite book |quote=These must be Kirby's evil twins. Their vacuum-like attack sucks up heroes and everything, but you can fight your way out into fresh air. |book=[[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening — Nintendo Player's Guide|The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening — Nintendo Player's Guide]] |publisher=[[Nintendo]], [[wikipedia:Tokuma Shoten|Tokuma Shoten]] |page=100}}</ref>

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[[Category:Lists]]
[[Category:Kirby]]