Editing Waddle Dee (anime character)

{{Infobox-AnimeCharacter
|title=Waddle Dee
|image=[[File:KRBaY Waddle Dee artwork.png|250px]]
|caption=Artwork of a '''Waddle Dee''' from ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]''.
|debut=[[Kirby Comes to Cappy Town]]
|last=[[Fright to the Finish]]
|role=Supporting characters
|other=[[Waddle Dee|their video game counterpart]]<br>[[Waddle Dees (novel characters)|their novel counterpart]]
|similar=[[Captain Waddle Doo]], [[Kirby (anime character)|Kirby]]
}}
{{About|Waddle Dees as they are portrayed in [[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]|Waddle Dees in a general context|[[Waddle Dee]]}}
{{Quote|Waddle Dees feel that it's their duty to stay and repay their host.|[[Professor Curio]], regarding the '''Waddle Dees''' in the episode [[Pink-Collar Blues]]}}
The '''Waddle Dees''' in ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'' are the mute faithful servants of [[Castle Dedede]], who act as soldiers and lab{{o}}rers, taking care of all of [[King Dedede (anime character)|King Dedede]]'s needs. Despite the King's often abusive treatment of them, they stay due to the food and shelter they are provided. The Waddle Dees are commanded by [[Captain Waddle Doo]] who, while not the same species as them, nonetheless has a close relation to them. The Waddle Dees can often be seen performing various tasks on Dedede's orders, which often includes trying (though not usually succeeding) to defend him from enemy threats.

== Characteristics ==
The Waddle Dees are largely identical small round creatures with no visible mouth and an anatomy similar to [[Kirby (anime character)|Kirby]]. They number in the thousands and reside in [[Castle Dedede]], where they act as servants and soldiers. Waddle Dees are portrayed as silent in most of their appearances, though they are capable of vocalizing in certain episodes, such as the Japanese versions of [[A Novel Approach]] and [[Hunger Struck]]. These vocalizations usually take the form of a distinct "wanya" grunt, similarly to Kirby's "poyo," and are treated as a separate language, which [[Captain Waddle Doo]] is able to translate. A more distorted version of this grunt would carry over to in-game appearances of Waddle Dees from ''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]'' onward. While they do not have visible mouths on their faces, Waddle Dees can eat by absorbing food through their faces and then chewing with hidden jaws. While their primary weapon of choice is a spear, they are comfortable wielding others as well, though they are not very skilled at fighting in general.

[[Professor Curio]] explains in [[Pink-Collar Blues]] that Waddle Dees may have originated from across the sea, and that they are naturally inclined to faithfully serve anyone who gives them hospitality, else they run free in the wilderness. The Waddle Dees are simple-minded, and will follow nearly any order given to them by someone who takes care of them, though they generally hesitate if asked to fight anything dangerous. They also tend to have trouble comprehending complex tasks, and generally only get them done when working together in coordinated and directed fashion. They are notably ability-neutral, as when Kirby attempts to [[inhale]] some in [[Hunger Struck]], he ends up merely spitting them back out.

== Role in ''Kirby: Right Back at Ya!'' ==
Waddle Dees appear whenever King Dedede needs something done that requires mass lab{{o}}r, and are often seen in various positions around [[Castle Dedede]]. Their role in most episodes is incidental, and whenever they are asked to fight something, they usually only end up being effortlessly knocked aside by whatever the threat is. King Dedede and Escargoon often treat them dismissively, and may berate or abuse them from time to time, but generally do not mind them too much, as they are responsible for the daily maintenance of the castle and performing chores for its inhabitants.

=== Pink-Collar Blues ===
[[File:E47 Scene 32.png|150px|thumb|The Waddle Dees attack the [[Domestic Servant Robot]] who replaced them in [[Pink-Collar Blues]].]]
{{main|Pink-Collar Blues}}
{{Quote|Gettin' info out of these Waddle Dees is kinda like interrogating a mime troop!|[[Escargoon]], regarding the Waddle Dees in the episode [[Pink-Collar Blues]]}}
In [[Pink-Collar Blues]], King Dedede becomes upset when his Waddle Dees fail to bring him tea in a timely manner, so he orders the [[Domestic Servant Robot]] from [[Night Mare Enterprises]] to replace them. After firing all of the Waddle Dees, they are forced to leave the castle and march in a mass procession through [[Cappy Town]] to the sea, which forces the other characters to reckon with them for the first time. King Dedede soon learns his folly when he discovers that the Domestic Servant Robot was stealing things from the castle in order to force Dedede to pay his overdue bill to N.M.E., and calls the Waddle Dees back to defeat the robot for him with Kirby's help. It is then revealed that the Waddle Dees had been guarding King Dedede's treasury for him, since they did not trust the robot and assumed correctly that Dedede would have a change of heart.

=== Waddle While You Work ===
[[File:E72 Scene 6.png|150px|thumb|The Waddle Dees being sold to the Cappies in [[Waddle While You Work]]]]
{{main|Waddle While You Work}}
{{Quote|They appreciate your concern, Tiff, but the Waddle Dees are fiercely loyal to their new masters!|[[Captain Waddle Doo]], in the episode [[Waddle While You Work]]}}
In [[Waddle While You Work]], King Dedede gets an idea to sell off all his Waddle Dees to the [[Cappy (anime)|Cappies]] in order to make a profit, assuming that he would never run out. Once all the Waddle Dees are gone, however, he realizes that not only did all his profits get siphoned directly to N.M.E., but now he has nobody to take care of him or his castle. King Dedede becomes a listless bum and roams the countryside looking for anything to eat, which ends up getting him in trouble with [[Dyna Blade]] when he tries to eat [[Dyna Chick|her chick]]. Seeing King Dedede in danger like this, Captain Waddle Doo rallies the Waddle Dees to come back and rescue him, and Dedede takes them back, but is punished for his earlier foolishness by being forced to pay for his own tea instead of having it served to him.

=== Hunger Struck ===
[[File:E92 Scene 5.png|150px|thumb|King Dedede and Escargoon find out how a Waddle Dee eats.]]
{{main|Hunger Struck}}
{{Quote|All you gotta do is feed 'em and they'll follow whatever you say!|[[Tuff]], regarding the Waddle Dees in the episode [[Hunger Struck]]}}
In [[Hunger Struck]], King Dedede learns how much he is spending to keep the Waddle Dees fed, and endeavors to severely cut their rations by hiring [[Chef Kawasaki (anime character)|Chef Kawasaki]] to make the woefully inadequate "thin-wiches" for them to eat. After a couple days of this, the Waddle Dees rise up in revolt and threaten to overthrow King Dedede and his court. To stop this, he orders the [[monster]] [[Fryclops]] to feed them, who then earns the Waddle Dees' loyalty and sends them after Kirby. Kirby responds by using the [[Cook]] [[Copy Ability]] to feed the Waddle Dees in turn to pacify them, and then defeats Fryclops in single combat, restoring the Waddle Dees' diet to normal in the process.

== Trivia ==
*The exact number of Waddle Dees living in Castle Dedede is a question often wondered by the characters in the show. Escargoon attempts to get an exact count in Pink-Collar Blues, but gives up somewhere around the 2,000 margin. In [[Delivery Dilemma]], 2,000 sandwiches are ordered for the Waddle Dees by [[Captain Waddle Doo]], though this does not confirm the exact count either, as later on, King Dedede and [[Tuggle]] insist there are tens of thousands in the Japanese version of Hunger Struck.

==Gallery==
===Artwork===
<gallery>
KRBaY Spear Waddle Dee.png|A Waddle Dee holding a spear
KRBaY Waddle Dee with script artwork.png|A Waddle Dee with a headset and script
KRBaY Waddle Dee with boom mike artwork.png|A Waddle Dee with a boom mike
KRBaY Waddle Dee with stage light artwork.png|A Waddle Dee with a stage light
KRBaY Waddle Dees with TV box artwork.png|Two Waddle Dees carrying a box containing one of King Dedede's [[Channel DDD|TV sets]]
KRBaY Waddle Dee with cooler artwork.png|A Waddle Dee holding a small cooler
KRBaY Waddle Dee with mirror artwork.png|A Waddle Dee holding a stage mirror
KRBAY Stars Poster.png|Promotional poster showing various characters
KRBaY Kirby coloring page.jpg|Coloring page from promotional Fox Box CD-ROM
</gallery>

===Character sheets===
<gallery>
KRBaY Waddle Dee character sheet 1.png|Animator sheet showing front, side, and back views
KRBaY Waddle Dee character sheet 2.png|Animator sheet showing poses with a spear
KRBaY height character sheet 1.png|Height comparison of principal characters (Kirby alongside the court of [[Castle Dedede]])
</gallery>

===Screenshots===
<gallery>
E26 Scene 5.png|Waddle Dees panicking during an attack on the castle
E37 Scene 23.png|Waddle Dees making deliveries on King Dedede's orders
E47 Scene 11.png|Waddle Dees being evicted from their home by the [[Domestic Servant Robot]]
E47 Scene 14.png|Waddle Dees traveling to a cave on the coast after being fired
E47 Scene 34.png|The Waddle Dees doing [[Kirby Dance|a victory dance]] with Kirby
E72 Scene 7.png|Waddle Dees up for sale on Channel DDD
E72 Scene 10.png|Waddle Dees having their fortunes read by [[Mabel]]
E72 Scene 11.png|King Dedede mobilizing his remaining troops to be sold
E72 Scene 24.png|A collage image of Waddle Dees (and Kirby) heeding Waddle Doo's call
E72 Scene 27.png|Waddle Kirby flying over an army of Waddle Dees
E72 Scene 30.png|Waddle Dees tending to castle chores
E77 Scene 9.png|Waddle Dees at work building the [[Royal Acadddemy of Arts]]
E92 Scene 1.png|Waddle Dees having dinner
E92 Scene 14.png|Waddle Dees becoming angry after not being fed
E92 Scene 16.png|The Waddle Dees engaging in revolution
E92 Scene 21.png|Meta Knight and his soldiers holding the Waddle Dees at bay
E92 Scene 28.png|Waddle Dees gorging themselves on giant food
</gallery>

===Other===
<gallery>
PlushWaddleDee.jpg|Plushie based on their anime appearance
</gallery>

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{{Navbox-Anime}}

[[Category:Waddle Dees]]