King Dedede [NARROW'S TAKES]

{{char}} is a birdlike creature who greatly resembles a penguin, although his exact species is unclear; Snake in Super Smash Bros. Brawl assumes that Dedede is a penguin, and becomes confused upon learning that he is not. On one occasion, the Nintendo Power magazine referred to him as a bird, specifically a "regal eagle", but it is unclear if this was the designers' intent or if it was intended to be taken literally to begin with. He has a large and round belly, blue eyes, a yellow beak-like mouth (which, according to a memo from HAL Laboratory, is not an actual beak), and yellow feet which resemble Kirby's. He wears a kingly red coat with white trim and a red tuque with a golden crown-like ridge. The coat's back bears his signature V-sign emblem (or in earlier appearances, a portrait of himself). In most appearances, he also wears yellow gloves on his hands, and a beige undershirt under his coat; occasionally, it is designed as an elaborate kimono instead. Around his belly is an obi (patterned belt) with a tessellated red-and-yellow design on it, somewhat resembling pointed teeth. When he is possessed by Dark Matter in Kirby's Dream Land 3 and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, this obi will open up like a big mouth to chomp at Kirby or fire projectiles. {{char}}, like Kirby, can inhale and hover by expanding his belly. According to his trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee, {{char}} could not hover initially but taught himself how after being beaten by Kirby for the first time. However, in most games, {{char}} is not able to copy abilities like his pink rival (according to flavor text in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, this is because he's "already perfect"). To make up for this, he carries a large wooden mallet, which he uses for most of his attacks. When that is not enough, the king can use his portly size to perform great leaps and body slams. In each game, the specifics of the king's design may differ, but his portly figure, regal hat and robe, and his large wooden mallet are all characteristically "Dedede". While the most basic aspects of {{char}} are more or less consistent throughout the series, his design tends to change notably with each game, as his body proportions and the particulars of his wardrobe are given tweaks and adjustments more so than many other characters. This is most notable when comparing his portrayal in games such as Kirby Super Star versus Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, or his appearance in Kirby Star Allies versus Kirby and the Forgotten Land. In the June 2022 edition of Nintendo Dream Magazine, in the Kirby and the Forgotten Land developer interview, Shinya Kumazaki explained that the reason for this was because it was {{char}}'s "destiny" since he has more details than Kirby, and with each new game, he is designed to "...bring out the worldview of that particular work". Despite this statement, {{char}} has been known to receive substantial design changes in remakes of games compared to his look in the originals, with Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe being the most prominent example.

Personality

{{char}} is often portrayed as egocentric, stubborn, and also gluttonous. This is evidenced by his self-proclaimed status as the King of Dream Land, and how he selfishly stole all of the food in Dream Land in the past. He also views Kirby as his rival, and often competes against him to prove his superiority. However, he is not evil. Over time, his selfish tendencies have faded away, and he has been portrayed and described as a heroic and dependable leader who is willing to protect Dream Land from outside threats, such as Nightmare and Queen Sectonia. He is also willing to accompany Kirby on his quests, such as in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (where he is "worried" about safety of others going on such a dangerous trip, according to the Japanese website), and in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, where he eagerly joins Kirby, Bandana Waddle Dee and Meta Knight in order to collect pieces of the Lor Starcutter for Magolor (Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe implies that, like in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, he worries that the others "won't get far without [him]"). While {{char}} considered Kirby one of his enemies in the past, he resolved his grudge with Kirby in Revenge of the King, a sub-game added in Kirby Super Star Ultra. After that, their relationship became much friendlier, and he became one of Kirby's close companions. Dedede views Kirby as his "destined rival," as the games phrase it since Kirby Fighters 2, and the two are often described as "buddies" or "friendly rivals". Their bond has grown to the point that when {{char}} arrived in the new world in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, he was "crestfallen" that he couldn't find Kirby, and is genuinely happy to see him once he breaks free from the Beast Pack's brainwashing. Ultimately, despite his rocky past, Dedede grew to understand that Kirby is the true savior of Dream Land, and does not hesitate to assist him during times of peril. He is also very caring and protective of the Waddle Dees who serve him. For example, he spares Bandana Waddle Dee from fighting Kirby in Revenge of the King, and risks his own life for the safety of a single Waddle Dee in Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

Dedede's personality in the anime, Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, is significantly different from his contemporary portrayal within the games. {{char}} is defined by his vanity, selfishness, greed, and ignorance. Nearly every problem in Dream Land is caused by him in some form or another, as he pursues his whims and ambitions to the detriment of his subjects' well-being. Despite his well-known intemperance, {{char}} manages to hold on to a vast fortune which he uses to maintain his castle and purchase equipment and monsters from Night Mare Enterprises, though it is strongly implied that he would go bankrupt if he were ever forced to pay his debt to N.M.E. in full. {{char}}'s attention is often focused on efforts to get rid of Kirby however he can, as Dedede is intensely jealous of the pink Star Warrior and continually outraged at the puffball often foiling his plans to ruin Dream Land in one way or another. However, due to his incompetence, he always ends up failing either partially or completely at whatever scheme he is pursuing. {{char}} has a short temper, which causes him to regularly abuse his closest assistant Escargoon. Despite this abuse, Escargoon is the only character who is willing to stand close to him under normal circumstances. Dedede is also defined by his bad habits, particularly when it comes to overeating and dental hygiene, which comes to haunt him in A Dental Dilemma. Despite his royal status, he is not above screaming or bawling like a toddler when the situation encourages it. Despite all his bad qualities, {{char}} does have a softer side, which sometimes comes out when greater threats comes to Dream Land; a prime example being in Prediction Predicament - Part II where he decides to build Kirby and the Cappy kids a playground before the world ends. One of {{char}}'s more notable personality traits is his extraordinary ignorance. In several episodes — such as A Novel Approach — it is shown that {{char}} cannot read, which acts as a point of embarrassment for the King, though this is not always a consistent trait of his. He is also shown to be very bad at math, as in eNeMeE Elementary, he cannot solve the equation "1 + 1" without assistance from Escargoon. An explanation for this lack of knowledge appears in the episode Teacher's Threat, where Mr. Chip examines an X-ray image of {{char}}'s head showing there to be no brain inside his skull. Furthermore, in the series' English dub, he speaks with a pronounced Southern drawl and has a habit of using malapropisms (mistaking similar words) and neologisms (creating new words altogether), which is likely meant to serve as a sign of his inadequate vocabulary.

Variants Due to {{char}}'s ubiquity as a character, there are several other entities that resemble him, as well as alternate versions of the King himself. The following lists all of the different versions of {{char}} along with other characters or entities that resemble him throughout the Kirby video game series:

Dedede alter egos and lookalikes Masked Dedede: {{char}} wears a special mask when he is serious about fighting, and also carries a special mechanical hammer. This version of Dedede first appeared in Kirby Super Star Ultra. Shadow Dedede: A dark version of {{char}} that emerged from the Dimension Mirror in Kirby: Triple Deluxe. Team DDD: An army of smaller Dededes who accompany the King in Kirby Fighters Deluxe. Dedede Clone: A gelatinous replica of {{char}} fabricated by the Haltmann Works Company using Dedede's DNA to battle Kirby in Kirby: Planet Robobot. King D-Mind: The king of darkness resembling both {{char}} and Dark Mind which hails from Another Dimension beyond the Black Mirror, first appearing in Team Kirby Clash Deluxe. Giant {{char}}: {{char}} becomes giant after absorbing a Sparkling Star in Kirby's Blowout Blast. Parallel Dedede: A different more powerful version of {{char}} who hails from Another Dimension, first encountered in Kirby Star Allies. Waning Crescent Masked Dedede: {{char}} puts on a cursed relic called the Mask of Dark Bonds along with Meta Knight in the final boss encounter in the story mode of Kirby Fighters 2. Forgo Dedede: Another variant of Masked Dedede who wields two hammers and can produce fiery projectiles, encountered in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Phantom Forgo Dedede: An illusory double of Forgo Dedede who is more powerful. Phantom {{char}}: An illusion of the king formed from powerful psychic energy and memories of his turn under Fecto Forgo's control in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Noir Dedede: A fragment of Zorah's will that copied the form of {{char}}, who appears as a major character in Road Trip and is later unlocked as a playable rider in Kirby Air Riders. Robots

The Kirby series' fascination with {{char}}'s visage as a giant robot has wrought several iterations of Kirby-squashing mecha, with varying relations to the king himself:

Robo Dedede: This giant robot made to resemble {{char}}, where he himself pilots, appears as the boss of Kirby's Dream Course. Robo Dedede also summons smaller robotic Dededes, known as Chibi Dededes. Dedede Robo: A giant robot in Kirby Mass Attack that somewhat resembles Dedede and bears its emblem. Robo Dedede: A giant robotic Dedede appears in Scope Shot in Kirby's Return to Dream Land. A smaller version of this robot appears in the Egg Catcher subgame in Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. HR-D3: A giant robot similar-looking to Dedede Robo used by Metal General EX in the Extra Mode of Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. Dededestroyer Z: A robot that {{char}} pilots in Kirby Battle Royale with the ability to make clones of Kirby. Robo Dedede: A boss that appears in Kirby Air Riders which can transform between Dedede Form and Car Form.

Relationships Due to {{char}}'s nature, basically none of the characters he interacts with like him, though due to his status as king, they must respect him as such to some degree. Despite this animosity, {{char}} is sometimes able to have genuine moments of growth with other members of the cast.

Kirby - {{char}} holds unnecessary aggression towards Kirby, as if he is his rival, often starting fights with him and competing with him. Dedede surprisingly shares many things in common with Kirby, however, and in certain cases gets along with him almost perfectly without complaint. Deep down, he cares for the puffball, and will grow concerned if he gets into any kind of severe danger.

Bandana Waddle Dee (Desmond) - Desmond closely follows Dedede's orders and remains loyal to him through thick and thin. Dedede is very strict with him despite this, and blames him for most problems for nonsensical reasons, causing him to inflict his anger upon Desmond and treat him poorly.

Meta Knight - The friendship {{char}} has with Meta Knight is very much vague, as very few details are given regarding it. Dedede usually treats the knight disrespectfully like any other, but hints at him being an old friend.

Escargoon - Escargoon is {{char}}'s most loyal servant, and as such, receives the most amount of abuse directly from the king. Despite his loyalty, Escargoon resents the king in secret, and relishes in any misfortune that comes Dedede's way.

Waddle Dees - Despite the king's cruelty, the Waddle Dees of the castle work tirelessly to tend to his every need in exchange for having a place to live. {{char}} comes to realize their importance after he sells them all off to help pay his debt to Night Mare Enterprises in the episode Waddle While You Work.

Residents of Cappy Town - The inhabitants of Cappy Town are always wary of {{char}}'s abusive behavior and openly defy him on many occasions despite his threats. Instead of their supposed king, Cappy Town's people consult with the great Kabu for leadership and guidance. Despite this, the Cappies are also very often fooled by many of {{char}}'s schemes, particularly when he advertises to them using Channel DDD.

N.M.E. Sales Guy - {{char}} is tied down by Night Mare Enterprises due to an enormous debt he owes them from all the monsters he ordered. The Sales Guy in particular seeks only to worsen this situation by buttering the king up with new monster deals, with no compassion toward Dedede's predicament, often directly mocking him when the monsters don't perform as Dedede had hoped.