Kirby: Meta Knight and the Knight of Yomi
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| “ | Meta Knight's treasured sword Galaxia is missing! It seems someone has stolen it and is rampaging around, pretending to be Meta Knight. He joins forces with Kirby and King Dedede to chase the imposter down, but is trapped in Yomi, the underworld. While looking for a way to return to the original world, Meta Knight challenges a new enemy that may be even more powerful than Galacta Knight... the red butterfly warrior, Morpho Knight!!! | ” | — Unofficial translation of the description of Kirby: Meta Knight and the Knight of Yomi |
Kirby: Meta Knight and the Knight of Yomi[Japanese title] is the seventeenth volume of the Kirby novel series, published exclusively in Japan on July 14th, 2020.[2] In this volume, Meta Knight finds that his sword, the Galaxia, has been replaced and stolen by a master of disguise, Beryl. In his efforts to get it back, he falls into Beryl's trap and ends up in the underworld, Yomi, where he meets a friendly and talkative butterfly named Papi. While he tries to find a way back with the help of this butterfly companion, Kirby, King Dedede, Waddle Dee and the Meta-Knights chase after Beryl, who leads them to a battle with Galacta Knight. The latter's defeat offers an escape route for Meta Knight, as well as resulting in a battle against the knight of Yomi, Morpho Knight.
This volume takes inspiration from the Meta Knightmare series of post-games, as well as Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go!, in the independent nature of Meta Knight's adventure and the resulting battle against Morpho Knight.
Characters[edit]
| Characters of "Kirby: Meta Knight and the Knight of Yomi" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main characters | |||||
| Supporting & minor characters | |||||
 Giant Snake |
 Butterfly | ||||
| For characters lacking illustrations, see this page | |||||
Plot synopsis[edit]
Chapter 1: Broken Galaxia?[edit]
During a regular pirate raid of battleship Halberd, the Meta-Knights compete to see who can defeat the most opponents as Meta Knight and Captain Vul observe. Meta Knight decides to join his crew to train, so Captain Vul brings him the Galaxia. Having their leader join only further motivates the Meta-Knights. The pirates' captain challenges Meta Knight to a duel. As Meta Knight prepares himself, he realizes that his sword feels different than usual. Noticing his opponent's confusion, the pirate captain attacks. Meta Knight takes a guarding stance with the sword when, suddenly, it snaps. The pirate captain gloats, but the Meta-Knights quickly step in, and the captain cowers off after their threats. Meta Knight then says that the broken Galaxia is a fake. The Meta-Knights wonder how the sword was replaced, and Captain Vul realizes that it could have been switched during a check at the weapons shop. Angrily but keeping his cool, Meta Knight decides to investigate.
Chapter 2: A Fake Appears![edit]
Kirby and Waddle Dee are playing in the fields of Dream Land amidst butterflies, and Kirby tells his friend about his dream where he became a butterfly, but his chaotic description leads Waddle Dee to think Kirby got a sort of Butterfly Copy Ability. When Kirby tries to see if he actually can, a nearby butterfly flutters away, leading them to wonder about its sentience. Just then, Knuckle Joe runs towards them, alerting the two that Meta Knight started rampaging out of the blue and asks them for help. Kirby goes to see for himself.
Kirby finds Meta Knight attacking Dream Land's residents and confronts him. However, Meta Knight now attacks him. Knuckle Joe offers Kirby to inhale him to gain the Fighter ability for an even playing field. After blows are traded, Kirby checks on Meta Knight, who runs away. The residents of Dream Land complain about the mess he made, but Kirby insists that it must've been the work of someone else. Waddle Dee suggests that this may have been a doppelgänger, since the Meta Knight they just fought was weaker, and seemed surprised when Kirby used his Copy Ability. They decide to visit Castle Dedede to fill King Dedede in and reach out to the Halberd. King Dedede doesn't find the situation concerning until Kirby says that who he fought was a doppelgänger, after which King Dedede tries to contact the Halberd.
Meanwhile, Meta Knight and his subordinates investigate at the weapons shop, which ends up being closed but unlocked. They venture in and find the shop owner tied up in the back room. Once they free him, he explained that this fake Meta Knight tricked him, tied him down and demanded him to make a replica of Galaxia. When the real Meta Knight had come to pick up his sword, the shopkeeper they talked to was also the impostor. After the explanation, Meta Knight decides to return to the Halberd to further investigate.
On the battleship, they receive Dream Land's communications. King Dedede and Kirby tell Meta Knight about the incident. The latter asks for their cooperation, and the crew heads for Dream Land.
Chapter 3: Meta Knight in Trouble[edit]
Once Kirby, Waddle Dee and King Dedede get onboard the Halberd, Meta Knight shares his side of the story, and the rest conclude that the fake Meta Knight has the real Galaxia. They decide to act fast to prevent the impostor from wreaking more havoc. Just then, they receive a call from who appears to be Captain Vul, who is among the rest. The Captain Vul from the call tries to gaslight the others into thinking the one with them is the fake, but Meta Knight doesn't buy it. This impostor then introduces himself as Beryl, a master of disguise, and demands a ransom of 10 thousand Point Stars for Galaxia. While Captain Vul is infuriated by the offer, Meta Knight agrees, and Beryl tells him to meet the southern plains of the largest volcano of Planet Magnus. After Beryl hangs up, the Meta-Knights admire Meta Knight's ability to tell apart the real Captain Vul, while King Dedede questions if Meta Knight really intends on giving the Point Stars. However, Meta Knight intends on settling it with force.
On Planet Magnus, the group finds Beryl, who is disguised as Meta Knight again. Stopping King Dedede from entering the fight, the equally enraged Meta Knight approaches Beryl with a regular sword, intent on dueling the impostor. Just as he prepares to strike, Meta Knight suddenly plummets down a deep pitfall: the Magnus Hellhole. Beryl gloats and explains that the Hellhole, that is said to lead to Yomi itself, is filled with poisonous gas that would prevent Meta Knight from flying back to the surface. Beryl thus reveals his intention of replacing Meta Knight as the best swordsman of the galaxy. Kirby and King Dedede try to retaliate, but Beryl escapes. The group then tries to come up with a way to rescue Meta Knight, and decide to use a hose to avoid breathing in the gas.
Kirby quickly descends down the Hellhole with the hose. Eventually he reaches the bottom, where he finds Meta Knight unconscious. He grabs him and hovers back to the surface. The group brings Meta Knight to the Halberd. The Meta-Knights search for a doctor, while Kirby, King Dedede, Waddle Dee, Sword Knight and Blade Knight set out to catch Beryl.
Chapter 4: Realm of the Dead[edit]
Meta Knight wakes up in a strange faded field and recalls the preceding events. As he wonders where he is, he is addressed by a blue butterfly, which introduces itself as Papi. Papi explains that they are in Yomi, the underworld and realm of the dead, and that Meta Knight is on the verge of death, which shocks him. Meta Knight immediately tries to find a way back, while Papi tries to convince him to stay, which only irritates Meta Knight. He inquires how much time he has left, which Papi says to be 3 days, determined by the bloom of the flower trees. Papi offers advice and tries to warn Meta Knight about the monsters of Yomi but is interrupted by one such monster: a Ghost Bat (as named by Papi). Meta Knight slashes at the Ghost Bat, leading Papi to admire his strength, and himself to inspect the sword he just used: a substanceless sword provided by the underworld itself. After some explanations, Meta Knight asks Papi to be his guide for Yomi. The butterfly second guesses this but accepts the task.
After they journey without a notion of time, the trees' flowers eventually close, signifying the arrival of the night. Meta Knight chooses to venture on, noticing the lack of fatigue or hunger, which Papi attributes to them being mere spirits. Papi attempts to persuade Meta Knight to take a break in order to avoid the dangerous creatures that lurk at night. Just then, they see one unlike any other: a remarkably bright red butterfly. After it flutters away, Meta Knight finds Papi hiding behind a flower and inquires about his guide's reaction. Papi tells him about the legend of the red butterfly, said to react to the voice of final agony, the scream of death, and posses the dying warrior to transform into the powerful Morpho Knight. At first skeptic of Papi's fear, Meta Knight is motivated when he hears of Morpho Knight's power, and wishes to duel the knight of butterflies. He picks up the pace, and Papi hurries after him, surprised by the former's desire for battle.
Chapter 5: Catch the Impostor![edit]
Rumors of Meta Knight wreaking havoc spread across the galaxy as Beryl proceeds with his plan. In hopes of better news, the Halberd crew contacts Kirby (something that was done quite regularly over this time). In the meantime, Kirby and company futilely chased after Beryl, only making it in time to witness the chaos and complaints and unable to convince others that an impostor is responsible. Neither team learns anything new after this or any previous communication. However, after the call, a small boy approaches Kirby and tearfully tells him that Meta Knight attacked his town, and asks him to help. When the group explains that it was a fake, the boy gives them a letter said to have been dropped by Meta Knight. As they examine the letter, they find a list of locations in the order in which Beryl attacked them, and the Ancient Temple of Planet Charm is his next target. The boy leaves, and Waddle Dee expresses his concerns, worried that this may have been Beryl in disguise, ready to set up another fatal trap. Regardless, Kirby decides follow the letter as the only clue they have despite the risks, and the rest eventually agree and inform the Halberd crew of the situation. Before they head off, Kirby and King Dedede have a typical heated discussion about the food they would need to have, which the others try their best to cut short.
Chapter 6: The Mysterious Red Butterfly[edit]
In Yomi, the flowers close once again, marking the second night, as Meta Knight and Papi continue their journey. When Papi tries to convince Meta Knight to take a break for the night, they are attacked by the Giant Snake (a name also given by Papi), one of the strongest creatures of the underworld. Meta Knight commands Papi to hide and pulls out his sword, ready to fight. Papi faints from the commotion, so Meta Knight brings the butterfly to safety. He then attacks the snake, which infuriates it. The snake lunges at Meta Knight, prepared to swallow him whole. Rather than dodging, Meta Knight jumps right into its mouth and slashes at it from the inside. The snake screams in agony and releases Meta Knight, who hopes to have summoned the red butterfly, which does not end up being the case. The snake shrinks to the size of a worm and slithers away, defeated.
Papi, who had come to and witnessed the battle, praises Meta Knight and renames the creature to "Mini Black Snake". Meta Knight realizes that, being in the realm of the dead, no creature here can die, so the red butterfly would only come to the screams from the world of the living. Meta Knight counts on this fact as the key to returning and grows excited. However, Papi points out that the agonizing scream of death from a powerful warrior is not a common occurrence, but Meta Knight is not discouraged. Papi then reiterates that he would like for Meta Knight to stay, since most residents of Yomi are either ferocious monsters or lose all strength and will, so Papi is lonely. The butterfly admits that Meta Knight was the first to talk to him. Nonetheless, Meta Knight is still determined to return to his world and join his friends again. The two meet the morning of the third day in tense silence.
Chapter 7: Return of the Greatest Warrior in the Galaxy[edit]
On the new day, the group reaches Planet Charm. Sword Knight and Blade Knight ponder upon the civilization that once lived here, while Kirby and King Dedede share food lifehacks with each other. Eventually, the five brace themselves and prepare to head into the Ancient Temple. The Halberd arrives, and the Meta-Knights join them. Once inside the temple, they are confronted by Beryl, who is disguised as Meta Knight again. The Meta-Knights yell at Beryl, and King Dedede prepares to swing his hammer at him. However, Beryl reveals his secret weapon: by stabbing the ground beneath him, he releases Galacta Knight. The Meta-Knights panic, since even their leader struggled against him in a past adventure. King Dedede flings Waddle Dee to safety, and he and Kirby take the first blows from Galacta Knight. The Meta-Knights offer themselves to be inhaled by Kirby so he can fight back with a Copy Ability, so he swallows Blade Knight to gain the Sword ability.
The rest give chase to Beryl, who flees purposefully slow to lure them into a new trap, something that they realize a second too late. They fall into a small hole, and Beryl gloats. As he does, Waddle Dee slams into him into the hole. The Meta-Knights force him to end the masquerade and reveal his face, revealing a small, puny creature. They take Galaxia back and ask Waddle Dee to tell them how the battle progresses.
The three combatants took heavy blows, but the battle becomes more and more intense. However, eventually Kirby and King Dedede's coordination gets the better of Galacta Knight, who is weakend to the point he can't lift his lance. The great warrior releases an agonizing moan: the scream of death.
Chapter 8: The Red Butterfly and the Red Knight[edit]
The third night arrives in Yomi, and Meta Knight begins to grow concerned. To shake off his fears, he starts asking Papi questions, such as about his favorite food. Papi says that he prefers the nectar of yellow flowers, finding pink too sweet. When Papi asks Meta Knight back, he remembers the meals he had with his crew, as well as Kirby and King Dedede's legendary gluttony. Shaking off his concerns about returning again, he notices a fruit tree and wonders if trying it would remind him of the original world. When he grabs a fruit, Papi gets anxious and eventually knocks it away from his hand. The butterfly explains that eating something from Yomi prevents one from returning to the world of the living, which leads Meta Knight to realize that Papi had fallen for this trap. Papi then apologizes for his selfish intentions, as he hoped that Meta Knight could stay if the fruit were to be eaten. However, Meta Knight thanks Papi for ultimately saving his life and hails him as a butterfly hero, which cheers Papi up.
The buds of the flower trees eventually start bulging, and Meta Knight loses hope. But Papi, now determined to search until the end, feels the presence of the red butterfly at a fountain. Facing his fear, Papi addresses the red butterfly, and Meta Knight picks up from here. They receive no answer. Just then, they hear an agonizing moan, which they recognize as the scream of death. The red butterfly glows and opens up a portal. Meta Knight jumps towards the portal but falls short. Papi flies over to it and holds it open, giving Meta Knight enough time to fly into it. Right before Meta Knight is sucked into the portal, Papi asks him not to forget about him.
Back on Planet Charm, the red butterfly lands on Galacta Knight, transforming him into Morpho Knight, much to Kirby and King Dedede's shock. The butterfly knight's attacks quickly overwhelm the two, and Kirby's ability is ejected. Just as he is about to receive another blow, a portal appears in the sky, and Meta Knight comes out from it.
Chapter 9: Meta Knight vs. Morpho Knight[edit]
Waddle Dee informs the Meta-Knights of the events, but they are in denial. Kirby, however, happily greets Meta Knight, who is as bewildered from seeing the rest as they are. He tries to pull out his sword, but finds none. While dodging Morpho Knight's attacks and unable to do much more, Kirby and Meta Knight get each other up to speed. King Dedede insists on retreating in light of the others' inability to fight back, but Meta Knight craves battle. Blade Knight lends him his sword, and the fight picks up the pace, with King Dedede joining the offensive force and Kirby playing a supporting role with his Air Bullets. However, the situation is dire.
The Meta-Knights remain confused until they receive a panicked call from Captain Vul, who says that Meta Knight went missing. This leaves no room for doubt of the authenticity of Meta Knight. Frustrated from the description of the battle and their unfavorable position, they ask Waddle Dee to deliver Galaxia to Meta Knight to aid him in the battle.
Chapter 10: Meta Knight and Galaxia[edit]
Kirby and King Dedede are already down, and Meta Knight is worn out from the battle. However, he sees his pain and exhaustion as an affirmation of life and an advantage over his opponent, who is unable to feel the breath of battle. As he takes more blows, he wonders if he'll end up going back to Yomi permanently. Just then, Waddle Dee shows up in the distance and tosses Galaxia to Meta Knight. Wielding his sword again fills Meta Knight with energy, and the battle picks up at a new level. With a well-timed Galactic Counter, Meta Knight is able to defeat Morpho Knight, who disappears in a burst of butterflies.
Everyone celebrates the victory. However, not all is over yet. Waddle Dee leads the group back to the hole where the Meta-Knights were still stuck. After they're rescued, they meet their leader with joy. After some words are exchanged, they try to come up with a punishment for Beryl, each more severe than the last. However, Meta Knight settles on a more unique punishment: have Beryl hear Kirby's singing and try his cooking. Kirby is excited to fulfill this task, and while Beryl naïvely believes to have gotten off lightly, everyone else comments among themselves on the cruelty of this punishment. After this is settled, they head to the Halberd.
On the Halberd, the Meta-Knights and Captain Vul wonder about Meta Knight's appearance at the temple, and settle on the theory that his heart and desire to battle called to his body instead of the other way around. In the meantime and while Kirby's dreadful concert takes place in the basement of Castle Dedede, Meta Knight stands in a flower garden of Dream Land. He picks up a yellow flower and remembers Papi's words about the differing flavors of flowers. As he wonders how Papi is doing, a white butterfly lands on a nearby yellow flower. He asks the butterfly to send his regards to his friend Papi if it ever goes to Yomi. The butterfly briefly stops moving, as if in agreement, and then flutters off into the distance.
Descriptions[edit]
| Found in | Description and translation |
|---|---|
| Amazon Japan, Tsubasa Bunko, Yumeruba, back of the book | メタナイトの宝剣ギャラクシアがうばわれた! ギャラクシアをうばった悪者は、メタナイトのふりをして、 暴れまわっているらしい。 メタナイトは、カービィやデデデ大王と力を合わせ、 悪者を追いつめるが、 黄泉の国に閉じこめられてしまった。 元の世界に戻る方法を探すメタナイトの前にあらわれたのは黄泉を舞う赤い蝶の騎士・バルフレイナイト!! ギャラクティックナイトをこえる未知の敵、 バルフレイナイトに、 メタナイトが挑む!!!
Meta Knight's treasured sword Galaxia is missing! It seems someone has stolen it and is rampaging around, pretending to be Meta Knight. He joins forces with Kirby and King Dedede to chase the imposter down, but is trapped in Yomi, the underworld. While looking for a way to return to the original world, Meta Knight challenges a new enemy that may be even more powerful than Galacta Knight... the red butterfly warrior, Morpho Knight!!! |
Gallery[edit]
- Illustrations
Kirby and Waddle Dee share the news with King Dedede
Galaxia (or its replica)
Kirby finds Meta Knight at the bottom of the Magnus Hellhole
Tree flowers in bloom
The red butterfly appears
Meta Knight and Papi continue their journey
Sword Kirby ready to fight
King Dedede and Kirby join forces against Galacta Knight
The butterfly warrior, Morpho Knight
Meta Knight's spectacular return
Blade Knight lends Meta Knight his sword
Meta Knight holds up Galaxia
The Meta-Knights are happy to see their leader again
The white butterfly flutters off
- Artwork
Meta Knight and Papi (dust jacket illustration)
Meta Knight and Kirby (obi illustration)
Meta Knight, Captain Vul and the Meta-Knights (table of contents illustration)
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 星のカービィ メタナイトと黄泉の騎士 Hoshi no Kābyi Meta Naito to Yomi no Kishi |
Kirby of the Stars: Meta Knight and the Knight of Yomi |
