The Switch title is Kirby’s first true foray into 3D platforming, and begins with the pink puffball getting sucked into a portal that opens over Planet Popstar. Yet Kirby isn’t the only one brought to the titular Forgotten Land, as gameplay revolves around saving Waddle Dees from the Beast Pack throughout levels that feature enemies like Bonkers and Wild Edge with new coats of paint. Dedede and Meta Knight also get pulled in, and the latter warrior’s story of protecting the rescued Waddle Dees could make for fun DLC. Spoilers for Kirby and the Forgotten Land ahead.
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Meta Knight Is a Complicated, yet Altruistic Warrior
Even after 30 years, plenty has yet to be unveiled about Meta Knight’s origins. When Kirby fights the enigmatic swordsman - always a fair fight given the warrior offers his opponent a sword, Meta Knight’s mask is cut away to reveal a striking similarity with Kirby. Why he relies on weapons and an army, rather than carrying over the pink puffball’s suction mechanic and copy abilities, is unclear. Yet it’s plenty clear that Meta Knight desires self-improvement above all else.
One example can be seen through the Meta Knightmare Ultra mode of Kirby Super Star Ultra, in which players control Meta Knight across the collection’s adventures using unique mechanics. At the end of this gauntlet, he makes a wish to face the greatest warrior in the galaxy, summoning Galacta Knight for battle. Planet Robobot’s Meta Knightmare Returns follows a similar formula, with Meta Knight defeating the Haltmann Works Company and encountering Galacta Knight again.
While meeting his true potential seems to be Meta Knight’s driving motivation, his reclusive attitude often belies a softer side with the desire to protect his world from intergalactic terrors. Kirby and the Amazing Mirror sees Meta Knight try to stop an invasion of evil doppelgangers from the Mirror World, led by an entity known as Dark Mind; meanwhile in Squeak Squad he spends much of the game trying to stop the Squeaks from releasing Dark Nebula from a chest believed to house Kirby’s stolen cake.
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How Meta Knight DLC Could Tie Up Kirby and the Forgotten Land’s Loose Ends
Gacha figurines and conversations with Elfilin in Kirby and the Forgotten Land reveal Meta Knight originally spent time finding a way back to Popstar. However, Waddle Dee Town came under siege by the Beast Pack while Kirby continues his adventure, so the swordsman decides to take this “chance to train.” The only breaks from this guardianship appear to be his participation in the Colosseum, which acts as Forgotten Land’s Arena mode.
Kirby Star Allies received multiple waves of DLC that added new Dream Friends, each of whom had unique levels in the “Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go!” mode. Thus, it’s not unreasonable to think Kirby and the Forgotten Land may also get DLC, and a Meta Knightmare-style campaign that shows him guarding Waddle Dee Town could be a great use of existing story beats. It may also provide more context for the battle with Phantom Meta Knight in The Ultimate Cup Z - Forgotten Land’s True Arena.
Kirby faces postgame bosses throughout The Ultimate Cup Z, including more powerful phantom variants of Beast Pack leaders and Morpho Knight. One of its two exclusive bosses is a stronger variant of Meta Knight, who by all accounts would not have encountered Leongar or Fecto Forgo during the main adventure. The phantom bosses are essentially memories of the possessed Leon that Kirby battles on a journey to save Leon’s soul in the Isolated Isles dream world, so Phantom Meta Knight’s existence implies the warrior may have encountered powerful foes while protecting Waddle Dee Town. The souped-up Meta Knight could be excused as just a unique boss fight, but DLC could make this aspect of Forgotten Land a larger and more satisfying piece of the puzzle.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is available now on Nintendo Switch.
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