Sword

"Get close to your opponent and slash! An easy ability to learn, even for novices."

- Collectible description

Sword is one of Kirby's Copy Abilities, first appearing in Kirby's Adventure.

General Information
Perhaps one of his most iconic powers, Sword Kirby wears a long green hat similar to Link from The Legend of Zelda series and wields a sword. Beyond its design, the Sword ability is often easily accessed, as Kirby can get it from a wide array of enemies in each game. Notable sword-yielding enemies include Sword Knight, Blade Knight, and Heavy Knight. Usually Meta Knight offers Kirby a sword before the boss battle and will not start fighting him until it is taken.

In earlier Kirby games, Sword Kirby's moveset is limited to a basic horizontal swipe. However, in more recent games, Sword Kirby is capable of using more advanced swordplay techniques, sometimes including Final Cutter, one of Cutter's primary attacks.

In Kirby: Squeak Squad, the Sword ability can be mixed into Ice Sword, Fire Sword, or Thunder Sword with the correct ability. However, this can only be done if Kirby finds the necessary Ability Scroll.

It is also one of the few abilities that may be used in the water, along with Parasol, Hammer, UFO, Master, Spear, and Bell.

In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, there is a Sword Challenge that can be accessed after collecting seven Energy Spheres.

Sword is a Mode for Robobot Armor in Kirby: Planet Robobot.

In Team Kirby Clash and Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, Sword (referred to as Sword Hero) is one of the four roles Kirby can choose from. The Sword Hero's Spin Slash and Twister Slash can be charged to up to 3 levels, but no longer give invincibility to Kirby. A unique aspect given to the Sword Hero was his shield, which renders him completely immune to most attacks, and also shields other allies within a small area.

In Kirby Planet Robobot, using the Kirby series Meta Knight amiibo will result in Kirby obtaining a unique costume, which has Meta Knight's color scheme, a mini Meta Knight mask and a replica of Galaxia.

Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Along with Fighter, this is perhaps one of Kirby's most powerful melee abilities in the anime. It uses the same green hat, but the color of the blade itself is yellow-gold instead of silver or blue.

The ability retains several of its previous attacks, such as Spinning Sword, but also adds the powerful Sword Beam. Taught to him by Meta Knight, it is an attack that uses the limits of one's power in a huge blade of energy (if Kirby can clear his mind first). It cannot be blocked except for when Kracko used one his powerful lightning bolts to block it. Sword Kirby can also cause his sword to expand in size, but he only does that in one episode. It's also possible for the sword to be broken.

Similar to Sword is the Galaxia ability, which works the same way, only much more powerful (another difference is how the regular Sword Beam is white, but the Galaxia Sword Beam is green-yellow).

In the transformation sequence, Kirby spins and forms his hat, the tip of which then falls on his face. He straightens the hat and takes out his sword.

Appearances
Sword, along with Tornado and Ice, are the fourth most commonly seen copy abilities in the anime, with five appearances each. If Galaxia appearances are also counted, it would have seven appearances, making it the second most common ability in the anime. (for the purposes of this list, Sword and Galaxia are considered separate abilities)


 * Kirby's Duel Role (First Use)
 * Dark and Stormy Knight
 * A Princess in Dis-Dress
 * Crusade for the Blade
 * Teacher's Threat

In the Super Smash Bros. series
Sword Kirby appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

The hats Kirby gets when copying Link, Young Link, and Toon Link look just like Sword Kirby's hat (but Kirby gets either a boomerang or a bow & arrow, and not a sword), though this is to be expected since Sword's hat is a reference to Link in the first place. Sword's version of Final Cutter is taken from these games.

Related Quotes
"Kirby is brave when he has a sword!"

- Intro description

"A Kirby ability made when Kirby inhales a sword-wielding foe or a sword itself. Doing so provides Kirby with a rapid sword slash, a jumping sword spin, or even the energy-beam blast of the Final Sword. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that this is the #1 Copy Ability in terms of accessibility."

- Trophy description

"When Kirby dons a green cap and gets that blade in his hand, watch out! Launch charge attacks, lightning-speed slices, and more."

- Sword's description

"Cut evil down to size with the sword of science! Power Beam Saber!"

- In-game description for the Sword Mode of Robobot Armor

"That green cap makes Kirby seem heroic, doesn't it? Maybe wearing it just inspires Kirby, but while he's wearing it, he gets all kinds of neat moves, like Spin Slash, Multisword Attack, and Sword Dive. He's even able to pull off these moves in the air, on the ground, or underwater!"

- Trophy Description

"Deliver swiping and slashing attacks!"

- Kirby Battle Royale - Kirby's 25th Anniversary Copy Ability Poll

Trivia

 * Kirby's hat and the sword are direct references to Link, the main protagonist in The Legend of Zelda series. Despite this though, he instead gets the Boomerang when he copies Link in Super Smash Bros., and the Bow & Arrow when he copies him in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, since Kirby copies whatever his opponent's standard special is in that series.
 * Kirby can only shoot sword beams when he is at full health. This is also a direct reference to The Legend of Zelda series, as in various games, Link was able to shoot beams from his sword at full health.
 * The Spin Slash is a direct reference to the Spin Attack, a recurring sword technique in The Legend of Zelda series.
 * The Sky Energy Sword is a direct reference to the Skyward Strike in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. It functions similarly by the fact it involves pointing the sword upwards to charge in order to shoot beams of increased strength.
 * The Sword's current design also resembles the Master Sword in color and appearance.
 * When using the elemental sword abilities (Fire Sword, Ice Sword and Thunder Sword) in Kirby: Squeak Squad, the pom-pom and the yellow edge of Kirby's hat change colors to match the element.
 * Sword Kirby and the Blade Knight helper cannot normally use the upwards thrust. Meta Knight and Sword Knight can use the thrust, but those characters are only playable in certain sub-games in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
 * In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Kirby gains the ability to charge his blade and perform a spin attack and can also use an uppercut.
 * In the anime, Kirby gets the Sword ability from a sword-wielding Bugzzy, who only gives Backdrop or Suplex in the games, and from Kracko's sword-shaped lightning bolts, even though Kracko's lightning bolts cannot be inhaled in the games.
 * Kirby's yell is reminiscent of Young Link's from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
 * The flavor text for Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra calls the sword "the king of blades/weapons". This may be a further reference to The Legend of Zelda games, as Link's sword is called the Master Sword.
 * In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, there is an upgraded version of Sword called Ultra Sword, alongside other Super Abilities.
 * In Kirby: Squeak Squad, the Sword ability could be used to cut away at foliage, thus altering the landscape around Kirby, and sometimes revealing hidden items.
 * Sword is the only copy ability to have more than one helper for it in Helper to Hero.
 * The Spin Slash attack in Kirby's Return to Dream Land was originally seen in the Kirby GCN trailer. It was transferred to the final Wii product in the end.
 * In Kirby Fighters Deluxe, Sword's alternate costume is Blade Knight's helmet.
 * In the 25th Anniversary Poll that ran on the Official Kirby Website, Sword was unveiled on November 7, 2017 to have placed in the top ten.