Dark Matter (species)

Dark Matter is a major villain in Kirby's Dream Land 2, Kirby's Dream Land 3 and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.. It is controlled by Zero, as well as its revived form O2. It is a shadowy sphere lined with smaller orange (originally purple) spheres, with a single eye in the middle. It usually possesses someone to help it with its goal. This is usually King Dedede.

"Dark Matter" does not necessarily refer to an individual, but rather any of a number of shadowy clouds. These clouds can amass to form a comet the size of a planet (containing Zero Two at its center) from which they can break off of to wreak havoc on Pop Star or even envelope entire planets, as shown during their attack on Ripple Star. Although Zero can be thought of as the Dark Matter clouds' collective mind, they actually appear to be a "species" capable of independent thought - Gooey is said to be "made from the same stuff as Dark Matter", suggesting he is a docile cloud who rebelled. Some generic enemies such as Nidoo and Mariel appear to be made out of Dark Matter, though not the entity's base form.

The Dark Matter race made its last stand in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, where they invaded the surrounding planets and broke the Power Crystal of Ripple Star. All of the Dark Matter clouds came together to form Dark Star, the home of Zero Two. But the mass of Dark Matter was eventually destroyed once Kirby and Ribbon beat Zero Two.

Kirby's Dream Land 2
In Kirby's Dream Land 2, a cloud of Dark Matter steals the rainbow bridges that connect the islands of Dream Land. Taking control of King Dedede, the sinister being hid itself away in Dark Castle, plotting a future of darkness for Dream Land. The only way Kirby can fight Dark Matter is to collect all of the Rainbow Drops and defeat King Dedede. Once this is completed, Kirby would get a Rainbow Sword to fight Dark Matter's two forms with.

Dark Matter first confronts Kirby as a swordsman-like being. It attacks by dashing forward trying to hit Kirby, firing energy beams from its sword, and by kindling and launching dark energy orbs. Although Kirby can deal minor damage to Dark Matter with the Rainbow Sword itself, to significantly deplete its health Kirby must slice Dark Matter's energy orbs back at it. When defeated, Dark Matter turns into its real form and Kirby must fight it again. This time it attacks in a pattern, first releasing its circular linings at Kirby twice, then shooting dark beams in a circular motion twice, then launching itself forward three times, and finally shooting two streaks of black lightning from its eye three times. To ultimately defeat this cloud, Kirby has to repeatedly slash its spherical linings back at it during its first attack.

After its defeat, Dark Matter was sent soaring to parts unknown, and Kirby's animal friends and even King Dedede celebrated from Pop Star as their benefactor rode his Rainbow Sword through the air. With one last wave of the sword, Kirby restored the islands' rainbows and reversed Dark Matter's plans.

Kirby's Dream Land 3
In Kirby's Dream Land 3, Dark Matter is the main antagonist and once again possesses Dedede. If Kirby collects all of the Hearts, he fights Dark Matter with the Love-Love Stick. After Kirby defeats Dark Matter, he comes face to face with their mastermind and matriarch, Zero. After Zero takes enough damage, his eye comes out and continues to attack Kirby. After Kirby defeats Zero's eye, the day is once again saved from Dark Matter's threat and everything returns normal.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Dark Matter takes over the planet of Ripple Star and its population. Ribbon flies away on the power crystal which seems to be the only thing that can purge a Dark Matter from a victim without seriously harming the host in the process. Three Dark Matter follow her and shatters the crystal, the pieces of which fall across several different plants across the galaxy. Three Dark Matter (perhaps the ones that shattered the Power Crystal) possess a Waddle Dee (coincidentally turning it into a Waddle Doo), a painter named Adeleine, and King Dedede because they each find a crystal shard (and join Kirby afterwards).

The gang eventually reform the Power Crystal by defeating Miracle Matter, another being of Dark Matter. The cloud of darkness is lifted off Ripple Star and their adventure is seemingly over. However, the crystal apparently still senses the power of Dark Matter nearby, and it reacts by shooting a blast of light at the Queen Fairy. It is revealed that she was possessed by Dark Matter all along(which can be deciphered somewhat during the intro video, in which she makes an evil smirk for a split second), however, and the Dark Matter escapes to form Dark Star with the other Dark Matter clouds. Kirby travels to the core and encounters Zero Two.

Once Kirby and Ribbon defeat Zero Two, Dark Star is destroyed, seemingly alongside all of the Dark Matter clouds that produced it. With the defeat of Zero Two, all traces of Dark Matter have seemingly vanished.

Other Appearances
Dark Matter appears in the Kirby of the Stars pilot as one of the enemies created out of the plumes of smokes when the sky went dark. It looks like the form Kirby first fights in Kirby's Dream Land 3. Kirby Freezes him with the Ice ability after he inhales the Ice Dragon.

Dark Matter is drawn in Paint Panic in Kirby Canvas Curse. Dark Matter's swordsman form from Kirby's Dream Land 2 also appears in a collectable painting depicting various Kirby villains in Kirby: Squeak Squad. He is also one of the cards in Kirby Super Star Ultra 's Card Swipe sub-game, again in his swordsman form.