Scarfy

"The face of an angel? Sure...as long as you don't get Scarfy mad!"

- Scarfy's Cast Description

Scarfy is an enemy character that appears in many games in the Kirby series. At first glance, Scarfy looks like an orange, floating, round ball, with a cute face, and pointy, cat-like ears. Under certain conditions (usually from Kirby trying to inhale Scarfy), he turns into a ghastly, beige-colored one-eyed creature with fangs. In this form, he is called a Mutant Scarfy, and he will begin to chase after Kirby, exploding on contact (A Scarfy will also explode if Kirby avoids him for a few seconds). Scarfy cannot be inhaled, but is vulnerable to all other attacks.

In Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby: Triple Deluxe, when a mutant Scarfy hits Kirby, he will not only take damage but will also go up in flames and knock out his Copy Ability while he is carrying one. There is also a darker-colored variant of Scarfys that exist and are called Hunter Scarfys that are more common in the Extra Modes of those games. They only turn into Mutant Scarfys when a Key is obtained by Kirby.

Kirby's Dream Land
This was Scarfy's first appearance. Scarfy would explode upon defeat regardless of how they were defeated; in more recent games they no longer explode under normal circumstances.

Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra
In these games, certain Scarfys turn into their one-eyed forms while Kirby's back is turned on them, or when Kirby gets too close to them regardless of whether he tried to inhale them or not. Using the Copy Copy Ability on a Scarfy results in Kirby obtaining the Crash ability, which is unobtainable from a Scarfy using any other method.

Kirby's Dream Land 3
In this game, Scarfy can be eaten if Kirby (or Gooey) is teamed up with ChuChu or Rick, but they give no ability when swallowed this way.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Scarfy reprises its role from Kirby Super Star.

Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
Scarfys retain their usual role in this game, however they only turn into their mutant form when Kirby tries to inhale them.

Kirby: Canvas Curse
Scarfy does not feature directly in Kirby: Canvas Curse, but a drawing of him can be drawn by Paint Roller in Paint Panic.

Kirby: Squeak Squad
In this game, Throw Kirby can grab them and use them as a projectile. Defeating them using Bubble only yields a normal Star bubble.

Kirby's Epic Yarn
Because Kirby does not have the ability to swallow enemies, Scarfys will chase Kirby when they get near him. Kirby cannot unravel or roll up a Scarfy, or even beam one up when he is in Saucer form, but the enemy can be defeated either using his Weight form or the Saucer's electricity attack on them. Scarfy is also one of the items to be purchased in the Furniture Shop.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Scarfys appear in this game, acting as they do in other games. Starting here, the enemy's mutant form changed from a red or dark orange hue to a dark gray, almost like stone. Key-protecting Hunter Scarfys also make their debut in this game.

Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition
Scarfy appears in the New Challenge Stages. He appears in the Spark, Whip, Wing, and Normal Challenges. He also appears in the Smash Combat Chamber, as well as Magolor Race 1, 3, and EX.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Scarfys return, retaining their typical role. Some Scarfys will turn hostile if Kirby passes them or nears one of them, mirroring their behavior seen in Kirby's Epic Yarn. Hunter Scarfys also return, chasing the hero whenever he grabs a key. A Scarfy in its mutant form is able to pass from the background to the foreground (or vice-versa) in pursuit of Kirby.

In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Dedede bought four Scarfys as pets in the episode Dedede's Pet Threat, but their Kirby-like appetites made Dedede bankrupt, so he released them. While in the wild, the Scarfys started eating animals and reproducing rapidly. The Scarfys then ate bones sent by NME that mutated them, giving them the second, mutated form. The original four became a small army overnight that only Hammer Kirby could stop. They were turned back into themselves by having the NME bones knocked out of their mouths. Even then, Dedede was forced to keep the army of hungry Scarfys. A running gag in the episode is that Scarfys seem to be fond of Kirby's arm, since they keep biting into it.

In the Super Smash Bros. series
Scarfy appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. A trophy of Scarfy also exists in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Like several of the other Kirby trophies in the game, Scarfy uses its model from Kirby's Return to Dream Land.

Related Quotes
"At first glance, Scarfy appears to be a gentle cat-like creature. But wait—if Kirby gets too close, Scarfy shows it's [sic] huge teeth and chases him. Stay clear."

- Description

"Creatures with cute, catlike faces that float through the sky in a playful, gentle manner. Get close enough, however, and Scarfies take to the offensive in a new, scary form. They can't be inhaled and eventually explode on their own. This is one enemy that you should probably attack as little as possible. That's right--let sleeping Scarfies lie."

- Trophy description

"They look friendly at first, but just wait..."

- Official Kirby: Triple Deluxe website "He looks almost as cute as Kirby himself, lazily floating in the air... but you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. If you try to inhale him, Scarfy will instantly turn into a terrifying, one-eyed monster before ruthlessly chasing you down and exploding! In Return to Dream Land, some kinds of Scarfy only chase you if you're holding a key."

- Trophy description

Trivia

 * Scarfys are possible relatives of Whiskers, since they both float in the air and are cat like in appearance.
 * Scarfy's name could be a pun on the phrase to scarf, which means to eat very quickly; since they are shown in the anime to eat just about everything. "Scarfy" is also scary with an f, which may refer to his one-eyed mutant form.
 * A glitch allows Kirby to obtain the Crash ability from Scarfy without using the Copy copy ability; if he manages to damage Scarfy and immediately inhale afterwards, Kirby will manage to actually inhale Scarfy and obtain the Crash ability.
 * In Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition, Scarfy's mutant form is gray.
 * In Kirby: Right Back At Ya!, the Scarfys are some of the few monsters that weren't ordered by King Dedede specifically to destroy Kirby. Others include Crab and Honker Stomper.