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Got a plan? Glad to help!
— Marx • Kirby Star Allies

Marx is a character in the Kirby series, debuting as the main antagonist and final boss of the sub-game Milky Way Wishes in Kirby Super Star and its remake, Kirby Super Star Ultra, as well as the final boss of the two games in general. He tricked Kirby into summoning Galactic Nova so he could steal the wish and take over Planet Popstar.

Marx would later make an appearance as a Dream Friend in Kirby Star Allies, implying that he is now at least on neutral terms with Kirby.

Physical Appearance

In his normal form, Marx appears to be a small jester with no legs, arms or hands. He wears brown shoes with small light brown dashes going across them that look like shoelaces. His skin is lavender with two big expressive dark purple eyes. His hat is divided into two colors with different shapes on each side: red with white triangles on the left side and blue with white circles on the right. Marx wears a red bow tie under his mouth, which has a fixed smile and two small fangs that are only visible when his mouth widens. His beach ball is striped with the colors of his hat: red, white, and blue, although artwork shows a yellow stripe on it.

After Marx makes his wish to take control of Planet Popstar, he transforms himself into his monster form; a fearsome bat-like monstrosity with golden yellow-colored wings with two sharp fang-like claws jutting out from each one. The wings also have flashing mirror-like, multicolored, hexagon-shaped scales under them. Each wing has a big, red heart embedded on the alula. His skin retains a purple hue (though his skin adopts a darker shade of purple in Kirby Super Star Ultra), but his eyes are big and black. Marx has a bigger mouth and Marx's bow tie is noticeably larger, but it appears to be coming undone. Lastly, his shoe color remains the same, but the shoes themselves are longer and are rounded at the ends. His eyes' pupils are also now somewhat inverse-cross-eyed when still, which may be a sign of slipping sanity.

Manga Marx

Marx's appearance in the Kirby of the Stars! Moretsu Pupupu Hour! manga.

In the Kirby of the Stars! Moretsu Pupupu Hour! manga, Marx looks very similar to his first form, except he now has arms with gloved hands and eyebrows, unlike any of his video game appearances.

Personality

While Marx appears to initially be friendly at first, he reveals himself to actually be cunning and manipulative, as he tricked Kirby into helping him in Milky Way Wishes. He also appears to be a bit of a prankster, as shown in Kirby Super Star Ultra (where he says “Now I can cause all the mischief I want!”) and in two pieces of artwork from the official Kirby Twitter account. In Kirby Star Allies, it is stated that Marx will remain a buddy if he is kept well-fed, implying that he is rather ravenous for food.

Games

Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra

KSS Marx artwork

Marx as he looks before making his wish.

Marx Kirby Super Star

Marx appears in his original form, about to tell Kirby how to stop the fight between the Sun and Moon in Milky Way Wishes.

Marx debuts in the Milky Way Wishes sub-game of Kirby Super Star and its remake as an integral character and final boss.

When the sun and moon of Planet Popstar start fighting each other and knocking each other out of the skies, a small jester-like being who goes by the name of Marx tells Kirby that the only way to stop the fight between the two is to gather the power of the surrounding stars and use them to summon Nova, a planet-sized, mechanical "comet" that can grant wishes. Before Kirby hops on the Warp Star, Marx wishes him good luck.

Marx 2

Marx soars to his supposed doom with Nova in Kirby Super Star Ultra.

After gathering the power from the seven planets' Fountains and summoning Nova, Kirby goes before Nova to make his wish to save Popstar. Marx knocks Kirby away before he can, however, and makes his own selfish wish — to take complete control of Popstar. When this happens, he transforms into his monster form and gains new powers. Marx reveals that he tricked the sun and moon into fighting each other as well as Kirby, in a master plan to conquer Popstar. Afterward, Nova begins looming towards Popstar, leaving Kirby alone to float in space. The power Kirby had gathered comes together and creates a Starship for him to stop Nova with, however. Nova's journey to Popstar is suddenly hampered by the sun and moon, giving Kirby the chance to enter him. When Kirby destroys his heart, Nova is injured, and an angered Marx attempts to attack Kirby himself in a purple arena. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, after Marx has taken sufficient damage, the screen will occasionally start changing colors between blue, green, and red, possibly an effect of him straining his powers to the maximum in an effort to finish Kirby off for good. In spite of Marx's fearsome and deadly new powers, Kirby manages to win and send Marx flying into Nova's broken head, seemingly destroying them both in a massive explosion.

Marx is battled at the end of The Arena and, in Kirby Super Star Ultra only, The True Arena. Marx's role in the Nintendo DS remake is essentially the same as the original game, with a twist concerning his fate. A clip shown towards the end of The True Arena reveals that after he was defeated in the events of Milky Way Wishes, his body had begun to absorb dark energy and scattered pieces of Nova, not only reviving him but also transforming him into the even stronger Marx Soul. After a series of battles against Kirby's toughest enemies, Marx Soul appears in a colorful but dark and distorted dimension as the final foe.

Marx appears in the Special-Edition Blooper Reel movie in Kirby Super Star Ultra in the second-to-last clip. When he tries to tell Kirby and friends how to stop the Sun and Moon from fighting, he slips and falls off his ball on the ground before he even gets a chance to talk. Marx also appears in the Kirby Master cutscene when Kirby completes a file with 100%, having a front row seat in the audience for Kirby's Victory Dance, despite having been defeated by him in the past sub-games.

Attacks

KSS Marx Boss

Marx as seen fighting Hammer Kirby in Kirby Super Star.

Marx has five powerful attacks that follow a simple but distinct pattern, many of which involve teleportation. He begins the battle by shooting out four crescent blades at Kirby as soon as he appears. He then flies up, going off the screen, and drops four small seeds that grow into four large, thorny vines that appear in the same spots the seeds fell in. After the vines grow and disappear, an electrified shadow appears and begins to follow Kirby around the floor. After a few seconds, Marx springs up from the ground and flies into the air for a moment. Marx then teleports off-screen and reappears at the side, glowing blue at this time, and shoots out a stream of arrows at Kirby. Marx flies off and then reappears above Kirby. His cheeks puff out, and he spits out a black ball at the ground, which turns into two ice balls that slide across the screen according to Kirby's height level. Finally, Marx's cheeks puff out again while he's glowing, and spits out a giant white beam. Marx then teleports himself all over the place multiple times in a row.

This pattern will repeat, but after taking enough damage, his attack pattern will become more random and unpredictable. A new attack is introduced in this phase, during which he can split himself in two symmetrical halves and reveal a black hole that deals heavy damage. Fortunately, this is his slowest and most predictable attack, although it has a considerable range and guarding is ineffective against it.

Kirby: Squeak Squad

While Marx does not appear in the main game, he appears in a graphic depicting several other final bosses; Kirby can assemble this picture by collecting Graphic Pieces from Treasure Chests.

Kirby Mass Attack

Cannon DAuJLJbVYAER17h This section contains information that does not coincide with the main series canon. (Similar)

Marx makes an appearance as the final boss of the Kirby Brawlball sub-game on a board resembling that of the battlefield's landscape. He is much bigger than he originally appeared, and he uses revamped versions of his original attacks. Illusions of his normal form also occasionally litter the ground, walking on beach balls. If the player manages to get Kirby to bounce on their heads, the player acquires two additional Kirbys.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land

Marx makes a few cameos in this game:

  • One of Stone Kirby's transformations is a statue of Marx in his normal form on his beach ball.
  • Marx appears in the "Kirby Master" video, similar to Kirby Super Star Ultra.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe

Marx makes several cameo appearances in this game:

  • One of Stone Kirby's transformations is a statue of Marx next to Magolor.
  • Marx appears as one of the rare keychains using his Kirby Super Star sprite, along with his soul form from Kirby Super Star Ultra.
  • Marx appears in the "Kirby Master!" cutscene, sitting next to Magolor and Galacta Knight.

Kirby: Planet Robobot

Marx makes some cameo appearances in this game:

  • Marx makes a cameo appearance as a rare sticker, while in his original form.
  • Marx appears one of the Stone transformations next to Magolor, as in Kirby: Triple Deluxe.

Kirby Star Allies

Marx appears as a Dream Friend, added in the first update to Kirby Star Allies, primarily using his jester form. According to the game's Flavor Text, Marx somehow survived the crash into Nova in Milky Way Wishes and sensed danger from afar, coming to Kirby's aid despite their past history, in order to stop the threat looming over the galaxy. Marx's moveset uses most of his attacks from his boss fights in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra. On the ground, he is in his normal form, using his ball to roll around and attack, while in mid-air he becomes his monster form.

Marx's attacks can be enhanced with any element, which changes how some of his moves work.

In the 2.0.0 update, a statue of Marx performing his Black Hole move may be seen when Kirby uses the Stone ability.

In the 4.0.0 update, Marx was added as a bonus boss. When playing the Credits Game after clearing the Heroes in Another Dimension sub-game, Marx appears to challenge Kirby in a manner similar to how King Dedede and Meta Knight did in different modes. The player has a limited time to defeat him before he flees the stage. He uses all of his attacks from Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra, while using the laughter from the latter game. Should Marx's attacks hit the player or any CPUs present, 500 points are taken away.

Moveset

Move Controls Description Damage
Kirby Star Allies
[1]
Jester Ball Ride B (without ball) Marx summons a Jester Ball, which is functionally similar to Kirby's Bomb. Unlike Kirby's Bomb, it can be ridden indefinitely. 26
Ball Kick B (on ball) Pressing B once kicks the ball at a low angle. The trajectory can be adjusted with the ↑ or ↓ buttons when holding B. The ball will ricochet if it hits a wall. 26
Prank Kick B next to foe (near enemy, without ball) Marx will trap and trample on the enemy, ultimately kicking them away. 16 (Trample), 48 (thrown object)
Time-Bomb Jester Ball ↓ + B Places a ball on the ground, which can be left to explode or kicked into a foe. 16 (Ball), 28 (Explosion)
Ball Kick Shot Dash + B Summons and kicks a ball at a high speed that initially travels straight, then may bounce if it does not collide with anything. 32
Radiant Flight A in midair Marx grows wings and hovers, taking on a more boss-like appearance. The wings can damage enemies. 4
Jester Ball Spit-Drop B during Radiant Flight Drops a more powerful ball straight down in a similar fashion to the freeze bomb from his boss phase. 20
Black Hole B (hold) during Radiant Flight Inhales a large quantity of nearby enemies, if any, and deals massive damage to bosses. 32 (Edge), 48 (Center)
Marx Megaspin Dash + ↓ + B in midair Performs a unique dipping motion and spews arrow projectiles on the upswing. 24
Marx Flip Ultima ↓ + B in midair Marx jumps down into the ground and becomes an invulnerable shadow for up to four seconds. He then blasts upwards in a Shadow Uppercut. 16 (Dive), 18 (Shock Wave), 24 (Shock Wave Strong), 32 (Shadow Uppercut), 24 (Shadow Uppercut Finisher), 16 (Shadow Uppercut Shock Wave)
Rush Dash + B in midair Marx charges forwards surrounded by a rainbow aura. This can be chained in succession with other presses of B, transition into a Marx Megaspin with ↑ + ↓ + B, or transition to a Marx Flip Ultima with ↓ + B. 14
Teleport Radiant Flight + L/R Marx teleports a short distance forward. The teleport direction can be angled. This move can be repeated by tapping L/R after teleporting.

Elemental Attributes

Move Blizzard Bluster Sizzle Splash Zap Damage
Ball Kick, Ball Kick Shot Blizzard Marx's ball creates a temporary, damaging mass of ice on the floor, wall, or ceiling on which it bounces. Bluster Marx's ball descends more slowly, giving it more air time. Sizzle Marx's ball leaves a small blaze. Splash Marx's ball leaves a small watery burst. Zap Marx's ball leaves a small spark.
Jester Ball Ride Allows Marx to roll across lava. If Marx jumps, the ball will lift him up into the air and he will be able to float in any direction. N/A Allows Marx to roll across lava. Leaves a spark trail on water.
Explosion of a ball A larger batch of crystals is formed. Creates a large whirlwind. A larger blaze is formed. A large burst of water is formed and two droplets arc out. One vertical lightning bolt is summoned.
Prank Kick The enemy or object thrown has the properties of an ice projectile. The enemy or object thrown has the properties of a wind projectile. The enemy or object thrown has the properties of a fire projectile. The enemy or object thrown has the properties of a water projectile. The enemy or object thrown has the properties of an electric projectile.
Radiant Flight Wings resemble ice crystals. Wings are pale green. Wings are red and burning. Wings are blue. Wings have a green hue and are electrified.
Jester Ball Spit-Drop Two large circular projectiles shoot out to either direction from the site of impact and freeze enemies, similar to those from his Kirby Super Star boss fight. Summons four cutters of wind like in the Kirby Super Star boss fight; thee cutters can cut through ropes and [fire] chains. The ball creates a large whirlwind on impact. Summons two arcing fireballs at the explosion. A thorny cactus like that of the Kirby Super Star boss fight grows from the site of impact. Shoots two diagonal lightning bolts from the explosion. 24 (Ice Bomb Wave)
14 (Shooter Cutter)
Marx Megaspin, Rush Icicles are formed along the flight path. The icicles fall to the ground, damaging enemies and creating crystals. A huge cyclone appears at the end of the Megaspin. Creates gusts behind Rush, traveling a wavy path. Shoots fireballs ahead of Marx. Water drops are ejected during flight. Shoots electrified arrows resembling those of the Kirby Super Star boss fight. 12 (Thunder Arrow)
Marx Flip Ultima Four huge ice stalagmites are formed on the ground. Multiple large gusts are left behind as Marx ascends from the ground, which let Marx travel higher. Four fireballs burst out of the ground with Marx. Six water drops burst out of the ground. Four lightning bolts burst out, two of which run parallel to the ground.

In the Super Smash Bros. series

Marx appears as a boss in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He appears in both Classic Mode (as a boss in Kirby, Inkling, Rosalina & Luma, and Sephiroth's routes) and World of Light, where he is fought in the Mysterious Dimension of the Dark Realm.

Marx retains almost all of his attacks from his boss fight in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra apart from his arrow barrage attack. The seeds he drops on the ground now sprout dark branches of energy rather than green vines. He has gained new attacks as well; he can turn his eyes pitch-black in order to make them fall out of their sockets and bounce toward the player, dealing darkness damage after hit. He can also enlarge his eyes to the point where they protrude out of their sockets, grow many pupils on them, and shoot four lasers (five in Hard mode) out of each eye. His eyes slightly rotate, causing the lasers to rotate as well. Lastly, he can retract his wings in order to spread veins throughout the areas to his sides, burning the player on contact. After defeat, he screams, his body violently bounces across the arena, his wings break off, and he reverts back to his original form and lies lifeless on the ground, burning in purple flames.

When defeated in World of Light, the player receives his spirit (in jester form). It is a Primary, Advanced-class, Grab spirit that can be enhanced into Marx’s winged form, which is a Primary, Legend-class Grab spirit. While his Advanced-class spirit sports no effect, his Legend-class spirit increases Magic Attacks.

Marx's hat also appears as wearable headgear for the Mii Fighters.

In Other Languages

Names, etymology and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology and notes
Japan マルク Officially romanized as Marx.
United States of America Marx
Republic of Korea 마르크 Officially romanized as Marx.
Federal Republic of Germany Max
French Republic
(General)
Max
Italian Republic Mark
Kingdom of Spain
(General)
Marx

Music

Db The following section contains transcluded content from the Database. Source: (viewedit • help)
Meddlesome Marx
KSSU Marx artwork
Vs. Marx/Star Allies Dream ver.
Kirby Star Allies
Music
Marx is a character in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra. He was a diminuitive jester of Dream Land with big plans. He made the Sun and Moon of Dream Land to fight with each other, and asked Kirby to summon Nova using the powers of the Dream Fountains of surrounding planets and wish the fighting to stop, but he has his own plans for that one wish Nova can grant - complete control over Dream Land.

Quotes

Hey, hey, hey. Can you make peace between the Sun and Moon? You need to ask the giant comet Nova for help! But first, there's something we must do. To ask Nova, we must gather power from all the stars around us. It will be difficult, Kirby, but you can do it! We are counting on you. Good luck!
— Marx to Kirby • Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star Ultra
Well, I want to control Pop Star!
— Marx to Nova • Kirby Super Star/Ultra
WOW! It worked. The Sun & Moon are fighting. Go find Nova. All my plans worked! Popstar is all MINE! Now, I can do anything! I must be going now. Hahahahahahahah....
— Marx to Kirby • Kirby Super Star
I did it! It all went according to plan! I got the sun and moon to fight. I got you to go into space... it was all according to my perfect little plan! Now I can cause all the mischief I want! Haha! See you later!
— Marx to Kirby • Kirby Super Star Ultra

Related Quotes

Marx has shown his true form! Fly in and protect Pop Star! Do it, Kirby, our Super Star!
— Marx's Pause Screen description • Kirby Super Star Ultra
Marx from Kirby Super Star has popped in! A final boss here to help? Unbelievable!
— Marx • Kirby Star Allies
The cosmic jester from Kirby Super Star sensed danger from afar and is ready to roll across galaxies on his ball! This final boss is here to help!
— Guest Star description • Kirby Star Allies
The famous jester from Kirby Super Star has finally arrived to get in on the action! Sure, he's had a diabolical past as a final boss, but he'll be your buddy if you keep him well-fed. It's a dream come true!
— Flavor Text • Kirby Star Allies
A magic hat lovingly dedicated to the ultimate jester. It was inspired by the clown who wished on a star to make it his own.
— Armor description • Super Kirby Clash
A staff inspired by the clown who tried to steal a star for himself. Carrying this might put you in the mood for mischief. (Heeheehee!)
— Weapon description • Super Kirby Clash

Trivia

  • Despite Marx's Japanese name translating closer to "Mark", the Japanese version of The Arena and Kirby Mass Attack renders it Marx.
  • Artwork of Marx in the Japanese manual for Kirby Super Star seems to suggest that Marx is wearing glasses. This detail is left out in other artworks of Marx.
  • Marx wears a hat near identical to the original hat worn by Mirror Kirby, which also debuted in Kirby Super Star. The two colors on the hat are reversed on Marx's hat and the blue part on Mirror Kirby's hat is more of a teal color. This coincides with the colorful mirror-like panels that stream down Marx's wings, or him splitting in half like Mirror Kirby to perform the Black Hole move.
  • A remix of Marx’s theme combined with the end of Milky Way Wishes can be found in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It is unlocked by picking up a random CD. It later returned in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, also unlocked by picking up a CD, and in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as well as one of the many tracks the game starts out with.
  • Marx's laugh was changed in the remake; it was a warped sound effect in the original, but he was given a demented high-pitched laughter in the remake. In Kirby Mass Attack, his laugh is similar to that in the remake, but the actual board design is closer to the original version.
  • A portrait of Marx alongside some other final bosses is shown in Kirby: Squeak Squad in one of the collectible pieces of artwork obtainable from Treasure Chests.
  • A split second before Marx is powered up by Nova, he looks similar to Marx Soul. This is true even in the original SNES game.
  • In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, it is possible that Marx had a hand behind the scenes. When Kirby acquires all 120 Energy Spheres in Extra Mode, Magolor tells Kirby that he knows someone who knew Kirby quite well, and implies that this person may have been a former enemy. Magolor also mentions that the ancients of Halcandra who crafted the Lor Starcutter also was "the same power that gave rise to clockwork stars that soar the cosmos," and "mysterious items that can bring dreams to life." These signs most strongly point to Marx, as these are prominent elements of Milky Way Wishes. What’s more, due to Marx’s recent appearance in Kirby Star Allies, where he is seen to be alive and well, this assumption seems more plausible.
    • Additionally, both were villains who deceived Kirby, and their use of elemental attacks is similar. The black hole attacks used by both villains have the same visual effect: if Kirby is sucked in, he is transported briefly to an alternate dimension where he takes severe damage. Both Marx and Magolor shoot out giant beams that cause heavy damage, and they both teleport themselves to different places around their respective arenas, and launch projectiles at Kirby.
    • Marx and Magolor also appear together in a stone transformation first appearing in Kirby: Triple Deluxe, as well as in a skit on the title screen of Kirby Star Allies, which could further imply a connection between the two. Although, it could also just be referencing that they were the only two villains who had backstabbed Kirby instead.
  • In Kirby Super Star, Marx has pointed arrows at the tips of each wing. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, the tips are more rounded like hearts.
  • Strangely, the surface of the arena that Kirby fights Marx and Marx Soul on appears to scroll rapidly from the right, even though Kirby may appear to be standing completely still. The same effect was seen in Nightmare's battle in Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land.
  • In Kirby Fighters Deluxe, Kirby wears Marx's hat as Beam's alternate costume.
KSA Goal Game Marx

The highest level of the Goal Game in Kirby Star Allies

  • Two balloons appear in the background of the highest level of Kirby Star Allies‘s Goal Game. One is blue with white dot patterns and the other is red with white triangle patterns; they are held together with a red bow tie. These appear to be a reference to Marx.
  • When Marx's ball is enhanced with an element in Kirby Star Allies, the hexagon pattern on his wings will change to a single color.
  • Marx, King Dedede, and Magolor are the only three true final bosses that are playable in the Kirby series.
  • In Kirby Star Allies, on the title, file select, and menu screens, Kirby, Marx, and his friends might reenact the opening cutscene of Milky Way Wishes.
  • Marx's yellow alternate palette in Kirby Star Allies has similar, if not identical, colors to Beam Kirby in Kirby Super Star.
  • In Kirby Star Allies, Marx is the only friend who has a different animation for the team-up laser attack, which is the face he makes when firing his laser in his boss fight from Milky Way Wishes.
  • Marx’s intro menu in Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go! is a reference to the Japanese box art of Kirby Super Star, where it had a wooden style to it.
  • Interestingly, in Kirby Star Allies, the Marx featured during the credits of Heroes in Another Dimension also includes in-game data that includes his theme song and a health bar, despite the fact these two features are not actually utilized or displayed in the end credits fight.
  • Marx was originally going to be creepier in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but he was toned down in order to prevent the game from receiving a higher age rating.

Videos

Artwork

Icons

Gallery

Sprites and Models

References

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