Scarfy

“	The face of an angel? Sure...as long as you don't get Scarfy mad!”
	— Scarfy's Cast Description • Kirby's Epic Yarn

Scarfy is an enemy character that appears in several 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 beige-colored, ghastly, one-eyed creature with fangs. In this form, he is called a Mutant Scarfy^[1], and he will begin to chase after Kirby, exploding on contact (he will also explode if Kirby avoids him for a few seconds). Scarfy cannot be inhaled, but is vulnerable to all other attacks.

In the Games

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.

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: 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

A pink variant of Scarfy appears in this game. These are simply called Scarfys in English versions, and Hunter Scarfys - ハンタースカーフィ (Hunter Sukāfi) in the Japanese version. These only go into their mutant form when Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, or Waddle Dee grab a nearby key. They will chase them until they drop the key or use the key to open a door. After the latter happens, they return to their normal state. These Scarfys mimic the behavior of Phantos from Super Mario Bros. 2. In Extra Mode, more of these pink variants appear than in the normal 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.

In Other Games

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

In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

KRBAY scarfy — Scarfy's appearance in the anime

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 a second form - the mutant form. The original four became a small army overnight that only Hammer Kirby could stop. 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.

Scarfys are possible relatives of Whiskers, since they both float in the air and are pets.

Trivia

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 the anime, the Scarfys are some of the few Demon Beasts that weren't ordered by King Dedede specifically to destroy Kirby. Others include Crab and Honker Stomper.

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 • Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Official Strategy Guide (Prima)