Editing Meta Knight

{{Featured}}{{Infobox-Character
|image=[[File:KRtDLD Meta Knight.png|350px]]
|caption=Artwork of '''Meta Knight''' from ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe]]''
|game=[[#Game appearances|(click to navigate)]]
|game1=''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'' (1993)
|lastgame=''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe]]'' (2023)
|related=[[Dark Meta Knight]]<br>[[Mecha Knight]]<br>[[Parallel Meta Knight]]<br>[[Waning Crescent Masked Dedede & Waxing Crescent Masked Meta Knight|Waxing Crescent Masked Meta Knight]]<br>[[Phantom Meta Knight]]
|similar=[[Galacta Knight]]<br>[[Metal General]]<br>[[Morpho Knight]]
|voice=Anonymous HAL Laboratory staff member <small>(''Kirby'' series)</small><br>[[wikipedia:Atsushi Kisaichi|Atsushi Kisaichi]] <small>(''Super Smash Bros.'' series; Japanese)</small><br>Eric Newsome <small>(''Super Smash Bros.'' series; English)
|theme music=[[File:My Friend and the Sunset KF2.mp3]]
|theme title="[[My Friend and the Sunset]]"
|description=Clip of "My Friend and the Sunset" from ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]''. Though introduced as a cutscene theme in ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'', the song was established as Meta Knight's personal theme beginning in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''.
|other wikis=[[smashwiki:Meta Knight|SmashWiki]]<br>[[mariowiki:Meta Knight|Super Mario Wiki]]
}}
{{title font|#9C99FF|#4A18B4}}
{{About|the character|the group named after and led by him|[[Meta-Knights]]}}
{{quote|The time has come. The time to show our power!|'''Meta Knight''' in [[Revenge of Meta Knight]]'s opening cutscene, ''[[Kirby Super Star]]''}}
<onlyinclude>{{#ifeq:{{{transcludesection|}}}|lead|
'''Meta Knight''' (occasionally formatted as '''Meta-Knight''' in older media) is a masked, winged swordsman who serves as a recurring character in the [[Kirby (series)|''Kirby'' series]], first appearing in ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]''. He is a mysterious figure, and his backstory is not clearly shown in the game series. The installments he appears in usually feature him as a [[boss]], but since ''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]'', there have been instances where he is playable in alternate modes, or even teams up with [[Kirby]] directly. Though most of his schemes originate from arguably good intentions, the ways he tries to accomplish his goals are often very extreme and poorly understood by others. Meta Knight is also the leader of a band of warriors known simply as the [[Meta-Knights]], and he owns a giant warship designed after himself, known as the [[Halberd]].

Along with [[King Dedede]] and the [[Waddle Dee]]s, Meta Knight serves as one of the most recognizable characters in the [[Kirby (series)|''Kirby'' series]] aside from Kirby himself. Despite this fame, he was not very prevalent in the early days of the series, making his only major appearances in titles like ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'' and ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' (he is notably absent from any of the titles directed by [[Shinichi Shimomura]]). However, he would become much more prevalent in the series following his role in ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'', becoming playable for the first time in an unlockable [[Extra Mode|Extra Game]] in ''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land'', [[Meta Knightmare]]. He would appear more regularly in the series from that point onward, and would often be playable. Meta Knight is famous for his expert swordsmanship, and combined with his unparalleled aerial mobility, he is a force to be reckoned with. He wields [[Galaxia]], which is a powerful mythical blade in the anime series and carries some of that mystique to the main series as well.
}}</onlyinclude>{{:{{ROOTPAGENAME}}|transcludesection=lead}}

==Physical appearance==
[[File:KA Meta Knight artwork.png|thumb|150px|Even in his most basic appearances, Meta Knight is defined by his dark round body, his sword, and his mask. Since his debut in ''Kirby's Adventure'', Meta Knight has gradually gained more and more details to his look.]]
Meta Knight appears as a blue, roundish creature, with a physique similar to that of [[Kirby]]. His most prominent feature is his silver mask. He also wears purple sabatons, metal pauldrons, and a purple cape, which he can transform into two large bat wings. He is often seen wielding his trademark sword, the [[Galaxia]]. This legendary golden blade is usually depicted with prongs on each of its sides. When Meta Knight is defeated, his mask usually splits in two and falls off, revealing a face similar to Kirby's own, except blue and without cheek blush. In earlier games, his eyes were white under his mask and he did have cheek blush, but this was changed to have his eyes always be yellow in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]'', and he later appeared that way in ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'' and subsequent games. In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', the mask is shown to give his eyes a yellow tint, as Kirby's blue eyes turn green when he wears it after copying him. The reason behind the color change was addressed in a developer Miiverse post: there was a limit of the number of colors at the time that could be used due to technical limitations, and white was chosen because "it stood out more". HAL was concerned about fan reactions but decided to change the color to yellow for the aesthetic purposes of his 3D model.

In games where he speaks, he is shown to have a deep voice and can talk in full sentences, which makes a sharp contrast to the usual depiction of Kirby.

===Changes in design===
When Meta Knight first debuted in ''Kirby's Adventure'', he was defined only by his round body, cape, mask, gloves, and sword. He originally had a jet black body color and lacked wings entirely, and would discard his cape when battling Kirby. Since then, subsequent games in the ''Kirby'' and ''Super Smash Bros.'' series would make alterations and additions to his design. The following is a timeline of each notable change to Meta Knight by game since his debut (though these changes would not be consistently applied across games after being introduced):
*''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' - Meta Knight's body hue would be adjusted to a deep navy blue, and more details would be added to his mask, sword, and gloves. He would also gain his wings and distinct pauldrons. This design first appeared in ''[[Kirby's Avalanche]]'', but likely was designed specifically for ''Kirby Super Star''. This design has gone on to become the modern standard, and what every future redesign of Meta Knight would be based on.
*''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]'' - Meta Knight's sword would be redesigned in promotional artwork to be based on its appearance in ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'', and would also be canonized as [[Galaxia]]. Despite this, it would not be until ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'' that the Galaxia appeared distinctly in-game.
*''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' - Meta Knight would be given more details in this game, such as his cape specifically transforming into his wings and back. He would also gain distinct armored shoes, his emblem on his left pauldron, and a bat symbol added to the back of his cape. This is also the first game where Galaxia is referred to by name.
*''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]'' - Meta Knight would be given armor plating on his gloves, a detail previously seen in official artwork for Meta Knight from ''Kirby: Squeak Squad'' and ''Kirby Super Star Ultra''. His pauldrons and cape are also given a black color.
*''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'' - Meta Knight's eyes under his mask would be changed from white to yellow, and his pauldrons and cape would revert back to their original appearance. Additionally, his mask would be completely redesigned. 
*''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]'' - Meta Knight's body color would be adjusted to a dark indigo, matching the color of his wings and pauldrons.

==Personality==
[[File:KSSU RoMK Meta Knight Fight.png|thumb|250px|Even when Kirby is otherwise foiling his plans, Meta Knight still requires a fair fight from his pink rival, and [[GRAB IT!|offers a sword to him]] before duels.]]
{{quote|You showed me your true strength... and for that I must thank you. I must train harder... I WILL TRAIN HARDER!|'''Meta Knight''' in ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''}}
Meta Knight is what can be described as a passionate swordsman, and a well-intended extremist. He features a quite combative personality and is constantly striving to be the best sword fighter in [[Dream Land]]. This is especially shown in ''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]'', where he wishes to best [[Galacta Knight]], the 'Greatest Warrior in the Galaxy'. He also seems to despise laziness, as shown by [[Revenge of Meta Knight|his attempt to take over Dream Land]] in ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' and [[Kirby Super Star Ultra|its remake]]. Meta Knight is very well known for following a stern warrior codex; when he challenges someone, he is usually looking for a fair and equal match. Whenever Kirby has to fight him for different reasons depending on the situation, he [[GRAB IT!|provides Kirby with a sword and insists that he use it.]] Meta Knight also has a habit to conceal his face for unknown reasons. Whenever his mask breaks during a fight, he hides his face in his cape and instantly leaves the battlefield.

Meta Knight appears to be quite prideful and relies heavily upon his image as a stern and mysterious swordsman, which would explain why he hides his face. Despite his desired image, however, he is often brash and short-tempered. In the spin-off title ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]'' for instance, one of the [[Channel PPP Crew]] members remarks that Meta Knight has a tendency to curse when he is stressed out during the games (though obviously, the player never hears this). Additionally, in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'', Meta Knight will lose his temper if Kirby refuses to pick up the [[Sword]] given to him before his boss fight, causing him to kick it away.

==Signature attacks==
Due to being a boss in so many ''Kirby'' games, Meta Knight has a large number of signature attacks which he uses in most of his fights, and in some games can be used when he is playable. Due to his sword and wings, his moveset is typically portrayed as a combination of [[Sword]] and [[Wing]] Kirby, though he does have a number of attacks unique to himself. The following table lists all of his most notable attacks, in alphabetical order:

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border=1 cellpadding=2
!colspan=4|Meta Knight's signature attacks &nbsp;
|-
!Name
!First game used
!Description
!Notes
|-
|Crescent Shot
|''[[Kirby Super Star]]''
|Meta Knight fires a crescent-shaped energy projectile out of his sword which can travel a long distance.
|Also referred to as "Sword Beam".
|-
|Dimensional Strike
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' (first appearance), ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]'' (first use in a ''Kirby'' game)
|Meta Knight uses his cape to vanish, then reappears elsewhere and strikes.
|
|-
|Down Thrust
|''[[Kirby's Adventure]]''
|Meta Knight leaps into the air and then drops straight downward with his sword beneath him, planting it into the ground.
|This move would later become usable by Sword Kirby.
|-
|Galaxia Darkness
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' (first appearance), ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'' (first use in a ''Kirby'' game)
|Meta Knight creates a field of darkness by sweeping his cape, then pierces the darkness with a powerful strike from his sword.
|
|-
|Tornado Attack
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' (first appearance), ''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]'' (first use in a ''Kirby'' game)
|Meta Knight spins into a whirlwind, attacking enemies all around him.
|
|-
|Meta Triple Slash
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]''
|Meta Knight performs three slashes with his sword - one after the other - as he moves forward.
|
|-
|[[Shuttle Loop]]
|''[[Kirby Super Star]]''
|Meta Knight leaps into the air and then flies straight forward, usually after performing a looping turn in midair.
|
|-
|Tornado Slash
|''[[Kirby Super Star]]''
|Meta Knight thrusts his sword into the ground, causing a giant tornado to appear and sweep across the arena.
|
|-
|Up Thrust
|''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]''
|Meta Knight thrusts his sword straight upward in a quick motion.
|This move can also be performed by [[Master]] Kirby.
|-
|[[Upper Calibur]]
|''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|Meta Knight strikes upward in an arc, catching his opponent and throwing them upward into the air. If successful, Meta Knight will then repeatedly strike the opponent in the air before striking them back down to the ground, dealing big damage.
|
|}

==Variants==
Due to Meta Knight's ubiquity as a character, there are several other entities that resemble him, as well as alternate versions of Meta Knight himself. The following lists all of the different versions of Meta Knight along with other characters or entities that resemble him throughout the ''Kirby'' video game series:
===Alternate versions of Meta Knight===
*'''[[Dark Meta Knight]]''': A shadowy evil version of Meta Knight that was created by [[Dark Mind]] and first appeared in ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]''. This version of Meta Knight is recognizable by his darker appearance, silver sword, tattered wings, and slash mark on his mask.
*'''[[Mecha Knight]]''': When Meta Knight is captured by the [[Haltmann Works Company]] in ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'', he is mind-controlled and mechanized, then sent after Kirby. This version of Meta Knight has the ability to fire missiles and shoot lasers from an eyepiece on his mask. Two more versions of Mecha Knight were made, known as [[Mecha Knight+]] and [[Stock Mecha Knight]], the latter of which is a fully robotic duplicate.
*'''[[Parallel Meta Knight]]''': Referred to as the "Otherworldly Frost Blade", this parallel version of Meta Knight from [[Another Dimension]] has a darker color scheme and a brown mask, and appears in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''.
*'''[[Waning Crescent Masked Dedede & Waxing Crescent Masked Meta Knight|Waxing Crescent Masked Meta Knight]]''': Meta Knight puts on a cursed relic called the Mask of Dark Bonds along with King Dedede in the final boss encounter in the [[Story Mode: The Destined Rivals|story mode]] of ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]''.
*'''[[Phantom Meta Knight]]''': Referred to as "The Lone Illusion", this illusory version of Meta Knight is encountered in the Ultimate Cup Z of the [[Colosseum]] in ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''.
===Enemies that resemble Meta Knight===
*'''[[Galacta Knight]]''': Termed "The Greatest Warrior in the Galaxy", this magenta warrior resembles Meta Knight but sports a lance and shield, along with a horned mask and angelic wings. He wields immense magic power in addition to his mobility and swordsmanship.
*'''[[Metal General]]''': The security guard of [[Egg Engines]] on [[Halcandra]], who appears in ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'' and its remake. Metal General uses some attacks similar to Meta Knight, most notably a variant of [[Shuttle Loop]] called "Electro Shock Shuttle Loop".
*'''[[Morpho Knight]]''': The reborn [[butterfly]] and "knight of [[wikipedia:Yomi|Yomi]]" that first appeared in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''. Morpho Knight flies in from another dimension to cast judgment on powerful foes such as Galacta Knight and [[Soul Forgo]]. It resembles Meta Knight — differing through its largely black body, bright red sword, ornate mask, and butterfly wings — and attacks with vicious fiery magic.

{{clear}}

==Game appearances==
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=3|Meta Knight's video game appearances &nbsp;
|-
!Game
!Role
!Notes
|-
!colspan=3|''Kirby'' series
|-
|''[[Kirby's Adventure]]''
|Supporting antagonist and boss
|Will sometimes assist Kirby by tossing him an [[Invincible Candy]] but is fought as a boss in [[Orange Ocean]].
|-
|''[[Kirby's Pinball Land]]''
|Easter egg
|Appears in [[Kracko Land]] after beating the game once and performing a specific set of actions.
|-  
|''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]''
|Reference
|Appears as one of the five placeholder icons for the default rankings in the game.
|-
|''[[Kirby's Avalanche]]''
|Supporting antagonist and boss
|The penultimate opponent of the Competition mode.
|-
|''[[Kirby Super Star]]''
|Secondary antagonist and boss
|Main antagonist and final boss of [[Revenge of Meta Knight]], and an opponent in [[Samurai Kirby]].
|-
|[[Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom)|''Kirby's Star Stacker'' (Super Famicom)]]
|Supporting antagonist and boss
|
|-
|''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]''
|Supporting antagonist, playable character, and boss
|As this is a remake of ''Kirby's Adventure'', he has the same role here as he did in that game. Meta Knight is also the protagonist and sole playable character in [[Meta Knightmare]].
|-
|''[[Kirby Air Ride]]''
|Playable character
|This is Meta Knight's first physical 3D appearance.
|-
|''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]''
|Supporting protagonist
|[[Dark Meta Knight]] takes Meta Knight's likeness for the majority of the game.
|-
|''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]''
|Playable character
|Has three health bars like in Meta Knightmare.
|-
|''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]''
|Secondary antagonist and boss
|While ultimately trying to prevent Kirby from freeing [[Dark Nebula]], he is fought late in the game due to a misunderstanding.
|-
|''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''
|Secondary antagonist, playable character, and boss
|As this game is a remake of ''Kirby Super Star'', his roles from that game are reused. In addition, he serves as the protagonist and sole playable character of [[Meta Knightmare Ultra]].
|-
|''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]''
|Secondary antagonist, supporting character, and boss
|Controlled by [[Yin-Yarn]] during his fight. Later on, Meta Knight helps Kirby fight Yin-Yarn by giving him a [[Metamortex]] for the [[Tankbot]].
|-
|''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]''
|Secondary antagonist and boss
|Appears only in the [[Sub-Game]]s [[Strato Patrol EOS]] and [[Kirby Quest]].
|-
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]''
|Supporting protagonist and playable character
|
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition]]''
|Roles vary between games
|
|-
|''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]''
|Cameo
|Appears as a [[Keychain]]. He is also a part of the audience in the [[Kirby Master]] video.
|-
|''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''
|Cameo
|Appears as a collectible [[figurine]] and in one of the [[Secret Diary]] pages.
|-
|''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''
|Supporting protagonist, playable character, and boss
|Controlled by [[Susie]] for most of the game under the form of [[Mecha Knight]]. Additionally, he is the protagonist and sole playable character in [[Meta Knightmare Returns]].
|-
|''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''
|Secondary antagonist and playable character
| 
|-
|''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|Supporting protagonist, playable character, and boss
|Initially controlled by the [[Jamba Heart]], but joins Kirby's side as a [[Dream Friend]] once defeated.
|-
|''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]''
|Supporting antagonist, boss, and playable character
|As this is a port of ''Kirby's Epic Yarn'', his role from that game is reused. Additionally, he appears as the sole playable character in the sub-game [[Slash & Bead]].
|-
|''[[Super Kirby Clash]]''
|Cameo
|Meta Knight can be seen in the background of the Port Village after a sufficient amount of progress has been made in the game. His likeness also appears on various [[Sticker (Super Kirby Clash)|stickers]].
|-
|''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]''
|Playable character and boss
|Meta Knight is a playable character and also teams up with [[King Dedede]] as the final boss of Story Mode.
|-
|''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''
|Supporting character and boss
|Meta Knight challenges Kirby to a sparring match in the [[Colosseum]] and appears as a [[figure]], but otherwise has no plot-significant role.
|-
|''[[Kirby's Dream Buffet]]''
|Reference
|Kirby can take on Meta Knight's appearance and color, and Meta Knight also appears on several [[Character Treat]]s.
|-
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe]]''
|Supporting protagonist and playable character
|Reprises his role from ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land''.
|-
!colspan=3|''Super Smash Bros.'' series
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''
|Cameo
|Appears as a trophy. This is Meta Knight's first 3D appearance.
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''
|Playable character
|Meta Knight also has a role in the story mode.
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]''
|Playable character
| 
|-
|''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''
|Playable character
|Meta Knight also has a role in the story mode.
|-
!colspan=3|Other appearances
|-
|''[[mariowiki:Super Mario Maker|Super Mario Maker]]''
|Reference
|Mario can use a special item to take on Meta Knight's 8-bit appearance in courses.
|-
|''[[mariowiki:Yoshi's Woolly World|Yoshi's Woolly World]]''
|Reference
|Yoshi can take on Meta Knight's appearance by tapping his [[amiibo]].
|-
|''[[nwiki:Bye-Bye BoxBoy!|BYE-BYE BOXBOY!]]''
|Reference
|Qbby can take on Meta Knight's appearance if the player uses Meta Knight's amiibo.
|-
|''[[nwiki:Part Time UFO|Part Time UFO]]''
|Reference
|One of the levels features a Meta Knight plush doll.
|}

===''Kirby's Adventure'' / ''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land''===
Meta Knight makes his first appearance in ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'', later reappearing in its remake, ''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]''. He is one of [[King Dedede]]'s friends who guards one of the seven pieces of the [[Star Rod]] in order to keep [[Nightmare]] sealed away. Before his boss battle, Meta Knight appears in several levels, where he either directs his minions, the [[Meta-Knights]], to fight Kirby, or (exclusively in ''Kirby's Adventure'') assists Kirby by throwing an [[Invincible Candy]] to him. In the boss stage of [[Orange Ocean]], Meta Knight challenges Kirby to a duel, throwing a sword that Kirby must [[GRAB IT!|pick up]] to get the [[Sword]] ability and begin the fight. During the fight, Meta Knight attacks and blocks with his sword. He notably lacks his wings and projectile attacks seen in future battles in the series. Once defeated, his mask splits in two, revealing, for the first time, his appearance similar to Kirby. He then wraps himself in his cape and flees.

In ''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land'', Meta Knight receives an updated design similar to his appearance in ''[[Kirby Super Star]]''. Like other bosses in this remake, he is larger and his battle is made easier. Additionally, all of the sequences in which he gives Kirby an Invincible Candy have been removed. Now the candy just appears out of thin air when Kirby approaches the relevant sections.

{{main|Meta Knightmare}}
Meta Knight also appears as a playable character in the [[Meta Knightmare]] [[Sub-Game]] of ''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land''. He, as always, uses his sword instead of copy abilities. Interestingly, Meta Knight faces himself in Orange Ocean, instead of being replaced by another character to be the boss for the level.

<gallery>
KA Orange Ocean Stage 7 screenshot 01.png|Kirby is prompted to [[GRAB IT!|pick up]] the [[Sword]] tossed to him by Meta Knight before his boss fight in ''Kirby's Adventure''.
KNiDL Meta Knight battle.png|Kirby battles Meta Knight in ''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land''
</gallery>

{{clear}}

=== ''Kirby's Pinball Land'' ===
In ''Kirby's Pinball Land'', Meta Knight appears as an [[Easter egg]] in the upper board of [[Kracko Land]] if Kirby breaks all of the stars that appear alongside [[Mr. Shine & Mr. Bright|Mr. Shine]], accompanied by the [[Mike]] scream sound effect and 77700 points. This only happens when revisiting the board after defeating King Dedede, and Meta Knight himself cannot be interacted with after appearing.

===''Kirby's Dream Course''===
In ''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]'', Meta Knight appears as one of the five placeholder icons on the scoreboards for each course.

=== ''Kirby's Avalanche'' ===
[[File:KAv_Meta_Knight_cutscene_sprite.png|thumb|right|Meta Knight as seen in Kirby's Avalanche.]]
{{Quote|Chivalrous to the last, Metaknight is an all but unbeatable Avalanche player.|''Kirby's Avalanche'' Instruction Booklet (North American print), page 24}}
Meta Knight (referred to in the manual as "Metaknight") is the second-to-last opponent in ''[[Kirby's Avalanche]]''. He is more skilled than other opponents at making a comeback when most of his playing field has been covered in Garbage Puyos. His ''Puyo Puyo'' equivalent is Rulue.

===''Kirby Super Star'' / ''Kirby Super Star Ultra''===
[[File:KSS RoMK opening scene 4.png|thumb|right|Meta Knight as seen in the Revenge Of Meta Knight opening scene]]
Meta Knight reappears as an antagonist in ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' and [[Kirby Super Star Ultra|its remake]], where he has an entire Sub-Game dedicated to him, called [[Revenge of Meta Knight]]. In this Sub-Game, with the help of the [[Meta-Knights]] and his warship the [[Halberd]], Meta Knight attempts to conquer [[Dream Land]] in order to end the inhabitants' lazy lifestyles. However, as the Halberd is about to launch, Kirby intervenes and boards the ship. Kirby proceeds to destroy the Halberd piece by piece, while Meta Knight and his crew attempt to stop him. When it becomes apparent that the ship is going to crash, Meta Knight orders his crew to evacuate before engaging [[Kirby]] in a duel on the Halberd's bridge, a fight reminiscent of their duel in ''Kirby's Adventure''. Again, he offers Kirby a sword. Unlike ''Kirby's Adventure'', the player can opt to refuse the sword by not taking it within several seconds. Upon being defeated, Meta Knight's mask splits open, revealing his face once more, before he disappears in a swirl of his cape. While Kirby rushes to escape from the descending warship on a [[Wheelie]], Meta Knight, in a last desperate bid, unveils his bat-like wings for the first time in the series and attacks. However, his attempt fails. The Halberd plummets into the ocean as Kirby successfully lands on dry land and Meta Knight flies off in the distance.

Meta Knight also appears in the Sub-Game [[Samurai Kirby]], where he appears as the last opponent sporting a samurai outfit.

In ''Kirby Super Star Ultra'', Meta Knight also appears on a card in [[Kirby Card Swipe]], and as a target in [[Kirby on the Draw]].

====Meta Knight's moves in Revenge of Meta Knight====
Meta Knight's boss battle in Revenge of Meta Knight introduced his several trademark moves in the series, including:
*'''[[Mach Tornado]]''' - Meta Knight turns himself into a [[tornado]], which cannot be [[guard]]ed. If [[Kirby]] is hit by the tornado, he will be thrown into the air and will take damage when he crashes onto the ground. This would later become [[SmashWiki:Mach Tornado|Meta Knight's neutral special move]] in the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]].
*'''Tornado Slash/Summon''' - Sometimes simply called '''Tornado'''. Meta Knight requires charging to use this move. After releasing his charge, he stabs his sword into the ground to summon a giant [[guard|unguardable]] tornado. Like Mach Tornado, Kirby will be thrown into the air and take crash damage when hit by the giant tornado. This move has since appeared on various Meta Knight-esque bosses, such as [[Dark Meta Knight]] and [[Galacta Knight]].
*'''Glide Sword''' - Meta Knight performs a quick glide to thrust his sword at Kirby. In older games, Meta Knight requires charging to perform this. In modern games, this move, when used by Meta Knight-esque bosses, is in a similar fashion to '''[[Shuttle Loop]]''' of [[Wing]] Kirby. When Meta Knight is a playable character in modern games, he replaces it with Shuttle Loop directly.
*'''Crescent Shot''' - Meta Knight fires a crescent-shaped energy wave from his sword. Meta Knight's Crescent Shot is green-colored in the original ''Kirby Super Star'' but has become yellow-colored to match the color of his [[Galaxia]] sword since its remake ''Kirby Super Star Ultra'' (and remains so in ''Kirby Star Allies''). The Crescent Shots from Meta Knight-esque bosses are usually in different colors instead.

====Meta Knightmare Ultra====
{{main|Meta Knightmare Ultra}}
Exclusively in ''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]'' is a game mode called '''Meta Knightmare Ultra''', where rather than playing [[Kirby]], Meta Knight is played through a run-through of the stages of [[Spring Breeze]], [[Dyna Blade (main game)|Dyna Blade]], [[The Great Cave Offensive]], [[Revenge of Meta Knight]], and [[Milky Way Wishes]].

{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=4|Meta Knight's moveset in ''Meta Knightmare Ultra'' &nbsp;
|-
!colspan=4|Standard moveset
|-
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Button Execution'''
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Button Execution'''
|-
|'''Meta Chop'''
|{{center|B}}
|'''Knight Spin'''
|{{center|Dash + B in air}}
|-
|'''Knight Beam'''
|{{center|B at full health}}
|'''Meta Chop and Thrust'''
|{{center|B in air}}
|-
|'''Meta Upper'''
|{{center|B after Meta Chop}}
|'''Down Thrust'''
|{{center|↓ + B in air}}
|-
|'''Meta Multithrust'''
|{{center|B B B}}
|'''Up Thrust'''
|{{center|↑ + B}}
|-
|'''Lunging Slice'''
|{{center|Dash + B}}
|'''Knight Call / Release'''
|{{center|X}}
|-
!colspan=4|Touch screen moves
|-
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Cost'''
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Cost'''
|-
|'''Meta Quick'''
|{{center|8 pts.}}
|'''Heal'''
|{{center|10 pts}}
|-
|'''Knight Call'''
|{{center|2 pts.}}
|'''Mach Tornado'''
|{{center|30 pts.}}
|}
{{clear}}

===''Kirby's Star Stacker'' (Super Famicom)===
Meta Knight appears as one of the opponents that Kirby must battle in the story mode of the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]] version of ''[[Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom)|Kirby's Star Stacker]]''. After being defeated, he relinquishes his piece of [[Mr. Star]].

===''Kirby Air Ride''===
{{main|Meta Knight (Kirby Air Ride)}}
Meta Knight makes a relatively minor appearance in ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'' as an unlockable character who can be selected as a [[Air Ride Machine|machine]] in the game's [[Air Ride]] mode. Unlike Kirby, he cannot [[inhale]] enemies, nor [[copy]] their abilities, and cannot [[Boost (move)|boost]]. However, he effectively always has the [[Sword]] and [[Wing]] abilities, gaining all their benefits and drawbacks at all times.

Aside from his role as a playable character, Meta Knight makes a momentary appearance confronting [[Kirby]] during the game's opening sequence.

===''Kirby & The Amazing Mirror''===
{{see also|Dark Meta Knight}}
[[File:KatAM Intro3.png|thumb|right|Meta Knight gets thrown into the Dimension Mirror by Dark Meta Knight.]]
Meta Knight appears again in ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'', where he plays one of his most significant roles in the ''Kirby'' series to date. In the intro, Meta Knight is seen flying into the [[Mirror World]] after sensing danger there. Meanwhile, a mysterious shadowy version of him, later revealed to be [[Dark Meta Knight]], slashes Kirby into four copies of himself. The doppelgänger then escapes into the Mirror World, but not before Kirby and his clones follow him. Shortly upon entering it, the shadowy doppelgänger defeats Meta Knight in a duel and throws him into the [[Dimension Mirror]]. The doppelgänger then slashes the mirror into eight fragments, scattering them across the Mirror World. 

When Kirby and his clones reach the penultimate level, [[Radish Ruins]], they seemingly encounter Meta Knight under the alias "? ? ?". However, upon defeat, his colors change, revealing him to be the mysterious dark doppelgänger before he escapes.

When Kirby and his clones find all the mirror shards and enter the Dimension Mirror, they once again encounter Meta Knight, ready to battle. However, the real Meta Knight emerges and reveals the other to be a dark impostor, Dark Meta Knight. Kirby and his clones engage the impostor and defeat him, shattering him into pieces. Immediately after, a portal appears, sucking Kirby and his clones inside to face the final boss, [[Dark Mind]]. Meta Knight manages to throw his sword into the portal before it closes. On the other side of the portal, Kirby and his clones find Meta Knight's sword plunged into the ground nearby. Touching it grants Kirby the [[Master]] ability, the [[Last Battle Ability]] of this game. After Dark Mind is defeated, Meta Knight is seen flying back home with the other Kirbys. On his way, he drops his sword down into the Mirror World so that its inhabitants can use it in times of need.

Meta Knight also appears when Kirby gets the [[Magic]] ability. There is a slight chance that Kirby will land on Galaxia, which summons Meta Knight to destroy all the enemies in the room. However, because he is trapped in the Dimension Mirror throughout the entire game, it is unclear how Meta Knight can be summoned in that manner.

===''Kirby: Canvas Curse''===
[[File:KCC Meta Knight Artwork 1.png|thumb|100px|Artwork of Ball Meta Knight from ''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]'']]
While not formally appearing during ''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]'', Meta Knight is an unlockable playable character, appearing in ball form. He is the fastest and bounciest character, but also with the lowest health, only having three "bars". He, like [[Waddle Dee]] and [[King Dedede]], can use only the dash attack, instead of [[Copy Ability|Copy Abilities]], in a similar way to how he was playable in ''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land''. When he collides with a stunned enemy or while dashing, a sword sound effect is heard.

{{clear}}

===''Kirby: Squeak Squad''===
[[File:KSqS_Meta_Knight_Cutscene.png|thumb|150px|Meta Knight stealing the chest containing Dark Nebula from Kirby and Daroach.]]
In ''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]'', Meta Knight makes a surprise appearance. After Kirby defeats [[Daroach]] in [[Ice Island]] and retrieves the chest Kirby believes to contain his [[Strawberry Shortcake]], Meta Knight suddenly swoops in and steals the chest. He takes the chest to [[Secret Sea]], an area blocked by the star door, which can only be opened by finding the five [[Star Seal]]s. 

Upon unlocking the star door, it is revealed that Meta Knight's warship the [[Halberd]] is hidden at the bottom of the Secret Sea. Meta Knight serves as the boss of Secret Sea in a battle that takes place aboard the [[Halberd]]. In this fight, Meta Knight has many moves from previous games along with new elemental attacks in his arsenal, such as a fire Crescent Shot and a plasma imbued Down Thrust. Throughout the fight, the Halberd is seen ascending from the sea before eventually halting in space. When defeated, his mask once again splits open, revealing his face underneath and causing him to flee. It is later revealed that the chest was the prison of [[Dark Nebula]], the lord of the underworld and final boss of the game, and that Meta Knight took the treasure chest and fought Kirby to prevent him from being released. 

This appearance marks the only time when Meta Knight (while not possessed) does not offer Kirby a sword before battle.

===''Kirby's Epic Yarn'' / ''Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn''===
{{main|Meta Knight (boss stage)}}
[[File:KEY Meta Knight artwork.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Artwork of Yarn Meta Knight]]
{{quote|This space guardian fell under Yin-Yarn's spell! Luckily, it all worked out!|[[Patch Plaza]] description}}
Meta Knight once again appears in ''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'' and ''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]''. He is not seen until late in the game, where he is found on the battleship [[Halberd]], confused as to why Dream Land is covered in patches and stitching. [[Yin-Yarn]] then suddenly appears and sucks up Meta Knight with his sock. Meta Knight is not seen after that until he is revealed to be the boss of [[Space Land]], under Yin-Yarn's control. His fighting style is similar to how it was in previous appearances; he attacks with various sword techniques and uses tornadoes. None of the four swords he wields are Galaxia, but the final red sword he uses seems to be an equivalent. After he is defeated, Yin-Yarn's spell is broken and Meta Knight returns home to Dream Land via [[Prince Fluff]]'s sock, along with [[Kirby]], Prince Fluff, and [[King Dedede]].

Meta Knight also appears during the final boss. After Yin-Yarn is turned into [[Mega Yin-Yarn]], Meta Knight flies in and drops a [[Metamortex]], turning Kirby into the [[Tankbot]] to fight Mega Yin-Yarn.

Exclusively in ''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]'', Meta Knight is playable in his own [[Sub-Game]] called [[Slash & Bead]].

{{clear}}

===''Kirby Mass Attack''===
While not appearing anywhere in the main story mode, Meta Knight has some high-profile appearances in ''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]''{{'}}s [[Sub-Game]]s. He appears as a boss in [[Strato Patrol EOS]], with [[Sailor Waddle Dee]] and [[Bandana Waddle Dee]] cheering him on, and [[Kirby Quest]]. In the former, he acts as the boss of Stage 5, and attacks using sword swipes and Mach Tornado blasts. In Kirby Quest, he is faced in Chapters 30 and 39, with the latter having him appear alongside [[Sword Knight]] and [[Blade Knight]], referencing his apprentices from the anime series. Here, he has 2600 HP.

=== ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'' / ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe'' ===
[[File:KRtDL Meta Knight Artwork 1.png|thumb|right|150px|Artwork of Meta Knight from ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land''.]]
Meta Knight appears as a playable character in ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'', along with [[Kirby]], [[King Dedede]], and [[Bandana Waddle Dee]]. He is seen in the introductory cutscene reading a book in the grass on a knoll, while King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee chase Kirby, who is carrying a piece of cake. A mysterious ship, the [[Lor Starcutter]], then exits a wormhole and crashes, leading to the four of them investigating. Upon entering the ship, they meet an alien, [[Magolor]], who apparently needs help finding its missing ship parts. Kirby volunteers to help, and the rest, including Meta Knight, assist him in finding the ship parts. 

After they find the ship parts, Magolor takes the four to his homeworld [[Halcandra]], where he requests that they defeat [[Landia]] after the dragon shoots them out of the sky. However, after Landia is defeated, [[Magolor]] is revealed to be evil and escapes to the [[Another Dimension]]. In a cutscene depicting this event, Meta Knight is shown using his skills with his sword to attempt to fend off Magolor's attacks while pursuing him, but eventually falls to the battlefield to fight him instead.

Gameplay-wise, Meta Knight uses his sword to fight. His fighting style is almost identical to [[Sword]] Kirby's abilities, and appears to be similar to his techniques in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''. Meta Knight also uses his wings to fly in a similar fashion to [[Wing]] Kirby.

{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=4|Meta Knight's moveset in ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'' &nbsp;
|-
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Button Execution'''
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Button Execution'''
|-
| '''Overhead Slash'''
| {{center|1}}
| '''Down Thrust'''
| {{center|↓ + 1 in midair}}
|-
| '''Knight Beam'''
| {{center|1 with full health}}
| '''Up Thrust'''
| {{center|↑ + 1}}
|-
| '''Meta Triple Slash'''
| {{center|1 twice after Overhead Slash}}
| '''Meta Spin Slash'''
| {{center|Hold 1, release}}
|-
| '''Meta Multithrust'''
| {{center|1 after Meta Triple Slash}}
| '''Meta Condor Dive'''
| {{center|Dash + ↓ + 1 in midair}}
|-
| '''Piercing Slash'''
| {{center|Dash + 1}}
| '''[[Shuttle Loop]]'''
| {{center|↓ + ↑ + 1}}
|-
| '''Knight Spin'''
| {{center|Dash + 1 in midair}}
| '''Underwater Spin'''
| {{center|1 underwater}}
|-
| '''Meta Chop'''
| {{center|1 in midair}}
| 
|
|}

In ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe]]'', Meta Knight's design has been updated to match his appearance from ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'' onward. Additionally, Galactic Counter from ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'' and Crescent Shot from ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]'' have been added to his moveset, though the former now deals a small amount of chip damage to Meta Knight upon successfully countering a boss attack. He also reprises his role in [[Kirby on the Draw]] as a target. Meta Knight also has his own [[Mask#Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe|Dress-Up Mask]] that replaces the wearer's voice with his, unlocked by completing card #14 in the [[Stamp Rally]].

===''Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition''===
Meta Knight appears in the opening scene for ''[[Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition]]'', first appearing in his 8-bit form from ''Kirby's Adventure'', then in his 3D appearance from ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land''. Barring his appearances in the included games and bonus features, his only other appearance is in the credits roll for [[New Challenge Stages]], where he can be seen flying past [[Kirby]] and [[Magolor]] in the background of [[Raisin Ruins]] and performing a Shuttle Loop. Meta Knight then appears among the crowd of other enemies and characters at the end of the credits.

===''Kirby: Triple Deluxe''===
Meta Knight does not appear in ''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]'' physically, but his likeness can be found in one of Kirby's [[Stone]] transformations, along with [[King Dedede]] and [[Bandana Waddle Dee]]. He also appears in Kirby's [[Circus]] ability as one of several balloon pop arts. Additionally, many varying [[Keychain]]s of him can be collected. Also, Meta Knight appears in the [[Kirby Master]] video. Finally, his dark alternate dimension doppelgänger, [[Dark Meta Knight]], appears as the final boss of [[Dededetour!]], as Dark Meta Knight's Revenge.

===''Kirby and the Rainbow Curse''===
While Meta Knight himself does not appear in ''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]'', there is a collectible [[Figurine]] depicting him. His absence is explained in the Play Nintendo comic ''In the Name of Fashion'', where he and [[King Dedede]] are revealed to have lost their colors at the beginning of the game.<ref>''[https://web.archive.org/web/20160119055232/https://play.nintendo.com/news-tips/comics/kirby-and-rainbow-curse-presents-name-of-fashion/ In the Name of Fashion]'' comic from Play Nintendo</ref>

Meta Knight also appears as a drawing in [[Elline]]'s [[Secret Diary]], though his depiction suggests that Elline has not actually seen him, as there are notable differences in his characterization. The page's writing seems to imply that the drawing of Meta Knight is based on Kirby's description of him.

<gallery>
KatRC Meta Knight illustration.png|Elline's illustration of Meta Knight in her [[Secret Diary]]. 
</gallery>

===''Kirby: Planet Robobot''===
[[File:KPR Opening Cutscene Meta Knight.png|thumb|right|250px|Meta Knight takes heed of the approaching invasion.]]
In the opening cutscene of ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'', Meta Knight stands silently wrapped in his cloak when he notices a giant planet-sized [[Access Ark (ship)|spaceship]] piloted by the [[Haltmann Works Company]] approaching [[Popstar]]. He promptly sends the [[Halberd]] after it to try and deter them, but is shot down before he can begin the attack.
{{main|Mecha Knight}}
{{main|Mecha Knight+}}
Later, it is revealed that Meta Knight was captured by the company, and mechanized by them, becoming '''[[Mecha Knight]]'''. In this form, he is forced to fight [[Kirby]] at the end of the [[Gigabyte Grounds]] level, and again at the end of [[Access Ark]] as the upgraded version '''[[Mecha Knight+]]'''. After Kirby defeats Mecha Knight+, Meta Knight is freed and returns with the Halberd, inviting Kirby aboard. Kirby instead uses the [[Robobot Armor]] to scan the entire battleship, transforming the armor into the ship itself in order to take on the [[Star Dream|final boss]] of the game.

This iteration of Meta Knight takes heavy cues from his appearance in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]'', as his cloak transforms directly into his wings, and he is wearing armored gloves and boots. In addition, his mask is thicker, with the visor protruding a fair distance off his face. As a final touch, when his mask breaks, his eyes are now yellow, as opposed to white as they had been prior; according to [[Shinya Kumazaki]], the designers felt that white eyes didn't look right when creating the 3D model for this game.<ref>{{cite|In Kirby's Adventure on the Famicom (NES), Meta Knight's eyes are indeed white. At the time, there was a limit to the number of colors you could use, so I think that white was chosen because it stood out more. They were also white in Kirby Super Star (EU: Kirby's Fun Pak), but when we created the 3D model for this game, giving him white eyes somehow didn't feel right. And besides, his eyes have always shone with a yellow glow from behind his mask. We were worried about how old-school fans might react to this, but for the purposes of the design, we settled on yellow eyes.|[[Shinya Kumazaki]]|[[Miiverse]]}}</ref>
{{main|Meta Knightmare Returns}}
Meta Knight is playable in the Sub-Game '''Meta Knightmare Returns''', where he battles through the story mode stages in a time attack run and fights tougher versions of the bosses therein; in particular, the Mecha Knight fight is replaced with [[Stock Mecha Knight]], a mass-production model based on Mecha Knight. Meta Knight can use '''Galaxia Darkness''' (his Final Smash from ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' and ''for 3DS / Wii U'') and '''Meta Knightmares''' as his Meta Point special moves, both of which can damage all enemies on screen. At the end, instead of facing Star Dream directly, it tests Meta Knight by summoning three sword wielding bosses, whom Meta Knight must battle in succession.

===''Kirby Battle Royale''===
Meta Knight is a participant in [[Dedede's Cake Royale]] in ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''. He can be seen observing the games at first, but then ends up taking part in the tournament himself, challenging [[Kirby]] and [[Bandana Waddle Dee]] at the end of the Gold League. He is partnered up with [[Axe Knight]].

A save file from the demo version of ''Kirby Battle Royale'' can be transferred to the full version of the game if save data of the full version is detected on the 3DS. This makes him playable from the start of the full game. Otherwise, he can be unlocked after beating him in the story mode. He plays similarly to [[Sword]] Kirby, though he is capable of winged flight, and has some unique moves, like his dimensional cape.

{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=4|Meta Knight's moveset in ''Kirby Battle Royale'' &nbsp;
|-
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Button Execution'''
!width="20%"| '''Skill'''
!width="30%"| '''Button Execution'''
|-
| '''Horizontal Slash'''
| {{center|B}}
| '''Knight Spin'''
| {{center|B during jump}}
|-
| '''Meta Multithrust'''
| {{center|BB}}
| '''Dimensional Strike'''
| {{center|Hold/release B}}
|-
| '''Decisive Slash'''
| {{center|BBB}}
| '''Piercing Slash'''
| {{center|Y}}
|}

===''Kirby Star Allies''===
[[File:KSA story mode opening scene 09.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Meta Knight seeing the [[Jamba Heart|Dark Heart]]s fall from the sky.]]
Meta Knight appears in the intro cutscene for ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'', dusting off his sword before witnessing [[Jamba Heart]] shards rain from the sky of [[Popstar]]. At some point, he is corrupted by a Jamba Heart shard, and Kirby is forced to fight him as the [[boss]] of [[Sacred Square]]. Upon his defeat, Meta Knight is freed from the Jamba Heart shard's corruption and becomes a playable [[Dream Friend]].

It is later revealed in [[Heroes in Another Dimension]] through [[Parallel Meta Knight]]'s special page that prior to the events of Story Mode, Meta Knight was at Sacred Square to protect its residents from the raining Jamba Heart pieces before getting corrupted himself. The Japanese, Chinese and Korean versions also state that after Meta Knight was saved by Kirby and friends, his thoughts and the Jamba Heart possessing him went to [[Another Dimension]] and created Parallel Meta Knight.

====As a boss====
[[File:Meta Knight Painter.png|thumb|right|200px|Meta Knight duplicates himself into four during his second phase while [[Artist]] Kirby and three [[Vividria]]s each sketch a Meta Knight from the Painter attack.]]
Meta Knight is fought at the end of [[World of Miracles - Planet Popstar]], in the [[Sacred Square]] stage.

Kirby will be forced to pick up the [[Sword]] ability before fighting Meta Knight, like in the older games in the series. In the following two situations, however, Meta Knight will become irritated and kick away the sword, featuring a different splash screen:
*If Kirby doesn't take the sword and wait for a certain amount of time;
*If any player steps onto or attacks the platform where Meta Knight stands.
Meta Knight often [[guard]]s so that he takes no damage at all, often signaled when he takes a defensive stance. His sword-based attacks can be interrupted by the Sword ability (including [[Helper|Friends]] like [[Blade Knight]]), which creates a sword clashing effect and stuns him for a bit.

When his [[stamina|health]] is below half, Meta Knight surrounds himself with a purple force aura under the influence of the [[Jamba Heart]] piece (he takes 0.2× damage during phase transitions). In this phase, he begins with duplicating himself into up to four Meta Knights, depending on how many allies there are. The duplicated Meta Knights can also make boulders rain from the sky using the purple force.

Upon defeat, Kirby can optionally throw a [[Friend Heart]] at Meta Knight and make him a friend similar to [[King Dedede]] at the end of the [[Clash at Castle Dedede]] stage. Otherwise Meta Knight's mask breaks and he flees with his cape. This is the first game to show Meta Knight without cheek blushes when he's unmasked, carrying over from Kirby's corresponding color change in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]''.

The following lists all of Meta Knight's attacks in the boss battle. Most attack names are from the ''Kirby Star Allies Perfect Support Guide'' or from the ''Kirby Star Allies Official Setting Document Collection'', while others are conjectural.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=2|'''Meta Knight's boss attacks in ''Kirby Star Allies''''' &nbsp;
|-
! '''Attack'''
! '''Description'''
|-
| '''Backhand Slash'''{{title|nocat=y}}
|Meta Knight performs a backhand slash.
|-
| '''Meta Quadruple Slash'''{{title|nocat=y}}
|Meta Knight performs a backhand slash followed by Triple Slash.
|-
| '''ハイパーラッシュ～ムーンショット'''<br>''Hyper Rush - Crescent Shot''
|Meta Knight performs a multithrust and then fires a crescent-shaped energy wave.
|-
| '''空中ムーンショット'''<br>''Aerial Crescent Shot''
|Meta Knight jumps and fires two Crescent Shots at the same time.
|-
| '''Glide Sword'''{{title|nocat=y}}
|Meta Knight glides while thrusting his sword.
|-
| '''Down Thrust'''{{title|nocat=y}}
|Meta Knight jumps and thrusts down his sword, leaving two stars on impact.
|-
| '''竜巻'''<br>''Tornado''<br>
|After a brief charge, Meta Knight stabs his sword into the ground to summon one or more giant tornadoes that travel across the stage.
*In the first phase, one tornado is summoned.
*In the second phase, multiple tornadoes are summoned, the number of which depends on how many allies are in the battle.
If the allies are hit by the tornado, they will be thrown into the air and take damage when crashing onto the ground.
*The tornadoes cannot be [[guard]]ed.
*The tornadoes ignore the allies' invincibility frames (e.g. [[Stone]] and attacks like [[Sword]]'s Drill Stab will fail to dodge the tornadoes). The only exception is when Kirby gains an ability from swallowing something.
*Meta Knight takes 0.4x damage during the Tornado attack.
|-
| '''アッパーキャリバー'''<br>''[[Upper Calibur]]''<br>
|After a few seconds of charging, Meta Knight dashes and performs an upper slash. If the upper slash connects to any player(s), he will then perform a multi-slash combo to them in midair. The attack will end early if the allies avoid the upper slash.
*The upper can only be guarded by special guards. (Prior to Version 4.0.0, it could not be guarded by any means.)
|-
!colspan=2|'''Second phase only''' &nbsp;
|-
| '''四身'''<br>''Four Bodies''
|Meta Knight duplicates himself. The number of Meta Knights in play depends on how many allies there are:
*Two Meta Knights if there is none or one ally;
*Three Meta Knights if there are two allies;
*Four Meta Knights if there are three allies.
Every Meta Knight can take damage and each of them attack independently from the others. Two of them will always stay on the ground, while the other two will stay airborne.
|-
| '''フォースフォース'''<br>''Force Force''
|The duplicated Meta Knights fly to the background. Using the purple force, they summon large boulders to hurl at the allies. The boulders stack into pillars, the number of which matches the number of Meta Knights. Then, every Meta Knight cuts down a pillar in a flash, creating smaller rocks which can be [[inhale]]d.
*Each pillar has 100 HP.
*If any pillar is destroyed beforehand, that Meta Knight will get his sword stuck into the ground and become vulnerable.
After the pillar slashes, the duplicates will merge back into the one true Meta Knight.
*Each Meta Knight's defense increases during this attack until the rock pillar slashes.
|-
| '''フォースホールディングス'''<br>''Force Holdings''
|Meta Knight fires a purple force beam in an attempt to catch the allies, which cannot be [[guard]]ed.<br>If successful, he will swing and slam the trapped allies with the purple force. Trapped allies can escape by mashing direction buttons rapidly.
*Meta Knight takes 1.5× damage during Force Holdings.
|-
| '''Simultaneous Glide Sword'''{{title|nocat=y}}
|All duplicated Meta Knights Shuttle Loop towards a given character's position three times in a row. The Meta Knights each target one character to Shuttle Loop towards. If fighting him with only one character, both Meta Knights target just that character.
|}

Unlike most other bosses in the game, Meta Knight doesn't attack in a set order every time he's fought. Specific attacks will always be performed at set intervals while all the others are performed randomly.

These attacks are always performed randomly:
*Backhand Slash
*Meta Quadruple Slash
*Hyper Rush
*Hyper Rush ~ Crescent Shot
*Aerial Crescent Shot
*Glide Sword
*Down Thrust

For phase 1, Meta Knight attacks in a fixed order on loop as follows:
#Eight or nine random attacks
#Upper Calibur
#Ten random attacks
#Tornado

Upon entering phase 2, Meta Knight begins the phase as such:
#Four Bodies
#Aerial Crescent Shot [two Meta Knights] + Glide Sword [two other Meta Knights]
#Three random attacks from all Meta Knights each

Then attacks in a fixed order on loop as such:
#Force Force
#One random attack
#Force Holdings
#Three random attacks
#Upper Calibur
#One random attack
#Tornado
#Four Bodies
#Aerial Crescent Shot [two Meta Knights] + Glide Sword [two other Meta Knights]
#Three random attacks from all Meta Knights each
#Simultaneous Glide Sword

{{Youtube|6MTy9_3K9RM|300|Battle with Meta Knight in ''Kirby Star Allies'' (The Ultimate Choice).}}

{{clear}}

====As a Dream Friend====
After being defeated as a boss in Story Mode, Meta Knight is unlocked as a playable [[Dream Friend]]. He is recruitable by the Dream Rod from either the [[Dream Palace]] in Story Mode, from certain [[Big Switch]]es in [[Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go!]] or right after his defeat as a boss if a Friend Heart is tossed at him before his mask breaks in Story Mode and Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go!.

In this form, he can help Kirby and travel with him using a moveset similar to the one he had in ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'' and ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''.

According to the Japanese, Chinese and Korean versions, he is still in the service of King Dedede and the phrase "stir things up" originally refers to a "revolution", i.e. the events of [[Revenge of Meta Knight]].

{{quote|あのナイトが「夢の泉の物語」から 見ざん！ 大王の はい下のようで ありながら カービィを助け 時には 巨大戦かんで かくめいも おこす… そんなナゾ多きナイトが、かなたの闇さえ さっし、飛ぶ！<br>The Knight from "Kirby's Adventure" has arrived! Although he appears to be in service of the King, sometimes he'll help Kirby, and other times, he'll incite a revolution with his giant battleship... Sensing the distant darkness, that mysterious knight flies!|[[Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go!|Guest Star Meta Knight Source of Darkness]] Pause Screen description in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'' (Japanese)}}

Meta Knight as the playable Dream Friend can deal more damage than [[Sword]] Kirby and [[Blade Knight]] when using the same moves,<ref>[https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv419371 ''Kirby Star Allies'' Copy Ability damage value and Boss HP data from experiments (in Chinese)]</ref> not to mention his access to even more moves. Meta Knight is one of the fastest characters to beat [[The Ultimate Choice]], either solo or with Friends.

{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=4| Meta Knight's Dream Friend moveset in ''Kirby Star Allies'' &nbsp;
|-
! Skill
! Button Execution
! Description
! Damage
|-
|'''Overhead Slash'''
|{{center|B}}
|Meta Knight slashes forwards with his sword.
|24
|-
|'''Knight Beam'''
|{{center|B with full health}}
|Meta Knight can shoot a beam from his sword when at full health.
|21
|-
|'''Meta Triple Slash'''
|{{center|B twice after Overhead Slash}}
|Meta Knight does 2 more slashes.
|24×2
|-
|'''Meta Multithrust'''
|{{center|B after Meta Triple Slash}}
|Meta Knight does a series of slashes forwards before finishing with a Decisive Slash.
|Multithrust: 11+4+2+1<br>Final slash: 32
|-
|'''Piercing Slash'''
|{{center|Dash + B}}
|Meta Knight dashes forwards blade-first, stabbing enemies in his way.
|15+7+4×3
|-
|'''Knight Spin'''
|{{center|Dash + B in midair}}
|Meta Knight does a rolling slash.
|28+14
|-
|'''Meta Chop'''
|{{center|B in midair}}
|Meta Knight swings his sword forwards from high to low.
|Chop: 28<br>Hold: 21
|-
|'''Down Thrust'''
|{{center|↓ + B in midair}}
|Meta Knight dives straight down blade-first.
|Airborne: 11<br>Thrust: 36<br>Land: 21
|-
|'''Up Thrust'''
|{{center|↑ + B}}
|Meta Knight stabs his sword above him.
|28
|-
|'''Meta Spin Slash'''
|{{center|Press and hold B, and then release}}
|Meta Knight does a series of spinning slashes.
|Spin: 18+9×4<br>Final slash: 36<br>Total: 90
|-
|'''Mach Tornado'''
|{{center|Press and hold B, and then release + ↑}}
|Meta Knight jumps up while doing Meta Spin Slash.
|Spin: 15+6×4<br>Final slash: 25<br>Total: 64
|-
|'''Meta Condor Dive'''
|{{center|Dash and press ↓ + B in midair}}
|Meta Knight dives diagonally downwards, creating 2 shockwaves upon impact with the ground.
|Dive: 30<br>Shockwave: 20
|-
|'''[[Shuttle Loop]]'''
|{{center|↓↑ + B}}
|Meta Knight does a quick loop-de-loop before gliding forwards. Meta Knight can move up or down while gliding.
|24→2 (2nd hit onward)
|-
|'''Hover'''
|{{center|A in midair}}
|Meta Knight uses his wings to fly.
|4
*Not buffed by elemental power.
|-
|'''Underwater Spin'''
|{{center|B underwater}}
|Underwater version of Knight Spin.
|N/A
|-
|'''Galactic Counter'''
|{{center|↓ + B}}
|Meta Knight takes a defensive stance for a brief time. If successfully hit by an enemy attack, Meta Knight does a slashing counter-attack. Added in version 4.0.0.
|N/A
|-
!colspan=4|Reference: A [[Star Bullet]] deals 52 damage.
|}
Notably, when Meta Knight is given an [[Power Effect|elemental power]], his '''[[Shuttle Loop]]''' will have additional effects:
*Blizzard Sword: Meta Knight fires three-way icicles from his sword while gliding.
*Bluster Sword: Meta Knight does a long-distance swoop instead of gliding.
*Sizzle Sword: Meta Knight's gliding speed is greatly increased, and he glides horizontally without falling down. When it ends, he brakes in the air and creates an explosion in a similar fashion to the Searing Burn move of the [[Fire]] ability.
*Splash Sword: Meta Knight fires water balls from his sword in succession while gliding.
*Zap Sword: Meta Knight drops a lightning bolt on himself to surround himself with electricity before gliding.

With Sizzle Shuttle Loop, Meta Knight has one of the fastest movements among all playable characters, making him a popular choice in a [[Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go!]] speedrun, either as the main character or while [[Piggyback]]ed.
{{clear}}

===''Super Kirby Clash''===
In ''[[Super Kirby Clash]]'', Meta Knight appears in the [[Dream Kingdom|Port Village]] after [[Pyribbit]] is defeated, behind the Quest Board. There are also four [[Sticker (Super Kirby Clash)|stickers]] featuring him, one costing 30 [[Gem Apple]]s and three costing 20.

===''Kirby Fighters 2''===
Meta Knight features prominently in ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]'', both as a playable character and as a boss, where he is [[King Dedede & Meta Knight|partnered up with]] [[King Dedede]]. He is unlocked as a playable fighter upon completing Chapter 4 of [[Story Mode: The Destined Rivals]]. His moveset is largely the same as it was in ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'', though he has a new move: Crescent Shot, which works in a similar manner to Sky Knight Sword from ''Kirby: Planet Robobot''.

For more precise competitive-oriented information on Meta Knight in ''Kirby Fighters 2'', see [https://wiki.gbl.gg/w/Kirby_Fighters_2/Meta_Knight Mizuumi Wiki's page].

For information about him as a boss, see the [[King Dedede & Meta Knight]] page.

====Moveset====
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=4|Meta Knight's moveset in ''Kirby Fighters 2'' &nbsp;
|-
! Skill
! Button Execution
! Description
! Damage (unmodified)
|-
| '''Overhead Slash'''
| {{center|B}}
| Meta Knight swipes over his head with his sword, striking in front of him.
| 10
|-
| '''Crescent Shot'''
| {{center|Hold ↑, then release + B}}
| Meta Knight raises his sword upward and charges it with energy. He can then release the energy as a projectile using Overhead Slash or Meta Chop, which travels straight forward and passes through foes.
| 8 (projectile)
|-
| '''Meta Triple Slash'''
| {{center|B twice after Overhead Slash}}
| Meta Knight uses his signature three-strike sword combo attack.
| 16 (if all hits connect)
|-
| '''Meta Multithrust'''
| {{center|B after Meta Triple Slash}}
| Meta Knight finishes his combo by rapidly swiping his opponent with his sword then knocking them away.
| 22 (if all hits connect) <br>38 (including Meta Triple Slash)
|-
| '''Piercing Slash'''
| {{center|Dash + B}}
| Meta Knight lunges forward with his sword out, carrying his foes with him in the motion.
| 13 (if all hits connect)
|-
| '''Knight Spin'''
| {{center|Dash + B in midair}}
| Meta Knight performs a somersault with his sword out, hitting foes all around him.
| 10
|-
| '''Meta Chop'''
| {{center|B in midair}}
| Meta Knight falls with his sword out in front, bouncing off of enemies he hits.
| 14
|-
| '''Down Thrust'''
| {{center|↓ + B in midair}}
| Meta Knight stops in the air and aims his sword straight down, then falls rapidly to the ground, pushing foes out of the way.
| 22 (if both hits connect)
|-
| '''Up Thrust'''
| {{center|↑ + B}}
| Meta Knight thrusts his sword into the air, hitting enemies above him.
| 20
|-
| '''Galactic Counter'''
| {{center|↓ + B}}
| Meta Knight makes a special pose. If a foe hits him while in this pose, Meta Knight will take no damage, and instead counter with a swooping strike.
| 20
|-
| '''Meta Spin Slash'''
| {{center|Press and hold B, then release}}
| Meta Knight charges up, then releases a powerful spin attack that catches foes in its motion before launching them. Meta Knight can move left or right while releasing the attack.
| 38 (if all hits connect)
|-
| '''Mach Tornado'''
| {{center|Press and hold B, then release + ↑}}
| Meta Knight charges up, then releases a powerful spin attack while jumping that catches foes in its motion before launching them. Meta Knight can move left or right while releasing the attack.
| 35 (if all hits connect)
|-
| '''Meta Condor Dive'''
| {{center|Dash and use ↓ + B in midair}}
| Meta Knight flies diagonally downward and crashes into the ground, knocking away foes in his path.
| 4 (each sword strike) <br> 10 (impact)
|-
| '''[[Shuttle Loop]]'''
| {{center|↓↑ + B}}
| Meta Knight takes off with a loop and then flies forward, dragging foes along with him in the movement. During the flight, Meta Knight can steer up or down and caught opponents receive continuous damage.
| 5 (initial hit) <br>2 (subsequent hits)
|-
| '''Hover'''
| {{center|A in midair}}
| Meta Knight uses his wings to fly quickly through the air.
| N/A
|}

===''Kirby and the Forgotten Land''===
[[File:KatFL Kirby dueling Meta Knight screenshot.jpg|thumb|250px|Sword Kirby battling Meta Knight in the [[Colosseum]] in ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land''.]]
Meta Knight returns in ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]'', titled '''The Lone Swordsman'''. Like many others, Meta Knight was brought to the mysterious world by vortexes that opened in the skies above [[Dream Land]]. Once the [[Colosseum]] in [[Waddle Dee Town]] is built, Meta Knight can be fought as the final fight in The Meta Knight Cup. He appears again in The Ultimate Cup, though not as the final opponent. After beating him the first time, Kirby is awarded the [[Meta Knight Sword]] blueprint. After clearing the main story and unlocking The Ultimate Cup, Meta Knight stays perched upon the entrance of the Colosseum. [[Elfilin]] explains that Meta Knight stays in Waddle Dee Town to protect the town from the [[Beast Pack]] while Kirby is away. 

It is revealed through Meta Knight's collectible [[figure]] descriptions that Meta Knight arrived in the new world before Kirby. During his early scouting, he ventured as far as [[Winter Horns]] searching for a way back to Popstar. However, his exploration was interrupted when the Beast Pack attacked Waddle Dee Town, prompting him to commit himself to the town's defense. He is also mentioned as having beaten [[Gorimondo]] 30 times in battle.

The original Japanese and localized Chinese and Korean versions instead state that Meta Knight arrived in the new world after Kirby and was said to have ventured through the new world looking for a way back to Planet Popstar before the Beast Pack attacked Waddle Dee Town.

{{quote|カービィたちの 少し後に ナゾのうずに のまれ<br>この地に来た メタナイト。この世界から だっ出する<br>すべはないか、ちょうさを進めていた。ちょうさの<br>間にも 剣のうでを みがきながら、町を おそう<br>ビースト軍団に、戦いをいどんで いたという。|'''The Lone Swordsman Meta Knight''' figure description|Japanese version}}
{{quote|커비 일행보다 조금 뒤에 수수께끼의 소용돌이에 휩쓸려<br>이 땅에 도착한 메타 나이트. 이 세계에서 탈출할 방법은<br>없는지 조사를 진행하고 있었다. 조사를 하는 도중에도<br>검 실력을 갈고닦으며 마을을 공격하는 비스트 군단에게<br>싸움을 걸었다고 한다.|'''The Lone Swordsman Meta Knight''' figure description |Korean version}}

A more challenging doppelgänger of Meta Knight, known as [[Phantom Meta Knight]], is encountered in the Ultimate Cup Z of the Colosseum. Phantom Meta Knight's figure description reveals that [[Fecto Forgo]] aimed to control Meta Knight in the same manner as [[King Dedede]]. However, due to the knight's unbending will, the attempt failed, leading to the creation of Phantom Meta Knight.

====Attacks====
The following are all of Meta Knight's attacks in ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'' (attack names are from the ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land Perfect Support Guide'').
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border=1 cellpadding=2
!colspan=5|Meta Knight's attacks in ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'' &nbsp;
|-
!Attack
!Description
|-
|'''身かわし'''<br>''Evasion''
|Meta Knight quickly moves, attempting to evade attacks.
|-
|'''横ぎり'''<br>''Slash''
|Meta Knight slashes his sword towards Kirby once.
|-
|'''３連ぎり'''<br>''Triple Slash''
|Meta Knight slashes three times toward Kirby, leaving behind a [[Dropped Star]] with each slash.
|-
|'''ムーンショット'''<br>''Crescent Shot''
|Meta Knight charges his sword and then releases three crescent shots toward Kirby which leave Dropped Stars upon dissipating.
|-
|'''アッパーキャリバー'''<br>''[[Upper Calibur]]''
|Meta Knight charges up, and then dashes toward Kirby. If Kirby is caught in the attack, he will be thrown in the air, slashed multiple times, and then tossed to the ground for additional damage.

If Kirby has [[Sword]] or one of its variants, he can use it to clash with Meta Knight when he attempts this move. This initiates a pushing contest, where the player needs to mash the attack button to have Kirby push Meta Knight back. Failing this leads into the attack as usual as if Kirby was caught. Succeeding allows Kirby to disarm Meta Knight, forcing him to use his sword from ''Kirby's Adventure'' if Kirby grabs the [[Galaxia]] afterward, gaining the [[Meta Knight Sword]] ability (regardless of whether or not he has it unlocked or otherwise selected).<ref>[https://youtube.com/watch?v=GiMVS27E16c Stealing Galaxia and Making Meta Knight use his old sword]</ref>
|-
!colspan=3|'''Second phase only''' &nbsp;
|-
|'''フォースフォールズ'''<br>''Force Falls''
|Meta Knight flies into the distance and conjures a wave of boulders that fly into the air and then fall onto the arena, leaving gaps where Kirby can take cover. When the rocks hit the ground, they leave behind Dropped Stars. Meta Knight always opens the second phase with this attack.
|-
|'''下づき波動ショット'''<br>''Downward Wave Shot''
|Meta Knight points his sword down in midair and then slams the ground, creating four blue pillars of energy that seek Kirby for a moment before vanishing and leaving Dropped Stars. These pillars dissipate early if they hit the edge of the arena.
|-
|'''百れつムーンラッシュ'''<br>''100-Slashes Crescent Rush''
|Meta Knight charges energy into his sword while flying and then releases a flurry of continuous crescent shots at Kirby, leaving behind Dropped Stars on impact at regular intervals.
|-
|'''ナイトヴァンパイアムーン'''<br>''Knight Vampire Crescent''
|Meta Knight charges his sword and then releases two extra large crescent shots toward Kirby which leave lots of Dropped Stars in their wake.
|}

<gallery>
KatFL Grab It! screenshot.png|Kirby is offered a sword at the start, as usual. He can kick it away if he wants to.
KatFL Meta Knight splash screen.png|Meta Knight's splash screen
KatFL Meta Knight battle screenshot 01.png|Meta Knight using his Triple Slash
KatFL Meta Knight battle screenshot 02.png|Kirby pushing back against Meta Knight, swords crossed
KatFL Meta Knight battle screenshot 03.png|Kirby disarming Meta Knight, leaving his Galaxia open to retrieve
KatFL Meta Knight battle screenshot 04.png|Meta Knight using his force technique to lift up boulders
KatFL Meta Knight battle screenshot 05.png|Meta Knight striking the ground to throw out projectiles
KatFL Meta Knight battle screenshot 06.png|Meta Knight using [[Upper Calibur]] on Kirby
KatFL Meta Knight battle screenshot 07.png|Meta Knight throwing out a series of crescent shots
KatFL Meta Knight unmasked screenshot.png|Meta Knight unmasked upon his defeat
KatFL Meta Knight Sword Artwork.png|Artwork of the [[Meta Knight Sword]] [[Evolved Copy Ability]] based off Meta Knight
</gallery>

{{Youtube|ldE95Yf047k|300|Battle with Meta Knight in the [[Colosseum]] in ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land''.}}

{{clear}}

===''Kirby's Dream Buffet''===
Meta Knight himself does not appear in ''[[Kirby's Dream Buffet]]''. However, Kirby can take on his likeness using the appropriate [[Costumes|costume]] and [[color]]. Additionally, Meta Knight appears on several [[Character Treat]]s.

===''Super Smash Bros.'' series===
====''Super Smash Bros. Melee''====
Meta Knight appears as a collectible trophy in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''.

====''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''====
=====As a playable character=====
{{SmashWiki|Meta Knight (SSBB)}}
[[File:SSBB Meta Knight's Shuttle Loop.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Meta Knight using [[Shuttle Loop]] in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
Meta Knight is featured for the first time as a fighter in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. His main attributes are his excellent aerial mobility, with five midair jumps, excellent airspeed, and special moves which can all assist further with recovery (most notoriously his glide following his up-special), as well as his quick and powerful sword swipes, many of which can beat out moves from other characters. All of these attributes put together make for a fearsome fighter when in the right hands, so much so that he is widely considered the best character in the game and is often banned from tournaments.

Unlike Kirby and King Dedede, Meta Knight speaks in full sentences, with lines such as "Know my power!" when using his Final Smash; [[Galaxia Darkness]] and "You've much yet to learn." in one of his victory poses. This is in stark contrast to the ''Kirby'' series proper, where his only dialogue outside of the occasional grunt is entirely text-based. His association in the Story Mode with [[smashwiki:Marth|Marth]] and [[smashwiki:Ike|Ike]], along with his own unique version of the series victory jingle, help to further separate him from his cuter compatriots.

=====Role in The Subspace Emissary=====
Throughout the story of [[smashwiki:Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary|The Subspace Emissary]], Meta Knight is chasing down the Subspace Army, as they had seen fit to steal his flagship [[Halberd]] and use it to spread shadow bugs across the realm. He attempted to defend his ship, but was preoccupied with an attack from King Dedede. Along the way, he joins up with the two Fire Emblem swordsmen of Marth and Ike in pursuit of the Ancient Minister and his subspace bombs. One of these bombs resides in a giant transformable robot called [[smashwiki:Galleom|Galleom]] which Meta Knight fights. After Galleom transforms following a different battle, he takes [[smashwiki:Lucas|Lucas]] and the [[smashwiki:Pokémon Trainer|Pokémon Trainer]] as hostages with it, activating a Subspace Bomb within his chest. Lucas breaks them loose, and Meta Knight catches them in midair while they fall.

Later on, Meta Knight catches up to the Halberd as it engages in an aerial battle with the [[smashwiki:Great Fox|Great Fox]] by jumping up a mountainside along with the [[smashwiki:Ice Climbers|Ice Climbers]] (who believe it to be a race). At the top, he battles and then allies with [[smashwiki:Lucario|Lucario]] before boarding the ship. From there, he encounters [[smashwiki:Solid Snake|Snake]] and the two princesses [[smashwiki:Princess Peach|Peach]] and [[smashwiki:Princess Zelda|Zelda]] as he liberates his ship from Subspace control. He discovers that the ship was being piloted by [[smashwiki:Mr. Game & Watch|Mr. Game & Watch]] and several false counterparts. When kicked out of the pilot's cabin, the 2D collection dissolves into shadow bugs, forming a giant robotic boss named [[smashwiki:Duon|Duon]] on the Halberd bridge.

Lucario, the princesses, Fox, and Falco take on Duon. Once defeated, they revive Mr. Game and Watch, while Meta Knight regains control of the ship. From there, the Halberd lands alongside the Falcon Flyer on the coast overlooking the destroyed Isle of the Ancients. The Halberd is used as a decoy when approaching the Subspace bubble the island has become, being destroyed by the Subspace Gunship moments after it turns the entire island into Subspace. The destruction of the battleship reveals several vehicles (which contain most of the group) from within, including the Falcon Flyer, Samus's Gunship, Fox and Falco's arwings, and the Hocotate Ship piloted by [[smashwiki:Olimar|Olimar]]. While they dodge the gunfire of the Gunship Kirby uses the [[Dragoon]] to destroy the Gunship, allowing access into Subspace.

Meta Knight appears alongside the other fighters when preparing to deep into Subspace, brandishing his sword at the unknown. He is unfortunately, turned into a trophy almost immediately upon encountering Tabuu, along with every other fighter. He is revived by Kirby (having reawakened due to swallowing a timed device made by King Dedede), although in gameplay his revival can be skipped. He accompanies the other revived fighters into the Great Maze and the final confrontation with Tabuu.

{{clear}}

====''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U''====
{{ImCap
|image=File:Meta Knight SSB4.png
|size=240px
|align=right
|caption=Meta Knight in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U''.
}}
{{SmashWiki|Meta Knight (SSB4)}}
Following his uncontested status as the best fighter in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'', Meta Knight suffered from several serious downgrades to his fighting ability in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U]]'', including taking away his ability to glide and giving most of his standard attacks less priority, power and range. Despite this, several of his moves, notably his special abilities, were strengthened to compensate, thus changing the strategies needed to play as him. Despite his reduced dominance, Meta Knight still ranks high compared to the rest of the cast in terms of competitive play, striking fear into his opponents with his dreaded up-air chain to [[Shuttle Loop]] finisher.

Unlike [[Kirby]] and [[King Dedede]], Meta Knight retained his old voice clips and Final Smash from ''Super Smash Bros Brawl'', but he was given an additional piece of armor in that his gloves are now gauntleted. This makes this incarnation of Meta Knight the most heavily armored to date.

{{clear}}

====''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''====
{{ImCap
|image=File:Meta Knight SSBU.png
|size=240px
|align=right
|caption=Meta Knight in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.
}}
{{SmashWiki|Meta Knight (SSBU)}}
Meta Knight returns along with every other fighter in the series in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Unlike previous appearances, Meta Knight must be unlocked before he can be used. Overall, he has become more polarized in this title when compared to his appearance in the preceding installment, with his mobility, range, and attack power becoming greater, but at the same time becoming more open to counterattacks if he misses his mark or overextends. His most notable changes come to his neutral special 'Mach Tornado' which now only hits once and travels quicker instead of catching opponents and his new Final Smash known as 'Darkness Illusion', which is a trapping flurry attack similar to Ike's 'Great Aether' where Meta Knight sprouts an additional pair of wings and barrages his victim(s) before sending them flying.

{{clear}}

===''Taiko no Tatsujin'' series===
{{ImCap
|image=file:Meta Knight Taiko.png
|size=160px
|align=right
|caption=Meta Knight costume in the ''Taiko no Tatsujin'' series
}}
Meta Knight appears as an unlockable costume in two arcade titles of the ''[[wikipedia:Taiko no Tatsujin|Taiko no Tatsujin]]'' series:
*''Taiko no Tatsujin: Yellow Ver.''
*''Taiko no Tatsujin: Blue Ver.''
This costume is unlocked by clearing "[[Revenge of Meta Knight]] Medley" in the aforementioned two games.
{{clear}}

==In ''Kirby: Right Back at Ya!''==
{{main|Meta Knight (anime character)}}
[[File:Meta Knight Anime.png|thumb|Meta Knight in the ''Kirby: Right Back at Ya!'' anime series.]]
Meta Knight appears in ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'' as a major supporting character with [[Sword Knight (anime character)|Sword Knight]] and [[Blade Knight (anime character)|Blade Knight]] as his loyal followers. Near the beginning of the series, he acts somewhat mysterious, seemingly serving [[King Dedede (anime character)|King Dedede]], but also sometimes helping [[Kirby (anime character)|Kirby]] when he needs it. Later in the series, his role becomes that of a mentor to Kirby. Most of the time, he does not outright help Kirby, but sometimes gives him tips about how to defeat whatever opponent he is facing. In the rare occasions where he does fight Kirby, it is for training purposes.

In the series, Meta Knight is said to be a [[Star Warrior]], a protector of the galaxy against [[Night Mare Enterprises]]. However, most of the Star Warriors ended up being killed, leaving him as a survivor, training Kirby to become one too. Due to this, he displays very skilled swordplay. He is also very stealthy, being able to appear at scenes without being noticed until he speaks up. He wields the same sword from the games, the [[Galaxia]], which is said in the series to be a legendary sword which only can be wielded by those destined to do so. When he first encounters Galaxia, it is being guarded by a fierce [[monster]] called [[Kirisakin]]. His partner [[Star Warrior|Garlude]] resorts to sacrificing herself, but manages to get the sword to Meta Knight.

Meta Knight's eyes change color according to his mood. If he is happy or calm, they are blue. If he is thoughtful, they are green. If he is angry, they are red. If he is amused, they are pink. If he is confused, they are orange. If he is serious, shocked, or fearful for the lives of others, they are white.

Meta Knight's appearance is usually accompanied with a flamenco guitar sting. In the English dub of the anime, he is voiced with a Spanish accent, which is likely modeled after [[wikipedia:Antonio Banderas|Antonio Banderas]]' performance in the 1998 film ''[[wikipedia:The Mask of Zorro|The Mask of Zorro]]''. In the Latin American Spanish and Castilian Spanish dubs of the anime, he speaks with an [[wikipedia:Andalusia|Andalusian]] accent.

Meta Knight also appears in [[Kirby of the Stars Pilot|the pilot episode]], but here, he is portrayed as one of the enemies who Kirby fights. He is defeated when Kirby spits [[Captain Stitch]] at him.

==In the ''Kirby'' novel series==
{{ImCap|image=File:Light Novel Meta Knight Artwork.png|size=100px|caption=Meta Knight from the novel series}}
{{main|Meta Knight (novel character)}}
Meta Knight is one of the main protagonists of the [[Kirby (novel series)|''Kirby'' novel series]], and also has [[Kirby: Meta Knight and the Puppet Princess|three]] [[Kirby: Meta Knight and the Galaxy's Greatest Warrior|different]] [[Kirby: Meta Knight and the Knight of Hades|novels]] that focus on him. His appearance is identical to the games, and similarly to the games he is a mysterious, skilled swordsman. He typically does not get involved in other people's problems, although will assist people if he has his own reasons for doing so. He also has a friendship with [[King Dedede (novel character)|King Dedede]].
{{Clear}}

==Profiles==
===Flavor text===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!rowspan=1|Image
!rowspan=1|Game
!rowspan=1|Flavor text
|-
|[[File:Kirby Canvas Curse box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby: Canvas Curse]]''
|''Dash for a sword attack!''
|-
|[[File:KSS Ultra box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]''
|''{{color|blue|Unlimited power}} in your {{color|red|blade}}. Command your called {{color|blue|knight}}. {{color|red|Train}} and journey the cosmos!''
|-
|[[File:KRtDL Boxart L.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]''
|''The {{color|red|masked knight}} cometh! His intense training allows him to soar through the {{color|red|air}}, swinging his {{color|red|sword}} with {{color|red|unrivaled speed}}!''
|-
|[[File:KatRC NA box art.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''
|''This mysterious masked swordsman helms the battleship Halberd. He hasn't always been the most trustworthy ally, but you can count on him when you really need him. He appears in this game as a figurine.''
|-
|[[File:KPR Box.png|100px]]
|''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''
|''The masked knight has returned to fight evil while Kirby takes a much-needed {{color|orange|nap}}. Collect Meta Points, and then {{color|orange|touch}} the lower screen to unleash his {{color|orange|special attacks}}.''
|-
|[[File:KSA Boxart NA.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby Star Allies]]''
|'''As a boss:'''<br>
''Corrupted by the power of a dark heart, Meta Knight’s dedication to the purity of combat has been eclipsed by a secret wild streak that always lurked within him. This once-hidden fury is now unleashed with every stab and thrust of his sword!''<br><br>
'''As a Dream Friend:'''<br>
''First introduced way back in Kirby's Adventure, this warrior takes the spirit of chivalry to heart. He has set out on a journey of training, but he would never forget his connection to his friends. May new friend powers awaken and imbue his blade!''<br><br>
'''Guest Star Meta Knight:'''<br>
<big>''"This darkness must meet my sword!"''</big><br>
''The knight that dates back to Kirby's Adventure joins the fray! This mysterious figure occasionally shows up in his massive ship to stir things up. Now, into darkness!''<br>
|-
|[[File:KatFL Boxart NA.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''
|'''<small>The Lone Swordsman</small><br>Meta Knight (figure)'''<br>
''The mysterious vortex brought Meta Knight to the new world too! He quickly tasked himself with finding a way back to Popstar...until the Beast Pack attacked Waddle Dee Town. The besieged settlement needed protecting, and a swordsman never ignores a chance to train!''<br><br>
'''A Duel with Meta Knight (figure)'''<br>
''Meta Knight arrived in the new world shortly before Kirby. He did some early scouting and reached as far as the snowy north before deciding to return and protect the town. Now he keeps watch for beastly invaders from his perch by the Colosseum. He's battled Gorimondo 30 times—and won every bout!''
|-
|[[File:KRtDLD Boxart NA.jpg|100px]]
|''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe]]''
|''The {{color|red|masked knight}} enters, soaring through the {{color|red|air}} and deftly swinging his {{color|red|sword}}. His {{color|red|unrivaled speed}} is the result of intense training!''
|}

===''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' trophy===
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=4|Meta Knight's trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' &nbsp;
|-
!width="12%"|Name
!width="12%"|Image
!width=''25%''|Appears In
!width="50%"|Description
|-
|align=center|Meta Knight
|[[File:MetaKnightMeleeTrophy.png|frameless|150px]]
|Kirby Super Star (09/96)
|''The mysterious head of the Meta-Knights, he wields his sword with dignity. He delivered his sword to Kirby and demanded single combat in a show of knightly honor; his strict adherence to his code of ethics makes him a rarity in Dream Land. Sometimes he throws off his cape in battle. It occasionally transforms into wings.''
|-
|}

===''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' trophy===
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=5|Meta Knight's trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' &nbsp;
|-
!width="12%"|Name
!width="12%"|Image
!width=''25%''|Appears In
!width="50%"|American English Description
!width="50%"|British English Description
|-
|align=center|Meta Knight
|[[File:MetaKnightTrophyBrawl.png|frameless|150px]]
|'''NES''' Kirby's Adventure <br> '''SNES''' Kirby Super Star 
|The head of the Meta-Knights, and something of a rival to Kirby. He's quite an accomplished swordsman. Following his code of knightly ethics, he once delivered his sword to Kirby and demanded single combat. His giant cape transforms into wings, giving him the power of flight. He's shown his face briefly before, but his relationship to Kirby is still a mystery.
|The head of the Meta-Knights, and something of a rival to Kirby. He's quite an accomplished swordsman. Following his code of knightly ethics, he once delivered a sword to Kirby and demanded single combat. His giant cape transforms into wings, giving him the power of flight. He's shown his face briefly before, but his relationship to Kirby is still a mystery.
|-
|}

===''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U'' trophies===
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2"
!colspan=6|Meta Knight's trophies in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U'' &nbsp;
|-
!width="12%"|Name
!width="12%"|3DS Image
!width="12%"|Wii U Image
!width=''25%''|Appears In
!width="50%"|American English description
!width="50%"|British English description
|-
|align=center|Meta Knight
|[[File:MetaKnightTrophy3DS.png|frameless|120px|center]]
|[[File:MetaKnightTrophyWiiU.png|frameless|120px|center]]
|align=center bgcolor=lightblue|'''NES''' Kirby's Adventure (05/1993)<br> '''SNES''' Kirby Super Star (08/1996)
|''Kirby's mysterious rival, this masked swordsman appears in several Kirby games. His cape transforms into wings to grant him flight. In Smash Bros., his quick sword skills and aerial agility set him apart. He can jump up to five times in a row, and he has a special move to soar higher.''
|''A mysterious masked swordsman from the Kirby series. His cape can turn into wings, which gives him the ability to fly. His swift swordplay and ability to stay in the air give him an edge in this game. He can combine five mid-air jumps with a special move to make recovering a cinch. If you use him, try to keep battle airborne!''
|-
|align=center|Meta Knight (Alt.)
|[[File:MetaKnightAltTrophy3DS.png|frameless|120px|center]]
|[[File:MetaKnightAltTrophyWiiU.png|frameless|120px|center]]
|align=center bgcolor=lightblue|'''NES''' Kirby's Adventure (05/1993)<br> '''SNES''' Kirby Super Star (08/1996)
|''Meta Knight's Dimensional Cape lets you teleport, changing where you'll reappear with directional inputs and attacking by holding the button! His Mach Tornado special can draw in and attack multiple opponents. Rise by pressing the button repeatedly, and press left or right to move.''
|''Meta Knight's Dimensional Cape lets you teleport. After vanishing, you can move to reappear somewhere else. You can also keep holding the button to turn it into an attack! His Mach Tornado special can mix up multiple opponents in the fray. Press the button repeatedly to rise up, and move left and right to create extra havoc.
|-
|}
<small>Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.</small>

===''Kirby: Planet Robobot'' [https://cdn02.nintendo-europe.com/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/nintendo_3ds_2/kirbyplanetrobobot/ElectronicManual_Nintendo3DS_KirbyPlanetRobobot_EN.pdf British English electronic manual]===
*''"A masked warrior who tries to take on Haltmann Works Co. by himself. However, he's soon defeated by a mighty enemy..."''

===amiibo===
*''Kirby's mysterious rival, this masked swordsman appears in several Kirby™ games. His giant cape transforms into wings, giving him the power of flight. He also captains a giant battleship, the Halberd, in order to take control of Dream Land. Meta Knight has shown his face briefly before, but his relationship to Kirby is still a mystery.''

===[[Play Nintendo]]===
'''''Just who is Meta Knight? We’re not sure, since he usually wears a silver mask.'''<br>Sometimes Meta Knight shows up to help Kirby, but he usually prefers to fight. What better way to show off his awesome moves? He’s round, fast, and good with a sword!''

===Kirby Portal===
*''The mysterious swordsman is rarely seen without his iconic mask—and when he does lose it in battle, he runs away! He likes to test his sword techniques out on Kirby, but sometimes serves as an ally.''

==Music==
Meta Knight is often associated with the following musical themes:
*'''[[Boarding the Halberd]]''' and '''[[Havoc Aboard the Halberd]]''' - The two stage themes in [[Revenge of Meta Knight]], often rearranged and combined into one medley, e.g. the track "Meta Knight's Revenge" from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.
*'''[[Revenge of Meta Knight (Map)]]''' - This track from [[Revenge of Meta Knight]] often plays in other games when Meta Knight makes an appearance. As such, it can be considered to be one of his secondary theme songs.
*'''[[VS. Meta Knight]]''' - His boss battle theme from [[Revenge of Meta Knight]], which has been used several times throughout the series.
*'''[[My Friend and the Sunset]]''' - The ending track of Revenge of Meta Knight, which has been remixed in several later games, including ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'' (e.g. [[Dedede Clones & D3]]'s boss battle theme is a mashup of [[King Dedede's Theme]] and this theme) and ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'' (as his own boss battle theme this time). This track is considered to be Meta Knight's main theme song, due to its use as his [[Dream Friend]] intro.

==Trivia==
*Early games (and ''Kirby & The Amazing Mirror'') have Meta Knight hold his sword in his left hand, while later games have him hold his sword in his right hand. Various ''Kirby'' games lead to him being ambidextrous because when he faces left, his sword is in his left hand and vice versa. However, the sprites for Meta Knight are simply flipped, much as how Sword Kirby "switches" hands when he turns around, which is mainly the reason he can hold his sword in both hands.
*According to [[Kirby Portal]], the official Japanese Kirby website, Meta Knight actually loves sweet food.<ref>[http://www.kirby.jp/character/meta_knight/ Meta Knight's character introduction] on [[Kirby Portal]].</ref>
**The [[Kirby Café]] frequently features desserts themed after Meta Knight, including a chocolate au lait he drinks after training, a chocolate fondant he keeps secretly in his cape, and a parfait he indulges in every night.
*Meta Knight became the "Nagoya Station Master", the icon for the Nagoya fair of Japan's Pupupu Train merchandise event during July 24-30, 2018.<ref>[https://ishop.tbs.co.jp/special/tbs/kirby/event.html '''Pupupu Train 2018''' event information]</ref>
*Meta Knight's appearance in the [[Colosseum]] of ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]'' marks the first time a boss has been exclusive to a regular [[Boss Endurance]] mode, rather than solely its [[The True Arena]] equivalent.

==Gallery==
{{Main|Meta Knight/gallery}}

==Quotes==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" border="1" cellpadding="2" 
|'''Quotes from Meta Knight in the ''Kirby'' series''' &nbsp;
|-
|<tabs>
<tab name="Kirby’s Avalanche">
*"''None shall pass! En garde, Kirby!''"
*"''Oh, you're so right...then Avalanche it is, ha ha ha ha!''"
</tab>
<tab name="Kirby Super Star">
*''"The time has come. The time to show our power!"''
*''"Dream Land's lazy lifestyle will end! I will rule!"''
*''"Soldiers near the deck, assume combat mode!"''
*''"Prepare to take off! Blow Kirby away!"''
*''"Our first target... Grape Garden!"''
*''"He must be hiding in the clouds..."''
*''"Remain calm. Let's come up with a plan."''
*''"Kirby! Got ya!"''
*''"Lower the sail! Increase right wing power!"''
*''"................"''
*''"(We've failed... it's over.)"''
*''"Attention all crew! Evacuate ship!!"''
*''"Now, it's your turn to evacuate."''
*''"Hmmm....."''
*''"..... It's dangerous, but it's worth a try!"''
*''"Thank you, guys."''
*''"Kirby, this is it! Prepare to die!"''
*''"You'll never escape!"''
</tab>
<tab name="Kirby’s Star Stacker (Super Famicom) (unofficial translation)">
*"''Hold it right there, Kirby!''"
*"''Leave the star pieces to me.''"
*"''...''"
</tab>
<tab name="Kirby Super Star Ultra">
===[[Revenge of Meta Knight]]===
*''"The time has come. The time to show our power!"''
*''"Dream Land's lazy lifestyle will end! I will rule!"''
*''"All on deck prepare for battle! All others prepare for takeoff!"''
*''"Initiate takeoff! We'll blow Kirby away!"''
*''"But first a little test. Off to Grape Gardens!"''
*''"Relax. We must handle this calmly."''
*''"That's far enough, Kirby!"''
*''"Retract the sails! Give more lift to the left wing!"''
*''"... ... ... ..."''
*''"(We've failed...but there's nothing we can do.)"''
*''"Attention to all crew! Evacuate ship immediately!"''
*''"So... Now it's time for the rest of you to escape as well."''
*''"...You are all about to perish. Do as you please."''
*''"(...I'm sorry.)"''
*''"This is the end! Kirby! Come meet your doom!!"''
*''"I won't let you escape!"''

===[[Meta Knightmare Ultra]]===
*''"My one wish is to become stronger..."''
*''"So I wish to fight..."''
*''"the greatest warrior in the galaxy!"''
</tab>
<tab name="Kirby’s (Extra) Epic Yarn">
*''"Patches... And stitching everywhere...?!"''
*''"What monster would do such a thing?!"''
*''"What? Who goes there?!"''
*''"Kirby, forgive me! I blame the yarn!"''
*''"Be careful, Kirby."''
*''"Yin-Yarn is one mean piece of string."''
*"''Kirby! You’ve unlocked a new stage in Slash & Bead.''" <small>(quote exclusive from ''Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn'')</small>
</tab>
<tab name="Kirby Battle Royale">
*"''A battle of Kirbys? Heh. Interesting.''"
*"''Hmph... Congratulations on your success, Kirby.''"
*"''Aye, I joined this tournament to test my strength. Who knows—with all these foes here, I may even get stronger. But I've had no luck so far. These copies are pathetic. But you, Kirby—YOU will give me a worthy battle! Show me your strength, pink one. Otherwise, this league will belong to me.''"
*"''You're on a roll, Kirby. Consider me impressed.''"
*"''I go now to our battle. You had better fight your best, Kirby.''"
*''"It wasn't a fluke."''
*"''You showed me your true strength... and for that I must thank you. I must train harder... I WILL TRAIN HARDER! We will meet in battle again. And next time...I'll be ready.''"
</tab>
</tabs>
|}

==Names in other languages==
===Meta Knight===
{{names
|ja=メタナイト
|jaR=Meta Naito
|jaM=Meta Knight
|esE=Meta Knight
|esEM=-
|esA=Meta Knight<br>Meta Caballero<ref name="Anime lang">''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]''</ref>
|esAM=Meta Knight
|fr=Meta Knight
|frM=-
|nl=Meta Knight
|nlM=-
|de=Meta-Knight
|deM=-
|it=Meta Knight<br>Cavaliere Nero (''Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land'')
|itM=-<br>Black Knight
|ru=Метанайт
|ruR=Metanayt
|ruM=Meta Knight
|ko=메타 나이트
|koR=Meta Naiteu
|koM=Meta Knight
|zhTrad=魅塔騎士
|zhTradR=mèi tǎ qí shì
|zhSimp=魅塔骑士<br>''mèi tǎ qí shì''<br>梅塔奈特<ref name="Anime lang"></ref><br>méi tǎ nài tè<ref name="Anime lang"></ref><br>盔甲武士<ref name="SMO amiibo">''Super Mario Odyssey'' amiibo function</ref><br>''kuī jiǎ wǔ shì''<ref name="SMO amiibo"></ref>
|zhM=Meta Knight
*魅塔 and 梅塔 transliterations of Meta.
*The character 魅 means "a kind of legendary evil spirit" or "charm" in different contexts.<ref>[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%AD%85 魅 on Wiktionary]</ref>
*Note that the anime name uses 奈特 as a transliteration of knight, and does not actually mean knight itself
Armored warrior (''Super Mario Odyssey'' amiibo function)
|ptA=Meta Knight<br>Cavaleiro Meta<ref name="Anime lang"></ref>
|ptAM=Meta Knight
|pl=Meta Knight<ref>[https://www.nintendo.pl/kirbys-extra-epic-yarn/ Nintendo Polska - ''Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn'']</ref>
|plM=-
|th=Meta Knight
|thM=-
}}

===The Lone Swordsman, Meta Knight===
{{names
|ja={{furi|孤高|ここう}}の{{furi|騎士|きし}} メタナイト
|jaR=kokō no kishi meta naito
|jaM=The Lone Knight, Meta Knight
|zhSimp=孤高的骑士 魅塔骑士
|zhSimpR=gū gāo de qí shì mèi tǎ qí shì
|zhTrad=孤高的騎士 魅塔騎士
|zhTradR=gū gāo de qí shì mèi tǎ qí shì
|zhM=The Arrogant Knight, Meta Knight
|ko=고고한 기사 메타 나이트
|koR=gogohan gisa meta naiteu
|koM=The Lone Knight, Meta Knight
|it=Spadaccino solitario, Meta Knight
|itM=Lone Swordsman, Meta Knight
|de=Der einsame Kämpfer, Meta-Knight
|deM=The lone Fighter, Meta-Knight
|es=Espadachín solitario, Meta Knight
|esM=Lone swordsman, Meta Knight
}}

{{ref}}
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[[Category:Playable characters]]
[[Category:Playable characters in Kirby Fighters 2]]
[[Category:Bosses in Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]
[[Category:Bosses in Kirby Super Star]]
[[Category:Bosses in Kirby Super Star Ultra]]
[[Category:Bosses in Kirby: Squeak Squad]]
[[Category:Bosses in Strato Patrol EOS]]
[[Category:Bosses in Kirby Star Allies]]
[[Category:Opponents in Kirby's Avalanche]]
[[Category:Opponents in Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom)]]
[[Category:Villains]]
[[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category:Dream Friends]]
[[Category:Final bosses]]
[[Category:Allies]]
[[Category:Creatures that yield Sword from projectiles]]
[[Category:Creatures that yield Stone from projectiles]]