A Dark & Stormy Knight

A Dark & Stormy Knight Kirby finds Kracko in the center of the thunderhead. Details First aired October 27, 2001 September 21, 2002 Episode # 4 Copy Ability (Abilities) featured Sword (Fire cameo) Monster(s) featured Kracko (Octacon cameo) Character(s) featured Kirby, Meta Knight, Tiff, King Dedede

Episode order ← Kirby's Duel Role Beware: Whispy Woods! →

A Dark & Stormy Knight is the fourth episode of the Kirby: Right Back at Ya! series. In this episode, King Dedede sends a powerful monster named Kracko to hunt Kirby down, which causes pandemonium in Cappy Town in the process. In an attempt to help Kirby, Tiff finds Meta Knight at Kabu Canyon, who explains his backstory to Tiff, as well as providing her with crucial information about Kirby's condition. He entrusts the Warp Star to her, which she uses to help Kirby defeat Kracko. This episode marks the debut of Mabel and Tuggle, though only in small roles, and also marks the first appearance of Doron in the 4Kids dub.

Characters

The following characters appear in this episode:

Cast of "A Dark & Stormy Knight"
Character	Selected quote	Notes
Primary characters
Kirby	"Hiiiii!"
Meta Knight	"Kirby's Starship detected the King's monster, but Kirby was not scheduled to awaken for another 200 years! That is why his ship crash-landed. He is totally untrained. He cannot speak! He can barely think!"
Tiff	"It's no use, is it? It's just like talking to a baby!"
King Dedede	"I'll show them kids! If I can't earn respect, I'll just buy it...from Night Mare Enterprises!"
Secondary characters
Blade Knight	(no dialogue)	Appears in a flashback.
Buttercup	(no dialogue)	Buttercup is just barely visible off the right of the frame she appears in. In the Japanese version, she is in full view for just a moment.
Cappy villagers	(no dialogue)
Chef Kawasaki	"Restrooms for customers only!"
Chief Bookem	"I just heard from the D.A. He's handing down new charges!" (right before getting "charged")
Doron	(no dialogue)
eNeMeE	(no dialogue)	Appears in a flashback.
Escargoon	"You've been aiding an alien, you traitor!"
Fololo & Falala	(Falala) "I'll bet Kirby's hiding somewhere. We'll find him, Tiff!"
Gus	(no dialogue)
Kabu	"Do not speak! We are not alone."
Hana	(no dialogue)
Honey	(no dialogue)	Appears only in the Japanese version.
Iro	(no dialogue)	Appears only in the Japanese version.
Lady Like	"That's Kirby. Isn't he photogenical?"
Mabel	"I see a very shocking event." (moments before getting shocked)
Mayor Len Blustergas	(no dialogue)
N.M.E. Sales Guy	"As you know, we usually deliver monsters via the Internet, but we'll have to deliver Kracko by air."
Professor Curio	"I have finally reconstructed the rare Triceratops Cappiensis!" (just before the fossil gets zapped)
Sir Ebrum	"Did you use a digital camera, Sire?"
Star Warriors	(no dialogue)	Several nondescript Star Warriors appear in a flashback.
Sword Knight	(no dialogue)	Appears in a flashback.
Tokkori	"I'm trying to help Kirby! He may be a Star Warrior, but he's a first-class space cadet!"
Tuff	"You'll never know unless you try, Kirby!"
Tuggle	(no dialogue)
Waddle Dees	(no dialogue)

Locations

• Dream Land
  • Cappy Town
    • Kawasaki's
  • Castle Dedede
  • Kabu Canyon
  • Kirby's House

Plot synopsis

A looming thunderhead approaches Kirby and Tiff.

The episode begins at Castle Dedede, as a furious King Dedede storms into Sir Ebrum's family quarters to confront Tiff about her relationship with Kirby. He shows them photographs from Kirby's battle with Octacon in the first episode to prove their collusion, but the family merely remarks on how Dedede managed to get the pictures. Fed up, the King then reveals his plan to sabotage Kirby's Starship and prevent the pink Star Warrior from escaping his next monster. Dedede then goes to his throne room to order the monster in question from Night Mare Enterprises. The Sales Guy recommends to the King their newest monster Kracko, while Meta Knight spies on the proceedings from another room. Meta Knight resolves to warn Tiff and Kirby about the upcoming danger, as Tuff tags along.

Later, at Kirby's House, Tiff finds Kirby making his own bed for Tokkori, and scolds the bird for taking advantage of him, to little avail. She tries to tell Kirby about Dedede's scheming, but the pink Star Warrior is inattentive. At that moment, a massive black cyclone emerges from the sky above them and starts raining lightning down on the two as they make a run for it. Tiff soon concludes that the storm is not natural as it continues to chase them down. The two run through Cappy Town, as the lightning causes havoc for the villagers, destroying several things within the village. Tiff and Kirby get separated in the chase, but Tuff manages to find her in town as Dedede and Escargoon drive past in their Armored Vehicle to watch Kirby get attacked. Kirby jumps into the vehicle's attached container, causing the lightning to focus on the car and prompting the drivers to get away. They try to get back in the castle, but end up crashing through the drawbridge into the moat.

Meta Knight gives important exposition to Tiff within Kabu's sanctuary.

Later, on the throne room, the N.M.E. Sales Guy attempts to reassure Dedede, who has caught a fever from the (likely contaminated) moat water. Dedede demands that Kracko be taken back, but the Salesguy cheerfully states that the contract forbids it. As the thundercloud looms over Dream Land, Tiff, Tuff, and Fololo & Falala set out to try and find where Kirby had gone. Kirby meanwhile is cowering under an old stone bridge in the countryside. Having failed to find him, Tiff goes to Kabu Canyon to ask its guardian for help. Kabu directs Tiff into the sanctuary, where Meta Knight is standing before Kirby's Warp Star. After explaining that she had hidden the star here for safekeeping, she asks Meta Knight to tell her more about Kirby. Meanwhile, Tuff and Fololo & Falala manage to find Kirby making an escape, as lightning continues to rain down on him.

Kracko is sliced in half by several Sword Beams.

Back in Kabu Canyon, Meta Knight explains to Tiff the story of Night Mare Enterprises and the ambitions of its founder, as well as the Star Warriors who had risen to stop him. He relays that in the ensuing conflict, all but one warrior was vanquished. As that last warrior, Meta Knight went into hiding, keeping the hope that a new generation of warriors would arise. He then explains that he had taken the guise of King Dedede's servant in order to look out for any new warriors arriving in Dream Land due to their Starships being programmed to hone in on any planet where monsters are running amok. Meta Knight finishes by explaining that Kirby arrived too soon due to this signal before he had matured enough to handle himself, and that he is relying on Tiff to watch out for Kirby in the interim, to help him learn and grow and keep his Warp Star safe.

Tuff and Fololo & Falala manage to find Kirby hiding in an old sewage drain. They encourage him to try and inhale the thunderstorm instead of running. Kirby tries, but this fails, and he must run away again, as Dedede and Escargoon pursue him once again in their car. Kirby manages to avoid these two, but is still under fire from Kracko. Tiff and Meta Knight find him, and Tiff calls for the Warp Star to come to Kirby's aid. Using the Warp Star, Kirby flies into the thunderhead to battle its source. After an initial engagement with Kracko, Kirby inhales the thundercloud and partially disperses it to uncover the beast for all to see. Kracko then throws out a sword made of lightning to strike at Kirby with. After dodging it, Kirby inhales the sword to gain the Sword ability. Kirby then proceeds to strike Kracko several times using the Sword Beam, destroying him. As the cloud disperses, Kirby flies down to the kids who celebrate his victory. As his Warp Star returns to Kabu Canyon, Tiff tells Kirby to let her know whenever he needs his Warp Star again. From there, the episode ends.

Differences between versions

• While no major scenes were cut, several minor ones were removed in the 4Kids version to shorten the run-time. Some existing shots were also shortened in length.

Dialogue differences

• A few pieces of dialogue among the Cappies were changed. Notably in the Japanese version, Chief Borun tells Dorobō that staying in jail is better than getting electric shock treatment right before being zapped.

Trivia

• This episode marks the first time Tiff calls the Warp Star from Kabu; a scene which is subsequently repeated many times throughout the series.
• This episode marks the only time in the Kirby franchise where Kracko is given a voice, though his only lines of dialogue are high-pitched grunts after getting hit by Sword Kirby's attacks.
• The dialogue of this episode is filled with puns about lightning and thunder, reflecting the episode's subject matter.
• Oddly, the point near the beginning of the episode regarding Dedede bringing up Kirby's Starship is not mentioned again during the run time.

Gallery

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  King Dedede confronts Sir Ebrum's family.

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  Meta Knight finds out Dedede's plot.

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  Kirby stumbles onto his bed.

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  Kirby is distracted by a dragonfly on Tiff's head.

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  Kirby and Tiff flee from the thunderhead.

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  Cappy Town is struck repeatedly by lightning.

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  King Dedede and Escargoon fail to get to the castle in time.

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  Dedede and Escargoon scream as they realize Kirby was nearby.

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  The Sales Guy points out the contract to Dedede.

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  The Cappies watch the storm in fear and concern.

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  Kirby hides under an old ruined bridge.

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  Part of the flashback scene showing eNeMeE's armada of monsters

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  Part of the flashback scene where Meta Knight overlooks the ruins of the war

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  Tuff and Fololo & Falala try to encourage Kirby to fight back.

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  Kirby narrowly avoids Dedede and Escargoon in their Armored Vehicle.

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  Kirby forces Kracko out of his thunderhead.

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  Kirby duels with Kracko in the sky as the others watch.

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  The final scene of the episode

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	星の戦士のひみつ Hoshi no senshi no himitsu	Secret of the Star Warrior
Chinese	星星戰士的秘密 Xīngxingzhànshì de Mìmì	The Star Warrior's Secret
German	Der letzte Sternenkrieger	The last Star warrior
Italian	Era una Notte Buia e Tempestosa...	It was a dark and stormy night...
Korean	커비의 비밀 keobi-ui bimil	Kirby's Secret
Brazilian Portuguese	Uma Noite Escura e Turbulenta Uma Noite Escura e Tenebrosa (Kirby e seus poderes! 2 DVD description)	A Dark and Stormy Night A Dark and Gloomy Night