Star Rod
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| “ | When Kirby defeats Dedede's friend at the end of each level, he can clear that level by picking up the piece of the Star Rod. He must gather all seven pieces of the Star Rod in order to return peace to Dream Land. | ” | — Description of the Star Rod in the Kirby's Adventure Instruction Booklet |
The Star Rod is the power source to the Fountain of Dreams. Its first and main appearance is in Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land. It is the first Last Battle Ability of the Kirby series. It is a white rod encircled by magenta stripes with a glowing star on the tip. The Star Rod fires smaller stars to attack. According to the manual for Kirby's Adventure, the star on the tip of the Star Rod is said to be a star fragment that landed in Dream Land in the distant past.
Move-set
In Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby uses the Star Rod as the Last Battle Ability against Nightmare, both in his "Power Orb" and "Wizard" forms. In each of these fights, the primary move that Kirby can perform with the Star Rod involves him swinging it to fire a Star Bullet forward, which deals damage on impact. When Kirby is on the ground fighting Nightmare Wizard, he can also attack by performing a spinning jump from the ground with the Star Rod out to hit more directly, though this does not do as much damage as the Star Bullets. Unlike other abilities in Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby keeps the Star Rod even if he is hit or defeated (granted he has any extra lives left), only parting with it in the epilogue once Nightmare is defeated.
The Star Rod does not appear as an ability in any other Kirby game, but it does appear as an item in the Super Smash Bros. games (details in section below).
Game appearances
Kirby's Adventure / Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
In the backstory for Kirby's Adventure and its remake, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, the Star Rod was stolen by King Dedede, who broke it into seven pieces. He kept one piece for himself and gave the remaining pieces to each one of the six bosses. Kirby goes on an adventure to recover the pieces and repair the broken Star Rod.
After going through seven levels and defeating six bosses, Kirby faces King Dedede at the Fountain of Dreams. Once Kirby defeats Dedede, he puts the Star Rod back onto the Fountain. He realizes that King Dedede had good intent and that he was trying to hide the Star Rod from the Nightmare.
When they are discovered by the Nightmare, King Dedede inhales both Kirby and the Star Rod and sends him off to fight Nightmare. During the battle, Kirby must use the Star Rod as a weapon against Nightmare. The Star Rod can shoot out smaller stars to attack Nightmare, who eventually gets defeated.
Kirby's Pinball Land
As in Kirby's Adventure, Star Rod pieces are collected after defeating the bosses of the main levels of Kirby's Pinball Land. Here, however, they are little more than cosmetic, as the Star Rod itself is not reassembled at any point.
Kirby's Block Ball
Kirby can be seen holding the Star Rod in the cutscene shown if the player passes the Border Line in a level. The Star Rod is also seen being held by Kirby on the file select screen upon achieving 100% completion.
Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star Ultra
At the end of each level in Milky Way Wishes, as well as in the opening cut-scene, the Star Rod can be seen in the background on the Fountain of Dreams.
Kirby's Star Stacker (Game Boy)
Kirby can be seen holding the Star Rod in an alternate version of the title screen that is unlocked upon achieving 100% completion.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land / Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, the Star Rod reappears as a Stone transformation, alongside the Magical Paintbrush and the Triple Star.
Kirby Fighters Deluxe & Kirby Fighters 2
In Kirby Fighters Deluxe and Kirby Fighters 2, the Star Rod makes a cameo appearance in the Fountain of Dreams stage, appearing in the background. Additionally, during the battle with Team DDD in Kirby Fighters Deluxe, when King Dedede energizes himself with the Fountain of Dreams, he gains a new hammer called "Star Rod Hammer Dedede Custom" which he uses to battle Kirby. This hammer resembles a cross between the Star Rod and Dedede's standard hammer, having a blocky, golden, star-emblazoned mallet with a swirling white-and-pink handle.
Kirby Star Allies
In Kirby Star Allies, the Star Rod can be seen in the Celebration Picture, "A Dream Above The Clouds". It is found to the left of Rick.
Kirby's Dream Buffet
In Kirby's Dream Buffet, artwork depicting Kirby with the Star Rod from Kirby's Adventure is used for one of the Character Treats.
Super Smash Bros. series
In all installments of the Super Smash Bros. series, the Star Rod appears as an item which fighters can use in battle. Here, it can be used either to hit the opponent directly, or to shoot stars at the opponent by using a side tilt or side smash. In contrast to the item's infinite power in the Kirby games, the Star Rod only has enough power in it to fire 16 stars. After all 16 stars are used, the item can still be used to strike opponents, but can no longer fire stars. Also, in Melee , when the item is used by Captain Falcon, the Star Rod releases five stars at once, and if used by Sheik, it fires two.
Additionally, representations of the Star Rod appear in collectable material throughout the series, as follows:
- A Star Rod Trophy appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
- A Star Rod Support Spirit appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
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| “ | How did Kirby discover the secret?! That pitiful little Star Warrior has found my only weakness! I am helpless against the power of the Star Rod! | ” | — eNeMeE, in Fright to the Finish |
The Star Rod makes an appearance as the final Copy Ability that Kirby uses in the main anime series Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, appearing in the episode Fright to the Finish. Kirby obtains this ability by inhaling his Warp Star when it is tossed to him by Tiff while in a dream that eNeMeE is haunting. Using this ability, Kirby is able to conjure a wave of star-shaped projectiles that envelop eNeMeE and destroy him; the ability described by eNeMeE himself as his only weakness.
Kirby inhaling his Warp Star to gain the Star Rod ability
Kirby brandishing the Star Rod in front of eNeMeE
eNeMeE surrounded by star-shaped projectiles from the Star Rod
Profiles
Flavor text
| Image | Game | Flavor text |
|---|---|---|
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Kirby's Adventure | Make the final effort! Shoot the star to defeat the final enemy! |
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Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land | This suddenly appeared at the Fountain of Dreams. Use it in your final battle against the Nightmares! |
Super Smash Bros. Melee trophy
| Name | Image | Game | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Rod | 
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Kirby's Adventure (5/93) | This magic wand holds 16 star shots and sends foes flying at a low angle when thrown. It's most powerful when Captain Falcon or Sheik performs a Smash Attack while holding it. In Kirby's Adventure, the Star Rod is the secret power behind the Fountain of Dreams. King Dedede steals the Star Rod in order to seal away the nasty Cloaked Nightmare. |
Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy
| Name | Image | Game | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Rod | 
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NES Kirby's Adventure SNES Kirby Super Star |
A magic wand. Perform a standard attack with it, and it's a battering weapon. Perform a strong or smash attack, and it fires a barrage of star shots. Throw it at a foe, and that opponent will get sent flying sideways. In the Kirby series, the Star Rod is the power source of the Fountain of Dreams. King Dedede once stole it to imprison the Cloaked Nightmare. |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U trophy
| Name | Image (3DS) | Image (Wii U) | Appears In | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Rod |  |
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NES Kirby's Adventure (05/1993) GBA Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (12/2002) |
American English – Swung normally, this item will deal a regular physical attack. But if you charge up the blow, it becomes a magic wand that launches stars! The Star Rod is the source of power for the Fountain of Dreams in Kirby's Adventure. Using the rod, Kirby was able to defeat Nightmare. British English – Attack normally and you may as well just be swinging any old stick around, but if you deliver a hefty blow with it, this magic wand will launch a shooting star! The Star Rod powers the Fountain of Dreams, and Kirby once used it to defeat the evil Nightmare when he appeared from the fountain in Kirby's Adventure. |
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Spirit
| Name | Image | Game | Rank | Bonus |
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| Star Rod | 
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Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land | ★3 Ace | First-Strike Advantage |
Trivia
- In Paper Mario and Mario Party 8, two different Star Rods exist. They do not appear to be precisely the same object as the Kirby one, though they bear a similar design and in some cases have similar powers.
- When used in a normal stage using a cheating device such as Gameshark, the Star Bullets it shoots will be glitched and cannot destroy Star Blocks.
Gallery
Artwork
Kirby's Adventure
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Doodle drawn by Kirby from Kirby Art & Style Collection
Artwork for Wado's Toy Shop
Kirby #10 from the Kirby 30th Anniversary site
Sprites
Sprite from Kirby's Adventure
Icon from Kirby's Adventure
Icon from Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Screenshots
Kirby can be seen using the Star Rod as a marching stick in a cutscene celebrating the player passing the Border Line in Kirby's Block Ball
Kirby can be seen holding the Star Rod on the alternate title screen from the original Kirby's Star Stacker
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | スターロッド Sutāroddo |
Star Rod |
| Chinese | Star Rod |
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| Dutch | Sterrenstafje | Star rod |
| French | Bâton étoile | Star rod |
| German | Sternenzepter | Star rod |
| Italian | Scettro Stella | Star Rod |
| Korean | 스타로드 SeutaRodeu |
Star Rod |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Estrela Vara (Kirby: Right Back at Ya!) Varinha estrela (Kirby's Dream Buffet Character Treat) |
Star Rod |
| European Portuguese | Varinha Estelar[1] | Star Rod |
| Russian | Звездный жезл Zvezdnyy zhezl |
Star rod |
| Spanish | Varita estelar | Star rod |
References
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