Okay, can I just talk about the utter genius of Zero Two for a minute? Cuz I really want to talk about Zero Two for a minute.
...The biblical angel, not the waifu.
(Minor spoiler warning for Kirby: Air Riders)
Before we talk about Zero Two, we need to go back in time to Kirby: Dreamland 3.
So. Zero. The presumed progenitor of Dark Matter that first appeared in Dreamland 3, and kind of shockingly at that.
In such a colorful game like Dreamland 3, Zero just feels... wrong.
Even with the presence of Dark Matter, Zero's presence alone contrasts the cutesy aesthetic Dreamland 3 has.
The first time Dark Matter made an appearance, it was first possessing King Dedede, and when Kirby defeats Dedede, Dark Matter reveals itself, first as a swordsman and then in its true form.
It was definitely jarring to see such a dark entity be revealed like this, especially with what little anyone knew about it. It was essentially a mystery on what Dark Matter is.
Then comes Dreamland 3, and after defeating Dark Matter... Zero appears, and is even more jarring than Dark Matter could ever be.
A white shell that featured nothing but a blood red eye anf is seemingly the one in control of Dark Matter? AND is immediately fought after Kirby defeats Dark Matter after 100% completing the game?
Zero's presence ALONE just feels wrong. Like the entity is there, but it just... shouldn't be...
And then comes Kirby 64: Crystal Shards...
This time around, Dark Matter invaded Ribbon's home of Ripple Star and Kirby must help Ribbon to collect all of the Crystal Shards and repel Dark Matter for good.
A cheery plot line of it's own, and it definitely plays as such for a majority of the game... but of course, there are twists within the tale.
Like Dreamland 3, there are two endings, the bad ending and the true ending.
Failing to collect all of the Crystal Shards results in a bad ending, where when Kirby and Co. leave after helping Ribbon after gathering the Crystal Shards... it turns out Dark Matter has been secretly controlling Queen Fairy the entire time.
The True Ending however is far more surreal. Collect all of the Crystal Shards frees Queen Fairy of Dark Matter's controlling, and Kirby and friends then chase down Dark Matter in the newly formed planet called Dark Star. Dark Star in and of itself makes for an already a jarring place, given how unexpected it is, but then... you approach the end of the world...
And then... you meet it... Zero Two
Just when you thought Zero was already jarring, Zero Two is even more so.
Supporting weirdly shaped wings, adorning a halo and having bandages secured on top of its shell, as well as its eye bleeding anytime it was attacked and it already makes for a shocking final boss.
The area you fight Zero Two in is paved in dark red with black rings being seen all around makes all the more daunting, further cementing that you have entered a world you should not have entered in.
This is also backed up by Zero Two's boss track, which is further adds to the shock value. It's a dark, foreboding track thats accompanied with what sounds like a droning chorus and only some high pitched instruments that add to the eerie factor.
Whatever Zero Two is, its not just a threat to Kirby, but a potential threat to the universe as a whole.
Made even more shocking with the fact that, at the time of Crystal Shards' release, this was all unknown. It was all a surprise from the beginning. Even the guides telling you the locations of all the Shards doesn't reveal Zero Two's presence.
The only tidbit about Zero Two there was at the time was in a strategy guide where small bit of info said it was a benevolent entity that resided in Shiver Star. Granted the Prima guide was flawed, but the fact that back then thats what everyone knew about it, it just makes Zero Two scarier overall, especially when thinking you might see a Ribbon-type character to encounter, only to not see it and later realize the bloody eye with wings is actually Zero Two.
Zero Two just made for a scary entity all around. A creepy sounding theme, barely ANY background information on it, and even the biblical implications within its design just elevated how much of a threat Zero Two really is, which is where it would've ended... had it not been for Kirby: Air Riders bringing Zero Two back...
I was already shocked to see Zero Two as a boss for Kirby: Air Riders, especially since I thought Zero Two wouldn't have reappeared again any time soon.
But now onto the crucial point and why I decided to make this thread...
Zero Two's Appearance in Air Riders mirrors that of his 64 look, but heavily distorted and digitalised. Already that puts this version of Zero Two apart from the Zero Two we see in Crystal Shards, as hes oddly far more geometrical here than he was in 64.
The area we fight him in is generally similar, but the remastered theme is more digital and electronic. It's more digital, very slightly faster paced than the original...
You see, while Zero Two's theme in Air Riders is essentially a remastered version of the one heard in 64, there's also sections of the song in the Air Riders that are missing from the original.
For comparison, here is 64's rendition of Zero Two's theme:
And here's Air Riders' rendition of Zero Two's theme:
You see where I'm coming from? The Air Riders version of the song skips some sections of the original. This set off so many red flags for me, and I think that was intentional for one key aspect:
Zero Two is an eldritch being.
The biblical imagery, the black rings in the original fight background resembling that of an Ophanim while Zero Two itself resembles a Seraphim, it all makes sense.
The reason Zero Two might look like a biblically accurate angel... is probably because it IS actually an angel.
An angel of what though? Destruction? Dark Matter? Even with the connecting dots, its still all so unclear.
But the point still stands.
Zero Two is eldritch. Zero Two is beyond our understanding.
Not even Nova, a Clockwork Star, a highly advanced AI created by ancients with the sole purpose of granting wishes, can even understand Zero Two, instead manifesting a digitalised imperfect replica of Zero Two as a compromise.
And that's the reason why Zero Two, in my true honest opinion, is the best enemy in the Kirby Franchise up to date. It may not be my favorite in general, heck there are other characters in the Kirby franchise that I love more. Even with that though, I cannot deny the utter genius...
