#if kirby is being prevented from being a hero? then bandee will do it For Him. 💪

[starflungwaddledee]

it wasn't Galacta Knight that Bandee noticed was wrong.

for a slightly more in-depth answer to some of these:

"why not Kirby?" because Galacta Knight knows that Kirby is basically the sole risk to him happily living in this timeline, and is keeping an extremely close eye on him and controlling everything he sees and hears. in contrast he doesn't pay too much attention to Bandee, and as a result Bandee actually encounters Meta Knight very briefly during the Robobot arc (which happens shortly before this comic). Galacta Knight's also mentoring Kirby to be far more ruthless and less forgiving, and has successfully isolated him from most of his friends. by the time Star Allies rolls around in this AU, Kirby and Bandee go entirely alone.

"how close were Bandee and Meta Knight?" about as close as Kirby and Meta Knight; in my hc's they frequently train together and Meta Knight has a stern but kind mentorship role to Bandee. Bandee knows that his mentor used to love him, but Galacta Knight's comparative disregard of him isn't the catalyst for him realising that things are messed up; it's that Kirby is so miserable. Bandee knows, in his heart, it's not meant to be like that. he knows that no good or correct timeline could exist where Kirby is sad and lonely.

nobody else can put together that the timeline is messed up because what they could notice is Meta Knight missing, and that realisation is shielded by the process of the wish. it had to be Bandee, because unlike everybody else, it was never Meta Knight that he truly looked up to.

also @eliastheownerof0axolotls i compressed your ask a little here; but that's only because i'll give similarly full answers to the other questions you posed!! thanks for your patience! 👍

[starflungwaddledee]

wait, since kirby has been manipulated mentored by galacta to be more cold- hearted, how does he react to affection in this state? (hugs, sharing, etc.)

cw for abusive manipulation tactics. like.. mind games. just in case. this response is a little dark just by merit of it being about psychological manipulation through lying, so take care.

kirby is as affectionate and loving as ever! he actually adores galacta knight, who stole the existing trust and familial affection kirby already felt for meta knight when they switched places.

there's a line in the another dimension fight comic, where galacta knight says "he's my family now, as he could have been yours.", and he means this truly. where meta knight was always a little stoic and guarded with his feelings, galacta knight is quick and easy with affection when it suits him, and reaps the rewards instantly

but what he does is targeted. if he were going after someone else (like bandee or dedede) he'd use a different tactic. kindness only works this well because kirby is so isolated and lonely, and craves it so desperately

this is super important i think; his core traits are the same as always. kirby is a good little guy!

he wants to be a hero. he wants to have friends and have a fun time and keep the people he loves safe. he wants to be good and to do the right thing with all his heart, it's just that what is "good" and "the right thing" is being purposefully warped around him

maybe it's good to act pre-emptively to prevent a war with the nation in the clouds, especially when they acted aggressively first.

maybe it's good to seek out and squash any trace of dark matter before it can infect anyone else, even if it's currently harmless.

maybe it's good to put that clearly possessed person out of their misery on sight, so they don't have to suffer anymore, because you couldn't save them anyway, right?

for bandee, who becomes aware this is happening, it's heart-breaking to watch. but he can't confide in kirby, because galacta knight's claws are too deep in him. also he will not put the pressure on kirby to keep a secret that could get them all killed

all he can do is try to be there to keep kirby safe, and hope he can reverse the wish before kirby crosses a threshold of misery or ruthlessness they cannot get him back from