Kirby franchise strategy guide/Vehicles/Halberd

The Halberd is a fictional airship from the Kirby series. Within the series its primary function is as a massive transport for the Meta Knights and their army of soldiers, lead by Meta Knight. Meta Knight's visage graces the bow of this mighty vessel.

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The Halberd as it appeared in Revenge of Meta-Knight

Appearances

• Kirby Super Star - First appearance. Kirby infiltrated and destroyed it. It sank into the bottom of the sea in the ending.
• Kirby: Right Back at Ya! - Second appearance. It first shows up in episode 98, 'Take off! Battleship Halberd' ('Cappy Town Down'/part of the 'Fright to the Finish' movie in the English dub).
• Kirby: Squeak Squad - Third appearance. It uses the same appearance as the one in the anime.
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Fourth appearance. The design here is far sleeker than the first one.

Kirby Super Star

The Halberd's first appearance is when Meta Knight decides he will take over Dream Land, using the Halberd to accomplish it. It is far bulkier in appearance than later designs, but still quite formidable. Kirby must travel to different sections of the ship, battling enemies and destroying it as he goes until he finally faces Meta Knight.

The most powerful weapon it has is the Combo Cannon, which Kirby must destroy as well. It has a huge amount of firepower and even shot down the mighty Dyna Blade after she aided Kirby.

It has a small crew, including Meta Knight himself, the bird-like Halberd Captain, a Waddle Dee in a sailor cap, Mace Knight and Axe Knight (also known as Meta Mace and Meta Axe).

The Halberd crashes into the sea after Kirby escapes from it while being pursued by Meta Knight.

Kirby: Right Back At Ya!

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Anime version of the Halberd

The Halberd in the anime first appears in the first of the final three episodes, "Takeoff! Battleship Halberd!", aired in the USA as "Cappy Town Down" (which also first aired in America as the direct-to-video film, Kirby: Fright to the Finish). According to Meta Knight, he had been building it by himself with Sword Knight and Blade Knight's help since he arrived in Dream Land, using plans saved from the Galaxy Soldier Army. Of course, Meta Knight had to keep the Halberd a secret because if Nightmare learned of it, all would be lost.

The anime version sports a more sleek, streamlined appearance than the game version, but keeps many of the signature design features such as Meta Knight's mask, the bat-like wings and the Combo Cannon. It is capable of traveling using worm holes, reaching Nightmare's Fortress 900 light years away in a very short time.

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Halberd taking off in the anime.

It possesses massive firepower and an effective force shield. The wings can be retracted when the situation calls for it. Its size is never specifically stated, but it's much larger than even Dedede's castle. It is also a much more superior machine compared to Nightmare's Destrayers. It easily shoots down groups Destrayers during the attack on Nightmare's Fortress.

Inside are long corridors with special trolleys to make travel faster, and many rooms including a kitchen, jail, training room, and the massive engine room. The bridge is made to be run by a small crew, specifically Meta Knight, Sword and Blade.

The ship also appears to be based on the battleship from the 1973 anime Space Battleship Yamato, sporting a similar look and even using the same sound effects for its weapons. It is assumed to be an homage to that series, as the show is known for doing such.

The Halberd is eventually lost during the battle in Nightmare's Fortress. The Halberd is led into a trap and hides in a trench. Three Destrayers locate it and open fire. Already severely weakened, the Halberd's shields fail. Meta Knight lands the ship on a ledge and orders everyone to abandon ship. The Destrayers continue firing and the Halberd falls to the bottom of the trench and explodes with such power that it vaporizes the Destrayers that shot it down (the Halberd falls far enough that the ship itself disappears from sight before it explodes).

Kirby: Squeak Squad

In Kirby: Squeak Squad, the Halberd is seen in the background in the underwater areas of Level 7, Secret Sea. Kirby swims down to the Halberd and boards it as it rises back out of the ocean and lifts into Gamble Galaxy. Kirby makes his way through the Halberd to his fight with Meta Knight, who battles him to prevent Dark Nebula from being released.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

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The Halberd's updated design for Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The Halberd has shown up in both released Super Smash Bros. Brawl trailers in the background of a stage (and some characters were shown standing on it in the cinematics). In Brawl, the Halberd's look both reverts to the old look yet revises it again. It returns to a more menacing feel with darker colors and more realistic bat wings, but adds ornate flourishes in gold and purple, giving it a more extravagant look.

Trivia

Name origin

It is all but indestructible from the outside. Its name is a reference to both a weapon of the same name. and the company that created Kirby, HAL Laboratory.

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  Reenactors wielding Halberds. The Halberd was a common weapon during the Renaissance and medieval times, which were also the age of knights.
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  Satoru Iwata, representing HAL Laboratory at GDC in 2011. HAL happens to be the first three letters of Halberd.