Galeem

Galeem
Game	Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Super Smash Bros.

Galeem (キーラ, Kiira), the lord of light, is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Dharkon) of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s story mode, World of Light, where he sought to create a new world by destroying the old one's inhabitants and creating spirit possessed Puppet fighters of the fighters in Super Smash Bros. He leads an army of Master Hands which all disintegrate into beams of light. These beams of light are responsible for turning every character in the galaxy into spirits, however, Kirby manages to escape via Warp Star. His counterpart is Dharkon.

Physical Appearance

Galeem's core is a ball of bright light, and is surrounded by multiple wings. Each of his wings are coloured with a tint of red, blue, and yellow.

Role in World of Light

Galeem is the initiator of the events of World of Light. Galeem assaults the World of Smash and its fighters, hero and villain alike. After confronting Galeem at the former resting place of the Isle of the Ancients, the fighters witness Galeem absorb his army of Master Hands and release them in the form of a wave of golden rays of energy. The heroes try in vain to avoid and destroy the beams, but are defeated and disintegrated one by one. Kirby manages to escape the onslaught by using his Warp Star to teleport out of reality one second before the beam would have overtaken him. Undeterred by Kirby’s escape, Galeem proceeds to obliterate the rest of the planet, killing all the non-fighter inhabitants before rapidly expanding to consume the universe. In the ruins of the destroyed world, Galeem constructs a new world—The Light Realm.

The Light Realm—Prologue

Galeem, having completed his plan to construct a new world, takes the unconscious bodies of the fighters and uses a magical golden liquid to create puppet fighters. He then forces the newly formed Spirits to take control of the puppet fighters and force them to do his bidding. He also places the fallen fighters under mind control and deploys them into the Light Realm. Galeem himself observes his new domain comfortably in the north, hidden behind an impenetrable shield. The puppet fighters attempt to slow down Kirby in his quest to save everyone, but Kirby defeats the Spirits in his path, freeing numerous fighters in the process, including Mario, Pit, and either Villager, Sheik, or Marth. Seeing that the puppet fighters and possessed fighters aren’t slowing down the fighters, Galeem deploys Giga Bowser, Galleom, and Rathalos to kill them. However, the fighters defeats them all, freeing the dark-powered Bowser. Having expended a great amount of strength on summoning the bosses, the shield protecting Galeem shatters, exposing himself to the fighters. In a bid to protect himself, he summons a Master Hand, which is quickly defeated. The weakened Galeem moves to fight the fighters himself, pulling out every trick he has, but is ultimately beaten. Galeem falls, battered and unable to continue fighting.

Darkness Rises

With Galeem defeated, another powerful entity seizes an opportunity. Shattering the sky, Dharkon, the lord of darkness appears, swiftly destroys Galeem‘s remaining Master Hands, and plunges the world into darkness. Galeem, knowing he cannot fight off Dharkon or the fighters, makes a hasty retreat. Dharkon proceeds to seize control of Galeem’s captured and puppet fighters, and forces them into his own Dark Realm. Galeem doesn’t make any appearances until the confrontation between the fighters and Dharkon. With the lord of darkness weakened, Galeem returns, having regained some power, and chases him into the escape route Dharkon created, pursued in turn by the fighters.

The Final Battle

Galeem and Dharkon now enter a heated battle between their withering forces, severely damaged by one another and the fighters. Mario and the other fighters intervene, systematically decimating their puppet fighters and Master and Crazy Hand clones. Upon destroying the Master and Crazy Hand clones, the true Master and Crazy Hand reveal themselves, the lords of light and darkness having run out of options. Freeing Bayonetta and Palutena in the process, the army defeats Master and Crazy Hand, freeing them from Galeem and Dharkon’s control, respectively. Master and Crazy Hand determine that they and the fighters share a common enemy, and force open a dimensional rift between the two lords. From here, the game ends based on the player’s decision.

Confronting Galeem

If the player fights and defeats Galeem, Dharkon’s power greatly surpasses Galeem’s, resulting in darkness spreading across the realm of the final battle. Dharkon kills Galeem’s Master Hand clones, and impales Galeem repeatedly with chains, leaving the lord of light at Dharkon’s mercy. Meanwhile, Mario and the rest of the fighters are overtaken by darkness, and collapse, seemingly dead. Dharkon’s darkness spreads across the plane, cementing his position as the most powerful one.

Confronting Dharkon

If the player fights and defeats Dharkon, Galeem’s power greatly surpasses Dharkon’s, resulting in light spreading across the realm of the final battle, Galeem kills Dharkon’s Crazy Hand clones, and shoots Dharkon repeatedly, grating him before causing him to disintegrate. Galeem proceeds to turn his attention to the assembled fighters. Without giving them a chance to react, Galeem sends out a wave of light, preventing all the fighters from escaping and consuming the universe once more.

Choosing the Middle Path

If the player follows Master Hand and Crazy Hand to the rift they formed, Master Hand enters the rift, fights and defeats fifty puppet fighters constructed entirely from Galeem and Dharkon‘s power, and allows the fighters to continue onward, drained from fighting off the onslaught of Galeem and Dharkon‘s forces. Three members of the fighters make it through, and manage to climb up into orbit, attempting to reach Final Destination where Galeem and Dharkon are battling. Upon meeting there, the two lords deploy their bosses, in an attempt to defeat each other and the three fighters in one fell swoop. To their surprise, the fighters defeat all six bosses with minimal injuries, and finally take the fight to them. Galeem, Dharkon, and the fighters begin brawling in a three-way matchup for the fate of the universe. Despite being gods and clearly having a powerful advantage over the fighters, Galeem and Dharkon are both defeated at the hands of the fighters, and fall from orbit, crashing into the ocean that once held the Isle of the Ancients, and restoring the balance in the world. Without Galeem and Dharkon, the Spirits are freed, returning to the real world. The fighters are left in the ruins of the World of Light, ready to rebuild.

Combat

Galeem is fought on a variant of Final Destination. He can be damaged if and only if the player attacks his core, which shines brightly during his second phase (Below half HP). He attacks in the following ways:

1. Cross Bombs: Galeem creates small objects that explode in a plus-shaped beam of light like an X bomb. These can be destroyed before their detonation. He will create three during his first phase and six will be created during his second phase. During his second fight, these bombs go off at different times, whereas in his first fight they all go off at once.
2. Drill Pierce: Galeem produces two to six drill-like objects which he will slam into the ground. During his second phase, Galeem produces eight drills and strikes with four at a time. Airborne targets are meteor-smashed.
3. Heat Seeker: Galeem fires a single projectile that strongly homes in on the target. When it collides with someone or something, it will explode. The blast is very large. This attack only appears in the second phase of his second fight.
4. Laser Net: Galeem creates small purple lines which damage the player after a short amount of time. The beams deal heavy damage to their target, but the player can avoid them by staying in a gap or by dodging. During his second phase, Galeem creates more beams and attacks twice.
5. Lens Flare: Galeem releases two or four orbs that produce a shockwave like the Off Wave Tabuu creates during his own battle. These waves fill up the whole screen and cannot be shielded, so you have to dodge to avoid suffering their full effect. Less orbs will appear on easy mode or when fighting with Dharkon. This attack only appears in the second phase of his second fight.
6. Mirror Image: Galeem vanishes as his wings expand, creating light puppet fighters to support him. These entities self-destruct eventually and their explosion can harm fighters who stand too close. The light false characters will fight dark puppet fighters, and vice versa. This attack only appears in his second phase. Two fighters are summoned in Galeem's first fight and three are summoned in his second fight. Only puppet fighters of characters that could be unlocked while being controlled by Galeem will spawn (such as Mario, Fox McCloud, or Palutena). When fought alone, Galeem will continue to attack while the clones are on screen. In the fight against, Galeem and Dharkon, however, both bosses will disappear until most of their clones have exploded.
7. Giant Optic Orb: Galeem creates a large blue sphere of light which breaks apart into smaller spheres that home in on their target. Four are created during his first phase, six are created in his second phase, and only three are created when fighting with Dharkon.
8. Radiant Photonic Wave: Galeem creates two waves of light with a small gap of safety between their area of effect. Contact with the lines causes ongoing radiant damage. This attack only appears in the second phase of his second fight. Galeem will always use this attack at the start of his second phase. If Dharkon is present, Galeem covers the top while Dharkon covers the bottom. If Dharkon is stunned, Galeem covers only the top.
9. Piercing Beam: If Dharkon is stunned, Galeem transforms his wings into a spear and spears Dharkon's core, dealing heavy damage to the Lord Of Darkness. You will also take damage from Galeem if you stand too close.
10. Tri-eye Shot: Galeem splits his core into 3 spheres of yellow light. These spheres fire a barrage of energy in your direction. The energy can be reflected or absorbed, unlike the energy Dharkon fires in his spray attack. This attack only appears in the second phase of Galeem's first fight and the both phases of his second fight.
11. Giant Circle: Galeem turns into a giant circle, with two saw-blade like objects rotating around his body. Galeem will start at one end of the screen and slowly move to the other. The player can not pass through the giant circle, limiting the space where they can move. This only appears in a latter portion of the climbing section in the final battle against Galeem and Dharkon. The player has to attack Galeem's core in order to make Galeem move back. If the player fails to deal enough damage, Galeem will retreat automatically eventually.
    1. The saw blades do not make their appearance on Very Easy.
12. Super Drill: Galeem's wings appear at one end of the screen, and travel to the other side, destroying any platforms in their way. This only appears in the last climbing section in the final battle against Galeem and Dharkon. Galeem does not send out his wings on Very Easy.

Gallery

Galeem's spirit.

Galeem during his second phase

Galeem as seen in the beginning of World of Light.

The intro cutscene to the final fight against Galeem.

Fury of Galeem

Dharkon and Galeem defeated simultaneously

Sephiroth killing Galeem in one hit during his trailer

Trivia

• Galeem is referred to neuter pronouns when he is introduced, but in the spirit instructions, he uses masculine pronouns.
• Galeem earned his English name from the word "gleam", which fits with the story mode's light motif.
  • His Japanese name, Kiira, comes from a pun on the Japanese Kira Kira (Japanese shining onomatopoeia.) and the English Killer.
• Galeem shares some similarities with Tabuu:
  • Both are supernatural entities that serve as the main antagonist of their respective game's story mode, as well as having control over an army of constructs. Both also managed to have Master Hand as their minion; although Master Hand was enslaved while Galeem absorbed the Master Hands and made clones of him. They also wipe out the majority of the characters in a single attack; with the exception of Kirby who manages to survive and thus free his friends.
    • Unlike Tabuu, however, Galeem is first seen at the beginning of the game rather than the end.
• Galeem is rather ironic himself, as he is made of light despite being an evil character.
• Galeem reappears in Sephiroth's trailer, where the latter kills the former in one attack.
  • This may imply that Galeem survived the end of World of Light.