The Sword of Kings is easily the most sought-after and infamous item in Earthbound... but why does the Starman Super have it to begin with? It isn't of alien origin... or is it?

The Sword of Kings is actually the sword from Swordquest, the video game series that was produced by Atari in the 1980s as part of a contest. Each of the four games (Earthworld, Fireworld, Waterworld and Airworld) had a contest attached to it, where they had to find clues in the game. They could then send their results to Atari to have a chance to compete in the finals and win a prize: a talisman, a chalice, a crown and a Philosopher's Stone. When all four winners had been decided, they would be summoned for a final competition where they could compete for a $50,000 sword.

However, due to Atari's financial problems as part of the Video Game Crash of 1983, they were unable to hold the last two game contests, as well as the grand finale contest. As a result of this, the last two prizes, as well as the grand prize of the Sword, have been lost. It is rumored that the Sword is currently hanging on the wall of 83-year-old Jack Tramiel, who was at one point a CEO of Atari.

However, the truth is that at one point, Giygas' minions arrived via a stolen Phase Distorter and stole it in the night, believing it to have mystical properties that would ensure victory for Giygas' forces. Starman #242, a member of the unit assigned to the robbery, held on to it while they traveled to the Stonehenge Base to place it under safekeeping. However, when they were about to enter the Stonehenge Base, #242 requested to stay outside for a quick smoke break, and gave it to his friend #299, a member of the Starman Super divison, instead. #299, not being too bright, held on to it instead of going to place it in safekeeping.

Ness and friends then quickly came along and fought a bunch of Starmen in the Stonehenge Base. One of the ones they beat up was #299, who dropped his sword, allowing Poo, mistaking it for the lost sword of the kings of Dalaam, to wield it instead. And that's how babies are born.

- iamohjay

The Starman Super had a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese, but nobody came.

In his depressed loneliness, he played skee-ball for nine hours that day.

He got exceptionally good at skee-ball over the course of the day, and eventually earned nine thousand and five tickets.

Having spent all of his tokens, he went to the prize counter to see what he could get. The man offered him a sword.

The price of the sword was only nine thousand and one tickets, so the Starman Super also had enough to trade for a rubber duck.

He lost the rubber duck, but he kept that sword with him everywhere he went; it was his only friend.

That is, until some jerk in a striped shirt beat him up and stole it…

- J_Spade

My theory for why Starman Supers have the sword of kings is that it is a leftover from the war between the interlopers and the Scarabians. Scaraba couldn't have been the only place the aliens attacked, and the Starmen Army could have found their way to Dalaam. Impressed by the great power of the blade, it was stolen by a dastardly Starman Super and passed it along to his descendants.

- METC

the starman super doesn’t actually ‘carry’ the sword of kings. the true nature of the sword of kings is a blade forged of the kings enemies. with this in mind poo, noticing the starman supers superior construction decides to forge a blade of them.

bonus, the reason it takes so long to aquire is because poo can only take the non-damaged peices to forge his sword. it takes a while when your bashing their hull in with bats, fists, guns, fire and ice ;p

-Ants

Prince Poo of Dalaam… We are given surprisingly little on his background, other than the facts that he is Prince of Dalaam and has choice taste in his equipment. But what is the significance of this equipment, and why is it scattered across the world, rather than safely kept in the reaches of the Palace of Dalaam? This theory shall explain it all!

Let’s start off with an analysis of the name “Sword of Kings.” Despite Poo only being otherwise referred to as Prince Poo, all of his choice equipment contains the word “Kings.” This may be because the Sword of Kings, along with the Diadem, Bracer, and the Cloak, has been passed down from generation to generation in the ancient royal family of Dalaam, and Poo is next in line to inherit this gear, as his father, the previous King of Dalaam, once did.

About Poo’s father, where exactly is he? All of the Chosen Four in EarthBound are plainly revealed to have a father, except for Poo, but why is this? Well, it seems to be that Poo’s father has been killed, or has otherwise disappeared; leaving Poo to oversee his country and prepare to become the next King of Dalaam, hence why there is only one throne in the Palace. Dalaam may previously have been raided by Giygas’ army, or the “Starman Empire,” around the same time the meteorite hit in Onett, or perhaps weeks before. Poo’s parents could have been abducted, or possibly murdered, by the Starmen, who also ransacked the Palace and stole the royal equipment, scattering it across the world, but keeping the Sword in possession of one of the Starman Supers. Thus, Poo has been training with his masters ever since, undergoing trials of strength and discipline, in order to avenge his family and destroy Giygas and the Starmen once and for all, as one of the Chosen Four.

When you first roam around Dalaam as Prince Poo, you may notice that many of the citizens of the floating utopia make references to Poo’s “training,” and his newly “serious lifestyle,” as well as how much he has changed recently. I theorize that this is a result of Poo losing his parents, and subsequently beginning his Mu training. I think Poo underwent Mu training in order to overcome the devastating loss of his parents and the hatred for his enemy, and so as to prepare him for being the next king of Dalaam. Personally, I feel that it is very symbolic how Poo travels around the world, collecting the mementos of his past, like his father’s bracer, cloak, crown, and, of course, his sword. And, in turn, they became his own. This is very much like Ness traveling across the world collecting the Melodies, and making Magicant his own, which also unlocked memories and emotions.

Extra thoughts and theories: The idea of Poo being an orphaned warrior with his mind set on vengeance for his family greatly aligns him with Teddy, from Mother 1, who was also the “Warrior” of that particular Chosen Four (I seek vengeance for my parents. To the mountains!!).

Also, perhaps the Spirit of Mu was intentionally made to resemble Poo’s father? Not literally his father, of course, but symbolizing him in order to make the final trial of Mu a more emotional and a greater hurtle to be passed. I mean, imagine a figure representing your father breaking your legs and taking your senses away. I would want to turn back, wouldn’t you?

-AmateurGamer