Undertale is a phenomenon: a little indie game that has spawned a fan community so vast and sprawling that it rivals the communities from any triple-A blockbuster series. Fans have created perfectly representational cosplay, stunning fanart, and an incredible array of fan games to honor and expand on the original. In the process, every last gem of lore has been mined from this game, especially when it comes to information about the unique and lovable characters.
Everyone has an intricate personality and a backstory that will get you in the feels, so it’s hard to rank each of the special characters. But only Mettaton has fans both in real life and within the game world. That level of meta fits perfectly with Undertale’s modus operandi, and for that reason, this character deserves a closer look. Here are a few things you might not have picked up on about Mettaton. Fair warning for those who haven’t yet played this game: there will be spoilers.
10 He Was Once A Ghost
Mettaton wasn’t always a robot with a SOUL. He was once a ghost similar to Napstablook, although fan art usually depicts him as pink instead of white. As a ghost, he befriended Alphys, and she eventually created a body (or several) for him. Mettaton bonded with the body, allowing him to become “corporeal” and this is the version that Frisk meets and/or fights in the game.
9 He Has In-Game Cousins
There are several prominent families in Undertale — Sans and Papyrus; Asgore, Toriel, and Asriel. Players may not know that Mettaton also has in-game family. He’s the cousin of Napstablook (Papyrus refers to Mettaton in one conversation as “Happstablook”) and used to help him run the family snail farm.
This means he is also the cousin of another ghost that Frisk encounters later in the game: Mad Dummy. This ghost also becomes corporeal — but only if you piss him off enough by doing a so-called Genocide run and killing all the monsters.
8 He Has An In-Game House
Mettaton doesn’t just roam the underground looking for humans to kill, and he doesn’t live in the laboratory with Alphys in Hotland (at least, he didn’t always). He has a house in Waterfall, right next to Napstablook’s.
The house is locked, but it is possible to eventually get inside. Players can purchase a Mystery Key from Bratty and Catty in Hotland; this key unlocks Mettaton’s house and players can get inside to look at his stuff and read his diaries.
7 He Is Un-Datable
Many of the characters in Undertale have the option for the player to get to know them better by going on a date with them. Frisk can eat spaghetti with Papyrus, or visit the garbage dump with Alphys. Sadly, no such option exists with Mettaton.
Not only is Mettaton undatable, but he doesn’t care at all for your affections. In one portion of the Mettaton EX battle, the player must write an essay. If the player enters “I love you,” Mettaton will hand-wave the confession, responding with: “What a touching confession! I’ll add it to the pile.”
6 Friends With Shyren
Mettaton is always going on about his popularity, but it’s not all showmanship. He’s also friends with many of the other monsters, including Alphys, Undyne, and Shyren. He shares a love of entertainment with the reluctant songstress monster.
If the player completes a True Pacifist ending, Mettaton even forms a touring band with Shyren and Napstablook (and possibly Burgerpants), allowing Shyren to realize her singing goals outside of the underground.
5 He Loves Humans
Mettaton will reference different origin stories depending on what kind of run the player chooses, but based on most of the information, he’s not out to kill all humans - he just wants to entertain them.
In fact, the player can discover that at one point previous to the game, Mettaton loved humans so much that he started a Human Fan Club.
4 He’s A Glam Rocker
Mettaton first appears as a box with arms and legs, with moving lights on his primitive screen functioning as his face. At one point during a battle, the player has the chance to flip a switch on Mettaton’s back, transforming him into Mettaton EX.
Mettaton’s new humanoid look is clearly modeled after glam rockers from the 80s, with his high-heeled boots, aggressive shoulder pads, and perfectly sculpted eyebrows. The clincher is the title of the song that plays during Mettaton EX’s appearance: Death By Glamour.
3 He Has Three Forms
Players who complete Undertale with a True Pacifist run or a Neutral run will be familiar with Mettaton’s original boxy, tv-shaped form, and Mettaton EX’s glamourous, humanoid rocker form. Mettaton also has a third form that only appears if the player attempts a Genocide run. Taking its cue from classic JRPGs, this third form features the aggressively enhanced Mettaton NEO, with wings, spiked joints, and a weapon for a hand.
As it does with so many things, Undertale turns the JRPG stereotype on its head by making Mettaton NEO extremely weak. Usually “final forms” of bosses are the toughest, but in this battle, any attack that connects will immediately one-shot him.
2 Legs Are His Favorite Feature
Mettaton is enamored with everything about himself, particularly with his humanoid form. But there are also several clues throughout the game that his legs are his favorite features. One of the game’s best battles, the Mettaton EX boss battle, includes an essay portion on Mettaton’s best quality. If the player types “legs” as their favorite feature of Mettaton, he will respond with: “That’s right. Legs was the correct answer!”
Another not-so-subtle hint that legs are his favorite feature occurs in the end credits of the game. Mettaton appears in his original box-like form on a stage, but after a brief time, he sheds his original wheel and brings out his humanoid legs, in tight black pants and hot pink high-heeled boots.
1 He Defies Gender Norms
Before he was a killer robot with killer legs, Mettaton was a ghost that kept multiple diaries and lived in an all-pink house. As Mettaton EX he wears high-heeled pink boots, and sports a glamorous hairstyle and makeup, leading some fans to wonder whether Mettaton might be coded as genderqueer or trans.
Despite these antiquated signifiers of femininity, Mettaton is referred to as he/him in every exchange. While the idea of a subtly genderqueer or trans character is undoubtedly a cool one that fits with Undertale’s MO, so is the idea that Mettaton is simply a he who loves pink heels.
NEXT: Undertale: 10 Hidden Details About Asriel
