Kris Dreemurr is the protagonist of the episodicrole-playing video gameDeltarune. They are a non-binary[a] human teenager residing in the Light World with their monster mother Toriel.[1] Kris befriends a monster girl named Susie after they both discover a portal to the Dark World inside their school's supply closet. Alongside Susie and the Darkner Ralsei, Kris is prophesized to seal various "Dark Fountains" which threaten to destroy both worlds. Kris appears to struggle with the player's control over them, occasionally rejecting it by ripping out their "soul", which seemingly allows Kris to regain free will. They were created by the game's developer, Toby Fox, with additional design work by concept artist Gigi DG and sprite artist Chess.
Kris has been generally well received, with analysis performed by multiple critics on various aspects of their character, including their resemblance to multiple characters in the related game Undertale, their relationship with the player, and their role in the alternate "weird" route.
Kris is the protagonist of Deltarune. They are controlled by the player through a red soul for most of the game. They are the human child of the monsters Toriel and Asgore Dreemurr, the sibling of Asriel Dreemurr, and a resident of "Hometown", a small town home to many characters from Undertale as well as new characters not seen in Undertale.[1] In Chapter 1, Kris and their bully Susie discover a fantastical realm called a "Dark World" in the school's storage closet.[1] They meet a Darkner—a being who comes from a Dark World—named Ralsei. He explains that the three of them are heroes prophesied to save both worlds by sealing "Dark Fountains", the sources of the darkness which Dark Worlds form out of.[1] They are attacked by Prince Lancer, who was ordered by his father, King, to stop them from reaching the Fountain, only for them to befriend him and defeat the King, who was protecting the Fountain. After the Fountain is sealed and the Dark World fades away, Kris and Susie return to the Light World, vowing to return the next day. When Kris returns to their bedroom, they remove their soul, allowing them to act without player input.
In Chapter 2, Kris and Susie discover a Fountain at the library, entering a new computer-themed Dark World. Their classmates Noelle Holiday and Berdly were captured by its ruler, Queen, who explains that a figure called the Roaring Knight is the creator of the Fountains. Believing that the Knight opens Fountains to make the "Lightners" happy, Queen compels Noelle to open one. Kris eventually defeats Queen, and Ralsei explains that opening too many Fountains will end both worlds in an apocalypse known as "The Roaring". After sealing the Fountain, Susie stays over at Kris' house; while asleep, Kris removes their soul and opens a Fountain in their living room.
In Chapter 3, Ralsei tells Kris that Darkners and Dark Worlds are illusory versions of objects and places in the Light World. The main trio are then brought into a game show by Tenna, a Darkner formed from Toriel's television, which has fallen into disuse. Afraid of becoming obsolete, Tenna holds Toriel hostage and manipulates the protagonists into playing his games. Tenna is eventually convinced to let her go, but is attacked at the last second by the Knight, who attempts to take Toriel. After defeating Kris, the Knight is also accosted by an officer named Undyne. The Knight kidnaps her, and she is brought to a shelter that is sealed with three codes. After Susie leaves, the door opens for Kris.
In Chapter 4, while Kris and Susie are searching Noelle's house for one of the codes, Kris rips out their soul, later receiving a phone call instructing them to sabotage the search. After the meetup is interrupted by Carol Holiday, Noelle's mother, Kris and Susie head to the local church to see Toriel, where they find another Fountain. Reuniting with Ralsei and guided by Gerson Boom, a dead monster revived by the Fountain, they encounter the Knight multiple times across three Dark Worlds in the church. Eventually, the Knight opens a Fountain within the Dark World, creating a giant creature called a Titan, beings that would overrun the world during the Roaring. With Gerson's help, Kris and Susie defeat the Titan, and the duo return to Kris's house. After Susie leaves, Kris hears them outside and is about to climb out the window when a voice on the phone reminds them of a promise made.
Kris can be made to start the secret "Weird Route" (also known as the "Snowgrave Route") in Chapter 2, in which Noelle is instructed by the player to use ice magic to kill several Darkners and injure Berdly. Kris later attempts to stop the player from manipulating Noelle and themself down this route further, but is prevented from doing so.
Kris has been featured in merchandise based on Deltarune, including a pin set with other characters.[2]
Concept and creation
First concept art of Kris made by Toby Fox during 2014 or 2015
Kris was created by Toby Fox sometime during or before 2015.[3] Their concept art was created by Fox alongside artist Gigi, and their Dark World design was among the first sprites created for the game, which were created by artist Chess. These sprites included a battle idle animation and slash animation.[4] They are a non-binary character, with the game only using they/them pronouns to refer to them.[5][6] They are a distinct character from the player avatar that controls them, having reactions to things the player makes them say or do that they would not have done. Different members of the cast view Kris differently, ranging from people viewing them as nice to people viewing them as creepy. They are also the only human living in their town.[6] In most Dark Worlds, they have blue skin and wield a pink sword.[4]
Reception
IGN writer Brendan Graeber considered the relationship between the player and Kris "incredibly wild and unique" with how the two fight over control, stating that while they may seem like a silent protagonist, they still have their own goals and personality. He also praised the relationship between Kris and Susie, calling them one of his favorite teams in a turn-based video game and stating how fascinated he was with their loneliness and the bond that they form between each other and Ralsei. He suggested that Susie is as much, if not more so a protagonist as Kris is, appreciating how the two's relationship offered "some of the funniest, most heartwarming, and most sincere" parts of the games. He liked how the game often gives Kris the opportunity to make stupid decisions, with Susie encouraging them, calling their enthusiasm over their interactions "inescapably contagious".[7]
Heidi Kemps of GameSpot discussed the relationship between Kris and Noelle in the Weird Route of Chapter 2 as an emotionally abusive one. She stated that Noelle following Kris' orders more and more causes her to become more willing to do emotionally and physically damaging acts.[8]USA Today writer Mary Clarke discussed how Kris' reactions to the events of the Weird Route emphasized the lack of control Kris has, citing how disturbed they are by the actions they are made to do. She felt this meant that, rather than Kris manipulating Noelle, it was solely the player who did. She suggested that, rather than being evil, the reason Kris removes the player from their heart may be a desire for agency.[9]
TheGamer writer Sachi Go considered Kris among the best LGBTQ+ characters in video games, stating that while there has been debate over whether Kris is non-binary, she appreciated that a character using gender-neutral pronouns was nice to see at a time when the use of pronouns has become controversial with some. She commented that masculinity or femininity could be appropriately projected onto Kris, stating that Kris did not conform to either.[10]RPGFan writer Stephanie Sybydlo felt that as with Frisk, Kris lacked a canonical gender, and that players viewed them as a self-insert. Sybydlo appreciated that the game uses they/them pronouns for Kris and wished this was more common in video games.[11]
Following the release of Deltarune Chapter 2, memes surrounding Kris and Susie became popular on social media websites like YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit, in particular one where Susie says to Kris "God FUCKING DAMMIT Kris where the FUCK are we" while in unusual settings, such as Doki Doki Literature Club! and the Sonic series. Polygon writer Ana Diaz praised the meme,[12] and with fellow Polygon writer Nicole Clark considered it one of the best memes of 2021.[13]
Character analysis
Kris' nature as a silent protagonist and their potential relationship with the video game Undertale has been the subject of discussion by critics. After the release of Chapter 1, Paste writer Dante Douglas argued that, unlike the protagonist Frisk from Undertale, who is meant to be a player avatar, Kris is their own individual character. They listed various hints to this, including Kris acting of their own volition at times, and felt that these hints suggested that Deltarune was designed to complicate the "utopic" setting and plot of Undertale. They speculated that they bore a connection to Undertale antagonist Chara due to having the same family makeup and circumstances, and suggested Kris may be evil and aware of Deltarune being a game.[14]Kotaku writer Nathan Grayson, meanwhile, speculated that Kris was a similar character to Frisk, akin to Ralsei being like Asriel. He questioned whether the player's role in Kris' story is to guide them as players did with Frisk in Undertale, or if the player is taking over a person's life.[15]Comic Book Resources writer Katie Schutze praised Deltarune, along with Undertale, stating that the use of a silent protagonist in both helps enhance both. They argued that, where other games use silent protagonists for player immersion, these games use them to delineate the character from the player, suggesting that the process of Kris and Frisk being controlled by the player may not be fully consensual. She felt that while Frisk had defined personality aspects through actions they may take, Kris has a lot more distinguishing features, like being viewed as mischievous and quiet, to the extent that them behaving nicely through the player's actions surprises some characters in the game.[16]
The Washington Post writer Jhaan Elker believed that when Kris ripped the heart from their body, it was the game's way of conveying that the player no longer controlled Kris. Elker had multiple theories regarding Kris' role and actions in the game, believing that there were two likely reasons for Kris' actions, including opening fountains. One was them missing their older brother and refusing to let go of their childhood. They believe that Ralsei resembling Asriel and his name being a rearranged version of this supported this, that Kris wanted to relive these childhood experiences. The other explanation is that Kris is secretly Chara, arguing that their clothing and violent tendencies after ripping out their heart support this as a possibility.[17]PC Gamer writer Ana Diaz felt that multiple scenes in the game emphasized how Kris is more than just an "empty vessel". These included a beginning scene where the player creates a vessel that is rejected before they are made to control Kris, and a scene where Kris controls a virtual Susie and vice versa in an in-game video game.[18]
Notes
1 2 Kris is referred to by they/them pronouns throughout the game. While their gender is not directly stated by the game, its creator or related media, they are described as non-binary by reliable secondary sources.
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