GQTDM: #4 Does K.Rool have DID?

[Glen-i]

Oh no, you've wandered into Gaming Questions That Don't Matter. A dive into the many gaming curiosities that I think about that will never actually get an official answer. A normal person might move on, but that's not me, so I'm gonna ask you lot to give your thoughts on these very important (but also not important at all) matters.

This week's question revolves around the main villain of the Donkey Kong Country series. King K. Rool is a maniacal crocodile king who wants to steal all of DK's bananas for some reason.

K. Rool is also Kaptain K. Rool, the captain of a group of pirates who owns his own island filled with haunted forests, active volcanoes and a fun fair!

K. Rool is also Baron K. Roolenstein, a scientist who can make primate killing death robots out of pots and pans. He's also married, and his wife is going to kill him when she finds that out.

3 distinct villains across the SNES games and yet, they're all the same deranged crocodile who really has a grudge against the Kongs.

(Sorry, couldn't find a picture of the other personalities, trying to find an image that actually displays properly with a phone is a nightmare, just Google the names if you need to see them)

I mean, this is just classic signs of Dissociative Identity Disorder, right? Split personalities, in layman's terms. Now granted, K. Rool doesn't showcase any of the more concerning traits of people with this disorder (Probably because a game about monkeys jumping on crocodiles isn't exactly the place to dive into the complexities of the human psyche).

This pretty simplistic example of DID could support the view that K. Rool doesn't actually have the disorder and is just really into dressing up in elaborate costumes.

So that's the question, does K. Rool suffer from DID, or is he just a cosplay enthusiast?

Don't bother posting that Smash Bros. Melee trophy of Kaptain K. Rool that claims that the two of them are different crocs, you'll just embarrass yourself.

[Dcubed]

Don’t forget King Krusha K.Rool, who fancies himself a right Mr Sandman...

Maybe he’ll be the next secret boss in the next Punchout game?

[Jonnas]

He isn't just a costume enthusiast, he's the entire convention!

But really, he definitely seems like a costume enthusiast / roleplayer / LARPer. There are a few pointers in that direction:

• K.Rool does not go back to a previous identity/personality. Each identity is done and dusted, except for the "King" part, which isn't a personality trait, it's a political title;
• Kaptain K.Rool isn't a different name, but K.Roolenstein is (arguably Krusha K.Rool as well). Inconsistent symptoms for a medical condition, but more in-line with the whims of his imagination;
• Despite his political standing, he has no advisor, nor anybody attempting to rein him in. There are very few deserters, and seemingly very little backlash to his policies. We can thus conclude that K.Rool is a capable leader (if a bit eccentric) that adequately answers the needs of his subjects, which would be unlikely, if he was governing alone with a mental disorder;
• So many spirits in SSBU have synergy with him, which can theoretically be attributed to his vivid imagination and willingness to roleplay (unlikely that he'd adapt to so many scenarios with a set number of personalities).

And also, we don't know much about his personal life, so maybe some parts of what you've described aren't part of the personas at all. Maybe he really does have a wife who would disapprove of his secret lab in Krematoa. Maybe he steals the bananas because Donkey Kong is an outrageously greedy one-percenter that monopolizes the local food source. We don't know this croc's life!

[Dcubed]

I’m voting DID, mostly because K.Rool doesn’t just play dress up; he BECOMES the new persona in each game.

Let’s face it, King K.Rool is a 100% A-grade idiot.  Even his own creator (Gregg Mayles) describes him as being “a bit rubbish” at being a villain!

How can someone with the IQ of an already eaten banana have the mental capacity to become a mad scientist who can literally build fully functioning robots, submarines & laboratories with his bare hands and a pile of pots & pans!?  That takes more than a simple change of costume!

Likewise, he’s a surprisingly capable pirate AND boxer! These two talents have NOTHING to do with each other!

I think he literally takes on multiple personas, and the costume is a reflection of what persona he has taken on.  For however “a bit rubbish” he is? You can’t deny that this lovable imbecile gets some crazy talent & scientific/technological knowhow from somewhere! (And it ain’t his motley crew of moronic minions!)

(also his persistent eye tick is a big hint that something is very not right with him in the head  )

Edited February 15, 2021 by Dcubed

[Glen-i]

Worth noting that when in DKC 2, he can't help but write a typical pirate "Arrrrgh" in his ransom note, compare that to the voice acted clips from DK 64, and you just can't imagine that surprisingly menacing voice going all pirate.

Even in Smash Bros. he can't help but put on his Kaptain hat whenever he whips out his blunderbuss. Absolutely no benefit to doing this, in fact, the end lag animation of him taking it back off leaves him open, but he still puts it on. (Yes, I know it's a clever way of balancing the attack, shut up)

10 hours ago, Jonnas said:

Maybe he steals the bananas because Donkey Kong is an outrageously greedy one-percenter that monopolizes the local food source. We don't know this croc's life!

I've seen this theory before. That the Kremlings are fighting against the Kong's jungle based tyranny. I've always liked the idea. Whatever they're doing, it only seems to ever affect the Kongs negatively. (Well, OK. Except DK64, destroying the entire island might be a bit much... Kremlings are probably getting desperate by that point)

10 hours ago, Jonnas said:

• Despite his political standing, he has no advisor, nor anybody attempting to rein him in. There are very few deserters, and seemingly very little backlash to his policies.

Hold up, does this mean Krunch from Diddy Kong Racing deserted the Kremlings because he sees his friendship with Diddy as more important? You never see him actually working for the Kremlings...

Diddy Kong Racing hitting us with that deep lore!

Edited February 16, 2021 by Glen-i

[Jonnas]

15 hours ago, Glen-i said:

Hold up, does this mean Krunch from Diddy Kong Racing deserted the Kremlings because he sees his friendship with Diddy as more important? You never see him actually working for the Kremlings...

Diddy Kong Racing hitting us with that deep lore!

I never played DKR, but this Krunch guy sounds like a potentially complex character. Engaging in ostentatious activities with your high class friends while your people struggle for food? What a kollaborateur.

15 hours ago, Glen-i said:

Whatever they're doing, it only seems to ever affect the Kongs negatively. (Well, OK. Except DK64, destroying the entire island might be a bit much... Kremlings are probably getting desperate by that point)

I mean, their factories and technology seem to be hurting the environment as a whole, ever since the first DKC. But yeah, when your opponent can punch the moon into earth, what else are you gonna do?

[Glen-i]

7 hours ago, Jonnas said:

I mean, their factories and technology seem to be hurting the environment as a whole, ever since the first DKC. But yeah, when your opponent can punch the moon into earth, what else are you gonna do?

I'd take technological progress over banana based starvation anyday, even with the downsides it entails.

[bob]

Do we even know that each version of K. Rool is the same guy? It might simply be the three Rool siblings, Keith, Kyle and Kingsley, who took three different directions in life. They may look the same, but beneath those genetically similar exteriors there lies completely different personalities.

[Glen-i]

3 hours ago, bob said:

Do we even know that each version of K. Rool is the same guy? It might simply be the three Rool siblings, Keith, Kyle and Kingsley, who took three different directions in life. They may look the same, but beneath those genetically similar exteriors there lies completely different personalities.

No, it's most definitely the same guy. Rare have said as much themselves.

HAL Laboratories didn't know when they were making Smash Bros Melee, however. Which led to the amusingly incorrect trophy description for Kaptain K. Rool.

[Glen-i]

Welp, that's a nope then.

I look forward to seeing you all at the now inevitable "K.Rool costume convention" next year.

[Rummy]

ok im late to the party but a cheeky little monkey told me about a lil' thing apparently called HGH Gut and im starting to think someones been leaking something into this King's pond since he was a kid;

https://lmgtfy.app/?q=hgh+gut&t=i