Asgore

For the track named after this character, see ASGORE (soundtrack).

I so badly want to say, "would you like a cup of tea?"
But...
You know how it is.

Asgore, meeting the protagonist

Asgore Dreemurr (JP: アズゴア・ドリーマー) (/ˈæzɡɔːr ˈdɹiːmər/ AZ-gore DREE-mər) is a main character and a secondary antagonist in Undertale. Asgore is the king of the underground and its Kingdom of Monsters. He plans to kill seven humans and use their SOULs to break the barrier and free monsterkind. He is the ex-husband of Toriel, father of Asriel, adoptive father of the fallen human, and the penultimate boss of the Neutral Route.

Profile

Appearance

Asgore is a large Boss Monster, and the tallest main character in Undertale. Asgore has two large curved horns, golden-blond mane and beard, white fur, long ears, a snout, and a set of visible fangs. Asgore wears a small, three-pointed crown atop his head, golden pauldrons and a long purple cape that slightly drags along the ground, which he often uses as a cloak for his armored body. Asgore's armor consists of a large chestplate, with a winged crest of the implied "angel" from the Delta Rune emblem, and his tasset visually resembling the triangles of the emblem. Underneath is a standard outfit, consisting of pants and a shirt, though only the shirt's collar can be seen in color.

Asgore's weapon in battle is a sharp red trident, adorned with a six-petaled flower at its base.

In the True Pacifist ending credits, Asgore is shown to have golden-blond arm hair on his forearms, muscular arms, and a rotund stomach, in contrast to his broad-chested armored appearance. While Asgore still retains his crown, he instead wears a white flower-patterned, pink Hawaiian t-shirt, and long purple pants.

Personality

Asgore is kind and upbeat, yet often quiet. He speaks in Southern slang, such as "howdy" and "golly", similarly to his son Asriel.

Asgore's interests include gardening, humming, making tea such as golden flower tea, going for walks, sparring with Undyne, dressing up and acting as Santa Claus, and puns. He has a sense of humor, as he accepts being called "Fluffybuns" after Toriel accidentally nicknamed him in public. However, he is bad at naming places, as evidenced by him naming the kingdom the "Kingdom of Monsters", the kingdom's first capital city "Home", and its latest capital city "New Home". Gerson suggests that Asgore may not be too intelligent, as he states everyone knew Toriel managed governing.

Despite this, monsters respect Asgore as a powerful leader. Many monsters refer to him by his name, or by nickname, and partially by his title. Asgore's name is always fully capitalized, and sometimes in red text, yellow text, or a combination of both. However, he only fights humans to give hope to monsterkind. Asgore feels miserable for the deaths of the six humans, does not want to kill anybody, and feels guilty for declaring war on humanity. This guilt seemingly extends to Asgore destroying the MERCY option.

Asgore clings to the past, wishing to see his wife and Asriel even though both of them have been gone for a long time. He writes the same short positive phrase in his journal every day, presumably to not think about his guilt or his family. However, he seemingly tries to bake Toriel's Butterscotch Pie multiple times, which is one of his favorites.

Etymology

His last name, Dreemurr, is an anagram of "murderer" and a homophone of "dreamer". Asgore's first name is an anagram of the Latin word "aegros", which can mean troublesome, anxious, sad, difficult, or reluctant. His full name is an anagram of "Sage or Murderer".

"Asgore" is similar to the old Norse name Asgeirr, meaning "God Spear"; this may be a reference to the large trident he wields in battle. It is also an anagram of "a gorse". Gorse is a poisonous yellow flower, similar to the flowers in his throne room.

Main story

History

Before the events of Undertale, Asgore and Toriel ruled monsterkind as king and queen. One day, the humans attacked the monsters abruptly out of fear of their SOULs being absorbed, with many monsters being massacred. Following the war, monsters were sealed in the underground by humans with the barrier. Fearful of more attacks, monsters retreated further into the Ruins, and Asgore named their new city "Home". Toriel and Asgore later had a son, Asriel.

No longer fearing humans, in early 201X, Asgore, his family, and much of monsterkind moved out of Home and ventured deeper into the underground. Asgore's family and some of monsterkind eventually settled in their new capital, which Asgore named "New Home". Near the end of 201X, the fallen human, who had fallen into the Ruins, was adopted by Asgore and his family as their child. For some time, Asgore's family lived in Asgore's Home, close to the barrier. One day, the fallen human fell very ill, much to Asgore's concern. After the human's death, followed by Asriel's death shortly after, Asgore blamed humans and declared war on humanity in a fit of anger. He swore to kill any human that fell into the underground and use their SOULs to break the barrier and exterminate all humans. Toriel, disgusted with him, left New Home and returned to the Ruins.

Before the protagonist fell into the underground, W.D. Gaster disappeared, and Asgore did not hire a new royal scientist for a long time. While Asgore tended to the golden flowers, he also went for walks and interacted with monsters often. At unspecified points in time, six more humans fell into the underground, and Asgore collected their SOULs for future use. At one point, Asgore was impressed by Alphys's invention of a robot with a SOUL, and hired her as the new royal scientist. Asgore requested Alphys to research SOULs in an attempt to break the barrier.

Though puzzles were meant as a precaution versus humans, Asgore eventually corrected older mandates to make the underground safer to traverse on multiple occasions. This includes the spikes from Snowdin's puzzles and the precarious bridges in Waterfall.

Neutral Route

You know what we must do.
When you are ready, come into the next room.

Asgore

Asgore revealing the six human SOULs before his battle, with one container being empty.

After the protagonist traverses New Home, they find Asgore watering the golden flowers in the Throne Room. Realizing he has a visitor, Asgore turns around, greets them and then is visibly taken aback, as he realizes the protagonist is a human. He comforts them as he brings them to the barrier, giving them several opportunities to turn back if they have anything left to do before the fight. Asgore does not mind the delay, admitting that he is not ready either.

Before the battle, Asgore tells the protagonist that it was nice knowing them. He then draws his trident and destroys the MERCY button. FIGHTing Asgore is the only way to proceed.

Battle against Asgore.

Much like with Toriel, attacking Asgore when he is at low HP deals significantly greater damage. Unlike Toriel, he survives the attack with a small amount of health remaining and kneels in defeat, talking to the protagonist about his declaration of war against humanity, admitting that he only wanted to give the monsters hope by continuing the war, and asking them to take his SOUL to escape the underground.

The protagonist is given the choice of killing Asgore by selecting the FIGHT option or sparing him by selecting the partially repaired MERCY option.

• If the protagonist chooses to FIGHT, Asgore dies with a sorrowful smile. Before the protagonist can take his SOUL and pass through the barrier, Flowey shatters Asgore's SOUL, and congratulates the protagonist for affirming his "kill or be killed" philosophy.
• If the protagonist chooses MERCY, Asgore is surprised that the protagonist would sacrifice their freedom for the sake of keeping hope alive in the underground, and offers to care for the protagonist as his own child. Flowey ambushes Asgore, destroying his body and SOUL in succession, then mocking the protagonist for being unwilling to accept his "kill or be killed" philosophy.
  • If the protagonist has already completed the Neutral Route, had killed Flowey (or followed Flowey's offer to spare Asgore by gaining no EXP) beforehand, and chooses to spare Asgore again, Asgore begins to mention that he would care for the protagonist, but stops himself, realizing that his SOUL is the key to getting the protagonist through the barrier. Telling the protagonist that it was what his son would have wanted, he kills himself to give the protagonist his SOUL, hoping that they find a way to free the monsters. Asgore then fades to dust, his SOUL remaining for a moment before being destroyed by Flowey, who mocks the protagonist for thinking that killing him would have made a difference since he would return to kill Asgore anyway.
• If the protagonist aborted the Genocide Route, Flowey refers to the protagonist by the name of the fallen human before telling them that this is a "kill or be killed" world.

After defeating Omega Flowey, the protagonist crosses the barrier and leaves the underground. Asgore's death has a grave impact on the monsters, the outcome of which is further shaped through the protagonist's actions in-game.

True Pacifist Route

Human, for the future of humans and monsters...!
You have to stay determined...!

Asgore

Asgore and Toriel meet during the True Pacifist Route.

Much like how she stopped Flowey in the beginning, Toriel interrupts the fight with Asgore, stating how awful it is that he could seek to hurt the protagonist. She then explains that she intervened to prevent both Asgore and the protagonist from killing each other. While Asgore is ecstatic to see Toriel again, he is saddened when she chastises him for his plan to collect human SOULs, arguing that he could have crossed the barrier with only one SOUL, but instead chose to wait and hope another human never came, which he solemnly agrees with. After that, Undyne, Alphys, Papyrus, and Sans arrive and begin conversing, until Flowey appears.

During the fight against Asriel, Asgore appears as one of the Lost Souls alongside Toriel. The ACTs for Asgore's Lost Soul (Mercy, Stare, Talk) parallels his battle in the Neutral Route. After the fight, he is then seen in the epilogue, where he is first available for a conversation along with the other main characters, and later asks the protagonist if they would become the monsters' ambassador to humanity on the surface.

In the True Pacifist ending credits, Asgore can be seen trimming a hedge to the shape of Papyrus's face in front of Toriel's new school.

Genocide Route

Now, now.
There's no need to fight.
Why not settle this...
Over a nice cup of tea?

Asgore

Asgore questions the protagonist on the Genocide Route.

After the protagonist kills Sans and enters the Throne Room, Asgore greets them, comments on Flowey's warning and inquires on what kind of monster they are. Though he does not intend to kill the protagonist, they still attack and deplete his HP in one hit. Horrified and bewildered, the helpless Asgore is subsequently finished off by Flowey, who also destroys his SOUL.

In battle

For an in-battle description, see Asgore/In battle.

Relationships

Toriel

... Tori...
You're right...
I am a miserable creature...
... but, do you think we can at least be friends again?

Asgore, meeting Toriel years later

Toriel is Asgore's ex-wife. Before they separated, they used to be "insufferable together, nuzzling noses, bein' all cute n' cuddly", as described by Gerson. The two ultimately separated after the deaths of their children and Asgore's declaration of war on humanity.

After Toriel's departure, it seems that Asgore greatly misses her presence. A "Room under renovations" sign is put on her room door in Asgore's Home, and multiple crumpled pie recipes imply that Asgore attempted (and failed) to recreate the way her pies tasted. This is further supported by his reaction to the protagonist eating Toriel's Butterscotch Pie during their fight. After being defeated, he tells the protagonist he only wants to see his wife and child again.

When Toriel interrupts the battle between Asgore and the protagonist, she chastises him for his plan to collect human SOULs and even turns him down when he asks her if they can be friends again, which makes him sorrowful. However, after the fight against Asriel, where their SOULs are saved as one, her aggression towards him seems to cool down.

In the True Pacifist Ending, Asgore can be seen trimming the bushes in front of Toriel's school.

Undyne

"Excuse me, do you want to know how to beat me?"

Asgore to Undyne after their spar

When Undyne was younger, she met Asgore in person and challenged him to a fight. After Asgore defeated her by dodging all her blows, refusing to land his own, he offered to train her. When she finally knocked him down, Asgore was overjoyed, much to the surprise of Undyne. Asgore kept training Undyne until she became the captain of the Royal Guard.

Undyne knows Asgore's favorite type of tea, and the fact that he often gets marshmallows stuck in his beard when he drinks hot cocoa, implying that he often visits her home.

Gerson

That's the Delta Rune, the emblem of our kingdom. The Kingdom...
... of Monsters.
Wahaha! Great name, huh? It's as I always say...
Ol' King Fluffybuns can't name for beans!

Gerson on Asgore naming the Kingdom of Monsters

Gerson implies that he and Asgore have been long-time friends, although it is unclear how long Gerson was a hero to monsterkind. Gerson can recall Asgore's naming style, and moments from Asgore's life, such as when Toriel called Asgore "Fluffybuns".

Gerson is seemingly the only monster Asgore confided his past pessimism on freedom and humans trusting monsterkind.

Alphys

ASGORE left me five messages today.
four about everyone being angry
one about this cute teacup he found that looks like me
thanks asgore.

ENTRY NUMBER 20, True Lab

Asgore hired Alphys after she impressed him with Mettaton. Asgore is friendly to Alphys, and wholly trusts her during her research of determination. He supported Alphys by asking for monsters who had recently "fallen down", and had let her experiment with the captured human SOULs. Asgore also gave Alphys message updates, both formal and friendly ones, such as him finding a teacup that looks like her. However, he did not seem to check on her research's progress.

In the True Pacifist Route's epilogue, Asgore is still on friendly terms with Alphys. He becomes interested in anime after he overhears Undyne and Alphys's conversation, and readily forgives and comforts Alphys when she admits the truth.

Asriel

... is what my son...
... what ASRIEL would have wanted.

Asgore about his son before death

Asriel is Asgore's biological son. Asgore loved him dearly, as much as he did the fallen human. Asriel's habit of using words such as "howdy" and "golly" likely came from his father, as did, potentially, his lack of naming skills, having dubbed his flower form "Flowey".

After the death of his son, Asgore, like Toriel, was saddened by his death. He was not aware that Flowey was his son. Before Asgore kills himself in one of outcomes of the battle with him, he says that the protagonist's freedom is exactly what his son would have wanted.

The fallen human

<Name>! You have to stay determined!
You can't give up... You are the future of humans and monsters...

Asgore to the ill fallen human, VHS tape 5, True Lab

The fallen human was Asgore's adoptive child, whom he loved just as much as Asriel. Asgore considered them "the future of humans and monsters", as is repeated on the Game Over screen, VHS tape 5 in the True Lab, and when the protagonist sleeps on the bed in Toriel's Home.

On the Genocide Route, Flowey states that despite trying "hundreds of ways" to get Asgore to show him the six human SOULs, he is confident the fallen human can convince Asgore to do so.

The protagonist

Are you ready?
If you are not, I understand.
I am not ready either.

Asgore at the first Delta Rune arch

Asgore is polite and friendly to the protagonist, despite them being a human. Asgore attempts to comfort the protagonist numerous times, and tells them to take their time before their battle.

When the protagonist continues, Asgore says that he was pleased to meet them and says goodbye to them before starting the battle. If the protagonist attempts to ACT and chooses "Talk", Asgore falters, but continues to attack. If the protagonist explains that they have died before, Asgore acknowledges it with a regretful nod, but continues attacking nonetheless.

When Asgore is defeated, he explains his regrets, and tells the protagonist take his SOUL to leave "this cursed place". If the protagonist spares Asgore, he questions their reason, then suggests they could live together, along with Toriel, as a family. If Asgore was spared on a previous playthrough, he instead admits he believes the protagonist is the Angel of the Delta Rune's prophecy. Remorseful, Asgore sacrifices his SOUL to them, in hopes that they find the truth.

In the True Pacifist Route epilogue, Asgore properly asks if they want tea. After seeing the surface, Asgore asks if the protagonist can be monsterkind's ambassador to the humans.

On the Genocide Route, Asgore does not recognize the protagonist as a human, and questions what kind of monster they are.

Creation and development

Development

Although Asgore's armor appears to be full-body at first glance, prototype sprites shown on page 129 of the UNDERTALE Art Book reveal that only the Delta Rune and chestplate are armor, with him wearing standard clothes underneath. His early sprites also reveal that the sleeves of his shirt are white, while his pants are purple, matching Toriel's robe. While his outfit is heavily obscured in his final overworld sprites, the collar of Asgore's shirt is still visible.

Asgore was originally planned to have an intimidating personality, but was given a more goofy personality after Toby Fox was inspired by his friend Reid Young, a co-founder of starmen.net and Fangamer who played an early demo version of Undertale on Fangamer's official Twitch channel.

Outside of Undertale

Kickstarter

An early silhouette of Asgore that can be seen at the end of the Undertale Kickstarter video.

Asgore appears as a still silhouette at the end of the Undertale Kickstarter video. His shoulder pauldrons and trident appear thinner, and his head shape is less defined. The overall background he appears in is similar to his battle background, though it is a brighter purple gradient, and less refined.

UNDERTALE Alarm Clock

The UNDERTALE Alarm Clock has excerpts for Asgore's Winter Dialogue. It reaffirms Asgore's interest in and role as Santa Claus. Asgore also mentions his unseen, close friendship with Rudy's Undertale counterpart, reminiscing about the times he and Rudy used to place presents side-by-side, filling the role of Santa and Rudy. While Rudy had passed away prior to the events of the game, Asgore is happy that Rudy's daughters would grow up on the surface. His description of Rudy's youngest daughter implies that she is the Undertale counterpart of Noelle.

In his eighth excerpt, Asgore agrees that it is "more efficient" that Toriel fills the cup to the brim, which alludes to Flowey's excerpt, where Toriel reminisces about the fallen human filling their glass of water to the brim.

Asgore also appears in other character's excerpts. In Papyrus's excerpts, Asgore becomes emotional while watching Mettaton's Christmas-themed movies. In Sans's excerpts, Sans mentions that Asgore got lost in Papyrus's maze. However, Undyne found Asgore at a homemade fire, eating a fruitcake as if it was "mre" rations.

In Undyne's excerpts, Asgore is a member of her snow hockey team. However, he accidentally gets stuck in a fishing hole, and does not ask for help. Undyne later helps him, also discovering that someone had written "some king" on Asgore's behind. When Alphys chooses to watch Mad Mew Mew's streamer event, Asgore decides to quietly watch with her as well.

Deltarune

Main article: Asgore

In Deltarune, Asgore lives in Hometown. He owns a two-story shop named Flower King and works as a gardener and cleaner for the mayor. He is divorced from Toriel, and misses his children. The outfit he wears is the same one his Undertale counterpart wears in the True Pacifist Route Ending Credits.

Gallery

• 
  Asgore trimming a hedge in the True Pacifist ending credits.
• 
  Asgore bowing at the end of the 10th Anniversary Stream.
• 
  Asgore brandishing his trident at the start of his battle.
• 
  Asgore's silhouette as seen when flashing his eyes for a trident sweeping attack.
• 
  Asgore swiping his trident during his battle against the protagonist.
• 
  Asgore's official tarot card as Major Arcana IV, "The Emperor".
• 
  Bonus group postcard made by Gigi D.G. for Fangamer.
• 
  Artwork from Undertale's 5th anniversary.

Trivia

• If the player attempts to name the fallen human "Asgore", the narration reads "You cannot." and the game bars the name from use.
• Due to the fact that he is a boss monster, Asgore cannot age unless he has a living child aging alongside him. However, because Asgore's son, Asriel, is dead, Asgore cannot age.
• Asgore's overworld sprite features a replica of the Delta Rune laid over his cape and connected to his pauldrons, but the replica is absent from his battle sprite.
• Asgore's facial expression when he gets hit by Toriel's fire magic before the fight against Asriel, depicting his eyes bulging and an open, shocked mouth, is similar to Flowey's face when he gets hit in the same way.
• In the UNDERTALE Soundtrack, all the tracks after "ASGORE" are hidden, indicating Asgore to be the game's final boss.
  • While this is incorrect for a first playthrough, the misdirection is intentional, as Asgore was publicly referred to as the final boss prior to the game's release. He also acts as the final boss on all Neutral completions besides the first.