Editing Morning Star

{{game|KH2|FM2|358|KHX|UCX|DR}}
{{suite}}
{{Youmay|The Heartless|[[Morning Star (staff)|one of Donald's Staves]]}}
{{Character
 |name=Morning Star
 |katakana=モーニングスター
 |romaji=Mōningu Sutā
 |fr=Roto-tank
 |de=Morgenstern (Herzloser)
 |image=[[File:Morning Star KHII.png|240px]]
 |FMimage=[[File:Morning Star KHIIFM.png|x200px]]
 |tab2=KHD
 |image2=[[File:Morning Star KHD.png|x200px|The Morning Star in ''358/2 Days'']]
 |tab3=KHX
 |image3=[[File:Morning Star KHX.png|x200px|The Morning Star in ''Kingdom Hearts χ'']]
 |game1=Kingdom Hearts II
 |game2=Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
 |game3=Kingdom Hearts χ
 |game4=Kingdom Hearts Dark Road
 |type=Emblem Heartless
 |spec=Heartless
 |s1=Spiked Crawler
 |s2=Scorching Sphere
 |s3=Gummi Hammer
 |journalKH2=When its HP gets low, it unleashes its Press attack. Use Bump and Meteor Strike for a counterattack combo!<br><br>Meteor Strike can be done in succession, so make sure to grab surrounding enemies as well!
 |journal358=Sharp spikes cover these large Heartless, a fact they exploit in a dangerous spin attack.<br>Though they are impervious while spinning, you can slow their onslaught with a block, bringing them to an eventual halt.<br>Alternatively, Aero magic will stop them with a single blast.
 |journalUX=When its HP gets low, it can raise its defenses and heal itself. Use a defense-decreasing special attack before attacking and it'll be seeing stars!
 |KH2HP=2.5
 |KH2EXP=2.5
 |FM2EXP=2
 |KH2loc1=Radiant Garden
 |KH2enc1=Episode 2 (pre-Space Paranoids)
 |KH2LV1=28
 |KH2loc2=Radiant Garden
 |KH2enc2=Episode 2 (post-Space Paranoids)
 |KH2LV2=30
 |KH2loc3=Radiant Garden
 |KH2enc3=Post-episode 2, pre-episode 3
 |KH2LV3=34
 |KH2loc4=Radiant Garden
 |KH2enc4=Episode 3
 |KH2LV4=45
 |KH2loc5=Beast's Castle
 |KH2enc5=Episode 2
 |KH2LV5=36
 |KH2loc6=Olympus Coliseum
 |KH2enc6=Episode 2
 |KH2LV6=39
 |KH2loc7=Port Royal
 |KH2enc7=Episode 2
 |KH2LV7=37
 |KH2phys=×1.0
 |KH2fire=×0
 |KH2bliz=×0
 |KH2thun=×1.0
 |KH2dark=×1.0
 |KH2neut=×1.0
 |KH2reward=HP prize (5) ×2, Drive prize (3%) ×4<br>Power Crystal (12%), Mega-Potion (5%), Serenity Stone (4%)
 |FM2reward=HP prize (5) ×2, Drive prize (3%) ×2<br>Power Crystal (12%), Mega-Potion (5%), Serenity Stone (4%)
 |KH2world=Radiant Garden, Beast's Castle, Olympus Coliseum, Port Royal
 |FM2tab=*
 |CKH2HP=2.5
 |CKH2LV1=41
 |CFM2LV1=45
 |KH2cup1=Titan Cup
 |KH2match11=2
 |KH2num11=1
 |CKH2LV2=53
 |CFM2LV2=55
 |KH2cup2=Goddess of Fate Cup
 |KH2match21=1
 |KH2num21=5
 |CKH2LV3=80
 |KH2cup3=Titan Paradox Cup
 |KH2match31=2
 |KH2num31=1
 |CKH2LV4=99
 |CFM2LV4=99FM
 |KH2cup4=Hades Paradox Cup
 |KH2match41=43
 |KH2num41=2
 |KH2match42=47
 |KH2num42=3
 |CFM2tab=*
 |358heart=44
 |358munny=27
 |358HP=6.39
 |358EXP=4.95
 |358DEF=2.80
 |358STUN=—
 |358M1=41
 |358LVL1=15
 |358fire=x1.23
 |358bliz=x1.14
 |358thun=x0.43
 |358aero=x2.55
 |358igni=x0.10
 |358free=x0.10
 |358jolt=x0.12
 |358toss=x0.20
 |358reward3=Gear Component A (100%)
 |358world=Olympus Coliseum
 |DRep1=Episode 7
 |DRslv1=48|DRsbp1=496
 |DRep2=Last Episode
 |DRslv2=48|DRsbp2=496
 |DRw1=Agrabah|DRw1r=2
 |DRwrank1=★★★|DRwlv1=37<ref name="LVL">49 prior to August 12, 2020.</ref>|DRwbp1=290<ref name="BP">512 prior to August 12, 2020.</ref>
 |DRwrank2=★★★★|DRwlv2=49|DRwbp2=512
 |DRe1=Winning Streak
 |DRelv1=48|DRebp1=496
 |DRt1=31-49
 |DRtper1=1, 2, 3, 4, 5
 |DRtlv1=49|DRtbp1=512
 |DRt2=45
 |DRtper2=2, 4
 |DRtlv2=37|DRtbp2=290
 |DRt3=51-89|DRt3r=2
 |DRtper3=2, 4
 |DRtlv3=48|DRtbp3=496
 |DRtlv4=49|DRtbp4=512
 |DRt5=71-89|DRt5r=2
 |DRtper5=1, 3, 5
 |DRtlv5=48|DRtbp5=496
 |DRtlv6=49|DRtbp6=512
 |DRt7=85
 |DRtper7=2, 4
 |DRtlv7=48|DRtbp7=496
 |DRt8=98
 |DRtper8=2, 3
 |DRtlv8=76|DRtbp8=10000
 |DRwind=Resist
 |DRmag=Weak
 |DRwater=Weak
 |DRlightning=Weak
 |DRattack=Physical
 |DRpass1=HP +1
 |DRpass2=Magic +1
 |DRpass3=Strength +1
 |DRpass4=Strength +1
 |358battlename=Tension Rising
 |358battlefile=Tension Rising KHD.ogg
}}
The '''Morning Star''' is an [[Emblem Heartless]] introduced in ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''.

==Design==
The Morning Star has a black, spherical head with two beady, yellow eyes on it. It wears a conical, green helmet with an angular antenna attached to its tip. The majority of its body is encased in a spherical suit of armor with eight conical, black spikes spaced evenly over its surface. This armor is primarily colored in shades of green, with some yellow decorations on it. Its thin arms jut out of circular openings in the armor on either of its sides. Its spindly legs share a large, circular opening at the bottom of the armor, and the tips of its feet point upward. It can retract its arms and replace them with two large spheres covered in spikes, which it uses to beat enemies. The Morning Star has two Heartless emblems, on its front and another on its back, both of which are placed in the middle of a blue ring with a black background.

In ''[[Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix]]'', the Morning Star's armor becomes blue with cyan, violet, and some yellow highlights on it. Its spikes are now silver, as opposed to the normal black. In ''[[Kingdom Hearts Union χ]]'' and ''[[Kingdom Hearts Dark Road]]'', the Morning Star's coloration is changed again to a bronze and gold color palette with red and light green highlights.

The Morning Star's name refers to the {{w|Morning star (weapon)|melee weapon of the same name}}, which the Heartless resembles. Its second set of arms in particular are very similar to a morning star mace.

==Strategy==
===''Kingdom Hearts II''===
Morning Stars are large, tanky Heartless. Though their attacks can hit hard, they are also slow and easy to react to. At a close range they will use their '''Spinning Mow-Down''' and '''Iron Ball Punch''' attacks, and at a long range they will use '''Spinning Spike Attack''' and '''Body Press'''.

During their '''Body Press''' attack is their biggest opening for attack, as when they jump above [[Sora]] the '''Meteor Spike''' [[Reaction Command]] becomes available, which allows Sora to neutralize the Morning Star while dealing continuous damage until it is defeated. When reduced to 50% HP, it will exclusively use its '''Body Press''' attack.
{{Atk-o|KH2}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Spinning Mow-Down'''|回転なぎ払い|Kaiten Nagiharai}}|Physical|—|x1.0{{KHII}}<br>X0.25{{FMII}}<br>Hit 2+: x0.25|O|Turns from side-to-side while swinging iron maces.}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Iron Ball Punch'''|鉄球パンチ|Tekkyū Panchi}}|Physical|—|x1.5{{KHII}}<br>x1.0{{FMII}}<br>Hit 2+: x0.5|O|Strikes with iron balls with its left and right hands, in that order.}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Spinning Spike Attack'''|回転トゲアタック|Kaiten Toge Atakku}}|Physical|—|x2.0{{KHII}}<br>x1.5{{FMII}}|△|Chases opponents while spinning at high speeds.}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Body Press'''|ボディプレス|Bodi Puresu}}|Physical|—|x2.0|△|Jumps directly overhead on opponent and drops down.}}
{{Atk-c}}
{{rc|o}}
{{rc|{{nihongo|'''Bump'''|レシーブ|<br>Reshību|lit. "Receive"}}|—|—|Can be used when a Morning Star Jumps directly above Sora and uses Body Press.<br>Prevent Body Press and launch the Morning Star into the air.}}
{{rc|{{nihongo|'''Meteor Spike'''|メテオバスター|<br>Meteo Basutā|lit. "Meteor Buster"}}|Neutral|x2.0|Can be used after using Bump.<br>Smash the Morning Star into the ground with Meteor Spike. Meteor Spike can be used continuously until the Morning Star is defeated.}}
{{rc|c}}

===''Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days''===
Morning Stars can be annoying, but as long as caution is taken to block while it is spinning as well as to [[Air Slide]] away when it jumps up, it shouldn't pose too much of a threat. Once it stops spinning, hit it with some physical combos, as well as some casts of [[Aero]] magic, which it is weak to.
{{Atk-o|358}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Spike Spin'''|トゲ回転|<br>Toge Kaiten}}
|{{AT|att}} —
|—
|0.27
|△
|Spins around with its defenses up.
}}
{{Atk|{{nihongo|'''Body Attack'''|ボディアタック|<br>Bodi Atakku}}
|{{AT|att}} —
|—
|1.96
|X
|Jumps up, then lands on top of the target.
}}
{{Atk-c}}

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{HeartlessDirectory}}