Mettaton

Overview

Mettaton is a primary character from the role-playing game Undertale and its related works, serving as the Underground's premier and only television star. Created by the Royal Scientist Alphys, he operates as a flamboyant media personality who hosts various theatrical and deadly entertainment shows. Although originally introduced as a dangerous machine designed to target humans, he is driven by a passion for stardom, dramatic flair, and high audience ratings. Beneath his metallic exterior, he is a ghost who pursued his dream of acquiring a permanent physical body to perform on stage.

Appearance

In his initial form, Mettaton resembles a rectangular gray box mounted on a single wheel, featuring a grid of glowing lights, four lower dials, and segmented robotic arms ending in white gloves. Flipping his rear switch reveals his EX form, a sleek humanoid cyborg with black hair covering his right eye, pale skin with metallic accents near his left eye, a pink chest plate housing a speaker and dial, black shoulder guards, a waist storing his heart-shaped soul, and tall pink high-heeled boots. His combat-oriented NEO form converts his right arm into a cannon, adds winged shoulder pads, displays heart motifs on his chest and waist, and lifts his right hair to reveal a dark face with a cross-shaped sparkle over his right eye.

Personality

Mettaton is a fiercely confident and theatrical performer who thrives on attention, fame, and high broadcast ratings. Obsessed with glamour and showmanship, he embraces dramatic plot twists and violent television tropes to keep his audience captivated. Despite his superficial and self-absorbing demeanor, which often leads him to treat those around him demanding, he genuinely values his fanbase. He conceals a softer side beneath his flashy exterior, ultimately harboring a deep care for his close relatives and the monsters of the Underground.

Abilities

In his basic box form, Mettaton possesses an extraordinarily resilient outer shell with extremely high defense (DEF), rendering him completely impervious to standard physical attacks. Transforming into Mettaton EX unlocks a versatile humanoid body capable of dynamic offensive maneuvers, though this mode suffers from low energy efficiency, leading to battery depletion over extended periods. During engagements in his EX form, audience ratings fluctuate based on equipment changes and performance actions. His NEO form features a right-arm cannon and reinforced shoulder armor built specifically for high-power combat.

Background

Originally a ghost living alongside his cousin Napstablook, Mettaton spent his early days assisting with the family snail farm while admiring human pop culture from afar. Frustrated by the lack of a suitable physical vessel to fulfill his dream of becoming a performer, his life changed when he met Alphys through a human fan club. Fascinated by her design for a custom mechanical body, he left his old life behind to inhabit the machine she constructed. This transformation launched his career as the premier media idol of the Underground.

Relationships

He shares a complex bond with Alphys, who built his body; while he often teases her and pushed forward with his dream, he remains indebted to her work. He holds deep affection for his ghost cousin Napstablook, affectionately calling him 'Blooky' and eventually recruiting him as his mix engineer and DJ. Papyrus is one of his most devoted fans, consuming his products and watching his shows religiously. He acts as a demanding employer to Burgerpants at the MTT Resort and maintains ties with other locals like Shyren and Undyne.

Trivia

Entering his name during the initial player naming screen allows the game to proceed without being blocked, prompting a unique promotional response instead of a refusal. Additionally, his iconic transformation sequence was parodied in the anime series Pop Team Epic, which drew a public reaction from creator Toby Fox on social media.