Undertale Wiki
Register
Advertisement
For the music track of the same name, see ASGORE.

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

Asgore meets the protagonist.

Asgore Dreemurr (/ˈæzɡɔːr ˈdɹiːmər/ AZ-gore DREE-mər)[1] is the ruler of the Underground and its denizens, monsters. He is the ex-husband of Toriel, father of Asriel Dreemurr, adoptive father of the first human, and the penultimate boss of the Neutral Route. While not evil or malicious, he serves as one of the main antagonists of Undertale, planning to kill seven humans and use their SOULs to break the barrier which traps the monsters in the Underground.

Profile

Appearance

Asgore is a Boss Monster with an intimidating stature. He has broad shoulders, a golden-blond mane, two large curved horns, and a beard. He wears a suit of armor, a purple cape with golden pauldrons - with its edge dragging along the ground slightly - and a small crown on top of his head. The weapon he uses in battle is a long, red trident adorned with a flower. Asgore is shown to be the largest main character (whether human or monster) in the entire game. Towards the end of the game, Asgore appears to be more fat with a large gut rather than the broad-chested Herculean build he portrays: albeit he keeps his wide bulky appearance, his tall stature and especially his overall muscular limbs. This trick of appearance where Asgore seems more fit than he actually is likely fits into a common trope of fat characters sucking in their guts as an effort to look more intimidating, Asgore doing something similar by encasing himself in tight likely uncomfortable armor. However, after the True Pacifist Route he wears what looks to be a far more comfortable Hawaiian T-shirt which is pink in color and has white flowers alongside a simple pair of blue jeans. His arms are also shown to have stripes of yellow fur on top of them seemingly replicating the look of body hair.

Personality

Asgore is a kind and often quiet yet upbeat monster that enjoys gardening, Golden Flower Tea,[2] and Toriel's Butterscotch Pie. Like his son, he speaks in southern slang (most notably "howdy" and "golly"). Before his battle, he offers the protagonist many opportunities to explore the Underground and is reluctant to fight them at all; he even suggests that Toriel, the protagonist and himself live as a family if the protagonist spares him.[3]

As evidence of his role as a powerful leader, most characters in the game refer to him in ALL CAPS and sometimes in red text,[4] yellow text,[5] or a combination of both.[6] Monsters in the Underground look to Asgore for hope, and his plan to collect seven human SOULs is one of the few things that keep them going. However, Asgore does not want to kill anybody[7] and feels so guilty that he offers the protagonist his SOUL to "leave this cursed place."[8] Though he is miserable because he has killed humans, he feels that it is his duty to his people to battle the protagonist.[9]

Asgore lives in the past and wants nothing more than to see his wife and child again, even though they have been gone for a long time.[10] He reiterates the same phrase in his journal every day, perhaps in denial that life has changed since Asriel's and his adopted child's demise. Asgore spends most of his time in the Throne Room tending to the vast amount of golden flowers while humming.[11]

Monsters also note that he is bad at naming places, with the names being quite literal (such as naming the monster's first home in the Underground "Home", and naming their new home "New Home"). Gerson suggests this may be because Asgore is not the most intellectual monster, with the smarter member of the royal family as well as the one which was actually running the city being Toriel.[12]

Main Story

King Asgore and Queen Toriel ruled the Underground for millennia after humans sealed the monsters Underground upon their defeat during the war. Toriel and Asgore later had a son, Asriel, and adopted the first human to fall into the Ruins.

The tragedy of his children's deaths led Asgore to declare war on humanity in a fit of anger. He swore to kill any human that fell into the Underground and planned to use their SOULs to break the barrier and destroy all humans. Toriel, disgusted with him, left New Home and returned to the Ruins.

Before the protagonist fell into the Underground, six more humans fell, and Asgore saved their SOULs for future use.

Neutral Route

Asgore Dreemurr screenshot revealing SOULs

Asgore revealing the six human SOULs before his battle.

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

Asgore

Asgore greets the protagonist when they arrive in the Throne Room, where he was watering flowers, visibly taken aback by their arrival. 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 fighting, 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 progress to the ending.

Much like with Toriel, attacking Asgore when he is at low HP deals significantly greater damage. However, 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 button or sparing him by choosing the partially repaired MERCY button.

  • If the protagonist chooses 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 beforehand, and in that playthrough had killed Flowey (or followed Flowey's offer to spare Asgore by gaining no EXP), and chooses to spare Asgore again; Asgore begins to mention that he would care for the protagonist, but stops himself, realizing that his SOUL holds the key to getting the protagonist through the barrier. After telling the protagonist that it was what his son, Asriel Dreemurr, would have wanted, he sacrifices himself to give the protagonist his SOUL, hoping that they find some way to free the monsters from the surface. Asgore then fades to dust, his SOUL remaining for a moment, only to be 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 first human before telling them that this is a "kill-or-be-killed" world.

Either way, Flowey steals the six human SOULs that Asgore reveals before the fight and closes the game. The protagonist leaves the Underground after defeating him.

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

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 an innocent creature such as 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 gone through the Barrier after collecting 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.

Asgore Dreemurr overworld shears

During the fight against Asriel, Asgore appears as one of the Lost Souls alongside Toriel. 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 ambassador for monsters to humanity on the surface. Asgore also appears during the True Pacifist Ending Credits, 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

When the protagonist kills Sans and enters the throne room, Asgore greets them, commenting on Flowey's warning and asks what kind of monster they are. Though he isn't intent on killing the protagonist, they still attack and deplete his health in one hit. Horrified and bewildered, the helpless Asgore was soon finished by Flowey, who also destroys his SOUL.

In Battle

For an in-battle description, see Asgore Dreemurr/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 meets Toriel after years

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 fell apart after the deaths of their children and Asgore's declaration of war on humanity.

After Toriel's departure, it seems that Asgore greatly missed her presence. A "Room under renovations" sign is put on her room door in Asgore's Home, and multiple crumpled up pie recipes imply that Asgore attempted to recreate the way her pies tasted, though he could never truly replicate it. This is the inverse of Toriel continuously making her pie and only having low-maintenance plants in her home. This is further supported by his reaction to the protagonist eating Toriel's butterscotch-cinnamon pie during Asgore's battle. After being defeated, he tells the protagonist he just 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 meets Undyne and asks her if she wants to know how to beat him.

When Undyne was younger, she met Asgore in person and challenged him to 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 has knowledge of 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.

Asriel

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

Asgore about his son before death

Asriel was Asgore's biological son. Asgore loved him dearly, equally as much as he did the first 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 didn't even know that Flowey was his son. In one of the paths where Asgore sacrifices himself, he says that this is exactly what his son wanted.

The First Human

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

Asgore asks the first human to stay determined

The first human (aka Chara, their true name) was Asgore's adoptive child, whom he loved just as much as Asriel. Asgore considered them to be "The future of humans and monsters," as is repeated in the Game Over text, the VHS tape of their death, and when sleeping on the bed in Toriel's Home. He may even have believed them to be the Angel of the prophecy, as he also states he thinks the protagonist is the Angel immediately after noting they and the first human have "The same feeling of hope in [their] eyes." In the Genocide Route, Flowey states that despite him trying "hundreds of ways" to get Asgore to show him the human SOULs, and never succeeding, "<Name>... I know he'll do it for YOU." Asgore appears not to hold a grudge against the human after the latter poisoned him with the golden flowers, presumably because it was an accident.

The Protagonist

Frisk...
I have something to ask of you.
Will you act as our ambassador to the humans?

Asgore asks Frisk if they will be the ambassador.

Asgore meets the eighth human in the throne room for the first time, He really wanted to offer a cup of tea, but realizing that the battle was inevitable. At the barrier, Asgore says that he was pleased to meet them and says goodbye to them. Defeated, he will ask that he took his soul, If the protagonist spares him, he will wonder that they decided to stay in the Underground, and promises to take good care of them. In an alternative case, Asgore chose to sacrifice himself so that the Human would find the truth, that they take his soul. On the Pacifist Path, after the battle with Asriel, and going to the surface, Asgore asks if they will be an ambassador to the humans.

Gallery

Trivia

Asgore Dreemurr artwork Kickstarter

An early silhouette of Asgore that can be seen at the end of the Undertale Kickstarter video.[13]

  • His first name is an anagram of the Latin word "Aegros," which can mean troublesome, anxious, sad, difficult, or reluctant. His last name is an anagram of "murderer" and a misspelling of "dreamer." His full name is also an anagram of "Sage or Murderer" or "Guarder Remorse" (which could be a reference to him guarding the monsters and feeling remorse for murdering human children). Also, 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. "Asgore" is also an anagram of "a gorse". Gorse is a poisonous yellow flower similar to the flowers in his throne room.
  • Asgore is one of the boss monsters along with Toriel and Asriel.
    • He is the penultimate boss.
    • Member of the Dreemurr royal family.
  • When attempting to name the fallen child "Asgore," the response becomes "You cannot." and prevents the name from being used.
  • Asgore's voice can be heard in the Game Over screen, and when the protagonist goes back to sleep in Toriel's Home after sparing her, killing her, or going to sleep enough times. The lines seen here were spoken to the first human on their deathbed.
  • Due to the fact that he is a boss monster, Asgore cannot age until his child has grown up to a few years younger in appearance and actual age than the parent. However, because Asgore's son, Asriel, is dead, Asgore cannot age.[14]
  • It is possible that Asgore is the Santa Claus of the Underground that leaves presents under the tree in Snowdin.[15]
  • Asgore has attempted to make the Underground safer on multiple occasions.[16][17]
  • 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.
  • During Asgore's boss battle, he conceals his face by looking downward, showing his reluctance to fight. He is genuinely unable to force himself to look at the protagonist. His attacks are all over the place and only vaguely pointed in the protagonist's direction. Even when he backs out for the swipe attack, he is not actually looking at the protagonist.
  • When saving the Lost Souls, the ACTs for Asgore's SOUL are references to the boss battle in the Neutral Route (Mercy, Stare, Talk) which never took place in that timeline.
  • Asgore has an UNDERTALE alarm clock app dialogue page. The dialogue reaffirms Asgore's interest in Santa Claus, and Papyrus's friendship with Flowey. Notably, Asgore also mentions his unseen, close friendship with Undertale's parallel of Rudy. While Rudolph Holiday had passed away prior to the game, Asgore expresses happiness that Rudy's daughters are able to see the surface.
  • 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,[18] a co-founder of starmen.net and Fangamer who played an early demo version of Undertale on Fangamer's official Twitch channel.[19]

See Also

References

  1. personal pronunciation for some undertale characters (dont care if u say diff) - Toby Fox (@tobyfox) on Twitter, September 20, 2015. Archived on April 08, 2016.
  2. Golden flower tea...
    That's ASGORE's favorite kind.
    - Undyne
  3. Human...
    I promise you...
    For as long as you remain here...
    My wife and I will take care of you as best we can.
    - Asgore
  4. You naive child... If you leave the RUINS...
    They... ASGORE... Will kill you.
    - Toriel
  5. TO REACH THE EXIT, YOU WILL HAVE TO PASS...
    THROUGH THE KING'S CASTLE.
    THE KING OF ALL MONSTERS...
    HE IS...
    ... WELL...

    HE'S A BIG FUZZY PUSHOVER!!!
    - Papyrus
  6. With the power of seven human souls, our king...
    King ASGORE Dreemurr...
    ... will become a god.
    - Undyne
  7. I do not want power.
    I do not want to hurt anyone.
    - Asgore
  8. This war has gone on long enough.
    You have the power...
    Take my soul, and leave this cursed place.
    - Asgore
  9. I just wanted everyone to have hope... - Asgore
  10. I just want to see my wife.
    I just want to see my child.
    - Asgore
  11. Dum dee dum...
    Oh? Is someone there?
    Just a moment!
    I have almost finished watering these flowers.
    - Asgore
  12. Since everyone knew she was really the brains behind the throne... - Gerson
  13. UnderTale by Toby Fox — Kickstarter
  14. We call 'em Boss Monsters.
    When they have an offspring, the SOUL power of the parents flows into the child...
    Causing the child to grow as the parents age.
    But ASGORE doesn't have a child. So he's been stuck at the same age... And probably will be forever.
    - Gerson
  15. It's a bureau.
    There's a Santa Claus outfit inside.
    - Bureau in Asgore's room.
  16. EACH AREA HAS TO HAVE A PRECARIOUS BRIDGE.
    IT'S MANDATED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
    OF COURSE, KING FLUFFYBOY WANTS TO UNMANDATE IT SAFER.
    WHY!!? WON'T HE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!?
    - Papyrus
  17. THE KING RELEASED A MANDATE ON PUZZLES RECENTLY.
    HE THINKS SPIKES ARE INEFFECTIVE AND HAZARDOUS TO KIDS.
    BUT I THINK HE'S WRONG!!!
    KIDS LOVE DEADLY SPIKES!!!
    - Papyrus
  18. with asgore I was really imagining him as an intimidating "..." type until I thought of my friend Reid from fangamer and made him goofy - Toby Fox (@tobyfox) on Twitter, January 08, 2017. Archived on November 20, 2022.
  19. Officecam 5/3/2013 - Playing Undertale

Advertisement