Friend mimics its victims | Deltarune "Copycat Theory"

Summary

The video presents the Copycat Theory, also called the Shapeshifter Theory. Its central proposal is that “Friend” is a group of catlike shapeshifters that imitate their victims, and that these creatures—and a larger force behind them—will become important to Deltarune’s plot. The presenter stresses that many details are speculative and that the theory does not depend on every individual claim being correct.

Core Theory and Proposed Clues

• The presenter connects Friend to bakeneko, shapeshifting cats from Japanese folklore. Bakeneko stories include cats that imitate people, eat them, and take their place.
• The video proposes a Touhou-inspired parallel: Chen represents Friend, Ran represents an intermediary called Eram, and Yukari represents Gaster. The presenter bases this partly on Toby Fox’s stated fondness for Touhou characters.
• Friend is described as a group rather than a single cat: it bites, likes protein, is not very intelligent, and may be controlled by a higher-level master. The presenter interprets these traits as evidence that it could imitate victims imperfectly.
• The video argues that shapeshifting is already possible in Deltarune, citing transformations in the Dark Worlds and the Knight’s changes into forms such as a ball and a bird. The theory further proposes that this ability can also operate in the Light World.

Character Candidates

• Jockington is the main proposed Friend replacement. The video points to his unusual, broken speech; repeated references to friends, shapes, balls, jaws, and foreknowledge; and his connection to cats and the prophecy. His beard growth is interpreted as a possible sign that a copy has replaced the original.
• The “normal NPC” at the takoyaki stall is another possible copycat. The presenter interprets the NPC’s garbled dialogue as an imperfect imitation of a book-loving victim and Onion-san. The theory suggests that the takoyaki and Onion-san’s disappearance may connect to cats’ aversion to onions, though the details remain uncertain.
• These character readings are presented as theories, not confirmed plot facts.

The Knight, Gaster, and the Meat Factory

• The presenter proposes that the Knight is an amalgamate: a being formed from a dark entity and possibly multiple dead or fallen Lightners. Its monochrome appearance, unusual transformations, and tendency to blur or glitch are compared to Undertale’s Amalgamates.
• If shapeshifting works in the Light World, it could explain how the Knight might move or carry powerful characters such as Undyne and Asgore.
• The video suggests that Gaster, possibly working through Eram, uses Friend-like agents to cut up, copy, and replace people. The “meat factory” is proposed as a place or process for turning victims into copies or components for the Knight.
• In this reading, Gaster is trying to alter the prophecy by replacing people who would otherwise fill its roles. This is a proposed explanation for missing characters and the Knight’s actions, rather than something established by the game.

Ralsei and Broader Implications

• The presenter does not conclude that Ralsei is secretly evil. Instead, Ralsei may know about Friend and share some of its origins or abilities while serving a different purpose.
• A more speculative extension is that Asriel could have died and been replaced by a copy, with Ralsei’s resemblance to him serving as a clue. The presenter acknowledges that this idea raises major unanswered questions.
• The video frames Deltarune’s imagery of copying, mixing, and rearranging as possibly reflecting the game’s larger structure: characters and story elements may be repeatedly reused or altered. The idea that this explains Deltarune’s relationship to Undertale is also speculative.
• Other clues discussed include the cat-themed minigames, the Mikes, references to balls and eggs, and recurring water imagery. The presenter describes the water connection as unresolved.

Overall Takeaway

The strongest claims the presenter emphasizes are that Friend is a shapeshifting, Gaster-linked force; that its influence may already be present in the Light World; and that the Knight may be an amalgam capable of shapeshifting. The rest—including Jockington’s identity, the meat factory’s purpose, and possible victim replacements—is presented as a set of hypotheses for future chapters to confirm or reject.

Gamers and Sources Featured

• Wasteland, the presenter (the video is from Weresdrim)
• Toby Fox, through Deltarune and Undertale material, streams, interviews, and social-media posts
• Temmie Chang, through a referenced 2018 post
• Ragenade/Ragnalead, for a Jockington conspiracy video
• manned M, a Reddit user credited with pointing out the bakeneko connection
• Mr. Brick and Co, whose video is referenced for the Mike minigames
• Touhou, especially Perfect Cherry Blossom, its characters, and Touhou reference material
• Japanese bakeneko folklore and the referenced Wikipedia material
• Deltarune and Undertale game text, dialogue, and community theories