Worm (Kamen Rider Kabuto)

nihongo|Worms|ワーム|Wāmu are the villains in the Japanese tokusatsu series "Kamen Rider Kabuto". They are an alien life form that came from a meteor that destroyed the city district of Shibuya seven years prior to the series' timeline. However, the Worms known as Natives existed prior to the coming of the Shibuya Meteorite, through another meteorite that came 35 years ago.

The Worms were designed by nihongo|Yasushi Nirasawa|韮沢 靖|Nirasawa Yasushi, who designed the Undead for "Kamen Rider Blade", the Horrors in "GARO", and later designed the Imagin for "Kamen Rider Den-O". These designs were later detailed in nihongo|"Worm Works: GITAI"|ワームワークスGITAI|Wāmu Wākusu GITAI. [cite web|url=http://www.nira-works.com/|title=仮面ライダーカブト　韮沢靖ワームワークスGITAI|accessdate=2008-05-08]

hibuya Meteorite

A mysterious meteorite that crashed into Shibuya seven years ago, this meteorite brought along the extraterrestrial creatures known as Worms. During episode 41, Riku Kagami explains that another meteorite carrying the Natives arrived on Earth thirty-five years ago, explaining why fragments of the meteorite similar to those of the Shibuya Meteorite existed so long ago. The Natives that arrived on Earth worked with humans to create the Masked Rider System in order to fend off the threat of other Worms that would arrive later.

Classification

There exist two different species of Worms, the Natives, and the unnamed Worms. The Natives have a horn appendage attached to their heads and they are not aggressive like the Worms.

Natives

The first species of Worm, Natives are the Worms that arrived on Earth 35 years ago on a meteorite predating the Shibuya Meteorite. After assuminghuman identities, they developed the Masked Rider System to give to the humans that would form ZECT. In return, ZECT would protect them from the Worms that would arrive in the Shibuya Meteorite.

Tachikawa Daigo is the first Native to appear, and it is shown that certain Natives are able to summon the power of the Zecters. More Natives are revealed during episode 41, as their alliance with ZECT is clarified. Tadokoro is also revealed to be a Native working for ZECT after an AMB accident forces him back into his Worm form. Sisryaworm, a Worm that was born from a Native mother, is the only Native Worm to be shown outside of a pupa form.

Negishi, a leader of the Natives appears in episode 45, and although he is offered deep respect, he seems to be very hyperactive. In episode 47 and 48, it is revealed that Negishi actually worked together with Mishima in order to turn humans into Natives using a special necklace, as Negishi believed that it was no other way for his kind and humans to co-exist. However, some Natives, such as Tadokoro, were able to live on as a human because they did not have the same beliefs as Negishi. Ultimately, Negishi's plan is foiled thanks to Kabuto and Gatack.

Worms

The second species Worm, these Worms are not given a specific name, but they arrived on Earth seven years ago on the Shibuya Meteorite. Aggressive to humans, Worms attempt to blend into the human population by copying the faces of their victims along with their memories. They only require a look at the human to copy their image, but once done so, they attempt to kill the original at all costs. But the Worms believe the person that was mimicked now exists as a part of them due the fact they also acquired their victims' personalities, which can be a hindrance in few cases. Despite being able to copy both image and memory, they are unable to copy certain things such as scent. The pupa form is known as a Salis, taking on the shape of a chrysalis. Salis normally has green body, except for the albino one which has white body. After a Worm is threatened or endangered, it has the ability to molt, revealing a stronger form that can move at blinding speeds which comes from their high metabolism.

It is later revealed that Worms do not need to naturally molt, and their "cast" can be broken off or shattered. They also have the ability to revert back into a Salis form if necessary. When a Worm is destroyed, it explodes into its predominant color. The main motifs of the Worms are Arthropods, specifically insects. The executives are the only Worms with non-insects motifs. Rena Mamiya/Ucaworm, Cammarusworm, Substworm, and Reiji Nogi/Cassisworm are all crustacean-type Worms. The Cochleaworm is surprisingly a mollusk (a gastropod).

Major Worms

Playing a significant role in the series, these Worms are usually Executives or otherwise important Worms that greatly influence the story.

Worm Class

;Executives

The upper class Worms, Executives usually control massive groups of Worms. Very few Executives have been seen, but they each possess an enormous amount of power.

* Rena Mamiya/Ucaworm (Fiddler Crab) (25-40): The first executive leader Worm to appear during episode 25, assuming the form of Rena Mamiya, a woman whose childhood dream was to sing in an opera. As a result, Ucaworm had an interest in singing requiems to her victims. She has several subordinates as her followers. Three of these subordinates (Cammarusworm, Cochleaworm, and Substworm) are shown in their Worm form. The two other subordinates only appear in their human form during episode 37, testing Tendou's ability to fight without the Hyper Zecter. Instead of being defeated at the hands of the Hyper Zecter, they were destroyed by Tendou's newly acquired Perfect Zecter. During the events of 39, in a fight with Kabuto, Ucaworm was injured and suffered a loss of memory as a Worm, believing that she was Rena herself and meeting Daisuke who fell in love with her human side. However, Rena soon regains her memories and fights Drake, forcing him to fatally wound her with (Double) Rider Shooting. She shortly after dies in Daisuke's arms.

* Reiji Nogi/Cassisworm (Horseshoe crab) (41-46): Nogi is an even stronger executive Worm to appear, entering the scene after Ucaworm was destroyed. He was followed by six subordinates. He has "Life of Immortality" ability, which enables him to evolve into a stronger form each time he gets defeated. Each of his forms has natural fighting ability and a unique power of his own. He was eventually destroyed as Cassisworm Clipeus.
** Cassisworm Dimidius (41-42): The first form is Cassisworm Dimidius. His unique power is "Freeze" or ability to stop the flow of time to the point in which even the power of Hyper Clock Up is purposeless. He was defeated by "Hyper Kabuto's" Maximum Hyper Cyclone.
** Cassisworm Gladius (42-44): The second form is Cassisworm Gladius. His power in this stronger form is advanced into "Absorb" or the ability to absorb other Worms and tachyon energy to gain their powers. He can only absorb tachyon energy sequencially. Simultaneous application of tachyon-based attacks will result to neutralization of the absorbed tachyon. He was defeated by "Hyper Kabuto's" Maximum Hyper Cyclone.
** Cassisworm Clipeus (45-46): The third form is Cassisworm Clipeus. His power in this form is "Clone" or the ability to split himself into two entities. In addition to the blade arm gained in the previous form, he now gets the addition of armored plates and shields across his body. The first copy was destroyed by "Gatack's" Rider Kick, while the second copy was destroyed by "Kick Hopper" and "Punch Hopper's" Rider Kick and Rider Punch.

;Non-Executive
*Scorpioworm (Scorpion) (19-46) - Tsurugi's alter ego, Scorpioworm is the Worm that killed Tsurugi and his sister, and then mimicked Tsurugi. By some miracle, Tsurugi was able to overpower it, and suppress his Worm heart, but he loses this resolve as he discovers he is a Worm in episode 46. It is also revealed that his stingers can force Worms to return to their human forms, as demonstrated upon the Clipeus's. He was defeated by "Hyper Kabuto's" Maximum Hyper Typhoon. He later died in his human form after talking to Jiiya.

Native Class

Natives are commonly shown in an altered pupa form, but a few Natives have evolved and reached a higher stage in the Worm hierarchy.

*Sisyraworm (Mayfly) (31-49) - Hiyori's alter ego, Sisryaworm surfaced after Hiyori was in danger of being killed by Worms. Like Tadokoro, she is a Native who chose not to attack humanity, thus surviving for the whole of the series.
*Gryllusworm (Cricket) (48-49) - The form Mishima took on after using multiple necklaces to forcefully transform himself into the "strongest Native", able to contend with the likes of Dark Kabuto and Hyper Kabuto and overpower them. He was destroyed by "Hyper Kabuto" and "Gatack's" (Double) Rider Kick.

Minor Worms

The lower class Worm. Some of them are subordinates of Executives, while others have no association with the majority of Worms. They serve mainly as monsters of the week.

Aracneaworm sub-class

Spider-based Worms.

* Aracneaworm Rubor (1) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Avalanche Break
* Aracneaworm Flavus (1-2) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Avalanche Slash
* Aracneaworm Nigritia (1-2) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick

Verberworm sub-class

Tailless Whip Scorpion-based Worms that targeted people in white.

* Verberworm (7-8) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
* Verberworm Rota (7) - Destroyed by "TheBee's" Rider Sting (Yagurama)

Coleopteraworm sub-class

Scarab-based Worms.

* Coleopteraworm Aeneus (9) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
* Coleopteraworm Croceus (9-10) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
* Coleopteraworm Argentum (9-10) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick

Sectioworm sub-class

Mantis-based Worms

*Sectioworm (13) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
*Sectioworm Acuere (13) - Destroyed by "TheBee's" Rider Sting (Kageyama)

Formicaalubusworm sub-class

Termite-based Worms, spared a doctor's life and assumed his form to target those in his care, turning them into drywood. Though their methods were odd, they still were Worms in nature.

* Formicaalubusworm (15-16) - Destroyed by "Drake's" Rider Shooting
* Formicaalubusworm Oculus (16) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
* Formicaalubusworm Maxilla (16) - Destroyed by "TheBee" (Mishima)

Brachypelmaworm sub-class

Wolf Spider-like Worms that protected the Worm eggs.

* Brachypelmaworm Aurantium (Spider) (21-22) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
* Brachypelmaworm Viridis (Spider) (21-22) - Copied Kagami's form. Destroyed by "Gatack's" Gatack Vulcan

Geophildworm sub-class

Centipede-like Worms that attack anyone that possesses pieces of the Shibuya meteorite that brought the Natives to Earth.

* Geophilidworm 1(Centipede) (23) - Targeted Hiyori. Destroyed by "Gatack's" Rider Kick
* Geophilidworm 2(Centipede) (23) - Targeted a fortune teller. Destroyed by "Gatack's" Double Calibur
* Geophilidworm 3(Centipede) (23) - Targeted a man in a bowling alley. Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
* Geophilidworm 4(Centipede) (23) - Tageted Hiyori while she was at her parents' tombstone. Destroyed by "Gatack's" Rider Cutting
* Geophilidworm 5(Centipede) (24) - Encountered in Area-X. Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
* Geophilidworm 6(Centipede) (24) - Encountered in Area-X. Destroyed by "Gatack's" Rider Kick

Acarinaworm sub-class

Tick/Mite-like Worms.

* Acarinaworm (27) - Destroyed by "Kabuto" and "Gatack's" (Double) Rider Kick
* Acarinaworm Amber (28) - Posed as Daisuke in a ZECT/Worm plot to kill off the real Daisuke and take the Drake Zecter. Defeated by "Drake's" Rider Shooting, destroyed by punches then being slammed into the ground

Camponotusworm sub-class

Carpenter ant-like Worms exclusive to the "Hyper Battle" special.
*Camponotusworm Oculus - Destroyed by "Hyper Gatack's" Maximum Rider Power >>> Rider Kick
*Camponotusworm Maxilla - Destroyed by "Hyper Kabuto's" Maximum Rider Power >>> Rider Kick

Other sub-classes

*Lanpyrisworm (Firefly) (3) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
*Bellcricetusworm (Bell cricket) (3-4) - Assumed the form of Kagami's younger brother, Ryo. Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
*Epilachnaworm (Lady bug) (5) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
*Pulexworm (Flea) (6) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
*Muscaworm (Fly) (11-12) - Destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
*Viellaworm (Guitar beetle, Ghost beetle) (17-18) - Destroyed by "Drake's" Rider Shooting
*Sepulturaworm (Burying beetle, Carrion beetle) (19-20) - Destroyed by "Sasword's" Rider Slash
*Tarantesworm Purpura (Tarantula) (21-22) - Assumed the form of Makoto, whom Kagami befriended. Though survived "Gatack's" Rider Kick, Purpura/Makoto died protecting Kagami from the explosion that wiped out the Worm eggs.
*Genomyasworm (Antlion) (25-26) - Destroyed by "Gatack's" Rider Kick
*Culexworm (Mosquito) (29-30) - Posed as Ichiro Ikesu, a master of the dark cooking arts that manipulate emotion. Using the legendary Black Knife, Culexworm/Ichiro intended to take over the world with his cooking. But Tendou stopped him, regardless of having attained the legendary White Knife. Culexworm intended to kill Tendou to obtain the memories of his cooking skills, only to be destroyed by "Kabuto's" Rider Kick
*Foliatusworm (Leaf insect) (31-32) - Destroyed by "Kabuto" and "Gatack's" (Double) Rider Kick
*Cammarusworm (Lobster) (33-34) - Destroyed by "Hyper Kabuto's" Maximum Rider Power >>> Rider Kick
*Cochleaworm (Snail) (35-36) - Destroyed by "Hyper Kabuto's" Maximum Rider Power >>> Rider Kick
*Leptophyesworm (Katydid) (37-38) - Posed as a member of the choir class that disappeared seven years ago. Destroyed by "Hyper Kabuto's" Maximum Hyper Typhoon
*Substworm (Crayfish) (39-40) - A former servant of Ucaworm who turned on her mistress for "betraying herself and the Worms". Destroyed by "Hyper Kabuto's" Hyper Slash

References

ee also