Final Destination (SSBM)

Final Destination
Universe	Super Smash Bros.
Appears in	Melee
Availability	Unlockable
Unlock criteria	Complete the Event 51: The Showdown.
Tracks available	Final Destination Multi-Man Melee 2 (Alternate) Giga Bowser (When facing Giga Bowser in Adventure Mode)
Tournament legality Melee Singles: Neutral Doubles: Neutral

Final Destination (終点, Endpoint), sometimes abbreviated as FD or Final D, is a neutral stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee that players often use in tournament battles. It is unlocked by completing the Event 51: The Showdown.

In Classic Mode, the player fights Master Hand and Crazy Hand on this stage; in Adventure Mode, Bowser and Giga Bowser; in All-Star Mode, Roy and any of his teammates, and two All-Star Matches, Ganondorf and Mewtwo. Some event matches are also played here.

This stage is very similar to its Smash 64 counterpart, but much larger.

Description

Final Destination is a flat, medium sized stage. It is octagonal in shape, with a purple outline. There is a floating orb under the platform. While having no effect on gameplay, the background of the stage changes as the platform "flies" through space. The stage starts out in space, but as match progresses, it reaches other areas that have different styles of background. The entire cycle lasts about 216 seconds.

Tournament legality

Throughout Melee's history, Final Destination has always been a legal stage for tournament play, due to its lack of stage hazards and simplistic design that allow for straightforward singles matches. In the modern metagame, it is always one of five starter stages in singles, alongside Yoshi's Story, Battlefield, Dream Land, and Fountain of Dreams.

Final Destination is considered one of the best stages for projectile users and characters with chaingrabs, as there are no platforms for opponents to escape to that can allow for alleviation of such pressures. It is also a solid stage choice for characters who have largely grounded neutral game options. On the other hand, Final Destination is a bad stage for characters who rely on platforms to continue combos, or lose defensive options due to the lack of such platforms. Final Destination is considered Ice Climbers' best stage, one of Marth's best stages, and a bad stage for Jigglypuff and Sheik against other top tiers, particularly Fox and Falco. Final Destination is particularly bad for Yoshi, who relies on shield dropping from platforms to make up for the inability to jump out of shield.

In the past, there was slight controversy over Final Destination's status as a neutral stage. Detractors argued that the completely flat geometry gives a disproportionate advantage to the aforementioned projectile and chaingrab users. Based on this, they vouched that it should be reserved for counterpicks instead. However, no strategy has been proven to be completely unwinnable on Final Destination compared to other stages, and the advantages that it gives in certain matchups are comparable to other situational advantages that other legal stages offer in different matchups, such as Dream Land's advantages for floaty characters. As such, the majority of professionals and tournament hosts agree that it is a reasonable starter stage.

Trophy info

The Final Destination trophy in Melee.

As time passes on this stage, the level appears to travel through a wormhole from the imaginary Super Smash Bros. Melee world into reality. You move through a cloud-filled sky over a vast mountain range, then into a deep-space vista of dark blues and purples. The scenery is as real as you get in this fantastical world.

Gallery

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  First background.

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  First background transforming into the second.

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  Second background.

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  Third background.

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  Fourth background.

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  Fifth background.

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  Fifth background transforming into the sixth.

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  Sixth background.

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  Final background.

Trivia

• It is possible to jump under Final Destination with Jigglypuff, Peach and Mewtwo. This can also be done by Kirby if he copies Mewtwo's Shadow Ball.
• The track for Final Destination is a remix of Super Smash Bros. 64's Credits theme. This is most evident during the end verse.
• Super Smash Bros. Melee is the only game in which Final Destination is an unlockable stage.
• Final Destination is the only stage of five neutral stages whose stage design is not similar to that of Battlefield's.