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{{Boss
{{Boss
|name=Tabuu
|name=Tabuu
|image={{tabber|title1=Brawl|tab1= [[File:TabuuOfficial.png|300px]]|tabber2|title2=Ultimate|tab2=[[File:Tabuu_Spirit.png|300px]]}}
|image={{tabber|title1=Brawl|content1= [[File:TabuuOfficial.png|300px]]|tabber2|title2=Ultimate|content2=[[File:SSBU spirit Tabuu.png|300px]]}}
|caption= [[File:SubspaceSymbol.svg|50px]]
|caption= {{symbol|subspace}}
|boss=[[The Subspace Emissary]]
|game1 = Brawl
|universe=''[[Subspace]]''
|universe={{uv|Super Smash Bros.}}
|location = [[The Great Maze]]
}}
}}
'''Tabuu''' ({{ja|タブー|Tabū}}, ''Tabuu'') is the leader of the [[Subspace Army]], and the main antagonist and final [[boss]] of ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''{{'}}s [[Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary]]. He is a powerful, supernatural entity who resides in [[Subspace]]. He uses the [[Subspace Bomb]]s to send entire locations to his dimension, where he absorbs their power to increase his own. His name is a corruption of the word taboo, referring to something that is forbidden.
'''Tabuu''' ({{ja|タブー|Tabū}}, ''Tabuu'') is the main antagonist and [[Boss|final boss]] of ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''{{'}}s [[Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary]]. He is the powerful god-like embodiment of the dimension of [[Subspace]] and the mastermind behind the [[Subspace Army]]. He plotted to send entire locations of the [[World of Trophies]] to his home dimension, where he can create his own orderly world out of them, pursuing his ambition of conquering and subjugating the known universe. His name is a corruption of the word ''taboo'', referring to something forbidden.


Aside from his appearance in ''Brawl'', Tabuu appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' as a [[Spirits (characters)|spirit]].
Aside from his appearance in ''Brawl'', Tabuu appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' as a [[spirit]].


==Role in [[The Subspace Emissary]]==
==Role in [[The Subspace Emissary]]==
[[File:Tabuu SSE.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Close-up of Tabuu in The Subspace Emissary.]]
[[File:Tabuu SSE.jpg|200px|thumb|Close-up of Tabuu in The Subspace Emissary.]]
Tabuu is the true embodiment of Subspace. His plan was to cut [[World of Trophies]] into pieces and take them to Subspace for his world. However, he himself cannot leave Subspace, which is why he created the Subspace Army to act in his stead. According to the [[Ancient Minister]] trophy, Tabuu took over the [[Isle of the Ancients]], the home of the [[R.O.B. Squad|R.O.B.s]], and forced them to serve him under the threat of annihilation. Tabuu first discovered that {{SSBB|Mr. Game & Watch}} had [[Shadow Bugs]] in him and captured him to harness the power, and thus the Subspace Army was born. Tabuu studied and took control of the master of the World of Trophies, {{SSBB|Master Hand}}, who he in turn used to enlist the help of {{SSBB|Ganondorf}}, {{SSBB|Bowser}} and {{SSBB|Wario}}. These three were sent to hunt down any fighters that would stand in the way of Tabuu's plans.
Tabuu is the embodiment of Subspace who plotted to transport areas of the World of Trophies into his home dimension to create his own orderly world out of them. However, he himself cannot leave Subspace, which is why he formed the Subspace Army to act in his stead. Tabuu took over the [[Isle of the Ancients]], the home of the [[R.O.B. Squad]] and forced them to serve him and develop [[Subspace Bomb]]s under the threat of annihilation. Tabuu first discovered {{SSBB|Mr. Game & Watch}}'s ability to limitlessly produce [[Shadow Bug]]s and captured him to harness that power, leading to the creation of the Subspace Army's forces. Tabuu studied and took control of the master of the world, {{SSBB|Master Hand}}, and used his powers to literally control him like a puppet. Tabuu used Master Hand to enlist the help of {{SSBB|Bowser}}, {{SSBB|Ganondorf}} and {{SSBB|Wario}}. These three were sent to hunt down any fighters that would stand in the way of Tabuu's plot, while remaining oblivous of Tabuu's existence. However, {{SSBB|King Dedede}} began interference after learning about Tabuu and his deception.<ref name="Dojo">{{SSBB|Smash Bros. DOJO!!}} - [https://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_us/gamemode/modea/modea17.html Mysteries of The Subspace Emissary]</ref>


Later in the story, after the heroes destroy the [[Subspace Gunship]] and enter Subspace, Ganondorf betrays Bowser by using a [[Dark Cannon]]. Ganondorf then goes to greet Master Hand. Ganondorf then realizes that Tabuu was actually controlling Master Hand, and that he was not actually following Master Hand's orders but was being tricked by Tabuu. Enraged, he charges a futile attack at Tabuu who effortlessly knocks him back. Ganondorf's body hits the puppeteered Master Hand, thus breaking him free of his chains of light (and turning Ganondorf into a [[trophy]] in the process). Master Hand also charges at Tabuu, but to no avail. With Master Hand lying motionless on the ground, Tabuu uses his [[Off Waves]] to turn everyone into trophies as soon as they approach.
Later in the story, after the heroes destroy the [[Subspace Gunship]] and enter Subspace, Ganondorf, who had been plotting to usurp "Master Hand's" command over the Subspace Army, betrays Bowser by using a [[Dark Cannon]] to [[Trophy|trophify]] him. Ganondorf then goes to greet Master Hand, but soon discovers Tabuu's control over him and realizes he was tricked. Enraged, he charges a futile attack at Tabuu, who effortlessly knocks him away and causes him to land on Master Hand before he is trophified as well, freeing him from Tabuu's control. Now freed, Master Hand also attempts to fight back, but to no avail. After Master Hand is defeated, Tabuu uses his Off Waves to reduce everyone to their trophy forms as soon as they approach. With the only threats to his plans seemingly neutralized, a satisfied Tabuu then creates [[The Great Maze|an orderly world]] out of the areas that were transported into Subspace.
[[File:CoLight.jpg|thumb|left|The chains of light on Master Hand.]]
[[File:CoLight.jpg|thumb|left|Master Hand being controlled by Tabuu's Chains of Light.]]
However, thanks to the [[Dedede Brooch]]es, two trophies who had been left behind - {{SSBB|Luigi}} and {{SSBB|Ness}} - were later revived, and they proceed to revive {{SSBB|King Dedede}} himself after Ness realised that it was thanks to him that they were restored. King Dedede joins their team and they rescue everyone else by collecting their trophies in [[Subspace (Part I)|Subspace (Part I)]], including Bowser, who had a fight with Dedede, and joined the team because Tabuu is so powerful, and he killed Master Hand. Around the same time, {{SSBB|Kirby}} was revived by the brooch the captured princess had when he swallowed it and went out to save the rest of the fighters in [[Subspace (Part II)|Subspace Part II]], between the characters, there are Wario, and {{SSBB|Link}} and {{SSBB|Zelda}}, who revive Ganondorf, and suggest him to join them, he accepts, because he can not do anything to Tabuu, Wario does the same, because King Dedede, Luigi and Ness pointed him where are going everyone, so all the characters enter to the adventure. Tabuu then creates [[Great Maze|a maze]] out of the worlds that have been consumed by Subspace and brings back the old enemies. He also creates [[False character|dark clones]] of all of the heroes to slow them down. Once the player reaches Tabuu, he attempts to turn everyone back into trophies again, but is ambushed by [[Sonic (SSBB)|Sonic the Hedgehog]], who shatters his wings with a [[Spin Dash]] before he can do so. As a result, Tabuu's Off Waves are weakened, becoming "only" a [[one-hit KO]] attack instead of causing immediate trophification for any Smasher in reach.


A selection of characters from Sonic, Bowser, Kirby, Luigi's group and those revived by these two groups (first: Luigi, Ness and King Dedede; second: Kirby), then fight Tabuu, until he is defeated. After his defeat, the Subspace Army is gone, lands are restored, and the Isle of the Ancients disappears afterward because of the effect of so many Subspace Bombs going off at once (commanded by Ganondorf so Tabuu could get a Subspace Gunship into the World) making it impossible for the Isle to escape Subspace. A glowing X is left behind.
However, thanks to the [[Dedede Brooch]]es, a pair of inactive fighters who had been left behind - {{SSBB|Luigi}} and {{SSBB|Ness}} - were later revived and they proceed to revive Dedede himself after Ness realized that it was thanks to him that they were saved. Dedede joins their team and they [[Subspace (Part I)|rescue everyone]], including Bowser, who had a fight with Dedede and soon joined the team when he learned about Master Hand's defeat. Around the same time, {{SSBB|Kirby}} was revived by the brooch the captured princess had when he swallowed it and [[Subspace (Part II)|went out on his own to save the rest of the fighters]]. Between these fighters, there are Wario, {{SSBB|Link}} and {{SSBB|Zelda}}, the latter two of which revive Ganondorf and suggest him to join them, which he begrudgingly agrees, Wario does as well and all the fighters enter to the maze and battling the remainder of Tabuu's forces that reside within it. Upon reaching Tabuu, he attempts to dispose of the fighters once and for all, but is ambushed by {{SSBB|Sonic}}, who weakens Tabuu's Off Waves and thereby makes them only a [[one-hit KO]] attack instead of causing immediate trophification for any fighter in reach.


Tabuu's true fate is unknown - he is last seen contorting in pain shortly before the Great Maze was restored to its original places and forms - though it is likely he was destroyed.
[[File:End of the Road.png|thumb|right|Tabuu defeated.]]
A selection of characters from Sonic, Bowser, Kirby, Dedede's group and those revived by the latter two (first: Dedede's group; second: Kirby), then fight Tabuu. After his defeat, the Subspace Army is seemingly rendered defunct, the areas consumed by Subspace are restored and the Isle of the Ancients disappears afterwards due to the effect of so many Subspace Bombs going off at once, which was commanded by Ganondorf so Tabuu could get the Subspace Gunship into the world, essentially erasing the island from existence. A luminous cross is left in its place.
 
Tabuu is last seen contorting in pain shortly before the areas that made up The Great Maze were restored. The events of World of Light suggest that he survived.


==Attacks==
==Attacks==
As the last boss of The Subspace Emissary, Tabuu possesses a wide variety of dangerous attacks, which increase in power and speed at higher difficulties. Nearly all of his moves are guaranteed [[OHKO]]s at least on Intense [[difficulty]] (14 out of 16). Additionally, Tabuu's attacks are faster and stronger in The Subspace Emissary than in Boss Battles at comparable difficulty ratings.  
As the [[Boss|final boss]] of ''The Subspace Emissary'', Tabuu possesses a wide variety of dangerous attacks, which increase in power and speed on the higher [[difficulties]]. Several of his moves are guaranteed [[OHKO]]s at least on Intense difficulty. Additionally, Tabuu's attacks are faster and stronger in The Subspace Emissary than in Boss Battles at comparable difficulty ratings - as usual. The gap is wider on the lower difficulties (Easy overall) than on the highest ones (Intense in particular). Like any other boss, Tabuu's attacks get progressively slightly weaker the more [[continue]]s the player uses, losing 2% damage up to 4 times. Likewise, Tabuu’s attacks become considerably more powerful in both damage and knockback when he has less than half [[HP]] remaining (this mechanic also works in Boss Battles).  


Tabuu's attacks are considered to be extremely powerful but predictable. Dodging most of his attacks can be very easy if the player knows what is coming, but Tabuu's Off Waves are very hard to avoid and are also Tabuu's strongest attack. Without the Off Waves, many people consider Tabuu to be an easy boss due to his predictable moves and how he needs to wait until he can attack again.
Tabuu's attacks are considered to be extremely powerful but predictable. Even on Easy difficulty in Boss Battles, almost all his moves will KO middleweights not over 70% (usually below), and some will even OHKO if properly executed (with the exception of Eye Lasers, which KOs below 110%). However, dodging most of his attacks can be very easy if the player knows what is coming; this doesn't apply to Off Waves, which are very hard to avoid, cover the entire screen and required the use of very well-timed dodges. Without the Off Waves, many people consider Tabuu to be an easy boss due to his predictable moves and how he needs to wait until he can attack again, although some attacks are very difficult to prevent or avoid (such as Golden Bracket, Ghost Projection and Explosive Teleport).


Note that the attack names are not official, except for Off Waves and the Chain of Light, whose names were announced on the [[Super Smash Bros. DOJO!!|Dojo]].
Some of Tabuu's moves share a unique property: they could potentially OHKO the same players twice in a row, on the proper difficulty, if they are hit at the beginning and then immediately after they [[respawn]]. Off Waves are usually too fast to fulfil the required conditions but, if the players intentionally jump into the third ring, they can suffer a second OHKO. Notice that these attacks require a very strict timing to OHKO twice in a row, and are not guaranteed to do so.
 
The names of the attacks are sourced from the book ''Dairantō Smash Bros. X: The Complete Guide'', save for "Teleport", which is not given a name.


===First moves===
===First moves===
*'''Shark Blade''' - Tabuu transforms into a wide, somewhat shark-shaped blade, which flies horizontally across the stage. It is dodgeable by performing an [[air dodge]] or, if at ground level, ducking (unless playing as {{SSBB|Meta Knight}}). A perfectly timed sidestep dodge may also work. It is possible to [[perfect shield]] the attack, but a miss will result in the shield breaking, stunning the character in the process. It is a guaranteed [[OHKO]] on Very Hard or Intense [[difficulty]] and on Intense in Boss Battles.
*'''Blade Charge''' ({{ja|ブレードチャージ|Burēdo Chāji}}) - Tabuu transforms into a wide and somewhat shark-shaped blade, which flies horizontally across the stage with very high speed. Touching Tabuu during the transformation has the same effect of the hit itself, dealing enormous vertical knockback and very high damage (reaching 59% on Intense). It is dodgeable by performing an [[air dodge]] or, if at ground level, ducking (unless playing as {{SSBB|Meta Knight}}). A perfectly timed sidestep dodge may also work. It is possible to [[perfect shield]] the attack, but a miss will result in the shield breaking, stunning the character in the process and leaving it vulnerable to further attacks. In the Subspace Emissary, it is an OHKO on Very Hard on middleweights if Tabuu has less than half HP remaining, and a guaranteed OHKO on Intense. In Boss Battles, it is one of Tabuu's strongest attacks, KOing below 20% on Intense. Since Tabuu frequently uses this move in midair, it is possible to avoid it simply by crouching or even without moving.


*'''Diving Slash''' - Tabuu teleports high above one side of the stage, turns his arm into a blade of energy, and then dives at the player in a set curved arc. Because he will always go near the ground, it can be dodged by jumping over his attack in the middle of the stage or going on the edge of the stage. On higher difficulties it can KO at very low percentages (20%), even OHKOing on its sweet spot (blade's tip), also it acts very swift.
*'''Tabuu Charge''' ({{ja|タブーチャージ|Tabū Chāji}}) - Tabuu teleports high above one side of the stage, makes one of his arms blade-like and then dives at the player in a set curved arc. Because he will always go near the ground, it can be dodged by jumping over his attack in the middle of the stage or going on the edge of the stage. On higher difficulties Tabuu's body can KO middleweights at very low percentages (20%) it also acts very swift and is quite difficult to predict. Tabuu can be damaged by projectiles while performing this move, but touching it deals high knockback and damage (up to 42%). The sweetspot deals a maximum of 49%.


[[File:Goldenbracket.jpg|thumb|Tabuu's Golden Bracket attack.]]
[[File:Goldenbracket.jpg|thumb|Tabuu's Movement Throw attack.]]
*'''Golden Bracket''' - Tabuu transforms into an energy cage (resembling two glowing yellow brackets) and flies across the stage, grabbing the character and slamming him/her/it into the floor for a [[semi-spike]]. This attack has horizontal knockback depending on any difficulties. If played on Hard to Intense difficulty, this becomes a [[one-hit KO]] (even in Boss Battle), though characters with a [[grab aerial]] can survive by [[DI]]'ing downwards and attaching to the edge as they pass by with strict timing. For characters with low recovery, this move can be a one-hit KO even in the Easy difficulty, due to its massive horizontal knockback. There is no predetermined way the brackets fly, and when the player is not able to make a jump, they should make an air-dodge.
*'''Movement Throw''' ({{ja|移動投げ|Idō Nage}}) - Tabuu transforms into a reticle-like entity that is composed of a pair of sparkling yellow brackets and flies across the stage, grabbing the character and slamming it into the floor for a [[semi-spike]] of immense power. This attack has low horizontal knockback on every difficulty, and can deal enormous damage on Intense: a huge 60%. On Hard or higher difficulties it becomes a guaranteed OHKO (on Hard, only if Tabuu has more than half HP left, heavyweights may survive at 0%). Characters with a [[grab aerial]] can survive by [[DI]]'ing downwards and attaching to the edge of the stage as they pass by, but this technique requires very strict timing, especially on Intense difficulty. There is no predetermined way the brackets fly, and when the player is not able to make a jump, they should try an air-dodge. It is one of the least predictable attacks of Tabuu and the second more powerful behind Off Waves (at least in knockback terms), making it really dangerous. On Very Hard difficulty and above, its power is more than enough to one-hit KO even [[Metal Box|metal]] or [[Super Mushroom|giant]] characters, making survival nearly impossible. The entity resembles Tabuu's wings as seen at the center of [[The Great Maze]].


===Second moves===
===Second moves===
*''' Chain of Light''' - Tabuu produces a golden chain (similar to what he used to bind Master Hand) and throws it in front of him in an attempt to catch the player. Despite its range, it cannot catch those too close to him. If he succeeds, he will swing the player around before smashing them into the ground. If played in [[Co-op mode]], he smashes the player he caught into the other player. It is a guaranteed [[OHKO]] on Hard [[difficulty]] and higher in SSE and on Very Hard and Intense in Boss Battle. On Hard and higher, when he smashes the player he catches into the other player with the "Chain of Light" move, it's a one-hit KO on both players. This is the only move Tabuu has other than Off Waves with an official name. If a character air dodges or techs into the Chain of Light, or if Tabuu is defeated while grabbing a character with the Chain of Light, the [[Tabuu Whip glitch]] will occur. Additionally, if one uses a heavyweight fighter with a strong flinch resistance sticker, and uses a [[Super Mushroom]], at low percentages the attack will not cause the player to flinch, and they will remain stuck on the chain in the [[T-pose]] until Tabuu teleports.
*''' Chain Throw''' ({{ja|鎖で投げ|Kūsari De Nage}}) - Tabuu produces a '''Chain of Light''' ({{ja|軽鎖|Kei Kūsari}}) and throws it in front of him in an attempt to catch the player. Despite its range, it cannot catch those too close to him. If he succeeds, he will swing the player around before smashing them into the ground, with high knockback and considerable damage (up to 45%, or 47% at low HP). If played in [[co-op mode]], the other player can be damaged by the hitbox generated by the attack. If Tabuu is defeated while grabbing a character with the Chain of Light, the [[Tabuu Whip glitch]] will occur. Additionally, if one uses a heavyweight fighter with a strong flinch resistance [[sticker]], and uses a [[Super Mushroom]] or a [[Metal Box]], at very low percentages on Easy difficulty the attack will not cause the player to flinch, and they will remain stuck on the chain in the [[T-pose]] until Tabuu teleports. This move is very swift and unpredictable: on higher difficulties, it requires less than a second to land, making it one of the most dangerous.


*'''Electrical Shield''' - Tabuu teleports right next to the player. The purple sphere inside his torso splits into several fragments, which fly in circles around him for a short time while emitting electricity. This attack has a decent range, but leaves Tabuu wide open for projectile weapons. It somewhat resembles an atom, with Tabuu being the nucleus and his fragmented energy core being electrons. Touching the sparkles or Tabuu’s body is a OHKO on Hard to Intense [[difficulty]], and on Very Hard even in [[Boss Battle]]s.
*'''Discharge Attack''' ({{ja|放電攻撃|Hōden Kogeki}}) - Tabuu teleports right next to the player. His sphere-like nucleus splits into several smaller versions of it, which fly in circles around him for a short time while emitting electricity. This attack has a decent [[range]] that changes over time (rapidly increasing until it reaches its maximum for around five seconds, and then slowly decreasing), but leaves Tabuu wide open for projectile weapons. It somewhat resembles an atom, with Tabuu being the nucleus and his fragmented energy core being electrons; in fact, the spark rings attract the player with a very strong [[vacuum]]. Touching the sparkles or Tabuu's body deals a single powerful hit and up to 64%. Poor [[recovery]] characters will be KOed at 0%, since its knockback is perfectly horizontal or [[spike]]d (depending on how the hitboxes land). It is possible for the player to be damaged by the sparks without taking knockback or being sucked into Tabuu's body, but only if they are near enough to Tabuu; in this case, they will take up to 36% per hit instead of the direct damage, which can result in a huge combined damage output (over 200% on Intense). If the player is on the exact endpoint of the move's [[range]], they will probably suffer multiple hits by the sparks before [[flinch]]ing and getting sucked in by the vacuum, which results in a guaranteed OHKO after touching Tabuu's body on Intense (damage can exceed 250%). However, this is unlikely, unless they are on the precise endpoint. Since the attack has a very powerful vacuum effect, it is possible for the player to be sucked again repeatedly until they is KOed. Another dangerous property of this move is that it has a very fast beginning, and also Tabuu's body will continue to have KO power even when the last sparks fades: this means that Tabuu can be directly attacked only after he uses Teleport. Eventually, if the player is offstage before the attack begins, Tabuu himself will probably appear offstage while executing the move, in some cases cancelling every possibility to harm the player.


*'''Rapid Chop''' - Tabuu teleports behind the player and repeatedly slashes the area in front of him, creating visible purple slashes. This move can easily catch and juggle players, but it has less range than the visible slashes would indicate. Again, Tabuu leaves himself wide open to projectiles, and if the player gets behind him; certain melee attacks are also viable. Deals very high damage if all hits connect (even over 250%) and can OHKO nearly on every difficulty in the Subspace Emissary, but only if the last slash lands (otherwise it always fails to KO). It can be easily SDI'd out of.
*'''Tabuu Smash''' ({{ja|タブースマッシュ|Tabū Sumasshu}}) - Tabuu teleports behind the player and repeatedly slashes the area in front of him with extremely swift karate chops, creating visible slashes. This move can easily catch and juggle players, but it has less range than the large visible slashes would indicate. Again, Tabuu leaves himself wide open to projectiles, and if the player gets behind him he can be hit - although it is dangerous, as the player can be trapped in the attack or hit by the chops with higher [[range]]. Certain melee attacks are also viable. It deals extremely high damage if all hits connect (quite over 300% in a less than three seconds on Intense). Even on Easy difficulty this attack can inflict up to 121% if all hits chain (or 132% if Tabuu has less than half HP remaining). Although Tabuu slashes a total of 13 times, the maximum number of hits is only 11, due to the rehit rate of the hitboxes. It can be easily SDI'd out of, also its activation is slow and very easy to prevent, except for the higher difficulties. However, if the player is hit and survives (avoiding the last slash), they will be left unharmed to further attacks, due to suffering a ludicrous damage output.


*'''Pinpoint Explosion''' - From one side of the stage, Tabuu makes a pointing gesture. Five locations along a line leading to the player's current location will flash once and explode after about two seconds. Can easily be avoided by noting and staying away from the flashes. It is a guaranteed OHKO on Very Hard and Intense [[difficulty]], even in Boss Battle on Intense.
*'''Tabuu Fire''' ({{ja|タブーファイヤー|Tabū Faiyā}}) - From one side of the stage, Tabuu makes a pointing gesture. Five locations along a line leading to the player's current location will flash once and explode after about two seconds, creating huge fiery bursts in a very brief time (less than half a second for the whole sequence). The line is not straight and varies in height, also the explosions last for around a second. This move can easily be avoided by noting and staying away from the flashes, or crouching if the pointing line is high. Can also be shielded with perfect timing. It is an OHKO on Intense and deals up to 60%. Since its knockback is perfectly horizontal or a semi-spike, poor recovery characters are very likely to be KOed even on the lower difficulties. This attack is very predictable, but its speed and extremely large hitbox can make it difficult to avoid in time, considering that it covers the entire length of {{h2|The Great Maze|Tabuu's Residence}} and the bursts will always hit at different heights.


*'''Ghost Projection''' - Tabuu splits himself in half and shoots out many ghost images of himself in all directions, which explode after achieving a certain distance. The player can dodge the projections, but take note that they explode when they make contact with the ground, so combatants can still receive damage while sidestepping the projection itself. They can also be destroyed (preferably by projectiles). It is a OHKO on Intense difficulty.
*'''Clone Attack''' ({{ja|分身攻撃|Bunshin Kōgeki}}) - Tabuu shoots out many holographic images of himself from his body in all directions, which burst after achieving a certain distance. The player can dodge the images, but take note that they explode upon making contact with the ground, so combatants can still receive damage while sidestepping the projection itself (although severely reducing their knockback and damage). They can also be destroyed, preferably by projectiles. The number of images is not constant, although it tends to increase with the difficulty and is usually set between ten and seventeen. Their knockback also varies and can be either angled, vertical, spiked or horizontal; if perfectly horizontal or semi-spiked, it drastically increases the chances of a KO or even an OHKO for poor recovery characters. The distance they cover can also vary, slightly increasing with difficulty: on Easy, they cover more than half the length of Tabuu's Residence, while on Intense they almost cover the entire stage. Notice that each image has a different direction, seemingly not always related to the player's position and that Tabuu can shoot a maximum of two images at the same time (up to four in a second on Intense). When the images' explode upon touching the ground, their burst has a little hitbox and is much less dangerous than contact with the image itself; however, it can still deal up to 24% damage and KO below 40% on Intense. Tabuu can be attacked with projectiles while performing this move, but not touched: contact with his body during the attack deals the same massive knockback of the initial explosion. This move is considered one of Tabuu's most dangerous attacks and its swift and unpredictable beginning may force the player to pay attention before attacking Tabuu. A [[glitch]] can occur in the Subspace Emissary if Tabuu is hit by a [[Green Shell]] while performing this attack. The Shell will remain stuck on Tabuu's body, which completely nullifies and blocks the move, instantly neutralizing every image he produces until the attack ends, regardless of their direction. This allows the player to stay still without taking any damage or knockback by the attack, preventing its ludicrous damage and very high KO power. An interesting fact of this glitch is that the Green Shell does not get destroyed, but remains freezed for some seconds, until Tabuu uses Teleport.


===Third moves===
===Third moves===
*'''Dragon Laser''' - Tabuu appears on the side of the stage and manifests a dragon head (also bearing similarities to the [[Dark Cannon]]s), which floats beneath Tabuu as it spits out a powerful laser horizontally across the stage. Jumping is advisable, although some characters may have a harder time dodging it this way. Is a [[One-hit KO]] on Hard to Intense difficulty and on Very Hard to Intense in Boss Battle.
*'''Shadow Laser''' ({{ja|シャドーレーザー|Shadō Rēzā}}) - Tabuu appears on the side of the stage and manifests a draconic head (also bearing similarities to the [[Dark Cannon]]s), which floats beneath Tabuu as it unleashes a powerful laser horizontally across the stage. The beam has a huge hitbox and lasts for about three seconds, although only dealing a single hit when the player touches it. Jumping is advisable, although some characters may have a harder time dodging it this way. This move is a OHKO on Intense, dealing up to 67% (1-2% fresh). It is usually a [[semi-spike]], but angled and not horizontal. Tabuu can be attacked while performing this move, although it is very dangerous; hitting the cannon will also damage Tabuu himself. The attack is predictable, but the laser can be really swift, and characters with low jump or recovery are quite more likely to get caught by the blast.


[[File:Tabuu Fight.jpg|Tabuu using Bullet Rain on {{SSBB|Captain Falcon}}.|thumb|250px]]
[[File:Tabuu Fight.jpg|Tabuu using Tabuu Shot on {{SSBB|Captain Falcon}}.|thumb|250px]]
*'''Bullet Rain''' - Tabuu appears in a random area in the air and fires a barrage of small bullets, finishing with a huge energy sphere. Easily avoided by keeping a safe distance from him. This seems to be the least frequently used attack on the Third Move, but [[punish]]es overzealous jumping that would be done to avoid the other two attacks. Still, pattern memorization will give his location away if he's about to use this attack; namely, if Tabuu appears anywhere not off the edge of the stage, he will use Bullet Rain. It is a guaranteed OHKO on Very Hard to Intense [[difficulty]], even in Boss Battle.
*'''Tabuu Shot''' ({{ja|タブーショット|Tabū Shotto}}) - Tabuu appears in a random area in the air and fires a barrage of small rain-like bullets, finishing with a huge ball of energy. Easily avoided by keeping a safe distance from him; the bullet chain always lasts for less than three seconds, with a brief additional time for the huge energy sphere (about one second on Intense). It seems to be the least frequently used attack of the Third Moves, but [[punish]]es overzealous jumping that would be done to avoid the other two attacks. Still, pattern memorization will give his location away if he's about to use this attack; namely, if Tabuu appears anywhere not off the edge of the stage, he will use Tabuu Shot. On Intense, a player fully hit by all hitboxes can sustain almost 400% damage before being invariably KOed. The huge energy sphere inflicts up to 54% and immense vertical knockback, being a guaranteed OHKO on Very Hard or higher difficulties; however, despite being enormous in size (much larger than {{SSBB|Zelda}}'s [[Din's Fire]]), its hitbox has roughly the same dimension of the sphere itself, not more - even though it explodes on the ground. The bullets inflict small set knockback but deal extremely high damage (quite over 300% on Intense if all hits connect); they are also very dangerous, since the player gets trapped and suffers multiple hits before being released. Apparently, their maximum combined damage increases by 44% per difficulty, except for Very Hard to Intense in the Subspace Emissary (where the gap is reduced to 29%). Tabuu can be attacked while performing this move, but it becomes very dangerous when the first hitbox ends, since touching the electrical sphere on his hand (noticed due to a red flash) can KO early on every difficulty (because Tabuu is high and closer to the upper [[blast line]], and this move's knockback is almost straight up).


*'''Shuriken Boomerang''' - Tabuu appears on one side of the stage and throws a huge, circular, three-bladed shuriken, which flies across the stage like a boomerang before he catches it. Avoided by jumping and using the [[up special move]] (depending on character) to avoid the second swing. The boomerang only has three blades, but the speed of its spin makes it look like it has about nine. Note: At higher levels, the player may need to dodge both the throw and the return in one jump. It is an OHKO on Very Hard or Intense difficulty and on Intense in Boss Battle if sweet spotted.
*'''Tabuu Boomerang''' ({{ja|タブーブーメラン|Tabū Būmeran}}) - Tabuu appears on one side of the stage and throws a huge, circular and three-bladed shuriken, which flies across the stage like a boomerang before he catches it. Avoided by jumping and using the [[up special move]] (depending on character) to avoid the second swing. The boomerang only has three blades, but the speed of its spin makes it look like it has about nine. At higher levels, the player may need to dodge both the throw and the return in one jump, due to its very high speed (it could cover the entire length of {{h2|The Great Maze|Tabuu's Residence}} in roughly three seconds, including throw and catch phases). Players with poor recovery or low jump will have much more difficulty in dodging. The first swing deals massive angled or semi-spiked knockback, KOing at very low percentages, and inflicts slightly more damage than the second one (48% against 44% on Intense). Tabuu can be attacked while performing this move, with some risks.


===Fourth moves===
===Fourth moves===
Unlike the other three sets, where the moves are picked at random, Tabuu will always alternate between Off Waves and Eye Lasers for his fourth set (i.e. Off Waves on 4th and 12th move, Eye Lasers on 8th and 16th move), making him even easier to predict.
Unlike the other three sets, where the moves are picked at random, Tabuu will always alternate between Off Waves and Eye Lasers for his fourth set (i.e. Off Waves on 4th and 12th move, Eye Lasers on 8th and 16th move), making it easy to predict. Due to this repeated scheme, it seems that Tabuu needs to charge his power for a while before unleashing either one.


[[File:WingedTabuu.jpg|thumb|Tabuu with his wings.]]
[[File:WingedTabuu.jpg|thumb|Tabuu with his wings.]]
*'''Off Waves''' (also called '''Winged Tabuu''') - Tabuu appears in the background and unfolds his wings (resembling a butterfly's in shape, but made of intricate curving symbols). He then charges energy and proceeds to release three red circular shockwaves that encompass the whole stage. If any one of these hit, they will cause extreme damage and knockback with no possibility to survive on the higher [[Difficulty|difficulties]]. In The Subspace Emissary, even on Easy difficulty a single wave will deal from 74% to 78% gamage with massive [[knockback]], more than sufficient to OHKO if sweetspotted; while on Normal or higher it will deal over 100% to 200% damage (with enough knockback for a guaranteed [[one-hit KO]]) all the time. If the player is far away from Tabuu (sourspot), they will cause less damage, however being a one-hit KO this is unlikely to cause much difference.  
*'''Off Waves''' ({{ja|OFF波動|Ofu Hadō}}) (also called '''Winged Tabuu''') - Tabuu warps to the background and materializes a set of wings (which resemble a butterfly's in shape, but made of intricate curves). He then charges up before flashing a large orange symbol and releasing three red circular shockwaves from his chest. They encompass the entire stage, dealing extreme damage and [[knockback]]. In The Subspace Emissary, even on Easy difficulty a single wave will deal 73%-78% damage and massive knockback, enough to OHKO middleweights if Tabuu has less than half [[HP]] remaining, while on Normal and above it's a guaranteed OHKO on everyone, inflicting 139% damage, and 143% damage when Tabuu has less than half HP left. As he is in the background, Tabuu can't take damage in his Winged form. Off Waves are so powerful that even [[metal]] or [[Super Mushroom|giant]] characters will be OHKOed, usually starting from Hard difficulty. This infamous attack is not easy to dodge but is most straightforwardly possible by either [[sidestep]]ping, [[roll]]ing three times in a row with accurate timing, or quick [[air dodge]]s (such as air dodging into {{SSBB|Sonic}}'s [[Spring Jump]] spring). If playing as {{SSBB|Pokémon Trainer}} or {{SSBB|Zelda}}/{{SSBB|Sheik}}, the temporary invulnerability granted by using the [[down special]] transformation at the right time (the instant Tabuu extends his wings) also works. It can also be survived by using moves with [[armor]], but the timing is very strict. It is possible to actually survive being hit by a wave if the player is in the air under the stage, where they can [[DI]] and ceiling [[tech]], but this requires very high precision to pull off, and the character must also have a good [[recovery]] to make it back. When faced in [[Boss Battles]], Tabuu's Off Waves are made much weaker, to compensate for the player only having one [[stock]] instead of six, and no [[continue]]s, [[item]]s or [[sticker]]s. On Easy difficulty, one wave will deal 29% damage with moderate knockback, no longer being Tabuu's strongest attack (knockback-wise). On higher difficulties, both damage and knockback rapidly increase, becoming Tabuu's strongest attack again on Hard difficulty, and regaining the ability to one-hit KO on Intense difficulty. This makes it the only guaranteed OHKO in Boss Battles.
The attack is not easy to dodge but is most straightforwardly possible by either [[sidestep]]ping or [[roll]]ing three times in a row with accurate timing. If playing as {{SSBB|Pokémon Trainer}} or {{SSBB|Zelda}}/{{SSBB|Sheik}}, the temporary invulnerability granted by using the [[down special]] transformation at the right time (the instant Tabuu extends his wings) also works. It can also be avoided by using [[perfect shield]]ing or by using moves with [[armor]], but the timing involved with these techniques is extremely difficult. With characters like {{SSBB|Kirby}} and {{SSBB|Jigglypuff}}, the player may also [[air dodge]] if they jump high enough. It is possible to actually survive being hit by a wave if the player is in the air under the stage, where she or he can [[DI]] and ceiling [[tech]], but this requires a considerably good reaction time and tech skills to pull off and the character must also have a good recovery to make it back.  
When faced in [[Boss Battles]], Tabuu's Off Waves are made much weaker, to compensate that the player has only one [[stock]] instead of six and also has no [[continue]]s. On Easy difficulty one wave will deal 22% damage with high knockback (KOing [[Mario]] below 50%), with both damage and knockback rapidly increasing with the difficulty until they regain their one-hit KO status on Hard and higher difficulty (on Normal and higher difficulty, they are usually a one-hit KO for light characters only or if sweetspotted).
Simply touching Winged Tabuu on the background has the same effect of the Waves itself.  


*'''Eye Lasers''' - Tabuu grows to a size so large that only his head appears on the side of the screen. He then fires a red laser from each eye, and only the lasers' endpoints do damage. Can be very easily avoided by hiding right at the end of the stage, literally under Tabuu's chin, allowing the player to easily damage him, mainly by using up tilts or up smashes (though some moves that push the fighter backwards may move the player into the beams). Unlike Master Hand and Crazy Hand's lasers, Tabuu's lasers do not drift off the stage, so one will be hit as long as they are in front of him.
*'''Eye Laser''' ({{ja|アイレーザー|Ai Rēza}}) - Tabuu grows to a size so large that only his head appears on the side of the screen (either left or right). He then fires a red laser from each eye, and only the lasers' hitboxes inflict damage. On Intense it can KO well below 50%, even around 32% for lighter characters (but on Easy difficulty in Boss Battles it KOs slightly over 100% from the center of the stage). However, being hit while midair can drastically increase the chances of an early KO, due to the beams' perfectly vertical knockback, also it is a very good [[combo]], easily hitting a character twice in a row after launching them in midair. For these reasons, airborne characters are much more likely to be KOed at low percentages. Each hit can also deal massive damage: up to 48% on Intense (reduced to 32% on the same difficulty in Boss Battles). It can be very easily avoided by hiding right at the end of the stage, literally under Tabuu's chin, allowing the player to easily damage him, mainly by using up tilts or up smashes (though some moves that push the fighter backwards may move the player into the beams). Every damage Tabuu takes in this status is halved. Unlike Master Hand and Crazy Hand's lasers, Tabuu's ones do not drift off the stage, so one will be hit as long as they are in front of him. They have also a much larger hitbox, and can reach almost three quarters of {{h2|The Great Maze|Tabuu's Residence}}'s height. A [[glitch]] can occur if the character defeats Tabuu when he's using Eye Lasers. When the battle shows him flying off into the Subspace background, in pain, his head will be covered in the same red colored light that shot out from his eyes. This results in a sort of crimson "aura" surrounding his head. This effect lasts until the screen fades to black.


===Random===
===Random===
*'''Teleport''' - Tabuu teleports around the stage and appears at a set spawn which is randomly decided from the large amount of spawns available. He also sometimes teleports behind the character and attacks with one of the available attacks. Tabuu makes a distinctive sound on his final teleport.
*'''Teleport''' - Tabuu teleports around the stage and appears at a set spawn which is randomly decided from the large amount of spawns available. He can spawn at different heights, up to around three quarters of {{h2|The Great Maze|Tabuu's Residence}}'s height. This move can be randomly used once or multiple times in a row (up to five). He also sometimes teleports behind the character and attacks with one of the available attacks. Tabuu makes a distinctive sound on his final teleport.
 
*'''Explosive Teleport''' - Tabuu teleports around, leaving a red explosion everywhere he teleports from. On higher difficulties, this can KO a player at low percentages, meaning that one must not be too eager to attack Tabuu during his teleports and must always pay attention before attacking him. It has guaranteed [[one-hit KO]] power on Intense difficulty in the Subspace Emissary, while it KOs below 20% on Boss Battles and on lower difficulties.
 
==HP and damage taken==
{{EnemyHPTable}}
{{EnemyHPRow|The Great Maze|335|455|535|635|745}}
{{EnemyHPRow|Boss Battles|111|160|212.5|265|405}}
|}
{{EnemyResistances}}


Like all bosses in ''Brawl'', Tabuu gains an additional ×0.6 damage resistance modifier when fought in co-op mode, effectively gaining 67% more health. This modifier is applied whenever the second player is in-game, and is no longer applied if the second player loses all their [[stock]]s.
*'''Explosion Attack''' ({{ja|爆発攻撃|Bakuhatsu Kōgeki}}) - Tabuu teleports around, leaving a powerful burst everywhere he teleports from. Touching the burst deals perfectly vertical knockback, with enormous KO potential and high damage (up to 45% on Intense). Since it KOs at very low percentages even on average difficulties, the player must not be too eager to attack Tabuu during his teleports and must always pay attention before attacking him. Crouching or simply staying still is the best way to avoid every hit, since this move cannot harm grounded players. Due to being extremely unpredictable and powerful, this attack is usually considered one of the most dangerous of Tabuu's moveset. The only weakness is that the bursts last for a brief time and have a very small hitbox but, since they can appear at different heights, attention must always be payed. Notice that this Teleport is always used five times in a row, and that the final teleport lacks the usual distinctive sound.


==Moveset==
==Moveset==
Though not playable, Tabuu is controllable by hacking the game in [[Boss Battles Mode]]. After hacking the game, the controller used must be a [[GameCube]] Controller and must be plugged into the player 3 slot. The start button will, like all other bosses, self-destruct him.
{{technical data|Move order numbers (eg. [[Rayquaza#Moveset]])}}
Though not playable, Tabuu is controllable by hacking the game in [[Boss Battles Mode]]. After hacking the game, the controller used must be a [[GameCube]] Controller and must be plugged into the player 3 slot. The start button will cause him to self-destruct, as it does for all other bosses.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Move !! Name !! Description
! Move !! Input !! Description
|-
|-
| A || Shark blade || Tabuu turns into a shark shape and flies across the stage.
| Blade Charge || {{Button|GCN|A|s=32px}} || Tabuu turns into a shark shape and flies across the stage.
|-
|-
| A^ || Eye lasers || Tabuu shoots lasers from his eyes.
| Eye Laser || {{Button|GCN|A|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|U|s=32px}} || Tabuu shoots lasers from his eyes.
|-
|-
| Av || Diving slash || Tabuu swoops down onto the stage holding a blade.
| Tabuu Charge || {{Button|GCN|A|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|D|s=32px}} || Tabuu swoops down onto the stage holding a blade.
|-
|-
| A< || Rapid chop || Tabuu rapidly does karate chops.
| Tabuu Smash || {{Button|GCN|A|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|L|s=32px}} || Tabuu rapidly slashes the air with karate chops.
|-
|-
| A> || Electric shield || Electricity swirls around Tabuu.
| Discharge Attack || {{Button|GCN|A|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|R|s=32px}} || Electricity swirls around Tabuu in multiple rings.
|-
|-
| B || Pinpoint explosion || Tabuu points and causes explosions.
| Tabuu Fire || {{Button|GCN|B|s=32px}} || Tabuu points and causes multiple explosions.
|-
|-
| B^ || Bullet rain || Tabuu shoots bullets, followed by a fireball.
| Tabuu Shot || {{Button|GCN|B|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|U|s=32px}} || Tabuu shoots a chain of bullets, followed by a huge fireball.
|-
|-
| Bv || Shuriken boomerang || Tabuu throws a boomerang.
| Tabuu Boomerang || {{Button|GCN|B|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|D|s=32px}} || Tabuu throws a boomerang.
|-
|-
| B< || Dragon laser || Tabuu shoots a laser across the stage.
| Shadow Laser || {{Button|GCN|B|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|L|s=32px}} || Tabuu summons a dark dragon that shoots a huge, azure horizontal laser across the stage.
|-
|-
| B> || Ghost projection || Tabuu shoots multiple projections of himself. The amount of projections is not always the same.
| Clone Attack || {{Button|GCN|B|s=32px}}+{{Button|GCN|D-Pad|R|s=32px}} || Tabuu shoots multiple projections of himself. The amount of projections is not always the same.
|-
|-
| X || Off Waves || Tabuu blasts 3 red rings outward.
| Off Waves || {{Button|GCN|X|s=32px}} || Tabuu opens his wings and blasts three red rings outward from the background. It is always a [[one-hit KO]].
|-
|-
| L || Chain of light || Tabuu uses his chain. If he grabs the player with it, he will slam them into the ground. If two players are playing, he will slam the caught player into the other player.
| Chain Throw || {{Button|GCN|L|s=32px}} || Tabuu uses his chain. If he grabs the player with it, he will slam them into the ground. If two players are playing, he will slam the caught player into the other player.
|-
|-
| R || Golden brackets || Tabuu turns into golden brackets. If he grabs the player, he will slam them into the ground.
| Movement Throw || {{Button|GCN|R|s=32px}} || Tabuu turns into golden brackets. If he grabs the player, he will slam them into the ground.
|-
|-
| Unusable move 1 || Explosion teleports || Tabuu teleports and explosions occur wherever he teleports.
| Explosion Attack || Unusable move 1 || Tabuu teleports and explosions suddenly occur wherever he teleports.
|-
|-
| Unusable move 2 || Teleport || Tabuu teleports around the stage.
| Teleport || Unusable move 2 || Tabuu teleports around the stage.
|}
 
==Moveset gallery==
<gallery>
TabuuTeleport.jpg|Tabuu teleporting.
TabuuElectricity.jpg|The Discharge Attack
TabuuBoomerang.jpg|The Tabuu Boomerang attack
TabuuLaser.jpg|The Shadow Laser attack
TabuuExplosion.jpg|The Tabuu Fire attack
TabuuEyeLaser.jpg|The Eye Laser attack
TabuuShark.jpg|The Blade Charge attack
TabuuChain1.jpg|The Chain Throw attack
TabuuChain2.jpg|The consequence of being caught by the attack.
TabuuGhost.jpg|The Clone Attack
TabuuBulletFinish.jpg|Tabuu firing a huge ball of energy to conclude the Tabuu Shot attack.
TabuuOffWave.jpg|A set of Tabuu's Off Waves. Each one covers the whole stage and is a [[one-hit KO]].
TabuuDivingSlash.jpg|The Tabuu Charge attack
TabuuBracketEnd.jpg|The culmination of the Movement Throw attack.
TabuuRapidChop.jpg|The Tabuu Smash attack
TabuuExplosiveTeleport.jpg|The Explosion Attack
</gallery>
 
==HP and damage taken==
{{EnemyHPTable}}
{{EnemyHPRow|The Great Maze|335|455|535|635|745}}
{{EnemyHPRow|Boss Battles|111|160|212.5|265|405}}
|}
|}
{{EnemyResistances}}
Like all bosses in ''Brawl'', Tabuu gains an additional ×0.6 damage resistance modifier when fought in co-op mode, effectively gaining 67% more health. This modifier is applied whenever the second player is in-game, and is no longer applied if the second player loses all their [[stock]]s. In [[Boss Battles Mode]], the same change is applied without any difference, but either player being KO'd results in a game over. Notice that the [[health]] gap between the [[Subspace Emissary]] and Boss Battles Mode is higher on lower difficulties (around two thirds on Easy) than on the higher ones (around 40% on Intense).


==Trophies==
==Trophies==
{{See also|List of SSBB trophies (The Subspace Emissary)}}
{{See also|List of SSBB trophies (The Subspace Emissary)}}
Tabuu's main trophy is unlocked by using a [[Trophy Stand]] on Tabuu - ways of doing this include dodging Tabuu's attacks; waiting until he teleports and throwing the stand; or throwing it when he is doing Electrical Shield, Rapid Chop, or Bullet Rain. The Tabuu (Wings) trophy is obtained by beating [[Boss Battles]] mode with all characters.
Tabuu{{'}}s main trophy is unlocked by using a [[Trophy Stand]] on Tabuu. The "Tabuu (Wings)" trophy is obtained by beating [[Boss Battles Mode]] with all characters, and can't be unlocked with a [[hammer]], except for the [[PAL|PAL version]]. In the original Japanese version and several translations, this trophy is called "Winged Tabuu" instead.


===Tabuu===
{{Trophy
[[File:Tabuu - Brawl Trophy.png|thumb|100px|left|The Tabuu trophy in ''Brawl''.]]
|name=Tabuu
'''Tabuu'''<br>
|image=Tabuu - Brawl Trophy.png
''The ruler of Subspace and master of operations. Tabuu controls Master Hand with chains of light to excise this world and build up his great maze. He used Shadow Bugs to form Subspace and manipulates the servants of Master Hand to his heart's content. Born in a vastly foreign realm, he also possesses great leadership powers. Tabuu...No name is more suitable.''
|desc=The ruler of Subspace and master of operations. Tabuu controls Master Hand with chains of light to excise this world and build up his great maze. He used Shadow Bugs to form Subspace and manipulates the servants of Master Hand to his heart's content. Born in a vastly foreign realm, he also possesses great leadership powers. Tabuu... No name is more suitable.
{{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}
|game=Brawl
}}
{{clrl}}
{{clrl}}


===Tabuu (Wings)===
{{Trophy
[[File:Tabuu (Wings) - Brawl Trophy.png|thumb|100px|left|Tabuu with wings trophy in ''Brawl''.]]
|name=Tabuu (Wings)
'''Tabuu (Wings)'''<br>
|image=Tabuu (Wings) - Brawl Trophy.png
''Tabuu with wings extended. The dreadful energy surges cast from these wings instantly turn all fighters back into trophies. Knowing this, King Dedede assembles all able-bodied troops and sets a timed device on each of them. This device is a brooch that, after the designated time runs out, revives all fighters wiped out by Tabuu.''
|desc=Tabuu with wings extended. The dreadful energy surges cast from these wings instantly turn all fighters back into trophies. Knowing this, King Dedede assembles all able-bodied troops and sets a timed device on each of them. This device is a brooch that, after the designated time runs out, revives all fighters wiped out by Tabuu.
{{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=Wii|game1=Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}
|game=Brawl
}}
{{clrl}}
{{clrl}}


==Spirit==
==Spirit==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
Tabuu appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' as a Legend-class [[primary spirit]].
|-
 
! No. !! Image !! Name !! Type !! Class !! Slot !! Ability !! Series
In [[Adventure Mode: World of Light]], Tabuu is presumably one of the countless spirits captured by [[Galeem]] during his takeover of the universe. After Galeem's defeat, [[Dharkon]] takes control of Galeem's spirits, including Tabuu. Tabuu's spirit is located in the [[Mysterious Dimension]] sub-dungeon of [[The Dark Realm]] as the penultimate battle before [[Marx]]. Prior to his battle, the player is quizzed on which spirit was the mastermind behind the Subspace Army.
 
Tabuu's Spirit Battle uses a [[giant]] [[Metal]] {{SSBU|Bayonetta}} puppet fighter, referencing how Tabuu and Bayonetta feature butterfly wings, and is fought on the {{SSBU|Final Destination}} stage. During the battle, the player's fighter will be occasionally inflicted with sudden damage, referencing Tabuu's damaging Off-Waves.
 
{|class="wikitable"
! No. !! Image !! Name !! Type !! Class !! Slots
! Base [[File:Equipment Icon Power Badge.png|20px|Power]]
! Max [[File:Equipment Icon Power Badge.png|20px|Power]]
! Base [[File:Equipment Icon Brawn Badge.png|20px|Attack]]
! Max [[File:Equipment Icon Brawn Badge.png|20px|Attack]]
! Base [[File:Equipment Icon Protection Badge.png|20px|Defense]]
! Max [[File:Equipment Icon Protection Badge.png|20px|Defense]]
! Ability !! Series
|-
|-
| 1,100 || [[File:Tabuu Spirit.png|center|108x108px]] || Tabuu || [[File:SpiritTypeNeutral.png|20px|center|Neutral]] || ★★★★ || 3 || PSI Attack ↑ || ''Super Smash Bros.'' Series
| 1,100 || {{SpiritTableName|Tabuu}} || {{SpiritType|Neutral}} || ★★★★ || 3 || 4208 || 10522 || 2353 || 5883 || 1473 || 3683 || PSI Attack ↑ || ''Super Smash Bros.'' Series
|}
|}


==Moveset gallery==
==Glitches==
<gallery>
At least three [[glitch]]es can occur during the battle against Tabuu:
TabuuTeleport.jpg|Tabuu vanishes, teleporting.
*[[Tabuu Whip glitch]] occurs when the player air techs or dodges into his Chain Throw. If properly done, they will get stuck beneath Tabuu's legs and be unable to free themself until Tabuu KOs the character. Being under the effects of a [[Metal Box]], [[Super Mushroom]] or a strong flinch resistance [[sticker]] attacked will also cause this glitch; it can potentially occur on Easy difficulty in [[Boss Battles]] but it's very unlikely. A variation of the glitch can be performed in [[Multiplayer|co-op mode]] by having one character land the final blow on Tabuu while the other is caught by the Chain Throw. Doing this, Tabuu will be defeated without releasing the character from his grab, resulting in that character being frozen in a tumbling pose in the center of the stage while Tabuu falls away, and disappearing at the same time the boss does if a loose explosive does not knock them out. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOLcldr4lkU A YouTube video showing Tabuu Whip glitch]</ref>
TabuuElectricity.jpg|Tabuu surrounds himself in electricity.
*Another glitch can occur in the [[Subspace Emissary]] if Tabuu is hit by a [[Green Shell]] while performing Clone Attack. The shell will remain stuck and completely nullify Tabuu's move, instantly destroying every clone he shoots until the attack ends. The glitch finishes when Tabuu teleports away.
TabuuBoomerang.jpg|Tabuu throws a projectile, functioning like a boomerang.
*A third glitch can occur if the player defeats Tabuu while he is using Eye Laser. When the battle shows him flying off into the Subspace background, his head will be covered in the same red light that shot out from his eyes. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiBWAlLKEp0 A YouTube video showing Eye Lasers glitch]</ref>
TabuuLaser.jpg|Tabuu fires a large beam.
 
TabuuExplosion.jpg|Tabuu creates a line of explosions.
==Names in other languages==
TabuuEyeLaser.jpg|Tabuu grows to a large size, emitting lasers from his eyes.
{{langtable
TabuuShark.jpg|Tabuu surrounds himself in a blade resembling a shark.
|ja={{ja|タブー|Tabū}}, ''Tabuu''
TabuuChain1.jpg|Tabuu grabs a character using the Golden Chain.
|en=Tabuu
TabuuChain2.jpg|Tabuu then swings the grabbed character into the stage.
|fr=Tabbou
TabuuGhost.jpg|Tabuu emits explosive duplicates of himself.
|es=Tabuu
TabuuBulletFinish.jpg|After firing a chain of bullets, Tabuu fires a large ball of electricity.
|de=Tabuh
TabuuOffWave.jpg|Tabuu, with wings unleashed, releases an Off Wave.
|it=Tabuu
TabuuDivingSlash.jpg|Tabuu dives, slashing opponents in his pathway.
|nl=Tabuu
TabuuBracketEnd.jpg|Having grabbed a character, Tabuu slams them into the stage.
|ru={{rollover|Табуу|Tabuu|?}}
TabuuRapidChop.jpg|Tabuu repeatedly slashes characters.
|ko={{rollover|타부|Tabu|?}}, ''Tabuu''
TabuuExplosiveTeleport.jpg|Tabuu teleports around the stage, causing explosions every time he does so.
|zh={{rollover|禁忌|Jìnjì|?}}
End of the Road.png|Tabuu's defeat
}}
</gallery>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Tabuu on Intense Difficulty in the SSE has more [[OHKO]]s than every other [[boss]] or [[enemy]] in all the Smash games: even 14, beating [[Galleom]]'s and  and [[Duon]]'s 8, as well as [[Master Hand]]'s - [[Crazy Hand]]'s 7 + 3 in [[Brawl]]. They are reduced to 11 in [[Boss Battle]].
[[File:TabuuCircuitBoard.png|thumb|300px|A close up on Tabuu's Blade Charge, showing the circuit board pattern]]
**Only two moves out of 16 (12%) are not OHKOs on Intense: Teleport (which doesn’t inflict damage) and Eye Lasers (KOing below 50%).
*Tabuu's wings, along with his body in the shark blade attack, have a circuit board pattern on them. Some sections even appear to have chips on them.
**In the [[Classic Mode]] of the same game (on Intense difficulty only), combined Master Hand and a Crazy Hand have access to even 17 potential OHKOs, although some of them need most hits to connect for an OHKO.
*The dragon head summoned during the "Shadow Laser" attack resembles a [[Dark Cannon]]. Its attack is also somewhat like Marx's mouth laser.
*A [[glitch]] can also occur when the character defeats Tabuu when he's using Eye Lasers.  When the battle shows him flying off into the subspace background, his head will be covered in the same red colored light that shot out from his eyes.
*Tabuu is the only boss in ''Brawl'' to lack an official artwork.
*Some of Tabuu's attacks are similar to those of other bosses; his Eye Laser is similar to Master and Crazy Hand's Finger Laser and his teleportation resembles the abilities of final bosses in the {{uv|Kirby}} series, such as {{s|wikirby|Nightmare}} and {{s|wikirby|Marx}}. Additionally, Tabuu's Off Waves are somewhat similar to the animation of Giygas's Inexplicable Attack from ''EarthBound''.
*In ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', if the final transformation of [[Master Core]] isn't defeated after 45 seconds, it will shake rapidly and rise to the center of the screen, then flash the same symbol from Tabuu's Off Waves, and unleash five shock waves. This attack will similarly one-hit KO the player, but only on 8.0 or higher difficulty.  
*The dragon head summoned during the "Dragon Laser" attack resembles a [[Dark Cannon]]. Its attack is also somewhat like Marx's mouth laser.
*In the Mysterious Dimension of [[World of Light]], Tabuu's spirit guards Marx's boss fight. This may reference how Marx and Tabuu share several attacks, such as their tendency to rapidly teleport and fire laser beams.
*Tabuu is the only boss in ''Brawl'' to not have an official artwork.
*Tabuu seemingly possesses two attacks which are not used during the final battle. In the cutscenes, he is seen using a powerful azure shield to defeat [[Master Hand]], and even without the wings he unleashes a rainbow circling wave (potentially similar to an Off Wave) that turns {{SSBB|Ganondorf}} into a [[trophy]]. Tabuu also uses multiple Chains of Light to subjugate Master Hand, and his Off Waves are much stronger while the wings are intact.
*Off Waves is the only attack to become weaker when the game is played with 2 players, most likely due to its ability to affect the whole stage, and it being difficult to avoid.
*In Boss Battles mode or via the use of stickers and items, it is possible to take very little knockback from the Off Waves, allowing Tabuu to hit the player more than once with the move.
*In ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', if the final transformation of [[Master Core]] isn't defeated after 45 seconds, it will begin to spin rapidly and rise to the center of the screen, then charge up and unleash five red waves. These waves work similarly to Tabuu's [[Off Waves]] and will [[one-hit KO]] the player if they make contact.
*In the Mysterious Dimension of [[Adventure Mode: World of Light|World of Light]], Tabuu's spirit guards Marx's boss fight. This references how Marx and Tabuu share several attacks, such as their tendency to rapidly teleport and fire laser beams.


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqBuST1XmR8&feature=related A YouTube video of playing as Tabuu by hacking]
*[https://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_us/gamemode/modea/modea17.html Dojo description: Mysteries of the Subspace Emissary]
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU6F6uHrQJs (most of OHKO moves)
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqBuST1XmR8 A YouTube video of playing as Tabuu by hacking]
 
{{Bosses}}
==See also==
*[[Tabuu Whip glitch]]
*{{h2|The Great Maze|Tabuu's Residence}}
*[[The Great Maze]]
*[[Subspace]]
*[[Subspace Army]]
*[[The Subspace Emissary]]
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
 
{{Bosses}}
{{SubspaceArmy}}
{{SubspaceArmy}}
{{Smash universe}}
{{Smash universe}}
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[[Category:Unplayable characters]]
[[Category:Unplayable characters]]
[[Category:Spirits]]
[[Category:Spirits]]
[[es:Tabuu]]

Latest revision as of 17:43, December 23, 2024

Tabuu
TabuuOfficial.png
SSBU spirit Tabuu.png

Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary
A boss in Brawl
Universe Super Smash Bros.
Location The Great Maze

Tabuu (タブー, Tabuu) is the main antagonist and final boss of Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary. He is the powerful god-like embodiment of the dimension of Subspace and the mastermind behind the Subspace Army. He plotted to send entire locations of the World of Trophies to his home dimension, where he can create his own orderly world out of them, pursuing his ambition of conquering and subjugating the known universe. His name is a corruption of the word taboo, referring to something forbidden.

Aside from his appearance in Brawl, Tabuu appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a spirit.

Role in The Subspace Emissary[edit]

Close-up of Tabuu in The Subspace Emissary.

Tabuu is the embodiment of Subspace who plotted to transport areas of the World of Trophies into his home dimension to create his own orderly world out of them. However, he himself cannot leave Subspace, which is why he formed the Subspace Army to act in his stead. Tabuu took over the Isle of the Ancients, the home of the R.O.B. Squad and forced them to serve him and develop Subspace Bombs under the threat of annihilation. Tabuu first discovered Mr. Game & Watch's ability to limitlessly produce Shadow Bugs and captured him to harness that power, leading to the creation of the Subspace Army's forces. Tabuu studied and took control of the master of the world, Master Hand, and used his powers to literally control him like a puppet. Tabuu used Master Hand to enlist the help of Bowser, Ganondorf and Wario. These three were sent to hunt down any fighters that would stand in the way of Tabuu's plot, while remaining oblivous of Tabuu's existence. However, King Dedede began interference after learning about Tabuu and his deception.[1]

Later in the story, after the heroes destroy the Subspace Gunship and enter Subspace, Ganondorf, who had been plotting to usurp "Master Hand's" command over the Subspace Army, betrays Bowser by using a Dark Cannon to trophify him. Ganondorf then goes to greet Master Hand, but soon discovers Tabuu's control over him and realizes he was tricked. Enraged, he charges a futile attack at Tabuu, who effortlessly knocks him away and causes him to land on Master Hand before he is trophified as well, freeing him from Tabuu's control. Now freed, Master Hand also attempts to fight back, but to no avail. After Master Hand is defeated, Tabuu uses his Off Waves to reduce everyone to their trophy forms as soon as they approach. With the only threats to his plans seemingly neutralized, a satisfied Tabuu then creates an orderly world out of the areas that were transported into Subspace.

Master Hand being controlled by Tabuu's Chains of Light.

However, thanks to the Dedede Brooches, a pair of inactive fighters who had been left behind - Luigi and Ness - were later revived and they proceed to revive Dedede himself after Ness realized that it was thanks to him that they were saved. Dedede joins their team and they rescue everyone, including Bowser, who had a fight with Dedede and soon joined the team when he learned about Master Hand's defeat. Around the same time, Kirby was revived by the brooch the captured princess had when he swallowed it and went out on his own to save the rest of the fighters. Between these fighters, there are Wario, Link and Zelda, the latter two of which revive Ganondorf and suggest him to join them, which he begrudgingly agrees, Wario does as well and all the fighters enter to the maze and battling the remainder of Tabuu's forces that reside within it. Upon reaching Tabuu, he attempts to dispose of the fighters once and for all, but is ambushed by Sonic, who weakens Tabuu's Off Waves and thereby makes them only a one-hit KO attack instead of causing immediate trophification for any fighter in reach.

Tabuu defeated.

A selection of characters from Sonic, Bowser, Kirby, Dedede's group and those revived by the latter two (first: Dedede's group; second: Kirby), then fight Tabuu. After his defeat, the Subspace Army is seemingly rendered defunct, the areas consumed by Subspace are restored and the Isle of the Ancients disappears afterwards due to the effect of so many Subspace Bombs going off at once, which was commanded by Ganondorf so Tabuu could get the Subspace Gunship into the world, essentially erasing the island from existence. A luminous cross is left in its place.

Tabuu is last seen contorting in pain shortly before the areas that made up The Great Maze were restored. The events of World of Light suggest that he survived.

Attacks[edit]

As the final boss of The Subspace Emissary, Tabuu possesses a wide variety of dangerous attacks, which increase in power and speed on the higher difficulties. Several of his moves are guaranteed OHKOs at least on Intense difficulty. Additionally, Tabuu's attacks are faster and stronger in The Subspace Emissary than in Boss Battles at comparable difficulty ratings - as usual. The gap is wider on the lower difficulties (Easy overall) than on the highest ones (Intense in particular). Like any other boss, Tabuu's attacks get progressively slightly weaker the more continues the player uses, losing 2% damage up to 4 times. Likewise, Tabuu’s attacks become considerably more powerful in both damage and knockback when he has less than half HP remaining (this mechanic also works in Boss Battles).

Tabuu's attacks are considered to be extremely powerful but predictable. Even on Easy difficulty in Boss Battles, almost all his moves will KO middleweights not over 70% (usually below), and some will even OHKO if properly executed (with the exception of Eye Lasers, which KOs below 110%). However, dodging most of his attacks can be very easy if the player knows what is coming; this doesn't apply to Off Waves, which are very hard to avoid, cover the entire screen and required the use of very well-timed dodges. Without the Off Waves, many people consider Tabuu to be an easy boss due to his predictable moves and how he needs to wait until he can attack again, although some attacks are very difficult to prevent or avoid (such as Golden Bracket, Ghost Projection and Explosive Teleport).

Some of Tabuu's moves share a unique property: they could potentially OHKO the same players twice in a row, on the proper difficulty, if they are hit at the beginning and then immediately after they respawn. Off Waves are usually too fast to fulfil the required conditions but, if the players intentionally jump into the third ring, they can suffer a second OHKO. Notice that these attacks require a very strict timing to OHKO twice in a row, and are not guaranteed to do so.

The names of the attacks are sourced from the book Dairantō Smash Bros. X: The Complete Guide, save for "Teleport", which is not given a name.

First moves[edit]

  • Blade Charge (ブレードチャージ) - Tabuu transforms into a wide and somewhat shark-shaped blade, which flies horizontally across the stage with very high speed. Touching Tabuu during the transformation has the same effect of the hit itself, dealing enormous vertical knockback and very high damage (reaching 59% on Intense). It is dodgeable by performing an air dodge or, if at ground level, ducking (unless playing as Meta Knight). A perfectly timed sidestep dodge may also work. It is possible to perfect shield the attack, but a miss will result in the shield breaking, stunning the character in the process and leaving it vulnerable to further attacks. In the Subspace Emissary, it is an OHKO on Very Hard on middleweights if Tabuu has less than half HP remaining, and a guaranteed OHKO on Intense. In Boss Battles, it is one of Tabuu's strongest attacks, KOing below 20% on Intense. Since Tabuu frequently uses this move in midair, it is possible to avoid it simply by crouching or even without moving.
  • Tabuu Charge (タブーチャージ) - Tabuu teleports high above one side of the stage, makes one of his arms blade-like and then dives at the player in a set curved arc. Because he will always go near the ground, it can be dodged by jumping over his attack in the middle of the stage or going on the edge of the stage. On higher difficulties Tabuu's body can KO middleweights at very low percentages (20%) it also acts very swift and is quite difficult to predict. Tabuu can be damaged by projectiles while performing this move, but touching it deals high knockback and damage (up to 42%). The sweetspot deals a maximum of 49%.
Tabuu's Movement Throw attack.
  • Movement Throw (移動投げ) - Tabuu transforms into a reticle-like entity that is composed of a pair of sparkling yellow brackets and flies across the stage, grabbing the character and slamming it into the floor for a semi-spike of immense power. This attack has low horizontal knockback on every difficulty, and can deal enormous damage on Intense: a huge 60%. On Hard or higher difficulties it becomes a guaranteed OHKO (on Hard, only if Tabuu has more than half HP left, heavyweights may survive at 0%). Characters with a grab aerial can survive by DI'ing downwards and attaching to the edge of the stage as they pass by, but this technique requires very strict timing, especially on Intense difficulty. There is no predetermined way the brackets fly, and when the player is not able to make a jump, they should try an air-dodge. It is one of the least predictable attacks of Tabuu and the second more powerful behind Off Waves (at least in knockback terms), making it really dangerous. On Very Hard difficulty and above, its power is more than enough to one-hit KO even metal or giant characters, making survival nearly impossible. The entity resembles Tabuu's wings as seen at the center of The Great Maze.

Second moves[edit]

  • Chain Throw (鎖で投げ) - Tabuu produces a Chain of Light (軽鎖) and throws it in front of him in an attempt to catch the player. Despite its range, it cannot catch those too close to him. If he succeeds, he will swing the player around before smashing them into the ground, with high knockback and considerable damage (up to 45%, or 47% at low HP). If played in co-op mode, the other player can be damaged by the hitbox generated by the attack. If Tabuu is defeated while grabbing a character with the Chain of Light, the Tabuu Whip glitch will occur. Additionally, if one uses a heavyweight fighter with a strong flinch resistance sticker, and uses a Super Mushroom or a Metal Box, at very low percentages on Easy difficulty the attack will not cause the player to flinch, and they will remain stuck on the chain in the T-pose until Tabuu teleports. This move is very swift and unpredictable: on higher difficulties, it requires less than a second to land, making it one of the most dangerous.
  • Discharge Attack (放電攻撃) - Tabuu teleports right next to the player. His sphere-like nucleus splits into several smaller versions of it, which fly in circles around him for a short time while emitting electricity. This attack has a decent range that changes over time (rapidly increasing until it reaches its maximum for around five seconds, and then slowly decreasing), but leaves Tabuu wide open for projectile weapons. It somewhat resembles an atom, with Tabuu being the nucleus and his fragmented energy core being electrons; in fact, the spark rings attract the player with a very strong vacuum. Touching the sparkles or Tabuu's body deals a single powerful hit and up to 64%. Poor recovery characters will be KOed at 0%, since its knockback is perfectly horizontal or spiked (depending on how the hitboxes land). It is possible for the player to be damaged by the sparks without taking knockback or being sucked into Tabuu's body, but only if they are near enough to Tabuu; in this case, they will take up to 36% per hit instead of the direct damage, which can result in a huge combined damage output (over 200% on Intense). If the player is on the exact endpoint of the move's range, they will probably suffer multiple hits by the sparks before flinching and getting sucked in by the vacuum, which results in a guaranteed OHKO after touching Tabuu's body on Intense (damage can exceed 250%). However, this is unlikely, unless they are on the precise endpoint. Since the attack has a very powerful vacuum effect, it is possible for the player to be sucked again repeatedly until they is KOed. Another dangerous property of this move is that it has a very fast beginning, and also Tabuu's body will continue to have KO power even when the last sparks fades: this means that Tabuu can be directly attacked only after he uses Teleport. Eventually, if the player is offstage before the attack begins, Tabuu himself will probably appear offstage while executing the move, in some cases cancelling every possibility to harm the player.
  • Tabuu Smash (タブースマッシュ) - Tabuu teleports behind the player and repeatedly slashes the area in front of him with extremely swift karate chops, creating visible slashes. This move can easily catch and juggle players, but it has less range than the large visible slashes would indicate. Again, Tabuu leaves himself wide open to projectiles, and if the player gets behind him he can be hit - although it is dangerous, as the player can be trapped in the attack or hit by the chops with higher range. Certain melee attacks are also viable. It deals extremely high damage if all hits connect (quite over 300% in a less than three seconds on Intense). Even on Easy difficulty this attack can inflict up to 121% if all hits chain (or 132% if Tabuu has less than half HP remaining). Although Tabuu slashes a total of 13 times, the maximum number of hits is only 11, due to the rehit rate of the hitboxes. It can be easily SDI'd out of, also its activation is slow and very easy to prevent, except for the higher difficulties. However, if the player is hit and survives (avoiding the last slash), they will be left unharmed to further attacks, due to suffering a ludicrous damage output.
  • Tabuu Fire (タブーファイヤー) - From one side of the stage, Tabuu makes a pointing gesture. Five locations along a line leading to the player's current location will flash once and explode after about two seconds, creating huge fiery bursts in a very brief time (less than half a second for the whole sequence). The line is not straight and varies in height, also the explosions last for around a second. This move can easily be avoided by noting and staying away from the flashes, or crouching if the pointing line is high. Can also be shielded with perfect timing. It is an OHKO on Intense and deals up to 60%. Since its knockback is perfectly horizontal or a semi-spike, poor recovery characters are very likely to be KOed even on the lower difficulties. This attack is very predictable, but its speed and extremely large hitbox can make it difficult to avoid in time, considering that it covers the entire length of Tabuu's Residence and the bursts will always hit at different heights.
  • Clone Attack (分身攻撃) - Tabuu shoots out many holographic images of himself from his body in all directions, which burst after achieving a certain distance. The player can dodge the images, but take note that they explode upon making contact with the ground, so combatants can still receive damage while sidestepping the projection itself (although severely reducing their knockback and damage). They can also be destroyed, preferably by projectiles. The number of images is not constant, although it tends to increase with the difficulty and is usually set between ten and seventeen. Their knockback also varies and can be either angled, vertical, spiked or horizontal; if perfectly horizontal or semi-spiked, it drastically increases the chances of a KO or even an OHKO for poor recovery characters. The distance they cover can also vary, slightly increasing with difficulty: on Easy, they cover more than half the length of Tabuu's Residence, while on Intense they almost cover the entire stage. Notice that each image has a different direction, seemingly not always related to the player's position and that Tabuu can shoot a maximum of two images at the same time (up to four in a second on Intense). When the images' explode upon touching the ground, their burst has a little hitbox and is much less dangerous than contact with the image itself; however, it can still deal up to 24% damage and KO below 40% on Intense. Tabuu can be attacked with projectiles while performing this move, but not touched: contact with his body during the attack deals the same massive knockback of the initial explosion. This move is considered one of Tabuu's most dangerous attacks and its swift and unpredictable beginning may force the player to pay attention before attacking Tabuu. A glitch can occur in the Subspace Emissary if Tabuu is hit by a Green Shell while performing this attack. The Shell will remain stuck on Tabuu's body, which completely nullifies and blocks the move, instantly neutralizing every image he produces until the attack ends, regardless of their direction. This allows the player to stay still without taking any damage or knockback by the attack, preventing its ludicrous damage and very high KO power. An interesting fact of this glitch is that the Green Shell does not get destroyed, but remains freezed for some seconds, until Tabuu uses Teleport.

Third moves[edit]

  • Shadow Laser (シャドーレーザー) - Tabuu appears on the side of the stage and manifests a draconic head (also bearing similarities to the Dark Cannons), which floats beneath Tabuu as it unleashes a powerful laser horizontally across the stage. The beam has a huge hitbox and lasts for about three seconds, although only dealing a single hit when the player touches it. Jumping is advisable, although some characters may have a harder time dodging it this way. This move is a OHKO on Intense, dealing up to 67% (1-2% fresh). It is usually a semi-spike, but angled and not horizontal. Tabuu can be attacked while performing this move, although it is very dangerous; hitting the cannon will also damage Tabuu himself. The attack is predictable, but the laser can be really swift, and characters with low jump or recovery are quite more likely to get caught by the blast.
Tabuu using Tabuu Shot on Captain Falcon.
  • Tabuu Shot (タブーショット) - Tabuu appears in a random area in the air and fires a barrage of small rain-like bullets, finishing with a huge ball of energy. Easily avoided by keeping a safe distance from him; the bullet chain always lasts for less than three seconds, with a brief additional time for the huge energy sphere (about one second on Intense). It seems to be the least frequently used attack of the Third Moves, but punishes overzealous jumping that would be done to avoid the other two attacks. Still, pattern memorization will give his location away if he's about to use this attack; namely, if Tabuu appears anywhere not off the edge of the stage, he will use Tabuu Shot. On Intense, a player fully hit by all hitboxes can sustain almost 400% damage before being invariably KOed. The huge energy sphere inflicts up to 54% and immense vertical knockback, being a guaranteed OHKO on Very Hard or higher difficulties; however, despite being enormous in size (much larger than Zelda's Din's Fire), its hitbox has roughly the same dimension of the sphere itself, not more - even though it explodes on the ground. The bullets inflict small set knockback but deal extremely high damage (quite over 300% on Intense if all hits connect); they are also very dangerous, since the player gets trapped and suffers multiple hits before being released. Apparently, their maximum combined damage increases by 44% per difficulty, except for Very Hard to Intense in the Subspace Emissary (where the gap is reduced to 29%). Tabuu can be attacked while performing this move, but it becomes very dangerous when the first hitbox ends, since touching the electrical sphere on his hand (noticed due to a red flash) can KO early on every difficulty (because Tabuu is high and closer to the upper blast line, and this move's knockback is almost straight up).
  • Tabuu Boomerang (タブーブーメラン) - Tabuu appears on one side of the stage and throws a huge, circular and three-bladed shuriken, which flies across the stage like a boomerang before he catches it. Avoided by jumping and using the up special move (depending on character) to avoid the second swing. The boomerang only has three blades, but the speed of its spin makes it look like it has about nine. At higher levels, the player may need to dodge both the throw and the return in one jump, due to its very high speed (it could cover the entire length of Tabuu's Residence in roughly three seconds, including throw and catch phases). Players with poor recovery or low jump will have much more difficulty in dodging. The first swing deals massive angled or semi-spiked knockback, KOing at very low percentages, and inflicts slightly more damage than the second one (48% against 44% on Intense). Tabuu can be attacked while performing this move, with some risks.

Fourth moves[edit]

Unlike the other three sets, where the moves are picked at random, Tabuu will always alternate between Off Waves and Eye Lasers for his fourth set (i.e. Off Waves on 4th and 12th move, Eye Lasers on 8th and 16th move), making it easy to predict. Due to this repeated scheme, it seems that Tabuu needs to charge his power for a while before unleashing either one.

Tabuu with his wings.
  • Off Waves (OFF波動) (also called Winged Tabuu) - Tabuu warps to the background and materializes a set of wings (which resemble a butterfly's in shape, but made of intricate curves). He then charges up before flashing a large orange symbol and releasing three red circular shockwaves from his chest. They encompass the entire stage, dealing extreme damage and knockback. In The Subspace Emissary, even on Easy difficulty a single wave will deal 73%-78% damage and massive knockback, enough to OHKO middleweights if Tabuu has less than half HP remaining, while on Normal and above it's a guaranteed OHKO on everyone, inflicting 139% damage, and 143% damage when Tabuu has less than half HP left. As he is in the background, Tabuu can't take damage in his Winged form. Off Waves are so powerful that even metal or giant characters will be OHKOed, usually starting from Hard difficulty. This infamous attack is not easy to dodge but is most straightforwardly possible by either sidestepping, rolling three times in a row with accurate timing, or quick air dodges (such as air dodging into Sonic's Spring Jump spring). If playing as Pokémon Trainer or Zelda/Sheik, the temporary invulnerability granted by using the down special transformation at the right time (the instant Tabuu extends his wings) also works. It can also be survived by using moves with armor, but the timing is very strict. It is possible to actually survive being hit by a wave if the player is in the air under the stage, where they can DI and ceiling tech, but this requires very high precision to pull off, and the character must also have a good recovery to make it back. When faced in Boss Battles, Tabuu's Off Waves are made much weaker, to compensate for the player only having one stock instead of six, and no continues, items or stickers. On Easy difficulty, one wave will deal 29% damage with moderate knockback, no longer being Tabuu's strongest attack (knockback-wise). On higher difficulties, both damage and knockback rapidly increase, becoming Tabuu's strongest attack again on Hard difficulty, and regaining the ability to one-hit KO on Intense difficulty. This makes it the only guaranteed OHKO in Boss Battles.
  • Eye Laser (アイレーザー) - Tabuu grows to a size so large that only his head appears on the side of the screen (either left or right). He then fires a red laser from each eye, and only the lasers' hitboxes inflict damage. On Intense it can KO well below 50%, even around 32% for lighter characters (but on Easy difficulty in Boss Battles it KOs slightly over 100% from the center of the stage). However, being hit while midair can drastically increase the chances of an early KO, due to the beams' perfectly vertical knockback, also it is a very good combo, easily hitting a character twice in a row after launching them in midair. For these reasons, airborne characters are much more likely to be KOed at low percentages. Each hit can also deal massive damage: up to 48% on Intense (reduced to 32% on the same difficulty in Boss Battles). It can be very easily avoided by hiding right at the end of the stage, literally under Tabuu's chin, allowing the player to easily damage him, mainly by using up tilts or up smashes (though some moves that push the fighter backwards may move the player into the beams). Every damage Tabuu takes in this status is halved. Unlike Master Hand and Crazy Hand's lasers, Tabuu's ones do not drift off the stage, so one will be hit as long as they are in front of him. They have also a much larger hitbox, and can reach almost three quarters of Tabuu's Residence's height. A glitch can occur if the character defeats Tabuu when he's using Eye Lasers. When the battle shows him flying off into the Subspace background, in pain, his head will be covered in the same red colored light that shot out from his eyes. This results in a sort of crimson "aura" surrounding his head. This effect lasts until the screen fades to black.

Random[edit]

  • Teleport - Tabuu teleports around the stage and appears at a set spawn which is randomly decided from the large amount of spawns available. He can spawn at different heights, up to around three quarters of Tabuu's Residence's height. This move can be randomly used once or multiple times in a row (up to five). He also sometimes teleports behind the character and attacks with one of the available attacks. Tabuu makes a distinctive sound on his final teleport.
  • Explosion Attack (爆発攻撃) - Tabuu teleports around, leaving a powerful burst everywhere he teleports from. Touching the burst deals perfectly vertical knockback, with enormous KO potential and high damage (up to 45% on Intense). Since it KOs at very low percentages even on average difficulties, the player must not be too eager to attack Tabuu during his teleports and must always pay attention before attacking him. Crouching or simply staying still is the best way to avoid every hit, since this move cannot harm grounded players. Due to being extremely unpredictable and powerful, this attack is usually considered one of the most dangerous of Tabuu's moveset. The only weakness is that the bursts last for a brief time and have a very small hitbox but, since they can appear at different heights, attention must always be payed. Notice that this Teleport is always used five times in a row, and that the final teleport lacks the usual distinctive sound.

Moveset[edit]

Data.png This article or section may require additional technical data.
The editor who added this tag elaborates: Move order numbers (eg. Rayquaza#Moveset)
You can discuss this issue on the talk page or edit this page to improve it.

Though not playable, Tabuu is controllable by hacking the game in Boss Battles Mode. After hacking the game, the controller used must be a GameCube Controller and must be plugged into the player 3 slot. The start button will cause him to self-destruct, as it does for all other bosses.

Move Input Description
Blade Charge A Tabuu turns into a shark shape and flies across the stage.
Eye Laser A+D-Pad Tabuu shoots lasers from his eyes.
Tabuu Charge A+D-Pad Tabuu swoops down onto the stage holding a blade.
Tabuu Smash A+D-Pad Tabuu rapidly slashes the air with karate chops.
Discharge Attack A+D-Pad Electricity swirls around Tabuu in multiple rings.
Tabuu Fire B Tabuu points and causes multiple explosions.
Tabuu Shot B+D-Pad Tabuu shoots a chain of bullets, followed by a huge fireball.
Tabuu Boomerang B+D-Pad Tabuu throws a boomerang.
Shadow Laser B+D-Pad Tabuu summons a dark dragon that shoots a huge, azure horizontal laser across the stage.
Clone Attack B+D-Pad Tabuu shoots multiple projections of himself. The amount of projections is not always the same.
Off Waves X Tabuu opens his wings and blasts three red rings outward from the background. It is always a one-hit KO.
Chain Throw L Tabuu uses his chain. If he grabs the player with it, he will slam them into the ground. If two players are playing, he will slam the caught player into the other player.
Movement Throw R Tabuu turns into golden brackets. If he grabs the player, he will slam them into the ground.
Explosion Attack Unusable move 1 Tabuu teleports and explosions suddenly occur wherever he teleports.
Teleport Unusable move 2 Tabuu teleports around the stage.

Moveset gallery[edit]

HP and damage taken[edit]

HP Values Lowest difficulty Below-middle difficulty Middle difficulty Above-middle difficulty Highest difficulty
The Great Maze 335 455 535 635 745
Boss Battles 111 160 212.5 265 405
  Normal Slash Electric Freezing Flame Grass (effect) Water (effect) Darkness Aura (effect) Specials: Direct Specials: Indirect
Damage taken ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0 ×1.0

Like all bosses in Brawl, Tabuu gains an additional ×0.6 damage resistance modifier when fought in co-op mode, effectively gaining 67% more health. This modifier is applied whenever the second player is in-game, and is no longer applied if the second player loses all their stocks. In Boss Battles Mode, the same change is applied without any difference, but either player being KO'd results in a game over. Notice that the health gap between the Subspace Emissary and Boss Battles Mode is higher on lower difficulties (around two thirds on Easy) than on the higher ones (around 40% on Intense).

Trophies[edit]

Tabuu's main trophy is unlocked by using a Trophy Stand on Tabuu. The "Tabuu (Wings)" trophy is obtained by beating Boss Battles Mode with all characters, and can't be unlocked with a hammer, except for the PAL version. In the original Japanese version and several translations, this trophy is called "Winged Tabuu" instead.

Tabuu's trophy in Brawl
Tabuu
The ruler of Subspace and master of operations. Tabuu controls Master Hand with chains of light to excise this world and build up his great maze. He used Shadow Bugs to form Subspace and manipulates the servants of Master Hand to his heart's content. Born in a vastly foreign realm, he also possesses great leadership powers. Tabuu... No name is more suitable.
Wii: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Tabuu (Wings)'s trophy in Brawl
Tabuu (Wings)
Tabuu with wings extended. The dreadful energy surges cast from these wings instantly turn all fighters back into trophies. Knowing this, King Dedede assembles all able-bodied troops and sets a timed device on each of them. This device is a brooch that, after the designated time runs out, revives all fighters wiped out by Tabuu.
Wii: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Spirit[edit]

Tabuu appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Legend-class primary spirit.

In Adventure Mode: World of Light, Tabuu is presumably one of the countless spirits captured by Galeem during his takeover of the universe. After Galeem's defeat, Dharkon takes control of Galeem's spirits, including Tabuu. Tabuu's spirit is located in the Mysterious Dimension sub-dungeon of The Dark Realm as the penultimate battle before Marx. Prior to his battle, the player is quizzed on which spirit was the mastermind behind the Subspace Army.

Tabuu's Spirit Battle uses a giant Metal Bayonetta puppet fighter, referencing how Tabuu and Bayonetta feature butterfly wings, and is fought on the Final Destination stage. During the battle, the player's fighter will be occasionally inflicted with sudden damage, referencing Tabuu's damaging Off-Waves.

No. Image Name Type Class Slots Base Power Max Power Base Attack Max Attack Base Defense Max Defense Ability Series
1,100
SSBU spirit Tabuu.png
Tabuu
Neutral
★★★★ 3 4208 10522 2353 5883 1473 3683 PSI Attack ↑ Super Smash Bros. Series

Glitches[edit]

At least three glitches can occur during the battle against Tabuu:

  • Tabuu Whip glitch occurs when the player air techs or dodges into his Chain Throw. If properly done, they will get stuck beneath Tabuu's legs and be unable to free themself until Tabuu KOs the character. Being under the effects of a Metal Box, Super Mushroom or a strong flinch resistance sticker attacked will also cause this glitch; it can potentially occur on Easy difficulty in Boss Battles but it's very unlikely. A variation of the glitch can be performed in co-op mode by having one character land the final blow on Tabuu while the other is caught by the Chain Throw. Doing this, Tabuu will be defeated without releasing the character from his grab, resulting in that character being frozen in a tumbling pose in the center of the stage while Tabuu falls away, and disappearing at the same time the boss does if a loose explosive does not knock them out. [2]
  • Another glitch can occur in the Subspace Emissary if Tabuu is hit by a Green Shell while performing Clone Attack. The shell will remain stuck and completely nullify Tabuu's move, instantly destroying every clone he shoots until the attack ends. The glitch finishes when Tabuu teleports away.
  • A third glitch can occur if the player defeats Tabuu while he is using Eye Laser. When the battle shows him flying off into the Subspace background, his head will be covered in the same red light that shot out from his eyes. [3]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name
Japan Japanese タブー, Tabuu
UK English Tabuu
France French Tabbou
Germany German Tabuh
Spain Spanish Tabuu
Italy Italian Tabuu
China Chinese 禁忌
South Korea Korean 타부, Tabuu
Netherlands Dutch Tabuu
Russia Russian Табуу

Trivia[edit]

A close up on Tabuu's Blade Charge, showing the circuit board pattern
  • Tabuu's wings, along with his body in the shark blade attack, have a circuit board pattern on them. Some sections even appear to have chips on them.
  • The dragon head summoned during the "Shadow Laser" attack resembles a Dark Cannon. Its attack is also somewhat like Marx's mouth laser.
  • Tabuu is the only boss in Brawl to lack an official artwork.
  • In Super Smash Bros. 4, if the final transformation of Master Core isn't defeated after 45 seconds, it will shake rapidly and rise to the center of the screen, then flash the same symbol from Tabuu's Off Waves, and unleash five shock waves. This attack will similarly one-hit KO the player, but only on 8.0 or higher difficulty.
  • In the Mysterious Dimension of World of Light, Tabuu's spirit guards Marx's boss fight. This may reference how Marx and Tabuu share several attacks, such as their tendency to rapidly teleport and fire laser beams.
  • Tabuu seemingly possesses two attacks which are not used during the final battle. In the cutscenes, he is seen using a powerful azure shield to defeat Master Hand, and even without the wings he unleashes a rainbow circling wave (potentially similar to an Off Wave) that turns Ganondorf into a trophy. Tabuu also uses multiple Chains of Light to subjugate Master Hand, and his Off Waves are much stronger while the wings are intact.

External links[edit]

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References[edit]