Star KO

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A Star Knock-Out, abbreviated as Star KO is a type of KO. When a character falls off the top of the screen (save for a few exceptions, see below), they fly through the background, yell/scream/etc, and eventually disappear as a star. Rarely, the character will fall in front of the stage. In Super Smash Bros., they simply fall past, but in Super Smash Bros. Melee, they will bump against the screen. The second method takes far less time than the first, which occasionally makes a difference in situations where two people with one stock are killed off the top at once, or when trying to KO someone with little time left. This may not happen as hitting the front of the screen is faster.

Exceptions

Members of a computer team (ie the Fighting Wire Frames) don't experience Star KO's, instead undergoing the usual colorful explosion. Though it can happen in Event Match 37. Also, in the beginning the second trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Kirby uses his Up smash to knock Mario and Link off the top of the screen, but the usual colored explosion occurs, instead of a Star KO. The star KO is still in this game.

Note: Super Smash Bros. is the only game where members of a team (i.e. the Fighting Polygon Team) DO get a Star KO.

Trivia

• The concept of a Star KO is from a very common anime trope, where a character or characters is struck or blasted high into the air, eventually disappearing as a twinkle in the sky. It was made famous in anime like Pokémon (where this fate befalls Team Rocket in nearly every episode) and Love Hina (whenever Keitaro Urashima is struck fiercely enough).
• Any conditions on the character are seen in the Star KO, such as if a character is KO'd with a Freezie or with PK Freeze, or has a Smash Ball when they are KOd. In Flat Zone 2 conditions are not aligned with the character (ie. the frozen block and character fly off separately).
• Giant characters/Tiny characters who are Star KO'd, remain giant/tiny while falling on the background (their "falling voice" remains deep/tiny as well). On the other hand, Star KO'd metal characters appear in normal conditions on the background (inc. voice). The only exceptions are Metal Mario and Metal Luigi in Melee's Adventure Mode.
• If Kirby inhaled someone's abilities and gets Star KOd, he will appear as a normal Kirby while disappearing into the background.
• If the conditions are right, one can be hit above the upper blast line, but rather than be Star KO'd or hit the front of the screen, they will die as if they got KO'd to the side. However, it's possibility of occurring is extremely rare.
• Currently, there are two ways to Star-KO yourself without anyone or anything hitting you. One involves using a fully charged Wario Waft near the upper blast line. The other involves standing on one of the platforms moving upwards near the end of the underground Mushroomy Kingdom before it scrolls back to the start of the stage and letting the platform bring your character upwards above the upper blast line.
• Giga Bowser can be Star KO'd by being hit while he is above the Upper Blast Line.