Final Cutter

Final Cutter
	; Final Cutter in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
User	Kirby
Universe	Kirby
Article on WiKirby	Cutter

“	Soar into the sky, then dive down with this cutting move that unleashes a shock wave.	”
—Melee's instruction manual

“	Swoop up and down while attacking with a blade. On landing, the blade emits a wave that does additional damage.	”
—Brawl's instruction manual

“	Strike up and down. Sends out a shock wave.	”
—Smash for 3DS's foldout

Final Cutter (ファイナルカッター, Final Cutter) is Kirby's up special move.

Overview

Kirby draws a silver blade, similar to a scimitar, jumps into the air a bit less than the height of Falco's full jump, (meaning that it's a decent vertical recovery), and falls quickly, releasing a blue "wave" projectile forward if he lands on a solid surface, traveling the distance of a Falco Phantasm. It generally hits best on the way up, and at the very end of the attack. Although it lost much power, distance, and use in the transition from Super Smash Bros. to Super Smash Bros. Melee, it is still quite useful to skilled players. It should also be noted that the move as a whole can be moved much further horizontally when used on the ground as opposed to in the air. In Melee, however, the move was nerfed noticeably, as it covers less height and is significantly weaker. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Final Cutter is stronger and travels farther horizontally than in Melee, and in Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary, Kirby uses the move to cut down King Dedede's transport and secure a pair of trophies, either Mario and Pit's or Link and Yoshi's, depending on which princess Kirby rescued from Petey Piranha. The move has high hitstun, and can be used in numerous combos. Surprisingly, the move's projectile has more knockback than the slice itself. This move, as well as the ability to spit out enemies after using Kirby's Inhale, is Kirby's only projectile.

Players using this move should take note that if knocked out of it they lose all their jumps, except in Brawl and Smash 4.

The descent of the move delivers a heavy meteor smash, which is easier to use over a pit. This can develop into a technique known as Cuttercide. When the opponent is trying to recover one can use Final Cutter to intercept them and spike them downward, KOing the player and most of the time their opponent as well. When used as a meteor smash, the move has set knockback, being one of the only three non-Final Smash meteor smashes in Brawl to have this property, the others being Luigi's taunt spike and Ganon's Flame Choke. Due to being a meteor smash, this move is also useful against edge-guarding if used high in the air at the top corners of stages, such as Final Destination or Battlefield, if Kirby performed the move at a good enough distance and an edge-guarder was in the air coming for it, Kirby could potentially catch the opponent on the sword's descent, sending them towards the lower blast line and finding himself grabbing the edge. This technique, depending on the stage and the situation, can K.O. at 0 percent if the opponent is too careless.

Unlike most other third jumps, Final Cutter does not always throw Kirby into helpless; when the ascent is finished, Kirby falls quickly and retains the hitbox. However, Final Cutter can cause helpless by landing at the edge of a platform and being pushed off by wind, conveyor belts, F.L.U.D.D. or Squirtle's Water Gun while Kirby is still in his ground-slam animation; Kirby will quickly slide off into his helpless form. This does not occur in games before Brawl.

Prior to the final released version of Smash 4, Kirby's expression would not change. In Smash 4, Kirby like with many of his attacks now has a serious expression when performing the attack.

Customization

Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:

1. Final Cutter	2. Wave Cutter	3. Upper Cutter

"Jump high into the air, striking on the way up and down. Creates a shock wave when landing."	"Jump high into the air, and then slam down to the ground, sending rocks flying."	"Strike powerfully as you rise through the air. You can't attack on the way down."

Final Cutter: Default.
Wave Cutter: The blade deals no damage, but upon landing creates a rock wave with more power and range than the normal shockwave. Has faster start-up. If used high enough in the air, the move will be weaker. The wave of rocks can be reflected.
Upper Cutter: Comes out faster and does more damage while traveling (higher) up as well as no longer making Kirby plummet straight down, but puts Kirby into his helpless state on the way down and loses both the meteor smash and shockwave.

Wave Cutter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Upper Cutter in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Origin

File:FinalCutterOrigin.jpg

Final Cutter in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror.

The Final Cutter first appeared as a special move in Kirby Super Star. When Kirby had the Cutter ability and was close enough to the enemy while attacking, the normally ranged Cutter technique would become a rapid slashing combo attack known as the Cleaving Cutter (an inward chop, then a turning inward-upward 180 slash akin to his "Cutter Dash" move), ending in the Final Cutter.

The Final Cutter move has more recently been used by Kirby's Sword ability in games such as Kirby & The Amazing Mirror. In Kirby & The Amazing Mirror and Kirby: Squeak Squad, coincidentally, the input for that move is Up+B.