| Grappling Hook/Wings of Rebellion | |
|---|---|
{{{content1}}}
{{{content2}}} Joker using Grappling Hook and Wings of Rebellion. | |
| User | Joker |
| Universe | Persona |
| “ | Throws a grappling hook to grab edges and opponents. While Arsene is active, flies upward using Arsene's wings. | ” |
| —Description from Ultimate's Move List | ||
Grappling Hook (ワイヤーアクション, Wire Action) is Joker's up special move in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Overview
When the move is used, Joker will shoot a grappling hook upwards at an angle while being boosted up slightly (although the boost only works once in the air). It acts as a tether recovery, similar to the Ice Climbers' Belay and Ivysaur's Vine Whip, and can pull opponents closer to Joker if it hits them while Joker is grounded. If used in the air, the move instead has a weak hitbox that can be used to push the opponent into the blast zone if they're already close. Also, Joker may utter one of the same voice clips used for his smash attacks, grunting or saying "There!" or "You're mine!" when using this move. Strangely, this move is treated as a projectile, and thus it can be reflected. However, instead of Joker taking return damage, the move is cancelled out, and both characters are left unharmed.
Upon the throw's success, Joker gains enough frame advantage to always hit a forward aerial up until around 110%, giving the move a lot of utility. Grappling Hook's grab hitbox will not work if the opponent is already in hitstun, limiting its use to starting combos, not continuing them. It also does not work on shielding opponents, akin to Isabelle's Fishing Rod. It also has very few ways to confirm into it, with the last hit of up aerial while Joker is close to the ground being the only "true" one. A good way to set this up is during a fast fall up aerial. Outside of this, up tilt has situational use as a frame trap with this at lower percentages. Down tilt sends at a good angle for it, however the opponent can easily air dodge it if they react in time.
If Arsene is present when the move is inputted, Joker will instead use Wings of Rebellion (反逆の翼, Wings of Rebellion), which causes Arsene to allow Joker to fly upwards, or at a slight angle. Joker is intangible during Wings of Rebellion from frame 1 to 25 if used on the ground, and from frames 3 to 25 if it is used in the air. However, after this, Joker is completely vulnerable, meaning the Joker player will have to use it sparingly. It also has a much worse 2-frame animation, leaving Joker vulnerable to long-lasting hitboxes on the ledge, such as Banjo & Kazooie's down tilt. This can, however, be mitigated by using Wings of Rebellion closer to the ledge, where Joker's intangibility will make it much harder for him to be hit.
Origin
Joker does not use a grappling hook in Persona 5 outside of the game's menus, but he does use one when dungeon crawling in the game's updated re-release Persona 5 Royal (a fact which was confirmed a few days after Joker was released, heavily suggesting that the idea for having the grappling hook in his moveset came from Royal). Joker's spinning flourish when using the attack in Smash Bros. closely resembles his animation when using the grappling hook in Royal.
Wings of Rebellion has no solid base in Persona 5, but is likely based on the fact that Arsene is capable of flight. It is also a possible reference to the intro of the game, which shows Joker summoning Arsene to take flight. The name of the attack calls back to a speech that is heard whenever Joker begins a new Confidant: a voice informs him that the bond he has just forged "shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity."
Gallery
Grappling Hook as shown by a Skill Preview in Ultimate.
Trivia
- Grappling Hook is the first tether recovery up special that was not introduced in Brawl.
- Occasionally, a glitch can occur upon using Grappling Hook for recovery which results Joker's animation breaking, causing him to move erratically. This was fixed in version 3.1.0.
