Final Cutter
| Final Cutter | |
|---|---|
 Final Cutter in Ultimate. | |
| 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 decent distance (a bit less than the height of Falco's full jump), and then falls quickly. The blade can hit during both the ascent and descent, with the descending hit being a powerful meteor smash with set knockback. If he lands on the ground, the move also sends a blue "wave" projectile forwards along the ground, which travels the distance of a Falco Phantasm.
Unlike most up specials, this move does not usually make Kirby helpless, but he still cannot interrupt the move until landing or grabbing an edge. However, from Brawl onwards, Final Cutter can cause helplessness if Kirby lands at the edge of a platform and gets pushed off by wind, conveyor belts, F.L.U.D.D. or Squirtle's Water Gun while Kirby is still in the landing state. Additionally, prior to Brawl, Kirby loses all of his midair jumps if he is hit during this move.
The move allows for some horizontal movement during its execution, though it is more limited when used in the air than off the ground. The hits of this move have high hitstun, and it is designed to combo between the ascent, descent, and projectile. The wave projectile has more knockback than the slice itself. This move, as well as the ability to spit out enemies after using Inhale, are Kirby's only projectiles.
The meteor smash hit of the blade remains for the entire time that Kirby is descending with this move. This allows Kirby to use Final Cutter to intercept recovering opponents and send them downwards, KOing Kirby and often the opponent too, in a technique known as "Cuttercide". This move is also a useful counter-measure to edge-guarding if used high in the air, as Kirby descends rapidly and can hit careless opponents attempting to edge-guard him. Because of the meteor smash's set knockback, this can even KO at 0 percent damage, while Kirby can still return to the stage if the move is spaced properly from an edge.
The move had its distance and power nerfed in the transition from Super Smash Bros. to Super Smash Bros. Melee, 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. In SSB4, Kirby now has a serious expression while performing this move, like many of his other attacks.
In The Subspace Emissary
In the story, 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.
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
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.
Gallery
The Final Cutter's projectile in Super Smash Bros.
Kirby's Final Cutter in Smash 64.
Artwork of Final Cutter in the Super Smash Bros. 64 instruction manual.
Kirby's Final Cutter in Melee.
Another image of Kirby's Final Cutter in Melee.
Early photo of Kirby using Final Cutter in Brawl.
Kirby meteor smashing Pikachu with Final Cutter in Smash 64.
The projectile wave.
Prerelease shot of Final Cutter in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Final Cutter in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Trivia
- In prerelease versions of Smash 4, Kirby still had a neutral expression while using this move, like previous games.
