Belay
| Belay | |
|---|---|
 Belay in Brawl, used as a Tether Recovery. | |
| User | Ice Climbers |
| Universe | Ice Climber |
Belay (ゴムジャンプ, Rubber Jump) is the Ice Climbers' up special move. It functions as a third jump, but only if the CPU-controlled Ice Climber is present. The controlled Ice Climber throws the CPU one up a short distance while the two are attached by a rope, and the CPU Ice Climber will then send the human one a long way upward by pulling on the rope, and both will enter the helpless state until they land, making them individually vulnerable until then. If this move is used to recover from falling off the edge of a stage, the CPU Ice Climber will likely fall to its doom while the human one will land on the stage safely.
Without the other Ice Climber alive or near enough in the air, the player merely does the motion for the belay, which will still grab the ledge when close enough, but gains very little altitude and leaves the Climber helpless to fall. A separated CPU Climber may also use the move alone to try and get back to their partner. Players typically use Squall Hammer-based recoveries when left with a single Climber.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the AI Climber will aim for and grab the ledge of the stage provided they are facing toward the ledge, and will then pull up the human controlled Climber, acting as a tether recovery. As both Climbers can now grab the ledge simultaneously, this effectively eliminates the problem of potentially being edge-hogged by one's own partner.
A technique using this move (known as Bungie Jumping) allows a player to edge-hog for an extended period of time with invincibility frames that can be repeatedly attained. The technique also sets up to chaingrab any opponents who get past the edge-hog.
Origin
This move seems to be unique to the Super Smash Bros. series, but it is possibly based on the Ice Climber's ability to "footstool jump" on each other in the two-player mode of Ice Climber. The animation is similar to when they jumped on each other's head while in midair in the original game.
Description from the Melee instruction booklet
Popo throws Nana, who attacks enemies and then pulls Popo up behind her.
Description from the Brawl instruction booklet
Popo throws Nana into the air to attack, then follows her by jumping a moment later.
Gallery
Belay in Melee.
Trivia
- When appropriately used, the audience will gasp twice, first when the AI Climber grabs the ledge using this move, and a second time when the controlled Climber joins the other on the ledge.
