Palutena

Palutena is the goddess of light and female lead of the Kid Icarus series. She serves as the damsel in distress in the original games, but takes on a more proactive role in Masahiro Sakurai's Kid Icarus: Uprising, providing protagonist Pit with guidance and powers from afar. In contrast to her serene, elegant appearance, Palutena has a playful "trickster" personality that she uses to tease Pit and other characters on occasion.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Palutena is featured in Pit's Final Smash, Palutena's Army. Pit calls her forth to assist him in battle, to which she then appears as a giant (not her actual size, but her chosen manifestation for this appearance). She will then summon an army of Centurions to attack Pit's opponents, who attack by dive bombing at incredible speeds.

Palutena is also a supporting character in the Subspace Emissary. After witnessing the Subspace Bomb's effects, Palutena sends Pit to the World of Trophies to help stop the Subspace Army. Before he departs, she gives Pit her bow.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U


In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Palutena appears as a playable fighter and newcomer. Unlike most other fighters, though like the Mii Fighters, Palutena's custom special moves are not variations of the default moves but rather entirely different moves, and all of them are available from the start.

Unlike Pit and Dark Pit, Palutena is voiced in this game by Brandy Kopp rather than as in Kid Icarus: Uprising, while her Japanese voice actress,, reprised her role from said game.

All of Palutena's custom moves are based on the Powers that appear in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Her standard special moves are Autoreticle, Explosive Flame, and Heavenly Light. Her side specials are Reflect Barrier, Angelic Missile, and Super Speed. Palutena's down special moves are Counter, Lightweight, and Celestial Firework, and her up specials are Warp, Jump Glide, and Rocket Jump. Finally, her Final Smash is the Black Hole Laser, a combination of the Black Hole and Mega Laser powers.

A statue of Palutena also appears in her temple. Pit can also contact her to talk about all of the fighters with her guidance during the match at her temple in the Wii U version.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Palutena returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, this time as an unlockable playable fighter. In this game, she has a set attack for each special move; her down special functions as both Counter and Reflect Barrier, possessing a similar property to King K. Rool and Joker's similar moves, while Explosive Flame appears as her side special. Generally, Palutena has been improved since the previous installment, having more speed and power in her attacks, while her mobility is increased. Palutena's forward and down smash attacks are both nicknamed Goddess Wings, while her down aerial's nickname is Purging Kick.

Palutena also makes an appearance in the World of Light's opening cutscene, where she tries to reflect Galeem's large laser attack while granting the Power of Flight to both Pit and Dark Pit, but fails and is eliminated, cutting off Pit and Dark Pit's flight and causing them to fall to Galeem's attack as well. The real Palutena does not appear until Galeem starts to confront Dharkon after the first defeat; she represents Galeem's side in the Final Battle area alongside Roy and Master Hand, and must be awoken to progress the story.

Classic Mode route
Palutena's Classic Mode route involves fighting characters associated with deities in some way. Its route title comes from a phrase Palutena says in her debut character trailer for the previous game (quoted above).

Autoreticle


Autoreticle is Palutena's default standard special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and her set standard special move in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. A reticle appears around an opponent within a certain range in front of Palutena, specified by a glowing effect when the attack is initiated, followed by Palutena firing three blasts from her staff at them. The reticle does not follow the target, staying at the same position that the enemy was at when the move was initiated.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, although Kirby can only copy this move via Inhale even if Palutena's standard move is customized to Explosive Flame or Heavenly Light, there is unused audio of Kirby using said moves, suggest that Kirby was originally able to copy customized moves.


 * Names in other languages

Explosive Flame


Explosive Flame is Palutena's second standard special move appearing in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and her set side special move in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Palutena creates an explosion a set distance in front of herself, dealing multiple hits to any opponents caught in it.


 * Names in other languages

Heavenly Light


Heavenly Light is Palutena's third standard special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. The move creates a field of light that surrounds an area around Palutena, having the largest range of any attack in the series to date. The light deals continuous damage, but the move does not make opponents flinch. The effect lasts longer if the player holds down the special attack button; it can last up to three seconds.

Heavenly Light also appears as both a power that can be equipped and given as a random event in the Smash Run mode in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, having largely the same effect as Palutena's move.


 * Names in other languages

Reflect Barrier


Reflect Barrier is Palutena's default side special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and part of her down special move in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Palutena raises her shield, which causes a magic barrier to appear in front of her and move forward a short distance, pushing away any opponents on the opposite side and reflecting any projectiles that hit it. Palutena's raising her shield also damages nearby opponents. The barrier does not follow Palutena's vertical position, remaining at the same position where she was when it was used. Like all reflectors in this game, dealing enough damage to the barrier shatters it, though the move can be immediately reused.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Palutena executes Reflect Barrier when her down special move is used on a projectile, similar to King K. Rool's Gut Check and Joker's Tetrakarn and Makarakarn.

Angelic Missile


Angelic Missile is Palutena's second side special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Palutena launches herself across the screen headfirst, battering any opponents in her path, and it can also be used for horizontal recoveries. Unlike with Pikachu's Skull Bash and Luigi's Green Missile, however, this move cannot be charged, and as such, it can only travel a set distance if uninterrupted.

Super Speed


Super Speed is Palutena's third side special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. The move causes Palutena to dash across the stage in a sudden burst of speed, stopping when she reaches a ledge and battering any opponents in her way. The move can be canceled by making another input, though if Palutena jumps she retains the momentum gained. The move also has a cooldown time after ending or being canceled.

Warp


Warp is Palutena's default up special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Similar to Mewtwo's Teleport, Palutena vanishes and immediately reappears a set distance away, in the direction being held on the control stick. The move deals no damage to opponents.

Jump Glide


Jump Glide is Palutena's second up special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Palutena leaps into the air and glides down slowly over a period of time, during which the player can control her horizontal movement. Attacking or pressing down on the control stick automatically ends the move.

Rocket Jump


Rocket Jump is Palutena's third up special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. When used, Palutena creates an explosion that launches herself into the air and damages nearby opponents. If used above an opponent, the explosion meteor smashes them.

Counter


Counter is Palutena's default down special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and part of her down special move in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It is based on the power seen in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Like other counter moves, Palutena braces herself for an attack, and when hit, strikes back with her staff, dealing 1.3 times the amount of damage of the attack (dealing a set 10% at minimum). Palutena's Counter deals less knockback than most other counter moves, however, but it can potentially make 1-hit KOs if Palutena blocks any attacks that deal 40% damage or more.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, similar to King K. Rool's Gut Check and Joker's Tetrakarn and Makarakarn, Palutena executes Counter when her down special move is used on a close-up attack.

Lightweight


Lightweight is Palutena's second down special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Palutena glows for a brief moment, and has increased overall movement speed and jump height, but she takes more damage for the duration of the effect. In addition, once the boost period has ended, Palutena's speed and jump height are decreased from normal for a brief time, and after that there is a cooldown period before she can use the move again.

Celestial Firework


Celestial Firework is Palutena's third down special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Palutena launches a firework into the air that explodes soon after, the firework (while harmless in the original game) sending opponents into the air and the explosion dealing multiple hits.

Black Hole Laser


Black Hole Laser is Palutena's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. When used, Palutena jumps off the battlefield and generates a Black Hole to draw in any nearby fighters and trap them, then fires a Mega Laser to deal repeated damage to those trapped and any other opponents in its path. The laser angles itself downward as it travels across the screen depending on the direction Palutena was facing when using the attack, though the angle has no effect on the damage output. Unlike most other trapping Final Smashes, the Black Hole does not need to trap an opponent for the Final Smash to continue. At the end of the attack, the Mega Laser launches the trapped opponents and Palutena returns to the battlefield. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, while the attack itself is slightly weakened, both Black Hole and Mega Laser's reaches have been widened.


 * Names in other languages

Super Mario Maker
Palutena appears in Super Mario Maker as a costume available for Costume Mario. Her sprite is based upon her appearance in Kid Icarus: Uprising, rather than the one seen in the original Kid Icarus. All of her sound effects, including the transformation, jumping, and fanfare, are taken from the Famicom Disk System version of the original Kid Icarus. Pressing causes her to stand facing the player.

Super Mario Odyssey
In 2022, a Palutena Nintendo Switch user icon, based on her appearance in the original Kid Icarus, was made available for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. As a result, if a player uses this icon, it will appear on balloons placed within Balloon World in Super Mario Odyssey.

Trophies
Blue indicates the trophy or description is exclusive to the Wii U version.

Palutena's Guidance

 * Pit: Wait a minute! Lady Palutena, you're fighting me?
 * Palutena: Don't sound so dismayed. Think of it more as a sporting event and less as...a massacre.
 * Pit: I really don't want to hurt you...
 * Viridi: That's awfully presumptuous of you, Pit!
 * Pit: Please! I know better than anyone else what Lady Palutena's capable of. After all, I fought her once before.
 * Palutena: Good luck, Pit. You're gonna need it. Of course, I won't be giving you any hints during this battle. And no powers or centurions, either!

amiibo

 * Palutena, the goddess of light and ruler of Skyworld, hails from the Kid Icarus series of games. She goes to great lengths to protect her people, and those who dwell on the surface lands below. She watches over Pit as he does battle, sending him messages telepathically and using her powers to help him.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Super Smash Blog bio

 * With her wings and staff, this goddess's attacks cover a wide range. With her up smash, neutral special, and side special, she can create a ranged attack in almost every direction except for directly beneath her! Keep the pressure on your opponents from a distance with ranged attacks!

Quotes

 * "Oh, no!" - When she is KO'd
 * "You shall be purified."
 * "Ready when you are."
 * "No one can hide from the light."
 * "Too bad for you."
 * "Oh, so sorry about that, Pit."
 * "Poor little Pittoo..."
 * "Don't get careless, Pit. A challenger approaches." (Bayonetta reveal trailer)

Trivia

 * As with Pit, Palutena's current design is taken from Super Smash Bros. Brawl and was revamped in Kid Icarus: Uprising for the Nintendo 3DS developed by Sora Ltd., who also developed Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
 * Palutena's newcomer artwork is the only one not to feature any Mario characters; it only features herself, Pit, Dark Pit, and Link. Consequently, her artwork is the one that features the second-fewest number of characters.
 * Palutena is the only character in the Subspace Emissary who is neither playable nor an enemy/boss.
 * Palutena makes a cameo in Cloud Strife's All-Star ending, where she is walking towards a blaze while Cloud glares at her. This was a reference to the Nibelheim Incident from Final Fantasy VII where the main antagonist Sephiroth proceeded to raze Nibelheim, Cloud's hometown, to the ground. Owing to the reference, Palutena's hair was colored gray in this instance rather than her trademark green.
 * According to Masahiro Sakurai, Palutena, along with Bayonetta, was considered to be the starter character for the World of Light; they were ultimately dropped for Kirby due to him being more beginner-friendly, and the fact that their presence would be implausible due to other similar entities from their home series not surviving Galeem's attack.