Final Smash

The Final Smash is a special move that is possible through the aid of a Smash Ball in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. After breaking open one of these items, its power flows into the fighter, charging him or her up. The fighter will begin to emit a yellow aura, and their eyes will turn yellow as well. The character will activate their Final Smash the next time the player uses their standard special move. However, if the fighter does not initiate the Final Smash soon enough, they can drop the Smash Ball if they get attacked enough times.

The games also have a function known as a Pity Final Smash (called Easy Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U). If a fighter is KO'd while being five points or stocks behind the leading player, the fighter respawns with an Easy Final Smash. An Easy Final Smash serves the same functions as a normal Final Smash, but it has the advantage of not having a Smash Ball form, and therefore cannot be taken away by other fighters. Easy Final Smashes also return in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, but CPU players will not receive one even if the conditions are met.

The Final Smashes in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate are much quicker and require little to no player input. As a result, many characters either receive new Final Smashes or have theirs changed to be instant and non-transformative. This game also introduces the FS Meter, where players can charge up a Final Smash with a meter under the damage meter. The Final Smashes released from these are much weaker, easier to dodge, and can be shielded against.

History
Most Final Smashes are based on the character's individual background in their series, like Zelda's and Sheik's Light Arrow. Some have also been inspired from a specific ability in one game, like Mario's Mario Finale, which is inspired by an Ultra Flame from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Although they were planned to be included in the original Super Smash Bros. (an unused voice sample of Ness's announcing "PK Starstorm" can be found in the files), Final Smashes made their first appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Masahiro Sakurai compared the Final Smash as a more powerful, "majestic" Hammer item (found in all Super Smash Bros. games), as all players rush to collect it, and the ones who didn't flee after it has been collected.