Final Smash

The Final Smash is a Special Move that is only possible through the aid of a Smash Ball in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. After breaking open one of these items, its power flows into the fighter, charging him or her up. The fighter's eyes glow white and yellow, at which point the fighter is free to unleash the Final Smash at any moment by pressing the special move button. Sometimes, the player with the least points can go on standby for a Final Smash after receiving a KO. Each person's attack is a manifestation of their individual personalities or unique abilities. For example, Zero Laser charges up Samus Aran's Power Suit while Peach Blossom is a magnification of Princess Peach's joyful personality.

Final Smashes are phenomenally powerful and have been known to completely tip the scale of battles. However, each is not without its own repercussions. The attacks have been known to cause self-destructs, and Samus even changes into Zero Suit Samus after using her Final Smash.

Final Smash Types
While each fighter's Final Smash is different, their are three general types. A common type is where the player must get near another one, and execute the Smash, or else they will miss. These may attack one or more opponents, inflicting great damage that often knock out opponents. Even if they fail to do so directly, an affected opponent is usually extremely weak afterwards. Examples for these kind are Link's Triforce Slash, Meta Knight's Galaxia Darkness, and Ike's Great Aether. The second type is based on transformations. These change fighters completely, giving them a completely new moveset and sometimes granting invincibility or the ability to fly. In this type, the player must control the fighter during the Smash, unlike other types. These Smashes are often more difficult to perform, as players must keep track of their position while they attack, lest they self-destruct in the process. Some examples for this type are Sonic's Super Sonic, Bowser's Giga Bowser Transformation, and Wario's Wario-Man. The third kind is when all the player has to do is execute the Smash, and the Smash itself will do the rest. It does not matter where, or when the Smash is done; there will almost always be an affect. These types of Final Smashes are most effective, when playing with more than two players. Some examples for this type of Smash are Pit's Palutena's Army, Captain Olimar's End of Day, and Captain Falcon's Blue Falcon. There are some Final Smashes, such as Donkey Kong's Konga Beat, which borrow elements from more than one category. Also, there are totally unique Smashes, such as Peach's Peach Blossom, Luigi's Negative Zone, and Jigglypuff's Puff Up, that are difficult to categorize in the three above.

History
Final Smashes are either based on the character's individual background in their series, like Zelda's and Sheik's Light Arrow, but also may have been invented specially for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, like Mario's Mario Finale. Although they were already planned to be included in the original Super Smash Bros., Final Smashes made their first appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and gained considerable attention due to their ability to turn the tide of battle in seconds. Masahiro Sakurai compared the moves to the Hammer item found in all Super Smash Bros. titles, as all players fight to collect it and flee after it has been collected.