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 and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. 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 neutral 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. The Pity Final Smash can be granted to fighters in special circumstances. When the fighter is KO'd while being five points or stocks behind the leading player, the fighter respawns with a Pity Final Smash. A Pity 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. Pity 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.

History
Most Final Smashes are based on the character's individual background in their series, like Zelda's and Sheik's Light Arrow. However, some 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. (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.