Luigi will forever go down in Super Smash Bros. history for having the first instance of a taunt capable of dealing damage against opponents. He’s had this trait since Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64.
Upon usage, Luigi will bashfully kick along the ground. It has a fixed knockback that’s capable of spiking opponents that cling to the stage even when they’re at 0% damage.
While this might seem like a strong tool on the surface, it has extremely slow start up and very little reach. The general mechanics of Super Smash Bros. also makes it difficult to hit opponents with since recoveries tend to snap to ledges while the ledges themselves grant characters invincibility briefly upon being clung to.
Regardless, Luigi user PSK|Waka found himself in an intense set against LG|Sonix, who was using Sonic. It came down to the fifth and final game as both players were fairly evenly matched.
With both players down to their last stocks, Waka was eventually able to get Sonix off stage. Following this, Sonix dropped from the ledge and spent his double jump into a forward aerial. This tends to be a favored wake up option for Sonic players due to the favorable hitboxes on Sonic’s forward aerial.
However, Waka was able to block the attack. Nerves seemingly got to Sonix as he panicked with an air dodge back in the direction from which he came from — back off the stage.
Without any other resources, Sonix was first to use his up special with the hopes of grabbing the ledge. Of course, grabbing the ledge twice in succession without landing will result in the loss of invincibility frames.
At this very moment for this specific situation, taunt was the best move in Luigi’s entire arsenal. It’s incredibly impressive that Waka was even able to consider using this move so quickly in such a high stakes situation.
Check it all out below:
THERE IS NO WAY THAT HAPPENED
LOOK AT BOTTOM RIGHT STREAM GAME 5 LAST HIT pic.twitter.com/R1Urkr9esb
— hungrybox (@LiquidHbox) January 7, 2026