Heartwarming / Everyone Is Home

Talk about a smashing way to spend Christmas.

• Every strip features a cameo appearance of the author's late pet rabbit.
• The simple fact that, as more and more fighters are revived, the more each fighter is willing to help one another bring another back, whether they be a hero or villain (except Sephiroth), they all pitch in their fair share and do their absolute best. Even more heartwarming is that some fighters don't wait for Isabelle or Isabelle 2 to tell them how to do the job, they do their own research or do their own methods and actually get the job done. If that doesn't scream Big Ol' Family, I don't know what does.
  • There are also characters, ranging from Nintendo to non-Nintendo properties, also willing to help as well, as the likes of Madeline, Master Chief, to even Scorpion and Kotal Kahn all offered successful advice and help when it was most needed.
• Waluigi helping Incineroar, Kazuya and Kirby on their quest to revive the Mario characters. In return, all he asks for is a simple mock up photo of him looking like he's in a Smash battle with the other fighters as opposed to a spot on the actual roster.
• Plant Parenthood is probably one of the most unexpectedly cute comics that the team has done. Kazuya has been assigned with reviving Piranha Plant because 1-UP mushrooms didn't work on it, and upon finding a leftover seed, begins to nurture it with extra care until a new Piranha Plant is born. Kazuya going full-blown Papa Wolf on Wario after the latter tells the former to let it rot cements this as a cute comic and establishes Kazuya's character in the comic's universe.
  • Made doubly Heartwarming due to Kazuya treating the baby Piranha Plant like an infant. He just wants to give someone what he didn't get in childhood: a good father.
• Isabelle helping out Sakurai.
• Isabelle beats Little Mac in arm wrestling with a little help from Mewtwo.
• The fact that Incineroar dedicates himself to bring everyone back is heartwarming. When Kazuya tells him that he threw nearly all of them into a volcano, Incineroar immediately went and retrieved them all. He might be a heel Pokémon, but he is not like Sephiroth.
• One of the Christmas specials they did was an entire month's worth of panels of the (current at the time) Smashers receiving Christmas gifts (except for Yoshi who is being arrested for giving his taxes to Isabelle). Kirby's in particular is a trophy signed by several of the other smashers with the label "#1 Best Boy" on it.
  • A follow-up has Waluigi watching everything from the window. He holds the ray gun that he had in his hands to his head before being interrupted by Ridley, of all characters. Ridley has this to say to him:
  Ridley: You see, just a few months ago I was exactly where you are now. I used to be famous on the internet. Everyone joked about how they wanted me to join Smash Bros for almost 20 years, they couldn't shut up about me (They won't shut up about a masochist rat^note Pichu and a puppy with a fishing rod^note Isabelle now). What I'm trying to tell you is... don't be sad about not being a Smash fighter. Instead, Enjoy your time in the internet spotlight. You'll miss it, once you inevitably do join us. See ya.
  • Waluigi then bins the ray gun and leaves in peace after this.
  • Another follow up has Mario, Isabelle, Piranha Plant, Rosalina, and Joker put a pillow under Sakurai's head, showing how much they (and by extension, the author) appreciate and care for the director of the game.
• It's small, but Diddy gets a huge smile and happily dances on K. Rool's head when the latter is revived in "Hyrule Travelers". It goes to show that in this universe, K. Rool and Diddy (and by extension Donkey) Kong are friends.
• The final images of Souphiroth are of Kirby, Wario, and Simon enjoying soup with a revived Toon Link and his grandma around a bonfire.
  • It bears repeating, Toon Link's grandmother knew her grandson was in trouble and made the long and dangerous travel to him just to revive him with her soup. A loving grandma knows no bounds.
  • There's also the fact that Wario of all people is happily enjoying the healthy soup. And that guy normally eats only the greasiest of junk foods.
• When Sheik is revived, Donkey Kong is giving them a gorilla-sized hug.
  • Mario taking the time to call Peach to keep her up to date as well.
• Yiga Knockout showcases Ganondorf as a Mean Character, Nice Actor. When he is revived, Kohga gives him Mario, Donkey Kong, the Ice Climbers, and Shiek to destroy. Ganondorf's response? Swiftly deal with the Yiga Clan for threatening his ''friends''. You read that right: the Lord of Darkness Ganondorf Dragmire, protected his friends and ensured their escape. Him holding hands with the Ice Climbers cements that he is glad to have genuine friends that care for his welfare.
• In the next comic, Bowser is ready to fight Sephiroth in order to protect the remaining dead fighters. After Sora shows up, he is shaking hands with him, just like how Sora shook Mario's hand in his reveal trailer.
  • Before Sephiroth showed up, he was reading a book titled "Being a(n Even) Better Dad" whose author is Kratos.
  • A small one, but Bowser just casually saying hi to who he thinks is Waluigi signifies that, at this point, Bowser has no problem with Waluigi in the house and has a good friendship with him that he's ignoring the ban on him.
• In Of Dogs and Ducks... and Horses Luigi is fleeing from the Great Fairy after their one-sided marriage. He runs into Malanya who notices that he is down. He asks Luigi if he has any horses that he can revive, and after thinking a bit, Luigi shows him a picture on his phone. Malanya hesitates but decides to go for it when Luigi gives him puppy dog eyes. Back at the mansion, it is revealed that the Duck Hunt Dog and Duck are brought back to life, with Bowser thinking that Sora did it somehow. Sora guesses that they were brought back through The Power of Friendship.
  • Sora is especially happy since he was a bit sad on the two being dead, as he reminded of his two other best friends.
• It's a small one, but it's incredibely cute how Bowser Jr. is so happy to see his father arrive in Hyrule.
• Rosalina hugging Samus after seeing that 1) she was never poisoned by Sephiroth, and 2) that they just saved her from an EMMI.
• While on PNF-404, Rosalina can be seen reading to a group of Pikmin, and Bowser Jr. and Yoshi are working together to get some fruit. Also, Master Chief being a hero to the Pikmin is cute.
  • The fact that Samus was willing to bring back Dark Samus and Ridley (although in the latter's case is because she knows he will just come back anyways) is pretty sweet.
  • Not only that, The Smash group also felt the need to revive Alph as well. Seeing as many other Alt Costume characters rarely, if ever, make an appearance, it's a nice gesture.
• Master Chief's last deed for the Smash House: reviving his fellow Xbox friends. He gives the duo a salute as the Wolfen brings them home.
  • Also, in the usual last panel that shows all currently revived fighters, Master Chief’s guest starring panel now reads “Thank you, Master Chief”.
  • This is not Master Chief's last deed for the Smashers, actually, as he returns as part of The Cavalry.
  • Also, King K. Rool is the first one to tell the group Banjo and Kazooie's bodies are missing. He may be back to being mischievous but he does have standards.
• After he is revived, Pikachu is seen sitting on Samus' shoulder referencing their friendship back in the Subspace Emissary.
• The Ship Tease between Young Link and Zelda. When they are revived, Zelda looks overjoyed when Young Link is revived, and when they go to Sinnoh, the two are holding hands.
  • Crosses over with funny after BOTW Link is revived, causing Zelda to crush on him and making Young Link jealous. Then during a Valentine's Day strip, Toon Link is seen giving her a Valentine's Day card while she has already received two from Link and Young Link.
• After Arceus revives Jigglypuff, Sora is seen comforting the exhausted Alpha Pokémon.
• The 2021 Holiday comic is filled to the brim with heartwarming moments. All the hard work everyone in the group did to revive the Pokémon paid off, as a PC allows a Wonder Trade to go through, summoning a Master Ball. Who's in it? Xerneas. The final shot shows the group celebrating Christmas, see the page image and your heart will melt.
  • Kazuya's concern in the second panel is worth mentioning. It goes to show how much his character evolved from when he first arrived in the mansion. This comic also shows how much he cares for Incineroar, and how much the two have developed a friendship.
• Even though Simon dumped Bayonetta for Dark Samus because of the implication that she did it with Steve, they both seem to be very into each other. Considering how Simon (and Richter) acted when they first appeared (Sakurai had to tell them not to try and kill Bayonetta due to her being a witch), it's nice to see that he is devoting himself to Dark Samus.
• In "Street Lover" we can see that Kazuya has set up an entire room for Baby Piranha Plant, complete with a "seed picture" and a height measurement on the wall. And he's reading "The Birds and the Bees" with it. D'aww...
• Even though it was... disturbing, Kirby did want to bring Dedede back when he tried using a decapitated Mushroom Kingdom penguin head.
• In "Grindbound", Ridley is surprisingly dedicated to reviving Ness and Lucas and calls out on Peach and Daisy for being more focused on their lingerie business. That said, Peach and Daisy had no problem in paying off Ness and Lucas' hospital bills with the money they made, with it even being implied that they knew how to revive them and were saving some of the money for the occasion.
• In Everyone Is At The Beach, Luigi feels insecure about his more scrawny body when compared to some of the other fighters' super fit and toned builds. However, those very same fighters encourage him by complimenting his looks, inviting him to play sports and work out with them to improve even further, making Luigi feel more comfortable in his own skin. The comic ends on An Aesop about body positivity.
• Who revives King Dedede? His loyal servant Bandana Waddle Dee. The Rant even calls him "the unsung hero". He also fixes the Inklings while he's at it.
  • And then he shows up as part of The Cavalry. Dude's really dedicated to protecting his king.
• In Super Sun Bros, a group called Acolytes of the Supreme Sun (or ASS for short) hears that their fellow sister, Wii Fit Trainer, was killed, and they all come to bring her back to life. Mind you, this ranges from characters like Amaterasu and Isaac, to Kotal Kahn and the severed head of Helios. They end up being successful and are joined by Wii Fit Trainer in saluting the sun outside.
  • A small little paper warning on the front door signifies that Waluigi is welcome to visit the house now (with Sephiroth now banned). Whether is likely due to Sephiroth being a bigger problem, or Waluigi's contribution in helping revive the Mario characters, either way, it's nice to see him be more accepted by the Smash Roster.
  • Just how did ASS learn of Wii Fit Trainer's death? More than likely it was from fellow member Isaac. Isaac is an assist trophy character, so he would undoubtedly heard of it already from someone like Waluigi. The Smash family is more than just fighters for sure.
• Status Report Part 1 Little Mac, who is still a little kid, is seen sitting on Samus' lap, who is somewhat against having him turned back into his old self. Seems like she grew fond of his kid form, probably because he reminds her of the Baby Metroid.
• A Friendly Awakening has a chart listing who takes care of baby Little Mac during the week. Samus gets him on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. Donkey Kong gets him on Wednesdays, Rosalina on Thursdays, Richter on Fridays, and Wario for some reason on Saturdays.
  • Rosalina almost makes the most sense. She is the mother-figure to the Lumas and has been taking care of them for centuries after all.
  • The fact that Waluigi is among the Friendship pile shows how far he's has come from being seen as a pest in the series.
  • While Lissa wasn't happy Incineroar basically kidnapped her, her comment that they could have just told her implies that she would have been more than happy to help.
• A Fight for the Aegis has Zeke, Tora and Nia reveal that to revive Pyra and Mythra (who are not dead, just stuck in a long fainting spell) they need to heal Rex by filling up the Party Gauge via "smacking the shite out of someone". The volunteer for this is none other than the Sandbag, who was largely ignored to the point no one knew who could even talk, that demands for the crew to hit him. Once the party gauge is full, Nia heals Rex and Pyra and Mythra wake up. The final page of the comic ends with not only everyone cheering for the Aegis returning to normal, but also for Sandbag for coming through in the end, even shedding a tear for finally getting some recognition.
  • While Sandbag makes a slight comment about how he could talk this whole time, but that no one bothered to ask him, he foregoes his problems just to help the team bring back the Aegis and heal Rex, showing the type of being he is.
  • The Rant even says they should call Sandbag “Friendbag”.
• Doubles as a Funny Moment, but Kazuya and Incineroar’s relationship literally becomes Ho Yay by the end of Smash Support. Yes, Fire Emblem mechanics are involved, but it goes to show how much the two care about their friendship.
  • Similarly, Alm and Celica are going through some pretty ugly marital issues at the outset, but they've made up (and make out) by the end, even having put some Sweetie Graffiti on a nearby tree.
  • At the same time, the first thing Lucina does when Roy is revived is hug him.
• Cat Surprise shows that Byleth wasn't just saving herself, she had the foresight to save Joker as well by secretly giving him Pichu's Focus Band, meaning he was simply weak, but not dead.
• "On Sephiroth's Left" has Byleth return with The Cavalry to help turn the tide against Sephiroth's own army. Not only are there heroes willing to save the day but Waluigi has joined them, completely cementing his Heel–Face Turn.
  • And among them is Donald and Goofy. Given how Sakurai told Sora in his letter to not tell Mickey that he joined Smash, it's nice to see Donald and Goofy prove Sakurai's belief on Disney is wrong.
  • Other members of Byleth's team include characters such as Cranky Kong, Cynthia, Madeline, Alucard, Bandana Waddle Dee, Tails & Knuckles, Master Chief, and Doom Slayer. All these characters have helped the Smashers before, and now they're back to do just that for a second time. Respect.
  • One of the heroes on Byleth's team is Etika, supposedly added as a tribute to the beloved YouTuber who died in 2019.
• It would seem like the other Smash villains (or at least Bowser and his son) are fighting against Sephiroth after all.
• Lakitu is one of the few of Bowser's minions who is not on Sephiroth's side, as he aides in the battle with the Smashers.
• "Secret Weapon" reveals that Meta Knight was a Fake Defector this whole time, when he's shown (sans armor) waving at Sephiroth along with Roy, Toon Link and even Wario.
• In "After-Battle Dip", Sephiroth eyes Pichu and is about to harm it...but he can't even muster the courage to do so, truly cementing that his heart has been changed. Cue mass celebrating from the Smashers.
  • Of particular note, Cloud is letting Sora hug him despite his usual personality, and Isabelle 1 is shaking Byleth's hand, most likely as thanks for her role in saving everyone.
• "Last Plane Home", the final comic of the "Sephiroth Brings Despair" arc, ends on some happy notes.
  • Cloud relaxing under a tree, relieved to no longer having to feel Sephiroth's despair and gets permission from everyone to punch him in the face (presumably as an apology for how no one believed his warnings and also to ensure Sephiroth doesn't completely get away unscathed).
  • Kazuya, Incineroar and Byleth are given medals for their acts on gathering everyone again. Byleth, notably, is tearing up as she finally gets the recognition she wanted for so long.
  • Little Mac is finally aged back to an adult thanks to Dialga, though Samus isn't happy about it. In the background, Sora is also hugging Arceus.
  • Isabelle 1 and Isabelle 2 are both shown to be tearfully hugging goodbye. Isabelle 2 writes in her journal how everything has gotten much better now as she flies all the way back to Buttville Island, promising to visit the Smash Mansion again.
  • The second-to-last panel shows Isabelle 2 looking at a picture of her with Isabelle 1, Kazuya, Incineroar, Kirby, and Piranha Plant with a smile.
• "Brotrip" is all about Incineroar and Kazuya deciding to go on vacation together (with Sephiroth dragged along because Isabelle told him that he was being grouchy). After brushing off different suggestions, Kazuya finds a brochure to the Paldea region. The final scene has them dressed up in the Uva/Naranja school uniforms and Incineroar says that it's perfect.
• "Mishima Mount": Kazuya is the one who feeds Koraidon a sandwich and making them his mount across Paldea.
  • A small detail, but Kazuya and Incineroar allowing Sephiroth to be semi-untied to at least be able to use his arms shows they are trusting him more little by little.
• When Isabelle realizes she forgot to let Kazuya, Incineroar, and Sephiroth know that the Smashers are having a Christmas party, she doesn't take this well, with Palutena trying to comfort her. Sonic then decides to borrow a portal gun from Chell and teleport the guys and their starters to the party. You can even see Isabelle kissing Sonic as a thank-you for his help.
  • The fact that several non-Smashers were invited to the party, such as Crash Bandicoot, Chell (from whom Sonic borrowed the portal gun), Kratos, and Frog, no doubt as thanks for helping them deal with Sephiroth.
  • Isabelle 2 can be seen at the party, reinforcing the strong bonds she made with the Smashers during the revival quest.
  • Prior to being teleported, Incineroar decides that all of them, and not just him and Kazuya, should go fight the Titans, meaning that he's willing to let Sephiroth in on the vacation.
• "Double Triple Finish": The Paldea starters are up against their first Titan...with the Kanto starters to help them for a six-on-one beatdown. The next panel shows Sephiroth thanking Pokémon Trainer as he hands her back three Pokéballs.
  • The Paldea mice Pokémon Tandemaus chilling inside the Smash House well after Christmas.
    • Becomes less heartwarming with the reveal that the Tandemaus and Maushold eventually took over the Smash House and either imprisoned or enslaved its inhabitants.
  • Sephiroth seems to be a lot happier in this comic, with not only him actively enjoying his trip with Incineroar and Kazuya, if his excitement in taking on a Titan Pokémon is anything to go by, but actually smiling for once when he gives Leaf her Pokémon back. Compared to the other strips after his change of heart, he seems to be genuinely becoming nicer.
• Sonic and Arven becoming friends in Bread Friends Forever over their shared love of spicy food.
• Seeing as how one Maushold hit Peach on the head with a pint-sized baseball bat after Isabelle is forced to hang the call with Daisy up, it means that Peach tried to warn Daisy, her best friend, about the danger of Mauses despite knowing what they are capable of doing to her.
• After initially being hostile to the Rockruff that the others caught, Duck Hunt Dog later becomes friends with it in A Comic About Larry
  • Also, the two groups are genuinely happy to see each other, and Sephiroth holds Kirby above his head during their celebration for defeating Larry. Remember, Kirby was one of the reasons why he became good in the first place.
  • Luigi passes out during the celebration in the restaurant after a few drinks. The following panel shows Daisy carrying him in bridal style.
  • And as revealed in the next comic, the two groups end up staying together to enjoy the trip at its fullest, even Incineroar giving Luigi a sweet noogie in a way a family member would.
• Big Boy Battle, after Incineroar is defeated, he apologizes and gives Miridiaon back to the kid he stole it from.
• In Best Friends Foreverstone, it is pointed out that Incineroar and Sephiroths starters haven't evolved yet due to holding everstones. Sephiroth is adamant about stating that they are good the way that they are and don't need to evolve to be strong. His speech would make Ash Ketchum proud. Of course, it's rendered moot by Kazuya taking the stones away, but still, this is coming from Sephiroth. He really has truly made a Heel–Face Turn.
• Thanks to the accidental intervention of the Smashers, Professor Sada manages to avoid her death by Koraidon. And after receiving advice from fellow parent Kazuya, she sets out to do something she never got to do in canon: reconcile with her son Arven.
  Incineroar: I don't know why, but I feel like we changed fate in a huge way today.
  • And the bonus panels show they did, with some help of Paradox versions of Maschiff.
• "Cat Quest" has Pirahna Plant arriving in an Arwing, to which Kazuya happily gives his son a hug.
  • Prior to Pirahna Plant's arrival, it's Sephiroth who tells a sleeping Quaxly that they're about to be devoured by an Iron Jugulis
• Bubsy being part of Byleth's Video Game Hero Army and the Cat Army.
• "Smash Brothers in Arms" has Sephiroth who is hugging Cloud thanks to the Friendship Heart finally changed.
• "Source of the Wrong Arm" has Gannondorf go along with the other characters to get Link healed. He's even the one carrying Link!
• Despite starting off rather grim, "Lynel Loss"ends on a much brighter note when the grieving Lynel couple, having just lost their cub in a fight against a hinox, come across a displaced Young Link and quickly adopt him as their new son. Young Link certainly isn't complaining either.
• In The Lefthanded Lurelin Liberator, Lurelin Village is overtaken by monsters, with the Village Chief and Bolson wondering who could stop them, Toon Link comes in and decimates the entire army single handedly. He saw that the Village needs his help and didn't need to be asked, he knew what had to be done. Despite his appearance, his heroic lineage is in full display.
  • Also, when offered by Bolson his carpenter skills to build him anything to help him on his travels to find his friends, the first thing that comes to mind is a boat that is the exact replica of The King of Red Lions boat. He remembered every little detail of his first ship, and his trusted companion.
• In (Re)Call Home, there's a shot of a playground sandbox, in which Ethan Winters (again, not showing is face) is sitting alongside his daughter, Rose. Considering how Resident Evil: Village ends for Ethan^SpoilersHe was Dead All Along and he ends up sacrificing himself to end Mother Miranda's plans although he may/may not still be alive in a Mind Hive that is his daughter if the Shadow of Rose DLC is to go by, it's a relief that one version of him that gets to be a part of his daughter's life.
• When Palutena, Little Mac and Greninja all wake up at the beginning of Mystery Massacre, they're all clearly concerned for each other and the others back at the Smash Mansion, with Palutena and Greninja even supporting Little Mac, who had a tree fall on his leg.
• "Gloom Link" has Toon Link struggling to survive the swarm of Gloom Hands coming his way. Just as all hope is lost, Smash Ganondorf gives a Warlock Punch to Tears Ganon, with the final panel being Ganondorf pulling Toon Link into a fatherly hug in relief. It's particularly nice in that Toon Link was the one Ganondorf revealed his motives to in canon.
• “Daddy Issues” has Lucina nervously approaching Chrom to tell him about her new boyfriend. While he assures her that he would be supportive of who's she's dating regardless of gender or age, she reveals that it's not his reaction that she fears but she’s worried that the rest of the Smash House wouldn’t be supportive of her relationship, but Chrom doesn’t even hesitate to reassure her that everyone is very welcoming and supportive no matter who it is. Too bad that Tekken Lore proved Chrom wrong the second Lucina's boyfriend set foot in the house (Lucina's boyfriend is Jin Kazama), but still, props for trying, Chrom.
• "Dragon Rush Hour": Despite Zelda's initial outburst when the Light Dragon accidentally rams Farosh and almost causes her to plummet, Zelda immediately realizes that the Light Dragon has an issue on her own, namely, the Master Sword stuck on her head. And Zelda helps her primarily not because she knows it's the Master Sword, but because she thinks having the Master Sword stuck in the head is painful for the Light Dragon.
• "Main Quest Speedrun": The Lynel family are among those seeing the Hyrule group off.
• "Infatuation Spectation": As it turns out, Sonic and Coco Bandicoot have a thing for each other and share (what they think is) a Last Kiss after getting cornered by Isabelle and the Doomslayer.
• "Boss of the Bush": Daisy and Peach are revealed to have teamed up and are shown to be having a lot of fun taking people down together.
  Daisy: I'm so glad we found each other early on! We make a great team!
  Peach: Yes, this is fun!
• "Sephi Rot": Sephiroth and Malenia's battle takes a turn when they realize they both do the "naked levitate thing" and the pair stop fighting to go for a walk together instead. It's unbearably cute, especially since this is Sephiroth we're talking about here.
• At the beginning of “Looking Out for the Little Guy,” it is revealed that roughly half of the contestants have been eliminated, and as a result, the northern half of the battlefield is going to be bombed to kingdom come in 60 seconds. Ridley is in the northern half and could easily just fly to safety. Instead, he uses this minute to scoop up every single fighter that he can and gets them to safety, with there being only one single fighter he failed to save: himself.
• The Bonus Panels also have some fluff:
  • "Maize Climbers": Kazuya has fun with the Ice Climbers since they automatically just climb back up the cliff when they're thrown off. Incineroar notes this is the first time he's seen Kazuya smile.
  • "Kalos Christmas": The revived fighters send a thank you letter to Waluigi, Madeline, Alucard, Toon Link's Grandma, Master Chief, and Cynthia for their help in reviving everyone.
  • "For Pit's Sake": Upon seeing Pit sad about Palutena being dead, Samus introduces him to Sora and they instantly become friends.
  • "Smash Support": Initially, Lucina is dismayed that Chrom wasn't there to see her revival, but then it's revealed he was setting up a welcome-back party for Lucina, who gets teary-eyed at her father's gesture.
  • "You Win Some, You Lose Some": Kazuya is about to kill his father, claiming that vengeance is the only thing that matters to him... only to stop the moment he sees Incineroar and Piranha Plant.
  • "Final Revival": Falco is wary of the other Final Fantasy characters, but lets up when he sees Tifa training Baby Little Mac and Barrett being impressed by Megaman.
  • "Last Plane Home": Bayonetta trips on banana peel while she is cleaning up the battlefield and Simon and Dark Samus catch her as she falls. The three ultimately decide to be in a polyamorous relationship.
  • "Dragon Desertion": Noticing Kazuya still depressed over Piranha Plant's departure, Incineroar cheers him up making him take out the trash by dropping it off a cliff.
  • "Lynel Whisperer": Noticing Young Link’s sad look at leaving his adoptive parents behind, Link and Pikachu decide to go ask Malnaya if he can revive the Lynel’s couple lost child. He can, and the family happily reunites.