Grappling Hook / Wings of Rebellion
| Grappling Hook/Wings of Rebellion | |
|---|---|
  Joker using Grappling Hook and Wings of Rebellion. | |
| User | Joker |
| Universe | Persona |
Grappling Hook (ワイヤーアクション,Wire Action) isJoker'sup special move.
Overview[edit]
When the move is used, Joker will shoot a grappling hook upwards at an angle while being boosted up slightly (although the boost only works once in the air). It acts as atether recovery, similar to theIce Climbers'Belay andIvysaur'sVine Whip, and can pull opponents closer to Joker if it hits them while Joker is grounded. It can also grab items; if the item is small like aPitfall, he will automatically grab it, and if it's a large item like aCrate, it falls next to him. If used in the air, the move instead has a weak hitbox that can be used to push the opponent into the blast zone if they're already close. Also, Joker may utter one of the same voice clips used for his smash attacks, grunting or saying "There!" or "You're mine!" when using this move. Similar toIsabelle'sFishing Rod, this move is treated as aprojectile, and thus it can be reflected and doesn'tgrab throughshields. Unlike Fishing Rod, if Grappling Hook is reflected, instead of Joker taking damage, the move is cancelled out, leaving both fighters unharmed. While grabbing the ledge with the Grappling Hook, like most tether recoveries, pressing down can allow Joker to cancel the grapple, giving some minor recovery mixup utility.
Upon the throw's success, Joker gains enough frame advantage to always hit aforward aerial orup aerial until around 110%, giving the move a lot of utility. Grappling Hook's grab hitbox will not work if the opponent is already in hitstun, limiting its use to starting combos against characters with frame 1 escape options, rather than extending them. However, characters without frame 1 escape options technically can't stop it from catching them. Grappling Hook has a few ways to confirm it, with the last hit ofup aerial while Joker is close to the ground being the only "true" one; this can be set up with afast fallup aerial out ofdown throw with precise timing. Outside of this,up tilt has situational use as a frame trap with this at lower percentages. Grappling Hook's combo-starting opportunities are extremely powerful if it connects, opening up numerous openings for drag down up aerial combos thereafter, thereby making it a crucial portion of Joker's combo game.
IfArsène is present when the move is inputted, Joker will instead useWings of Rebellion (反逆の翼,Wings of Rebellion), which has Joker fly upwards with Arsène's wings, or at a slight angle, akin toPower of Flight. Joker isintangible during Wings of Rebellion from frame 1 to 25 if used on the ground, and from frames 3 to 25 if it is used in the air. Much like Power of Flight, the move deals no damage and renders Jokerhelpless, making it strictly arecovery tool. It has a sub-par 2-frame animation, leaving Joker vulnerable to long-lasting hitboxes on the ledge, such asBanjo & Kazooie'sdown tilt. This can, however, be mitigated by using Wings of Rebellion closer to the ledge, wherein Joker's intangibility will transition into his ledgegrab animation, making him hard or even impossible to hit.
Instructional quote[edit]
 Move List |  | Throws a grappling hook to grab edges and opponents. While Arsene is active, flies upward using Arsene's wings. |
Origin[edit]
Joker can be seen using a grappling hook in some transition animations ofPersona 5's pause menus, though he never uses one in the game itself until the re-releasePersona 5 Royal.
InPersona 5 Royal, Joker uses a grappling hook to reach far-off locations when dungeon crawling. He can also use the grappling hook for combat; by increasing his rank in the Faith Confidant, he learns the Chaînés Hook ability, allowing him to latch onto unaware enemies from afar and zip towards them for an ambush (curiously, this is the exact opposite of how the attack interacts with opponents inSmash Bros.). The animation for the attack inSmash Bros., with Joker's spinning flourish before shooting the hook out of his left sleeve, is identical to his animation when using the grappling hook inRoyal.Royal received its first previews showcasing the use of the grappling hook a few days after Joker's DLC release, heavily suggesting that the idea for having the grappling hook in his moveset came fromRoyal.
Wings of Rebellion has no solid base inPersona 5, but is likely based on the fact that Arsène is capable of flight. It is also a possible reference to the intro of the game, which shows Joker summoning Arsène to take flight. The name of the attack calls back to a speech that is heard whenever Joker begins a new Confidant: a voice informs him that the bond he has just forged "shall become thewings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity."
Gallery[edit]
Grappling Hook as shown by theMove List inUltimate.
Names in other languages[edit]
Grappling Hook[edit]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
 Japanese | ワイヤーアクション,Wire Action |
 English | Grappling Hook |
 French | Grappin |
 German | Greifhaken |
 Spanish | Cable |
 Italian | Rampino |
 Chinese (Simplified) | 绳索动作 |
 Chinese (Traditional) | 繩索動作 |
 Korean | 와이어 액션,Wire Action |
 Dutch | Grijphaak |
 Russian | Крюк |
Wings of Rebellion[edit]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Japanese | 反逆の翼 |
| English | Wings of Rebellion |
| French | Ailes rebelles |
| German | Schwingen der Rebellion |
| Spanish | Alas de rebelión |
| Italian | Ali della ribellione |
| Chinese | 反抗之翼 |
| Korean | 반역의 날개 |
| Dutch | Vleugels van de Rebellie |
| Russian | Крылья бунтаря |
Trivia[edit]
- Grappling Hook is one of three tether recovery up specials that was not introduced inBrawl, the other two beingSword of the Creator andARM Hook.
- Notably, all 3 were introduced through DLC inUltimate.
- Occasionally, a glitch can occur upon using Grappling Hook for recovery which results Joker's animation breaking, causing him to move erratically. This was fixed in version 3.1.0.
