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Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Ashley has granted kids to Hell... What about Sakurai?

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - Ashley may still be playable... via threat.

A year ago, I wrote about the positive experience of Trans-Ashley, a male-to-female transgender who is finding great success in her life, including a singing career. (Which we showcased in that article. I like her singing.) This contrasts greatly with the experience with the original witch, Ashley. You see, she doesn't want to just be an Assist Trophy. She wants to be the Wario franchise's second playable character.

Unfortunately for Ashley, Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai doesn't want Ashley to be a playable character. As revealed in last week's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct, Ashley was once again relegated to be an Assist Trophy. She had the “red eyes” that Masahiro Sakurai was claiming he would have.

...Or so, that's what it looks at first glance. And I admit, that's what I initially thought as well. But clear your mind of any preconceived notions of Ashley being an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4 and look what was actually confirmed in the Direct. And, more importantly, what was not confirmed.



The embed has the whole montage of Assist Trophies. Zero, Knuckles, Krystal, Klaptrap, Kapp'n, Chef Kawasaki, Gray Fox, Nikki, Shovel Knight, the Moon... And then Ashley appears on the Yoshi's Island stage from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. But there's something very different about Ashley than all of the others — the montage Assist Trophies all had their names appear in the lower right corner. Ashley's name did not appear. So... Those were all confirmed to be Assist Trophies and are on the website as such. Ashley is not on the website. She isn't at the bottom part of the Assist Trophies page.

Why was Ashley in the montage at all if that portion of the Direct is about “new” assist trophies? According to the Direct's YouTube description, 21:33 marks the “New assist trophies” section.  Bomberman is also in that scene and unnamed, but he was already called out with the same name caption style in the E3 2018 Direct. He's a new Assist Trophy as of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So Ashley appears in a section dedicated to new Assist Trophies... but if you get rid of the preconceived notion that she is destined to be an Assist Trophy, then she appears like any other character there, such as Greninja, Corrin, or Toon Link.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate website Assist Trophies returning from previous games Waluigi
ASHLEY IS NOT ON THE ASSIST TROPHIES TAB. Or anywhere else on the page.

To review, Ashley was not identified as an Assist Trophy in the Direct. She is not identified as an Assist Trophy on the website. She has not been seen in gameplay during E3 or any other instance, like the other Assist Trophies that we know about like Hammer Bro.

Can you really confirm that she is an Assist Trophy? Could she be something... more?

I think Masahiro Sakurai is scared of formally recognising and naming Ashley as an Assist Trophy. That will incur her wrath. It is to be noted that Masahiro Sakurai ages backwards — he becomes younger as time passes. Ashley, in her song, as noted in the Trans-Ashley article referenced at the beginning of this article, has granted kids to Hell. (We only know about her getting the kids to Hell, not anyone else, like adults.)

Masahiro Sakurai, if he continues his age pattern, will soon de-age into a kid. That puts him in the prime demographic for Ashley to grant him an afterlife of Hell, giving her a unique opportunity for vengeance.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Ashley the witch red eyes playable character or assist trophy wand
“I HAVE GRANTED KIDS TO HELL!”
(These are the red eyes that Sakurai was talking about.)

You choose, Sakurai. Hell? Or Ashley as a playable character? After Bayonetta gets nerfed, Ashley can become the new top-tier witch! (Why do you think there are now TWO vampire-hunters with holy water? For two witches!)

Sakurai, you better watch your step, or she'll cast a spell on you.


Ludwig, in writing this article, isn't saying either way whether or not Masahiro Sakurai will stay true to his plan and keep Ashley as an Assist Trophy, or if he will avoid eternal damnation and allow her to be a playable character. Ludwig is just reporting the facts, though he has already admitted to be a fan of Ashley's.


The chances aren't good for Ashley, given the track record of previous Assist Trophies.

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