Shulk

The world of Xenoblade Chronicles consists of huge titans that serve as landmasses for people who live there. Two such titans, Bionis and Mechonis, were locked in the eternal struggle until, with singular strikes each, they killed each other, only to stand there, lifeless, in the middle of the vast ocean. Their conflict continued between their inhabitants – Homs from Bionis and Mechons from Mechonis. The game begins with one such battle, where humans are fending off the mechanical aggressors in the Sword Valley. Dunban, wielder of the legendary sword Monado, fends off the invasion and earns himself the title of Hero of the Homs. But this victory was costly, as his sword-arm was permanently damaged, making him unable to control Monado.

Shulk, the protagonist of Xenoblade Chronicles, was born in Colony 9, a human settlement that all but owes its existence to Dunban’s heroics. Being young and feisty, he looks up to the Hero of the Homs and dreams to become like him one day.

During an incident in the lab, Shulk, and his friends, Reyn and Fiora, find out the destructive properties of the Monado. Reyn accidentally activated the sword, but unable to control it, swung it wildly, destroying all in its path. However, when it accidentally hits Fiora, the blade instantly deactivates, as it can’t harm Homs.

The real requirement to use Monado arises soon after, as Mechons are spotted attacking Colony 9. Dunban tries his best to wield the sword, but his permanent injury makes it so he’s overwhelmed. In an attempt to save him, Shulk rushes forward and picks up Monado, which, to everyone’s surprise, fully activates in his hands. The very next moment, he finds himself seeing a Vision of being struck by the Mechon laser. Correctly deducing that the sword showed him the immediate future, he uses the newly gained ability to take the upper hand in battle. Shulk’s quest to tap into the true power of the Monado, learn about his past, and save everything he holds dear begins at this very moment.

Shulk’s debut in the Smash series happened in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, and later he returned as a veteran character in Ultimate. His main gameplay feature is the mini-game with the different Monado Arts that give him both benefits and negative effects depending on the situation. This makes him very hard to master, but his pros of disjointed hitboxes and excellent range to punish the mistakes can make him worthwhile to master.