| “ | The ruler of Subspace and master of operations. Tabuu controls Master Hand with chains of light to excise this world and build up his great maze. He used Shadow Bugs to form Subspace and manipulates the servants of Master Hand to his heart's content. Born in a vastly foreign realm, he also possesses great leadership powers. Tabuu...No name is more suitable.
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| ― Tabuu Trophy Description |
| “ | Tabuu with wings extended. The dreadful energy surges cast from these wings instantly turn all fighters back into trophies.
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| ― Tabuu (Wings) Trophy Description |
Tabuu (タブー Tabuu) is the leader of the Subspace Army and serves as the main antagonist and final boss of Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Adventure Mode, The Subspace Emissary. A powerful supernatural being residing in Subspace, Tabuu wields immense power and uses Subspace Bombs to pull entire locations into his dimension. By absorbing the energy of these places, he amplifies his strength, all in pursuit of his ultimate goal: to conquer and subjugate the universe. His name derives from the word "taboo," symbolizing something forbidden or off-limits.
In addition to his role in Brawl, Tabuu makes an appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a spirit.
| Names | Tabuu (タブー ) |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Embodiment of Subspace, Spirit |
| Occupation | Leader of the Subspace Army, Ruler of Subspace |
| Origin | Super Smash Bros. Brawl (January 31st, 2008 ) |
| Alignment | Evil |
| Age | Unknown |
| Created By | Masahiro Sakurai, Kazushige Nojima
Kensuke Tanabe, Keisuke Terasaki, Akiya Sakamoto, |
| Height | Not Stated |
| Weight | Not Stated |
Tabuu's physical form is a bluish-green, glowing humanoid with a mysterious heart-like object embedded within him. He has piercing red eyes and manifests massive wings during his devastating Off Waves attack, an infamous move known for its immense destructive power.
Tabuu is a cunning and methodical strategist, evidenced by his prolonged observation and thorough study of the World of Trophies’ vulnerabilities before launching his invasion. According to the Winged Tabuu trophy, he possesses exceptional leadership abilities, commanding his Subspace Army with precision from his base in Subspace and utilizing it effectively to conquer numerous worlds in pursuit of universal domination.
As a master manipulator, Tabuu employs deception and subterfuge to achieve his objectives. He uses his Chain of Light to enslave Master Hand, presenting the latter as the apparent leader of the Subspace Army while secretly controlling its every move.
Tabuu’s relentless determination defines his character; he spares no effort in achieving his ultimate goal of creating a new dominion. From constructing the intricate Great Maze to absorbing the power of entire dimensions, Tabuu's ambition drives his every action, underscoring his willingness to go to any lengths to fulfill his vision of universal conquest.
Tabuu is the supreme ruler and embodiment of Subspace, a mysterious and alien dimension described as a "vastly foreign kingdom." His ultimate plan involves carving the World of Trophies into fragments and transporting them to Subspace, where he aims to establish a new dominion. While it remains unclear how many worlds Tabuu has conquered prior to the events of The Subspace Emissary, his ambition to expand his empire across the universe is resolute. However, Tabuu is bound to Subspace and cannot leave it, relying instead on the Subspace Army to carry out his will.
Tabuu’s control over the Subspace Army began when he overtook the Isle of the Ancients, home of the R.O.B.s. According to the Ancient Minister trophy, Tabuu coerced the R.O.B.s into his service by threatening total annihilation. He also discovered the latent Shadow Bugs within Mr. Game & Watch, capturing him to exploit their power as the foundation for his army.
Through manipulation, Tabuu seized control of Master Hand, the symbol of creative power in the World of Trophies, using a Chain of Light to enslave him. He leveraged Master Hand’s authority to enlist the aid of Ganondorf, Bowser, and Wario, tasking them with neutralizing any opposition to his plans. These three were unaware of Tabuu’s true existence, believing they were serving Master Hand’s agenda. However, King Dedede saw through the deception and began covertly opposing Tabuu’s schemes.
Later in the story, after the heroes destroy the Subspace Gunship and venture into Subspace, Ganondorf betrays Bowser using a Dark Cannon and proceeds to confront Master Hand. At this moment, Ganondorf discovers that Tabuu was the true mastermind, controlling Master Hand with his Chain of Light. Realizing he was nothing more than a pawn in Tabuu’s plans, an enraged Ganondorf launches a futile attack, only for Tabuu to effortlessly deflect him, turning him into a trophy. Ganondorf’s body collides with Master Hand, breaking the chains and briefly freeing him.
In a final act of defiance, the liberated Master Hand attempts to strike Tabuu but is swiftly overpowered, collapsing lifelessly to the ground. With no remaining obstacles, Tabuu unleashes his devastating Off Waves, instantly turning all the fighters into trophies. Satisfied with his victory, Tabuu constructs a labyrinthine maze out of the regions transported to Subspace, consolidating his dominion and preparing for any remaining resistance.
Thanks to King Dedede’s foresight in creating the Dedede Brooches, two trophies left behind—Luigi and Ness—were revived. Upon realizing it was King Dedede’s intervention that saved them, they resurrect him as well. Grateful and determined, Dedede joins forces with Luigi and Ness, and together, they begin rescuing the other fighters trapped in Subspace.
As they progress, they encounter Bowser, who initially fights Dedede but eventually agrees to join their team upon realizing Tabuu’s overwhelming power and his role in Master Hand’s demise. Meanwhile, Kirby, revived by a brooch he accidentally swallowed from the captured princess, embarks on his own mission to save fighters in Subspace. Among the revived fighters are Wario, Link, and Zelda. Link and Zelda, understanding the gravity of the situation, revive Ganondorf and convince him to join their alliance, knowing they cannot defeat Tabuu individually. Wario also decides to aid the group after being guided by Dedede, Luigi, and Ness to the rest of the fighters.
United, the fighters press on as Tabuu constructs the Great Maze, a twisted amalgamation of the consumed worlds, to slow their advance. He populates it with revived bosses, old foes, and dark clones of the heroes themselves. The heroes work together to overcome these obstacles and eventually reach Tabuu’s lair.
As Tabuu prepares to use his devastating Off Waves to turn the fighters into trophies again, Sonic the Hedgehog makes a dramatic entrance, shattering Tabuu’s wings with a Spin Dash. This action significantly weakens the Off Waves, reducing their potency to a one-hit KO instead of instantly trophifying anyone in their reach.
In the climactic battle, a selection of fighters—including Sonic, Bowser, Kirby, Luigi’s group, and others revived by these efforts—confront Tabuu. Despite his immense power, the dark ruler of Subspace is ultimately defeated. His downfall triggers the destruction of the Subspace Army, the restoration of the consumed lands, and the disappearance of the Isle of the Ancients, which had been irreparably destabilized by the Subspace Bombs.
After Tabuu’s defeat, a glowing "X" is left as the remnants of Subspace dissipate, and the Great Maze is restored to its original worlds. Tabuu’s ultimate fate remains ambiguous—he is last seen writhing in agony as his plans unravel—though it is presumed that he was destroyed alongside his dominion.
Tier: High 6-A
Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Weapon Mastery, Flight, Reality Warping, Electricity Manipulation, Teleportation (Can also leave an explosion behind from where he last was at), Energy Projection, Afterimage Creation, Shapeshifting, Duplication (Of himself and others), Thread Manipulation (Can create Chains of Light), Body Puppetry (Used his Chains of Light to control Master Hand to the level in which the latter was more apart of Subspace than the World of Trophies), Size Manipulation, Forcefield Creation, Resurrection (Resurrected all of the bosses throughout the game, from Petey Piranha to Rayquaza to Duon), Spatial Manipulation, Explosion Manipulation (Can create explosive afterimages, Heat Vision
Attack Potency: Multi-Continent level (Incapacitated Master Hand simply by deflecting his own attack. Defeated Ganondorf in a single attack, the likes of which can withstand Reshiram's world scorching flames, as well as harm those who can do the same), can ignore durability via Chains of Light and Off Waves
Speed: Massively FTL+ (Easily reacted to Ganondorf and Master Hand's attacks)
Lifting Strength: Class M (Should be comparable to King Dedede)
Striking Strength: Multi-Continent level
Durability: Multi-Continent level (Can take hits from the fighters)
Stamina: Superhuman
Range: Standard Melee Range; up to Tens of Meters with certain attacks; Interstellar with his defeat having Subspace withdraw and collapse
Standard Equipment: None notable
Intelligence: Gifted (Studied the World of Trophies to come up with a plan to take over the world. Some of the feats he did include discovering the primordial substance Mr. Game & Watch was made out of and used him to make the Subspace Army, taking over the Isle of the Ancients, making all of the R.O.Bs his slaves, took over Meta Knight's Halberd, deceiving Ganondorf, Bowser, and Wario using Master Hand as his puppet)
Weaknesses: His wings can be broken, causing a delay in his most powerful attacks. Furthermore, Tabuu's Off Waves will become weaker should his wings ever be broken. Most of his moves are rather predictable and some can even leave him open for attacks. Cannot leave Subspace
Shark Blade: Tabuu transforms into an energy blade and charges at his opponent with great force, delivering a high-speed ramming attack.
Golden Bracket: Shifting into two brackets, Tabuu grabs and slams his opponent with overwhelming strength.
Diving Slash: Teleporting high above his opponent, Tabuu converts his arm into a blade and slashes downward in a powerful, focused strike.
Chain of Light: Using glowing chains, Tabuu subdues his targets, even bypassing durability. This ability allowed him to control Master Hand, but it required physical perforation, leaving visible wounds.
Electrical Shield: The glowing sphere from his chest splits into fragments, creating an electrified barrier while the fragments orbit him defensively.
Rapid Chops: Tabuu rapidly slashes at his opponent, leaving behind glowing purple marks as a visual testament to his speed and ferocity.
Ghost Projection: Splitting his form into multiple ghostly projections, Tabuu sends them flying outward, each exploding after traveling a set distance.
Bullet Rain: Teleporting unpredictably, Tabuu unleashes a rain of energy bullets, culminating in a powerful energy sphere for a finishing blow.
Pinpoint Explosions: With a mere gesture, Tabuu directs an explosive force to a precise location, causing devastating damage.
Dragon Laser: Manifesting a dragon-shaped cannon, Tabuu unleashes a formidable laser blast capable of wide-scale destruction.
Shuriken Boomerang: Tabuu throws a giant energy shuriken that arcs back to him, striking opponents in both directions.
Eye Laser: Growing to colossal proportions, Tabuu fires lethal energy beams from his eyes, devastating everything in their path.
Off Waves: In his signature and most destructive attack, Tabuu summons his ornate wings, which radiate energy before releasing a field-clearing wave. Damaging or destroying these wings weakens the attack, but even in its diminished form, it remains a one-hit knockout.
