Power of Flight

From Icaruspedia, the high flying Kid Icarus Wiki

The Power of Flight (飛翔の奇跡 Hishō no Kiseki) is a new mechanic introduced in Kid Icarus: Uprising. It grants Pit the ability to fly for around five minutes. This power was given to Pit by Palutena, in order to help him reach key destinations for his missions. Besides flight, this power also boosts the strength and speed of Pit's attacks in air battles.

The Power of Flight granted on Pit's wings.

In Kid Icarus: Uprising

Functionality

Although the Power of Flight appears to be very similar in function to the Wings of Pegasus and other related items, it actually has some major differences in the way it works. The primary difference is that this power is fueled constantly by Palutena, allowing her to completely control Pit's path and direction. To this effect, the Power of Flight acts as a sort of vessel to get Pit to his destinations, although he still has control over his aim and maneuverability. The other difference is the time limit of five minutes during which he can sustain flight. Because this power consumes so much energy, Pit can only stay airborne during this time limit before his wings burn up and falls. While Palutena is usually able to get Pit to ground level before the five minutes are up, some missions may impede this effort and stress the limits of flight. One example of this is in Heads of the Hewdraw, where Pit will be kept airborne under the time limit until he defeats Hewdraw.

Idol Description

Palutena's divine power keeping Pit aloft during his air battles. Because Pit can't actually fly, Palutena controls the flight path and destination, ensuring he lands before the power's roughly five-minute time limit expires and Pit falls.

Super Smash Bros. Series

Super Smash Bros. 4

The Power of Flight is Pit's new Up Special in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, replacing the Wings of Icarus from Brawl. Pit briefly charges then launches himself in the direction the player chooses. The wings noticeably change from blue, yellow, then red, similar to how it does in Uprising when changing flight speed. The Power of Flight is also Dark Pit's up special, which functions exactly like Pit's but appears to be granted by Viridi.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

 
The Power of Flight granted on Pit and Dark Pit in the World of Light.

The Power of Flight is Pit and Dark Pit's Up Special in Ultimate. It functions almost identically as it did in the previous game.

In the opening cutscene for World of Light, Pit and Dark Pit can be observed attempting to escape Galeem's attack using the Power of Flight given by Palutena. However, the defeat of the goddess immediately causes the two angels to lose their flight then also be destroyed by the light beams.


Trivia

  • The Wings of Icarus in Super Smash Bros. Brawl are very similar to the Power of Flight in that both abilities cause Pit's wings to glow blue. In fact, the move may have been an early concept of how the Power of Flight would work in Uprising.
  • The fact that Pit's wings burn up after flying for too long may once again be a reference to the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. In this case, it is referencing the point where Icarus' wax wings melt due to him flying too close to the sun, causing him to fall into the ocean below.
  • This mechanic was originally called the "Miracle of Flight" when it was first revealed in the E3 2010 trailer, same as the Japanese name.
  • The general color seems to differ depending on which god grants it. Pit's wings glow blue when his flight granted by Palutena, and green when when it is granted by Viridi. Dark Pit's wings glow purple when he uses Pandora's powers to fly, and the Wings of Pegasus glow pink.
  • The Power of Flight also changes the wings' color during different speeds. They glow brightly (color depends who provides the power) during the fastest speeds, yellow while slowing down, and red when stopping.
    • However when Dark Pit uses Pandora's powers his wings are always purple, no matter what speed he is going at.
  • In the Super Smash Bros. 4 Prima Guide, Dark Pit's up special is dubbed "Pandora Wings". However, this is inaccurate for two reasons:
    • Pandora regained her powers in Chapter 22: Scorched Feathers, causing Dark Pit to permanently lose his infinite flight.
    • In Smash 4, Dark Pit's wings glow green, suggesting the power is granted by Viridi instead. His Palutena's Guidance also revealed he is working for the goddess of nature.
  • The opening cutscene for World of Light from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, is the first and only instance of a god giving this power to two angels simultaneously. It is unknown if there are any negative trade-offs when doing this feat, such as reduced individual time of flight for each angel.