Piranha Plant (move)

Piranha Plant is 's down special move in Super Smash Flash 2.

Overview
When performed, a pot of dirt appears in Waluigi's hands, which places or drops onto the ground. Once it lands, a Piranha Plant then sprouts from the pot. When an opponent comes close, the Piranha Plant will grab at them in the form of a bite, dealing 5% damage to opponents bitten. Once grabbed, the opponent will then be thrown either forward, backward, or upward toward Waluigi, dealing an additional 6% damage. Although the throw itself deals weak damage and knockback, it is useful for Waluigi to follow it up with another attack. After throwing an opponent or being active for a certain period of time, the Piranha Plant will go back into the pot and disappear.

The Piranha Plant also has a hurtbox, allowing it to be attacked by opponents or Waluigi. It can thus be used to block projectiles and most of Waluigi's attacks, and it can take about 12% damage from before disappearing. However, it will immediately disappear when hit by either Waluigi's or an opponent's physical attack.

Only one Piranha Plant may be active onstage at a time, as attempting to place another before the first one disappears will simply fail. When used in midair, the pot will fall. This fall has a hitbox that deals 8% damage and weak knockback to opponents hit while it falls, which can make it useful for gimping recoveries.

Origin
Piranha Plants are recurring  enemies that first appeared in Super Mario Bros. and attempt to bite Mario and other characters. They primarily live in Warp Pipes, but potted Piranha Plants first appeared in Mario Party 3 in the minigame Storm Chasers, in which players must chase a rain cloud to feed their Piranha Plants. Waluigi is notably depicted holding a potted Piranha Plant in official artwork for the minigame, and a Piranha Plant is also Waluigi's default partner in the game's Duel Mode. In Super Mario 3D World and Mario Kart 8, potted Piranha Plants can also be used to bite nearby enemies or players.

This move also references the Piranha Plant's appearance as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as many of its animations are based on it; this stems from the character's infamy among the Smash community for being included as a playable character in an official  game before Waluigi.

Trivia

 * According to developers, the Piranha Plant in this move is Waluigi's pet Piranha Plant, named Thaddeus "Chompers" DePlant.
 * Each of Waluigi's costumes features a unique color scheme for the Piranha Plant, most of which reference different species of the Piranha Plant and its costumes in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
 * Early in Waluigi's development, it was considered that his down special move would instead use the thorny purple vines he uses in his Super Ability and Mega Strike in Mario Strikers Charged. This move would have acted similarly to Piranha Plant but would have trapped opponents caught, similar to 's Vine.
 * Piranha Plant was ultimately chosen following the Piranha Plant's playable appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, leading the developers to find it more recognizable and relevant for his moveset.