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Palutena (JP) (also known as Lady Palutena) is a fictional goddess from Nintendo's Kid Icarus series. She first appeared as a non-playable character in the 1986 game known as Kid Icarus. Her name is a shortened version of the name of the Greek goddess Pallas Athena.

Appearances[]

Palutena is the benevolent Goddess of Light, the very beautiful ruler of the kingdom of Angel Land and the Guardian of the Three Sacred Treasures (the Mirror Shield, Arrow of Light, and Pegasus Wings). Before the events of Kid Icarus and its sequel, she shared sovereignty with Medusa, the Goddess of Darkness.

Palutena used her powers for the good of mankind, to warm the earth and make crops grow. However, Medusa hated humans and used her power to undo Palutena's work. As punishment, Palutena transformed Medusa into a hideous monster and banished her to the Underworld.

Medusa, consumed with bitterness, swore revenge on Palutena. By forming an alliance with the evil monsters and spirits of the Underworld she was able to gather enough power to overwhelm Palutena's army. A surprise attack on Palutena's forces set the precedent for the war between the goddesses, with Medusa winning decisively at the final battle. Medusa captured Palutena and seized the Three Sacred Treasures, entrusting them to her most powerful servants.

Kid Icarus[]

Realizing that the only hope for her conquered people was the courageous angel, Pit, Palutena used the last of her power to free him from Medusa's prison in the Underworld and bestow upon him a sacred bow with limitless arrows. Pit was able to subsequently retrieve the Three Sacred Treasures, defeat Medusa, and liberate Palutena.

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters[]

Palutena has a prophetic dream of her beloved Angel Land being attacked by an army of demons. She rushed to the oracle, who confirmed that the army was led by Orcos, a demon of terrifying power. Palutena quickly summoned Pit and told him of the impending crisis. She then sent Pit on a mission to obtain the Three Sacred Treasures and to become strong enough to oppose Orcos' evil might. After defeating Orcos, Palutena thanked Pit for once again protecting the peace and prosperity of her kingdom.

Kid Icarus: Uprising[]

Palutena appears in an all-new Kid Icarus game on the Nintendo 3DS. Medusa has returned and Palutena helps Pit in the battle against her army by granting him the power of flight. This power only lasts for five minutes however, and Pit must make sure that he has landed safely on the ground before the time runs out.

Super Smash Bros.[]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]

In the Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Palutena she appears in Pit's Final Smash, "Palutena's Army."

Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary[]

Pitbrawlscreencap4

Palutena as she appears in The Subspace Emissary.

Palutena also plays a small role in the Subspace Emissary as she gives Pit her bow and sends him down to earth to help in the battle against the Subspace Army. In the stage called "Skyworld", a statue of Palutena appears in the background. " Finally she appears as a collectible trophy.

Trophy Description[]

"The ruling goddess of Angel Land. Palutena showered the earth with rays of light, using her powers for the good of mankind. But Medusa, who in her hate for mankind was banished to the underworld, makes war on Palutena and wins, capturing and holding the goddess deep within a temple. Palutena entrusts Pit with a sacred bow and the task of defeating Medusa."
Kid Icarus
Kid Icarus of Myths and Monsters

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U[]

Palutena appears as a newcomer and a starter character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U. And many of her moves are based on various powers that appeared in Uprising. Palutena is also one of the few characters to have 12 completely unique specials that can be altered through customization.

Trophy Description[]

Name: Image: Description:
Palutena (Classic) NTSC:

"In Kid Icarus: Uprising, the goddess of light uses telepathy to communicate and grants miracles to support Pit on his adventure. In Smash Bros., she has special moves like Warp and Heavenly Light at her disposal. She's very adaptable—you can customize her into a long- or close-range fighter!"

PAL: "Said to be able to perform miracles, this goddess supports Pit in battle, using telepathy to communicate with him. She's no slouch on her own, either. She has a huge variety of moves you can customise and use to your advantage. Short or long range, the sky's the limit! Or maybe not. After all, she can teleport."

Palutena (Alt.) NTSC:

"Palutena's Reflect Barrier side special deflects any attacks and projectiles that come at her from the front. Unlike other reflective moves, you can leave this barrier in place and it will keep reflecting. If you really want to ruin someone's day, you can push them over an edge using this move."

PAL: "Palutena's Reflect Barrier special deflects any attacks and projectiles that come at her from the front. Unlike other fighters' reflective moves, you can deploy this barrier and then leave it to its own devices. You can also push opponents with it, so use it on someone who's teetering on the edge of the stage to push them off."

Other Appearances[]

Kid Icarus 3D Anime[]

Kid Icarus 3D Anime consists of three animated shorts originally released on the Nintendo Video app, made to promote the release of Kid Icarus: Uprising. All three shorts are available to download free of charge on the Nintendo eShop.

Thanatos Rising[]

Palutena is one of the main protagonists in Thanatos Rising (JP), warning Pit of the attack that Thanatos will initiate on the city. Thanatos soon after hijacks one of the Horses and begins to fly toward the city, but Pit is granted the Power of Flight from Palutena and he begins to close in on Thanatos. Pit slowly gets up off the ground after a frantic battle, and wonders if he saved the people, but no damage was dealt. Palutena later explains that "life always finds the light".

Medusa's Revenge[]

In Medusa's Revenge (JP), Palutena's backstory is revealed with the Goddess of Darkness, explaining how she was imprisoned in the Palace in the Sky by Medusa.

Palutena's Revolting Dinner[]

In Palutena's Revolting Dinner (JP), Palutena attempts to make a "vegetable suprise" for her and Pit, but she mistakenly brings the vegetables to life and they start to wreak havoc in the Palace. She then tries to slice up the vegetables with her Wolf Claws, but she is delayed by three large pumpkins. After the vegetables are reverted to their previous state, Palutena insists that she and Pit should go out for dinner instead.

Super Mario Maker[]

In Super Mario Maker, Palutena appears as an unlockable costume from either the 100 Mario Challenge (Normal or Higher) or tapping the Palutena amiibo.

Yoshi's Woolly World[]

In Yoshi's Woolly World, a costume based off of Palutena can used in the game by tapping the Palutena amiibo.

Idol Descriptions[]

Palutena[]

"The goddess of light and ruler of Skyworld. Palutena guides Pit through most of his journey, using her powers to help him protect the humans of the surface world from her archnemesis, Medusa, goddess of the Underworld."

Chaos Kin and Palutena[]

"The Chaos Kin binds Palutena to its will, manipulating her form like a foul puppet. By doing so, the Chaos Kin simultaneously shields itself and forces Pit to attack the very goddess he serves."

Petrified Palutena[]

"After Pit defeats the possessed Palutena, the Chaos Kin is unable to escape with the goddess. She turns her body to stone at the last moment, so the Chaos Kin can flee into the Chaos Vortex with only her soul."

Palutena (Rare)[]

"Despite her reputation for wisdom and mercy, little is known about the history and motivations behind the goddess Palutena. What she lacks in military might, she makes up for in her brave champion, Pit."

Gallery[]

  Main article: Palutena/gallery

Trivia[]

  • Palutena herself is likely based off of the Greek goddess, Athena, which her staff and shield collectively make up her classical appearance, and in Greek mythology, Athena is the goddess responsible for transforming Medusa into a monster, just as Palutena had done to Medusa prior to the events of the original Kid Icarus.
    • Her name may be derived from from from the katakana of the Greek goddess Athena's full title, "Pallas Athena" (JP). It may also be derived from the katakana of the Greek word "Parthenon" (JP), a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, or "Parthena" (JP), a Greek word meaning "virgin".
  • Palutena appears to have a knack for mixing up phrases and names. For example, she refers to "Super Smash Brothers" as "Super Bash Sisters," and instead of "Every rose has its thorn," she says "Every coral has its thorns." Whenever Pit corrects her, she always insists she's right.
  • Despite her young appearance, she is sensitive when it comes to her age and strongly dislikes being called "ma'am."
    • Phosphora: Oh, don't give it a second thought...ma'am.
    • Pit: Uh-oh...
    • Palutena: Did you just call me "ma'am"? Are you trying to start something?

External links[]

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