Covering Fire


 * Not to be confused with Cover Fire, Samus's up smash.

Covering Fire (, Covering Fire) is 's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, replacing Grenade Launcher from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Overview
When activated, Snake will toss a flare grenade before crouching and putting his hand up to his ear, which will cause a crosshair to appear onscreen; the player can guide this crosshair to lock on to opponents, and, after five targets are acquired or about five seconds have passed, homing missiles will launch from the foreground and attack the targeted players. The flare grenade is completely aesthetic, and has no effect on the Final Smash's function. During the crosshair phase, Snake is invincible. After the missiles begin launching, the player will have full control of Snake, allowing them to combo into or out of the missiles, or lay down traps in the chaos. If performed in the air, Snake will remain in place for the duration of the crosshair phase, resuming his fall after the missiles have launched.

The same player can be targeted two or more times. Additionally, if no players were targeted in a lock, the missile will fire at where the crosshair was last positioned in that lock.

On the ground, Snake will announce "It's showtime!" upon initiating the move, although he stays silent if it is initiated in the air.

Origin
In Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Venom Snake is able to have the Diamond Dogs develop a UTH-66 Blackfoot tactical helicopter equipped with AS missiles, which are missiles that lock onto targets on the ground. He is also able to develop flare grenades that summon the helicopter to provide cover fire for him wherever the flare is thrown. This is loosely based on a real-world military tactic called "Painting the Target" where some type of indicator is placed down for an awaiting aircraft to identify, usually with a laser that can detect heat signatures and spread outward to cover any unforeseen changes in trajectory, which then launches an explosive in the general direction of the laser spread until it is close enough to lock-on to the target. In Ultimate, Snake throws out a flare grenade that presumably summons a helicopter that allows the player to fire homing missiles on opponents.

The UI for the missiles bears a resemblance to the one used for the homing missile launcher. The bars indicating the time remaining and missiles locked on are based on the health and stamina bars in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Trivia

 * If a targeted character is star KO'd while missiles are firing, they can follow the character into the background. Conversely, when a character is Screen KO'd, they will still have their target icon on them.