Newcomer Shocked After Taking Down Smash Bros. Legend

This what it feels like when somehow you beat the best Smash 4 player in the world with a miraculous, last minute combo.

The kid who can’t believe his eyes as he slides off his headset is Luhtie, a relatively unknown player who mains Zero Suit Samus and has never won a major Smash tournament. But over the weekend he did something even better than that.

Even though he didn’t go on to win 2GGC: Civil War (he finished equal 33rd) Luhtie left the tournament as the person who gave superstar Gonzalo “ZeRo” Barrios his lowest placement in a tournament ever by far, sending the champ packing at 49th.

Reaction of the SHOCKING @TSMZeRo upset… Wow…@2GGaming #CivilWar pic.twitter.com/Xba54weFlV

— NRG esports (@NRGgg) March 25, 2017

Friend and mentee Nairo said ZeRo looked like he was playing without confidence, but anyone would be hard pressed to assert themselves against an opponent with counter-attack combos as punishing as Luhtie’s.

LUHTIE ONLY PLAYED SMASH FOR 11 MONTHS AND DEFEATED ZERO

I AM LEVELING THE FUCK UP OUT OF MY CHARACTERS

— James Chen (@Obscurica) March 25, 2017

It was a best-of-five series that went back and forth, but what kept the Samus player in the money were devastating onslaughts in the air like these. It was all he could do to keep the veteran from edging him out early. As a result, Luhtie survived until the last stock of the last match. At 138% damage, death was imminent if not inevitable. And then the unthinkable happened.

Playing dangerously, ZeRo tried to recover from lunging at Luhtie and missing, only to find himself compromised and exposed. Luhtie pounced immediately, and sent ZeRo hurtling off the top of the stage at only 54% damage when his opponent’s iconic Diddy Kong would normally still be safe.

While it was a moment of shocking euphoria for Luhtie, ZeRo appeared more defeated in the aftermath of the bout than you’d expect from someone with so many commanding first place finishes under his belt.

Time to hang the controller for good lol

— ZeRo @ #CivilWar (@TSMZeRo) March 25, 2017

Sorry, that’s just shamefu to do in the context of the event. Not a good day to be zero or a zero fan. I don’t deserve your kindness.

— ZeRo @ #CivilWar (@TSMZeRo) March 25, 2017

When I lose I wanna study and improve and keep playing but I just don’t have the will to keep playing after that
I’ll stay for crews though

— ZeRo @ #CivilWar (@TSMZeRo) March 25, 2017

Sucks to make something your life every single day, all day, and still be absolutely, completely, beyond terrible.

— ZeRo @ #CivilWar (@TSMZeRo) March 25, 2017

Of course, his fans weren’t having it, giving him their complete support and encouraging him to take a step back from social media while he grapples with the disappointment.

While some jokingly chalked up Luhtie’s win to karma catching up with ZeRo after taunting after the 3-0 stomping he gave a player in the series immediately prior, his highlights from the match speak for themselves.