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The Super Smash Bros series is infamous for having a thriving and exciting competitive scene. Whether players opt to compete in newer installments like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or the fast and execution heavy Super Smash Bros. Melee, the series is consistently home to a healthy competitive environment. The culture surrounding competitive Smash is one which developed solely from a place of passion. The community has largely been built from the ground up, and due to this many of the earliest top players began to make a name for themselves. One of these players was Gonzalo Barrios, otherwise known as ”ZeRo.”
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ZeRo was an immensely skilled player, becoming a dominant force with his Meta Knight in Brawl. Once Smash for Wii U was released, he quickly became the best player, winning 56 tournaments in a row. ZeRo’s Diddy Kong and Sheik became a legendary part of Super Smash Bros. history. His reaction time was insane, his ledge trapping was unparalleled and his execution was perfect. In recent times, ZeRo has been outed for participating in sexual misconduct with minors. A message from one of his victims went into large detail about many of the despicable behaviors ZeRo had engaged in. He later issued an apology admitting to what he has done and has since taken a hiatus from social media altogether.
In ZeRo’s apology, he also decided to ban himself from going to any more Super Smash Bros. tournaments for any reason. He said that he would seek out professional help to better himself. While progress is a nice proposition, the inappropriate messages ZeRo has sent cannot be undone. All of this lead to him being banned from Twitch, no longer allowed to stream at all. This seems like a reasonable decision given everything that has occurred.
The Future Of Smash’s Community
ZeRo’s allegations turning out to be true have been a hard pill to swallow for the community at large. It is impossible to defend his actions, but despite this, many of Super Smash Bros.‘s most memorable moments involve him. Thinking about those moments now gives them a tainted aura. For many smash players, ZeRo wasn’t only a figurehead, he was someone to look up to. His play and work ethic was unmatched by any other player. However, his skill at the game could never justify these actions. At the very least, his openness to seeking help is a step in the right direction.
Overall, ZeRo’s misconduct was simply unacceptable. It takes so much bravery for a victim to come out, especially against someone as esteemed as ZeRo. Despite the unsettling nature of his actions, the Super Smash Bros. community is seemingly viewing this as a chance to grow. Top player Leffen has stated on his stream that while such actions are unacceptable, the truth coming out will make the community a safer and better place. It seems the rest of the community, thankfully, holds the same sentiment for the future of Smash Bros.