So this thread hasn't had any new posts in almost a month, and today marks the end of all Ultimate character speculation threads before they're locked forever. So, despite me not being exactly a Krystal megafan, I felt like having some closing words about the blue vixen.
I don't think people have really given enough credit to how well Krystal did this game. This is a character that Nintendo has pretty much been trying to bury from the public eye for well over a decade now, a character that appeared in three not super well liked Star Fox games from ages ago, so for her to get a full blown assist trophy, based on her original Adventures appearance with even her staff, is pretty something. Not even considerably more popular and relevant characters like Bandana Dee or Dixie Kong got that far. She even got a four star "Legendary" spirit. It's pretty apparent that, despite all the talk about how Krystal's fanbase had completely died down after Brawl, she was still popular enough on the Smash ballot to get the acknowledgement like that. Pretty much the only consolation prize she didn't get was a Mii Fighter outfit.
I guess it's bit of a duel edged sword, though. On the virtue of her being one of the very first assist trophy confirmations/character deconfirmations for Ultimate, as well as Star Fox in general being kinda stuck in limbo, she pretty much disappeared almost entirely from the speculation scene. She was never really given the chance to regrow her fanbase again, just like how fans of Isaac, Shadow, and Geno did before they inevitably got put to bed with assist trophies or Mii outfits months later...
years later in Geno's case.
It's kinda clear at this point that the only way Krystal will become a major figure in Smash speculation once more is for Nintendo to make a new Star Fox game with her in a starring role again. Regardless, I do think her fans should be grateful with what they got this time around, especially considering the controversial status of her character and all three of her associated games in general, which I feel is probably the biggest reason Nintendo seems very keen on not referencing any of them.
Here's hoping for a better future for Star Fox, and Krystal.
BTW, Krystal's assist trophy makes another appearance in Aqua's spirit battle in Sora's pack.