You know after declaring Mewtwo's demise in this very thread I thought about all the current legit information we have on this game versuse Mewtwo's apparaunt demise and I came to one conclusion. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!
I mean every single other character in Melee with a unique moveset has been either confirmed or some hint has come up indicating their return (Luigi=Nintendo Rep slippup, Captain Falcon=Icon and Red Alloy, Gannon=Twilight Update Article with Shiek, G&W=Icon Theory) So why would Mewtwo be the SOLE nonclone to get the axe? It does not add up.
Sakurai indicated this might be his last smash and has constantly shown that he wants this one to be huge. He has constantly surprised me and others with amazing new features and blowing away already high expctations. It seems has tried to make everyone happy with this roster, especially fans of the previous two games and yet he drops the ball and axes only Mewtwo? Mewtwo if I remember correctly was the #1 most requested charachter to add from the Pokemon franchise and with no surprise he got in. So why take him out and keep the all the nonclone Pokemon from the last game?
The reason we have even considered his removal are certain very incriminating leaks. Namely the Sticker Screen shot, the ChaosZero Leak, Serebii, and the much debated 35 charachter roster.
I won't go into much detail on the 35 as their has been countless threads pointing out the questionable nature of it. Needless to say I have noticed that the rosters that tend to get supported as true only remain when other leaks sources seems to back them up. For example when Ness looked like he was out almost every new roster had him removed and Mewtwo in and if their wasn't obvious counterdiction people would say they were plausible. After the Chaos Zero Leak resurficed there was a sudden reversal. The majority of lists appeared with Lucario in but with both Ness and Mewtwo out and only till recently did the trend shift again to include Ness in but keep Mewtwo out.
As for the sticker screen shot their are still a few facts to remember. Yes Mewtwo is not in it and yet it did not just end and Jigglypuff with a line. No in fact their was another space just begging for Mewtwo's face to fill. Considering the nature of legendaries it only makes sense. In all Pokemon games you always get the legendaries last and in secret hard to reach places. From a story stand point it wouldn't make sense for Mewtwo to show up and then have Lucario or Jigglypuff, they aren't legendary.
Likewise the arguement for Lucario replacing Mewtwo has been asserted based on similar traits, body types, and powers. The thing however is that this same argument has been used three times before and all three times ended in spectacular failures. The first and most infamous was Ness. Every sentence, every screenshot, ever video seemed to indicate Lucas has take over Ness spot, and yet the very same video now used to discredit Mewtwo's chances blindsided us all and confirmed Ness's return.
Likewise cries that Zero Suit Samus would replace Sheik. How they moved and fought was used and how the game would not have two transoforming females. Once again it was proven wrong.
Finally there was Ike, despite the obvious combat difference the fact Ike was shown first had some assert that the game could not hold two blue haired swordsman from FE. Just today this one has also been killed. So theories on characters being replaced have fallen left and right, why would Mewtwo be any different? The only reason is because of ChaosZero and Serebii.
I would say out of all the leakers, ChaosZero and Serebii are the most legit and respectable. They aren't random trolls they both want to report accurate information. While most of what ChaosZero said was expected and anyone could have said it, his information on the Dragoon and Lucario, months before confirmation proves he had insider information, despite his constant ridicule on gamefaqs.
Serebii also has a strong track record on getting Pokemon game info well before others and I admit I frequented his site for rumor information on Diamond and Pearl the same way I frequant this board for Brawl. Both have asserted Mewtwos death and it is heart breaking to hear it from people who can actually be believed.
Despite their ability to reveal truth it does not mean they are right about everything. Its all about how they got their info, ChaosZero may have merely seen a screen shot of Lucario or even the sticker icons and, like us, deduced that Mewtwo's absence and Lucarios similiarites meant he was out. Perhaps his leak gave him false infro about Mewtwo's departure to bring his rumor in to question and keep the leaker safe.
Likewise while Serebii gets alot of accurate information on Pokemon ahead of time, he also gets alot of false information. Many times the front page would post a rumor with a credible screenshot indicating some new pokemon that eventually would turn out to be shopped. Heck, he has a part of a site dedicated to false rumors that have come up on the site. How can we be sure this isn't different.
I don't think either of them has bad intent to mislead nor do I think they are foolish, I am just saying their are falible and that the facts don't add up in their favor.
So as of right now I am retracking my statement of Mewtwo's demise. It doesn't make sense and I expect him to be in. Though I will mention that as asserted before, we have been wrong in the past. If by fate Mewtwo is the only unique to get the chopping block I won't complain. I won't write an angry letter to Nintendo nor boycott the game. The game is going to be amazing. If Mewttwo isn't in it, well then its a minor stain on a otherwise perfect game. If I want to remember his charm I at least have Melee to prove he was apart of it.