What makes his Dair sometimes not shoot immediately downward?

[yawgtwo]

I know this is probably a noob Bowser question, but I figured I would get an answer here.
How come sometimes it shoots straight to the ground and sometimes it moves slower and you get a chance to jump out of it instead of plummeting to earth/your death offstage. Is it something I am doing and just not realizing what I am doing? hahaha
Can anyone help me out?

 

[Captain Justice]

The reason that it sometimes hovers instead of causing a straight downward descent (like Bowser Bomb) is most likely because you have used Dair while you were launched upward/had an upward momentum. You might notice this with other character's Dairs like Greninja or Sheik. It is simply the game's physics.

 

[Hitman JT]

The reason that it sometimes hovers instead of causing a straight downward descent (like Bowser Bomb) is most likely because you have used Dair while you were launched upward/had an upward momentum. You might notice this with other character's Dairs like Greninja or Sheik. It is simply the game's physics.

^That. The hitbox is all there so you might be able to catch someone off-guard with it every once in a while if they get too aggressive.

 

[Captain Justice]

^That. The hitbox is all there so you might be able to catch someone off-guard with it every once in a while if they get too aggressive.

I have noticed another fun use when put in this position: Punishing airdodges. Similar to Yoshi's Dair, Bowser's Dair lasts for quite awhile. If your opponent jumps up after launching you, a Dair will not only cancel out your momentum but will last through an airdodge if your opponent attempts one. Basically, an airdodge is shorter than Bowser's Dair.

 

[yawgtwo]

Thanks! I had no idea the momentum made such a difference in the middle of a move that affects your direction.

The first time I ever noticed it was when playing multiplayer with some friends.
I got launched at the same time as someone else and we were right on top of each other. I was a stock up on everyone so I figured I'd take him out and get back in at 0%. So I Dair and he gets spiked and I flutter downward for a second then get back to the edge. Everyone was yelling "What?" hahaha