There has been a lot of speculation, myth, and mysteriousness surrounding Captain Falcon's gentleman in NTSC over the past 15 years of Melee. Additionally, how to do the gentleman is one of the most asked questions on this forum. I want to bring science and data to this discussion, disprove the myths, and reveal everything I know about the technique.

Jab Frame Data

IASA: interruptible as soon as - the frame where you can act out of the move's animation before it is over

IASA into next jab: Where, if you've pressed A before that, the next jab will come out



f after end to n jab: Frames after the end of the animation where pressing A still leads into the next jab.



Notes:

A presses that are started during hitstun don't lead into the next jab even if they are held through hitstun and the A press that leads into the next jab can happen any time during the jab animation.

The Perfect Gentleman



has to hit something on all three jabs. The inputs are:

Jab 1 Frame 0: A - just that one frame!

Jab 1 Frame 2: A

Jab 2 Frame 1 -> Jab 3 Frame 21: A

Interrupt with anything



Here is a



The timing for the perfect gentleman can be messed around with quite a bit - the important bits are to press the first two A presses ONE FRAME ONLY even if the rest of the inputs are correct if one of the first two A presses are held for more than one frame you will get rapid punches; next is to press A for the next jab before the IASA for next jab frame so that it combos as quickly as possible; third, hold A for the third press - even if the third A input is pressed for only one frame you will get rapid punches; and finally, interrupt after jab3 on the IASA frame.

The perfect gentleman. The inputs are:Jab 1 Frame 0: A - just that one frame!Jab 1 Frame 2: AJab 2 Frame 1 -> Jab 3 Frame 21: AInterrupt with anythingHere is a video The timing for the perfect gentleman can be messed around with quite a bit - the important bits are to press the first two A presseseven if the rest of the inputs are correct if one of the first two A presses are held for more than one frame you will get rapid punches; next is to press A for the next jab before the IASA for next jab frame so that it combos as quickly as possible; third, hold A for the third press - even if the third A input is pressed for only one frame you will get rapid punches; and finally, interrupt after jab3 on the IASA frame.

Disproving Common Ideas

Magus

First off, Magus's idea found here: http://smashboards.com/threads/scar-talks-lean-melee-2012yotf.197123/page-235#post-9899943 This idea hasn't held up for me when I've tested it. Here is my most damning evidence - in this video I mess up the perfect gentleman by inputting the first A for two frames, then I wait to press A until the frame before jab one ends, jab 2 starts and I wait until the frame before it ends to input A for jab 3, finally I hold A thru jab 3 but rapid punches start anyway. "Damning Evidence: Video Form" I have tested this in other ways that weren't recorded like doing the same thing in the video without hitting anyone (I found that it didn't work) and only hitting two of the jabs. Spacing the presses didn't work there either.

The Wiki

This is getting close, but has some deception. First, it doesn't mention the perfect gentleman which I think causes people to dismiss it instantly (if you watch anyone gentleman you know they aren't letting each jab end.) I've found that if you miss the perfect gentleman letting either of the first two jabs end before going into the next you can do the other inputs as fast as possible to still gentleman. I think that it is better to let jab 2 end since it ends 4 frames before jab 1, but I need to do more research about what they can do if you have to let jab 2 end (it probably doesn't combo into jab3 anymore at some percents, for one thing). Basically the Wiki is at least partially correct, but not optimal.



How I Think it Works and What that Means for Falcon

I think that the perfect gentleman is a gift in the code like l-canceling. It doesn't rely on anything complex, it's just a very specific input with specific conditions and if you take advantage of them you get minimal lag. If you don't hit the 1st and 2nd A's for just one frame or you don't hit every hit the only way to skip rapid jabs is to let jab1 or jab2 end completely. If you accept this then the optimal way to still gentleman if you miss a punch is to let jab 2 end. Don't space every hit, just let jab2 go its full 17 frames and do the other inputs as fast as possible.



If you're still learning how to do it concentrate on only hitting A one and two for one frame.

Is Gentleman even good if you don't hit one of the jabs?

I honestly don't know, I think that the better option might just be to dash out of jab1's ISAI frames.