
Nintendo's former PR lead Kit Wilson recalls telling Star Fox creator Shigeru Miyamoto about the popular fan theory that all of the Star Fox pilots had their legs amputated.
Back in the early 2010's a fan theory emerged based on an old Nintendo Power cover artwork for the original Star Fox back in 1993. In the art, Fox appears to have no feet, instead replaced with a metal prosthetic – a look that is also seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Star Fox 64. This was paired with a note that pilots who do not have legs can apparently stand more Gs than others due to there not being legs to force blood into (most famously it is thought RAF pilot Douglas Bader used this to his advantage), and thus the Star Fox pilots would willingly amputate their legs.