Samus Aran


 * For Melee fighter info, see Samus (SSBM).

Samus Aran (サムス・アラン) is the protagonist of the Metroid series. Samus is the galaxy's most famous bounty hunter, constantly helping the Galactic Federation in their fight against the Space Pirates. She has appeared in all four Super Smash Bros. games to date.

Character History
Samus made her first appearance in Metroid (1986) for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game kept the fact that she was a woman secret (with the intent of surprising gamers after they completed it); even the game's instruction manual refers to Samus as a male. Though believed to be created by Gunpei Yokoi, the original game concepts for Metroid were done by director Makoto Kanoh and designer Hiroji Kiyotake.

The original "Metroid" saw Samus on her first mission on the planet Zebes, sent to stop the Space Pirates and destroy Mother Brain, the mechanical life-form that controlled the fortress and its computers. Samus successfully completed the mission. Later, the remake Metroid: Zero Mission would reveal more about Samus's backstory, establishing that she was born on the Earth colony K-2L, and her parents died when she was 3 years old, murdered by the Space Pirate leader known as Ridley, she was then raised by the Chozo who took her to planet Zebes. As she grew up, she trained with them and she was given a Chozo power suit and eventually left the planet to become a bounty hunter.

She was later sent to Planet Zebes to stop the Space Pirates on Zebes, who were attempting to use a newly discovered species called the "Metroids" and destroy Mother Brain, the computer who controlled Zebes's ecosystem. Samus successfully carried out the mission, destroying Mother Brain. (The original Metroid ends here, but in Zero Mission, Samus's ship is shot down after take off and Samus must fight her way out of the Space Pirates mother ship; it is here that Samus gets her most well known Power Suit and with it, she escapes from the Space Pirates.)

In Metroid Prime (2002), Samus was responding to a distress call from the Space Pirate Frigate which had been studying a new form of mutagen called Phazon, three years after her adventure to Zebes and there she encountered Ridley who was thought to be destroyed in the previous battle. Samus pursued the reborn Meta-Ridley to Tallon IV where she learned that a meteorite had landed on the planet long ago, warping a sole Metroid into an evil creature known as Metroid Prime, also killing the residents. Samus searched through Tallon IV for information on the creature, phazon, and other researches. Samus tracked down the creature, once again destroying Ridley and apparently destroyed Metroid Prime. Unbeknownst to Samus, Metroid Prime was reborn as "Dark Samus", taking on the bounty hunter's image.

In Metroid Prime Hunters (2006), Samus went to Alinos, Arcterra, Vesper Defense Outpost, and the Celestial Archives to search for ocoliths. Other bounty hunters named Sylux, Trace, Noxus, Spire, Kanden, and Weavel were searching too. They fought but later joined for the battle against Gorea.

In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004), Samus was sent to the planet known as Aether to find a lost group of Federation troopers. It was there that Samus encountered Dark Samus. Samus discovered Aether was split into two dimensions: one light and one dark. Samus went through the planet destroying dark elements. With the help of the Luminoth species, Samus destroyed "Dark Aether" and apparently Dark Samus as well, but her dark counterpart still lived...

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007), Dark Samus, now leading the Space Pirates, plots to corrupt the entire galaxy with Phazon, rendering them under her control. Samus also confronts Meta Ridley again. Dark Samus manages to "corrupt" Samus along with three bounty hunter allies, Rundas, Ghor and Gandrayda while they are at an attack at Norion. The other three are sent off to 3 planets, Bryyo, Elysia, and the Space Pirate Homeworld. But they are completely corrupted and Samus is forced to kill them as she makes her way to the Space Pirate Homeworld. Once there, she and the Galactic Federation travel to the planet Phaaze where Samus defeats Dark Samus once and for all and wipes Phazon off the face of the universe.

In Metroid II: The Return of Samus (1991), Samus is sent to SR388, the homeworld of the Metroids, to wipe out what remains of them because they were deemed too dangerous to exist. Samus accomplishes this mission, destroying even the Metroid Queen, but after completing this task, one last Metroid egg hatches and follows Samus, as it thought she was its mother. Samus decides to surrender the Baby Metroid, remembering that she was the sole survivor from the raid of K-2L, and decided to take it to the Ceres Space Colony.

In Super Metroid (1994), with the last Metroid in captivity, the galaxy is at peace. The scientists begin to study the Metroid and their scientific properties. Just as Samus leaves the colony, it is attacked by the Space Pirates. Samus turns back and witnesses a reborn Ridley making off with the infant Metroid. Samus chases him to Zebes where she once again defeats Kraid and Ridley, along with many other creatures, but is attacked by a giant Metroid on her way to Mother Brain. Recognizing Samus just in time, the Metroid releases Samus, who goes on to confront Mother Brain once again. In a final epic battle, Samus fights Mother Brain who is using a mechanical body, almost being defeated, but she is saved by the baby Metroid at the last moment, though it is killed by Mother Brain. With her hyper beam, Samus easily avenges her "first child's" death and believably killed Mother Brain and escapes Zebes before the planet explodes.

Metroid: Other M (2010) is set between the events of Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion and provides more information about Samus's backstory. Right after her fight with Mother Brain, Samus wakes up from her dream after she fully recovers. She finds a distress call, "baby's cry". Her former commander, Adam Malkovich, and the 07th Platoon, including her old friend Anthony, received the call too. The Bottle Ship was recreating Ridley, the Space Pirates, and unfreezable metroids. The woman in charge was Madeline Bergman. She created MB (Melissa Bergman), the reincarnated AI of Mother Brain. But MB went rogue and decided to punish the foolish. Samus also is aware of the Deleter, thought to be James Pierce, killing the other members of the 07th Platoon. Adam destroys Secter Zero with his life and Samus leaves to Galactic Federation headquarters with Anthony and Madeline, who killed MB.

In Metroid Fusion (2002), Samus is assigned to collect samples of life on SR388 where she is infected by an X parasite. Her suit must be surgically removed because of its biological components that only Samus can take off and she had crashed into an asteroid because of the parasite, leaving her unconscious and unable to take off the suit by herself. Samus's life is saved only after she is given an anti-X vaccine. After this, Samus is sent to the BSL Research Station to investigate an explosion in the Quarantine Bay. There, she encounters the SA-X, an X parasite that merged with her infected Power Suit. Samus is able to eliminate the X parasites by sending the space station crashing into SR388.

As a playable character
Samus makes her first appearance in the original Super Smash Bros. as a starting playable character. Samus is a heavy, yet floaty character. Her B move is the Charge Shot. Samus can fire small blasts but they do little damage, however if she charges it to full power, it is quite devastating. Her B Up is the Screw Attack which causes Samus to shoot up in the air, spinning her around very fast. Her B Down is the Bomb which can be used as a recovery if timed correctly. However, Samus is considered the lowest ranked character in the game due to her lack of combo attacks.

Samus' in-game character description reads as follows:


 * Samus Aran


 * Samus Aran is the toughest bounty hunter in the galaxy. Using a special suit powered by the technology of the bird people (Chozo) which allows her to execute daring acrobatic feats, Samus pursues the airborne life form, Metroid, throughout the universe.


 * Works:
 * Metroid (NES),
 * Metroid II: Return of Samus (GB),
 * Super Metroid (SNES)

As a playable character
Samus returns as a starting selectable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Samus's skills have been tweaked. Her new B Forward move is the Missile. Samus's tier rank is higher than the previous game due to her improved projectiles and edgeguarding capabilities.

Trophies
By tradition, Samus as a playable character is featured on her personal 3 trophies. Her normal trophy is acquired by beating the Classic mode with Samus on any difficulty, and her Smash Red and Smash Blue trophies are acquired the same way by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively.

The only other trophy that features Samus is the Samus Unmasked trophy. However, this trophy is only obtainable via special events or by hacking.

Her normal trophy earned in the Classic mode reads as follows:

Samus Aran
''This intergalactic bounty hunter's full name is Samus Aran. Clad in a Power Suit made by the Chozo race and infused with their enhanced blood, she cleared the planet Zebes of a Metroid infestation. Samus is an orphan, the sole survivor of a Space Pirate raid that destroyed an Earth colony named K-2L.''


 * Metroid, 08/89

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Samus returns in Brawl, with a generalized design drawing aspects from multiple Metroid games. She appears to essentially be the same fighter she was in Melee, but Samus also has a brand new ability. Once her Final Smash, the Zero Laser is used, Samus's power suit will be destroyed and will fall off, thus becoming Zero Suit Samus. In Brawl, her Varia Suit color can be changed so it resembles some of her other suits, like the Fusion Suit or Dark Suit, but retains the Varia Suit's shape and strength. When her suit color is changed in such a way, her Zero Suit color also becomes slightly different and has different markings on the back.

Trophy Info
Samus has many trophies about her, including her main one that is awarded each time the Classic mode is completed with Samus on any difficulty. See Zero Laser for the trophy description of Samus's Final Smash:

Samus Aran
''The intergalactic bounty hunter named Samus Aran. Orphaned at an early age, she was taken in and raised by the alien race known as the Chozo. The Power Suit she wears is a product of their technology. Her unique combat skills combined with her athleticism and Arm Cannon have seen her through countless missions.''


 * Metroid (1987)
 * Super Metroid (1994)

Samus (Fusion Suit)
''During exploration of SR388, Samus is infected by an X parasite and nearly dies. A vaccine created from Metroid cells saves her, but her suit turns blue and loses most of its abilities and weapons. This new Samus must regather her special abilities and fight to neutralize the threat of the X parasites in the space station run by Biologic Space Laboratories.''


 * Metroid Fusion (2002)

Samus (Power Suit)
''Samus in the basic version of the legendary Power Suit, made for her by the Chozo race. Samus is most often seen at the beginning of each game in this suit. The normal Power Suit has the lowest level of protective power and features no additional functions. She can use the cannon on her right arm for power shots and build up her arsenal through item pickups.''


 * Metroid (1987)
 * Metroid Prime (2002)

Samus (Varia Suit)
''A suit with a higher level of protection than the Power Suit. It eliminates damage caused by very hot or cold areas. It is also more resilient to enemy attacks than the Power Suit and greatly differs in shoulder design. Recent visual depictions of Samus often show her wearing the Varia Suit.''


 * Metroid II: The return of Samus (1991)
 * Metroid Prime (2002)

Samus (Gravity Suit)
''A Power Suit that provides even more damage protection than the Varia Suit. This Gravity Suit also allows Samus to move without water resistance when underwater. In most games in the series, this suit also blocks lava damage and friction. In addition, it allows Samus to use item bonuses like the High Jump, Space Jump, and Speed Booster, even when underwater or in lava.''


 * Super Metroid (1994)
 * Metroid: Zero Mission (2004)

Samus (Dark Suit)
''A Power Suit that reduces damage taken from the atmosphere of Dark Aether. It is obtained after defeating Amorbis in the Dark Agon Waste Temple. With its increased protection, it greatly widens the range of exploration available in the toxic atmosphere. This suit was developed by the Luminoth, the native race of Aether.''


 * Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004)

As a playable character
Samus will be returning in SSB4 for Wii U or 3DS. Not much about how she will play but what is known is that Zero Suit Samus is returning as a separate playable character. Her Final Smash is confirmed to look like Zero Laser, but with a better range of movement for the beam and the beam itself is smaller.

Trivia

 * The exact pronunciation of Samus' name changes every Smash game. In Melee it is pronounced "saw-mus". However, in Brawl, it is pronounced "sah-mus". This change in pronunciation is consistent with the way Samus is pronounced in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
 * In Melee, if Samus is looked closely after she has used the Morph Ball Bomb, she will be in a blob-like form. This can be seen by pausing at the right time, or in training mode by going at 1/4 speed.
 * In Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee, Samus wears her default costume when she is on the red team, but in Brawl, she does not, as she now possesses a red color.
 * In the North American version of Melee, her trophy along with many other characters, places, and things that first appeared in the game Metroid listed the release date as 1989, but Metroid was actually released in North America in 1987. The same mistake was also stated in the strategy guide for Melee.