Samus Aran

This article is about Samus in her Power Suit. For Samus without her Power Suit, see Zero Suit Samus.

Samus Aran
Metroid Dread artwork
First appearance	Metroid (1986)
Latest appearance	Metroid Dread (2021)
Species	Human (biologically augmented with Chozo DNA and later Metroid DNA)

Samus Aran is the main protagonist of the Metroid franchise and an intergalactic bounty hunter whose first appearance is in the Nintendo Entertainment System game, Metroid. Initially orphaned as a young girl through the combined efforts of Ridley and the Space Pirates, Samus was soon adopted by the surviving members of the bird-like Chozo race. The Chozo subsequently infused her with a sample of their DNA in order to allow her to better survive environments too harsh for humans, after which they trained her in combat in order to prepare her to use the Power Suit. Upon leaving the Chozo following her training and acquisition of the Power Suit, Samus served a brief stint as a member of the Galactic Federation, after which she decided to become a bounty hunter and fight the Space Pirates on her own, including Ridley.

History

Metroid franchise

Metroid

In Metroid, according to the story provided by the instruction manual, Samus was contacted by the Federation and sent as a last resort to stop the Pirates' production of Metroids. Samus succeeded, defeating Kraid, Ridley, and Mother Brain in the process, but as she escaped, a bomb was detonated by the Mother Brain. In the original game, this is where the story ended. However, in Metroid: Zero Mission, as Samus attempted to outrun the explosion, she was shot down by a fleet of Pirates. In the ensuing crash, she lost her Power Suit and was forced to fight her way to her old home in Chozodia. There, Samus was tested by an ancient Chozo shrine, and given the Varia Suit, which in turn activated three "unknown" items (that turned out to be the Gravity suit, the Plasma beam and the Space Jump). She then defeated the cyborg creature Mecha-Ridley (also referred to as Robo-Ridley) and escaped the Pirates' Mothership using one of their small fighters.

Metroid II: Return of Samus

In Metroid II: Return of Samus, Samus is charged with returning to planet SR-388. She must fight through to the Metroid queen, and wipe out the Metroid species once and for all.

Her mission complete, Samus came across one last Metroid egg that hatched just as she arrived. The newborn Metroid, imprinting on Samus, mistook her for its mother and floated around her, chirping affectionately. Samus couldn’t bring herself to destroy the confused Metroid hatchling, despite it being the very last one on the planet. She ultimately decided to take it with her to the scientific research space colony Ceres, for close study.

Super Metroid

Super Metroid picked up events where Metroid II left off. At the game's onset, Samus received a distress signal stating that the space colony was being attacked. As she searched the colony, she found the hatchling, held by Ridley, and the player can briefly battle with Ridley. Outmatched, Samus could only watch as Ridley escaped with the hatchling Metroid. Afterwards, the colony's self-destruct systems were set off, forcing her to evacuate.

Samus chased Ridley back to planet Zebes, where the remainder of the game takes place. The player must hunt down Kraid and Ridley, along with new bosses such as Phantoon, and Draygon, destroying them all in the process.

On the way through Tourian, Samus is attacked by a massive Metroid; which starts to drain her energy at an alarming rate. However, it stopped seconds before killing her and released her from its hold. It was, in fact, the Metroid hatchling Samus had previously saved, now transformed into the eponymous "Super Metroid." Samus managed to recover before seeking out Mother Brain’s chamber. Just as before, Samus attacked the bottled brain until it suddenly rose again with a new mechanical body.

Samus may have been destroyed completely had the Super Metroid not appeared, stolen energy from Mother Brain, and given it to her. However, in retaliation, Mother Brain attacked the Metroid and destroyed it. Afterwards, Samus began to pulsate and discovered that she now possessed an immensely powerful weapon: the Hyper Beam. With this new weapon, Mother Brain was defeated in short order.

Once again, however, Mother Brain's death set off the self-destruct system, leaving Samus and the player with only a few minutes to escape. Samus managed to escape just as the entire planet Zebes was completely destroyed.

Metroid Fusion

Samus wearing her final Fusion Suit. After absorbing the SA-X, Samus regains her orange suit colors and the Ice Beam.

In Metroid Fusion, Samus returns to SR-388 and is infected by a new enemy, the X Parasite. After evacuating the planet, Samus lost consciousness and an escape pod jettisoned before her ship crashed into an asteroid.

In desperation, doctors surgically removed Samus' power suit, and injected her with Metroid DNA (taken from the metroid hatchling). Samus made a rapid recovery but was left permanently infused with Metroid DNA and a new "suit" created from the absorbed parasite. The Federation then gave her a new space ship, provided that she followed the orders of her new commanding officer, an artificial intelligence built into the ship’s computer. She nicknamed the computer “Adam”, in remembrance of a previous CO she served under during her time in the Federation.

Samus is immediately given a new mission: to investigate the cause of a mysterious explosion back on the space station. Meanwhile, the X Parasite that had infected her Power Suit is now controlling the remains of it, containing all of the strength she had when she last left SR388. Samus is cautioned by Adam not to engage the SA-X until her strength has recovered by absorbing the parasites that have taken her lost abilities. After seeking out the SA-X, Samus learns that the Federation had been running a Metroid breeding program. Samus is briefly betrayed by Adam, saying that it was following orders to prevent Samus from destroying the SA-X. Samus and Adam then decide to set the station's course to plow into SR-388’s atmosphere and self-destruct.

Racing to escape the station, Samus reaches the hangar, only to be critically wounded in a battle with an "Omega Metroid". The SA-X parasite then arrives to battle the Metroid as well. The SA-X is defeated, but Samus fuses with it, and regains her original power and her final Fusion suit. Samus defeats the Omega Metroid, and her ship arrives. She escapes just as the station, falling out of orbit, crashes into SR-388, causing the entire planet to explode. Samus expresses concern about the future in the ending. She believes that she will be held accountable, and possibly be prosecuted, for the destruction of SR-388 and the space station. However, Adam reassures her that someone will understand.

Metroid Prime

In Metroid Prime, set some time after the first Metroid, the onset takes place on a derelict Frigate in orbit above Tallon IV. Samus discovers that the frigate is a storage and research station made by the Space Pirates to study a new radioactive material known as Phazon. However, it was rapidly crashing toward the nearby planet, forcing the player to escape. Just before, Samus is confronted by Meta Ridley, a cybernetically-augmented version of the Space Pirate whom she previously defeated on Zebes. As she made her escape, an accident disabled many functions of her Power Suit, causing the player to earn them all over again.

The setting of the game then permanently shifts to Tallon IV. This planet contains the ruins of a Chozo civilization, destroyed by Phazon that came from a mysterious meteor long ago. Also, the Space Pirates, led by Meta Ridley, built a base on the planet. Samus must collect 12 Chozo Artifacts to enter the crater of the meteor, defeating Meta Ridley and the Space Pirates along the way.

Deep inside the crater, the source of the Phazon is discovered: Metroid Prime.

With the defeat of the Space Pirates and the destruction of Metroid Prime, Samus escaped the collapsing meteor crater. However, having absorbed the Phazon Suit upgrade from Samus, Metroid Prime created a new form for itself: Dark Samus.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, the Galactic Federation contacts Samus, hiring her for a search and rescue mission on the planet Aether. Soon, Samus discovers Dark Samus, the hybrid of Samus’ lost Phazon suit, Metroid Prime, and even some of Samus's own DNA.

Metroid Prime Hunters

In Metroid Prime Hunters, Samus is charged with locating eight artifacts known as Octoliths, which are touted as the key to Ultimate Power. However, she must first contend with six other galactic bounty hunters, along with various other enemies and the guardians of the relics.

Samus soon discovers, however, that she and the other hunters have been manipulated into releasing a creature known as Gorea from its prison. With the help of an ancient race known as the Alimbic, Samus defeats Gorea and completes her mission.

Tetris series

Tetris

The results screen for the NES version of Tetris features Samus Aran as part of a band composed of herself, Donkey Kong, Link, Pit, Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Bowser. She is playing the cello. Samus in particular appears when the player has completed height 2 of Game B's ninth level.

Tetris DS

In Tetris DS Samus can be found on the title screen shooting Tetrominos. She is also seen on the top screen progressing through an area from Metroid on Level 12 of Marathon Mode.

Samus also has her own game mode called Catch. In this mode, a block floats up through a Metroid-style corridor. The other tetrominos must attach to it and form a square. The square then explodes, earning the Player points. Metroids also appear in this mode as enemies and must be avoided.

F-1 Race

Samus makes a guest appearance in F-1 Race, alongside various other Nintendo All Stars (the other characters include Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Link, and Pit). Here, Samus is cheering on for the player prior to the seventh course and in the ending credits to congratulate them on their victory.

Nintendo Comics System

Although missing from the animated television series, Captain N: The Game Master, Samus did appear as a major character in the comic book adaptation of Captain N released under the Valiant Nintendo Comics System.

Mario franchise

Mario vs. Wario: The Birthday Bash

In Mario vs. Wario: The Birthday Bash, Samus makes a cameo appearance in the form of the Samus Doll, a central element to the story. When both Mario and Wario are considering what to get Princess Toadstool for her birthday, they remember her thinking the doll was cute when passing by the toy store on the way to the park. However, both of them are told someone with "a big, black mustache" bought the last doll and try to sabotage each other, though in the end Luigi is the one who bought the doll for the princess.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

“I'm resting up for Mother Brain.”

– Samus Aran, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Samus Aran rests before a major battle

In Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Samus can be found sleeping in the guest room in the Mushroom Castle after obtaining the fifth Star Piece. If Mario talks to her in the Japanese version, she half-consciously says「オモロイド」(Omoroido), a play on「メトロイド」(Metoroido, Metroid) and「おもろい」(omoroi, interesting) referencing the Japanese「メトロイド　オモロイド」(Metoroido Omoroido, effectively "Metroid Funroid") marketing tagline first used for Metroid II: Return of Samus. In the English version of the same dialogue, she instead says that she is "resting up for Mother Brain."

A toy of Samus also appears in the toy box in the room at the top of Booster Tower.

WarioWare series

Samus also appears in the WarioWare games, where she appears in microgames modeled after levels from the Metroid games.

A list of the microgames Samus prominently appeared in include:

• Metroid (WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!)
• Metroid-Morph Ball (WarioWare: Twisted!)
• Metroid-Samus (WarioWare: Twisted!)
• Metroid (WarioWare: Touched!)
• Metroid Prime 2 (WarioWare: Smooth Moves)
• Metroid (WarioWare: D.I.Y. - 9-Volt's microgame)
• Super Metroid (WarioWare: Get It Together!)

Samus Aran is the theme of the 14th Miiverse Sketch Masterpiece Collection video, a promotional series of videos for Game & Wario in which the WarioWare cast comments on drawings made in the game's Miiverse Sketch mode. Samus' video is commented by 9-Volt.

Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The Samus outfit for Miis

Samus Aran makes a cameo appearance in the Wii U title, Mario Kart 8 - specifically, after the version 3.0 update and returns to be available in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Her image appears alongside many other Nintendo and third-party characters' images on the Mii Racing Suits screen. As such, she is one of the characters whose amiibo can be scanned on the Wii U GamePad, in order for the Samus suit to become available; both the Samus and Zero Suit Samus amiibo can be used to unlock the costume. This suit customizes the player's Mii clothing.

Super Mario Maker

A costume representing Samus is available for the player's character in Super Mario Maker. The player can unlock the Samus costume either by scanning her amiibo onto the GamePad, or by completing the 100 Mario Challenge. Her sprite in this game is a new one based upon her modern appearance. All of her sound effects are taken from the Famicom Disk System version of the original Metroid, and when Samus runs at full speed she turns into the Morph Ball. Samus's pose when pressing is her aiming her cannon at the screen.

Paper Mario: The Origami King

In Paper Mario: The Origami King, Samus's helmet (referred to as "Space Warrior Mask") appears as an origami headpiece in Shogun Studios. Mario wears it and holds his arms like Samus's Arm Cannon while the "Samus Appears" fanfare and the arm cannon sound effect from Metroid plays. Bob-omb comments that the style does not really fit "Big M", but would be perfect on "some other kind of M".

Super Smash Bros. series

Samus
Game appearances
Super Smash Bros. Super Smash Bros. Melee Super Smash Bros. Brawl Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Special moves
Standard:  Charge Shot Side:  Missile Up:  Screw Attack Down:  Bomb Final Smash:  Zero Laser
Battle entrance
Samus steps out of a Save Station.

Samus appears in all six games in the Super Smash Bros. series. She is a heavy character but falls at a slow speed, giving her "floaty" jumps and aerial movement like in the sidescrolling Metroid games. Samus's moveset is designed around extensive use of her projectiles and other weapons, along with a number of hand-to-hand moves and short-range cannon blasts. Several of her moves make use of her arm cannon, while her special moves are all based on the equipment she obtains in the Metroid series.

Super Smash Bros.

Samus is one of the default characters in the original Super Smash Bros.. Her appearance is based upon the Varia Suit as it appears in Super Metroid. In the game's single player mode, she is fought on the Planet Zebes stage.

Samus's standard special move is the Charge Shot, which allows her to charge up a blast and fire it. Her up special move is the Screw Attack, in which she jumps up with an electric barrier around her to damage opponents. Her down special is the Bomb, in which she turns into the Morph Ball and drops a bomb. In addition, Samus uses the Grapple Beam as her grab move, which gives her a ranged grab.

One of Samus's alternate costumes is based upon the Gravity Suit; while the one officially noted as the Gravity Suit appears similar to the in-game sprite in Super Metroid, her purple costume resembles the suit in official artwork. In addition, while not based upon any aspect of the Metroid series, her green costume is referred to as "mass-produced Samus," a reference to the Gundam franchise.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, Samus is once again a default character. In Adventure Mode, Samus is faced during the first portion of stage 4, which is set in Brinstar.

Most of Samus's moves are carried over from the previous game, while she has been given a side special move, the Missile, in which she can fire either a homing missile or a Super Missile. The Grapple Beam can also now be used to cling to walls. Samus's down tilt is now a downwards blast with her arm cannon.

There are four trophies of Samus. One of these trophies, Samus Unmasked, could only be legitimately obtained at a limited promotional event at Toys "R" Us in Japan. Though its data is still present in overseas releases of the game, the Samus Unmasked trophy cannot be obtained through legitimate means. The Samus Unmasked trophy still shows Samus in her Varia Suit, although her head is visible because she is holding the helmet on her left arm.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Samus's moveset is unchanged, though the Grapple Beam has once again been altered to act as a tether recovery rather than a wall grab. Her Final Smash, the Zero Laser, involves her firing a large beam of energy at opponents, though afterward the Power Suit falls apart, leaving Samus as Zero Suit Samus; the pieces, however, can be picked up and thrown. Zero Suit Samus can regain the Power Suit by using her Final Smash, Power Suit Samus. The player can also instantly remove the Power Suit at any time during battle by quickly alternating Samus's up and down taunts, or at the beginning of a battle by holding down the shield button on the controller when selecting Samus on the character select.

One of Samus's new alternate costumes in this game is based upon the Fusion Suit from Metroid Fusion, while another is based upon the Dark Suit from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

The Subspace Emissary

Samus's snapshot in The Subspace Emissary

Samus begins the Subspace Emissary in her Zero Suit, infiltrating a sinister laboratory. After making her way through it, she encounters Pikachu trapped within a strange device that harnesses its electrical energy to provide power to the complex. Seeing that the device causes Pikachu pain, Samus breaks the machine. In thanks, Pikachu helps Samus continue through the lab. Eventually, the pair come across Samus's Power Suit within a tank. However, two clones of Samus, wearing the purple Gravity Suit, approach them, prompting Samus and Pikachu to battle. When they are defeated, an alarm begins to wail, and the R.O.B. Squad approaches. Samus regains her Power Suit and blasts her way through them, along with Pikachu.

As they attempt to escape the complex, however, Ridley strikes without warning, snatching up Samus and attacking her. Pikachu uses Thunder to free her, and the two face off against Ridley.

After escaping from the facility, Samus and Pikachu discover another Subspace Army base producing Subspace Bombs. The two infiltrate it, and after fighting their way through, discover the Ancient Minister in a room filled with Subspace Bombs. The allies prepare to battle, but the Ancient Minister does not seem to want to fight them. Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Captain Falcon, and Captain Olimar then break into the room, and all of them, including Samus, witness the Ancient Minister defy Ganondorf's commands. As a result, the R.O.B. Squad fires upon him, burning off his robe and revealing that he is a R.O.B., as well. It turns out that all of the R.O.B.s had been forced to work with the Subspace Army, with the main R.O.B., the Master Robot, as their leader. The rest of the R.O.B.s activate all the Subspace Bombs in the room, forcing all of them to escape. As they rush to the exit aboard Captain Falcon's Falcon Flyer, Meta Ridley races after them. The group defeats the space dragon once more, and escapes just before R.O.B.s' island home is engulfed in Subspace.

They then meet up with Mario, Link, Kirby, Pit, Yoshi, the Ice Climbers, Marth, Ike, Lucas, the Pokémon Trainer, Meta Knight, Princess Peach, Princess Zelda, Lucario, Solid Snake, Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, and Mr. Game & Watch. All of them witness a Subspace Gunship emerge from Subspace. Samus's ship is among the ones that attack it.

Samus, along with all the other characters except for King Dedede, Luigi, and Ness, is turned into a trophy by Tabuu. Her trophy is obtained by Dedede's team, and she subsequently joins everyone else in The Great Maze, where they eventually defeat Tabuu.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Samus's artwork for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Samus is once again a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Her appearance in this game has been changed to be based on the design of the Varia Suit seen in Metroid: Other M, though with additional and changed details, such as the vents in her armor and an opaque visor. While her moveset has not been changed, Samus's Power Suit no longer falls apart to turn her into Zero Suit Samus after using her Final Smash, as the two have been made completely separate characters.

In addition to her existing alternate costumes, Samus has been given two new ones: one based on the Light Suit from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and one based on Dark Samus, who also appears as an Assist Trophy.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Samus's stock icon

Samus returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, retaining her design from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. For the first time, Charge Shot can be charged in midair, thus increasing its effectiveness. Her movements are also slightly faster, and some of her attacks deal more damage or are stronger overall, including her throws: for her new up throw, she doesn't use the Grapple Beam anymore, as she now tosses the opponent above her and fires a shot from her Arm Cannon. Furthermore, Zero Suit Samus dons the Varia Suit during her new Final Smash. For her eighth alternate costume, instead of one resembling Dark Samus, Samus's suit is black with a yellow visor; this is because Dark Samus is an Echo Fighter of Samus.

She also appeared in the reveal trailer for Ridley, alongside Mario and Mega Man as they explore an area reminiscent of Tourian. However, Ridley appears and defeats Mario and Mega Man, making Mario lose his hat in the process and taunts Samus by twirling it.

Classic Mode route

By completing Samus' Classic Mode route, it is possible to unlock Inkling, Wii Fit Trainer, Pit, Incineroar, Dark Samus, Cloud, Wario, or Dark Pit.

Another Planet, Another Bounty
Round	Opponent(s)	Rule	Stage	Song
1	Wolf		Brinstar	Title Theme - Metroid
2	Giant King K. Rool		Brinstar (Ω)	Brinstar Depths
3	R.O.B. ×6	Horde Battle	Brinstar Depths	Brinstar (Melee)
4	Giant Ridley		Norfair	Vs. Ridley
5	Mewtwo, Bowser, Charizard		Norfair (Ω)	Multiplayer - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
6	Dark Samus		Frigate Orpheon	Vs. Parasite Queen
Final	Master Hand, Crazy Hand (intensity 7.0 or higher)		Final Destination	Master Hand Master Hand / Crazy Hand (intensity 7.0 or higher)

Nintendo Land

Samus is alluded to Nintendo Land in the attraction Metroid Blast, where Miis are dressed in her Power Suit to fight waves of robotic enemies either on foot or from the air (via her gunship). On foot, the Miis can fire her Arm Cannon, enter into her Morph Ball form, and use the Grapple Beam. Charging up her Arm Cannon allows the Mii to fire bombs. From the gunship, the Miis can fire missiles.

Profiles and statistics

Main article: List of Samus Aran profiles and statistics

Super Smash Bros. bios

Instruction booklet: The greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy, Samus Aran fights with the super-human power of her hi-tech power suit.

In-game profile: Samus Aran is the toughest bounty hunter in the galaxy. Using a special suit powered by the technology of the bird people 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)

amiibo

• Samus Aran, an intergalactic bounty hunter, has fought her way across a variety of planets in the Metroid series. 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.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Super Smash Blog bio

"With her Charge Shot, Missile and Bomb, Samus has three different projectiles to keep her opponents in check from a distance. When fully charged up, her Charge Shot is quite powerful. For her Final Smash, she launches a wide laser beam that can be moved up and down!"

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Samus Aran.

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  Super Smash Bros. artwork

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  Super Smash Bros. Melee artwork

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  Super Smash Bros. Brawl artwork

Name in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	サムス・アラン Samusu Aran	Samus Aran
Chinese (Simplified)	萨姆斯・艾仁 Sàmǔsī Àirén	Samus Aran
Chinese (Traditional)	薩姆斯・阿倫 Sàmǔsī Ālún	Samus Aran
Korean	사무스 아란 Samuseu Aran	Samus Aran
Russian	Самус Аран Samus Aran	Samus Aran

Trivia

• Samus was originally going to appear in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, where she tries a sample of Bean Juice at Starbeans Cafe. She, along with other Nintendo characters, was replaced by Professor E. Gadd, whose role was expanded from his intended appearance in the game. She was also the only character besides Gadd to have the blend she was tasting explicitly stated in the cut dialogue (Hoolumbian, in Samus's case).
• In 2019, Super Mario RPG artist Kazuyuki Kurashima posted concept art meant for Paper Mario (back when it was called Super Mario RPG 2) on Instagram that features Samus Aran alongside several Mario characters. The image was captioned "MR2 the blurry".
• Samus also appears in Nintendo Monopoly. Here, she costs $200 and takes the role of New York Avenue.
• Samus is the only female character to be playable in the original Super Smash Bros., not counting Pikachu and Jigglypuff, which could be either gender starting in Pokémon Gold & Silver, and possibly Kirby, whose sex is ambiguous despite the use of masculine pronouns.