Covered from head to heel in an ever upgraded, hi-tech, powered exoskeleton suit, equipped with an array of weapons and an unflinching sense of justice, Samus Aran is the ultimate bounty hunter. In a surprising twist, she's also one of video gaming's first female protagonists and a legend in the Nintendo hall of heroes.
But who was Metroid's Samus Aran before she took up the fight against Space Pirates trying to steal parasitic weapons called Metroids and how did she come to be the Samus Aran of Metroid: Other M?
Samus grew up with her parents, Rodney and Virginia Aran, on K-2L, a colony of Earth and a peaceful, unsuspecting mining planet. As a small child Aran became friendly with the Chrozo race, who came to K-2L in search of the Afloraltite crystal that was mined there, and the bird-like race would later play a major role in her rise to becoming the galaxy's greatest bounty-hunter.
Aran's feud with the Space Pirates began with the invasion of K-2L. During the raid, one particular dragon pirate called Ridley killed Samus' parents and most of her colony before destroying the planet itself. Reason enough for a bit of a grudge we think you'll agree.
From there Aran's story is the classic heroine's revenge. Samus was rediscovered by the Chozo, who were able to take the would-be heroine to its home planet Zebes. While on Zebes, Aran was given Chorzo DNA to build her resistance to alien environments, trained as a warrior and given her famous Power Suit, which merged with her body and mind.
Because of her training, her all-singing, all-killing Power Suit and her inscrutable sense of justice, Samus Aran would become one of the most respected (or feared if you're a certain kind of Pirate) bounty hunters in the galaxy.
Originally becoming a member of the Galactic Federation Police - an elite force tasked with protecting the sovereign government of the Metroid universe, the Galactic Federation - Samus fought evil within the law, becoming the most famous and skilled of the police recruits she soon began to excel far beyond everyone else at the Galactic Federation's academy.
Aran's first mission took her back to the surface of the Chozo's home planet Zebes with a contract for the head of the pirate leader Mother Brain. Her secondary objective was destroying all research into the Metroids, creatures who can drain life and be used as biological weapons, so that the Space Pirates and Ridley wouldn't get any closer to their goal. Needless to say the problem of Pirates and Metroids wasn't quite eradicated on mission one and it ended up becoming the Samus's life work.
LONE RANGER After a few years as part of the Galactic Federation Police, Samus suddenly abandoned her position to go solo as a bounty hunter for hire; her reasons have never been made clear, but perhaps they'll be revealed in her newest adventure but perhaps they will in newest game? Even after her abrupt departure, the Federation still provided most of Samus' annual income, calling on her to protect the universe from Space Pirates and to stop the likes of Ridley getting their hands on the Metroid parasites.
Even if the Galactic Federation didn't feel the need to call on her talents, Samus would still be out there fighting the good fight, her motives based on revenge and justice in equal measure.
Since acquiring her Power Suit from the Chrozo, Aran has never been left lacking in the field when it comes to firepower either. Her exoskeleton comes fully loaded with a canon, missiles and a selection of the finest lasers and beams and also the ability to transform into a Morph ball. It doesn't stop there either because, just like Batman or Lady Gaga, Samus' armoured wardrobe is constantly being improved, adapted and perfected.
In Metroid: Zero Mission, for example, Samus was forced to travel back to a Chozo shrine she once visited as a child after her original Power Suit was destroyed. She came away with the upgraded Varia Suit and since then we've seen the weaker Zero Suit and Fusion Suit the Gravity Suit, P.E.D. Suit, Phazon Suit, Hazard Suit, and Light and Dark Suits, each with different weapons, strengths and weaknesses. Basically, Samus Aran goes through power suits like James Bond goes through expensive cars, but each one offers new powers and enhanced abilities.
Flash technology aside, it's Samus' agility, cerebral approach and emotional detachment that makes her the best at what she does. One of gaming's most mysterious characters, the woman behind the armour has barely let out a peep throughout the whole of the Metroid series. That is until now, when Other M is set to reveal a whole new side of Samus.
Metorid: Other M takes place between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, the seventh and eighth of the series, until Other M interposed itself in the middle. It opens with Samus Aran in on a Galactic Federation ship as her voice-over gives a post-event narrative to the story. The GF Police are responding to a distress call. Once again Aran is reunited with Galactic Federation soldiers to serve up some Power Armoured, missile launching, roll around the floor justice.
But you know that if it means dishing out a ship load of pain to the people who destroyed her whole life, Samus Aran will be happy to take the job.
Someone's read the Metroid Manga I see. Fun Fact: Ridley is infact known as Sir Ridley in the manga, and is very cruel to the 3 year old Samus. Mostly by vaporising her mother in front of her face.
Great article. The Metroid mythology is very interesting, because, even though she's been such a pivotal player in Nintendo's history, little is truly known about her. However, I must say, I am surprised by the lack of editing/proof reading on the author's part.
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