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Dark Samus is a villain in the Metroid series who first appeared in Metroid Prime at the very end, and again in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. She is the reborn form of Metroid Prime and serves as the main antagonist of the Metroid Prime trilogy. Dark Samus is a concentration of Phazon energy that takes on the form of Samus Aran after her Phazon Suit and DNA mix with the remains of Metroid Prime in a pool of Phazon.[1] Dark Samus also appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a playable character.
History[]
Dark Samus was created when Samus Aran destroyed Metroid Prime. As it was dying, Metroid Prime stole the Phazon infected Phazon Suit from Samus as it was absorbing all of the Phazon in the area. If you defeat Metroid Prime with 100% of all the items, you can watch a bonus cutscene showing Dark Samus' rebirth.
In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Dark Samus "officially" appears in the Metroid series. Dark Samus cannot survive without Phazon and ravages the Space Pirate base on Aether and all of Dark Aether. It is encountered three times in the game, finally being destroyed on Dark Aether and (as it seems, intentionally or not) removing the Phazon blocking the only Light Portal back to Aether. Then Dark Samus reforms above Aether as Samus leaves the planet.
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Dark Samus forcibly take control of the Space Pirate forces and corrupts all the hunters on planet Norion in their attempt to stop the Leviathan Seed from crashing into the planet. Dark Samus gradually takes over all of Samus Aran's fellow hunters, and finally Samus faces Dark Samus in Phaaze, where after it's defeat, absorbs itself into the Aurora Unit 313. After the Aurora Unit 313 is destroyed, Dark Samus appears for a final time and disappears in a fantastic explosion, supposedly ending its life.
Official art of Dark Samus in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
Abilities[]
Although Dark Samus does have many moves based on Samus Aran, it has developed a lot of its own moves. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Dark Samus can turn invisible and regenerate after huge explosions. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, it shows the ability to fly at the cut-scene in the beginning. In the final battle it can heal, create clones called dark echoes, make phazon crystals fall from the sky, make a tornado with its clones, and shoot some kind of plasma beam. It is also a master of its Phazon Beam.
Log entries[]
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[]
Dark Samus 1[]
"Scans indicate the presence of Phazon and your genetic material within this entity. She wears a version of the Varia Suit, altered and augmented by the Phazon within her. Primary weapons include the Missile Launcher and a scattershot version of the Power Beam. Boost and Jump abilities are superior to yours. The ability to generate Phazon energy shields is also present."
Dark Samus 2[]
"Tactical scans have identified several new battle systems in the armor of Dark Samus. She now wields a potent variant of your Charge Beam. Her Boost attack has been augmented, and the ability to render herself invisible is present as well. Bioscans suggest that Dark Samus can reform her body short of total atomic disruption. Extreme caution recommended."
Dark Samus 3[]
"Scans indicate that Dark Samus has absorbed tremendous levels of Phazon into her body: too much, perhaps. She can vent Phazon energy in the form of destructive blasts and protective shields: doing so will help her maintain stability. Exposure to Phazon has rendered her invisible to the Dark Visor. These new abilities, combined with her already formidable arsenal, place Dark Samus at the highest threat level."
Dark Samus 4[]
"Dark Samus has temporarily become a being of pure yet unstable Phazon energy. She can generate a shield that is invulnerable to all attacks, save one -- blasts of Phazon energy itself. Use your Charge Beam to collect Phazon energy that she expels, then fire it back at her. Direct hits will overload and disrupt her essence."
Super Smash Bros. series[]
Dark Samus has made consistent appearances in the series since her introduction as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. She was eventually featured as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and finally promoted to the rank of playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where she is an Echo Fighter of Samus.
Attacks[]
Like Samus, Dark Samus has access to multiple projectiles to damage her opponents from afar. Her properties are very similar to Samus but Dark Samus notably has different animations on almost all her moves, a better shield and a better roll.
Specials[]
- Neutral Special: Charge Shot
- Side Special: Missile
- Down Special: Bomb
- Up Special: Screw Attack
- Final Smash: Phazon Laser
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]
Dark Samus appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In a cooperative event match, there's a silhouette of Samus that's called Dark Samus, though doesn't look like her incarnation from the Metroid Prime series.
Trophy descriptions[]
Dark Samus' trophy in Brawl.
- "A twin image of Samus, encountered near the beginning of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Dark Samus is identical to Samus in every way but color--she even uses similar attacks. There are many theories on the origin of Dark Samus, but none are proven. Dark Samus uses Phazon for energy and can absorb it to heal damage. Samus encounters Dark Samus a number of times."
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U[]
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, she is turned into an Assist Trophy. The assist trophy is based on her Corruption incarnation with three main attacks and lots of mobility. She can fire three large Phazon orbs aimed at opponents, a spread of Phazon shots or fires a Phazon shield from the ground surrounding her. She can also be stunned with attacks for a second. Samus also has an alternate costume that is in the same palette as Dark Samus.
Trophy descriptions[]
Dark Samus' trophy in the Wii U version.
- NA: "This terrifying creature is made of Phazon. Along with regenerative abilities, she can also brainwash her victims and clone herself. Summoned into Smash Bros., she resembles Samus Aran and mimics some of her moves, firing Arm Cannon blasts, launching homing missiles, or even unleashing Phazon."
- EU: "An exceptionally strong and terrifying being made of Phazon. She's able to regenerate, brainwash her victims and even clone herself. When summoned in this game, she'll either fire rapid blasts from her Arm Cannon, launch homing missiles, or unleash Phazon across the surrounding area, depending on where her target is."
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[]
Dark Samus becomes a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate where she is introduced as an Echo Fighter of Samus and use slight variation of her attacks that are based on Phazon aesthetics.[2] Like every new fighters from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, she is scheduled to receive its own Amiibo figure.
Reception[]
The character of Dark Samus has received a positive reception. According to Super Smash Bros. series director Masahiro Sakurai, Dark Samus was included in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate due to the character's popularity with western players.[3] IGN listed Dark Samus as their 88th best video game villain.[4]
Trivia[]
- Dark Samus's voice and laughter are very similar in sound to Samus. According to Clark Wen, this was intentional as Dark Samus's sound clips were taken from unused recordings of Samus's grunts and screams of pain, and heavily processed.
- Dark Samus's Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy states that there are many theories of her origin, but none are proven, which is false, since the secret ending of Metroid Prime showed her being born from the Metroid Prime itself and Samus's absorbed Phazon Suit.
References[]
| Metroids | |
|---|---|
| Natural line | Metroid Larva • Alpha Metroid • Gamma Metroid • Zeta Metroid • Omega Metroid • Queen Metroid |
| Phazon line | Miniroid • Phazon Metroid • Hopping Metroid • Metroid Hatcher |
| Phazon mutants | Fission Metroid • Hunter Metroid |
| Created by external means | Dark Tallon Metroid • Mochtroid |
| Unique specimens | Metroid Prime/Dark Samus • Samus Aran |
| Final bosses in Metroid | |
|---|---|
| Metroid series | Mother Brain • Queen Metroid • SA-X • Omega Metroid • Ridley Robot • Melissa Bergman • Phantoon • Proteus Ridley • Raven Beak |
| Metroid Prime series | Metroid Prime • Emperor Ing • Dark Samus • Gorea • Aurora Unit 313 • Master Brain • Samus Aran |