History Characters / MetroidSamusAran

'''[[TropeCodifier The]]''' ActionGirl of [[VideoGames Video Games]].

* MsFanservice: At the end of most ''Metroid'' games, if the player manages to beat the game under a certain amount of hours, Samus will take off her Power Suit and shows just how much of a beautiful woman she is. In earlier games, she is usually depicted in a leotard, bikini or tank top. In later games, it's the Zero Suit. She also gets quite a bit of MaleGaze in ''Zero Mission'', ''Other M'', and the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. These aspects of her are severely downplayed in the ''Metroid Prime'' games, ''Samus Returns'', and ''Metroid Dread'', where while she is still stunningly beautiful the games do not emphasize any of her sexual aspects in any way. In the grand finale of ''Manga/MetroidSamusAndJoey EX'', [[spoiler:we get an image of her naked body as she was bidding farewell to Joey]].

* DangerousForbiddenTechnique: [[spoiler:The feeding ability native to Metroids she develops over the course of ''Metroid Dread.'' It's easily quite possibly the most powerful tool at her disposal, able to [[EatingTheEnemy immediately dispatch most any opposition]] and even bring [[InvincibleVillain Raven Beak]] to his knees whereas, before using it, he had her decidedly at his mercy. However, to do so will cause her to mature as a Metroid and metamorphosize into one entirely on the physical level. Only her genes from the Thoha tribe help her to stem this, and only recieving a fresh dose from the X copy of Quiet Robe helps her get it back under control when it runs amok.]]

* TheHunterBecomesTheHunted: ''Fusion'' and ''Dread'' have the SA-X and E.M.M.I. respectively reserve the role of Samus as an unstoppable hunter. They're completely invulnerable to Samus's default arsenal and fast and powerful enough to quickly kill her given the chance, forcing her to spend most of the game running or hiding from them when faced.

* LeParkour: Supremely gifted at navigating treacherous environments at a constant sprint. As well as performing an assortment of jumps, flips and tumbles that would make an Olympian gymnast green with envy. In ''Other M'', ''Samus Returns'', and ''Dread'' she can now do combat counters and moves in addition to her firepower.

* AdaptationalSkimpiness: [[spoiler:In the games, the most revealing Samus got was being in a bikini. Here, in the grand finale of ''Ex'', she went [[PosthumanNudism completely naked]] upon [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascending to a higher plane of existence]]]].

* ClothesMakeTheSuperman: Although she is still inhumanly agile and monstrously strong outside the suit, Samus is unable to take down a lowly Space Pirate trooper without its help. [[AvertedTrope Averted]] (possibly even [[InvertedTrope inverted]]) in ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros'' for CompetitiveBalance reasons. That might be because she was basically unarmed (that paralyzer doesn't really count) without it. In the non-canon ''[[Manga/MetroidSamusAndJoey Metroid EX: Samus and Joey]]'''s grand finale, [[spoiler:she not only [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] needing a power suit anymore upon her [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence transition from a human to a goddess]], she takes it further than that by [[PosthumanNudism going naked]] thanks to her new powers as a goddess not needing her to wear any clothes in general]].

* MsFanservice: At the end of most ''Metroid'' games, if the player manages to beat the game under a certain amount of hours, Samus will take off her Power Suit and shows just how much of a beautiful woman she is. In earlier games, she is usually depicted in a leotard, bikini or tank top. In later games, it's the Zero Suit. She also gets quite a bit of MaleGaze in ''Zero Mission'', ''Other M'', and the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. These aspects of her are severely downplayed in the ''Metroid Prime'' games, ''Samus Returns'', and ''Metroid Dread'', where while she is still stunningly beautiful the games do not emphasize any of her sexual aspects in any way. In the grand finale of ''Manga/MetroidSamusAndJoey EX'', [[spoiler:she undergoes PosthumanNudism upon becoming a goddess]].

* PosthumanNudism: [[spoiler:Upon [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascending to a higher plane of existence]], Samus Aran is completely devoid of clothes]], which is a [[AdaptationalSkimpiness step up]] from the first three games where [[spoiler:the most revealing she got was in a bikini]].

* ClothesMakeTheSuperman: Although she is still inhumanly agile and monstrously strong outside the suit, Samus is unable to take down a lowly Space Pirate trooper without its help. [[AvertedTrope Averted]] (possibly even [[InvertedTrope inverted]]) in ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros'' for CompetitiveBalance reasons. That might be because she was basically unarmed (that paralyzer doesn't really count) without it.

* MsFanservice: At the end of most ''Metroid'' games, if the player manages to beat the game under a certain amount of hours, Samus will take off her Power Suit and shows just how much of a beautiful woman she is. In earlier games, she is usually depicted in a leotard, bikini or tank top. In later games, it's the Zero Suit. She also gets quite a bit of MaleGaze in ''Zero Mission'', ''Other M'', and the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. These aspects of her are severely downplayed in the ''Metroid Prime'' games, ''Samus Returns'', and ''Metroid Dread'', where while she is still stunningly beautiful the games do not emphasize any of her sexual aspects in any way. In the grand finale of ''Manga/MetroidSamusAndJoey EX'', [[spoiler:she undergoes PosthumanNudism]]/

* MsFanservice: At the end of most ''Metroid'' games, if the player manages to beat the game under a certain amount of hours, Samus will take off her Power Suit and shows just how much of a beautiful woman she is. In earlier games, she is usually depicted in a leotard, bikini or tank top. In later games, it's the Zero Suit. She also gets quite a bit of MaleGaze in ''Zero Mission'', ''Other M'', and the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. These aspects of her are severely downplayed in the ''Metroid Prime'' games, ''Samus Returns'', and ''Metroid Dread'', where while she is still stunningly beautiful the games do not emphasize any of her sexual aspects in any way.

'''''[[TropeCodifier The]]''''' [[VideoGames Video Game]] ActionGirl.

* SupermodelStrut: {{Averted|Trope}} throughout the series as most of the early 2D games didn't really focus on this since Samus is running all the time, and the ''Prime'' games spend much of their time in the first-person view. ''Other M'' started to lean into this with some of the close-up slow-walking over-the-shoulder camera instances. And then ''Dread'' fully embraced this trope, especially in its cutscenes where Samus sways her hips in a very feminine manner as she walks, helped by the ''Dread'' suit hugging her legs quite tightly.

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/JenniferHale (''Metroid Prime'' series, uncredited pain grunts), Creator/VanessaMarshall (''Metroid Prime'' series, uncredited death scream), Alesia Glidewell (''Super Smash Bros.'' series), Jessica Martin (''Metroid: Other M'' English), Creator/AiKobayashi (''Metroid: Other M'' Japanese), Nieves "Nikki" García (''Metroid Dread'')

* NiceGirl: While she isn't the most social person or [[TheStoic prone to emotions]], she is shown to be a compassionate and gentle woman who wants to make the galaxy a better place. For example, instead of coldly killing the Metroid hatchling, she spares it once she realizes it isn’t hostile, [[MamaBear protects it from Ridley]], sees that it is used solely for beneficial research, and fights through all of Zebes to get it back. She also took the time to rescue the Etecoons and Dachora before Zebes was destroyed and saved planet Aether and the Luminoth from the Ing of her own volition and with no expectation of reward. In ''Dread'', after taking the time to listen to Quiet Robe's plight, she reassures him in the Chozo language that she will stop Raven Beak's plans to conquer the galaxy.

* BoobsOfSteel: She's been portrayed as being rather well-endowed, particularly since ''Zero Mission'' and especially since ''Other M'', in addition to being a badass. ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' averted this and gave her a more modest figure. ''Dread'' went back to the busty portrayal, and even made her slightly larger than ''Other M'' (although this can only be seen by [[https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/11/random-metroid-dreads-zero-suit-samus-model-is-rather-detailed-up-close ripping her in-game model]] and is not part of normal gameplay).

** While she's not voiced or anything in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3:Corruption'', the deaths of Rundas, Ghor, and Gandrayda clearly weigh heavily on her, especially during Gandrayda's death scene where she has no choice but to turn away as Dark Samus absorbs her. The ending shows her sadly mourning her fallen companions.

* SilentProtagonist: [[ZigZaggedTrope Zigzagged, actually.]] Save for ''Other M'', ''Super Smash Bros.'' and ''Dread'', Samus is almost always stoic and silent, except for occasional grunting and death screams. [[spoiler:The single line of dialogue she has in ''Dread'' is spoken in Chozo, and much later on during the ending, she screams out of rage rather than pain.]]

* RebelliousSpirit: Though Samus fights for peace in space, she does ''not'' enjoy being ordered around, and only works for the Galactic Federation because of how often their goals intersect. The moment their goals diverge, such as when she learns of the Feds' Metroid ambitions in ''Fusion'', she is quick to abandon them to do what she personally believes is right.

** Also the ending of ''Metroid II''. Samus is charged with the task of eradicating the Metroids once and for all. After destroying the Metroid Queen, Samus finds a newly hatched Metroid. Despite her mission, she still can't bring herself to kill a child. Specially poignant [[DarkAndTroubledPast considering her own past]]. Metroids are not only some of her more persistant enemies but come ''Fusion'' and ''Dread'', Samus is symbolically and literally put in a Metroid's shoes by [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie being made part Metroid]] and having the [[EvilTwin SA-X]] hunt her down with her very own Metroid fighting technique.By the time of ''Dread'', her Metroid DNA has started to awaken, slowly turning her into a [[spoiler:Human form Metroid and giving her their LifeDrinker abilities, making ''her'' the biggest threat to the galaxy if she loses control.]]

* ShowyInvincibleHero: In ''VideoGame/MetroidDread''. Despite the opening cutscene beginning with her on the wrong side of a CurbstompBattle, the rest of the game features Samus at her ''absolute best''. In gameplay, Samus has an arsenal of abilities, weapons and counters that can allow the player to remain virtually untouched if they're good enough. In cutscenes, Samus shows no signs of panic or distress; when confronted with the towering Kraid, she stands unflinchingly as he struggles to bite and claw at her, counters his attacks and ''stands in his mouth'' firing missiles into it, and then [[NonchalantDodge calmly dodges]] his last-ditch desperation attack. There are rarely other moments in the game where she is any real trouble, but these moments typically result in her growing only more confident and powerful.

-->'''PFC Crany:''' Last night at chow, Angseth starts talking about some bounty hunter and how she blew up a planet full of Space Pirates. I told her I didn't believe in fairy tales like that, and she took it personal. I just find it hard to believe that one person took out an entire Space Pirate base, that's all. But if she wants to believe in this Samus, or Bigfoot, or Santa Claus, she can.

* TerrifyingRescuer: In ''Other M'', both of the civilians encountered onboard the Bottle Ship flee in terror at the sight of her. [[spoiler:While MB is manipulating Samus with her reaction, Madeline Bergman is just plain terrified]]

* TheQuietOne: She's not actually a HeroicMime; while she talks a lot in ''Other M'' in her internal monologue, it's shown in ''Fusion'' and ''Dread'' that out of her head, she is extremely laconic, only speaking when she can't get something across through her actions.

** The second is in [[spoiler:Dread, when [[BigBad Raven Beak]] finally pushes her over the edge, taunting her with the idea that he is technically her ArchnemesisDad, massacring the friendly Thoha Chozo and his own people, manipulating her all mission by pretending to be Adam, and gloating about his plans to clone her to conquer the galaxy, she ''loses her shit'', beating him to a pulp as her [[EleventhHourSuperpower Metroid genes fully awaken]], screeching in rage all the while]]

* ProudBeauty: She seems to be very proud of her looks ( and who could blame her) and she loves to show off her beauty to the player at the end of each game by letting her hair down and posing attractively.

* RatedMForManly: Samus is a very notable [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] of this trope due to her gender, which is one reason behind her fame and popularity. A 6-foot-tall [[PoweredArmor armored]] space-faring BountyHunter with a huge ArmCannon who goes killing aliens and blowing up planets is inherently one of the manliest concepts one can think of, but Samus [[SamusIsAGirl being a woman]] shows that this type of impressive badassery isn't inherently tied to gender, machismo or stereotypical masculinity in general. Parodied by WebVideo/RandomEncounters in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVqYFGuVb-I this video]].

* StaticStunGun: She uses her Paralyzer for protection when not wearing her armor. ''Brawl'' [[SwissArmyWeapon adds]] a [[WhipItGood whip mode]].

* DeathGlare: [[spoiler:Gives Raven Beak an ''epic'' one before the FinalBoss fight with him, especially when he claims to be her [[ArchnemesisDad father]] (which is technically right, as shown under HasTwoDaddies, but is actively demeaning Rodney Aran, Old Bird and Grey Voice's memory, as well as clearly an attempt to manipulate her).]]

* HasTwoDaddies
** As indicated by HappilyAdopted above, Samus was raised by two male Chozo, Old Bird and Gray Voice, who you can see depicted together in [[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f7/86/b2/f786b2c18c70c8f3329fb9c6c5b1f315.jpg this adorable childhood drawing.]]
** Furthermore, in a biological sense, since Gray Voice donated his DNA to make Samus part Chozo, she even has two ''genetic'' daddies: Gray Voice and her human father, Rodney Aran.
** ''Dread'' reveals an additional genetic donor [[spoiler:who is none other than [[BigBad Raven Beak]], meaning ArchnemesisDad is in full effect here.]]
** And with Adam Malkovich acting as a sort of father figure, you could say that Samus really has ''five'' daddies.

* SuperReflexes: Capable of nullifying hails of gunfire with her own shots. One of the coolest and most impressive displays of her [[SuperReflexes reflexes]] and [[SuperSpeed speed]] comes from the ''Samus and Joey'' manga: [[http://www.metroid-database.com/manga/samus_joey_en/ch_0001/scaled/sc_SAJ_Vol1_020.jpg a Space Pirate has his weapon trained on Joey, his hostage, at point-blank range, with his weapon inches away from the boy's head]]. [[http://www.metroid-database.com/manga/samus_joey_en/ch_0001/scaled/sc_SAJ_Vol1_021.jpg Samus tells him to fire, and he does]]. Samus then moves with lightning speed and catches the bullet well before it hits Joey, while simultaneously mortally wounding the Space Pirate with a shot of her own. As revealed by supplementary materials and the various manga, and implied in ''Prime 3'', Samus' HUD's lock on just lets her keep track of her opponents. ''It doesn't actually lock her gun on to them.'' While her wave beam and missiles do have tracking capabilities, her traditional 'lock on' in the various games are just her insane reflexes allowing her to keep a steady aim. In one issue of the manga, Samus abused this by countering five bullets from a criminal with only four power beam shots at lightning speed.

* FlippingTheBird: Literally so, in fact. As can be seen in ''Prime'' if one has the X-ray visor equipped, to switch between the firing mode of her ArmCannon, Samus needs to [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/metroid_finger_guns.png make different hand shapes]] inside the barrel of the weapon. The shape she needs to make for the [[WaveMotionGun Hyper Beam]] is basically this, which is both thematically and situationally appropriate, given [[JustForPun the species that crafted it]] and the situation she's usually using it in.

* MadeOfIron: Due to her Chozo heritage and Zebesian upbringing. She can take shots for the team that would cause a lesser hero to crumple in one. She can stand ''multiple'' times after having been hit by Mother Brain's ''[[WaveMotionGun Laser Brain Attack]].'' When she and her fellow hunters are incapacitated by Dark Samus in ''Prime 3'', she is the only one who manages to get back up for just long enough to accomplish their mission before completely passing out. She ''will'' fight and win battles with [[BackFromTheBrink a drop in the tank to spare.]]
* MakeMeWannaShout: The Annihilator Beam, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the energy let off from a matter-antimatter annihilation]], happens to have a "high powered sonic aspect" and outright becomes a noise weapon charged to fire what is cutely dubbed a "disruptor". Add five missiles to the "disruptor" and you get a "sonic boom" that temporarily ''cracks reality''.

* MonstrousHumanoid: [[spoiler:In the final battle of ''Metroid Dread'' her Metroid DNA overtakes her and turns her into a humanoid Metroid, with her Power Suit transforming into a green-and-red exoskeleton with claws and spikes. The X-Parasite-consumed Quiet Robe restores her humanity by infusing her with his Thoha DNA.]]

* FlashStep: You can do this in-game as a strafe mechanism, especially with cover to dart in and out from, but the most explicit example happens in ''Samus and Joey''. It's accompanied with an insane [[BulletCatch bullet catch]] when the hostage's face is ''two feet away'' from the muzzle of the weapon. Samus manages to ''shoot the Pirate at the same time.''

* BareYourMidriff: Her casual clothes consist of little more than a crop top and short shorts which leave her waistline exposed.