Character Breakdown: Samus Aran

Samus Aran Quick Navigation Links:
Character Breakdown: Samus Aran
The Samus Aran Workout
The Skills of Samus Aran
The Mind of Samus Aran

Name: Samus Aran
Game(s): The Metroid Series, the Super Smash Bros. series, assorted cameos.
Skills/Attributes:

• Bounty Hunter
• Expert Marksman
• Pilot
• Explorer
• Willful
• Independent
• Resourceful

Summary:
If Chun Li is the first lady of fighting, then Samus Aran is the first lady of video games.  Yes, there were girl characters in games before her, but none of them were protagonists of their own series, more often than not they were just damsels in distress to be rescued by the male heroine.  The funny thing is, the majority of gamers at the time were so accustomed to this stereotype that they had no idea the armored character they were playing was a female until the very end of the game.

Samus began her career as a star member of the inter-space police force(yes, I’m disregarding the silly “Other M” reboot here), before something went wrong on a mission and drove her to disappear.  Years later, she reappeared as the galaxy’s most feared bounty hunter, putting her fearsome skills to more petty and money-driven pursuits.  Somehow, however, she always ended up saving the galaxy anyway, usually from the Space Pirates and their leader Mother Brain, although later adventures saw different, more varied enemies, including a dark clone of herself.

Samus has always been a strong, willful character, fiercely independent.  Typically she gets sent into a planet when all others have failed, relying on her skills and her powersuit to carry her through to win the day.  The type of isolation and independence is nothing to scoff at.  Modern-day astronauts typically go through specific training for this sort of thing. Being isolate on a desert planet full of hostile alien life forms is not exactly a picnic.

Other hints of Samus’ past have come up in her later games, like her connection to the Chozo, an ancient, birdlike race, now extinct.  It’s said the chozo designed her specific power suit, unmatched in its capabilities and functions, and that they were legendary in their ability to work with raw energy.  She carries the legacy of the chozo, both on her shoulders and, possibly, in her blood.

We’re going to look at the sort of physical fitness a galactic police officer-turned-bounty hunter would require.  We’re also going to go over the skills it takes to adapt to one’s environment quickly, especially if it’s a hostile one.  Finally, we’re going to take a look at the mental conditioning and psychology a person that goes through such extremes must have in order to survive.

Sorry this post was a bit late today, busy busy busy!  The good news is, it’s up, and we’ll have another one tomorrow!  Also, our current quest has made some progress, and we’re now at 36 Facebook likes!  So close to an extra character breakdown, only 14 to go!  I’ll see you all tomorrow.  Until then, keep being awesome!

Dan “DaRatmastah” Wallace