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Samus Aran's Gunship
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Samus Aran's Gunship is the private spacecraft of bounty hunter Samus Aran. The Hunter-class gunship is a one of a kind spacecraft. It was custom built for Samus by the Federated Shipyards at Aliehs III. It contains a mobile energy recharge system, microfactories designed to produce ammunition, and sophisticated onboard computer stores mission data collected in the field for further reference.[1] Throughout the series Samus uses different models of the gunship, some of which are her own design.[2]
Designs
The ship's design and size have shifted greatly throughout the series. Surprisingly, some versions of the ship seem almost identical, even though the games are not direct sequels, with different designs being introduced between them. For example the ship seen in Super Metroid makes a 3D appearance in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, but does not appear in any other game of the Metroid Prime series. The ship is easily recognizable from the landing mechanisms located at the bottom of the ship.
Zero Mission marks the only appearance of Samus's original red gunship, as it is destroyed at the end of the game. All her ships from this point on are a yellowish orange color, with the exception of her chronologically latest purple ship, seen in Metroid Fusion.
The gunship that appears in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a completely new design (with similar colors) that combines Chozo and Federation technology. It was designed by Samus Aran, based off her original gunship. Like its predecessor, the new model was also constructed at Aliehs III. The vessel is equipped with a powerful Chozo biotech computer that can interface with Samus's Command Visor to deliver aerial bomb raids to locations of her choosing. The ship's weaponry is capable of destroying structures made of Maldium, otherwise invulnerable to Samus's regular weapons. The ship also carries a Biohazard Scanner.[2]
Zero Mission Ship
Although not the first ship to be introduced to the series, the Zero Mission Ship is chronologically the first gunship to be piloted by Samus Aran. The vessel makes its first and only appearance in Metroid: Zero Mission. The ship's coloring and design resemble the Power Suit's helmet. In the beginning of the game Samus lands the ship on planet Zebes to begin her "Zero Mission". Once her objective is complete she takes off but is soon ambushed by a group of Space Pirate fighters. Her ship is shot down and forced to crash land back on the surface of Zebes. Samus eventually escapes the planet in an escape pod, leaving her ship to be destroyed in an explosion. The vessel is never rebuilt in this design.
No ship is seen in the original Metroid at all. The game begins with Samus already entering the caverns of Zebes, leaving the ship and its design unknown.
Prime Ship
The ship appearing in Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime: Hunters is of a new design. The most visible difference to the previous design, and the different models that succeeded the ship, are the four maneuvering thrusters, located on the bottom of the vessel. Metroid Prime opens with Samus approaching the Frigate Orpheon aboard her new ship, using the thrusters to make fine adjustments to her landing.
In both Prime and Hunters the ship is referred to as a Hunter-class gunship, the first ship to be categorized like this. The later models are all Hunter-class, except for the Fusion ship which cannot be scanned in the game.
The ship resembles Samus's classic ship, first introduced in Metroid II: Return of Samus, but it's clearly a different design. Like with the first ship the design resembles Samus's Power Suit, with its coloring and structure.
Classic Ship
The gunship first appeared in Metroid II: Return of Samus, although chronologically the ship appears much earlier in the series timeline, in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.
Corruption Ship
The gunship appears in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption with a more active role than other games.
Logbook Entries
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Manual
Description for Metroid Prime
Description for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Description 1 for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Description 2 for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Trophy Info
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Official Metroid Prime Website
- Registered to Samus Aran, the Gunship is equipped with twin Power Beam turrets and retractable rear-mounted Plasma Beam cannon. The versatile cockpit is used for navigation, regeneration and record retention. This ship survived Samus Aran's mission on Planet Zebes, and is the only space-faring vessel ever registered under the bounty hunter's name.
- The principle use of this Hunter-Class Gunship is rapid transport. Dual engines serve this purpose with great efficiency. If battle becomes unavoidable, the ship is outfitted with enough firepower to survive firefights again bigger and more numerous foes. Once the destination is reached, the ship serves as an excellent base camp for ground-based ops.[5]
Trivia
- Samus's Gunship has no official name. It has been called the Starship, Gunship, and Spaceship on numerous occasions.[6]
- There is a typo in the second Metroid Prime 3: Corruption description in Metroid Prime: Trilogy's manual, saying "you can" twice.
- The background music that plays in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption inside the Cockpit is called "In the Cockpit."
- The box art for the Super Game Boy features the Gunship in its appearance from Metroid II: Return of Samus.
- Metroid Fusion is the only game so far to have more than 1 Gunship design in-game (excluding Metroid Prime: Trilogy.)
Gallery
See this article's gallery page, featuring concept art and screen-captures of Samus Aran's Gunship.
References
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMP3 - ↑ "This compact ship is used by Samus as her base of operations. Of course, Samus can't fly it into the catacombs of every planet she visits, so she leaves it on the surface as her sanctuary. Samus can recharge her Power Suit inside the ship, so it tends to be the only safe and secure spot on inhospitable alien terrain." —Trophy Gallery (Super Smash Bros. Melee)
- ↑ "The ship that Samus pilots. Entering the gunship allows Samus to restore energy and save. Samus has been on numerous voyages in the gunship, but after being attacked by an X parasite in Metroid Fusion, she crashes into an asteroid belt and destroys the craft. After that, the Galactic Federation provides her with a new starship." —Trophy Gallery (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
- ↑ "Registered to Samus Aran, the Gunship is equipped with twin Power Beam turrets and retractable rear-mounted Plasma Beam cannon. The versatile cockpit is used for navigation, regeneration and record retention. This ship survived Samus Aran's mission on Planet Zebes, and is the only space-faring vessel ever registered under the bounty hunter's name. The principle use of this Hunter-Class Gunship is rapid transport. Dual engines serve this purpose with great efficiency. If battle becomes unavoidable, the ship is outfitted with enough firepower to survive firefights again bigger and more numerous foes. Once the destination is reached, the ship serves as an excellent base camp for ground-based ops." (Defunct) Metroid Prime, Metroid.com
- ↑ "Does Samus's ship have a name?
"We've always just called it 'starship.' Some of the people on the team even call it 'Samus's ship,' but that's not exactly an official term."" Nintendo Power, Issue 255, Future US Pg. 45
