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Samus Aran's Gunship

From Metroid Wiki
Samus Aran's Gunship
Samus's Gunship in Metroid Fusion

Official art of Samus's Gunship in Metroid Fusion

Game(s)
Off-Game Appearance(s)

Metroid Manga

First Appearance

Metroid II: Return of Samus

Chronological First Appearance

Metroid: Zero Mission

Owner

Samus Aran

Class

Hunter-class

Status

Active

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[edit | edit source]

The ship's design and size have shifted greatly throughout the series. Surprisingly, some versions of the ship seem almost identical in games that are not direct sequels of one another, 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. Designed by Samus herself, it it based on 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 and its own Grapple Beam.[2]

Classic Ship[edit | edit source]

The gunship first appears in Metroid II: Return of Samus, although chronologically, the ship appears much earlier in the series timeline in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Metroid II: Return of Samus[edit | edit source]

Samus entering her gunship

Samus starts her trek through the bowels of SR388 in Metroid II: Return of Samus after landing her gunship on the planet's surface. The ship remains there for the entire game. The ship is equipped with a Missile Battery on the interior's right and a Big Energy Ball on the left, effectively serving as a recharge station for Samus. Metroid II ends when Samus brings the Metroid Hatchling to her gunship.

Super Metroid[edit | edit source]

The Gunship approaching Zebes

Located on Crateria after landing on Zebes, the Gunship has a similar function in Super Metroid as it does in Metroid II, with a few added capabilities. Merely entering it causes Samus to replenish any depleted ammunition, energy, and to save her progress. After destroying Mother Brain, Samus uses this ship to escape Zebes before its destruction.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[edit | edit source]

The Gunship repairing itself

Samus's gunship lands on Aether after Samus receives a distress signal from the planet. As she approaches the surface, the unstable atmosphere damages the ship. Throughout the game, Samus's ship remains in Temple Grounds' Landing Site, undergoing automatic repairs.[3] There, Samus can use it to save progress and regain energy, Missile Ammo, Power Bomb Ammo, and Beam Ammo.

After defeating Dark Samus in Sky Temple Gateway, Samus returns to Aether and leaves in her gunship. Though the Ship is programmed with a visible interior, it cannot be interacted with at any point in the game.

Metroid: Other M[edit | edit source]

Metroid: Other M also features the classic ship. The ship is used by Samus in opening scenes and is used to reach the Bottle Ship. Unlike other games, Samus cannot use the ship to save or refill her energy reserves or any of her weaponry. Unlike Corruption, Other M's gunship holds a highly inactive role. It sits parked aboard a Bottle Ship landing site. The controls used for this ship appear different from those of any other gunship; it is controlled via a spherical mechanism similar to a mouse. Samus leaves the Bottle Ship on her gunship after defeating the Metroid Queen and returns to retrieve Adam's helmet. She then escapes again as the Bottle Ship is on the verge of destruction.

Metroid Fusion[edit | edit source]

Samus's gunship in Fusion before its destruction

This design of the gunship appears briefly in the opening scenes of Metroid Fusion. As Samus maneuvers it alongside the B.S.L station, the X parasites inside her body begin taking over her body and make her lose consciousness. The ship then veers off into an asteroid belt.[4] The ship's safety measures, however, manage to eject Samus within an escape pod, which B.S.L researchers later find. They then send Samus to the Galactic Federation[5] The ship's whereabouts are not mentioned, leaving the assumption that no part of it is recovered, and it is abandoned as scrap in the asteroid belt.

Zero Mission Ship[edit | edit source]

The first gunship was destroyed on Samus's Zero Mission
The first gunship was destroyed on Samus's Zero Mission

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 mission. Samus can return to her ship regularly in Crateria to save. Like her ship in Super Metroid, this ship can also replenish her energy and ammunition.

Samus's ship is shot down by Pirate ships

Once her objective (destroying the complex housing Mother Brain) 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 a Space Pirate ship, 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. It is most plausible, however, that Samus uses this design of the ship.

Prime Ship[edit | edit source]

Samus Aran's second gunship seen in Metroid Prime

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 featured in Metroid II: Return of Samus, but it's clearly a different design. Like the first ship, the design of this ship resembles Samus's Power Suit in its coloring and structure.

Corruption Ship[edit | edit source]

The gunship in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
The gunship in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

The gunship appears in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption with a more active role than in other games. The gunship is used to travel between the game's different areas: G.F.S. Olympus, Norion, Bryyo, Elysia, G.F.S. Valhalla, Pirate Homeworld, and Phaaze. Many of Samus's ship's interior features are shown but do not return in Other M. Samus can enter the gunship to regain all ammunition and energy with the obvious exception of Ship Missile Ammunition. It is unknown why this gunship is not used in later chronological games (Metroid II forward) but is bypassed for the older model.

Samus activating the hyperdrive

The ship is revealed to have a hyperdrive system for long range travel. It also has a metal shield that covers the the windshield, likely to be used during sleep, battle, or while using hyperdrive to prevent excessive light exposure. The ship also has a button that activates what appears to be for battle purposes. A red light consumes the ship's interior and a map showing Samus's ship's position is displayed. Samus's gunship has a monitor that displays statistics of Samus's current mission, including enemies killed, shots fired, percentage of rooms found and more. The ship also has a Biohazard Scanner that detects any dangerous substance and amount of substance within Samus's body, notably Phazon. The most interesting piece, however, within Samus's gunship is the transmission console. It allows communication between Samus's ship and other consoles. If the player inputs certain four-digit codes on this console (presumably using Galactic Federation characters), different messages will be heard by the game's developers. These messages are in Japanese in all versions of the game. It is revealed in Samus's battle against Ghor that her ship has a self-repair system, artificial intelligence to some degree, and runs on Fuel Gel.

Corruption also introduces the Command Visor. This allows Samus to communicate with the ship using a console installed in her visor and Arm Cannon. She is seen using this feature in earlier games (such as the ending in Metroid Prime), however Corruption enables the player control of the ship. Samus can call the ship to landing sites marked by Landing Beacons, allowing her to save and use the ship to move to another landing site. Once upgraded with Ship Missiles, Samus can call the ship with the Command Visor to shoot marked areas or areas with enemies and an open sky to send a roll of Ship Missiles crashing. These Missiles cannot harm Samus and can destroy objects made of Maldium. After obtaining the Ship Grapple Beam, Samus's gunship can grab objects marked with ship Grapple Nodes with the Ship Grapple Beam. The ship holds the grabbed object until it is placed in a suitable location. If Samus gives the ship an unrelated command while the ship is holding an object, it will return the object to its original location.

Fusion Ship[edit | edit source]

Metroid Fusion[edit | edit source]

Samus descending from the Fusion gunship

After Samus's first gunship is destroyed on an asteroid belt in Fusion's opening, Samus's ship was replaced by a violet ship. This ship contains an internal computer later revealed to be Adam Malkovich. Samus uses this ship to land on the B.S.L Station and can return to it at any time.

At Fusion's end, Samus returns to the ship after setting the B.S.L station on a collision course to SR388. As Samus reaches the landing pad, however, Samus ship is not there; instead an Omega Metroid that escaped from Restricted Zone is there stopping Samus in her tracks. After defeating the beast, Samus's ship pulls up to the landing pad and Samus can escape. The ship contains within it the Dachora and Etecoon that Samus had rescued earlier in the game.

Metroid Dread[edit | edit source]

The ship reappears in Metroid Dread, appearing in the intro and ending cutscenes, as well as being the primary objective of the game. After landing on ZDR with the ship and subsequently being stranded at the planet's depths by Raven Beak, Samus must make her way back to the surface in order to get to the ship and escape.

When Samus gets to the ship at the end of the game, ADAM warns Samus not to touch the ship since she'll drain it of its power, thanks to her newfound Metroid powers. She then notices an X mimicking Quiet Robe standing behind her, who lets her absorb it, giving her control over her Metroid powers and allowing her to pilot the ship and escape ZDR as it explodes.

Data[edit | edit source]

Logbook Entries[edit | edit source]

Logbook entry from Metroid Prime: Gunship
First Location: Tallon Overworld - Landing Site
Gunship Logbook mp1 Left.jpg
Hunter-class gunship registered to Samus Aran.

You can return to your ship to recharge energy, reload weapons and save progress in the game.[6]

Gunship Logbook mp1 Right.jpg
Logbook entry from Metroid Prime Hunters: Hunter Gunship
First Location: Celestial Archives - Celestial Gateway
HUNTER-CLASS GUNSHIP registered to SAMUS ARAN. Return to this ship to save your progress and to recover your energy.[7]
Logbook entry from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: Samus's Gunship
First Location: Temple Grounds - Landing Site Limited Scan
Your Hunter-class gunship is one of a kind, its distinct hull lines marking it to friend and foe alike. Custom built for you by the Federated Shipyards at Aliehs III, it contains a mobile energy recharge system and microfactories designed to produce ammunition. A sophisticated onboard computer stores mission data collected in the field for future reference.[1]
Samus's ship
Logbook entry from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc: Samus's Gunship
First Location: Temple Grounds - Landing Site Limited Scan
Vessel registered to Samus Aran. You can return to your ship to recharge energy, reload weapons, and save progress in the game.[8]
Logbook entry from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: Hunter-Class Gunship
First Location: G.F.S. Olympus - Docking Bay 5
Based on the previous version, the new Hunter-class gunship is a fusion of Federation and Chozo technology. Designed by Samus Aran, this one-of-a-kind vessel was custom built at the Federation shipyard of Aliehs III. It is equipped with a powerful Chozo biotech computer that can interface with Aran via a Command Visor unit. The ship contains a mobile energy-recharge system, microfactories designed to produce ammunition, and an advanced medical bay.[2]

Manual[edit | edit source]

Manual Entries

Samus's Gunship
Samus's Gunship

Star Ship: This is Samus's elite custom scout ship designed to travel interstellar distances. Samus traveled to the planet SR388 it. This ship is her base of operations for this mission. Samus may restore her energy and reload her missiles by returning to it.[9]
Manual info from Super Metroid
Starship: The Starship acts as Samus's base. As you guide Samus on her journey, you can save the game data here you fill up with energy and missiles.[10]
Manual info from Metroid: Zero Mission
Spaceship: This is the location of Samus's spaceship. You can save your progress and replenish energy and Missiles here.[11]
Manual info from Metroid Prime Hunters
Gunship: Inside the Gunship, your energy and ammo will automatically replenish.[12]

Samus's Ship

Samus's Ship: Over the course of the game, you will use Samus's Ship to travel to many planets, often touching down at multiple landing sites. Whenever you stand on the hatch of the ship, you will have the option to Save, Enter Ship, Save and Enter Ship, or Cancel. Samus's energy and weapon will recover when either Save, Enter Ship, or Save and Enter Ship is selected. Once in the cockpit, you can select destinations on your current planet if multiple sites are available. When you get the ability to travel to new planets, you can select new planetary destinations by selecting the Galaxy Map, then picking the planet and landing site you want.[13]
Manual info from Metroid Prime Trilogy
Gunship: The Gunship is Samus's vehicle. In addition to being able to restore energy, you can also restore missiles and Power Bombs here.[14]
Description for Metroid Prime
Manual info from Metroid Prime Trilogy
Gunship: The Gunship is Samus's vehicle. In addition to being able to restore energy, you can also restore missiles and Power Bombs here.[15]
Description for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Manual info from Metroid Prime Trilogy
Gunship: If you stand on the hatch of the Gunship and select Save or Save and Enter Ship, you can save the game's progress.[16]
First description for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Manual info from Metroid Prime Trilogy
Gunship: When you stand on the hatch of the Gunship and select Save and Enter Ship, you can, you can save the game's progress or restore energy and missiles. Additionally, if you enter the Gunship, you can move to other planets or use devices within the Gunship.[17]
Second description for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Trophy Info[edit | edit source]

Super Smash Bros. Melee[edit | edit source]

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit | edit source]

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit | edit source]

Official Metroid Prime Website[edit | edit source]

Image from Official Metroid Prime Website.
Spacecraft
Name: Samus Aran's Ship - Hunter-Class gunship
Principle Use: Gunship
Weight in Tons: 136
Crew: 1
Dimensions: 9.144 meters x 6.096 meters x 2.4384 meters
Drive Type: Relativistic: 44MHz
Power Source: Field-exclusion Gluino
Maximum Velocity: Relativistc: 7.2 x 10 C


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 against bigger and more numerous foes. Once the destination is reached, the ship serves as an excellent base camp for ground-based ops.[20]

Sprites[edit | edit source]

Game Samus Aran's Gunship
Metroid II: Return of Samus Starship - Metroid II: Return of Samus
Super Metroid Starship - Super Metroid
Metroid Fusion Gunship - Metroid Fusion
Metroid: Zero Mission Gunship - Metroid: Zero Mission

Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • Samus's Gunship has no official name. It has been called the Starship, Gunship, and Spaceship on numerous occasions. James H. Dargie, the modeler of the Gunship in Metroid Prime gave it the unofficial name "Thrush Eterna"[21][22]
  • 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 of the cockpit is a re-arrangement of the Prologue theme from Super Metroid, 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.)
  • Samus's Gunship from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes plays a cameo role in Super Smash Bros Brawl. It is one of the ships, along with the Battleship Halberd, an Arwing, and several other ships to take on the Subspace Gunship.
  • It appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as well. When Ridley uses his Final Smash, he throws a player into space, where they land on Samus’s gunship. He then lets out a massive laser beam that destroys the player and the ship.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

See this article's gallery page, featuring concept art and screen-captures of Samus Aran's Gunship.

External Links[edit | edit source]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Your Hunter-class gunship is one of a kind, its distinct hull lines marking it to friend and foe alike. Custom built for you by the Federated Shipyards at Aliehs III, it contains a mobile energy recharge system and microfactories designed to produce ammunition. A sophisticated onboard computer stores mission data collected in the field for future reference." —Logbook (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Based on the previous version, the new Hunter-class gunship is a fusion of Federation and Chozo technology. Designed by Samus Aran, this one-of-a-kind vessel was custom built at the Federation shipyard of Aliehs III. It is equipped with a powerful Chozo biotech computer that can interface with Aran via a Command Visor unit. The ship contains a mobile energy-recharge system, microfactories designed to produce ammunition, and an advanced medical bay." —Logbook (Metroid Prime 3: Corruption)
  3. "Your ship has been damaged. Auto-repair function initiated." —Scan Data (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)
  4. "Once the X had infested my central nervous system, I lost consciousness and my ship drifted into an asteroid belt." —Samus Aran (Metroid Fusion)
  5. "The ship's emergency systems automatically ejected the escape pod before impact. Biologic's vessel recovered it and transported me to Galactic Federation HQ." —Samus Aran (Metroid Fusion)
  6. "Hunter-class gunship registered to Samus Aran. You can return to your ship to recharge energy, reload weapons and save progress in the game." —Logbook (Metroid Prime)
  7. "HUNTER-CLASS GUNSHIP registered to SAMUS ARAN. Return to this ship to save your progress and to recover your energy." —Logbook (Metroid Prime Hunters)
  8. "Vessel registered to Samus Aran. You can return to your ship to recharge energy, reload weapons, and save progress in the game." —Logbook (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc)
  9. "This is Samus's elite custom scout ship designed to travel interstellar distances. Samus traveled to the planet SR388 in it. This ship is her base of operations for this mission. Samus may restore her energy and reload her missiles by returning to it." Metroid II: Return of Samus Instruction Booklet, Pg 20
  10. "The Starship acts as Samus's base. As you guide Samus on her journey, you can save the game data here you fill up with energy and missiles." Super Metroid Instruction Booklet, Pg 18
  11. "This is the location of Samus's spaceship. You can save your progress and replenish energy and Missiles here." Metroid: Zero Mission Instruction Booklet, Pg 23
  12. "Inside the Gunship, your energy and ammo will automatically replenish." Metroid Prime Hunters Instruction Booklet, Pg 18
  13. "Over the course of the game, you will use Samus's Ship to travel to many planets, often touching down at multiple landing sites. Whenever you stand on the hatch of the ship, you will have the option to Save, Enter Ship, Save and Enter Ship, or Cancel. Samus's energy and weapon will recover when either Save, Enter Ship, or Save and Enter Ship is selected. Once in the cockpit, you can select destinations on your current planet if multiple sites are available. When you get the ability to travel to new planets, you can select new planetary destinations by selecting the Galaxy Map, then picking the planet and landing site you want." Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Instruction Booklet, Pg 9
  14. "The Gunship is Samus's vehicle. In addition to being able to restore energy, you can also restore missiles and Power Bombs here." Metroid Prime: Trilogy Instruction Booklet, Pg 20
  15. "The Gunship is Samus's vehicle. In addition to being able to restore energy, you can also restore missiles and Power Bombs here." Metroid Prime: Trilogy Instruction Booklet, Pg 34
  16. "If you stand on the hatch of the Gunship and select Save or Save and Enter Ship, you can save the game's progress." Metroid Prime: Trilogy Instruction Booklet, Pg 50
  17. "When you stand on the hatch of the Gunship and select Save and Enter Ship, you can, you can save the game's progress or restore energy and missiles. Additionally, if you enter the Gunship, you can move to other planets or use devices within the Gunship." Metroid Prime: Trilogy Instruction Booklet, Pg 51
  18. "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)
  19. "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)
  20. "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 against 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
  21. "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
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKs_Oyfuyuc