For fighter info, see Dark Samus (SSBU).

Dark Samus
Official artwork of Dark Samus from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
Universe	Metroid
Debut	Metroid Prime (2002, cameo) Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004)
Smash Bros. appearances	Brawl SSB4 Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Metroid Prime Remastered (2023, cameo)
Console/platform of origin	Nintendo GameCube
Species	Metroid/Human hybrid (cybernetically augmented with the Phazon Suit and naturally infused with Phazon)[1]
Gender	Female[2]
Place of origin	Tallon IV (Metroid Prime) Phaaze (Phazon)
Designed by	Andrew Jones
Article on Metroid Wiki	Dark Samus

Dark Samus (ダークサムス, Dark Samus) is a character from the Metroid series. Born from the monstrous Metroid Prime and data stolen from Samus Aran's Phazon Suit, Dark Samus is an embodiment of the mutagenic Phazon and serves as the primary antagonist of the Metroid Prime series. She is one of Samus' greatest enemies, alongside Ridley and Mother Brain.

After making cameos as a trophy and sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and as a trophy and Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4, Dark Samus became a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Origin

Official artwork of Dark Samus in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. This design is the basis of her trophy design in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and inspired some features of her design in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

In Metroid Prime, its titular creature and final boss was vanquished by Samus Aran within the Impact Crater. It lashed out at Samus and stole her Phazon Suit upgrade before dissolving into a pool of Phazon. While Samus evacuated the collapsing crater, Metroid Prime had, unbeknownst to her, exited the battle in a new form. In a post-credits stinger scene, an armored hand emerged from the same Phazon pool, signaling the rebirth of Metroid Prime as a Phazon-based cyborg that would soon be known as Dark Samus. This hybrid acquired all of Samus' abilities, as well as a human-like sapience. However, she was also obsessed with consuming Phazon, a trait retained from her time as Metroid Prime.

Dark Samus, as she would come to be known by the Space Pirates, is mentioned by the Pirate Logs in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. They initially assume she is Samus wearing a new suit, but are disturbed as she only cares about absorbing the Phazon mined on Aether. Her meddling results in the Pirates' operation being discovered by the Galactic Federation, leading to Samus' arrival. Dark Samus attacks Samus on sight and the duo fight multiple times across Aether. Once Samus defeats the Ing and triggers the dimensional collapse of Dark Aether, Dark Samus interrupts her escape. Overloaded by Phazon, she holds her own against Samus despite the latter's powerful Light Suit, but is ultimately bested again. She then disintegrates after failing to steal Samus' Light Suit and appears to perish in Dark Aether.

Following her defeat, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption opens with Dark Samus' remains being unknowingly collected by the Space Pirates, allowing her to reconstitute in one of their Phazon transports. She absorbs all Phazon aboard, which further develops her sapience and streamlines her armor, before brainwashing the Pirates with Phazon and taking them to Phaaze, the sentient planet that is the source of all Phazon. She then seeks to spread Phazon throughout the galaxy, leading the brainwashed Pirates, including a revived Meta Ridley, to capture the supercomputer Aurora Unit 313 and implant it into Phaaze. Through this conduit, Dark Samus controls the spread of Phazon by launching Phaaze's Leviathans, living Phazon asteroids that corrupt the planets they strike into Phazon wastelands. She targets key Federation planets to cripple their galactic defenses.

Although Samus stops a Leviathan before it strikes Norion, Dark Samus corrupts her and three other bounty hunters — (Rundas, Ghor and Gandrayda) — with Phazon. The other hunters ultimately fall victim to Phazon corruption, forcing Samus to fight and kill each of them on her journey across multiple planets to destroy three Leviathans. In the finale, Dark Samus confronts Samus for the final time on Phaaze, first in direct combat and then after merging with Aurora Unit 313. Samus soon destroys 313 and, because of its symbiotic connection to both Dark Samus and Phaaze, seemingly vanquishes Dark Samus and renders all Phazon inert.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

"Dark Samus" as she appears in the Co-Op Event 7: Battle of the Dark Sides in Brawl.

Dark Samus appears as a trophy and as a sticker. Additionally, a "Dark Samus" appears in Co-Op Event 7: Battle of the Dark Sides, though it is merely a blackened version of Samus and not the actual Dark Samus. It teams up with Dark Link against two players that play as their normal counterparts, with Link as player one and Samus as player two.

Trophy

Dark Samus's trophy in Brawl

Dark Samus

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.

: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Sticker

Name	Game	Effect	Fighter(s)
Dark Samus	Metroid Prime 2: Echoes	Resistance +11	Samus Zero Suit Samus

Dark Samus (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)

In Super Smash Bros. 4

As an Assist Trophy

Samus using her forward aerial alongside Dark Samus.

Dark Samus appears as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4. Unlike her trophy in Brawl, she uses her design from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Some of Dark Samus' attack animations are similar to Samus', such as her down tilt and her up smash. She hops around with long jumps, attacking with three different moves:

• Her first attack involves firing a volley from her Arm Cannon straight forward, dealing multiple hits for 1.5% and knocking opponents away on the final hit for 3%. The volley lasts 60 frames and deals up to 21% and has low knockback.
• Her second attack sees her firing three energy spheres into the air that pause then fly towards an opponent. Each sphere deals 6% and has moderately low knockback.
• The third attack only occurs if she is near an opponent. In this case, she generates Phazon tentacles to erupt from the ground, which deal 12% (clean)/8% (late) and have moderate knockback.

Before leaving, Dark Samus strikes a pose in which she holds her Arm Cannon in front of her face. Like several other Assist Trophies, she can be defeated if she takes enough damage, having 35 base HP that increases with player count. Upon being defeated, Dark Samus will disappear by fading out in a bright blue flash, similarly to when she is defeated in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Dark Samus departs after 720 frames. Her energy spheres start with a speed of 1.2 units per frame (u/f), come to a stop after 25 frames, pause for 30 frames, and then accelerate towards an opponent at 0.1 u/f per frame up to 3.5 u/f and disappears 120 frames later. She chooses actions from a probability table based on what area around her an opponent is in. The lowest numbered areas have higher priority and a default table is used if an opponent isn't in any areas. She avoids using energy spheres twice in a row.

Dark Samus' attack areas.

Dark Samus has a spawn chance of 38/1254. She cannot be summoned on the following stages in a standard versus match (applies to both games and only the base form unless noted otherwise):

• Mute City
• Norfair
• Pac-Maze
• Suzaku Castle
• Tomodachi Life

As an alternate costume

Samus' Dark Samus color scheme.

Dark Samus' color scheme is also the basis of one of Samus' alternate costumes.^[1] In the Galactic Avenger Event Match, this color scheme is used to simulate Samus battling Dark Samus. Similarly, the color scheme appears in the Final Battle Team-Up co-op Event Match that features several playable antagonists as opponents.

Trophy

Dark Samus's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Dark Samus's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Dark Samus

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 energy blasts, or even unleashing Phazon.

: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (11/2004)

: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (08/2007)

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 shots from her Arm Cannon, launch homing energy blasts, or unleash Phazon across the surrounding area, depending on where her target is.

: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (11/2004)

: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (10/2007)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As a playable character

Dark Samus, as she appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Dark Samus appears as a newcomer in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and was formally announced alongside Simon, Richter, Chrom and King K. Rool during the Super Smash Bros. Direct on August 8th, 2018.^[2] According to Masahiro Sakurai, Dark Samus and Chrom were included because of significant fan demand from overseas and Japan, respectively.^[3] Unlike in Brawl and SSB4, Dark Samus' design is a cross between her organic features and color scheme from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and her redesigned Phazon Suit from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

As an Echo Fighter of Samus, Dark Samus is virtually identical in regard to function, although she does deviate from Samus in a few ways.^[2] As with other Echo Fighters, she has different animations, taunts, and victory poses (including a distinct victory fanfare).^[3] Unlike Samus, Dark Samus' rolls do not involve her transforming into a Morph Ball, but are compensated with slightly less ending lag. She also uses Phazon in her moveset, which is indicated by blue flames with the electric effect for all but two of Samus' respective flame-based moves, and dark blue energy for both Charge Shot and Phazon Laser (her version of the Zero Laser).

Spirit

Gallery

• 

  Dark Samus in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
• 

  Dark Samus generating Phazon tentacles as an attack.
• 

  Full view of Dark Samus.
• 

  Dark Samus firing her scattershot Power Beam at Mega Man.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ダークサムス, Dark Samus	—
English	Dark Samus	—
French	Samus Sombre	Dark Samus
German	Dunkle Samus	Dark Samus
Spanish	Samus Oscura	Dark Samus; "Oscura" is a feminine form.
Italian	Samus Oscura	Dark Samus; "Oscura" is a feminine form.
Chinese (Simplified)	黑暗萨姆斯,Dark Samus	—
Chinese (Traditional)	黑暗薩姆斯,Dark Samus	—
Portuguese	Samus Sombra	Shadow Samus
Korean	다크 사무스, Dark Samus	—
Dutch	Dark Samus	—
Russian	Темная Самус	Dark Samus; Темная is a feminine form.

Trivia

• As an Assist Trophy, Dark Samus' idle animation incorrectly loops after 49 frames despite having 100 frames of animation. This causes the animation to suddenly snap back to its start. This isn't normally seen in game as her idle is given a relative weight of 0.
• Dark Samus is the third of four summonable characters to become playable in a later installment. The first was Charizard, the second was Little Mac, and the fourth was Isabelle.
  • Like Little Mac and Isabelle, she was an Assist Trophy prior to gaining this distinction.
  • She is also the only playable former assist character to have made an appearance in the series prior to her appearance as an assist character, as she appeared as a trophy and a sticker in Brawl.
• Dark Samus is the second playable character to be created outside of Japan, and the first to be created in the United States.
  • She is also the second playable character not created by Nintendo to be solely created by a Nintendo-owned subsidiary (being Retro Studios). The first was Shulk, who was created by Monolith Soft.
• Dark Samus' Brawl trophy description is not entirely accurate. If the player achieves 100% completion in Metroid Prime, a cutscene will play that shows Metroid Prime's essence being reborn into Samus' stolen Phazon Suit. However, this fact is only hinted at in-universe from Samus' first logbook scan of Dark Samus in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.
• Dark Samus is the second moveset clone in the Super Smash Bros. series to also be a canonical clone of the character she is derived from. The first is Dark Pit.
  • Unlike Dark Pit, she is a cybernetically enhanced hybrid instead of a genetically identical clone, and is a villain instead of an anti-hero.
• Dark Samus and Kazooie are the only playable fighters whose games of origin were neither released first in Japan nor worldwide, with both (Metroid Prime 2 and Banjo-Kazooie, respectively) releasing in North America first.

Notes

1.^ During Samus Aran's final battles against Dark Samus in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus' logbook scans mention that Dark Samus, upon absorbing significant levels of Phazon, becomes comprised purely of Phazon.

2.^ Although the Metroid Prime has no definitive gender, Dark Samus is considered female because of her unintentional absorption of a sample of Samus Aran's DNA. On a related note, Dark Samus is described with female pronouns consistently in Samus' logbook scans and in her own Super Smash Bros. trophies.

References

Metroid universe
Fighters	Samus (SSB · SSBM · SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Zero Suit Samus (SSBB · SSB4 · SSBU) · Ridley (SSBU) · Dark Samus (SSBU)
Assist Trophies	Metroid · Dark Samus · Mother Brain
Bosses	Ridley · Meta Ridley
Stages	Planet Zebes · Brinstar · Brinstar Depths · Frigate Orpheon · Norfair · Pyrosphere Brinstar Escape Shaft (Adventure Mode)
Item	Screw Attack · Power Suit Piece
Enemies	Geemer · Kihunter · Metroid · Reo · FG II-Graham · Joulion · Zero
Other	Gunship · Kraid
Trophies, Stickers and Spirits	Trophies (SSBM · SSBB · SSB4) · Stickers · Spirits
Music	Brawl · SSB4 · Ultimate
Masterpieces	Metroid · Super Metroid

• Characters
• Assist Trophies
• Metroid universe
• Trophies (SSBB)
• Trophies (SSB4-3DS)
• Trophies (SSB4-Wii U)
• Dark Samus
• Stickers
• Spirits