Samus Aran

Samus Aran is the main protagonist of Metroid, a platformer / action-adventure series developed by Nintendo. Metroid has been revered by many as one of the most acclaimed video game series of all-time, with many of its installments going on to receive wide praise. As one of the most famous female video game characters of all time, Samus is also the most successful female in video game character popularity tournaments. This success would carry over to /v/ when she went on to win the first Queen of /v/ tournament in 2019.

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Samus is a bounty hunter who protects the galaxy from space pirates, fighting through hostile alien worlds and creatures including the titular Metroid species. The character wears a powered suit which is armed with many weapons and features, many of them needing to be obtained by the player in various locations scattered throughout each game's world.

In the original NES game, Samus is assumed to be a male because of the form-concealing powered suit. However, if a player completes the game, the ending will show Samus removing the helmet, revealing her face. If the game is completed quickly enough, Samus might even appear in a bikini. This surprise reveal is considered a landmark moment in video game history, as no prominent game featured a female protagonist like her at the time. Furthermore, a famous password named "JUSTIN BAILEY" changes Samus' appearance into a green-haired woman wearing a leotard and knee-high boots.

Despite being praised as a strong, independent female by many critics, Samus is also widely sexualized by fans, and her alternate costume, the skintight Zero Suit (introduced in Metroid: Zero Mission, a remake of the original NES game) has become another iconic part of her appearance.