Gunship

Samus' Gunship as it appears in Metroid: Other M.

Not to be confused with the Subspace Gunship or Gunship (Final Smash).

The Gunship (スターシップ, Starship), also referred to as the Starship, is Samus Aran's spacecraft.

Origin

Samus' Gunship as it appears in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

The Gunship appears throughout the Metroid series, first appearing in Metroid II: Return of Samus. Her trusty starship is there when Samus needs to ride around the galaxy. She uses it as a resting place to regain health and ammunition; it also functions as a save point for players to save game data. The front of it also appears to be based on the design of the front of her helmet.

Samus's most iconic Gunship has appeared frequently in both the Metroid and Smash series, with minor design alterations between Super Metroid, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and Metroid: Other M reflected by its appearances throughout the Smash series. However, other ships have been used by Samus over the years, two of which have been the basis of stickers in Brawl. Her original ship in Metroid: Zero Mission is shot down by Space Pirate vessels after the defeat of Mother Brain. She replaces her lost ship with a new Starship, seen in Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime Hunters. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Metroid Prime: Federation Force, Samus has yet another ship of a different design, that she can control remotely via the Command Visor to fire missiles at targets. Finally, after her iconic ship crashes into an asteroid belt in Metroid Fusion, Samus receives a new Galactic Federation Starship with the A.I. of Adam Malkovich as an onboard computer. Samus continues to use this particular gunship as her mode of transport in Metroid Dread, and part of the plot is Samus attempting to make her way back to it from the depths of planet ZDR.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

Samus's Starship in the opening movie of Super Smash Bros. Melee, along with the Great Fox and Blue Falcon.

The ship appears in the game's opening movie, and as a trophy. Its design is derived from Metroid II: Return of Samus, with the color scheme from Super Metroid.

Trophy

Samus's Starship's trophy in Melee

Samus's Starship

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.

Metroid II: Return of Samus (11/91)

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The Gunship in The Subspace Emissary.

Samus's gunship appears as a trophy and as three stickers in Brawl. It is also seen in Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary, with the updated design seen in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.

Role in the Subspace Emissary

After the Halberd is destroyed by the Subspace Gunship, the Gunship emerges, along with the Falcon Flyer, one of the Star Fox fighters' Arwings and the Hocotate Ship. Engaging the ship, Samus and her fellow fighters kept it distracted while Kirby destroys it with the Dragoon. The gunship then follows Kirby's Dragoon into Subspace.

Trophy

Gunship's trophy in Brawl

Gunship

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.

: Super Metroid

: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Stickers

Name	Game	Effect	Fighter(s)
Gunship	Metroid Prime 2: Echoes	Explosive+005 Attack +5	All characters
Starship	Metroid Fusion	AttackWeapon+009 Attack +9	Samus Zero Suit Samus
Starship	Metroid Prime Hunters	SpecialLaunchPower+022 +22	All characters

Gunship (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)

Starship (Metroid Fusion)

Starship (Metroid Prime Hunters)

In Super Smash Bros. 4

As a moveset element

The challenge unlock image

Now using its Metroid: Other M design, Samus's gunship appears as part of Zero Suit Samus's new Final Smash, where she uses the ship's weapons to fire at other players from the foreground. It is also featured as part of her on-screen appearance.

Trophy

In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the gunship also returns as a trophy (separate from the one that depicts the Final Smash). It is a challenge reward, earned by clearing the true Solo All-Star Mode as Zero Suit Samus without recovering any health between rounds.

Gunship's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Gunship

The one partner Samus can rely on in almost all of her missions. In the wide unknown of outer space, she can always return to the Gunship for a safe haven. It allows her to replenish all of her energy and ammunition and even serves as a resting spot for the player. It sounds just like a save point, doesn't it?

: Super Metroid (04/1994)

: Metroid: Other M (08/2010)

The one partner Samus can rely on in almost all of her missions. In the wide unknown of outer space, she can always return to the Gunship for safe haven. It allows her to replenish all of her energy and ammunition, and even serves as a resting spot for the player. In other words...it's a save point.

: Super Metroid (07/1994)

: Metroid: Other M (09/2010)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As a moveset element

The Gunship appears in both Zero Suit Samus's and Ridley's Final Smashes.

The Gunship in Zero Suit Samus's Final Smash

In Zero Suit Samus's new Final Smash, Zero Laser, she dons her Power Suit temporarily, stands atop the Gunship, and fires a laser beam.

The Gunship in Ridley's Final Smash

In Ridley's Final Smash, Plasma Scream, he throws victims against the Gunship and unleashes a plasma attack on them. The ship is then seen crashing in the background.

Spirit

The Gunship also appears as a spirit, using artwork from Super Metroid.

No.	Image	Name	Type	Class	Cost	Ability	Series
280		Gunship		★★	2	Energy Shot Attack/Resistance ↑	Metroid Series

Names in other languages

Language	Name
Japanese	スターシップ, Starship
English	Gunship
French	Vaisseau de combat
German	Kampfschiff
Spanish	Nave de combate
Italian	Navetta
Chinese (Simplified)	宇宙舰艇
Chinese (Traditional)	Gunship
Korean	스타쉽, Starship
Dutch	Ruimteschip
Russian	Боевой корабль