Samus wearing her helmet as depicted in Metroid: Other M.
Samus's Helmet[1] is the helmet of Samus Aran. One of the most iconic symbols of her in the Metroid series, it acts as a detachable portion of her overall Power Suit.
Specifications[]
Prime's helmet is similar to classic iterations in many respects, though dull in color, and the visor is shaped like a rectangle that curves downward into Samus's oxygen tubes. It also features extra patterning on the back (not pictured).
The helmet is one of Samus's most important protections as it enables her to breathe safely in alien environments using Oxygen Supply Equipment and protect her from head injuries. The helmet is most often red in color (except for the Phazon, Dark and Light Suits, for example) and contains a usually green, but also at times blue, orange or white Visor that can be customized to see in different spectrums, scan objects for data, and command her gunship. When working with a team, Samus's Helmet contains a comm system.
The helmet is removable from the Power Suit, but how it does so varies from game to game. Early depictions showed it manually removable like regular helmets and sometimes held in Samus's left hand in a pose, such as in the Samus Unmasked Trophy and Special Ending of the original Metroid Prime. However, as more recent Metroid games have depicted the Power Suit activating via a bright flash using Samus's focused consciousness, the helmet's removal has adjusted accordingly. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Samus seems to press a button on the left side of the helmet to turn it off in two instances, to vomit excess Phazon in the Bryyo Seed following the battle with Mogenar, after which she reactivates it in the same manner, and while reflecting on her fellow Bounty Hunters on the Main Docking Bay of SkyTown, Elysia. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Corruption and Metroid: Other M, Samus dematerializes the Power Suit at will, though it is only in Corruption and Prime Remastered that she disables her helmet alone. Prime artwork for the Fusion Suit states that the helmet is removed much like an attached-cap: if removed, it can bend backwards and remain attached to Samus.
Samus is able to turn the visor opaque and transparent seemingly at will, in ways unknown. It is likely the visor works similar to a one-way mirror allowing Samus to see out while others cannot see in, unless she chooses otherwise. This happens in Other M, where she turns her visor opaque shortly before gameplay begins again.
Gandrayda had promised Dark Samus she would bring her Samus's "bloody helmet" as a trophy, but whether this would have been possible is unknown, as it is known that the Power Suit cannot be removed from Samus unless done surgically.
Physical appearance[]
The helmet's basic shape has remained unchanged throughout the series: Its defining features are a T-shaped visor with two thin breathing tubes connecting to the bottom and leading into the sides of the helmet, usually meeting a respirator grille connected to the visor. However, the detail on it has varied somewhat from game to game: In most of the 2-D games, the helmet sported a rounded panel above the visor that tapered to a point, with another grooved, vertical line connecting down the middle of the helmet. In the first Prime game and Other M, this panel is reinterpreted as a wider and more semicircular groove with minimal or no elevation from the rest of the helmet. The two Prime sequels introduced a sleeker model, with the vertical groove running all the way down to the visor, and flanked by two additional zigzagging lines. Concept artwork for Other M depicted two mysterious almond-shaped ridges in the helmet's front above the visor, possibly representing Chozo eyes, though they are not present in the game.
The visor has also retained the same general identity throughout the series, but has had much more variation in shape: in the early 2-D games up to and including Metroid: Zero Mission, the visor is rectangular, curving along the bottom of the protruding panel and angling sharply downward along the bottom to connect to the respirator. In the first Prime game, the visor is now flat along the top, with the bottom curving inward toward the respirator, producing a narrower and much stronger T-shape. Future Prime games feature a more angular take on the classic visor with an extended rectangular portion at the top and a second, smaller one at the bottom, creating more distance between the main visor and the respirator. Metroid: Other M features a middle-ground between the visor's classic iterations and the version seen in the first Prime game, with the top of the visor flat while the bottom retains its outward curve. The respirator is also much smaller than previous iterations. In Metroid: Samus Returns, the T-visor strongly resembles that of Dark Samus's take on her helmet, and possesses an even smaller respirator in relation to the rest of the visor.
The Fusion Suit's helmet, which features a triangular protrusion at the top of the visor.
While the SA-X retains Samus's original visor shape in Metroid Fusion due to taking on the form of her original Power Suit, the Fusion Suit adds a triangular extension at the top of the visor in a similar placement to the visor seen in most Prime games. Additionally, the breathing tubes now attach to the main body of the suit. Metroid Dread keeps the triangular visor extension, though somewhat subdued, and foregoes the respirator entirely, opting instead for an internal breathing mask visible through the greatly-extended visor.
Official data[]
Super Metroid Nintendo Player's Guide[]
- HELMET
- "Samus's helmet provides a lot of protection for her head. The only change to the helmet during the mission comes when she picks up the X-Ray Scope. The X-Ray beam emanates from the visor."
In other media[]
Non-canon warning: This article or section contains information that may not be considered an official part of the Metroid series in the overall storyline by Nintendo.
In Metroid: Zebes Invasion Order, the Space Pirates capture Samus and struggle to remove her helmet. Once done, they are astonished to learn that she is a woman.
The helmet is also featured in Famicom Wars, Geist and as an unlockable hat in later Animal Crossing games.
In Nintendo Land, the Rapid-Fire Helmet is an upgrade that gives the playing Mii character Samus's Helmet and a rapid-fire ability.
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Samus's Helmet is an unlockable hat for Mii Fighters. In 3DS and Wii U, Samus's Helmet predated Samus's Armor being added as DLC for Mii Gunner; in Ultimate, the entire costume is available in the base game.
The helmet is available in Paper Mario: The Origami King, where it is called the Space Warrior Mask. Its description calls its "otherworldly" and says "Sadly, it won't allow you to roll into a ball." When used, Samus Aran's Appearance Fanfare plays and Mario pretends to use his right arm as an Arm Cannon.
First 4 Figures produced a statue of the Samus Helmet, based on its appearance in Metroid Prime.
Non-canon warning: Non-canonical information ends here.
Gallery[]
.png "Fusion Samus Helmet icon (front).png (704 bytes)"){kind=icon}
(Front)
![Unused mugshot from Metroid Fusion, displaying Samus's Helmet.[2]](/wiki/File:Fusion_unused_mugshots_1.png "Fusion unused mugshots 1.png (790 bytes)")
