Samus Aran is a badass female galactic bounty hunter from the game series Metroid. She is used to traveling throughout space, wearing her powered exoskeleton, and completing any mission that comes her way. Samus utilizes her array of directed-energy weapons and missiles to get her jobs done, as she hunts for Space Pirates and their leader Ridley.
Metroid first was introduced back in 1986, and this was one of the earliest games to feature a playable female protagonist, and Samus has remained popular ever since.
Now, if Samus had to collect bounties on other video game heroes, who would she be able to bag and who would escape?
10 Can Beat: Sonic (Sonic The Hedgehog)
Everyone knows who the furry blue hedgehog is, as he has been around for a very long time. He was one of the first rivals to Nintendo's Mario. Sonic moves at a super high speed and can spin in a ball to decimate his foes. However, what if he had a bounty on his head and Samus Aran came to collect this bounty? Would Sonic be able to escape?
Well, no, as Samus can also go into a ball, but she can also lay bombs as a ball, along with wielding an array of different weapons and utensils. Sonic's speed wouldn't save him.
9 Can't Beat: Bayonetta (Bayonetta)
When it comes to technology, Samus has got a lot of other people beat, as her exoskeleton is sublime in almost every way. However, when it comes to fighting magic, this might be new grounds for her.
Especially if Samus comes across Bayonetta, whose primary weapon is her hair, along with four guns attached to her hands and high heels. While it should be an extremely close fight, Bayonetta's weird but awesome fighting style would sadly overcome Samus.
8 Can Beat: Commander Shepard (Mass Effect)
In a sense, Samus and Commander Shepard are a lot alike; they both travel through space while completing missions and fight aliens. However, Shepard uses a lot of words and has the tendency to get extremely aggressive, such as punching reporters in the face. Comparatively, Samus is silent, stoic, and arguably much more badass.
If push ever came to shove between this pair, Samus would wipe the floor with Shepard before the latter could even try to negotiate. Not only that, but Samus also has the better-looking ship by far.
7 Can't Beat: Doomguy (Doom)
Bounty hunting might seem a lucrative job, but there will always be stories about the one bounty who should be avoided at all costs. Well, Doomguy, is that bounty.
Samus will no doubt put up one hell of a fight, but the sheer presence and tenacity of Doomguy might shake her unbending will. Samus does have an advanced powered-exoskeleton, but Doomguy also has his suit of armor equipped with gadgets. Ultimately, Doomguy will have to use the Super Shotgun or BFG to win this fight.
6 Can Beat: Ezio Auditore (Assassin's Creed)
Samus being a bounty hunter, stealth isn't really one of her qualities. She doesn't need it when dealing with Space Pirates and the like. But what happens if she has a bounty who only relies on stealth?
Well, not much, as no matter how professional Ezio Auditore is at being stealthy or in sword combat, there is no perceivable way of the hidden blade finding its mark. Even if he somehow got the drop on the technology that Samus has, the hidden blade will shatter upon impact with her exoskeleton. Ezio might be able to flee by parkour, but it won't help.
5 Can't Beat: Max Payne (Max Payne)
Unpredictability is a powerful trait in a fight, as it can throw off even the most seasoned of bounty hunters. In this case, being more or less continuously intoxicated makes Max Payne one unpredictable drunken fellow.
Samus is a pro at what she does, but the same could be said about Max. As such, this fight could end either way, but that uncertainty Max brings to the table might throw Samus off balance. When that time comes, a moment of intense concentration is all Max would need to fire a barrage of bullets towards Samus.
4 Can Beat: Nathan Drake (Uncharted)
Treasure hunting and bounty hunting might be two sides of the same coin, as they both offer rewards at the end of the journey. However, the skills needed in either case vary slightly. Nathan Drake is an expert on surviving, climbing, and is also proficient with a gun, not to mention that he is quite a ladies man.
However, it's very much doubtful that Drake could charm Samus, or even escape from her in any way or form. While destruction might follow in Drake's wake, if she pleased, Samus could easily cause ten times the carnage.
3 Can't Beat: Duke Nukem (Duke Nukem)
Being a silent protagonist isn't a bad thing; it adds to the charm of the character. That said, talking can add even more appeal to a character and, in this case, amazing one-liners. Duke Nukem is the king of one-liners. No-one even comes close.
In all honesty, the fight wouldn't even happen, Duke would just keep saying one-liners repeatedly, and Samus would feel fulfilled and satisfied. She'll mark that her quarry is dead, and allow Duke to carry on playing the hero while giving the best quotes to the corpses he leaves behind.
2 Can Beat: Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
Lara Croft is the female Nathan Drake, but the former is not as full of herself as the latter. Truth be told, she is also a lot more menacing, as Drake has never locked a butler in a fridge...
Lara might be exceptional as solving puzzles, fighting against nature, and can generally survive against the odds; however, Lara is nowhere near as deadly as Samus Aran. Lara's pistols or climbing ax would do little against Samus' powered exoskeleton.
1 Can't Beat: Alucard (Castlevania)
Once again, when it comes to magic, Samus isn't truly in her element, as she usually fights a whole horde of aliens. But what about the supernatural? What about Alucard, Dracula's son? While typically only certain weapons can kill vampires, Samus does have technology on her side, even if there is no way of knowing if that can actually kill Alucard.
Due to his vampire powers, Alucard has tremendous speed and strength, so the directional beams of Samus's suit might be far to slow. Even the powerful bombs she uses still have a delay before they explode. All these delays give Alucard ample time to overcome Samus's guard.