Metroid franchise strategy guide/Dark Samus

Dark Samus is a character in the Metroid series. It first appears in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes after being teased in Metroid Prime and serves as the primary antagonist of the Metroid Prime trilogy. Dark Samus is a concentration of Phazon energy that takes on the form of Samus Aran after her Phazon Suit and DNA mix with the remains of Metroid Prime in a pool of Phazon.

Appearances
At the conclusion of Metroid Prime Samus defeats the titular Metroid Prime, which absorbs her Phazon Suit and explodes. In a post-credits scene, the hand of Samus's Phazon suit reaches out from inside the creature's remains.

Dark Samus makes its first proper appearance in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, revealed as Metroid Prime having used Phazon energy and the Phazon suit to reconstruct itself into a dark doppelgänger of Samus. Seeking to absorb Phazon and make itself stronger, Dark Samus travels to the planet Aether, where it repeatedly clashes with Samus. Ultimately, Dark Samus is defeated by Samus and destroyed, but is revealed to have reformed itself in a post-credits scene.

Dark Samus appears again in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, having forcibly taken control of the Space Pirate forces. With the pirates' help, Dark Samus locates the source of all Phazon, the planet Phaaze, and plans to spread Phazon and use it to control the universe. Dark Samus then infects Samus, her allies, and a stolen supercomputer with Phazon, and begins invading planets and using Phazon to corrupt them. Overcoming her corruption, Samus travels to Phaaze and engages in a final battle with Dark Samus from which she emerges victorious, with Dark Samus exploding into Phazon dust as the planet is destroyed.

In other media
Outside of the Metroid series, Dark Samus also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series. The character initially appeared as an assist trophy item in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U before being announced as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an "echo fighter" that uses moves similar to Samus's.  Dark Samus is also scheduled to receive its own amiibo figure.

Reception
The character of Dark Samus has received positive reception. According to Super Smash Bros. series director Masahiro Sakurai, Dark Samus was included with Chrom in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate due to the character's popularity with western players. IGN listed Dark Samus as their 88th best video game villain.