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How would you react to a Metroid reboot w/ a black Samus

EvB

Member
What if she takes off her helmet and is Seamus Blackley?

seamus-blackley.jpg
 

pantsmith

Member
Samus as we know her is pretty much her power armor, and she doesn't even have a personality (outside of the character assassination in Other M) so it really doesn't matter what she looks like on the inside/outside/whatever. The framing of the question in the OP is ridiculous, though.
 

ramparter

Banned
I'd love a new black Metroid heroine but different name not Samus. Why change the color of the hero and not invent a new one.
 
I think a Black Samus would be awesome... But I wouldn't want it to be a reveal saved for the end of the game. Samus being a woman was shockingly progressive for an nes game in the 80s. I don't think a black heroine should be treated as a shocking reveal in 2017.
 
I mean, sure. I don't really see an issue.

I also really don't see what the purpose of asking is though? It's a fairly random question.

Also, dictionary?
 

Tidalwave

Member
I'd be sad because it would show that the creators failed to make an interesting black character and had to resort to changing a well liked character to be racially diverse.

*cough* marvel comics *cough*

I'd rather they spend more time making something new instead of being lazy.
 

culafia

Member
I guess it all depends. Nintendo doesn't do things in their game for pro-social reasons, so I trust Nintendo to have a better reason for it than checking diversity boxes.

Moreover, Nintendo doesn't have a tendency to switch out characters in *most* of their games. They will add, but rarely replace.

The most they would do is Pokemon-style customization. That is, Metroid ever gets healthy enough again to see that happen.
 
That would be dope! Though it doesn't necessarily have a to be Samus. Another character in the Metroid Universe would be be cool Maybe even a spin off game.
 

Rhiwion

Banned
Not considering the dumpster fire that was Other M, Samus' character is completely defined by her actions within the games, so it really doesn't matter what skin color she has. Although I don't really see a need to reboot Metroid or in fact change Samus' appearance, at the end of the day it wouldn't affect me in the slightest.
 

redcrayon

Member
Can't say it would bother me one way or the other, my favourite aspects of her (sparsely drawn over 30 years) character are being a general kickass adventurer and her maternal link with the baby Metroid, not her being white. I think I'd be more bothered if it was changed to a generic bloke space marine instead, but really it's not like I play them for the story. TBH I don't think I ever complete Metroid games fast enough to get the best cut scenes, so I probably wouldn't get to see it anyway :D
 

Stopdoor

Member
It'd be kind of cool if the reveal was you thought you were Samus the whole time but actually someone else entirely. Kind of a weird throwback to the "wow she's a women" reveal.
 

Mariolee

Member
Not really, as long as they had a compelling reason as to why they changed her look, which I would say for any signifcant change made to Samus.
 
Samus is a symbol. It doesn't matter who is beneath the helmet.

You know, like Batman, except a female government sponsored bounty hunter.


In fact, the only way I'd be upset about it is if it was a man under the helmet instead. Now you're just removing heretofore positive gutsy women from vidya and that's not good.

To be completely honest, we need more of every shade, every sex and gender, throughout all video games.
 

NOLA_Gaffer

Banned
Here's an idea. Instead of changing Samus, let's come up with an original character for the Metroid universe that also happens to be black.

Samus is a symbol. It doesn't matter who is beneath the helmet.

I'm fairly certain Samus Aran is the name of the woman in the armor, not the name of who the armor represents.
 
OP, can you explain to us why you felt the need to include dictionary definitions of the word "black?"

But to answer your question, sure, that'd be cool. Of course, this is based on the assumption that we'll actually get another Metroid game...
 

Fantastical

Death Prophet
lol I was just thinking about this other day. Would be a bold move for Nintendo to diversify its cast of characters.

Here's an idea. Instead of changing Samus, let's come up with an original character for the Metroid universe that also happens to be black.

Here's also an idea: Franchises are rebooted all the time and their characters look different.
 
Not sure what's the point of the definition, but it wouldn't bother me at all. I'm sure some people will lose their minds, but as long as she's the usual badass bounty hunter we always known, I couldn't care less.
 
Not a single one of Samus' character traits revolves around her race. Race doesn't determine how much of a badass or how independent you are, nor does it somehow limit your abilities. Samus with any other skin color is still Samus.
 

Solaire of Astora

Death by black JPN
A lot of GAF users know black to mean African American specifically rather than merely any person with darker skin color.

Pretty sure that people know what black means in regards to skin colour. Even the worst of the "USA = world" people are aware that there are other countries with black people in them.
 

Richie

Member
Give the Samus we know and love a proper, respectful farewell first and then we'll talk.

Does OP mean this'd be the same Samus Aran, just happening to to have black skin this time? Eeeh, why not a new character at that point?

Why make an established character into something new, instead of creating a character from the ground up? It would be nice to get an original black woman in their own game rather than a skin swap for an already established female symbol.

Also my issue would be rebooting a series that doesn't even have enough actual lore to reboot for any good reason. Samus is fine as is, no need to change her.

Pretty much.
 

Glass Rebel

Member
Not really, as long as they had a compelling reason as to why they changed her look, which I would say for any signifcant change made to Samus.

The "compelling reason" argument has always been so meaningless in these discussions. There isn't a compelling reason why she's a white woman in the first place.
 

Mael

Member
As long as you don't make her pose like she's in Other M, I certainly don't mind.
If we're talking about making a big deal about "black" Samus I thought about black being the color of the armor, so basically Dark Samus...
I actually wouldn't mind a game where you play as Dark Samus too.
 

RRockman

Banned
Why make an established character into something new, instead of creating a character from the ground up? It would be nice to get an original black woman in their own game rather than a skin swap for an already established female symbol.

Also my issue would be rebooting a series that doesn't even have enough actual lore to reboot for any good reason. Samus is fine as is, no need to change her.

Thank you so much, this has been my thoughts for years. I wanna buy you a cookie.
 
This would require a reboot of the series.

...Which is totally fine by me because I'd like to purge any influence Other M would have over any future entries in the franchise.
 
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