Crystanium
Smash Hero
Who is Space Pirate?
Space Pirate is a conglomerate of space pirates. Typically, space pirates are well-known for their Zebesian appearance, as first seen in Super Metroid. It wasn't up until Metroid Prime 3: Corruption that we learned that space pirates presumably originated from the Pirate Homeworld. Based on the different types of organisms known as shriekbats—which were associated with the planets Bryyo and Elysia—it was determined that those found on the Pirate Homeworld revealed a possible, actual name for the planet. This suggested that the planet's actual name was something along the lines of "Urtraghus". This was confirmed in the Japanese version of MP3:C, as well as in unused texts.
So why are space pirates specifically from Urtraghus called "Zebesian"? The creator of the Metroid series, Yoshio Sakamoto, answered this question, stating that the space pirates conquered the planet Zebes and took upon themselves the name "Zebesian", similarly to the way most Americans who descended from Europe call themselves Americans. Or, if I may push this one step further, should humans one day inhabit Mars, I suspect those humans born on the planet will be considered Martians.
With all that said, space pirates, I suppose, can be easily described by the official (now defunct) Metroid Prime Web site. A similar text can also be found by scanning a space pirate in Metroid Prime. The Web site says, "Space Pirates represent a highly intelligent, extremely aggressive species that wield well-trained armies in ruthless attacks on the Galactic Federation. Space Pirates seek to become the dominant force in the galaxy, and their technology may help them realize this goal. Fierce warriors, they wield galvanic accelerator cannons and forearm-mounted scythes in battle."
Why should Space Pirate be in Super Smash Bros?
While Ridley is well-known and has a history with Samus, he led the space pirates to attack the space colony K-2L, the planet Samus was orphaned on. There is no particular space pirate Samus hates, but the association they have with Ridley is enough for Samus to oppose them. Space pirates want to see the fall of Samus and the Galactic Federation just as much as Ridley, else they wouldn't be obedient to his commands. I could have settled with Weavel, a former space pirate general who was critically wounded during an altercation between the space pirates and Samus on Brinstar, but he's one of many hunters who could have been selected. Not to mention, his abilities alone would be limited for a moveset.
Although antagonists like Mother Brain, Ridley, and Dark Samus are recurring characters, Mother Brain has only been present twice, Ridley has appeared seven times, and Dark Samus has only appeared twice. Space pirates have been present in eight Metroid games. These are not including the original Metroid for the NES, nor Metroid II: Return of Samus for the Game Boy, since those have been remade. If Ridley deserves to be a playable character in Super Smash Bros. because of his recurrence, then a conglomerate of space pirates as one character deserves that spot just as much.
Space Pirate's moveset
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Art is by el-roacho.
1. Character statistics
2. Features
1. Although Space Pirate is a conglomerate of space pirates throughout the Metroid series, he's mostly similar to Zebesians and the space pirates found in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. The latter was purely coincidental.
2. Space Pirate is a heavy character, lighter than R.O.B. (106), but heavier than Captain Falcon (104).
3. Space Pirate can stick to walls and crawl.
4. Space Pirate is taller than he appears. If he stood upright, he'd be taller than Ganondorf. Since he hunches, he's only about the size of Samus.
5. Space Pirate is the only known character who is capable of using other specials while using his up special, Jetpack. This grants him two additional abilities no other character has.
3. Entrance and Taunts
Entrance
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Up Taunt
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Side Taunt
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Down Taunt
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4. Abilities
Neutral
Pincer Punch (A, A)
Space Pirate's jabs lack a Sakurai angle, allowing both jabs to land. If the first jab lands, it's guaranteed that the second one will as well, provided the player decides to perform the second jab. Even if the first jab is blocked, it's possible to connect the second if the opponent drops his or her shield, or if he or she dodges the first jab. Each jab produces 3% damage and has a FAF of 15 frames for the first jab and 20 frames for the second. Pincer Punch can lead into other options besides a second jab, including a grab, dash, tilts, or smashes, to name a few.
When Space Pirate performs the first jab, his animation will appear similar to that of a boxer. He'll pivot to the right to deliver a first jab with his right chela, then pivot left with what might appear to be a low uppercut. The initial jab has an active hitbox on frames 3-4 with his final jab having an active hitbox on frames 5-6. This is Space Pirate's fastest option for fighting, as most standard neutrals typically are. He may also buffer his initial jab to perform jab canceling, allowing him to poke at his opponent's shield or simply pester his opponent.
Dash
Shield Charge (Dash+A)
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Space Pirate may activate Shield Charge by dashing or simply trotting. From the first to the tenth frame, this attack possesses a reflective property. This ability isn't unique with respect to such property, which are often displayed by using a particular special move. Ness and Lucas can perform a side smash to reflect projectiles, for example. While 10 frames seems to be a long duration for reflecting projectiles, Pit's Mirror Shield in Super Smash Bros. Brawl appears to have lasted anywhere between 29 to 31 frames. When the opponent is hit by Shield Charge, he or she will be launched at a 75° angle, allowing for Space Pirate to set up aerial combos.
Tilts
Axe Kick (Up+A)
Like both Captain Falcon and Samus, Space Pirate can perform an axe kick as well. It will not cause a meteor smash against the opponent on-stage like Samus' up tilt, but unlike Samus' up tilt, it will spike the opponent who is trying to recover and ends up recovering a bit above the ledge. Space Pirate will slightly lean back, extending his right leg over his head, dropping it down at an arc until the heel of his foot strikes the ground. The hitbox becomes active on frames 14-17 and having a FAF of 40 frames, making this Space Pirate's slowest tilt. Like his other tilts, the hitbox extends from his hip to foot.
Front Kick (Forward+A)
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Space Pirate's Front Kick comes out at a 180° angle and can be tilted at a 45° or 135° with the former dealing 2% more damage and less knock-back and the latter dealing 2% less damage and less knock-back. The original damage deals a total of 12% for the sweet spot and 10% for the sour spot. Similarly, more knock-back is dealt, should Space Pirate's sweet spot land. The opponent will be launched at a 20° angle. It is possible that should Front Kick land against an opponent of medium weight at around 130%, he or she will be killed horizontally into the blast zone with improper DI. This is also dependent on how close the opponent is to the blast zone.
Front Kick has an active hitbox at frames 9-12 and FAF begins at frame 30. Unless the attack is perfectly shielded, Front Kick will slightly push the shielded opponent away from grab range, with the exception of those with tether grabs. Those with tether grabs may perform such function easily, due to the option of shield-grabbing. Front Kick is useful at keeping opponents at bay. Furthermore, landing this attack successfully against those who try to perform an aerial attack while getting up from the stage may be kicked away from the stage, making it difficult, if not impossible, to return.
Low Kick (Down+A)
Since Space Pirate's Front Kick cannot be angled, having a tilt to attack shorter characters would definitely be useful. Low Kick has the potential to cause the opponent to trip, just like the purpose of a real low kick, which can cause the opponent to lose stability. Performing this can allow Space Pirate to lock the opponent, which can then lead into a number of options, including a smash attack or grab. Low Kick is also capable of hitting certain opponents who are hanging on the ledge, similar to Samus' forward tilt when angled low.
Low Kick deals 10% damage and the hitbox extends from the hip to the tip of the foot with the foot having a sweet spot. The hitbox is active on frames 5-6 with a FAF of 20 frames, making this tilt the fastest in Space Pirate's tilt options. Although Low Kick isn't a downward angled forward tilt, it behaves as such. It also has a Sakurai angle. This tilt is a useful zoning option because of its range and speed. If the opponent decides to roll behind Space Pirate, the duration will be enough for Space Pirate to choose other options as FAF will become accessible.
Aerials
Jump Kick (A)
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Originally, I was going to make this Space Pirate's forward aerial, but I decided to go with a neutral aerial instead. The animation in the .gif displays Space Pirate as launching at an angle. The only thing I'd preserve from this is a similar kick without the angle. It would be akin to Sheik's neutral aerial. The hitbox extends from the angled knee of the left leg to the foot of the right leg. The hitbox where the knee is located is a sour spot and it can gimp recovery options. From the right knee to the right foot deals more knock-back and damage up to 9%. The sour spot only deals 6% damage.
Like most neutral aerials with the exception of Dr. Mario, the longer the aerial attack is out, the more damage it'll produce. This means the 9% damage increases to 10%, as well as the sour spot, increasing to 7% damage. If this aerial is performed and Space Pirate lands, he will end up with 10 frames of landing lag. Thus, it's best to use while rising, rather than falling. Of course, crossing up this aerial can help prevent being punished by an opponent who shields the attack. This aerial is also useful for knocking the opponent away from that which isn't a true combo.
Knee Launch (Up+A)
Space Pirate will launch upward with his hindwings fluttering, his arms stretched out behind him, and his right knee angled upward and somewhat away from his body. This aerial can be performed a number of times to combo the opponent by juggling him or her in the air at a 75° angle. Its FAF is 34 frames long, which is enough to ensure a follow-up. Knee Launch deals 6.5% damage and has an active hitbox at frames 5-9. This combo can be set up by performing a dash, forward throw, or down throw.
Chelae Chomp (Forward+A)
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Similar in animation to the image above, Space Pirate's body will be folded inward with his chelae in front of him. Both chelae will open and close with the serrations and clamping dealing the damage. This aerial has six, consecutive hits. The first five hits produce 1.5% damage with the final hit producing 4.5% damage, totaling in 12% damage. At low percents, Space Pirate can immediately follow up with another Chelae Chomp to deal up to 24% damage. The final hit produces more knock-back like it does damage percent. This allows for it to be a potential kill move at higher percents if the opponent is closer to the blast zone.
Space Pirate may move forward or backward when performing this aerial, allowing mobility and the capacity for zoning. The hitbox of this attack covers the front, from his head to his thighs. The hitbox is active on frames 6-32. This aerial auto-cancels upon landing, allowing Space Pirate to perform another attack, or immediately shield or block. This is his only aerial that allows for this. Another feature to this aerial is that it has an auto-link angle, allowing the aerial to lock the opponent in the air, somewhat similar to Sheik's up aerial or Fox and Falco's forward aerial. Aside from the mechanical explanation, the chelae prevent the opponent from breaking free.
Backhand Bash (Back+A)
I wanted to go with a back aerial similar to that of Captain Falcon and Ganondorf because a lot of back aerials include either a back kick or a kick drop. Space Pirate will reach back with his right chela to deliver a blow against his opponent. This attack can be performed with a short hop to wall out the opponent, especially if the opponent is at a high enough percent to be killed. This aerial can be performed out of shield, making it somewhat more difficult to work around this attack. Backhand Bash has an active hitbox on frames 8-10 and deals 15% damage. It has a FAF of 36 frames.
Chelae Crash (Down+A)
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In Metroid: Other M, when Samus shoots a Zebesian, its chelae will be the only things that freeze. When Samus approaches, the selfsame Zebesian will back away to avoid being directly attacked by Overblast. Overblast is a technique where Samus jumps onto the opponent, charges her beam, and shoots point-blank. It is possible for the Zebesian to shake Samus off. Should a Zebesian's chelae be frozen, it'll jump into the air and strike its frozen chelae against the ground, shattering the ice. This is because a Zebesian with frozen chelae cannot shoot at Samus.
When Space Pirate uses Chelae Crash, he'll strike the opponent, in a similar manner to Bayonetta's, Sheik's, Sonic's, and Zero Suit Samus' down aerial. As long as Space Pirate is on equal height or above the stage while off-stage, the animation will cease, allowing him to perform a second jump or even use Jetpack to return to the stage. On-stage, he'll strike the ground. Anyone immediately next to him won't receive as much damage or knock-back, but will still receive these, nonetheless. The damage and knock-back obviously won't be as much.
In the .gif, you can see a Super Zebesian striking the ground, only to immediately be in a position to attack. This, of course, wouldn't be allowed because it would make Space Pirate nearly unpunishable. Still, the range of FAF falls between 46 to 80 frames, with Sonic having the fewest and Toon Link having the most. Greninja has the fewest with only 13 frames, should the attack connect. Since the Super Zebesian is fast in the .gif, I though I'd work with 50 frames of FAF. It's fast, but not terribly so.
Chelae Crash has an active hitbox on frames 14-32 and deals 10% damage. If the opponent is hit in the air, he or she will travel at a 90° angle downward. If the opponent is grounded takes the hit, he or she will be launched at a 110° angle upward. An indirect hit will only deal 5% damage and push the opponent away at a 20° angle. This aerial attack doesn't have the ability to break shields, but can cause a decent amount of shield stun.
Smashes
Urtragian Uppercut (Up+A)
Urtragian Uppercut has two parts. The initial strike is soft, with the final strike being hard. The initial strike launches the opponent at a 30° angle, setting up the final strike. Space Pirate takes his right arm and bends it at a 90° angle. He steps in with the initial strike, following it up by rotating his entire body as he moves in before delivering the final blow. If the initial strike lands, the final strike is guaranteed. The initial strike deals 8% damage with the final strike dealing 12% damage. If the opponent shields the initial strike, the player may perform the final strike to perform a cross-up.
Energy Scythe (Side+A)
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Energy Scythe (though it may be more accurately called Energy Sword) is generated from the right chela from the same nozzle as the beams themselves. Space Pirate will lean back before thrusting Energy Scythe forward, allowing him to space before moving close enough to hit the opponent. This smash attack has an active hitbox on frames 10-15 and a FAF of 45 frames. The hitbox of this smash attack is wider than it appears, since the emanating energy surrounding the scythe will also connect, including small characters. Energy Scythe produces 15% damage uncharged, and 23% damage fully charged. It will launch the opponent at a 60° angle.
Multi-beam (Down+A)
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When Space Pirate must deal with a rolling opponent, he'll face the screen and have both arms cross each other, shooting from both chelae in opposite directions. Each chelae will fire four beams, generating 8 beams total. The longer the charge, the more damage and range the beams will cover. Each beam produces 4% damage, or 16% damage if hit by all the beams from one side. Unlike Chelae Beam, these beams lack a Sakurai angle and have more knock-back by virtue of being a smash attack. This allows Space Pirate some space from his opponent. Although it might seem unorthodox to use a smash attack against opponents off-stage, this smash attack can be used for edge-guarding.
Specials
Quantum Assault Cannon (B)
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Space Pirate fires two beams at once, one above the other. Blocking one beam doesn't negate the other, and unique abilities like Pocket and Gravitational Pull only absorbs one beam, but not the other. Uncharged beams have an angle of 361° (Sakurai angle) with decent hitstun. Should an opponent receive a hit from the first beam, the second beam will connect as well. If the first beam is blocked or dodged, the second beam can still connect. Each beam produces 2% damage, granting a total of 4% damage. When charged, each beam deals 8% damage, totaling to 16%. The opponent will be launched in a 30° angle. Each beam will also increase and length and travel farther.
Jetpack (Up+B)
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Jetpack is similar to R.O.B.'s Robo Burner in that Space Pirate can deactivate it by air-dodging and reactivate it by holding up on the analog stick and pressing B. If Space Pirate is hit while using Jetpack, he won't necessarily be knocked out of the flight animation like R.O.B. In order for this to work, he would need to have heavy armor. This armor could be compromised with a sufficiently strong hit, such as Aura Sphere, Charge Shot, Shadow Ball, or certain aerials with strong knock-back. Like Diddy Kong's Rocketbarrel Boost, should this occur, Space Pirate will end up in a helpless animation. He won't lose his jetpack, but will instead spiral out of control, potentially hitting his target as seen below.
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During the spiral animation, the analog stick may be used to attempt to alter the trajectory. If Jetpack blows up while Space Pirate is off-stage, he won't be able to reactivate this up special. In order to survive, he needs to grab onto the ledge or crash onto the stage. Crashing onto the stage will cause Space Pirate to receive 10% damage. If Space Pirate hits his opponent, the opponent will equally receive 10% damage from a direct hit and considerable knock-back, and 8% damage from an indirect hit with less knock-back.
Two other features I thought I'd add to Jetpack is Space Pirate's ability to use Quantum Assault Cannon, and instead of perform E-grenade, he would fire homing missiles instead. This would be unique because neither Diddy Kong, R.O.B., nor Pit are capable of shooting projectiles while using their up special. Space Pirate would likely have a much easier time returning to the stage, since he wouldn't be vulnerable compared to many other characters who must recover. Only very few characters who recover lack vulnerability, such as Bayonetta
E-grenade (Side+B , B)
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Throughout the Metroid Prime Trilogy, including Metroid Prime Hunters, if Samus is hit by an electromagnetic attack, her visor will produce noise interference, specifically for electronics. I thought about how I would translate this to Super Smash Bros., since interference from a first-person perspective wouldn't matter here. Originally, the idea was to cause the opponent to be temporarily stunned, just like Zero Suit Samus' Paralyzer. Paralyzer has a FAF ranges from 49 (uncharged) to 71 (charged) frames.
This side special is an attack that I've put a lot of thought into. Aside from stunning the opponent, the idea of having E-grenade switch special and non-special attacks temporarily, canceling out special attacks, and even slowing down the opponent's movement have come to mind. Switching special and non-special attacks wasn't well-received by Nano, Sylux, and Chastlily/Lys of the Samus Discord. An ability to intrude on the opponent's controls, Nano thinks, doesn't appear justifiable. In the heat of the battle, it could change the way a match or set turns out, making the character unbalanced and the game unpleasant. Nano suggested that E-grenade uses a flip mechanic, turning the opponent away instead.
I'm not fond of this idea because it's not novel in any way. I want something unique. I thought about making E-grenade affect the movement of the opponent, cutting their air and ground movement by half. Shulk's Monado Art Shield does this by 67%. An EMP is meant to disrupt or destroy electronics, and while most characters aren't using electronics, I still need some kind of effect to occur for this special to work. I suspect that if switching an opponent's controls isn't well-received, then the idea of E-grenade canceling only specials probably wouldn't be well-received, either. When I say "cancel", I only mean that the effect would be temporary and would be dependent on its charge, the opponent's damage percent, and the duration of the opponent being in the EM field.
The opponent would be able to step outside of the EM field to restore his or her canceled special. Although the effect would still be present, it wouldn't have as long of a duration compared to staying inside the EM field. If I had the blast radius at least the size of Bowser, I suspect this would be best suited for a full charge, with the uncharged blast radius being about the size of Kirby. Furthermore, the effect of the EM field could be ignored simply by shielding the attack, to which the grenade would simply bounce off the shield and detonate upon hitting the ground. Like Sheik's Burst Grenade, if Space Pirate is hit or grabbed during this time, the E-grenade will be accessible for the opponent to use against Space Pirate.
The E-grenade travels in a 180° angle at only a quarter of the distance Final Destination, both charged and uncharged. It behaves like Bowser Jr.'s Clown Cannon with regard to how it angles downward near its end. This gives the E-grenade a decent range, and Space Pirate can back away while performing this attack. Because E-grenade can cancel special attacks, one's ability to recover using an up, side, or down special would require the opponent to recover higher, rather than lower. Few opponents may be able to recover by tethering. Exceptions can be made, however, if the opponent has used his or her special before entering the EM field. However, if the opponent is hit directly off-stage, his or her specials won't work.
Any specials that require charging, such as Charge Shot, Shadow Ball, or Aura Sphere, will be canceled, but their charge will remain present when specials are restored. Uncharged, E-grenade will cause 5% damage with the EM field producing 0.5% damage per second as long as the opponent is in the field. Charged, this attack will cause 10% damage with the EM field producing 1% damage per second. FAF uncharged is 48 frames, with fully charged being 70 frames. This is very close to that of Zero Suit Samus' Paralyzer. I did this so that there's at least some balance for the character and enjoyment for the players.
Chameleon Manta (Down+B)
Shadow pirates use a cloaking device for stealth operations. The name of this kind of technology is never stated in the scan for these pirates. Directly scanning the Omega Pirate doesn't give this name, either. Rather, the name is found in the Pirate Data called "Omega Pirate". The variation between the shadow pirates and the Omega Pirate is that while the Omega Pirate can be observed with the use of the thermal visor (infrared spectrum; λ = 700 nm to 1 mm), it's not a clear image, nor is there body heat. Shadow pirates can be detected by their body heat, however.
Space Pirate's use of Chameleon Manta allows him to be undetected. This effect lasts in one of three ways. First, if Space Pirate uses another special, including Chameleon Manta, he will become visible. This is based on the scan about shadow pirates, whose "gear drains high levels of power [. . .] forcing them to rely solely on melee weapons in battle." Second, if Space Pirate is hit, he will become visible. Third, the duration of Chameleon Manta lasts for 10 seconds (600 frames). For comparison, Cloud's Limit takes 400 frames to charge.
Chameleon Manta makes Space Pirate completely invisible. There's no shimmer, nor does Space Pirate make any sound during this time. He can still be detected by his shadow and by non-special attacks, however. What I mean by this is when Space Pirate uses a non-special attack, his appearance will become translucent until the frames for any non-special attack ends. Otherwise, Space Pirate cannot be seen. This can make a vulnerable position like being off-stage very risky for his opponent.
Grabs
Chelae Clamp (A)
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When Space Pirate goes for a grab, he will lunge slightly forward, using his right chela to grab. Pressing A will cause him to perform two types of actions. The first will be a beam being fired from the nozzle within his right chela as he holds the opponent in place, followed up by a pummel with his left chela. Each animation deals different damage. The beam produces 2% and the pummel produces 3%. There is an interval between the two animations to prevent an unbalance of producing 5% immediately. Without this interval, Space Pirate would easily be capable of racking up damage quickly.
Missile Launcher (Up+Throw)
I'm aware of Falco's up throw and back throw involving him using his blaster to shoot his opponent. I didn't want something exactly like that, so I decided I'd use homing missiles instead and have the animation play out differently. I also decided I'd call this throw "Missile Launcher" because the opponent is launched into the air and hit by missiles. Space Pirate will throw his opponent above him in a 90° angle, releasing two homing missiles from each chela. The throw deals 2% damage with each homing missile dealing 4% damage. Each homing missile produces knock-back to push the opponent further into the air. Because the homing missiles are quick and precise, it's not possible to DI.
Elbow Strike (Forward+Throw)
Space Pirate will strike his opponent with his elbow, launching the opponent in a 72° angle. This throw deals 9% damage and the knock-back isn't high enough to prevent Space Pirate from leading this throw into combos.
Backfire (Backward+Throw)
Space Pirate will toss his opponent behind him, lean forward and away from his opponent with his chelae and feet grounded before using the thruster of his jetpack to forcefully launch the opponent away. When the opponent is hit, he or she will be covered in flames and launch at a 10° angle. This throw is useful for getting the opponent off-stage and has the potential to kill. It deals 10% damage.
Zebesian Ziggurat (Down+Throw)
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This down throw is based on what Kyratians can do in Metroid: Other M against Samus. Space Pirate will position himself to stand onto his opponent's shoulders before shooting two beams. Each beam will produce 2% damage and the rest of the down throw once Space Pirate leaps off will do an additional 6% damage. This throw launches the opponent in an 80° angle, allowing for the player to follow up with combos, including neutral, up, or forward aerials.
Final Smash
Omega Pirate (B)
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When Space Pirate obtains the Smash Ball, he becomes Omega Pirate. His specials, for the most part, are changed with the exception of Chameleon Manta, though Chameleon Manta receives an additional feature. Neutral special becomes Energy-siphon System. Omega Pirate will extend his hand outward, absorbing any all all energy projectiles that are fired his way, including explosions. This isn't dependent on the direction Omega Pirate is facing. This special is used in conjunction with his up special, the Plasma Incendiary Launcher.
The Plasma Incendiary Launcher has a growth in the radius, damage, and knock-back it can produce when absorbing energy-based projectiles and explosion. In terms of angling, it works similarly to Yoshi's Egg Throw. A normal plasma attack causes 20% damage and can increase up to 40% damage. Side special becomes Wave Quake Generator. Omega Pirate will slam his fists against the stage, producing a shock wave as a result. It's possible to jump over this attack, but even after the shock wave has passed, wind will be present to push the opponent off-stage. Damage from the shock wave also produces 20% damage.
Chameleon Manta functions like before, allowing Omega Pirate to become invisible. However, during this time, he begins to regenerate, receiving -5% per second. I think this is acceptable, due to the size of Omega Pirate and how taking damage will knock him out of his invisibility. Furthermore, he still won't be able to use any other special during this time. Omega Pirate also has some super armor like Giga Bowser, making it very difficult to knock Omega Pirate off-stage.
List of Supporters
List of Opposers
Space Pirate is a conglomerate of space pirates. Typically, space pirates are well-known for their Zebesian appearance, as first seen in Super Metroid. It wasn't up until Metroid Prime 3: Corruption that we learned that space pirates presumably originated from the Pirate Homeworld. Based on the different types of organisms known as shriekbats—which were associated with the planets Bryyo and Elysia—it was determined that those found on the Pirate Homeworld revealed a possible, actual name for the planet. This suggested that the planet's actual name was something along the lines of "Urtraghus". This was confirmed in the Japanese version of MP3:C, as well as in unused texts.
So why are space pirates specifically from Urtraghus called "Zebesian"? The creator of the Metroid series, Yoshio Sakamoto, answered this question, stating that the space pirates conquered the planet Zebes and took upon themselves the name "Zebesian", similarly to the way most Americans who descended from Europe call themselves Americans. Or, if I may push this one step further, should humans one day inhabit Mars, I suspect those humans born on the planet will be considered Martians.
With all that said, space pirates, I suppose, can be easily described by the official (now defunct) Metroid Prime Web site. A similar text can also be found by scanning a space pirate in Metroid Prime. The Web site says, "Space Pirates represent a highly intelligent, extremely aggressive species that wield well-trained armies in ruthless attacks on the Galactic Federation. Space Pirates seek to become the dominant force in the galaxy, and their technology may help them realize this goal. Fierce warriors, they wield galvanic accelerator cannons and forearm-mounted scythes in battle."
Why should Space Pirate be in Super Smash Bros?
While Ridley is well-known and has a history with Samus, he led the space pirates to attack the space colony K-2L, the planet Samus was orphaned on. There is no particular space pirate Samus hates, but the association they have with Ridley is enough for Samus to oppose them. Space pirates want to see the fall of Samus and the Galactic Federation just as much as Ridley, else they wouldn't be obedient to his commands. I could have settled with Weavel, a former space pirate general who was critically wounded during an altercation between the space pirates and Samus on Brinstar, but he's one of many hunters who could have been selected. Not to mention, his abilities alone would be limited for a moveset.
Although antagonists like Mother Brain, Ridley, and Dark Samus are recurring characters, Mother Brain has only been present twice, Ridley has appeared seven times, and Dark Samus has only appeared twice. Space pirates have been present in eight Metroid games. These are not including the original Metroid for the NES, nor Metroid II: Return of Samus for the Game Boy, since those have been remade. If Ridley deserves to be a playable character in Super Smash Bros. because of his recurrence, then a conglomerate of space pirates as one character deserves that spot just as much.
Space Pirate's moveset
Space Pirate
Art is by el-roacho.
1. Character statistics
- Air acceleration: Base: 0.01; Additional: 0.08; Max: 0.09
- Air friction: 0.008
- Air speed: 1.2
- Crawl: Yes
- Falling speed: 1.65
- Fast falling speed: 2.64
- Full hop air time: 65 frames
- Gravity: 0.12
- Hard landing lag: 4 frames
- Jump squat: 4 frames
- Max jumps: 2
- Rolling: Intangibility: 4-15; Total frames: 30
- Run speed: 2.15
- Short hop air time: 40 frames
- Soft landing lag: 2 frames
- Tether: No
- Traction: 0.07
- Wall Cling: Yes
- Wall Jump: Yes
- Walk speed: 1.37
- Weight: 105
2. Features
1. Although Space Pirate is a conglomerate of space pirates throughout the Metroid series, he's mostly similar to Zebesians and the space pirates found in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. The latter was purely coincidental.
2. Space Pirate is a heavy character, lighter than R.O.B. (106), but heavier than Captain Falcon (104).
3. Space Pirate can stick to walls and crawl.
4. Space Pirate is taller than he appears. If he stood upright, he'd be taller than Ganondorf. Since he hunches, he's only about the size of Samus.
5. Space Pirate is the only known character who is capable of using other specials while using his up special, Jetpack. This grants him two additional abilities no other character has.
3. Entrance and Taunts
Entrance
Up Taunt
Side Taunt
Down Taunt
4. Abilities
Neutral
Pincer Punch (A, A)
Space Pirate's jabs lack a Sakurai angle, allowing both jabs to land. If the first jab lands, it's guaranteed that the second one will as well, provided the player decides to perform the second jab. Even if the first jab is blocked, it's possible to connect the second if the opponent drops his or her shield, or if he or she dodges the first jab. Each jab produces 3% damage and has a FAF of 15 frames for the first jab and 20 frames for the second. Pincer Punch can lead into other options besides a second jab, including a grab, dash, tilts, or smashes, to name a few.
When Space Pirate performs the first jab, his animation will appear similar to that of a boxer. He'll pivot to the right to deliver a first jab with his right chela, then pivot left with what might appear to be a low uppercut. The initial jab has an active hitbox on frames 3-4 with his final jab having an active hitbox on frames 5-6. This is Space Pirate's fastest option for fighting, as most standard neutrals typically are. He may also buffer his initial jab to perform jab canceling, allowing him to poke at his opponent's shield or simply pester his opponent.
Dash
Shield Charge (Dash+A)
Tilts
Axe Kick (Up+A)
Like both Captain Falcon and Samus, Space Pirate can perform an axe kick as well. It will not cause a meteor smash against the opponent on-stage like Samus' up tilt, but unlike Samus' up tilt, it will spike the opponent who is trying to recover and ends up recovering a bit above the ledge. Space Pirate will slightly lean back, extending his right leg over his head, dropping it down at an arc until the heel of his foot strikes the ground. The hitbox becomes active on frames 14-17 and having a FAF of 40 frames, making this Space Pirate's slowest tilt. Like his other tilts, the hitbox extends from his hip to foot.
Front Kick (Forward+A)
Front Kick has an active hitbox at frames 9-12 and FAF begins at frame 30. Unless the attack is perfectly shielded, Front Kick will slightly push the shielded opponent away from grab range, with the exception of those with tether grabs. Those with tether grabs may perform such function easily, due to the option of shield-grabbing. Front Kick is useful at keeping opponents at bay. Furthermore, landing this attack successfully against those who try to perform an aerial attack while getting up from the stage may be kicked away from the stage, making it difficult, if not impossible, to return.
Low Kick (Down+A)
Since Space Pirate's Front Kick cannot be angled, having a tilt to attack shorter characters would definitely be useful. Low Kick has the potential to cause the opponent to trip, just like the purpose of a real low kick, which can cause the opponent to lose stability. Performing this can allow Space Pirate to lock the opponent, which can then lead into a number of options, including a smash attack or grab. Low Kick is also capable of hitting certain opponents who are hanging on the ledge, similar to Samus' forward tilt when angled low.
Low Kick deals 10% damage and the hitbox extends from the hip to the tip of the foot with the foot having a sweet spot. The hitbox is active on frames 5-6 with a FAF of 20 frames, making this tilt the fastest in Space Pirate's tilt options. Although Low Kick isn't a downward angled forward tilt, it behaves as such. It also has a Sakurai angle. This tilt is a useful zoning option because of its range and speed. If the opponent decides to roll behind Space Pirate, the duration will be enough for Space Pirate to choose other options as FAF will become accessible.
Aerials
Jump Kick (A)
Like most neutral aerials with the exception of Dr. Mario, the longer the aerial attack is out, the more damage it'll produce. This means the 9% damage increases to 10%, as well as the sour spot, increasing to 7% damage. If this aerial is performed and Space Pirate lands, he will end up with 10 frames of landing lag. Thus, it's best to use while rising, rather than falling. Of course, crossing up this aerial can help prevent being punished by an opponent who shields the attack. This aerial is also useful for knocking the opponent away from that which isn't a true combo.
Knee Launch (Up+A)
Space Pirate will launch upward with his hindwings fluttering, his arms stretched out behind him, and his right knee angled upward and somewhat away from his body. This aerial can be performed a number of times to combo the opponent by juggling him or her in the air at a 75° angle. Its FAF is 34 frames long, which is enough to ensure a follow-up. Knee Launch deals 6.5% damage and has an active hitbox at frames 5-9. This combo can be set up by performing a dash, forward throw, or down throw.
Chelae Chomp (Forward+A)
Space Pirate may move forward or backward when performing this aerial, allowing mobility and the capacity for zoning. The hitbox of this attack covers the front, from his head to his thighs. The hitbox is active on frames 6-32. This aerial auto-cancels upon landing, allowing Space Pirate to perform another attack, or immediately shield or block. This is his only aerial that allows for this. Another feature to this aerial is that it has an auto-link angle, allowing the aerial to lock the opponent in the air, somewhat similar to Sheik's up aerial or Fox and Falco's forward aerial. Aside from the mechanical explanation, the chelae prevent the opponent from breaking free.
Backhand Bash (Back+A)
I wanted to go with a back aerial similar to that of Captain Falcon and Ganondorf because a lot of back aerials include either a back kick or a kick drop. Space Pirate will reach back with his right chela to deliver a blow against his opponent. This attack can be performed with a short hop to wall out the opponent, especially if the opponent is at a high enough percent to be killed. This aerial can be performed out of shield, making it somewhat more difficult to work around this attack. Backhand Bash has an active hitbox on frames 8-10 and deals 15% damage. It has a FAF of 36 frames.
Chelae Crash (Down+A)
When Space Pirate uses Chelae Crash, he'll strike the opponent, in a similar manner to Bayonetta's, Sheik's, Sonic's, and Zero Suit Samus' down aerial. As long as Space Pirate is on equal height or above the stage while off-stage, the animation will cease, allowing him to perform a second jump or even use Jetpack to return to the stage. On-stage, he'll strike the ground. Anyone immediately next to him won't receive as much damage or knock-back, but will still receive these, nonetheless. The damage and knock-back obviously won't be as much.
In the .gif, you can see a Super Zebesian striking the ground, only to immediately be in a position to attack. This, of course, wouldn't be allowed because it would make Space Pirate nearly unpunishable. Still, the range of FAF falls between 46 to 80 frames, with Sonic having the fewest and Toon Link having the most. Greninja has the fewest with only 13 frames, should the attack connect. Since the Super Zebesian is fast in the .gif, I though I'd work with 50 frames of FAF. It's fast, but not terribly so.
Chelae Crash has an active hitbox on frames 14-32 and deals 10% damage. If the opponent is hit in the air, he or she will travel at a 90° angle downward. If the opponent is grounded takes the hit, he or she will be launched at a 110° angle upward. An indirect hit will only deal 5% damage and push the opponent away at a 20° angle. This aerial attack doesn't have the ability to break shields, but can cause a decent amount of shield stun.
Smashes
Urtragian Uppercut (Up+A)
Urtragian Uppercut has two parts. The initial strike is soft, with the final strike being hard. The initial strike launches the opponent at a 30° angle, setting up the final strike. Space Pirate takes his right arm and bends it at a 90° angle. He steps in with the initial strike, following it up by rotating his entire body as he moves in before delivering the final blow. If the initial strike lands, the final strike is guaranteed. The initial strike deals 8% damage with the final strike dealing 12% damage. If the opponent shields the initial strike, the player may perform the final strike to perform a cross-up.
Energy Scythe (Side+A)
Multi-beam (Down+A)
Specials
Quantum Assault Cannon (B)
Jetpack (Up+B)
Two other features I thought I'd add to Jetpack is Space Pirate's ability to use Quantum Assault Cannon, and instead of perform E-grenade, he would fire homing missiles instead. This would be unique because neither Diddy Kong, R.O.B., nor Pit are capable of shooting projectiles while using their up special. Space Pirate would likely have a much easier time returning to the stage, since he wouldn't be vulnerable compared to many other characters who must recover. Only very few characters who recover lack vulnerability, such as Bayonetta
E-grenade (Side+B , B)
This side special is an attack that I've put a lot of thought into. Aside from stunning the opponent, the idea of having E-grenade switch special and non-special attacks temporarily, canceling out special attacks, and even slowing down the opponent's movement have come to mind. Switching special and non-special attacks wasn't well-received by Nano, Sylux, and Chastlily/Lys of the Samus Discord. An ability to intrude on the opponent's controls, Nano thinks, doesn't appear justifiable. In the heat of the battle, it could change the way a match or set turns out, making the character unbalanced and the game unpleasant. Nano suggested that E-grenade uses a flip mechanic, turning the opponent away instead.
I'm not fond of this idea because it's not novel in any way. I want something unique. I thought about making E-grenade affect the movement of the opponent, cutting their air and ground movement by half. Shulk's Monado Art Shield does this by 67%. An EMP is meant to disrupt or destroy electronics, and while most characters aren't using electronics, I still need some kind of effect to occur for this special to work. I suspect that if switching an opponent's controls isn't well-received, then the idea of E-grenade canceling only specials probably wouldn't be well-received, either. When I say "cancel", I only mean that the effect would be temporary and would be dependent on its charge, the opponent's damage percent, and the duration of the opponent being in the EM field.
The opponent would be able to step outside of the EM field to restore his or her canceled special. Although the effect would still be present, it wouldn't have as long of a duration compared to staying inside the EM field. If I had the blast radius at least the size of Bowser, I suspect this would be best suited for a full charge, with the uncharged blast radius being about the size of Kirby. Furthermore, the effect of the EM field could be ignored simply by shielding the attack, to which the grenade would simply bounce off the shield and detonate upon hitting the ground. Like Sheik's Burst Grenade, if Space Pirate is hit or grabbed during this time, the E-grenade will be accessible for the opponent to use against Space Pirate.
The E-grenade travels in a 180° angle at only a quarter of the distance Final Destination, both charged and uncharged. It behaves like Bowser Jr.'s Clown Cannon with regard to how it angles downward near its end. This gives the E-grenade a decent range, and Space Pirate can back away while performing this attack. Because E-grenade can cancel special attacks, one's ability to recover using an up, side, or down special would require the opponent to recover higher, rather than lower. Few opponents may be able to recover by tethering. Exceptions can be made, however, if the opponent has used his or her special before entering the EM field. However, if the opponent is hit directly off-stage, his or her specials won't work.
Any specials that require charging, such as Charge Shot, Shadow Ball, or Aura Sphere, will be canceled, but their charge will remain present when specials are restored. Uncharged, E-grenade will cause 5% damage with the EM field producing 0.5% damage per second as long as the opponent is in the field. Charged, this attack will cause 10% damage with the EM field producing 1% damage per second. FAF uncharged is 48 frames, with fully charged being 70 frames. This is very close to that of Zero Suit Samus' Paralyzer. I did this so that there's at least some balance for the character and enjoyment for the players.
Chameleon Manta (Down+B)
Shadow pirates use a cloaking device for stealth operations. The name of this kind of technology is never stated in the scan for these pirates. Directly scanning the Omega Pirate doesn't give this name, either. Rather, the name is found in the Pirate Data called "Omega Pirate". The variation between the shadow pirates and the Omega Pirate is that while the Omega Pirate can be observed with the use of the thermal visor (infrared spectrum; λ = 700 nm to 1 mm), it's not a clear image, nor is there body heat. Shadow pirates can be detected by their body heat, however.
Space Pirate's use of Chameleon Manta allows him to be undetected. This effect lasts in one of three ways. First, if Space Pirate uses another special, including Chameleon Manta, he will become visible. This is based on the scan about shadow pirates, whose "gear drains high levels of power [. . .] forcing them to rely solely on melee weapons in battle." Second, if Space Pirate is hit, he will become visible. Third, the duration of Chameleon Manta lasts for 10 seconds (600 frames). For comparison, Cloud's Limit takes 400 frames to charge.
Chameleon Manta makes Space Pirate completely invisible. There's no shimmer, nor does Space Pirate make any sound during this time. He can still be detected by his shadow and by non-special attacks, however. What I mean by this is when Space Pirate uses a non-special attack, his appearance will become translucent until the frames for any non-special attack ends. Otherwise, Space Pirate cannot be seen. This can make a vulnerable position like being off-stage very risky for his opponent.
Grabs
Chelae Clamp (A)
Missile Launcher (Up+Throw)
I'm aware of Falco's up throw and back throw involving him using his blaster to shoot his opponent. I didn't want something exactly like that, so I decided I'd use homing missiles instead and have the animation play out differently. I also decided I'd call this throw "Missile Launcher" because the opponent is launched into the air and hit by missiles. Space Pirate will throw his opponent above him in a 90° angle, releasing two homing missiles from each chela. The throw deals 2% damage with each homing missile dealing 4% damage. Each homing missile produces knock-back to push the opponent further into the air. Because the homing missiles are quick and precise, it's not possible to DI.
Elbow Strike (Forward+Throw)
Space Pirate will strike his opponent with his elbow, launching the opponent in a 72° angle. This throw deals 9% damage and the knock-back isn't high enough to prevent Space Pirate from leading this throw into combos.
Backfire (Backward+Throw)
Space Pirate will toss his opponent behind him, lean forward and away from his opponent with his chelae and feet grounded before using the thruster of his jetpack to forcefully launch the opponent away. When the opponent is hit, he or she will be covered in flames and launch at a 10° angle. This throw is useful for getting the opponent off-stage and has the potential to kill. It deals 10% damage.
Zebesian Ziggurat (Down+Throw)
Final Smash
Omega Pirate (B)
The Plasma Incendiary Launcher has a growth in the radius, damage, and knock-back it can produce when absorbing energy-based projectiles and explosion. In terms of angling, it works similarly to Yoshi's Egg Throw. A normal plasma attack causes 20% damage and can increase up to 40% damage. Side special becomes Wave Quake Generator. Omega Pirate will slam his fists against the stage, producing a shock wave as a result. It's possible to jump over this attack, but even after the shock wave has passed, wind will be present to push the opponent off-stage. Damage from the shock wave also produces 20% damage.
Chameleon Manta functions like before, allowing Omega Pirate to become invisible. However, during this time, he begins to regenerate, receiving -5% per second. I think this is acceptable, due to the size of Omega Pirate and how taking damage will knock him out of his invisibility. Furthermore, he still won't be able to use any other special during this time. Omega Pirate also has some super armor like Giga Bowser, making it very difficult to knock Omega Pirate off-stage.
List of Supporters
List of Opposers
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