Escape Ship

The Escape ShipMetroid: Zero Mission: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide pg. 98 is a Space Pirate evacuation vehicle that was used by Samus Aran at the end of Metroid: Zero Mission.
==Description==
The Escape Ship resembles a Space Pirate vessel, sharing its overall shape including the tail-like structure. However, it has a smoother, rounder cockpit that lacks the fin-like structures on the sides of the vessel; this is may be due to the Escape Ship's purpose as an evacuation vehicle rather than a fighter ship. It also has a teal color scheme in lieu of the vessel's dark green.
==History==
Samus, after destroying Mother Brain, crash-landed back on Zebes after being attacked by Space Pirate vessels, and lost her Starship and Power Suit. She was forced to infiltrate the Space Pirate Mother Ship in search of an escape vessel, and came across the escape-ship bay. However, she was unable to access it while suitless.
During the countdown sequence of the Mother Ship, Samus ended up back in the escape bay and fought off two gray Space Pirates. A red Zebesian was inside the Escape Ship about to fly off, but foolishly jumped out to attack Samus, who quickly hijacked the ship and prepared to take off. Humorously, another red Zebesian tried to jump on top of the ship, but was killed when it hit him.
What becomes of the Escape Ship is unknown. Samus has not been seen reusing this ship. In subsequent games, she uses a new version of her own Gunship.
==Metroid: Zebes Invasion Order==
The Escape Ship plays a nearly identical role to the small spacecraft from Metroid: Zebes Invasion Order, another adaptation of the original Metroid that likewise adds a lengthy epilogue after Mother Brain's defeat.
Just like the Escape Ship, Samus finds the small spacecraft in an enormous Pirate Ship's docking bay and uses it to escape before the larger ship explodes. Unlike the Escape Ship, the small spacecraft is armed with a large missile, which is directly responsible for the Pirate Ship's destruction. In order to achieve the Good Ending, Samus must battle the Pirate Boss and retrieve the Metroid capsule from the control room before escaping with the small spacecraft, similar to how Samus can only access the Escape Ship after defeating Mecha Ridley in Zero Mission; escaping in the small spacecraft without retrieving the Metroid capsule results in the Bad Ending.
It is unknown if Zebes Invasion Order had any influence on later Metroid games such as Zero Mission. It is possible that the Escape Ship was directly inspired by the small spacecraft from this book, or any similarities are merely coincidence.
==Gallery==
Zero Mission Escape Ship (sprite) Open.png|Sprite of the ship with the door to the inside slid open. 
Mzmend_c.png|A Zebesian's doomed attempt to stop Samus from hijacking the escape ship
File:Escape Ship interior.png|The Escape Ship's interior.
File:Escape Ship sprites.png|Ending cutscene sprites.
File:Escape Ship ending cutscene.png|"Mission Complete".
==References==
Category:Spacecraft
Category:Space Pirate Mother Ship
Category:Space Pirate technology