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Metroid Dread - Blog Posts
October... again!
In honor of this year’s E3 and the announcement of a post Fusion Metroid game, Metroid Dread nonetheless! I have decided to start a post(and perhaps a chain if others would be so kind to correct me on mistakes) on the lore story and timeline of the Metroid Series so far just for fun!
Let’s start with the timeline(this is just going to be the various works in the series listed in chronological order). Our timeline starts with the events of the Manga and lead into the flashback's from Other M if you accept that game as cannon(I personally don’t but you can come to your own opinion) fallowed next by Metroid Zero Mission/Metroid 1(the remakes will be seen as the cannon versions) and now we reach a bit of a divide. You see this is where we would fit the entirety of the Prime series(Prime 4′s position pending) however Yoshio Sakamoto has stated that the Prime games are an alternative universe, but there is no evidence that debunks them from the cannon timeline(Other M not withstanding) I personally like them to be part of the main timeline but again come to your own opinion. The Prime series timeline is as fallows: Metroid Prime 1, Metroid Prime 2, Metroid Prime Hunters, Metroid Prime 3, Metroid Prime Federation Force and theorized Prime 4. Going back to the main series we reach the events of Metroid 2/Samus Returns going directly into Super Metroid fallowed By... Other M... moving into where the timeline was left hanging for 19 years Metroid Fusion and concluded with the new Metroid Dread. It took me a bit to type this up so I’ll continue to update it late.
Told y’all I would voice this! (Comic by @molagboop )
Reblogging cuz it was posted as mature content for some inexplicable reason. It’s fixed now though
So… scope creep, huh?
For those of you who may not know, I do have a rewrite of the Metroid Zero Mission manga, as well as most of the games in the series, in the works. However, the manga rewrite in particular deals with some very heavy and intense topics, topics that need time and care to get right. So uh… yeah, I don’t think that’s coming out before Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, save for some massive delay.
However, there is a story in the works that will meet your eyes, and ears, far sooner. This story is based on a premise and the music works of the YouTuber Seregauss. This is the story of his latest album, Metroid Prime: The Great Hunt.
Taking place after the events of Metroid Dread, this story follows up on some of the loose plot threads left by Dread, Fusion, and Other M, and operates as a sequel to Metroid Prime Hunters.
Far from the homeworlds of the lost Alimbic Civilization, the secret technologies of the Alimbics, left buried for millennia, have been reactivated, spurring on a new hunt for long lost power. Samus Aran, now wrestling with her Metroid powers and distrust in the Galactic Federation and Chozo, must put an end to the anomalous rifts running rampant throughout the Collidus Star System. In her journey, Samus will face deadly wildlife, familiar faces, and sinister new foes, all while uncovering secrets new and old.
This is a story I am very hyped to be working on. Seregauss has a lot of my favorite Metroid covers, and The Great Hunt might be some of his best work yet. In addition, I am privy to some inside information as to artwork and designs which will be implemented into this story. I will be posting some of my own artwork soon, including some artwork of a redesign of the Space Pirate Bounty Hunter, Weavel. Stay tuned, and happy hunting!
Metroid Prime: The Great Hunt art dump 1
Today, y’all get some wildlife concepts. After all, the worlds of Metroid feel a lot less lively without an array of critters and beasts populating them!
The Icthyosuchus is a marine predator on the planet Collidus III, a world with vast oceans and only scattered islands left above the waves. Think of them like the cross between a dolphin and a mosasaur but with gills. There will be a brief fight between Samus and one of these sea beasts
The “Vigor” is something I thought up while brainstorming wildlife for a tall mountain range. The name is a pun based on its resemblance to a… certain tree dwelling mammal. It is a predator inhabiting the frigid planet of Collidus V, a world experiencing its own ice age.
Returning to Collidus III, the War Mantis is based off the concept of having a bigger, meaner war wasp, and thus the carnivorous praying mantis served as inspiration. The War Mantis is huge, with a specimen encountered by Samus totaling about 11 feet in height. Due to this size, they are flightless. However, their abdomens are hollow, allowing them to float on top of calmer waves and catch prey in shallow waters. Their thickly armored underbelly keeps them safe from aquatic predators like the Icthyosuchus.
The Herrahound is a ubiquitous native of Collidus IV, an arid world comparable to late Triassic Earth. These nocturnal creatures prefer to sleep during the day, held off of the heated soil of the perpetual summer by their clawed tails which can cling to trees or the ceilings of caves. Their prehensile mandibles and powerful legs allow them to catch prey effectively. The design of this creature is adapted from a cancelled enemy type from Metroid Prime: Hunters. I was not able to find a name for this creature, so I drew inspiration from its Triassic Environment and resemblance to a creature from the Half Life game series.
“Better to put an idea to the page and draw it badly than never set it free.”
Raven Beak is an individual of science. He's also a sentimental warrior poet who is not immune to superstition. How will his daughter learn to gut her enemies if he doesn't pass down the family heirloom? Also grandma will be disappointed if the sword doesn't go to Raven Beak's first-hatched.
Started late 2023.
Extras:
So… scope creep, huh?
For those of you who may not know, I do have a rewrite of the Metroid Zero Mission manga, as well as most of the games in the series, in the works. However, the manga rewrite in particular deals with some very heavy and intense topics, topics that need time and care to get right. So uh… yeah, I don’t think that’s coming out before Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, save for some massive delay.
However, there is a story in the works that will meet your eyes, and ears, far sooner. This story is based on a premise and the music works of the YouTuber Seregauss. This is the story of his latest album, Metroid Prime: The Great Hunt.
Taking place after the events of Metroid Dread, this story follows up on some of the loose plot threads left by Dread, Fusion, and Other M, and operates as a sequel to Metroid Prime Hunters.
Far from the homeworlds of the lost Alimbic Civilization, the secret technologies of the Alimbics, left buried for millennia, have been reactivated, spurring on a new hunt for long lost power. Samus Aran, now wrestling with her Metroid powers and distrust in the Galactic Federation and Chozo, must put an end to the anomalous rifts running rampant throughout the Collidus Star System. In her journey, Samus will face deadly wildlife, familiar faces, and sinister new foes, all while uncovering secrets new and old.
This is a story I am very hyped to be working on. Seregauss has a lot of my favorite Metroid covers, and The Great Hunt might be some of his best work yet. In addition, I am privy to some inside information as to artwork and designs which will be implemented into this story. I will be posting some of my own artwork soon, including some artwork of a redesign of the Space Pirate Bounty Hunter, Weavel. Stay tuned, and happy hunting!
Samus and AI Adam is just personality swapped Master Chief and Cortana. Send post.
Haruna, anamahar hasana. Dara esen mir, muk atamis. Ana maril banta dosh sahar.
[Translated from Chozo]
-Live, my tribe. More than that, be yourself. I will try to help.
Happy Trans Day of Visibility to my tribe, anamahar hasana. We have tough times ahead. We’re living in them now. But we must fight. We must protest. And yet, we must never let the gloom poison our sense of self. We are transgender. Never let any voice, inside or out, pry that from your grasp. Hold on to your sense of self.
Dim tar Ili Metroid
This is just a short fic I made to flex my voice acting and narrating muscles again. I am transgender, and have been voice training for a good couple of months now. I have bigger plans, but I’d like to do something small before jumping into the really good stuff that I wanna really get right.
To those who do not know, this story utilizes the actual Chozo language! Sparingly, at least. The title, Dim tar Ili Metroid, translates to DNA of the Metroid. Tanumar, is the Chozo word for leader, one which I have taken to using as an official designation of rank. Hasana, as well, is the Chozo word for tribe, which I have used as the actual term of their societal groupings. Has means yes, and ulu means no. Raven Beak’s voice is a doozy to get right, largely due to the large amount of voice modulation. I have dumbed it down to be more in line with some of the effort/chuckling sounds in his boss fight, both for ease of editing and ease of understanding. Lastly, as for the voices themselves, I tried going for an accent based on how Raven Beak and Quiet Robe speak within Metroid Dread, with the rolled R sound, for example.
Hope you all enjoy! Sol ata (thank you)!
Just a sound design concept for Raven Beak’s Hyper Beam I whipped up in CapCut.
I felt the sound of his primary weapon didn’t fit the sheer power its visuals evoked. To that end, I used the buildup noise of the BFG 10,000 from Doom Eternal plus the firing sound of the Focus Rifle from Halo Reach, pitched down to evoke a massive beam. I love the trail off of the Focus Rifle, and it fits the Hyper Beam so damn good.
Why did ZDR explode in Metroid Dread?
From the moment that many defeated Raven Beak and his X clone in Metroid Dread, many have wondered why the planet of ZDR went on a self destruct sequence strong enough to turn the entire planet into a debris cloud. Honestly speaking. I can see two main reasons for this, though they are, admittedly, mostly conjecture.
First option, and the less satisfying, is the accidental option. The exploration throughout Metroid Dread involves not insignificant amounts of redirecting magma and thermal energy from different areas of the planet in order to safely progress through various areas. One such sequence involves the X copy of Experiment Z-57 jamming the entire system, freezing vast swathes of ZDR into an unforgiving tundra. It’s possible that through the rapid back and forth of magma flows and geothermal energy from throughout Artari, Cataris, and elsewhere caused a chain reaction that lead to a complete collapse of the derelict, Mawkin infrastructure, especially without the Central Units to modulate the shifts.
The second, and more motivation driven option, is a plan from Tanumar of the Mawkin himself. Raven Beak isn’t an idiot by any stretch. He was able to contain an X outbreak into Elun in quick enough time to prevent a full scale infestation of the planet. While he is arrogant, self centered, and cruel, he is not without any care for the well being of the universe. While he is willing to subdue the Galaxy by force, I doubt he is willing to allow even a single X parasite to escape ZDR. His plan is to bring order to the Galaxy, after all. It is likely that, once the X were unleashed, Raven Beak got to work on a plan for blowing up the planet. We explore very little of the Itorash within Metroid Dread, so it is possible he had all of the equipment needed for his cloning operation within his ship, so he could escape the planet, destroy it, and carry out his plan. For all we know, that countdown had started the moment Samus entered the Itorash, but only started showing effects once we get our own timer.
Just finished up Metroid Dread. Absolutely loved this game. Raven Beak’s boss fight was extremely fun and challenging. I think I’m gonna make a post tomorrow about why ZDR explodes at the end of the game.
Batta, the Culture of the Zebesian Space Pirates
The Metroid Prime series has introduced the internal workings of the Space Pirates and expanded on it in subsequent entries. However, it is largely agreed upon by groups with the Metroid community (myself included) that the Space Pirates are a faction made up of many species. After all, the biology of the different enemy types in the Prime series alone is wildly different from game to game, aside from a bipedal, hunched posture. It can be assumed, therefore, that any discrepancies from game to game when describing the inner workings of the Space Pirates to simply be the culture of those individual species. For instance, the Urtraghians have far more brutal forms of punishment than the forces seen on Tallon IV. Now that then begs the question.
What about the culture of the Zebesians?
This exploration will, admittedly, be full of conjecture and fanons that I enjoy, but I hope you will enjoy either way.
The name Zebesian seems a bit strange to those who know the inner workings of Metroid lore, specifically about the Chozo, who were the residents of planet Zebes before the Space Pirates stormed the planet. The two big schools of thought as to the name from a Watsonian perspective are either that the Zebesians were driven off of Zebes in years past during the Chozo’s warlike past or that the name comes from their settlement upon Zebes that essentially became the way most of the Galaxy thought about the planet.
While I prefer the latter explanation, the former explanation does have some basis to it. Some of Dread’s many murals depict Mawkin soldiers coming into conflict with the Zebesian Space Pirates and defeating them. It is certainly possible that this is how the Chozo first settled the world. There was once a time when the Thoha Chozo were on good terms with the Mawkin.
Still, from both a Watsonian and Doylist perspective, I prefer that the Zebesian name comes from their takeover of Zebes, likely the latest conquest of many. From throughout the series, the Chozo are not seen to have been particularly active in galactic politics during the age of the Galactic Federation, mostly being relegated to advising more public figures. They are rarely mentioned after their demise, outside of their ruins. Therefor, with the Chozo mostly being dead and buried, their world conquered by the feared Space Pirates, the limelight would then be cast onto that world as the source of the Metroid threat, thus leading people to call them the rulers of that world. It’s not exactly how I will be situating things in my own rewrite of the manga, but it does fit better from a purely canonical perspective. Furthermore, from a Doylist perspective, there is evidence to posit this same position. (Special thanks to @sepublic for pointing this out) The internal data for the Zebesian sprite refers to them as Batta, the Japanese word for grasshopper/locust. While this can be attributed to their hopping behavior, it also fits to see them surrounding a planet, consuming its resources, and leaving barren rock behind, with Zebes being their latest, and most successful, operation. The manga displays them descending onto worlds, massacring populations, and enslaving the survivors. The origin of Samus Aran’s adoption into the Chozo comes from them massacring the population of a colony in order to steal its main export wholesale.
The individuals we see in the manga are spiteful, remorseless, and cruel, happy to kill a child for fun. They also show fear and cowardice in the face of armed resistance from Federation officials, and Mother Brain describes them as inclined to capitulate to the highest power present. This cruel, despotic leadership style appears to be an inherent trait to Zebesian culture. Furthermore, the Space Pirates are displayed as having genetically altered themselves to withstand Zebes’s environment very soon after securing the world, suggesting an avid fascination with genetic manipulation, a trait that gets taken to the N’th degree in the Prime series, along with a fascination of mechanical augmentation. From Meta and Proteus Ridley, to the grafted metal implants of the Tallon IV pirates, to the exoskeleton apparatus used by the Urtraghians, the Space Pirates as a whole seem to love cybernetically augmenting themselves and their underlings.
One of my favorite fan interpretations of the Zebesians comes from @dappercritter and the fanfiction piece “No Other”. Quite frankly, I have to include the paragraph wherein the description of the Zebesian race lies.
“The chimeric splice-junkies who had the nerve to call themselves ‘Zebesians’ she wasn’t surprised by. Those ‘settler colonists’-a term which they use to feign altruism and keep the GDF from assaulting their new base, had always been a thorn in Samus’s side since they tried to take her and the Chozo’s old home by force. Of course, they’d come back for more at some point, even if they deserved every other beatdown.”
The Zebesians are described as “chimeric splice-junkies”, a term which I absolutely love for its descriptiveness and color. These guys love to juice themselves up on whatever science team has cooked up. They love genetic modifications, cybernetic implants, and anything to make themselves stronger and give them an edge in combat. The main villain of this story, Ganzer, is the apotheosis of a Zebesian. He has replaced his lobster claws with metal claws, he has wings on his back, chainsaw blades grafted to his arms, a shoulder mounted cannon, a visor in place of his eyes, extra armor over his exoskeleton, and even a reptilian tail. Additionally, there is an explanation here for the name of these Zebesians. These galactic jerks are not just genocidal maniacs, they are something far worse: lawyers. They have lawyered their way into exploiting the Federation’s rules of engagement. After all, orbital bombardment on a colony is illegal. So, as any good lawyer would do, they have designated their most valuable planet as their residential colony world. Doesn’t matter that they breed Metroids, produce weapons, and store their fleets there, cuz that’s where the children grow up, at least on paper.
Furhermore, given their distinctly crustacean design, I can imagine that their “splice-junky” lifestyle comes into play during a specific recurring period of their life; molting. When a crustacean molts, the new shell is soft and malleable for a time, in which time they are extremely vulnerable. Defensive claws and stingers are effectively useless, leaving them defenseless until their body hardens. This time could be perfect for Zebesians to how in the infusion tank to get ‘roided up on whatever DNA infusions they choose/have chosen for them, or to have cybernetic implants grafted into them, where the shell will then solidify and seal the implant on. You can just imagine some excited Zebesian chittering about how they ordered the new model of targeting armature, lamenting that they have to wait until the next molt to get it installed. It honestly opens up some room for a bit of downtime in their culture which I think could be explored further some time.
Hope you all enjoyed this one! I may make a similar post for some of the other Space Pirate varieties. I do have some unique fanons for the Urtraghians that could be cool to share. Let me know if you have any suggestions or fanons of your own!
It’s my blog, and I get to nerd out about Metroid fan covers if I want.
Track 10: Power
I swear, I love this track so much. I was never a fan of the original Raven Beak theme. The percussion felt lacking, the vocal element didn’t seem to match the gravity of the situation, and the overall track just seemed discordant and lacking pattern. However, “Power” absolutely improves upon the base track in almost every way I can possibly think of.
The entire album returns a lot of old leitmotifs, from the iconic Brinstar depths, to the chase theme of the SA-X. Most importantly to “Power” is the eerie loop of the Super Metroid save room. It appears elsewhere in the album, but it is actually the first leitmotif within the final track. Its inclusion is brilliant. Raven Beak has been spying on us, lying to us, and manipulating us through the Network Station save rooms. To hear this leitmotif turned sinister is a perfect display of the realization that we were never alone, and NOT in a good way. The track then transitions into Samus’s theme, then Raven Beak’s leitmotif in a monologic fashion, perfect for Raven Beak’s declarations and ordering of Samus to capitulate. The almost vocoded vocal element really excels here as a low hum in a moment of intermission. You can imagine Raven Beak pacing about his thrown room explaining the necessity of his schemes, and his justifications.
Then as the actual battle portion of the song begins, we see that the pace is slower than the original, allowing the Raven Beak leitmotif to really shine and draw itself out. The save room leitmotif is carried over, as well, adding some variety and vigilantly reminding us of how well our enemy knows us. The full vocal rendition of his theme just fits so damn well with his overwhelming power and technology. We actually get a bit of the heroic part of Samus’s theme as well, perhaps to mark a significant set of blows. Then a brief interlude of the darker first half of her theme, no doubt signifying Raven Beak losing one wing and tearing off the other himself. The final act of the song shows a distinct level of desperation on the part of both combatants. We can imagine that they are both running out of resources, and the looming threat of planetary destruction. The finale showcases Samus’s theme and closes very upbeat. However, we all know that victory doesn’t quite happen as Samus anticipated.
Though it does come in the end
This track has given me several ideas for my own rewrite of the Metroid saga. I constantly had the idea of the throne room being heavily damaged throughout the fight, cuz, I mean
Look at that massive beam. There is no way he isn’t at least singing the banners. However, “Power” makes me think more into it as symbolism for Raven Beak dismantling Chozo society and morals in order to fit his own insane agenda and ideals. I could even see the towering Chozo statues tumbling down onto him during the final phase of the fight, as if their likenesses are throwing themselves upon him, begging him to cease this madness, to stop attempting to kill his own daughter. I also imagine both of them losing weaponry and tools throughout the fight as well, further amounting to their desperation as they run out of power bombs, super missiles, miniature suns, and other critical ammunition. I also like to think of Raven Beak using a spear like other Chozo warriors, but being disarmed of it throughout the fight, showing that he is no rightful heir to their legacy. There are so many ideas floating through my head on the matter.
In any case, Sam Dillard did excellent work here. And you should ABSOLUTELY check out the album! The link for it is in the video description.
Happy Halloween!
Halloween has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. Granted, that may be in part due to my birthday also falling on October, but nevertheless, I still love it. It’s a holiday of pure fun and celebrating the macabre. Alas, I haven’t been feeling it this year. Between politics (blech), quitting my current job, searching for a way forward in life, and a lack of new spooky content, I’ve just not felt drawn into the Halloween spirit. I’m also waist deep into the process of writing for my Metroid rewrite, and have very little to show at the moment. Still, Halloween is calling my name and I must not deny it, plus I really wanna get some more of my ideas out there. So here’s a quick post to at least get the ball rolling on some ideas for a rewritten Metroid Fusion, the game the cemented Metroid in the minds of many as suspenseful and horror adjacent.
1. Waking up
As opposed to the drawn out process of “go to SR-388, get infected, fly off, go comatose and crash into an asteroid field, get taken in and healed by the BSL station, leave the BSL, head BACK to BSL”, I’m simplifying it down. Instead of being called back to the BSL station due to an explosion on board, Samus wakes up on the operating table in the middle of the X-Parasite outbreak, similar in part to Doom 2016’s opening. However, she’s not thrust into action immediately from the onset, having some time to wake up and get a feel for the new/post surgery suit.
2. X-Parasites Science
I want to dive a little deeper into the details of the X-Parasites. Firstly, their scientific nomenclature is Anomalomimus Volans, roughly translating to “Strange Mimic which Flies”. Furthermore, I want to play more into the fact that it is an intelligent hivemind. Perhaps not Gravemind levels of intellect, but still enough to strategize and make complex decisions. However, their mimicry has a catch. They can only repeat phrases they’ve already stated. They can form new sentences, but it is difficult, and strains the limited mental capacity of each individual X.
3. X-Parasite life cycle
There is a variety of different levels of mimicry the X take on in the Metroid games. We have heard of them blending in with their prey, utilize the unaltered bodies of their prey, and even mutate into hideous new forms in order to gain an edge in combat. I have been able to come up with a few stages for a hypothetical Anomalomimus life cycle. First is the amoeboid stage, where we see their multi colored, amorphous forms floating through the air, searching for a creature to consume. This stage is temporary and, without food in time, they will disintegrate and die. Second is the mimic stage, where the X will attempt to blend in and retain its form, assessing the safety and viability of spreading in a given situation. The assessment is not exactly clinical, but it does take into account obvious factors like weaponry and escape routes… and, ya know, Metroids. If their cover is blown, they will react violently, killing all witnesses, and find a safe location to move onto their third stage. This stage can also be used in combat to aid in overwhelming and consuming a resisting population such as the Chozo. Lastly in their standard life cycle is the budding form, where their visage breaks down into amorphous slop as they begin to reproduce more X parasite offspring. I don’t have full details on this, or how the Core X fit into this, but this is where I’m at currently.
4. Scan Logs
Prime time, baby. We doing scan logs. In addition to the typical written logs and notices, I am going to be employing the Doom 2016 style holograms to relay events from the past. While I understand why they are not present in any of the Prime games, I do think they are a tool that make for some interesting storytelling opportunities, (especially in a show or movie, but that’s a discussion for another time). I will try to keep extensive scans sparse as it can be easy to oversaturate the inclusion of logs in a written story when the format already allows a window into how Samus deciphers situations around her.
5. Stakes
I will freely admit to not knowing a great deal about Metroid Fusion’s plot beyond the general outline of things. Some people may then find my reworking to be a bit dishonest in some ways to the source material. With that said, the stakes will be laid out from near the start, and the clock will start ticking. The X parasites have overrun the BSL Station, with near free rein over all of its systems. There are still some guard rails, but it’s only a matter of time until they find a way to send the station toward a well populated planet and spread. Samus, in addition to finding the truth of what was happening on board this station of doom, must ensure the X Parasites can never travel to another star system. If they do, all life in the galaxy is at risk.
6. The SA-X
The SA-X has been an extremely iconic villain due to its stalking behavior and sheer advantage in power over our recovering hero, in addition to being a demented, dark reflection of her. That being said, I think the mutated design for the SA-X feels a bit… uninspired? I simply feel that it just doesn’t add much to the design in its current form. However, the idea of the SA-X mutating is one I’ll keep. Instead of… whatever we have in canon, these mutations will come in the form of the SA-X attempting to keep cohesion with Samus’s spliced DNA and growing more Chozo traits, but deformed and uneven. Half a beak here, a featherless wing there, some mismatched eyes. It will exceptionally uncanny for Samus, given her relationship to both humanity and the Chozo.
7. Neo Ridley
There will be no Neo-Ridley… kind of. I feel like the years have really dulled the effect of having another clone of Ridley, so I will not be including one. Instead, BSL station will house the only other member of Ridley’s species known to the Galactic Federation, an individual named Neo, who provides insight into Ridley’s origins. His copy, Neo-X, will also feature some inspirations from Dread, including a ranged attack of black muck instead of fire, and mutating his wings into additional arms, alongside twisting its head 180°, allowing it to crawl along the walls and high speeds.
Hopefully, this turned out to be an interesting view into how I plan to bring my own spin on Metroid through a different storytelling format. My first project for this rewritten Metroid series is going to be a modified version of the Metroid Zero Mission manga. Stay tuned for updates on that! (If I ever get around to them>.<)
Nerdy the Artist’s Metroid Fanfic Spotlight part 2!
This is something I’ve been needing to do for a hot minute now. As I said last time, there are so many talented writers, artists, and musicians in the Metroid fanbase. The level of creativity and passion for the series is just astounding. Today we will be taking a look at some of the many fanfictions out there. I’ve read these stories myself and can personally attest that they are well worth your time to read. From the cute and fluffy to the grotesque and violent, these stories have earned their place on my recommendations. Without further adue, let’s start this thing.
1. Mostly Just a Power Suit
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17637701
This story, written by Planet_Bryyo, is short and sweet, diving into a fan favorite but rarely explored character of Weavel from Metroid Prime Hunters. In spite of his fan favorite status among the hunters, up there even with Sylux, you’ll be hard pressed to find many fics featuring him. This story shows off his reaction to being transformed into a Non-Zebesian form during his cybernetic reconstruction. The story also spends a great deal of time focusing on the reactions of other Space Pirates seeing this fallen commander, now a lone wolf who is more machine than… man? Alien terminology, ugh. In any case you can see their reactions to this loose cannon in a bar setting. Side tangent, the idea of a Space Pirate bar is actually really unique. We don’t see much of Space Pirates at rest anywhere, so this is actually a welcome touch.
2. Fallen from the Nest
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/53675155/chapters/135874063
Going all in on Bounty Hunters this spotlight, I suppose. This story, written by PuriKuma, is much longer than Mostly Just a Power Suit, though still digestible. This is part of a larger series that I do recommend, but I’ll stick to talking about this entry for now. Keeping with the Hunters appreciation, this story depicts a shared mission between Samus and Noxus, the Vhozon Bounty Hunter from the same game as Weavel and Sylux. The mission brief is simple; a criminal organization called the Ashlings, lead by the physically imposing Andron, have taken hostages, including a Federation Senator, to barter in exchange for a precious and expensive ore. Samus is to go after the Ashling secret base while Noxus intercepts the hostages so that the criminals are not rewarded for their efforts. However, what gives Samus pause is the identity of one of their members. From there, the story takes plenty of intriguing twists and turns. The ways in which Samus and Noxus play off each other in this story are extremely entertaining and interesting to watch. It also adds a fair bit to the latter’s character which I have yet to see anywhere else, a sarcastic playfulness in his attitude that bounces well off of Samus’s stoicism. He’s able to taunt and poke fun at the emotional core behind the front that Samus puts on. Their interactions alone would be worth a read, but the plots twists and mysteries involved really take this story to the next level. This story, and the series it’s a part of, are an instant classic for me.
3. A Win
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48254998/chapters/121695439
Sometimes, we all just need a reminder that we’re doing good, that we aren’t a burden, that we are worthy, that our actions have helped people. This story, written by orphan_account, is that for Samus Aran. Taking place after the events of Metroid Dread, Samus is in a bit of a slump after feeling like she’s only seen as a threat or a tool for higher powers. To attempt some soul searching, she journeys to one of the few game settings that is left better than when she arrived; Aether. She wanders through a reinvigorated and rehabilitated world, free from the influence of Dark Aether and Space Pirates, seeing how the world has healed in her time away. Granted, I am not too familiar with Metroid Prime 2, so much of the reader’s catharsis is likely lost on me. Still, even as someone who has little prior knowledge of the past of Aether, this story still is a nice, sentimental journey, with an appearance from some old friends.
4. Hatchling
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29039376/chapters/71275923
Now, back to where it all began. This story, written by MetroidReploid, is a retelling of an old tale we all know, the story of Samus Aran losing everything. This retelling focuses more on Samus’s life as a child, going into detail about the life she lives, so that when the Space Pirates take it all away, we understand what exactly she’s losing. There’s also some further fleshing out of Adam here as well. He shows up as a young, bright Federation Officer with a preexisting connection to Virginia Aran, Samus’s mother, a connection which has strained her relationship with Rodney Aran. Unlike the simple housewife we see in the manga, Virginia is portrayed as a working mom, leading a security firm tasked with guarding K2-L. Rodney, by contrast, is a bitter, angry man who takes his public image, and that of his company, very seriously. It’s a story full of a lot of angst, but it does its job fairly well in terms of adding some reason to why things happen and when.
5. “Sammy”
Link:
Now, if you need a break from all the angst and dreariness, SeleneLawfulGood has you covered! This story is a short and sweet fluff story, featuring a young woman named Thae’Lia finding a tired but very attractive woman at a bar named Sammy. I think we all know the twist so I won’t beat around the bush. It’s really cute (and with some mild lemon toward the end but you didn’t hear that from me) and displays a rarely seen aspect of the series; how do the citizens of the Galactic Federation view Samus Aran? We rarely, if ever, see non-combatant intelligent life in any Metroid game, so we don’t really get much of that. It also gives a view into what the life of a Bounty Hunter is like. It’s a very lonely, tiring existence that, while it pays well when you save the Galaxy, like, 5 times, needs an extra aspect to be fulfilling. For Samus, it’s the moral obligation she feels. It’s a very cute read, and if you need something sweet, this’ll do the job. Also, trans Samus solidarity.
6. Let Me Tell You How Much I’ve Come To Hate You
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45854323
Getting back to Space Pirates, doorstopQuiet has delved into an aspect of the series that even Metroid Prime itself largely glosses over; Ridley’s reconstruction into Meta Ridley. In truth, it was largely not his idea. As the highest ranking survivor of Samus’s rampage on Zebes, Ridley got lobbed with the blame for the cataclysm. The only reason he had survived was a great shame for the Cunning God of Death. He played dead. He let himself sink into Norfair’s magma, slowly burning away his flesh, but at least he had some chance to survive. He was crippled, mangled, burnt to a crisp, but at least she would not kill him. Still, High Command’s punishment, their loathing of the failed god, was almost worse. He would not command armies, he would not have the same autonomy he once did. He would become a machine for their empire, reconstructed as a tool. It’s a great short story, filled with colorful language and allusions to his past to hammer home the gravity of how far he’s sunk. There are also plenty of references and quotations from Man on The Internet’s Ridley theme vocal cover, which I do find entertaining. I find this to be an excellent read, and really reimagines Meta Ridley in Metroid Prime as a fallen god, stripped of his authority, and sent after the one who felled him.
7. Independent Contractors
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40993332?view_adult=true
This story, written by ifThen_doWhile, shows off Samus in a post Fusion Federation, one that has grown far more wary of her. They still have need of her, however, and so an agent of the Federation is sent to hire a Samus who has not been returning digital requests for her services. The agent, named Aiden, is sent in with top of the line weaponry in case things go south, alongside surveillance of the Hunter’s activities. Upon finding her, Aiden is in for a big surprise. This story really hammers home how heart poundingly nerve racking it is to approach the Hunter who has destroyed 3 planets, especially when tensions are running hot. Samus is portrayed as pragmatic but quiet, her demeanor easily misinterpreted as callous indifference, a guise she leans into at times. It’s a very good, suspenseful story that I highly recommend.
8. Metroid: No Other
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59261113
This story, written by @dappercritter , is actually my most recent read. What’s this? An actual Tumblr link? For once, yes. I saw the announcement post on Tumblr that it was out and jumped at the opportunity to read it. It’s quite good, but quite long. Don’t let the 1 chapter limit fool you, you might not finish it in 1 sitting. In any case, No Other starts off with something of a trope among fanfictions; Other M as an in-universe film. I still find it amusing. However, as this story follows on after Dread, Adam comments on Samus not taking care of herself properly, not addressing any of the trauma from ZDR, avoiding social events, and generally withdrawing from the world around her, prompted by an increasing distrust of the Federation, and the Galaxy as a whole. We also see that Samus does not seem to trust Adam, both due to his origin as an AI made to spy on her, and increased by Raven Beak’s mimicry of him. It’s an angle I haven’t seen anywhere else and is a welcome change of pace. In any case, Samus further withdraws from Adam and into what she does best; Bounty Hunting. However, shortly after her arrival to planet Ohma-984, a new threat emerges, intent on bringing out her dark side. Without going into spoilers, the antagonist’s design is absolutely badass, and I might actually draw him some time. The action sequences in this story, likewise, are absolutely brutal and well thought out. There’s a lot of noticeable influences from other franchises like Godzilla, Metal Gear Rising, and Doom that feel well at home in this story and don’t take away from it at all though that may be me simply being a fan of those series. DapperCritter mentioned specifically Shin Kamen Rider, though I’m not a fan of that series, so I can’t attest to how prominent the influence is. Regardless, it’s a thought provoking story with plenty of brutal action packed in as well, plus I love the original character designs, which take from canon while tagging on further additions.
Honorable Mention: Kanden Story Pitch
Link: https://www.tumblr.com/sepublic/759167079922417664/kanden-debut-pitch
I’m putting this as an honorable mention as it is meant as an outline for a story, so it may not scratch the same itch for some people as a fully written out story. This outline, by @sepublic is meant for a hypothetical Metroid animated series, similar to the original Clone Wars series (not THE Clone Wars!) by Genndy Tartakovsky. This one off features another under appreciated Bounty Hunter, Kanden, facing off against Samus over a Metroid which could give him true power unrivaled. It’s an excellent read, though, once again, if you’re looking for something more completed/traditional, I can understand if this doesn’t suck you in as well. However, I am currently working on a storyboard of this story. I won’t be animating it in full, but there will be sound effects, music, and voice acting. So uh… stay tuned for that!
As I said at that start, these stories are great, and really show off the passion these writers have for the series. However, there are plenty more out there. In the comments, share some of your favorite Metroid Fanfictions you’ve read. I can always do with expanding my Metroid reading list and I’m sure some of you feel the same way.
The Three Pillars of Chozo Society
There are, arguably, three main pillars of Chozo society, the three aspects of their culture that shape how we view them above all else. The different Hasana and factions take them to different levels, but they remain prevalent throughout the various depictions of this ancient race.
Firstly, Warrior Prowess. The Chozo are skilled combatants. From the proud warriors of the Mawkin to the mystical warlocks of Tallon IV, combat has a spot in every iteration of Chozo identity. The word Metroid, their solution to the galaxy threatening problem of the X Parasites, actually translates to “Ultimate Warrior”. Even the peace loving Thoha created the armor Samus uses, trained her, passed on combat trials to her, and so much more.
Secondly, scientific research retains a critical role throughout our perception of the Chozo. The Thoha were masters of genetic engineering and created Mother Brain, but the Mawkin arguably had them beat in that front. Granted, comparing 2D sprites to a 3 dimensional world is a bit unfair, but ZDR looks a bit more industrialized than Zebes, with several biomechanical central units controlling various systems. Even the technology averse Talon IV Chozo were able to create amazing creations, particularly when the crisis of Phazon took precedence.
Lastly, philosophy/mysticism is something that, while mostly attributed to the Talon IV Chozo, is a pillar of the other depictions of the benevolent species. In Dread, it is stated that the advanced castle of Ferenia was once home to many ceremonies and rituals.
With all of this in mind, I think it’s safe to say that we can name the three groups of Chozo who tie most directly to these subjects. The Thoha were masters of science, and delved into it to expand their lifespans beyond what their bodies should realistically be capable of, and made some of the most powerful artificial organisms the galaxy has ever seen. The Mawkin were masters of warfare, an obsession that consumed their society and leaders. The Talon IV Chozo were the masters of mysticism, unlocking an ability to witness the future from afar, predicting the arrival of the Phazon meteor and of the woman who would ultimately save their doomed world.
Still, these three civilizations fell before various catastrophes, each endemic to a weakness of their particular society, a weakened pillar which an outside force could exploit. The Talon IV Chozo actively stepped away from their scientific advancements in order to pursue a closer relationship with nature. While a noble pursuit, it left them unprepared for the arrival of the Leviathan, which they only barely contained, and only for a time as Phazon would end up leaking through the seemingly impenetrable barrier they had made. The Thoha’s downfall came from their dedication to pacifism. While a noble pursuit, they had delegated all combat duties to others, be it the Mawkin or the Metroids, and ended up weak and feeble when the Space Pirates came to claim their world. The Mawkin ended up being felled by a threat seemingly from within. An X Parasite infected a Mawkin soldier, traveled to ZDR and spread until Raven Beak could only contain it be sealing all other Chozo in Elun with it. Simple security measures and identification equipment could have caught the X before it had a chance to reproduce (Having soldiers equipped with ranged weapons might also have helped but whatever)
I think that another big part of Raven Beak’s pitch to Samus is this idea, misplaced as it may be, that the Chozo are the arbiters of morality in the universe. Under their watchful guard, the Galaxy was kept safe, prosperous, and free. They safeguarded species to carve their own path, forge their own destinies, and ascend to the stars on their own terms. We know, from various carvings, that the Mawkin have fought and defeated the Space Pirates in the past. As the Chozo receded, they left this responsibility to the Federation, a system which, in his view, has failed. They need, in effect, the last Chozo to attempt to solve all their problems. Yet, she’s just one woman. Indeed, she can do what many would think impossible. She ended both the Metroid Crisis and the Phazon crisis, defeated the unkillable Ridley, and so much more. Yet, she can’t be everywhere at once. She cannot solve the galaxy’s many injustices. To restore a golden age to the galaxy, the Chozo must return to impose it unto the dysfunctional Federation.
Is this the whole truth? No.
The Chozo were no stranger to crimes against the people they watched over. Hell, Raven Beak is known to execute members of his own Hasana. He himself is so enamored by past glories that he doesn’t see that the Chozo were never perfect. Perhaps they got a head start on the galaxy, achieved space travel a little early, had one or two less extinctions in their evolutionary development, achieved their power ahead of others, but they simply are not perfect. He doesn’t even see the crimes he commits as anything other than necessary steps on the path to a full return of the Chozo dominion. He believes in a return to the days when the Chozo fostered species to pursue their own prosperity and advancement, but he is too ambitious and self righteous to relinquish any of his power. After all,
Hadar sen Olmen.
Power is what will bring the Chozo back to prominence, power is what will dismantle the failed Galactic Federation, power is will eliminate all the threats to the good people of the Galaxy, power is what will see individual races achieve prosperity on their own. Power… is everything.
Hem ili Metroid mar Hadar.
The Project Golem mechs function quite similarly to Samus, even plugging their arm cannons into interfaces to receive data, operate devices, etc. From a Doylist perspective, the developers probably wanted to make a Metroid multiplayer based around Samus’ gameplay; But Samus is only one individual, how does this fit into the canon? So they made some Federation lookalikes to explain it. These mechs still act very Samus to appeal to the Metroid iconography.
From a Watsonian perspective, you know how one of the signs of improving technology is the ability to make it smaller, and more efficient? It could be that the Federation was a little humiliated by having to rely on one bounty hunter the whole time, and attributed a lot of her success to the tech she wore. There’s obviously so much more to what makes Samus such a great warrior than that, but still.
Project Golem was a way to ensure the Federation was prepared for any Space Pirate attack. And if the Aurora Units are any indication, the Federation has already emulated Chozo tech with their own weaker knock-offs before; More quantity to make up for a lack of quality. Because look at how enormous the mechs are, they’re Omega Pirate-sized! Both the Aurora Units and Project Golem were revealed in the Prime series, in two successive games involving an increase in Federation presence within the story and gameplay…
My point is: During the Dread arc, Raven Beak goes on a whole tirade about how the Federation is comprised of weaklings who have to depend on just one Chozo warrior to survive. Imagine how helpless they’d be against an army, surely at this point the Federation has made it clear they’ve given the reins to Samus in general; May as well just get it out of the way, take initiative but who can stop them? It was meant to be… It doesn’t matter that the Federation is trying to be more independent by making their own Samuses, because
The Federation knows it’s weak, that’s why it’s been scrambling so much to imitate its superiors, and pitifully too. Besides, they mistake the technology as the only part of Samus that matters; But Raven Beak knows the person, the Chozo training and philosophy inside, is just as important. Maybe moreso. He has no shortage of Chozo tech to work with, so what Raven Beak lacks, he’ll work with.
If you wanna see more nuance on Raven Beak and his internal dialogue and thought processes, I HIGHLY recommend reading The Downfall of Ashkar Behek by Acayl on AO3. I will abstain from any major spoilers, but you get to see how he comes to his headspace he has as the Mawkin Warlord we see in Dread. As the name suggests, you see his fall from moral grace, and his mental instability.
As for my own take on Raven Beak, I believe I’ve said previously that he is good at using fact based reasoning to for his own arguments. In my own retelling of events, he cemented the Thoha’s weakened state by using SR-388 as an example. The Thoha preach peace and coexistence with the universe and all its inhabitants. Yet they created an abomination of a species to solve their crisis on SR-388, and attempted to destroy the entire planet to eliminate the beings born by their own hands, their children, so to speak. He posits that the Thoha have strayed from their roots and their morals, and that they have no standing to hold sway over the Galaxy. It’s an insightful commentary that truly shakes the Thoha Hasana to its core. They fully renounce violence, refuse to kill the last Metroid in their possession due to the moral repugnance of their actions on SR-388, and withdraw from Galactic society and politics. The Metroids have become the great shame of the Thoha.
Left out of Raven Beak’s statements to the Thoha Hasana are his own plans of using the Metroids for his own gain. He conveniently omits the fact that he would not go so far as to commit genocide on the Thoha on SR-388 were it not for the military boon a supply of Metroids would afford him. What the full on massacre afforded him was the benefit of being the only one with the whole story, able to dole out and withhold as much of the truth as he sees fit. The only Thoha to know of his treachery is Quiet Robe. However, he’s not able to tell anyone. He is safely secured on ZDR, constantly monitored, and given no access to communications deemed unnecessary to the purpose Raven Beak has for him.
What he told them was the truth, but he did omit certain details the Thoha would certainly like to know.
Once again, read The Downfall of Ashkar Behek. It has many differences to my own take on him, but it’s so damn good I’ve used it for a fair bit of inspiration.
Sometimes I do have to question the decision to make Samus into the Chozo's personal champion/warrior; I think there's def some questionable moral implications about this. Especially when you find out that the Chozo let Raven Beak donate his DNA into Samus', which is just a whole can of worms; How the heck did this happen, how did they agree to it??? Did Raven Beak threaten them, why did they never tell Samus? Why an interest in Samus? How did Mother Brain think of all this, because I'd be surprised if she just never noticed despite her massive control over Zebes.
It's different not mentioning it was Gray Voice's DNA specifically, because I can see why it wouldn't be deemed relevant by either the Chozo or Samus herself up until the circumstances of that reveal. Samus definitely knew they donated somebody's DNA from that community, and she only knows of Chozo on Zebes, not Tallon IV or SR388.
I could see the Dread arc in a Metroid show being a storyline where Samus is kinda forced to confront her Chozo heritage, her relationship with them, ask these sorts of uncomfortable questions; I think Samus has a problem with seeing herself as only a weapon, a destroyer, which should make her dynamic with Adam compelling in theory because despite being a military commander, he does try to remind Samus that she should have an existence outside of these things. And this plays into his AI reincarnation finding a way for Samus to survive Fusion while still completing her objective. The fact that Adam himself was a military human might play into this, because he might understand firsthand how Samus feels the need to be her role; More on that in a bit…
And after Fusion, after the guilt of the Metroid genocide, and now carrying one's DNA within her, I can see Samus having a lot of questions about what she is, who she's made up of, etc. So in the buildup to the proper Dread storyline, I like to imagine that after Fusion, Samus actually goes to Earth, the ancestral homeworld of humanity, to reconnect with that original side of hers, with Rodney and Virginia's.
Seeing how much humans are used by the Federation as attack dogs (per my own HCs and the series itself) makes Samus wonder if there's more than that, hence Earth. It's a way for her to clear her head from depression and take a damn vacation with Adam, who has his memories again... Maybe Anthony? I think Samus might be in too much of an awkward spot with the Federation to invite Anthony, because that would put him in such an uncomfortable position as a Federation employee himself.
Still, seeing the role that humans play as the Federation's infantry species makes Samus wonder, at some point; Is that why the Chozo chose to adopt me? Obviously they saved me, but they could've just left me at an orphanage, maybe insisted on seeing me through a successful adoption process. But instead, they took me to Zebes, away from my people, and changed me to be more like them. Maybe when I joined the Federation, it was in the hopes of reconnecting with my human side.
It's a bit of irrational, panicked doubt that Samus has the luxury of being able to voice to Adam, who acts as a more objective, rational observer after becoming an AI; He's also reconnecting with his emotions, and we possibly get an arc of him showing Samus his home on Earth and where he came from, if he isn't from another world entirely like Samus herself is.
There's definitely a recurring question: Did I even know my people? Do I know who runs through my veins? The Metroids are a good example of this question, since Samus thought of them as just dangerous animals, and for a brief while as unnatural bioweapons after learning more on SR388 (which helped to justify their extermination in her Mind). But then she meets the Queen and then the Infant, and has her whole world rocked via gradual realization.
So Raven Beak showing up is the perfect time to contribute, when Samus starts to reconsider her relationship with the Chozo, her existence as a weapon. And Raven Beak outright says, Samus was groomed by the Thoha into their weapon because they were cowards.
He says that the Thoha were hypocritical, useless cowards; Despite their supposed devotion to peace, down to making it physically painful to inflict it, they still had plenty of workarounds. The Thoha still saw firsthand how violence was a necessary, natural part of life; Case in point, the X were not about to respond to diplomacy, so the Thoha had to create the greatest bioweapon the galaxy has ever seen. And this bioweapon, despite their attempts, would be weaponized later on by so many others, and cause so much destruction.
They also saw the need for the Mawkin; Despite their hostility and dismissal of their 'warmonger' brethren, the Thoha accepted their help when pushed into a corner. It was Mawkin soldiers who gave their lives sealing away the Metroids, so that SR388 might live. So perhaps, then, it was only justice, blood for blood, that Raven Beak slaughtered the Thoha for the deaths of his soldiers.
(I don't see him as being sincere in terms of 'avenging' his soldiers, because I prefer to write the members of a cause as less sympathetic the higher up the command chain they go; Feels truer to real life imo.)
This is a very uncomfortable position for Samus, she's backed into a corner and cut off from a friend like Adam who would be there to speak reason and back her up; Here, she feels alone. This is nonsense, Samus insists. The Thoha made themselves resistant to violence so as to encourage different methods, another way.
Yes, and those 'different methods' were simply to make others do the violence for them, Raven Beak notes. That's why the Zebesian Thoha groomed Samus into their own Metroid, why they accepted Raven Beak's DNA donation. The Thoha weren't trying to minimize violence; They simply sought to keep their hands clean of the dirty work by manipulating/creating others to do it for them.
But Raven Beak knows, he's figured out there's no difference; At that point, just cut out the middle man, do it yourself! This is why the Mawkin are the loyalists, while the Thoha and other clans are traitors; Only the Mawkin remain the True Chozo. And Samus must join them, because like the Mawkin she knows the simple truth that violence IS a natural, necessary part of life. She's seen how naturally vicious animals can be, engaged in that violence herself.
Other things are also necessary, Samus challenges sarcastically. Do you expect me to increase those tenfold in my routine? Raven Beak dismisses that question; Maybe if the situation calls for it. But in this chaotic state, the galaxy needs violence more than it does diplomacy, and so violence is what Samus must offer.
On Raven Beak's end at least, he WAS interested in Samus' status as a human; The Federation's most widespread infantry species. Especially given his plans to clone an army of Metroids... And then an army of Samuses. In general he was intrigued by the use of bioweapons and chimeras, hence Raven Beak adding to hybrid warrior Samus.
This makes it all the more poetic that Raven Beak would forcibly become a chimera himself, thanks to an X; Fusing with Kraid's DNA, with Kraid and the Space Pirates as a whole also operating on the idea of "We are physically superior, especially in combat, so we deserve to take advantage of that for ourselves and rule. Also Metroids are good bioweapons."
So despite their opposition to one another, the Space Pirates and Mawkin are truly two peas in an X pod, aren't they? Raven Beak 'got his wish' by fusing with the Space Pirates' most physically powerful member, and indeed his kidnapping of Kraid might have something to do with his eugenics and bioweapon plans.
Maybe Samus brings up, that beings like her and the Metroids are just a few examples; But the majority of Thoha options was peace, and Raven Beak's folly is that he only recognizes violent options and their success, while only remembering the failures of peaceful options. But it just goes to show how flashy they are, that the Mawkin are too 'bored' and 'under-stimulated' with the banal work of real peace to glorify it. Maybe Samus says this, or Adam, or even Quiet Robe-X.
Point is; If Old Bird is still alive out there, Samus has a LOT of questions for him and the other Zebesian Thoha when they reunite. That's assuming Raven Beak didn't get to them first, and unlike the game, the Metroid show has them actually appear in-person to add to this chaotic arc for Samus. Maybe this could lead to a respectful disagreement, where Samus decides she HAS to fight and this is necessary; But she understands why the Thoha are averse and feel shame, after their warring past.
I personally doubt we’ll see Adam in Beyond. Other M is a direct follow-up to Super, which the calendar year listed in the trailer implies took place prior (though, with all the inconsistencies in timelines, that’s not exactly definitive). Adam dies there, and isn’t seen again until his AI recreation in Fusion, after Samus’s suit gets diced up to remove the X parasite attempting to consume her. Given that we see the after effects of that in Dread but not Beyond, it’s safe to assume this game takes place before Fusion, leaving no room for Adam Malkovich to show up save for some obituary or something of the like. It would be nice to see a little Easter egg in Samus’s gunship of Adam’s helmet she retrieved at the end of Other M, though.
Of course, whether we should be adhering to Other M for canon is its whole other debate that I shall not be delving into right now.
Sometimes I wonder if Admiral Dane could’ve been replaced by Adam Malkovich for Corruption, since we already knew about his character’s past with Samus and even got a glimpse of him in the Zero Mission manga. I feel like that would’ve actually endeared the original, human Adam to fans, more than Other M ever did… That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sakamoto said no because that’s his character, whom he already had plans and a specific vision + game in mind for. So Retro Studios had to make up Dane, who ended up becoming an actual fan favorite and often compared to Adam as the superior Federation commander to Samus. Maybe Adam can show up in Beyond with a different studio writing him this time.